High potential and high corrosion resistance aluminum alloy and high corrosion resistance heat exchanger

Abstract

A high-potential and high-corrosion resistance aluminum alloy and a high-corrosion resistance heat exchanger using the aluminum alloy are provided. The aluminum alloy includes: 0.6 to 0.8 percent by weight (wt %) of manganese (Mn); 0.05 to 0.30 wt % of magnesium (Mg); 0.05 to 0.35 wt % of zinc (Zn); 0.05 to 0.20 wt % of chromium (Cr); and a remaining wt % of aluminum (Al) and inevitable impurities, wherein a corrosion potential value of the aluminum alloy is in a range of −720 to −680 mV.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aluminum alloy comprising:
 0.6 to 0.8 percent by weight (wt %) of manganese (Mn);   0.05 to 0.30 wt % of magnesium (Mg);   0.05 to 0.35 wt % of zinc (Zn);   0.05 to 0.20 wt % of chromium (Cr); and   a remaining wt % of aluminum (Al) and inevitable impurities,   wherein a corrosion potential value of the aluminum alloy is in a range of −720 to −680 mV.   
     
     
         2 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein
 a value of 53.2*[Mn]−8.44*[Mg]−131.9*[Zn]+0.01*[Cr] is in a range of −12 to 32,   where [Mn] is the wt % of Mg, [Mg] is the wt % Mg, [Zn] is the wt % of Zn, and [Cr] is wt % of Cr.   
     
     
         3 . The high-potential and high-corrosion resistance aluminum alloy of  claim 2 , wherein the value is in a range of 16 to 30. 
     
     
         4 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein a sum of the wt % of Mn, the wt % of Mg, the wt % of Zn, and the wt % of Cr is greater than 0 wt % and less than or equal to 1.6 wt %. 
     
     
         5 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of 0.2 wt % or less of silicon (Si) and 0.25 wt % or less of iron (Fe). 
     
     
         6 . The aluminum alloy of  claim 1 , wherein the inevitable impurities is 1.0 wt % or less. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger comprising a tube having an internal channel,
 wherein the tube is formed of an aluminum alloy comprising:
 0.6 to 0.8 percent by weight (wt %) of manganese (Mn); 
 0.05 to 0.30% of magnesium (Mg); 
 0.05 to 0.35% of zinc (Zn); 
 0.05 to 0.20% of chromium (Cr); and 
 a remaining balance of aluminum (Al) and inevitable impurities. 
   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein
 a value of) 53.2*[Mn]−8.44*[Mg]−131.9*[Zn]+0.01*[Cr] is in a range of −12 to 32,   where [Mn] is the wt % of Mg, [Mg] is the wt % Mg, [Zn] is the wt % of Zn, and [Cr] is wt % of Cr.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein a sum of the wt % of Mn, the wt % of Mg, the wt % of Zn, and the wt % of Cr of the aluminum alloy is greater than 0 wt % and less than or equal to 1.6 wt %. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy further comprises at least one of 0.2 wt % or less of silicon (Si) and 0.25 wt % or less of iron (Fe). 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises the inevitable impurities in an amount of 1.0 wt % or less. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein a corrosion potential value of the tube is−720 to −680 mV. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the tube comprises a first tube,
 wherein the heat exchanger further comprises an evaporator comprising a plurality of fins coupled to an outer circumference surface of the first tube, and   wherein a corrosion potential value of the first tube is higher than a corrosion potential value of each of the plurality of fins.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the corrosion potential value of each of the plurality of fins is in a range of −840 to −700 mV. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein a difference of the corrosion potential value of the first tube and the corrosion potential value of each of the plurality of fins is in a range of 10 to 100 mV.