U.S. patent application number 13/298335 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-24 for outdoor heat exchanger and heat pump having the same.
Invention is credited to Hongseong Kim, Juhyok KIM, Hanchoon Lee, Sangyeul Lee.
Application Number | 20120125030 13/298335 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45440097 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120125030 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KIM; Juhyok ; et
al. |
May 24, 2012 |
OUTDOOR HEAT EXCHANGER AND HEAT PUMP HAVING THE SAME
Abstract
A heat pump is provided. The heat pump may include an outdoor
heat exchanger that performs a heat exchange operation between
refrigerant and outdoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger may include
a refrigerant tube that guides refrigerant therethrough, and one or
more fins coupled to the refrigerant tube. One face of each of the
fins may be coated with a water repellent coating material and
another face thereof may be coated with a hydrophilic coating
material. An area coated with the water repellent coating material
may be greater than an area coated with the hydrophilic coating
material.
Inventors: |
KIM; Juhyok; (Changwon-si,
KR) ; Kim; Hongseong; (Changwon-si, KR) ; Lee;
Hanchoon; (Changwon-si, KR) ; Lee; Sangyeul;
(Changwon-si, KR) |
Family ID: |
45440097 |
Appl. No.: |
13/298335 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/238.6 ;
165/133 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 39/00 20130101;
F28F 2245/02 20130101; F28F 2245/04 20130101; F28F 13/182 20130101;
F28F 19/006 20130101; F28F 1/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/238.6 ;
165/133 |
International
Class: |
F28F 13/18 20060101
F28F013/18; F25B 27/00 20060101 F25B027/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 19, 2010 |
KR |
10-2010-0115643 |
Claims
1. A heat pump, comprising: a compressor; an outdoor heat exchanger
that performs heat exchange between refrigerant and outdoor air; an
indoor heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between
refrigerant and indoor air; and an expander installed between the
outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, wherein the
outdoor heat exchanger comprises: a refrigerant tube that guides
refrigerant therethrough; one or more fins coupled to the
refrigerant tube; a water repellent coating material applied to a
first surface of each of the one or more fins; and a hydrophilic
coating material applied to a second surface of each of the one or
more fins, wherein an area coated with the water repellent coating
material is greater than an area coated with the hydrophilic
coating material.
2. The heat pump of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more fins
comprises: a substantially cylindrical collar having an inner
circumferential surface thereof in contact with the refrigerant
tube and an outer circumferential surface thereof exposed to air
flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger, wherein the outer
circumferential surface of the collar is coated with the water
repellent coating material; and a plate body that extends outward
from the collar, the plate body being exposed to the air flowing
through the outdoor heat exchanger.
3. The heat pump of claim 2, wherein the inner circumferential
surface of the collar is coated with the hydrophilic coating
material.
4. The heat pump of claim 2, wherein a first surface of the plate
body that extends outward from and is perpendicular to the outer
circumferential surface of the collar is coated with the water
repellent coating material, and a second surface of the plate body
that extends outward from and is perpendicular to the inner
circumferential surface of the collar is coated with the
hydrophilic coating material.
5. The heat pump of claim 1, wherein an area of each of the one or
more fins coated with the water repellent coating material is
greater than 0.5 times and less than 0.6 times a total area thereof
that is exposed to the air flowing through the outdoor heat
exchanger.
6. The heat pump of claim 1, wherein the one or more fins comprises
a plurality of fins arranged at predetermined intervals along the
refrigerant tube, and wherein the hydrophilic coating material
coated on any one of the plurality of fins faces the water
repellent coating material coated on an adjacent fin of the
plurality of fins.
7. The heat pump of claim 6, wherein the water repellent coating
material and the hydrophilic coating material are alternately
positioned in a direction perpendicular to an air flow direction in
the outdoor heat exchanger.
8. The heat pump of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of fins
is made of an aluminum material.
9. The heat pump of claim 6, wherein a contact angle of
condensation water generated on a surface of the water repellent
coating material is greater than 90.degree. and less than
150.degree..
10. The heat pump of claim 6, wherein a contact angle of
condensation water generated on a surface of the hydrophilic
coating material is greater than 0.degree. and less than
30.degree..
11. A heat exchanger for a heat pump, comprising: a refrigerant
tube that guides refrigerant through the heat exchanger; and a
plurality of fins coupled to the refrigerant tube, each of the
plurality of fins being made of an aluminum material, wherein each
of the plurality of fins comprises: a substantially cylindrical
having an inner circumferential surface thereof fitted around the
refrigerant tube and an outer circumferential surface thereof
exposed to air flowing through the heat exchanger; a plate body
that extends outward from the collar and having first and second
surfaces exposed to air flowing through the heat exchanger; a water
repellant material coated on one of the inner or outer
circumferential surface of the collar and one of the first or
second surface of the plate body extending respectively therefrom;
and a hydrophilic material coated on the other of the inner or
outer surface of the collar and the other of the first or second
surface of the plate body extending respectively therefrom.
12. The heat exchanger of claim 11, wherein the inner
circumferential surface of the collar and the second surface of the
plate body, which extends outward from and is perpendicular to the
inner circumferential surface of the collar, of each of the
plurality of fins are coated with the hydrophilic coating
material.
13. The heat exchanger of claim 12, wherein the outer
circumferential surface of the collar and the first surface of the
plate body, which extends outward from and is perpendicular to the
outer circumferential surface of the collar, of each of the
plurality of fins are coated with the water repellant material.
14. The heat exchanger of claim 11, wherein an area of each of the
plurality of fins that is coated with the water repellent coating
material is greater than 0.5 times and less than 0.6 times an area
of each of the plurality of fins that is exposed to air flowing
through the heat exchanger.
15. The heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein the water repellent
coating material and the hydrophilic coating material are
alternately positioned in a direction perpendicular to an air flow
direction in the heat exchanger.
16. The heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein a contact angle of
condensation water generated on a surface of the water repellent
coating material is greater than 90.degree. and less than
150.degree., and a contact angle of condensation water generated on
a surface of the hydrophilic coating material is greater than
0.degree. and less than 30.degree..
17. A heat pump comprising the heat exchanger of claim 11.
18. An outdoor heat exchanger, comprising: a refrigerant tube that
guides refrigerant therethrough and a plurality of fins coupled to
the refrigerant tube, wherein each of the plurality of fins
comprises: a cylindrical fitted around the refrigerant tube; and a
plate body extending outward from and perpendicular to the collar,
wherein a first surface of the collar and a first surface of the
plate body extending directly outward from the first surface of the
collar are coated with a water repellent coating material, and a
second surface of the collar and a second surface of the plate body
extending directly outward from the second surface of the collar
are coated with a hydrophilic coating material.
19. The outdoor heat exchanger of claim 18, wherein the second
surface of the collar is an inner circumferential surface of the
collar that is positioned against the refrigerant tube, and the
second surface of the plate body extends directly outward from a
corresponding edge of the collar, perpendicular to the inner
circumferential surface of the collar.
20. The outdoor heat exchanger of claim 19, wherein the first
surface of the collar is an outer circumferential surface of the
collar opposite the inner circumferential surface thereof, and
wherein the first surface of the plate body extends outward from
the outer circumferential surface of the collar, perpendicular to
the outer circumferential surface of the collar.
21. The outdoor heat exchanger of claim 19, wherein an area of each
of the plurality of fins that is coated with the water repellent
coating material is greater than 0.5 times and less than 0.6 times
an area of each of the plurality of fins exposed to outdoor air
flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger.
22. The outdoor heat exchanger of claim 21, wherein a contact angle
of condensation water generated on a surface of the water repellent
coating material is greater than 90.degree. and less than
150.degree., and a contact angle of condensation water generated on
a surface of the hydrophilic coating material is greater than
0.degree. and less than 30.degree..
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
to Korean Application No. 10-2010-0115643 filed on Nov. 19, 2010,
whose entire disclosure(s) is/are hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] This relates to a heat exchanger and a heat pump having the
same and, more particularly, to an outdoor heat exchanger including
a hydrophilic coating and a water repellent coating, and a heat
pump having the same.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] In general, a heat pump is a device which includes a
compressor, a condensation heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism,
and an evaporation heat exchanger. Such a heat pump may be used to
cool or heat an indoor area and/or to supply hot water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The embodiments will be described in detail with reference
to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to
like elements wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a heat pump according to an
embodiment as broadly described herein;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a section of an outdoor heat
exchanger of the heat pump shown in FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a graph of a heating operation duration with a
respect to a ratio of hydrophilic coating and water repellent
coating of the heat pump shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a graph of a defrosting operation duration with
respect to a ratio of hydrophilic coating and water repellent
coating of the heat pump shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0011] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of condensation water
generated on a water repellent coated fin of the heat pump shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2; and
[0012] FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of condensation water
generated on a hydrophilic coated fin of the heat pump shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] With reference to FIG. 1, a heat pump as embodied and
broadly described herein may include a compressor 2 for compressing
a refrigerant, and an outdoor heat exchanger 4 for heat-exchanging
a refrigerant with outdoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger 4 allows
a refrigerant to be heat-exchanged with outdoor air flowing due to
operation of an outdoor fan 5 to thus condense or evaporate the
refrigerant.
[0014] The heat pump may include an indoor heat exchanger 6
allowing a refrigerant to be heat-exchanged with indoor air, or
heat-exchanged with a heating medium such as an anti-freeze
solution, water, or the like.
[0015] The heat pump may be configured as a heat pump type
air-conditioner and/or a heat pump type hot water supply device. In
the case of the heat pump type air-conditioner, indoor air is
heat-exchanged with the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger 6
and then discharged into an indoor area to change an indoor
temperature. In the case of the heat pump type hot water supply
device, a heating medium such as water, an anti-freeze solution, or
the like, may be heat-exchanged with a refrigerant in the indoor
heat exchanger 6 so as to be used for supplying hot water.
[0016] In the case of the heat pump type air-conditioner, the
indoor-heat exchanger 6 includes a refrigerant tube allowing a
refrigerant to pass therethrough and a fin-tube heat exchanger
including one or more fins coupled with the refrigerant tube,
whereby indoor air is in contact with the fin-tube heat exchanger
so as to be heat-exchanged with a refrigerant.
[0017] The indoor heat-exchanger 6 heat-exchanges indoor air
flowing due to operation of an indoor fan 7 with a refrigerant that
passes through therein to condense or evaporate the
refrigerant.
[0018] In the case of the heat pump type hot water supply device,
the indoor heat exchanger 6 is configured as a dual-pipe heat
exchanger, a plate type heat exchanger, or a shell-tube type heat
exchanger including a first flow path allowing the refrigerant to
pass therethrough and a second flow path allowing a heating medium
to pass therethrough, in which the refrigerant in the first flow
path and the heating medium in the second flow path are
heat-exchanged with a heat transmission member interposed
therebetween, and in this case, the heating medium, passing through
the second flow path, is heat-exchanged with the refrigerant
through the heat transmission member.
[0019] The indoor heat exchanger 6 may be connected with a
reservoir (or hot water tank) in which the heating medium is
accommodated, through a heating medium circulation flow path, and
as the heating medium flowing from the reservoir (or hot water
tank) passes through the second flow path of the indoor heat
exchanger 6, the refrigerant is evaporated or condensed.
[0020] The heat pump includes an expansion mechanism 8 installed
between the indoor heat exchanger 6 and the outdoor heat exchanger
4 to expand a refrigerant.
[0021] The heat pump further includes a flow path switch 10 for
allowing the refrigerant to circulate from the outdoor heat
exchanger 4, to the expansion mechanism 8, and then to the indoor
heat exchanger 6, or from the compressor 2, to the indoor heat
exchanger 6, then to the expansion mechanism 8, and then to the
outdoor heat exchanger 4.
[0022] The flow path switch 10 may be one 4-way valve that changes
a flow direction of the refrigerant, or a plurality of switching
valves that change the flow direction of the refrigerant. In the
following description, it is assumed that one 4-way valve is used
to change the flow direction of the refrigerant.
[0023] The heat pump may include an outdoor unit O including the
compressor 2, the outdoor heat exchanger 4, the outdoor fan 5, the
expansion mechanism 8, and the flow path switch 10, and an indoor
unit I including the indoor heat exchanger 6 and the indoor fan
7.
[0024] In certain embodiments, the heat pump may perform a cooling
operation and a heating operation. In alternative embodiments, the
heat pump may perform the cooling operation, the heating operation,
and a defrosting operation, or may perform the heating operation
and the defrosting operation.
[0025] The cooling operation is performed to cool a heating medium
or indoor air using the indoor heat exchanger 6. For the cooling
operation, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 2 flows to
the outdoor heat exchanger 4, sequentially passes through the
expansion mechanism 8 and the indoor heat exchanger 6, and then, is
returned to the compressor 2.
[0026] The heating operation is performed to heat the heating
medium or indoor air. For the heating operation, the refrigerant
compressed in the compressor 2 flows to the indoor heat exchanger
6, sequentially passes through the expansion mechanism 8 and the
outdoor heat exchanger 4, and then is returned to the compressor
2.
[0027] The defrosting operation is performed to eliminate frost
generated at the outdoor heat exchanger 4 by directing compressed
refrigerant to the outdoor heat exchanger 4. Like the cooling
operation, in the defrosting operation, the refrigerant compressed
in the compressor 2 flows to the outdoor heat exchanger 4,
sequentially passes through the expansion mechanism 8 and the
indoor heat exchanger 6, and then is returned to the compressor
2.
[0028] In the defrosting operation, a portion of the compressed
refrigerant may pass through a portion of the flow path of the
outdoor heat exchanger 4 to partially defrost the outdoor heat
exchanger 4, and the remaining compressed refrigerant may
sequentially pass through the indoor heat exchanger 6 and the
expansion mechanism 8, pass through the remaining portion of the
flow path of the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and then, may be
returned to the compressor 2.
[0029] When a defrosting condition is met while the heating
operation is being performed, the defrosting operation is
performed. Thereafter, when a defrosting complete condition is met,
the operation may be returned to the heating operation again.
[0030] The defrosting condition may include, for example, an
accumulation of a predetermined amount of operation time of the
heat pump in the heating operation, an outdoor temperature, a
suction overheat degree, and the like, which triggers the need for
defrosting setting conditions. Similarly, the defrosting complete
condition may include, for example, a predetermined amount of time
during which the heat pump has been operated in the defrosting
operation, the outdoor temperature, the suction overheat degree,
and the like, which indicates that defrosting is complete and the
defrosting operation may be terminated.
[0031] When the heat pump is used to perform the heating operation,
the flow path switch 10 directs the refrigerant compressed in the
compressor 2 to the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and when the
defrosting condition is met, the flow path switch 10 directs the
refrigerant compressed in the compressor 2 to the indoor heat
exchanger 6, and thereafter, when the heat pump is returned to the
heating operation, the flow path switch 10 directs the compressed
refrigerant compressed in the compressor 2 to the outdoor heat
exchanger 4.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the outdoor heat exchanger 4 may be
configured as a fin-tube heat exchanger including a refrigerant
tube 12 allowing a refrigerant to pass therethrough and one or more
fins 14 coupled to the refrigerant tube 12. Outdoor air is
heat-exchanged with the refrigerant through the one or more fins 14
and the refrigerant rube 12. Both water repellent coating material
16 and hydrophilic coating material 18 may be coated on the fins 14
of the outdoor heat exchanger 4.
[0033] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the water
repellent coating material 16 is coated on one surface of the fins
14 and the hydrophilic coating material 18 is coated on the other
surface of the fins 14 (i.e., a surface opposite the surface on
which the water repellent coating material is coated).
[0034] When the water repellent coating material 16 is coated on
the fins 14 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4, frost growth on the
surface of the fins 14 may be delayed and a heating operation
duration, without the need for a defrosting operation, may be
lengthened. When the hydrophilic coating material 18 is coated on
the fins 14 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4, frost melt during the
defrosting operation may be more quickly accomplished, and a
duration of the defrosting operation may be shortened.
[0035] In certain embodiments, the fins 14 may be coated with both
the hydrophilic coating material 18 and the water repellent coating
material 16 such that frost growth may be delayed and any
accumulated frost may be defrosted within a shortened amount of
time.
[0036] In a heat pump as embodied and broadly described herein,
taking into consideration a ratio of an area on which the water
repellent coating material 16 is coated (i.e., the heat
transmission area of the water repellent coating air side) to an
area of the fins 14 are in contact with air flowing through the
heat exchanger (i.e., the heat transmission are of the overall air
side), a duration of the heating operation may be affected as shown
in FIG. 3 and a duration of the defrosting operation may be
affected as shown in FIG. 4.
[0037] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to shorten the
duration of the defrosting operation while also lengthening the
uninterrupted duration of the heating operation, the area of the
fins 14 coated with the water repellent coating material 16 may be
larger than the area coated with the hydrophilic coating material
18. In certain embodiments, the area of the fins 14 coated with the
water repellent coating material 16 may be greater 0.5 times and
less than 0.6 times the area of the fins 14 that is exposed to/is
in contact with air.
[0038] If the area of the fins 14 coated with the water repellent
coating material 16 is less than 0.5 times the area that is in
contact with air, a corresponding duration of the heating operation
may be too short, and when the area of the fins 14 coated with the
water repellent coating material 16 is greater 0.6 times the area
in contact with air, the duration of the heating operation duration
may be lengthened, but in this case, the duration of the defrosting
operation duration would also be lengthened. Thus, the area of the
fins 14 coated with the water repellent coating material 16 is
greater than 0.5 times but less than 0.6 times the area in contact
with air.
[0039] Each of the fins 14 include a plate body 22 having two
opposite faces thereof in contact with outdoor air and a collar 24
that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the plate body 22 and
coupled with the refrigerant tube 12.
[0040] Both faces of the plate body 22 may form outdoor air contact
surfaces, and one of the two faces may be coated with the water
repellent coating material 16 and the other may be coated with the
hydrophilic coating material 18.
[0041] An inner circumferential surface A of the collar 24 may
contact the refrigerant tube 12, and an outer circumferential face
B of the collar 24 may make contact with outdoor air. In certain
embodiments, the inner circumferential face A of the collar 24 may
be coated with the hydrophilic coating material 18 and the outer
circumferential face B of the collar 24 may be coated with the
water repellent coating material 16.
[0042] The two opposite faces C and D of the plate body 22 may
include one face D that extends outward from and is perpendicular
to the outer circumferential face B of the collar 24 and which may
be coated with the water repellent coating material 16. The
opposite face C of the of the plate body 22 may be coated with the
hydrophilic coating material 18, and may extend from and be
perpendicular to the inner circumferential face A of the collar
24.
[0043] In the outdoor heat exchanger 4, a plurality of fins 14 may
be coupled to the refrigerant tube 12 along a length of the
refrigerant tube 12, separated from each other by a predetermined
interval. As shown in FIG. 2, the collars 24 are coupled with the
plurality of fins 14 and are arranged along the refrigerant tube 12
such that the collars 24 protrude in the same direction, and are
arranged such that the water repellent coating material 16 and the
hydrophilic coating material 18 may be positioned in order of water
repellent coating material 16.fwdarw.hydrophilic coating material
18.fwdarw.water repellent coating material 16.fwdarw.hydrophilic
coating material 18 in a direction perpendicular to the flow of
outdoor air.
[0044] Namely, the hydrophilic coating material 18 coated on any
one of the plurality of fins 14 is positioned to face the water
repellent coating material 16 coated on any of the other of the
plurality of fins 14, in particular, an adjacent fin 14, and
condensation water between the fins 14 may be quickly discharged
along the hydrophilic coating material 18.
[0045] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of condensation water
generated on a water repellent coated surface of a fin of a heat
pump as embodied and broadly described herein, and FIG. 6 is an
enlarged side view of condensation water generated on a hydrophilic
coated surface of a fin of a heat pump as embodied and broadly
described herein.
[0046] In certain embodiments, the fins 14 of the outdoor heat
exchanger 4 may be made of an aluminum material which may be
relatively low-priced compared with a copper material. Such an
aluminum material may include, for example, an aluminum alloy.
[0047] In order for the water repellent coating material 16 and the
hydrophilic coating material 18 to satisfy appropriate durability
conditions when they are coated on the fins 14 made of an aluminum
material, the water repellent coating material 16 may be a coating
material that meets the condition in which a contact angle
E.degree. of condensation water W generated on the surface of the
water repellent coating material 16 is greater than about
90.degree. and is less than about 150.degree. and the hydrophilic
coating material 18 may be a coating material that meets the
condition in which a contact angle F.degree. of condensation water
W is greater than about 0.degree. and is less than about
30.degree..
[0048] An outdoor heat exchanger and a heat pump having the same
are provided a heating operation duration may be lengthened and
heating performance may be enhanced.
[0049] A heat pump having an outdoor heat exchanger as embodied and
broadly described herein may include a compressor compressing a
refrigerant; an outdoor heat exchanger heat-exchanging the
refrigerant with outdoor air; an indoor heat exchanger
heat-exchanging the refrigerant with indoor air or a heating
medium; and an expansion mechanism installed between the outdoor
heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger to expand the
refrigerant, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger includes a
refrigerant tube in which the refrigerant passes and one or more
fins coupled with the refrigerant tube, one face of each of the
pins is coated with a water repellent coating material and the
other face thereof is coated with a hydrophilic coating material,
and an area coated with the water repellent coating material among
the areas in contact with air is larger than an area coated with
the hydrophilic coating material.
[0050] Each of the fins may include a plate body portion in contact
with outdoor air and a collar protruded in a cylindrical shape from
the plate body portion and having an inner circumferential face in
contact with the refrigerant tube and an outer circumferential face
in contact with outdoor air. The outer circumferential face of the
collar may be coated with the water repellent coating material. The
inner circumferential face of the collar may be coated with the
hydrophilic coating material.
[0051] A face of the plate body portion, among both faces of the
plate body portion, extending to be perpendicular to the outer
circumferential face of the collar may be coated with the water
repellent coating material, and a face of the plate body portion,
among the both faces of the plate body portion, extending to be
perpendicular to the inner circumferential face of the collar may
be coated with the hydrophilic coating material.
[0052] The area of the fins coated with the water repellent coating
material may exceed 0.5 times and smaller than 0.6 times the area
of the fins in contact with outdoor air.
[0053] The fins may be coupled with the refrigerant tube such that
they are separated in a lengthwise direction of the refrigerant
tube, and the hydrophilic coating material coated on any one of the
plurality of fins may face the water repellent coating material
coated on any the other of the plurality of fins.
[0054] In such an outdoor heat exchanger, the water repellent
coating material and the hydrophilic coating material may be
alternately positioned in a direction perpendicular to a direction
in which outdoor air flows.
[0055] The fins may be made of an aluminum material.
[0056] The water repellent coating material may be a coating
material making a contact angle of condensation water generated on
a surface of the water repellent coating material exceed 90.degree.
and smaller than 150.degree..
[0057] The hydrophilic coating material may be a coating material
making a contact angle of condensation water generated on a surface
of the hydrophilic coating material exceed 0.degree. and smaller
than 30.degree..
[0058] In a heat exchanger as embodied and broadly described
herein, since both the water repellent coating material and the
hydrophilic coating material are both provided and the area coated
with the water repellent coating material, among the areas in
contact with air, is greater than the area coated with the
hydrophilic coating material, a sufficient heating capacity may be
secured in performing a heating operation.
[0059] Additionally, since the water repellent coating material is
coated on the face of the collar in contact with air, concentration
of frost on the collar may be minimized and defrosting can be
quickly performed.
[0060] Further, the defrosting operation duration may be minimized
while lengthening a heating operation duration.
[0061] Any reference in this specification to "one embodiment," "an
embodiment," "example embodiment," etc., means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the
invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it
is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the
art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in
connection with other ones of the embodiments.
[0062] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a
number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood
that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by
those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope
of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various
variations and modifications are possible in the component parts
and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within
the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.
In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts
and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
* * * * *