Air conditioner and heat exchanger

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a heat exchanger including a first sheet that separates a first heat-exchange channel and a second heat-exchange channel, and a container configured to store water to be supplied to the first heat-exchange channel. The first sheet has a first surface defining the first heat-exchange channel. The first surface includes a reference surface, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion adjacent to the first protrusion The first protrusion and the second protrusion protrude relative to the reference surface in a thickness direction of the first sheet. The reference surface has a groove portion and a non-groove portion. The groove portion is defined between the first protrusion and the second protrusion. The groove portion is contiguous with the non-groove portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a heat exchanger including a first sheet that separates a first heat-exchange channel and a second heat-exchange channel; and   a container configured to store water to be supplied to the first heat-exchange channel,   wherein the first sheet has a first surface defining the first heat-exchange channel, the first surface including:
 a reference surface; 
 a first protrusion; and 
 a second protrusion adjacent to the first protrusion, 
   wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion protrude relative to the reference surface in a thickness direction of the first sheet, and   wherein the reference surface has a groove portion and a non-groove portion, the groove portion is defined between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and the groove portion is contiguous with the non-groove portion.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reference surface is a flat surface, and   wherein each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion has a first length in a longitudinal direction and a second length in a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the first length is longer than the second length in a virtual plane parallel to the reference surface.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the longitudinal direction intersects a first direction that extends from an inlet toward an outlet of the first heat-exchange channel.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heat exchanger further includes a second sheet having a first surface,   wherein the first surface of the second sheet faces and is spaced from the first surface of the first sheet in the thickness direction, and the first surface of the second sheet includes a reference surface, and   wherein the first heat-exchange channel is defined by:
 the first surface of the first sheet; 
 the first surface of the second sheet; and 
 a pair of spacers located between the first sheet and the second sheet. 
   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are located at respective positions to face the reference surface of the second sheet in the thickness direction.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein in each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion, at least one of the first length or the second length decreases as each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion protrudes farther from the reference surface.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein one of the first length and the second length of the second protrusion is longer than that of the first protrusion.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion has the second length in the lateral direction of not less than 0.1 mm and not more than 1 mm, and   wherein an interval between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is not less than 0.1 mm and not more than 1.0 mm.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a water absorber in the first heat-exchange channel,
 wherein at least one of the first protrusion or the second protrusion is in contact with the water absorber.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first sheet defines the second heat-exchange channel, and further includes a second surface opposite to the first surface, and   wherein the second surface has a first recess that is recessed relative to the second heat-exchange channel.   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the second surface of the first sheet further has a second recess, and   wherein the first recess is aligned with the first protrusion and the second recess is aligned with the second protrusion.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heat exchanger further includes a second sheet that faces and is spaced from the first surface of the first sheet in the thickness direction,   wherein the second sheet has a first surface, and the first surface of the second sheet includes a reference surface,   wherein the first heat-exchange channel is defined by:
 the first surface of the first sheet; 
 the second sheet; and 
 a first spacer and a second spacer, both being located between the first sheet and the second sheet and extending along a first direction that extends from an inlet toward an outlet of the first heat-exchange channel, 
   wherein at least one of the first spacer or the second spacer is a first protruding wall, and   wherein the first protruding wall is integral with the first sheet, protrudes relative to the first protrusion and the second protrusion from the reference surface of the first sheet in the thickness direction, and is in contact with the second sheet.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the heat exchanger further includes a third sheet that faces and is spaced from the first surface of the second sheet in the thickness direction, the third sheet including a reference surface,   wherein the second heat-exchange channel is defined by:
 the first surface of the second sheet; 
 the third sheet; and 
 a third spacer and a fourth spacer, both being located between the second sheet and the third sheet and extending along a second direction that extends from an inlet toward an outlet of the second heat-exchange channel, the second direction intersecting the first direction, and 
   wherein at least one of the third spacer or the fourth spacer is a second protruding wall, and   wherein the second protruding wall is integral with the second sheet, protrudes relative to the first protrusion and the second protrusion from the reference surface of the second sheet in the thickness direction, and is in contact with the third sheet.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the second sheet and the third sheet are identical to the first sheet.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the reference surface of the first sheet, the reference surface of the second sheet, and the reference surface of the third sheet are flat surfaces,   wherein each of the first sheet, the second sheet, and the third sheet has a square shape with cutouts at its corners in a virtual plane parallel to the respective reference surfaces,   wherein the heat exchanger includes a first separator, a second separator, a third separator, and a fourth separator that each separate the first heat-exchange channel and the second heat-exchange channel from each other, and   wherein the first separator, the second separator, the third separator, and the fourth separator are located at respective corners, each of the first separator, the second separator, the third separator, and the fourth separator is in contact with a corresponding end of the first protruding wall, a corresponding end of the second protruding wall, and the third sheet.