We all know that an air conditioner is an essential part of an air conditioner. The prices of different types of air conditioners vary greatly, but together with one brand, the appearance looks almost the same, and the prices are also different, which makes many friends wonder. In fact, it is the difference between aluminum tubes and copper tubes. Is the air conditioner condenser made of copper tubes or aluminum tubes?
What is Condenser？
A condenser, a part of the refrigeration system, belongs to a type of heat exchanger, which can convert gas or vapor into liquid, and transfer the heat in the tube to the air near the tube quickly. The working process of the condenser is an exothermic process, so the temperature of the condenser is relatively high.
How does Air Conditioner Work with Cooper Tube and Aluminum Tube?
The connection between the indoor unit of the air conditioner and the outdoor unit requires connection materials. The materials commonly used to connect the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner are copper and aluminum pipes. The most commonly used air conditioner connection material is the copper tube air conditioner. why? Because the refrigerant eventually absorbs heat in the evaporator and releases heat in the condenser, the copper tube air conditioner is connected to the heat sink outside, and the refrigerant (Freon, commonly known as refrigerant) passes through the connecting tube. Therefore, the quality of the copper tube used for this refrigerant directly affects the cooling effect of the air conditioner.
The main function of the air-conditioning pipe is to conduct heat. The stronger the heat-conducting function, the better. Some higher-end air conditioners have continuous grooves on the inner wall of the copper pipe to increase the heat-conducting area. The thermal conductivity of the copper tube is 38, while the thermal conductivity of the aluminum tube is only 175, that is to say: the thermal conductivity of the copper tube is nearly double that of the aluminum tube. Therefore, it is better to use copper pipes for air conditioning pipes.
Cooper Tube vs Aluminum Tube
1. What is the Advantage of Copper Tubes?
The pressure resistance of copper pipes is much better than that of aluminum pipes. That is to say, we have better reliability with copper pipes than aluminum pipes. For example, the pipes connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner are used to transport the refrigerant, that is, transport the refrigerant. The process of transporting refrigerant in it is all relying on pressure to transport. Therefore, the pipes connecting the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are subject to a certain pressure. In terms of pressure resistance, the pressure resistance of copper pipes is much better than that of aluminum pipes.
Copper pipes are recycled and the usage rate is higher. It means that the air conditioner installed in our home cannot be a one-time use. For example, after many air conditioners are installed and moved to a new home, or are decorated, it is possible to move the air conditioner. At this time, the air conditioner needs to be dismantled. The strength of the copper pipe is very high, so it can be disassembled. Even if we move the air conditioner many times, it can be reused. With aluminum tubes, this is difficult to achieve. Because the aluminum tube itself is relatively soft, it may be deformed after one move and cannot be used. Therefore, there are still relatively few air conditioners using aluminum tubes.
2. Disadvantage of Using Aluminum Tubes in Air Conditioners
Due to their low density and soft texture, aluminum tubes cannot compare with copper tubes in terms of mechanical properties and bending properties. In addition, aluminum and copper have different densities and different cross-sections. If aluminum pipes and copper pipes are used to connect, the connection may not be welded firmly, which may easily cause refrigerant leakage or even an explosion. The copper-aluminum connection is easy to cause corrosion of the aluminum tube, resulting in poor cooling and heating effect, and even causing the air conditioner to not work properly. Due to the different materials, the life of the aluminum tube is almost half that of the copper tube, and the cooling effect is relatively poor. Since the bending performance is worse than that of the copper tube, if the consumer wants to move the machine, it is very difficult to bend the aluminum tube again. A new tube needs to be replaced.
