CONDENSATION SENSOR

• Main Authors: OKABE SOTA, KAWASHIMA MASAFUMI, MISUMI HARUKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.10.2011
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a condensation sensor capable of detecting dew condensation water existing on the surface of a heat exchanger, while preventing corrosion of a component forming a coolant passage, with a simpler constitution than hitherto.SOLUTION: The condensation sensor has a constitution having first and second metal members having each different natural potential mutually in the noncontact state, wherein, when dew condensation water exists between the first metal member and the second metal member, a local cell using the first metal member and the second metal member as electrodes is formed, and dew condensation water is detected based on an electromotive force of the local cell. A side plate 26 of an evaporator 20 is utilized as the first metal member, and a different-kind metal member 32 as the second metal member is arranged on the surface of the side plate 26, and the interval d1 between the different-kind metal member 32 and the side plate 26 is set to be smaller than the shortest distance D1 between the different-kind metal member 32 and a tube 21. Hereby, formation of a local cell between the different-kind metal member 32 and the tube 21 can be prevented, to thereby prevent corrosion of the tube 21.