Abstract: A heat exchanger having outer surfaces thereof coated with a hydrophilic coating layer. The hydrophilic coating layer essentially consists of a resin as a base, containing a colloidal silica. In the hydrophilic coating layer, part of silanol groups of the colloidal silica are chemically combined with part of hydroxyl groups of the resin. Due to this chemical combination, the colloidal silica undergoes change in its properties such that it has degraded adsorptivity, making smells less liable to attach to the colloidal silica.

Abstract: An automobile air conditioner includes a duct interconnecting a blower unit and a temperature control/air distributing unit having a pair of cooling and heating heat exchangers, the duct having a cross-sectional area gradually increasing toward the temperature control/air distributing unit. The air conditioner preferably has a hot/refrigeration compartment juxtaposed with the duct. In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioner includes a hot air control mode door for controlling a stream of hot air flowing from the heating heat exchanger toward an upper air outlet and a lower air outlet.

Abstract: An automobile air conditioner includes a duct interconnecting a blower unit and a temperature control/air distributing unit having a pair of cooling and heating heat exchangers, the duct having a cross-sectional area gradually increasing toward the temperature control/air distributing unit. The air conditioner preferably has a hot/refrigeration compartment disposed in juxtaposition with the duct. In a preferred embodiment, the air conditioner includes a hot air control mode door for controlling a stream of hot air flowing from the heating heat exchanger toward an upper air outlet and a lower air outlet.

Abstract: A laminated heat exchanger includes a plurality of parallel spaced tube elements with tanks at one end thereof, and fins disposed between adjacent tube elements. Each tube element has a pair of joint portions projecting from the other end thereof toward two adjacent tube elements and held in abutment with the joint portions of the two adjacent tube elements. The joint portion has a corrugated shape composed of alternate parallel grooves and ridges and hence is rigid enough to withstand external forces. The tube element includes a guide member disposed on a front end of the partition wall for directing a heat transferring medium toward the opposite corners of a guide channel. With the guide member, the heat transferring medium is distributed uniformly over the entire region of the guide channel.