Air conditioner coils are exposed to dust, humidity, and various pollutants that can corrode them and cause leakage leading to expensive repairs. Besides, damaged evaporator and condenser coils reduce the appliance’s lifespan considerably and lead to high maintenance costs. For example, the ozone concentration in coastal areas is high. Secondly, industrial pollution can also accelerate corrosion. Hence, AC manufacturers use various anti-corrosion technologies to protect the condenser and evaporator coils from rust and damage. Let us discuss the different anti-corrosion technologies used in air conditioners in India today.
Blue Fin Technology
Blue Fin Technology involves coating the AC condenser coils (also known as fins) with a unique resin material known as epoxy. This hydrophilic coating has a blue hue, hence the name Blue Fin Technology.
The epoxy resin coating protects the coils from corrosion in hot, polluted, and salty environments because of its weather-resistance qualities. In addition, this resin layer has low surface tension. Therefore, water droplets do not stick to the coils and cause rusting. Besides, it also prevents the accumulation of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Epoxy does not react with atmospheric salts, ozone, and acids. Therefore, it does not allow these impurities to accumulate. As a result, it ensures unrestricted airflow and better heat exchange properties.
Advantages of Blue Fin Technology
- It enhances the AC’s lifespan considerably.
- This technology improves heat transfer and thereby the appliance’s cooling capacity.
- It enhances the overall energy efficiency of the AC.
- It is an inexpensive technology generally seen in low-budget air conditioners.
Disadvantages of Blue Fin Technology
- Blue Fin involves an additional coating over the condenser fins. Therefore, it can affect the condensation process.
Voltas pioneered Blue Fin technology as an anti-corrosion feature on their ACs. Other manufacturers following suit include Blue Star, Panasonic, Godrej, Electrolux, etc. This technology benefits people living in coastal areas the most.
Daikin ACs use a double coat comprising acrylic resin and a hydrophilic film to enhance the AC’s durability. Panasonic names this technology as Shield Blu Anti-Corrosion Technology. Carrier ACs also use an anti-corrosive epoxy coating to safeguard their components from rust.
Gold Fin Technology
Gold Fin technology is similar to Blue Fin because of its anti-corrosive coating on the condenser and evaporator coils. However, this technology involves using gold-nano coating instead of epoxy resin. Brands like IFB use titanium dioxide coating for protection.
This technology protects the condenser and evaporator coils from rust, humidity, water droplets, atmospheric salts, industrial pollutants, acids, corrosion, and adverse weather conditions.
Gold Fin technology enhances the AC’s efficiency because it is conducive for heat transfer. At the same time, it does not affect the condenser coil’s natural conductivity. Hence, it enables the refrigerator to attain low temperatures by absorbing more heat.
Advantages of Gold Fin Technology
- This technology offers all the benefits available with Blue Fin technology.
- Besides, it protects the condenser coils from environmental damage.
- Improving the heat transfer rate enhances the AC’s efficiency.
- This 100% eco-friendly technology is safe and enhances the AC’s lifespan.
Disadvantages of Gold Fin Technology
- Compared to Blue Fin technology, Gold Fin is more expensive. However, users can recover the additional initial cost by saving power in the long run.
The top brands using Gold Fin technology include IFB and LG.
Ocean Black Technology
LG introduced Ocean Black technology in its latest AC models as an effective anti-corrosion protective technology. In many respects, Ocean Black technology is similar to Blue Fin and Gold Fin technology. It constitutes a protective coating on the AC’s metal components to protect it from corrosion. Besides, it complements the coating with a hydrophilic film layer to prevent water accumulation on the heat exchanger fin. As a result, it reduces moisture build-up and thus protects the AC components from corrosion.
The latest LG AC models feature Ocean Black protection coating on all metal components, including fan motor brackets, the base pan, outer panels, service valve supporter, etc.
Advantages of Ocean Black Technology
- This technology eliminates corrosion and hence, reduces maintenance costs.
- Besides, it enhances the air conditioner’s performance, efficiency, and overall lifespan.
- This technology has ISO certification.
- The salt spray test experiment proves that air conditioners equipped with Ocean Black technology are more durable than other ACs by 50% to 90%
Disadvantages of Ocean Black Technology
- This technology is confined to LG ACs alone.
Other than LG, no AC manufacturer offers Ocean Black technology.
DuraFin Technology
Samsung offers a unique DuraFin technology to guarantee long-lasting protection and high-quality performance.
Like LG’s Ocean Black technology, DuraFin Ultra technology provides a double layer comprising an anti-corrosive and hydrophilic layer over the AC’s heat exchanger coils to prevent corrosion.
The condenser coils have acrylic resin as their hydrophilic and epoxy acrylic their anti-corrosive layers. This technology also passes the Salt Spray Test.
Advantages of DuraFin Technology
- Besides providing corrosion resistance, this technology increases heat transfer efficiency.
- It improves airflow by reducing friction and thus, enhances the AC’s overall efficiency.
- The AC’s DuraFin components are 36% thicker than the conventional AC components.
- This technology optimizes the refrigerant flow to allow the condenser to bear temperatures up to 58 degrees Celsius.
Disadvantages of DuraFin Technology
- This technology is Samsung’s proprietary offering. Hence, no other brand uses this technology.
Samsung is the only AC manufacturer using DuraFin technology to protect its AC condenser and evaporator coils from dust, moisture, and other atmospheric contaminants.
Micro-channel Condenser Coils
Micro-channel condenser coils use an innovative technology that eliminates the need to combine two metals. Thus, it mitigates galvanic corrosion on the coils.
The micro-channel condenser coils comprise multiple flat tubes containing mini channels to allow unrestricted refrigerant flow. In addition, it increases the total surface area and thus helps improve the heat transfer rate.
Samsung refers to this unique technology as Multi-Jet technology in its models.
Advantages of Micro-channel condenser technology
- It increases surface area and thus enhances thermal performance and overall AC efficiency.
- It is an eco-friendly solution because it reduces refrigerant charges by 75%.
- This technology enhances the AC’s durability.
- It protects the AC condensers from corrosion.
Disadvantages of Micro-channel condenser technology
- This technology uses aluminum coils that are not as efficient as copper coils.
Final Words
AC components like evaporator and condenser coils are subject to rust because of exposure to moisture, dust, and other pollutants. Therefore, almost all AC manufacturers offer anti-corrosion protective coating to condenser and evaporator tubes. Different manufacturers give different names, but the basic technology is the same with minor improvements to distinguish one brand from another.