JP2002195764A - Heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat exchanger capable of realizing compactness in size. SOLUTION: A plurality of heat exchange units A, B, and C are provided adjacent in the direction of an air flow, and the heat exchange unit A comprises a pair of headers 10a, 11a disposed opposed, a plurality of tubes through which the pair of the headers are communicated, and fins 15 provided between the tubes. The other heat exchange units B, C include pairs of headers 10b, 11b and 10c, 11c, and these headers 10a, 10b, 10c and 11a, 11b, 11b are provided adjacent to each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat exchanger such as a gas cooler (radiator) and an evaporator (evaporator).
In particular, the present invention relates to a technique suitable for use in a heat exchanger requiring a high pressure-resistant design pressure, such as a supercritical refrigeration cycle using carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) as a refrigerant.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in preserving the global environment. For example, there is concern that an alternative chlorofluorocarbon, such as R134a, which is conventionally used as a refrigerant for a vehicle air conditioner, will have an effect on global warming. Have been.
For this reason, research on a refrigeration cycle using a substance originally existing in the natural world, that is, a so-called natural refrigerant, has been conducted as a substitute for such an alternative CFC refrigerant. As a candidate for such a natural refrigerant, carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) has attracted attention. The CO ₂ is not only contributing to global warming is much smaller than the CFC, after there is no flammable, because basically harmless to the human body, from this background, was used CO ₂ Research and development of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle (hereinafter abbreviated as a CO ₂ refrigeration cycle) is being performed.

The operation of the CO ₂ refrigeration cycle is as follows.
Compared to a normal vapor compression refrigeration cycle using Freon (hereinafter referred to as a normal refrigeration cycle), the pressure on the high pressure side (the discharge side of the compressor) exceeds the critical pressure of the refrigerant, and the high pressure side in the normal refrigeration cycle A pressure as high as about 10 times that of Since a multi-flow (parallel flow) type gas cooler (radiator) used in such a supercritical refrigeration cycle needs to ensure sufficient pressure resistance, a plate with an insertion hole into which a flat tube is inserted is punched out. Instead of a header configuration in which the header cover and the header cover are integrated together, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-226686, the header is integrally formed by drawing or extruding, and a flat tube is formed. There has been proposed a technique of cutting an insertion hole of a hole.

Here, such a heat exchanger is shown in FIG. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a multi-flow type heat exchanger such as a gas cooler (radiator) or an evaporator (evaporator), which includes a partition member 2 and a pair of left and right headers integrally formed by drawing or extrusion. The portions 3 are connected by a number of flat tubes 4 through which a refrigerant flows. In addition,
Reference numeral 5 in the figure is provided between adjacent flat tubes 4 for the purpose of increasing the heat transfer area on the air side that flows through the heat exchanger 1 and exchanges heat with the refrigerant in the flat tubes 4. Corrugated fins.

[0005]

Incidentally, in the above-mentioned conventional heat exchanger, the number of fins 5 and tubes 4 needs to be increased in order to secure a necessary amount of heat exchanger. Problem.
In particular, there is a problem that it is difficult to use the air conditioner mounted on an automobile.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a heat exchanger that can be reduced in size.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat exchanger in which a plurality of heat exchange units are provided in a row along a flow direction of air, and each of the heat exchange units is a pair of opposed heat exchange units. Header, a plurality of tubes communicating with the pair of headers, and fins provided between the tubes, the heat exchange units are provided with the pair of headers adjacent to each other, respectively. It is characterized by being.

[0008] In the present invention, since the heat exchange unit is provided continuously in the air flow direction, the frontal area can be reduced. The adjacent headers may be integrated or separate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the heat exchanger according to the first aspect, the headers of the adjacent heat exchange units are formed integrally with each other.

In the present invention, since the header is integrated, the same strength can be obtained even if the depth dimension is reduced, as compared with the case where the header is formed separately.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the heat exchanger according to the first or second aspect, each of the heat exchange units is arranged so that the refrigerant flows sequentially from the downstream side to the upstream side of the air flow. It is characterized by comprising.

In the present invention, since the refrigerant and the air exchange heat countercurrently, the heat exchange efficiency is improved.

[0013]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show a heat exchanger according to the present embodiment. In the figure, A,
B and C are heat exchange units stacked in three layers in the depth direction. The heat exchange unit A includes a pair of header portions 10a and 11a located at an upper portion and a lower portion, a plurality of flat tubes 13 communicating with the header portions,
3 and a corrugated fin 15 provided between the two. Each of the header portions 10a and 11a has two flow paths 23 and 23 having a circular cross section in the depth direction. Since the tube 13 is connected between the header portions 10a and 11a, the flow paths 23 of the header portions 10a and 11a and the tube 13 communicate with each other. Further, a partition plate 25 is provided at the center in the width direction of the header portion 10a. Similarly, the heat exchange units B and C include a pair of header portions 10b, 11b and 1
0c, 11c, a tube 13, and a fin 15, and each of the header portions 10b, 10c, and 11
b and 11c have the same configuration as the header portions 10a and 11a, respectively. Here, the header portions 10a, 10b, and 10c each partitioned by the partition plate 25 are
As shown in FIG. 1, 10a-1, 10a-2, 10b-1, 1, 1
0b-2, 10c-1, and 10c-2.

The header portions 10a, 10b, and 10c are formed adjacently and integrally, and form the upper header 20. Similarly, the header portions 11a, 11b, and 11c are also integrally formed to form the lower header 21. Upper header 2
0 at both ends in the width direction.
0 and 31 are provided. The manifold member 30 has a flow passage 30a communicating with the flow passages 23 of the header portions 10a and 10b, and a flow passage 30c continuous with the flow passage 23 of the header portion 10c and having an opening 30b. Similarly, the manifold member 31 has headers 10c, 10b
And a flow path 31c having an opening 31b and being continuous with the flow path 23 of the header 10a.

With this configuration, the refrigerant follows the path shown in FIG. That is, the manifold member 3
The refrigerant flowing from the opening 30b of the header 10c
-2, and then descends the tube 13 and flows into the header 11c. The refrigerant rises from the header part 11c to the header part 10c-1, and the flow path 31
a, and flows into the header section 10b-1. Hereinafter, similarly, the header part 11c, the header part 10b-2, the flow path 30a, the header part 10a-2, the header part 11a, and the header part 10a-
1 and is discharged from the opening 31b of the flow channel 31c. When the refrigerant flows through each tube 13, the fins 1
The heat is exchanged with the air flowing between the five. Figure 4
As shown in the figure, the heat exchange unit A is blown upwind.

As described above, the heat exchanger of the present embodiment has the following effects. Each heat exchange unit A, B,
Since C is connected in the flow direction of the air, the front area of the heat exchanger can be reduced, and the size can be reduced. Since the upper headers 10a, 10b, and 10c and the lower headers 11a, 11b, and 11c are integrated with each other, the dimension in the depth direction may be smaller than when they are separately provided, and the size and weight can be reduced. Can be. Further, while the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange units C, B, and A in this order, the air is blown with the heat exchange unit A upwind, so that the air and the refrigerant exchange heat in a countercurrent manner. Is done. Therefore, heat exchange can be performed efficiently.

[0017]

As described above, the following effects can be obtained in the heat exchanger of the present invention. Claim 1
According to the invention described in (1), since each heat exchange unit is connected in the direction of air flow, the front area of the heat exchanger can be reduced, and downsizing is possible. According to the invention as set forth in claim 2, since each header is integrated, the dimension in the depth direction may be smaller than in the case where the header is formed separately,
A reduction in size and weight can be realized. Claim 3
According to the invention described in (1), since air and the refrigerant exchange heat in countercurrent, it is possible to perform heat exchange efficiently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a heat exchanger shown as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the heat exchanger.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the heat exchanger.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow path of a refrigerant in the heat exchanger.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional heat exchanger.

[Explanation of symbols]

A, B, C Heat exchange units 10a, 10b, 10c, 11a, 11b, 11c Header section 13 Tube 15 Fin 20 and 21 Header

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of heat exchange units are provided in series along the direction of air flow, each heat exchange unit comprising a pair of headers facing each other,
It is constituted by a plurality of tubes communicating the pair of headers, and fins provided between the tubes,
The heat exchanger, wherein each of the heat exchange units is provided with the pair of headers adjacent to each other. 2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the headers of the adjacent heat exchange units are formed integrally with each other. 3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein each of the heat exchange units is configured so that the refrigerant flows sequentially from the downstream side to the upstream side of the airflow. And heat exchanger.