JP2012046114A - Heating-medium heater and vehicular air-conditioner including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heating-medium heater that can be miniaturized by reducing the vertical height, and a vehicular air-conditioner including the same.SOLUTION: The heating-medium heater includes: a plurality of flat heat-exchange tubes 17 which respectively have electrode plates sandwiching a PTC element therebetween and stacked on at least both sides of the same, an inlet header part for supplying a heating medium and an outlet header part from which the heating medium is led out, and adhesion members respectively provided at the inlet header part and the outlet header part, and which are stacked in parallel with each other while sandwiching the electrode plates therebetween so as to exchange heat in-between the electrode plates; a substrate 13 arranged on the side of the plurality of stacked heat-exchange tubes 17 and connected to the electrode plates; a heating element 12 connected to the substrate 13; a boardlike pressing member 16 for pressing the plurality of stacked heat-exchange tubes 17; and a casing 11 for storing the electrode plates, the heat-exchange tubes 17, the substrate 13, the heating element 12, and the pressing member 16.

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat medium heating device and a vehicle air conditioner including the same.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as one of heat medium heating devices for heating a medium to be heated, one using a PTC heater having a positive temperature coefficient thermistor element (PTC element) as a heat generating element is known.
The PTC heater has a positive thermistor characteristic, and the resistance value increases as the temperature rises. As a result, the current consumption is controlled and the temperature rises gradually. Reaches the saturation region and stabilizes, and has a self-temperature control characteristic.

  As described above, the PTC heater has a characteristic that the current consumption decreases as the heater temperature rises, and then the current consumption stabilizes at a low value when the temperature reaches a constant temperature saturation region. By utilizing this characteristic, it is possible to save power consumption and to obtain an advantage that an abnormal rise in the temperature of the heat generating portion can be prevented.

  Because of such features, PTC heaters are used in many technical fields. In the field of air conditioning, for example, in a vehicle air conditioner, a heat medium ( Here, what was applied to the heating apparatus for heating an engine cooling water) is proposed (for example, patent document 1 and patent document 3).

JP 2008-7106 A JP 2010-2094 A Japanese Patent No. 4100368

  In the invention described in Patent Document 2, at the time of manufacturing a cooler, a plurality of cooling plates and semiconductor elements are alternately stacked parallel to the inner bottom surface of the casing, and pressure is applied between the cooling plates sandwiching the semiconductor elements to each cooling plate. The semiconductor element and the cooling plate are brought into close contact with each other by deforming the provided diaphragm portion. Therefore, when a plurality of cooling plates are stacked in parallel, there is a problem that the height direction of the cooler cannot be lowered.

  This invention is made in view of such a situation, Comprising: The heat medium heating apparatus which can reduce the height of a perpendicular direction and can be reduced in size, and a vehicle air conditioner provided with the same are provided. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The heat medium heating device according to the present invention includes an electrode plate that is laminated on at least both sides of a PTC element, an inlet header portion that supplies the heat medium, an outlet header portion from which the heat medium is led out, and the inlet A plurality of flat heat exchange tubes that are stacked in parallel with each other with the electrode plate interposed therebetween and exchange heat with the electrode plate. A plate-like plate arranged on the side of the plurality of heat exchanger tubes and connected to the electrode plate, a heating element connected to the substrate, and a plurality of the heat exchanger tubes stacked. A pressing member, and the electrode plate, the heat exchanger tube, the substrate, the heating element, and a casing in which the pressing member is accommodated.

  A plurality of heat exchange tubes that exchange heat with electrode plates that are laminated on at least both sides of the PTC element are laminated in parallel to each other, and a substrate is disposed on the side of the laminated heat exchange tubes to place inside the casing. Provided between the inlet header portions of the plurality of stacked heat exchanger tubes and between the outlet header portions, and between the inlet header portions by a pressing member that presses the plurality of stacked heat exchanger tubes, and between the outlet header portions. The outlet headers are in close contact with each other. Thereby, the thickness of the laminated | stacked heat exchanger tube can be made thin, and the height of the perpendicular direction of a heat medium heating apparatus can be made low. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the size of the heat medium heating device.

Moreover, since it was decided to contact | adhere between the inlet header parts of each heat exchanger tube and between outlet header parts via the contact | adherence member, the contact thermal resistance of an electrode plate and a heat exchanger tube can be reduced. Therefore, the heat transfer efficiency exchanged between the heat exchange tube and the electrode plate can be improved. Therefore, a heat medium heating device with improved heat transfer efficiency can be obtained.
In addition, a side means the positional relationship with which the several heat exchanger tube laminated | stacked and the board | substrate adjoined when planarly viewed.

  According to the heat medium heating device according to the present invention, the heating medium heating device includes a metal connection plate on which the plurality of stacked heat exchange tubes and the substrate are mounted, and between the substrate and the connection plate, the A heating element is provided.

  A metal connection plate on which a plurality of stacked heat exchanger tubes and a substrate are mounted is provided, and a heating element is provided between the connection plate and the substrate. Therefore, the heat generated by the heating element can be cooled by the cooling heat of the heat medium passing through the heat exchange tube via the metal connection plate. Therefore, the heat transfer efficiency of the heat medium heating device can be further improved.

  According to the heat medium heating device of the present invention, each of the heat exchange tubes is wide in the flat direction.

  Each heat exchange tube was made wider in the flat direction. Thereby, the surface area which each heat exchanger tube contacts with an electrode plate can be enlarged. Therefore, heat transfer efficiency can be improved without laminating many heat exchange tubes. Therefore, heat transfer efficiency can be maintained while reducing the vertical height of the heat medium heating device.

  According to the heat medium heating device according to the present invention, the casing is integrally formed with a heat medium lead-in / out path that leads out the heat medium led to the plurality of stacked heat exchange tubes. It is characterized by.

  The heat medium lead-in / out path for conducting the heat medium out / in is formed integrally with the casing. Therefore, when the heat medium is supplied to the heat medium heating device, the stress applied to the stacked heat exchanger tubes can be dispersed. Therefore, the load concerning the laminated heat exchanger tube can be reduced.

  According to the heat medium heating device of the present invention, the contact members provided in the inlet header portion and the outlet header portion facing the casing are O-rings. .

  The aluminum heat exchanger tube is heated by the PTC element in winter, and there is a concern about thermal expansion due to a temperature difference from the ambient temperature (outside air temperature). When a liquid gasket is used as a close contact member provided between a casing and a heat exchanger tube, which is equivalent to the ambient temperature (outside air temperature) and is made of different materials, the thermal expansion of the heat exchanger tube will cause shear failure of the liquid gasket. May occur.

  Therefore, an O-ring is used between the heat exchange tube and the casing. Therefore, shear failure due to thermal expansion can be prevented. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the sealing performance between the heat exchanger tube and the casing.

  The vehicle air conditioner according to the present invention includes any one of the heat medium heating devices described above.

  The heat transfer efficiency is improved, and a heat medium heating device that can be downsized is used. Therefore, the performance of the vehicle air conditioner can be improved and the installation space can be reduced.

  According to the heating medium heating device of the present invention, a plurality of heat exchange tubes that exchange heat with electrode plates laminated on at least both surfaces of the PTC element are laminated in parallel to each other, and the plurality of laminated heat exchanges are arranged. A substrate is arranged on the side of the tube and provided in the casing. Adhesive members are provided between the inlet header portions and between the outlet header portions of the plurality of stacked heat exchanger tubes, so that the plurality of stacked heat exchangers are provided. The inlet header portions and the outlet header portions are brought into close contact with each other by a pressing member that presses the tube. Thereby, the thickness of the laminated | stacked heat exchanger tube can be made thin, and the height of the perpendicular direction of a heat medium heating apparatus can be made low. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the size of the heat medium heating device.

  Moreover, since it was decided to contact | adhere between the inlet header parts of each heat exchanger tube and between outlet header parts via the contact | adherence member, the contact thermal resistance of an electrode plate and a heat exchanger tube can be reduced. Therefore, the heat transfer efficiency exchanged between the heat exchange tube and the electrode plate can be improved. Therefore, a heat medium heating device with improved heat transfer efficiency can be obtained.

It is a schematic block diagram of the vehicle air conditioner provided with the heat-medium heating device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the procedure to assemble the heat medium heating apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a heat medium heating device shown in FIG. 1, (A) shows a view from above, and (B) shows a side view thereof. FIG. 3 is a PTC heater provided in the heat medium heating device shown in FIG. 3, wherein (A) shows a longitudinal sectional view thereof, (B) shows a top view thereof, and (C) shows (B). Sectional drawing of the AA part shown in FIG.

A heat medium heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 1, the schematic block diagram of the vehicle air conditioner provided with the heat-medium heating apparatus which concerns on this embodiment is shown.
The vehicle air conditioner 1 includes a casing 3 for forming an air flow path 2 that takes outside air or vehicle interior air and regulates the temperature, and guides it to the vehicle interior.

  Inside the casing 3, the air or the cabin air is sequentially sucked from the upstream side to the downstream side of the air flow path 2 to increase the pressure, and the blower 4 pumps it to the downstream side, and the air pumped by the blower 4. The ratio between the cooler 5 that cools the radiator, the radiator 6 that heats the air that has passed through the cooler 5, the amount of air that passes through the radiator 6, and the amount of air that flows by bypassing the radiator 6 An air mix damper 7 is installed for adjusting and adjusting the temperature of the air mixed on the downstream side.

The downstream side of the casing 3 is connected to a plurality of outlets that blow out the temperature-controlled air into the passenger compartment through an outlet mode switching damper and a duct (not shown).
The cooler 5 constitutes a refrigerant circuit together with a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve (not shown), and cools the air passing therethrough by evaporating the refrigerant adiabatically expanded by the expansion valve.
The radiator 6 constitutes a heat medium circulation circuit 10 </ b> A together with the tank 8, the pump 9 and the heat medium heating device 10, and a heat medium (for example, water) heated by the heat medium heating device 10 is circulated through the pump 9. In this way, the air passing therethrough is heated.

  FIG. 2 shows a diagram for explaining the procedure for assembling the heat medium heating device shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows the assembled heat medium heating device, and FIG. FIG. 4 shows a side view thereof, FIG. 4 shows a PTC heater provided in the heat medium heating device, and FIG. 4A shows a longitudinal sectional view thereof. , (B) shows a top view thereof, and (C) shows a cross-sectional view of the AA portion shown in (B).

As shown in FIG. 2, the heat medium heating device 10 includes a substrate 13, an electrode plate 14 (see FIG. 3B), an IGBT (heating element) 12, an IGBT cooling plate (connection plate) 15, a heat An alternating pressure plate (pressing member) 16, a plurality of (for example, three) heat exchange tubes (cooling tubes) 17, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element 18 (see FIG. 3B), an electrode plate 14, A heat exchange tube 17, a substrate 13, an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) 12, and a casing 11 in which a heat exchange retainer plate 16 is accommodated.
In addition, a PTC heater is comprised by the electrode plate 14, the PTC element 18, and the insulator (not shown) mentioned later.

  The casing 11 is divided into an upper half and a lower half, and includes an upper case 11a located in the upper half and a lower case 11b located in the lower half. Further, in the lower case 11b, there is a space for accommodating the substrate 13, the electrode plate 14, the IGBT cooling plate 15 including the IGBT 12, the heat exchanger presser plate 16, the stacked heat exchanger tube 17 and the PTC element 18. Is formed.

  The upper case 11a is an opening of the lower case 11b from above the lower case 11b that houses the substrate 13, the electrode plate 14, the IGBT cooling plate 15 provided with the IGBT 12, the heat exchanger presser plate 16, the heat exchanger tube 17, and the PTC element 18. It is installed in the part 11c.

  The lower case 11b includes a heat medium inlet path (heat medium outlet / inlet path) 11d for introducing the heat medium guided to the three stacked heat exchanger tubes 17, and a heat medium outlet path (heat medium outlet / inlet path) for discharging the heat medium. (Path) 11e (see FIG. 3B) is integrally formed on the lower surface of the lower case 11b.

  Further, a power harness hole 11f and an LV harness hole 11g through which front ends of the power harness 27 and the LV harness 28 pass are opened in the side wall of the lower case 11b. The power harness hole 11f and the LV harness hole 11g are provided on adjacent side walls of the lower case 11b.

  The power harness 27 supplies power to the substrate 13. The front end portion of the power harness 27 is divided into two, and can be screwed to the two power harness terminals 13c provided on the substrate 13 by the electrode harness connecting screws 27a.

  The LV harness 28 transmits a control signal to the IGBT 12. The distal end portion of the LV harness 28 can be connected to the LV harness connector portion 13 d provided on the substrate 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the PTC heater is laminated such that, for example, three heat exchanger tubes 17 are parallel to each other. The three heat exchanger tubes 17 are laminated in the order of the lower, middle, and upper heat exchanger tubes 17c, 17b, and 17a. As shown in FIG. 4C, corrugated inner fins 21 are formed in the flow paths of the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c. As a result, a plurality of flow paths communicating in the axial direction are formed inside each of the heat exchange tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c.

  By forming the inner fin 21 in each heat exchange tube 17a, 17b, 17c, the rigidity of each heat exchange tube 17a, 17b, 17c will increase. Therefore, even if each heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c is urged in the direction of the IGBT cooling plate 15 by a heat exchanger retainer plate 16 (see FIG. 3) described later, each heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c is deformed. It has become difficult.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, each heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c includes an inlet header portion 22 for supplying a heat medium, an outlet header portion 23 from which the heat medium is led out, an inlet header portion 22 and an outlet header. And a liquid gasket (contact member) 26 (see FIG. 4A) provided in the portion 23. As shown in FIG. 3B, the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c are laminated in parallel with each other with the electrode plate 14 interposed therebetween.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the heat exchanger tube 17c has a flat shape that is long in the axial direction (left-right direction in FIG. 4B) when viewed in plan. The flat heat exchanger tube 17 is wide in the flat direction, that is, the width direction orthogonal to the axial direction (vertical direction in FIG. 4B).

  An inlet header portion 22 and an outlet header portion 23 are respectively provided at the end of the heat exchanger tube 17 in the axial direction. The inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 have a communication hole (not shown) at the center thereof.

  The heat exchange tubes 17c, 17b, and 17a are laminated in this order, and are pressed in the direction of the IGBT cooling plate 15 by a heat exchange press plate 16 described later, whereby the liquid gasket 26 is in the inlet header portion 22 of the middle heat exchange tube 17b. In addition, the lower surface of the outlet header portion 23 and the inlet header portion 22 of the lower heat exchanger tube 17c and the upper surface of the outlet header portion 23 positioned therebelow are in close contact, and the inlet header of the intermediate heat exchanger tube 17b. The upper surfaces of the portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 are in close contact with the lower surfaces of the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 of the upper heat exchanger tube 17a. Thus, by stacking the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c, the communication holes of the upper heat exchanger tube 17a, the middle heat exchanger tube 17b, and the lower heat exchanger tube 17 communicate with each other.

  In the PTC heater, the heat medium guided from the heat medium inlet passage 11d is guided from each inlet header portion 22 to each heat exchange tube 17c, 17b, 17a. The heat medium that has flowed into the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c is heated (heated) when passing through the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c, and exits from the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17 respectively. It flows into the header part 23 and is led out of the heat medium heating device 10 from the heat medium outlet path 11e. The heat medium led out to the heat medium heating device 10 is supplied to the radiator 6 via the heat medium circulation circuit 10A (see FIG. 1).

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the electrode plate 14 supplies power for operating the PTC element 18, and is a plate member made of aluminum that has a rectangular shape when viewed in plan. The electrode plates 14 are sequentially stacked on at least both sides of the PTC element 18. One electrode plate 14 is provided so as to contact the upper surface of the PTC element 18, and one electrode plate 14 is provided so as to contact the lower surface of the PTC element 18. The electrode plate 14 is configured such that the upper surface of the PTC element 18 and the lower surface of the PTC element 18 are sandwiched between the two electrode plates 14.

  Further, the electrode plate 14 positioned on the upper surface side of the PTC element 18 is disposed so that the upper surface thereof is in contact with the lower surface of the heat exchanger tube 17, and the electrode plate 14 positioned on the lower surface side of the PTC element 18 has a lower surface thereof. It arrange | positions so that the upper surface of the heat exchanger tube 17 may be contact | connected. In the case of this embodiment, two electrode plates 14 are provided between the lower heat exchanger tube 17c and the middle heat exchanger tube 17b, and between the middle heat exchanger tube 17b and the upper heat exchanger tube 17a, for a total of four. Is provided.

  Each of the four electrode plates 14 has substantially the same shape as the heat exchanger tube 17. As shown in FIG. 4A, each electrode plate 14 is provided with one terminal block 14a on the long side on the side of the substrate 13 to be described later. The terminal block 14 a provided on the electrode plate 14 is positioned along the long side of the electrode plate 14 without overlapping when the electrode plates 14 are stacked. That is, the terminal block 14a provided on each electrode plate 14 is provided with its position slightly shifted along its long side.

  Each terminal block 14a is provided so as to protrude from the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c sandwiching each electrode plate 14. Each terminal block 14a is connected to a terminal 13a (see FIG. 3B) provided on the substrate 13 by a terminal connecting screw 14b.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate 13 is provided with, for example, four terminals 13a on the upper surface thereof. Each terminal 13a is provided along the long side of the board | substrate 13 in the heat exchanger tube 17 vicinity laminated | stacked. The board 13 is provided with, for example, four board connecting screws 13b for fixing the board 13 to the lower case 11b. Further, two power harness terminals 13 c for fixing the tip end portion of the electrode harness 27 to the substrate 13 are provided on the upper surface of the substrate 13. Furthermore, an LV harness connector portion 13 d connected to the tip portion of the LV harness 28 is provided at the end portion of the upper surface of the substrate 13.

  The IGBT 12 is a transistor having a substantially rectangular shape. For example, two IGBTs 12 are provided. The IGBT 12 is a heating element that generates heat when activated. As shown in FIG. 2, each IGBT 12 is screwed to an IGBT cooling plate 15 by means of an IGBT connecting screw 12a.

The IGBT cooling plate 15 has three stacked heat exchange tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c mounted on the upper surface thereof. That is, the IGBT cooling plate 15 is disposed so that the upper surface thereof is in contact with the lower surface of the lower heat exchange tube 17c. Moreover, the IGBT cooling plate 15 is provided with a substrate 13 on the side of the laminated heat exchange tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c via the IGBT 12. The IGBT cooling plate 15 is a flat plate member made of a metal when viewed in plan. The IGBT cooling plate 15 is substantially T-shaped, and the IGBT 12 is screwed to a portion orthogonal to the T-shaped axial direction.
Note that the side means a positional relationship in which the three stacked heat exchange tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c and the substrate 13 are adjacent to each other when viewed in a plan view.

  The heat exchanger presser plate 16 is a metal member that is fixed by a heat exchanger presser plate screw 16a so that the lower surface thereof is in contact with the upper surface of the upper heat exchanger tube 17a. The heat exchanger presser plate 16 has a size that can cover the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c. The heat exchanger presser plate 16 is screwed to the lower casing 11b by four heat exchanger presser plate connecting screws 16a with the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c stacked between the IGBT cooler plate 15 interposed therebetween. . By screwing the heat exchanger presser plate 16 to the lower casing 11b in this way, the stacked heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, 17c can be urged (pressed) in the direction of the IGBT cooling plate 15. ing.

Next, an assembly procedure of the heat medium heating device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
As shown in FIG. 2, the IGBT cooling plate 15 is installed in the inner space of the lower case 11b substantially parallel to the inner bottom surface of the lower case 11b. Two IGBTs 12 are installed on the upper surface of the IGBT cooling plate 15 installed in the lower case 11b. The IGBT 12 and the IGBT cooling plate 15 are fastened together with the inner bottom surface of the lower case 11b by the IGBT connecting screw 12a.

  Each IGBT 12 is soldered from below the substrate 13. Thereafter, the board 13 is screwed to the inner bottom surface of the lower case 11b with the board connecting screw 13b. As a result, each IGBT 12 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the IGBT cooling plate 15 and the lower surface of the substrate 13.

  A liquid gasket (not shown) is applied to the opening 11c of the lower case 11b. Further, silicon grease is applied to the IGBT cooling plate 15. A lower heat exchanger tube 17c is mounted on the upper surface of the IGBT cooling plate 15 to which silicon grease is applied and on the side of the IGBT 12.

  Both sides of the PTC element 18 are sandwiched between insulating sheets (not shown) and mounted from above the lower heat exchange tube 17c. After mounting the PTC element 18, the terminal block 14a of the electrode plate 14 is temporarily fixed to the terminal 13a of the substrate 13 by the terminal connection screw 14b.

  A liquid gasket 26 (see FIG. 4A) is applied to the upper surfaces of the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 of the lower heat exchanger tube 17c, and the middle heat exchanger tube 17b is mounted from above the lower heat exchanger tube 17c. .

  Both sides of the PTC element 18 are sandwiched between insulating sheets (not shown) and mounted from above the middle heat exchanger tube 17b. After mounting the PTC element 18, the terminal block 14a of the electrode plate 14 is temporarily fixed to the terminal 13a of the substrate 13 by the terminal connection screw 14b.

  The liquid gasket 26 is applied to the upper surfaces of the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 of the middle heat exchanger tube 17b, and the upper heat exchanger tube 17a is mounted from above the middle heat exchanger tube 17b.

  The heat exchanger presser plate 16 is mounted from above the mounted upper heat exchanger tube 17a. The heat exchanger presser plate 16 mounted on the upper heat exchanger tube 17a is screwed to the inner bottom surface of the lower case 11b with the heat exchanger presser plate connecting screw 16a.

  As a result, a predetermined pressure is applied to the liquid gasket 26 between the inlet header portions 22 and between the outlet header portions 23 of the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c, and the inlet headers 22 and the outlet header portions 23 are in close contact with each other. Become.

  Since the inlet headers 22 and the outlet headers 23 are in close contact with each other, the lower heat exchanger tube 17a and the middle heat exchanger tube 17b and the middle heat exchanger tube 17b and the upper heat exchanger tube 17c are interposed. The sandwiched PTC element 18 and electrode plate 14 are in close contact with the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c.

Next, the terminal connection screw 14b that has been temporarily fixed is permanently fixed. As a result, the terminal block 14 a of each electrode plate 14 is fixed to the terminal 13 a of each substrate 13.
The tip end portion of the electrode harness 27 is inserted into the lower case 11b from the power harness hole 11f that is open in the side wall of the lower case 11b. The tip of the electrode harness 27 inserted into the lower case 11b and the power harness terminal 13c provided on the substrate 13 are screwed together with an electrode harness connecting screw 27a.

The distal end portion of the LV harness 28 is inserted into the lower case 11b from the LV harness hole 11g opened in the side wall of the lower case 11b. The distal end portion of the LV harness 28 inserted into the lower case 11b is connected to the LV harness connector portion 13d of the substrate 13 through a connector.
The electrode harness 27 is fixed to the power harness hole 11f, and the LV harness 28 is fixed to the LV harness hole 11g.

  A liquid gasket is applied to the opening 11c of the lower case 11b. The upper case 11a is mounted from above the lower case 11b. A heat medium heating device is configured by hooking a clip portion (not shown) provided in the upper case 11a to a claw portion (not shown) provided in the lower case 11b to fasten the upper case 11a and the lower case 11b. Complete (end) 10 assembly.

As described above, the heat medium heating device 10 and the vehicle air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment have the following effects.
Three (a plurality of) heat exchange tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c that exchange heat with the electrode plates 14 that are sequentially stacked on at least both surfaces of the PTC element 18 are stacked in parallel with each other. The substrate 13 is disposed on the side of the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c and provided in the lower casing 11b, and between the inlet header portions 22 and the outlet header portions of the three heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c stacked. A liquid gasket (contact member) 26 is provided between the inlet header portions 22 and the outlet header by a heat exchanger presser plate (pressing member) 16 that presses the three heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c stacked. The portions 23 are brought into close contact with each other. Thereby, the thickness of the laminated heat exchanger tube 17 can be made thin, and the height of the vertical direction of the heat medium heating apparatus 10 can be made low. Therefore, the heat medium heating device 10 can be downsized.

  Further, since the inlet header portions 22 and the outlet header portions 23 of the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c are brought into close contact with each other through the liquid gasket 26, the electrode plate 14 and the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c. Contact thermal resistance can be reduced. Therefore, the heat transfer efficiency exchanged between each heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c and the electrode plate 14 can be improved. Therefore, the heat medium heating device 10 with improved heat transfer efficiency can be obtained.

  A metal IGBT cooling plate (connection plate) 15 on which the laminated heat exchange tubes 17 a, 17 b, 17 c and the substrate 13 are mounted is provided, and an IGBT (heat generation) is provided between the IGBT cooling plate 15 and the substrate 13. Element) 12 was provided. Therefore, the heat generated by the IGBT 12 can be cooled by the cooling heat of the heat exchanger tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c via the IGBT cooling plate 15. Therefore, the heat transfer efficiency of the heat medium heating device 10 can be further improved.

  Each heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c was made wider in the flat direction. Thereby, the surface area which each heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c contacts with the electrode plate 14 can be enlarged. Therefore, heat transfer efficiency can be improved without laminating many heat exchange tubes 17. Therefore, the height of the heat medium heating device 10 in the vertical direction can be lowered while maintaining the heat transfer efficiency.

  A heat medium inlet path (heat medium outlet / inlet path) 11d for introducing the heat medium and a heat medium outlet path (heat medium outlet / inlet path) 11e for discharging the heat medium are integrally formed in the lower casing 11b. did. Therefore, when supplying a heat medium to the heat medium heating apparatus 10, the stress concerning each laminated heat exchanger tube 17a, 17b, 17c can be disperse | distributed. Therefore, the load applied to the laminated heat exchanger tubes 17 can be reduced.

  The heat medium heating device 10 that can improve the heat transfer efficiency and can be downsized is used. Therefore, the performance of the vehicle air conditioner 1 can be improved and the installation space can be reduced.

  The liquid gasket 26 used here is a curable liquid sealant that is excellent in heat resistance and suitable for sealing between the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 of each heat exchanger tube 17 exposed to high temperature. (For example, a silicone-based liquid gasket having a product number of 1207d mainly composed of silicone manufactured by Three Bond Co., Ltd.).

  In this embodiment, the liquid gasket 26 is used as the contact member. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an O-ring, brazing, or the like may be used.

  When an O-ring or the like is used, if each heat exchange tube 17a, 17b, 17c is formed of, for example, aluminum, the ambient temperature (outside temperature) is increased by being heated by the PTC element 18 in winter. There is concern about thermal expansion due to the temperature difference. For this reason, when the casing 11 (for example, resin) formed of a different material is used, the heat medium inlet path 11d and the heat medium outlet path 11e of the lower case 11b and the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header of the heat exchanger tube 17c are used. By using the liquid gasket 26 for fixing to the portion 23, the heat exchanger tube 17c is thermally expanded as described above. At this time, since the casing 11 is equal to the ambient temperature (outside air temperature), the liquid gasket 26 may be sheared by thermal expansion.

Considering these, for example, a liquid gasket 26 is used for the close contact member of the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 between the heat exchange tubes 17a, 17b, and 17c made of the same material, and the heat exchange is made of different materials. As an adhesion member between the inlet header portion 22 and the outlet header portion 23 of the tube 17c and the heat medium inlet passage 11d and the heat medium outlet passage 11e of the lower case 11b, it is possible to prevent shear fracture by using an O-ring. It becomes.
Thus, it is also possible to select a preferable and optimal close contact member such as the liquid gasket 26 or an O-ring according to the member of the casing 11 or the heat exchange tube 17.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle air conditioner 10 Heat medium heating device 11 Casing 12 IGBT (heating element)
13 Substrate 14 Electrode plate 16 Heat exchanger hold-down plate (pressing member)
17 Heat exchanger tube (cooling tube)
18 PTC element 22 Inlet header part 23 Outlet header part 26 Liquid gasket (adhesion member)

Claims (6)

An electrode plate laminated on at least both sides of the PTC element;
An inlet header portion for supplying a heat medium, an outlet header portion from which the heat medium is led out, and a close contact member provided in the inlet header portion and the outlet header portion, and sandwiching the electrode plate therebetween A plurality of flat heat exchange tubes stacked in parallel to exchange heat with the electrode plate;
A substrate disposed on the side of the plurality of stacked heat exchanger tubes and connected to the electrode plate;
A heating element connected to the substrate;
A plate-like pressing member that presses the plurality of stacked heat exchanger tubes;
A heating medium heating apparatus comprising: the electrode plate, the heat exchanger tube, the substrate, the heating element, and a casing in which the pressing member is accommodated. A metal connection plate on which the plurality of laminated heat exchanger tubes and the substrate are mounted;
The heat medium heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is provided between the substrate and the connection plate.   The heat medium heating device according to claim 1, wherein each of the heat exchange tubes is wide in a flat direction.   4. The heat medium lead-in / out passage is formed integrally with the casing to lead out / in the heat medium guided to the plurality of stacked heat exchange tubes. 5. The heating medium heating device according to any one of the above.   The heat medium heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the contact members provided in the inlet header portion and the outlet header portion facing the casing are O-rings. .   A vehicle air conditioner comprising the heat medium heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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