JP2012184893A - Refrigerating air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such a problem that cracking is caused in a heat transfer tube or the brazing portion of the heat transfer tube in a heat exchanger of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner or a refrigerator because fatigue failure or the like, by an influence of installation environment and the leakage of a refrigerant, occurs, and that especially, an outdoor unit using a flammable refrigerant may cause a leaking refrigerant to be ignited.SOLUTION: An outdoor heat exchanger forming a refrigerant circuit, which is constituted of a plurality of heat exchanger rows installed in an outdoor unit to circulate a flammable refrigerant, includes: a first heat exchanger row that is arranged adjacent to the wall surface of the outdoor unit provided with a suction port or a discharging port, and is positioned farthest from a blower among the plurality of heat exchanger rows of the outdoor heat exchanger; and a second heat exchanger row that is arranged on the side of the blower toward the first heat exchanger, and it is composed of a heat transfer tube wherein the ratio of the thickness to the outside diameter of a heat transfer tube of the first heat exchanger row is larger than that of the thickness to the outside diameter of a heat transfer tube of the second heat exchanger row.

Description

  The present invention relates to an outdoor heat exchanger of an air conditioner or a refrigeration apparatus that uses a combustible refrigerant.

  The outdoor unit of the air conditioner and the refrigeration apparatus includes a compressor, a heat exchanger, a refrigerant flow path switching valve and a pipe that connects and communicates them, a refrigerant flow pipe, a fan such as a propeller fan, a fan motor that drives the fan, And an electrical component box containing a control board for energizing and controlling the compressor and fan motor. The outdoor unit is composed of a machine room that houses a compressor, a refrigerant flow switching valve, piping, and an electrical component box, and a blower room that houses a heat exchanger, a fan, and a fan motor. It is squeezed with a threshold plate called a separator plate.

  In addition, the heat exchanger housed in the blower chamber of the outdoor unit includes a plurality of thin plate-like fins arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals and a plurality of heat transfer tubes through which refrigerant flows are inserted at right angles and arranged in parallel. It is a plate fin tube type that allows air to flow between the fins and exchanges heat, is formed in a substantially L shape, and is provided along the air suction ports on the side and back portions of the outdoor unit. The fan motor is attached to the fan motor support and is attached to the front side of the heat exchanger together with the fan motor support. A propeller fan is attached to the fan motor, a bell mouth for rectification is installed around the propeller fan in the ventilation chamber of the outdoor unit, and foreign matter is inserted into the air outlet from the front of the outdoor unit through the outlet. An accident prevention grill is provided to prevent accidents coming into contact with the In the blower room of the outdoor unit, the fan rotates to draw outside air into the outdoor unit from the rear port or side port, which is the suction port where the heat exchanger is installed, and guide it to the heat exchanger to let it pass through. It is discharged from the front opening with the grill.

  The heat exchanger housed in the blower chamber is formed by arranging a plurality of plate-like fins arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval in which heat transfer tubes are inserted at right angles, and air passes between the fins. It is configured by providing a plurality of rows in the direction. Considering the ease of manufacturing and cost, the specifications of the heat transfer tubes in each row are often the same, but considering the air side pressure loss of the heat exchanger, the heat transfer tube of the upwind heat exchanger In some cases, the tube diameter may be reduced. For example, in Patent Document 1, a second heat exchange is performed in parallel with the first heat exchanger on the back side, that is, the suction port side from the first heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger provided in the casing of the outdoor unit. In the configuration provided with the heat exchanger, the tube diameter of the heat transfer tube constituting the first heat exchanger is set to be larger than the tube diameter of the heat transfer tube constituting the second heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger The noise resistance is reduced by reducing the ventilation resistance. However, if the tube diameter of the heat transfer tube is reduced, the contact area between the heat transfer tube and the fin is reduced, and the heat exchange performance is lowered.Therefore, the fin pitch, that is, the gap between the fins is narrowed to increase the number of fins. A device to increase the amount of contact with the passing air is required.

JP-A-8-270985 (page 4, Fig. 2-3)

  In recent years, the use of a refrigerant having a low global warming potential (hereinafter referred to as GWP) that does not significantly affect the destruction of the ozone layer and global warming has been studied as interest in the global environment increases. Home and commercial devices are also required to use refrigerants with low GWP in order to prevent global warming, and the use of HC (hydrocarbon) refrigerants such as propane, butane, and isobutane is being studied. However, the HC refrigerants propane, butane, and isobutane are flammable refrigerants, and there is a problem that it is necessary to ensure safety so as not to ignite when using the HC refrigerant.

On the other hand, in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner and a refrigeration apparatus, a plurality of heat transfer tubes constituting a heat exchanger are connected by a U-shaped tube or the like to form a flow path, that is, a path through which a refrigerant flows. At this time, the heat transfer tube and the U-shaped tube are connected by brazing. In addition, a heat exchanger having a plurality of paths needs to be provided with branch pipes such as a header and a distributor for diverting the refrigerant, and the heat transfer pipe and the branch pipe of the heat exchanger are connected by brazing. However, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and the refrigeration apparatus has a problem that a refrigerant leak occurs due to a crack in the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger or a brazed portion of the heat transfer tube due to fatigue failure or the like due to the influence of the installed environment. is there.
In particular, in the case of an air conditioner or a refrigeration apparatus using a flammable refrigerant, if refrigerant leakage occurs, there is a possibility that the refrigerant may ignite and a countermeasure is required.
In addition, since heat exchanger tubes are constructed with the same specifications, the durability of the heat exchanger tubes is uniform, and it is not known where the fatigue failure of the heat exchanger begins, and the outer periphery of the outdoor unit If fatigue failure starts from the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger on the side or the brazed part of the heat transfer tube and the refrigerant leaks out, there is a high possibility that the combustible refrigerant will remain outside the outdoor unit and the retained combustible refrigerant will ignite. There was a problem of becoming.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and in an outdoor unit having a refrigerant circuit that encloses and circulates a combustible refrigerant, fatigue breakage occurs in a heat transfer tube of an outdoor heat exchanger that constitutes the refrigerant circuit. The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an air conditioner and a refrigeration apparatus excellent in reliability and safety in which flammable refrigerant is prevented from flowing out and staying outside the outdoor unit and igniting even if refrigerant leakage occurs. It is what.

  The present invention provides an outdoor heat exchanger that is provided in an outdoor unit and includes a plurality of rows of heat exchangers and that constitutes a refrigerant circuit that circulates a combustible refrigerant, in the vicinity of the wall surface of the outdoor unit having a suction port or a discharge port. The first heat exchanger row disposed farthest from the blower among the multiple rows of heat exchanger rows of the outdoor heat exchanger, and the blower side with respect to the first heat exchanger row And the ratio of the thickness and the outer diameter of the heat transfer tubes of the first heat exchanger row is the thickness and the outer diameter of the heat transfer tubes of the second heat exchanger row. It is made up of heat transfer tubes greater than the ratio of.

  The present invention provides an outdoor heat exchanger having a plurality of rows of heat exchangers, in the vicinity of a wall surface having a suction port or a blowout port, and the blower of the plurality of rows of heat exchangers of the outdoor heat exchanger. A first heat exchanger row disposed farthest from the first heat exchanger row, and a second heat exchanger row arranged on the blower side with respect to the first heat exchanger row, wherein The heat exchanger tube is composed of a heat transfer tube in which the ratio of the wall thickness and the outer diameter of the heat exchanger tube is larger than the ratio of the wall thickness and the outer diameter of the second heat exchanger column, and heat exchange of the second heat exchanger column Since fatigue failure occurs from the heat transfer tube side of the array, even if fatigue failure occurs in the heat transfer tube, reliability and safety are controlled by preventing outflow, stagnation, and ignition of the outdoor unit. An air conditioner and a refrigeration apparatus excellent in the above can be obtained.

It is a top view of the outdoor unit of the air conditioning apparatus or refrigeration apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a front view of the outdoor unit of the air conditioning apparatus or refrigeration apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a schematic top view of the outdoor heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a schematic side view of an outdoor heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the compressive strength of the heat exchanger tube of the heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of another compressive strength of the heat exchanger tube of the heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a heat exchanger tube arrangement | positioning of the outdoor heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a heat exchanger tube arrangement | positioning figure of the outdoor heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is 1st explanatory drawing of the path pattern of the outdoor heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is 2nd explanatory drawing of the path pattern of the outdoor heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is supplementary explanatory drawing of the path pattern of the outdoor heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is another supplementary explanatory drawing of the path pattern of the outdoor heat exchanger which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a top view of the inside of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner and the refrigeration apparatus as viewed from above, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the outdoor unit of FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outdoor unit 1 includes a blower chamber 2 that houses an outdoor heat exchanger 4, an outdoor fan 5, a fan motor 6, a fan motor support 7, and the like on the left side when viewed from the front side, and a right side. A machine room 3 containing refrigerant circuit parts such as a compressor 8, an expansion valve 9, a gas diversion pipe 10, and a liquid diversion pipe 11 is provided. The blower room 2 and the machine room 3 are made of a nonflammable material such as a sheet metal. Partitioned by a separator plate 12.
Moreover, the outdoor unit 1 has a back surface port 13 and a side surface port 14 serving as air suction ports on the back surface side and the left side surface side, and a front surface port 15 serving as an air outlet port on the front surface side. The remaining back surface portion 16, right side surface portion 17, front surface portion 18 and left side surface portion 19 are made of a nonflammable material such as a sheet metal, and the top plate 20 and the bottom plate 21 are also made of a nonflammable material such as a sheet metal. It is a configured casing. The side opening 14 on the left side is an opening provided on the left side 19 of the casing and a part of the left side 19 is opened. The front opening 15 is also provided on the front 18 of the casing. It is an opening partly opened. Although the back port 13 is also provided in the back surface part 16 of the housing, almost the entire back surface part 16 is opened, and the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is provided over the entire surface of the back surface port 13.
In the figure, the side opening is set on the left side, but this may be provided on the right side or on both sides. Moreover, it is not necessary to have a side opening on either side. The area of the suction port is also adjusted in order to obtain an air suction amount that matches the size of the heat exchanger.

  Next, the ventilation chamber 2 is demonstrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. The blower chamber 2 is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger 4 formed in a substantially L shape so as to extend from the back side to the side surface of the outdoor unit 1 as shown in FIG. On the front side of the outdoor heat exchanger 4, a fan motor 6 is attached to a fan motor support 7. An outdoor fan 5 such as an outdoor fan is attached to the fan motor 6. The outdoor fan 5 is generally a propeller fan or the like, and a front port 15 of the outdoor unit 1 is provided in front of the outdoor fan 5. . The outdoor fan 5 is rotated by a fan motor 6. Around the outdoor fan 5, a bell mouth 22 that rectifies the air flow caused by the rotation of the outdoor fan 5 is provided, and the air sucked by the outdoor fan 5 is sent from the front port 15 in front of the outdoor fan 5 to the outdoor unit 1. It works to discharge smoothly. In addition, the front port 15 of the outdoor unit 1 is provided with an accident prevention grill 23 for preventing an accident that a foreign object is inserted from the front port 15 and contacts the rotating outdoor fan 5. The bell mouth 22 is also provided in the front port 15 like the grill 23.

  With such a configuration, in the blower chamber 2 of the outdoor unit 1, when the outdoor fan 5 rotates, the outside air outside the outdoor unit 1 is sucked into the blower chamber 2 from the rear port 13 and the side port 14 which are suction ports, and outdoor heat exchange is performed. The outside air is guided to the vessel 4 and passed through the outdoor fan 5, and is discharged out of the outdoor unit 1 from the front port 15 which is a blowout port. Note that the sucked outside air is heat-exchanged with the refrigerant flowing in the outdoor heat exchanger 4.

Next, the machine room 3 will be described. 1 accommodates refrigerant circuit components such as a compressor 8 and an expansion valve 9, and the compressor 8, the outdoor heat exchanger 4, the expansion valve 9 and the like are connected by piping to enclose the refrigerant. Forming a refrigerant circuit section on the outdoor unit side. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, an electrical component box 24 is provided on the upper portion of the compressor 8.
In addition, the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is configured such that a row of heat transfer tubes in which a plurality of heat transfer tubes 25 are arranged in the vertical direction is one row, and a plurality of rows are provided in a direction in which the outside air guided by the outdoor fan 5 passes. . The heat transfer tubes 25 are connected so as to have a plurality of refrigerant flow paths, that is, paths, by using the heat transfer tubes 25 in a plurality of stages and rows, and the refrigerant efficiently flows and exchanges heat in the plurality of paths. As described above, a gas branch pipe 10 and a liquid branch pipe 11 for branching the flowing refrigerant are provided. The outdoor heat exchanger 4 and the compressor 8 are connected through the gas distribution pipe 10, and the outdoor heat exchanger 4 and the expansion valve 9 are connected through the liquid distribution pipe 11.
An end side 26 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 connected to the gas branch pipe 10, the liquid branch pipe 11, and the heat transfer pipe 25 is provided in the machine room 3. The wall surface is formed by the separator 12 and the outdoor heat exchange 4.

  The electrical component box 24 is a rectangular housing made of a noncombustible material such as a sheet metal, and is connected to the separator plate 12 and the right side surface portion 17 and the front surface portion 18 of the outdoor unit 1. It is attached above. However, the electrical component box 24 and the machine room side rear surface portion 16a are not in close contact with each other, and piping connected to the compressor 8, the indoor heat exchanger 4 and the like is accommodated in the space.

A connection configuration of refrigerant components in the machine room 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerant circuit composed of the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 27.
The compressor 8 installed in the machine room 3 of the outdoor unit 1 is connected to one of the two connection ports of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 through a gas branch pipe 10 and a pipe. Similarly, in the piping, the other of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is connected to the expansion valve 9 via the liquid distribution pipe 11, and the expansion valve 9 is further connected to the connection port 28 a of the outdoor unit 1 by piping. The other connection port 28b of the outdoor unit 1 is connected to the compressor 8 by piping. In addition, in order to switch the refrigerant | coolant flow path and to switch between air_conditionaing | cooling operation and heating operation, the switching valve 29 is provided on piping to which the compressor 8, the gas distribution pipe 10, and the connection port 28b are connected like FIG. However, the switching of the refrigerant flow path will be described later.

  The indoor heat exchanger 30 is disposed in the indoor unit 27. One of the two connection ports of the indoor heat exchanger 30 is connected to the connection port 28c of the indoor unit 27, and the other connection port is connected to the connection port 28d. Yes.

  In the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 27 configured as described above, the connection ports 28a and 28b of the outdoor unit 1 and the connection ports 28c and 28d of the indoor unit are connected by extension pipes 31a and 31b. A refrigerant circuit capable of performing a refrigeration cycle is configured between the indoor unit 27 and the indoor unit 27, and the refrigerant is enclosed in the refrigerant circuit. That is, the compressor 8, the outdoor heat exchanger 4, the expansion valve 9, and the indoor heat exchanger 30 are annularly connected to form a refrigerant circuit, and the refrigerant is enclosed in the refrigerant circuit, and the enclosed refrigerant is compressed, A refrigeration cycle in which condensation, expansion, and evaporation are repeated is performed. As a result, the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 27 can be cooled or heated.

  For example, in the cooling operation in FIG. 3, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 8 is sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and the outdoor heat exchanger 4 performs outdoor heat exchange by the outdoor fan 5 as indicated by the broken arrow path. Heat is exchanged with the outside air blown to the vessel 4, condensed, and sent to the expansion valve 9. The refrigerant sent to the expansion valve 9 is expanded, that is, depressurized by the expansion valve 9, and sent to the indoor heat exchanger 30 through the extension pipe 31a. The refrigerant sent to the indoor heat exchanger 30 exchanges heat with the room air blown to the indoor heat exchanger 30 by the indoor fan 32 and is evaporated, and returns to the compressor 8 again through the extension pipe 31b. The refrigerant is circulated through such a path to perform cooling. In the cooling operation, the switching valve 29 connects the refrigerant suction side of the compressor 8 and the connection port 28a, and connects the refrigerant discharge side of the compressor 8 and the outdoor heat exchange 4 so as to connect the flow path. Has been switched.

  In the heating operation, as indicated by the solid arrow, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 8 is sent to the indoor heat exchanger 30 through the extension pipe 31b. The refrigerant sent to the indoor heat exchanger 30 exchanges heat with the room air blown to the indoor heat exchanger 30 by the indoor fan 32, is condensed, and is sent to the expansion valve 9 through the extension pipe 31a. The refrigerant sent to the expansion valve 9 is decompressed by the expansion valve 9 and sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 4. The refrigerant sent to the outdoor heat exchanger 4 exchanges heat with the outside air blown to the outdoor heat exchanger 4 by the outdoor fan 5, evaporates, and returns to the compressor 8 again. The refrigerant is circulated through such a route and heating is performed. In the heating operation, the switching valve 29 connects the refrigerant suction side of the compressor 8 to the outdoor heat exchange 4 and connects the flow path so that the refrigerant discharge side of the compressor 8 and the connection port 28a are connected. Switching.

  In addition, although the air conditioner which has the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 27 was demonstrated in FIG. 3 as an example, even if it is refrigeration apparatuses, such as a showcase, the structure of a refrigerant circuit and the flow of a refrigerating cycle are the same. The load device connected instead of the indoor unit 27 includes a load device side heat exchanger, and the outdoor unit and the load device are connected by an extension pipe, and the compressor 8, the outdoor heat exchanger 4, the expansion valve 9, A refrigerant circuit formed by the load-side heat exchanger is configured, and the inside of the load device is cooled by repeating the refrigeration cycle by circulating the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit.

  The electrical component box 24 houses a control board that drives the compressor 8 and the fan motor 6 and controls the expansion valve 9. The control board controls the circulation amount of the refrigerant, so that the air conditioner controls the amount of heat exchange between the indoor heat exchanger 30 of the indoor unit 27 and the outdoor heat exchanger 4 of the outdoor unit 1, thereby controlling the indoor unit 27. The air conditioner is air-conditioned. Similarly, in the refrigeration apparatus, the control board controls the amount of heat exchange between the load-side heat exchanger of the load device and the outdoor heat exchanger 4 of the outdoor unit 1 to cool the interior of the load device. ing.

  In recent years, the use of HC (hydrocarbon) refrigerant having a low GWP is being demanded as a refrigerant to be enclosed and circulated in the refrigerant circuit because of the global environment. HC refrigerants are flammable refrigerants such as propane, butane, and isobutane, and there is no problem when they are enclosed in the refrigerant circuit, but if the refrigerant circuit breaks and leaks outside, it will ignite and cause a fire. There is a problem that countermeasures are not required.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 viewed from the top, and FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 viewed from the side. 5A is a direction in which the wind flows to the near side, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view thereof, that is, a view as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the wind flows. The outdoor heat exchanger 4 has a plate fin tube shape composed of the fin portion 33 and the heat transfer tube 25, and is substantially L-shaped so as to follow the back and side surfaces of the outdoor unit 1 as shown in FIG. It is molded into.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the fin portion 33 is formed by arranging a plurality of thin plate-like fins 34 in parallel at a predetermined interval, and the heat transfer tube 25 is arranged in the vertical direction of the fin 34 as shown in FIG. 5B. A plurality of through holes 35 are provided to pass through. Air flows between fins arranged in parallel.
The heat transfer tube 25 is inserted into the adjacent through hole 35 so that two tube portions 36 a and 36 b formed by bending one tube into a hairpin shape are orthogonal to the fin portion 33 from one side of the fin portion 33. The tube end portion of the inserted tube is composed of a plurality of hairpin tubes 36 projecting from the other side, and a U-shaped tube 37 connecting the tube end portions of adjacent hairpin tubes 36. The hairpin tube 36 and the U-shaped tube 37 are connected by brazing, and a flow path through which the refrigerant circulates around the heat exchanger 4 can be formed. In many cases, the fins 34 are made of aluminum, and the heat transfer tubes 25 such as the hairpin tubes 36 and the U-shaped tubes 37 are made of copper tubes.

In the heat exchanger configured as described above, the heat exchanger row in which the plurality of heat transfer tubes 25 are arranged in the vertical direction of the fin portion 33 is one row, and this is the direction in which air passes by blowing, that is, the fin portion 33. A plurality of rows are provided in the width direction of the outdoor heat exchanger 4. The air flows in the row direction with respect to the outdoor heat exchanger 4, that is, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the fin portion 33, and passes between the fins 34. For example, in FIG. 4, the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is provided side by side with the heat exchangers 4 a, 4 b, and 4 c from the side close to the rear port 13 or the side port 14 of the outdoor unit 1, that is, from the windward side. The outdoor heat exchanger 4 is not limited to three rows, and may be one row, two rows, or four rows or more.
Moreover, since the heat transfer tube 25 and the U-shaped tube 37 are connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 4 so as to have a plurality of refrigerant flow paths, a path is generated. A gas branch pipe 10 and a liquid branch pipe 11 for branching or joining the refrigerant are connected to the entrance / exit. These shunt pipes are also connected to the heat transfer pipe 25 serving as the refrigerant inlet / outlet of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 by brazing.

Note that the brazing portion 38 of the hairpin tube 36 and the U-shaped tube 37 and the brazing portions 39 and 40 of the gas distribution pipe 10 and the liquid distribution pipe 11 are provided together at one end of the outdoor heat exchanger 4. ing. Since these brazed portions are likely to deteriorate, the end portion 26 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 having the brazed portion is disposed in the machine room 3 of the outdoor unit 1 that is not easily affected by the external environment such as wind and rain. Yes.
With such a configuration, in the outdoor heat exchanger 4, heat exchange is performed between the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer tubes 25 and the air flowing between the fins 34 and air flowing between the fins 34.

However, since the outdoor heat exchanger 4, particularly the heat transfer tube 25, is installed at the back port 13 and the side port 14 of the blower chamber 2, it is easily affected by external environmental changes, and may directly hit wind and rain. Because there are many, cracks often occur due to a decrease in durability, leading to destruction. This is not due to a single large impact from the outside or inside of the heat transfer tube 25, but the heat transfer tube 25 expands and contracts due to the influence of the temperature and humidity of the outside air, wind and rain, and the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant flowing inside. It is often the result of repeated metal fatigue over time. Further, the brazing portion 38 of the hairpin tube 36 and the U-shaped tube 37 and the brazing portions 38 and 40 of the gas distribution pipe 10 and the liquid distribution pipe 11 are also accommodated in the machine room 3 to influence the external environment. Even if this is suppressed, there are many cases in which cracking occurs and breaks due to a decrease in durability of the brazed portion.
In addition, the fatigue failure of the heat transfer tube 25 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 and the brazed portion of the heat transfer tube 25 is different from the rupture of a large-capacity container such as the compressor 8, and the force enough to deform the outer shell of the outdoor unit 1 is Absent

When a crack occurs in the heat transfer tube 25 of the heat exchanger 4 in the blower chamber 2 during operation of the air conditioner or the refrigeration apparatus, the refrigerant leaked from the cracked portion is caused from the front port 15 by the airflow generated by the rotation of the outdoor fan 5. Forcibly discharged and diffused. Further, the refrigerant leaked from the cracked portion of the U-shaped pipe 37, the gas branch pipe 10 and the liquid branch pipe 11 in the machine room 3 leaks from the gap between the heat exchanger 4 and the machine room side rear part 16a. The airflow generated by the rotation of the outdoor fan 5 is sucked from the rear port 13 of the blower chamber 2 and is forcibly diffused from the front port 15. In any case, since the concentration is forcibly diffused and the concentration is reduced, the possibility of combustion due to refrigerant leakage is small.
For example, since propane does not burn unless it has a concentration of about 2.1% to 9.5% in the air, if the leaked refrigerant is diffused by the outside air, the possibility of ignition becomes low and safety can be maintained.

  On the other hand, since the heat transfer tube 25 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is affected by the temperature change of the outside air and wind and rain even during the stop, the fatigue failure proceeds.

During operation, the air conditioner blows air to the heat exchanger with a fan so that the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant circuit exchanges heat with the surrounding air via the heat exchanger. That is, in the cooling operation, the indoor fan 32 blows room air to the indoor heat exchanger 30 and absorbs heat by the refrigerant, and the outdoor fan 5 blows outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 4 and the indoor heat exchanger 30. The heat absorbed by the refrigerant is radiated from the outdoor heat exchanger 4 to the outside air. On the other hand, in the heating operation, the outdoor fan 5 blows outside air to the outdoor heat exchanger 4 and absorbs heat into the refrigerant, and the indoor fan 32 blows room air into the indoor heat exchanger 30 and absorbs heat into the refrigerant. Heat the room air. However, when it is stopped, that is, when air conditioning is not performed, the refrigerant stops heat exchange with ambient air such as room air and outside air via the heat exchanger, so the fan is stopped and air is not sent to the heat exchanger. . Similarly, in the refrigeration apparatus, if the temperature inside the warehouse on the load device side becomes constant, the load device does not exchange heat with the air inside the cabinet, and the outdoor unit does not exchange heat with the outside air, so the fan is stopped.
It is the annual operation time and stop time of the air conditioner, but the “Japan Air Conditioning Industry Association's Business Air Conditioning Committee” The booklet "Recommended maintenance and inspection" assumes that the operating time is 2500 hours / year. Since one year is 8760 hours / year, air conditioning is stopped for 6260 hours / year.

When the air conditioner or the refrigerating apparatus is stopped, that is, when the outdoor fan 5 of the outdoor unit 1 is stopped, the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is cracked due to fatigue failure, and there is no airflow around the outdoor unit 1. The refrigerant leaked from the cracked portion of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 in the interior stays in the casing of the outdoor unit 1 or around the outdoor unit 1, and the concentration increases. In particular, when the outdoor unit 1 is installed near a wall, diffusion is blocked by the wall, and refrigerant accumulates around the wall, increasing the risk of ignition. In this state, for example, when a cigarette with fire is thrown off from the upper floor, there is a possibility that the stagnant refrigerant may ignite and spread around the outdoor unit 1.
In particular, it is in direct contact with the outside air, and is located on the inner wall side of the housing of the blower chamber 2 and the machine chamber 3 and is disposed on the back and side port sides that are suction ports for sucking the outside air into the blower chamber 2. If the refrigerant leaks from the outdoor side, it will flow out around the outdoor unit 1.

  As a countermeasure, the present invention is located on the inner wall side of the casing of the blower chamber 2 and the machine chamber 3 that directly contacts the outside air, and is disposed on the back and side port sides that are suction ports for sucking the outside air into the blower chamber 2. The occurrence of fatigue failure is suppressed by the heat transfer tube of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 being used, and even if fatigue failure occurs, the fatigue failure proceeds from the heat transfer tube side arranged in the center of the housing, and the refrigerant Since leakage occurs, the refrigerant stays in the outdoor unit 1 while the outdoor unit 1 is stopped, and is forcedly discharged to the outside of the outdoor unit 1 by the airflow generated by the rotation of the outdoor fan 5 when the outdoor unit 1 is in operation.・ It is intended to diffuse.

  First, in order to suppress fatigue failure in the heat exchanger arranged on the suction port side of the blower chamber 2, that is, on the windward side, it is necessary to suppress fatigue failure of the heat transfer tubes used.

The durability of the heat transfer tube against fatigue failure will be described. Specifically, the durability can be improved by increasing the pressure resistance of the hairpin tube 36, the U-shaped tube 37, and the brazed portion 38 between the hairpin tube 36 and the U-shaped tube 37 constituting the heat transfer tube 25. it can.
In general, the following formula is set for the pressure strength of piping (for example, described in page 125 of the Japanese Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers Basic Text Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Technology).
t = P × D / (2 × σ × η + 0.8 × P) + α
t: Necessary thickness [mm], P: Design pressure [MPa], D: Outer diameter [mm], σ: Allowable tensile stress of material [N / mm ² ], η: Efficiency of welded joint, α: Corrosion [Mm].
For example, Table 1 in FIG. 6 is a calculation of the pressure resistance of copper pipes with outer diameters of 9.52 mm and 6.35 mm in R410A refrigerant. The maximum pressure of the copper pipe, that is, the design pressure is 4.15 MPa, and the allowable tension of the copper pipe is When the stress is 61 N / mm ² , the weld joint efficiency is 0.7, and the corrosion margin is 0 mm, the outer diameter is 9.52 mm and the wall thickness is 0.45 mm or more, and the outer diameter is 6.35 mm and the wall thickness is 0.30 mm or more. This is the calculation result. Heat transfer tubes having outer diameters of 9.52 mm and 6.35 mm are generally the only outer diameters of tubes used in heat exchangers, and the outer diameter of the heat transfer tubes can be freely set.
From this calculation formula and the calculation results in Table 1, in order to obtain the design pressure P required for the heat transfer tube regardless of the outer diameter and wall thickness of the heat transfer tube, the ratio of the wall thickness to the outer diameter (wall thickness t / outer It can be seen that it is sufficient to ensure the diameter D). Also, from the calculation formula, if the material is the same, and the tensile stress, weld joint efficiency, and rotting margin are the same, the design can be made by increasing the ratio of wall thickness to outer diameter (wall thickness t / outer diameter D). A design with improved pressure P, that is, pressure strength can be achieved. For example, the ratio of the thickness of the copper tube to the outer diameter is 0.047 and the pressure resistance is 4.15 MPa, but the ratio of the thickness of the copper tube to the outer diameter is set to 0.084. The pressure strength up to 7.69 MPa, approximately 1.85 times, is obtained, and the pressure strength can be increased.
Therefore, if a heat exchanger tube with a larger wall thickness / outer diameter ratio than the heat exchanger tube of the leeward heat exchanger is used as the heat exchanger tube of the leeward heat exchanger, the windward heat exchanger has high durability against fatigue failure. Can have sex.
Although the design method is described using the R410A refrigerant, the design method does not change even when the refrigerant is HC refrigerant, and the operating pressure is small. .
Table 1 shows the minimum required pressure strength of the R410A refrigerant. Generally, a copper tube having a wall thickness about twice that of the calculation result is used. Under the general environment where the outdoor unit 1 of the conditioner is placed, the heat transfer tube 25 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 is hardly damaged by fatigue before the product life of the air conditioner. In consideration of the difference in the environment to be used, the allowable value of the operating pressure about twice that in Table 1 is expected, and the thickness of the heat transfer tube is generally about 0.8 mm.

Specifically, a method for increasing the ratio of the wall thickness to the outer diameter to improve the pressure resistance will be described. In the case of heat transfer tubes of the same material and the same outer diameter, the pressure strength can be increased by increasing the thickness of the heat transfer tubes. For example, the heat transfer tubes A and B in Table 2 of FIG. 7 have the same material and the same outer diameter, and the thicknesses are different from 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. Table 2 shows the pressure strength of these heat transfer tubes. Calculated and compared. According to Table 1, the heat transfer tube B has a ratio of the wall thickness to the outer diameter of about 1.5 times that of the heat transfer tube A due to the difference in thickness, while the pressure resistance strength of the heat transfer tube B is that of the heat transfer tube A. The pressure strength is about 12.0 MPa to about 7.69 MPa, which is about 1.56 times the pressure strength.
In this way, it is possible to increase the thickness of the heat transfer tube and increase the ratio of the wall thickness to the outer diameter to improve the pressure resistance, and arrange the heat transfer tubes with different pressure resistance on the leeward side and the windward side. Thus, fatigue failure of the heat transfer tube of the upwind heat exchanger can be suppressed.

Next, the structure of the heat exchanger which improved the durability with respect to the fatigue failure of a heat exchanger using these heat exchanger tubes is demonstrated.
FIG. 8 shows the outdoor heat exchanger 4 in a state in which heat transfer tubes having the same material and the same outer diameter and different wall thickness are arranged as in the heat transfer tubes A and B. The heat exchanger 4a is arranged on the windward side which is the suction port side, and the heat exchangers 4b and 4c are arranged on the leeward side which is the arrangement side of the outdoor fan 5. 8A is a view perpendicular to the fins, and FIG. 8B is a view of FIG. 8A viewed from the upper surface side, that is, the direction perpendicular to the heat transfer tube. Moreover, the heat exchanger 4c arrange | positioned at the leeward side of the heat exchanger 4b is comprised with the same fin and heat exchanger tube as the heat exchanger 4b.
The heat exchanger 4b of FIG. 8 is configured by a heat transfer tube 41a having an outer diameter Da and a wall thickness ta, and the heat exchanger 4a is configured by a heat transfer tube 41b having an outer diameter Db and a wall thickness tb. The heat transfer tube 41a and the heat transfer tube 41b have the same outer diameter (Da = Db), but the wall thickness is 41b greater than 41a (tb> ta). As a result, a heat exchanger is constructed in which the ratio of the thickness and outer diameter of the heat transfer tube on the leeward side is made larger than the heat transfer tube on the leeward side, the pressure resistance is improved, and the durability against fatigue failure is increased.

  In the outdoor heat exchanger 4 of FIG. 8, the heat transfer tubes 41a and 41b have substantially the same shape, dimensions, and performance except that the wall thickness is different. Therefore, the shape and dimensions of the through holes 35 provided in the fins 34 are the same. The fin pitch a1 can also be configured with the same pitch between the heat exchangers 4a and 4b. As a result, a heat exchanger can be configured without significant design changes.

In FIG. 8, the heat exchanger 4a is provided with a heat transfer tube that is thicker than the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4b, and the heat exchangers 4b and 4c are provided with the same thickness of the heat transfer tube. You may arrange | position the heat exchanger tube thicker than the heat exchanger tube of the heat exchanger 4c to both the apparatus 4a and 4b. Thereby, the durability against fatigue failure of the heat exchanger is improved.
Moreover, you may arrange | position the heat exchanger tube which thickened in order of the heat exchanger 4a, 4b, 4c. Similarly, durability against fatigue failure of the heat exchanger is improved.

  As described above, in the heat exchanger using heat transfer tubes of the same material and the same outer diameter for the upwind and leeward heat exchangers, the upwind side that is the inlet side of the outdoor unit 1, that is, the casing of the outdoor unit 1 Since the ratio of the thickness and the outer diameter of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4a arranged on the inner wall side of the heat exchanger 4a can be increased, that is, the outdoor heat exchanger 4 with increased pressure resistance can be configured by increasing the thickness, It is possible to improve the durability against fatigue failure of the upwind side heat exchanger 4a and to ensure the reliability and safety against refrigerant leakage. Further, the through holes 35 of the fins 34, the pitch of the fins 34, the U-shaped tube 37 connecting the hairpin tubes 36, and the like can be used as they are, and there is no need to redesign the outdoor heat exchanger 4, and the conventional outdoor unit 1 is used. The same heat exchange performance can be secured.

Even if fatigue failure occurs in the outdoor heat exchanger 4, heat adjacent to the outdoor fan 5 of the blower chamber 2 disposed on the leeward side where the pressure resistance is weak, that is, on the central side of the casing of the outdoor unit 1. Since fatigue failure proceeds from the exchanger 4c side, the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4c is cracked and stays inside the outdoor unit 1 even if the refrigerant starts to leak.
At this time, if the outdoor fan 5 is operating, the refrigerant is discharged and diffused into the atmosphere from the front port before the refrigerant stays and the concentration rises, so that the refrigerant does not reach a concentration sufficient to burn the refrigerant. There is no possibility of igniting.
Even if the outdoor fan 5 is stopped, the refrigerant stays inside the outdoor unit 1 and there is no possibility that the refrigerant ignites because there is nothing in the outdoor unit 1 that ignites. Furthermore, even if a fire type is obtained from the outside of the outdoor unit 1 and the refrigerant is ignited, both the blower chamber 2 and the machine chamber 3 of the outdoor unit 1 are made of a flame-retardant material such as sheet metal, so that they stay inside. It is possible to prevent the components of the outdoor unit 1 from igniting and spreading around the outdoor unit 1 simply by burning the refrigerant in a short time.
Further, the end portion 26 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 having the brazing portion 38 between the hairpin tube 36 and the U-shaped tube 37 and the brazing portions 38 and 40 of the gas distribution tube 10 and the liquid distribution tube 11 is difficult to be made of sheet metal or the like. Even if it is accommodated in the machine room 3 made of a flammable material and fatigue breakage starts from the brazed part and refrigerant leakage occurs, there is nothing to be ignited or ignited inside the machine room 3 In addition, since the machine room 3 does not have a large opening for sucking or discharging outside air, it does not spread to the outside of the machine room 3.

  Therefore, in an outdoor unit that has a heat exchanger configured by multiple paths in multiple rows and uses a flammable refrigerant, a simple configuration change that changes the ratio of the thickness and outer diameter of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger In addition to improving the durability against fatigue failure of the heat transfer tube, even if the heat transfer tube is fatigued and the refrigerant leaks, the outdoor fan will diffuse into the atmosphere during outdoor fan operation, and the outdoor fan By staying in the outdoor unit during the stop, it is possible to obtain an air conditioner or a refrigeration apparatus excellent in reliability and safety in which the refrigerant is prevented from igniting and spreading outside the outdoor unit.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the first embodiment, as an example of a method for increasing the ratio between the thickness and the outer diameter and improving the pressure resistance, the example in which the pressure resistance is changed by changing the thickness in the heat transfer tube of the same material and the same outer diameter has been described. As another method for increasing the ratio of the thickness to the outer diameter and improving the pressure resistance, a method of changing the outer diameter in the heat transfer tube of the same material and the same thickness may be used. That is, in the case of the same material and the same thickness heat transfer tube, the pressure resistance can be increased by reducing the outer diameter of the heat transfer tube.

For example, the heat transfer tubes A and C in Table 2 of FIG. 7 have the same material and the same thickness, and the outer diameters are different from 9.52 mm and 6.35 mm, respectively. Table 2 shows the pressure strength of these heat transfer tubes. Calculated and compared. According to Table 2, the heat transfer tube C has a ratio of the wall thickness to the outer diameter of about 1.5 times that of the heat transfer tube A due to the difference in thickness, while the pressure resistance strength of the heat transfer tube C is that of the heat transfer tube A. The pressure strength is about 12.0 MPa to about 7.69 MPa, which is about 1.56 times the pressure strength.
In this way, it is possible to reduce the outer diameter of the heat transfer tube and increase the ratio of wall thickness to outer diameter to improve the pressure resistance, and to arrange the heat transfer tubes with different pressure resistance on the leeward side and the windward side Thus, fatigue failure of the heat transfer tube of the upwind heat exchanger can be suppressed.

Next, the structure of the heat exchanger which improved the durability with respect to the fatigue failure of a heat exchanger using these heat exchanger tubes is demonstrated.
FIG. 9 shows the outdoor heat exchanger 4 in a state in which heat transfer tubes having the same material and the same wall thickness and having different outer diameters are disposed as in the heat transfer tubes A and C. The heat exchanger 4a is arranged on the windward side which is the suction port side, and the heat exchangers 4b and 4c are arranged on the leeward side which is the arrangement side of the outdoor fan 5. Like FIG. 8, FIG. 9 (a) is a view perpendicular to the fins, and FIG. 9 (b) is a view of FIG. 9 (a) seen from the upper surface side, that is, the direction perpendicular to the heat transfer tube. Moreover, the heat exchanger 4c arrange | positioned at the leeward side of the heat exchanger 4b is comprised with the same fin and heat exchanger tube as the heat exchanger 4b.
9 is configured by a heat transfer tube 41a having an outer diameter Da and a wall thickness ta, and the heat exchanger 4a is configured by a heat transfer tube 41c having an outer diameter Dc and a wall thickness tc. The heat transfer tube 41a and the heat transfer tube 41c have the same thickness (ta = tb), but the outer diameter of the 41c is smaller than that of 41a (Dc <Da). Thus, a heat exchanger is constructed in which the pressure resistance of the heat transfer tube on the leeward side is improved compared to the heat transfer tube on the leeward side and the durability against fatigue failure is increased.

  Further, in the outdoor heat exchanger 4 of FIG. 9, when the outer diameter of the heat transfer tube 41c on the windward side is reduced, the area of the brazed portion between the hairpin tube and the U-shaped tube is also reduced. The effect that it becomes difficult to generate | occur | produce and it becomes difficult to produce a crack is also acquired.

  In the outdoor heat exchanger 4 of FIG. 9, the heat transfer tubes 41a and 41c have different outer diameters, and the upwind heat exchanger 4a using the heat transfer tubes 41c having a small outer diameter has a contact area between the fins and the heat transfer tubes. The heat exchange performance is reduced because of the decrease. The reduced heat exchange performance can be ensured by reducing the fin pitch of the heat exchanger 4a from a1 to a2 and increasing the number of fins.

  In addition, when a copper tube with a small outer diameter is used, it takes time and labor to make the wall thickness thin according to the outer diameter, so in general, a copper tube with the same wall thickness is manufactured regardless of the outer diameter, Often used. Therefore, it can be realized by a simple design change by simply applying a copper tube having a different outer diameter, rather than creating a special one having a different thickness.

Moreover, in FIG. 9, although the heat exchanger tube with the outer diameter smaller than the heat exchanger tube of the heat exchanger 4b is arranged in the heat exchanger 4a, and the heat exchanger tubes with the same outer diameter are arranged in the heat exchangers 4b and 4c, You may arrange | position the heat exchanger tube with an outer diameter smaller than the heat exchanger tube of the heat exchanger 4c to both the apparatus 4a and 4b. Thereby, the durability against fatigue failure of the heat exchanger is improved. Further, the heat exchanger 4b may include a mixture of heat transfer tubes having different outer diameters.
Moreover, you may arrange | position the heat exchanger tube which made the outer diameter small in order of heat exchanger 4a, 4b, 4c. Similarly, durability against fatigue failure of the heat exchanger is improved.

  As described above, in the heat exchanger using heat transfer tubes of the same material and the same thickness for the heat exchangers on the windward side and the leeward side, the windward side that is the inlet side of the outdoor unit 1, that is, the casing of the outdoor unit 1 Since the outdoor heat exchanger 4 can be configured in which the ratio of the thickness and the outer diameter of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4a arranged on the inner wall side of the heat exchanger 4a is increased, that is, the outer diameter is reduced and the pressure resistance is increased. It is possible to improve the durability against fatigue failure of the upwind side heat exchanger 4a and to ensure the reliability and safety against refrigerant leakage. Furthermore, the area of the brazed portion between the hairpin tube and the U-shaped tube is reduced, brazing unevenness and pinholes are less likely to occur, and the reliability of the brazed portion against fatigue failure can be ensured.

Even if fatigue failure occurs in the outdoor heat exchanger 4, the heat adjacent to the outdoor fan 5 of the blower chamber 2 disposed on the leeward side where the pressure resistance is weak, that is, on the central side of the casing of the outdoor unit 1. Since fatigue failure proceeds from the exchanger 4c side, the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4c is cracked and stays inside the outdoor unit 1 even if the refrigerant starts to leak.
At this time, if the outdoor fan 5 is operating, the refrigerant is discharged and diffused into the atmosphere from the front port before the refrigerant stays and the concentration rises, so that the refrigerant does not reach a concentration sufficient to burn the refrigerant. There is no possibility of igniting.
Even if the outdoor fan 5 is stopped, the refrigerant stays inside the outdoor unit 1 and there is no possibility that the refrigerant ignites because there is nothing in the outdoor unit 1 that ignites. Furthermore, even if a fire type is obtained from the outside of the outdoor unit 1 and the refrigerant is ignited, both the blower chamber 2 and the machine chamber 3 of the outdoor unit 1 are made of a flame-retardant material such as sheet metal, so that they stay inside. It is possible to prevent the outdoor unit 1 from being ignited or spreading around the outdoor unit 1 by only burning the refrigerant in a short time.
Further, the end portion 26 of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 having the brazing portion 38 between the hairpin tube 36 and the U-shaped tube 37 and the brazing portions 38 and 40 of the gas distribution tube 10 and the liquid distribution tube 11 is difficult to be made of sheet metal or the like. Since it is housed in the machine room 3 composed of a flammable material, even if fatigue failure starts from the brazed part and refrigerant leakage occurs, what is ignited and what ignites in the machine room 3 In addition, since the machine room 3 does not have a large opening through which outside air is sucked or discharged, the fire does not spread outside the machine room 3.

  Therefore, in an outdoor unit that has a heat exchanger configured by multiple paths in multiple rows and uses a flammable refrigerant, a simple configuration change that changes the ratio of the thickness and outer diameter of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger In addition to improving the durability against fatigue failure of the heat transfer tube, even if the heat transfer tube breaks down and the refrigerant leaks, the outdoor fan will diffuse into the atmosphere while the outdoor fan is operating, and the outdoor fan will stop By staying inside the outdoor unit, it is possible to obtain an air conditioning apparatus or a refrigeration apparatus excellent in reliability and safety in which the refrigerant is prevented from igniting and spreading outside the outdoor unit.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the first and second embodiments, the ratio of the thickness and outer diameter of the heat exchanger tube of the windward heat exchanger is increased to improve the pressure resistance, and the fatigue failure of the heat exchanger tube of the windward heat exchanger is suppressed. Have explained. However, even if the endurance of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger on the windward side is improved, the portion of the brazed portion of the heat transfer tube that is vulnerable to fatigue failure, such as the brazed portion of the diversion means, is dispersed. Since it is arrange | positioned, this weak part is arrange | positioned on the windward side, fatigue fracture starts from this weak part, and a refrigerant | coolant may leak out of an outdoor unit.
In view of this, brazing portions such as the diversion means are arranged from the windward side to the leeward side of the heat exchanger, and the ones with improved fatigue fracture durability are concentratedly arranged on the windward side. That is, no diversion means with low fatigue failure durability is arranged on the windward side of the heat exchanger. By performing such a configuration, it is possible to improve the durability against fatigue failure of the entire outdoor heat exchanger. The configuration will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a path pattern of a general heat exchanger, that is, an arrangement of a refrigerant flow path, a heat transfer tube, and a diversion tube in the heat exchanger. An arrow in the heat transfer tube 25 indicates the direction in which the refrigerant flows during the cooling operation, and air is forced to flow by the outdoor fan 5 in the direction of the heat exchangers 4a to 4c. In general, the path of the heat exchanger of the air conditioner and the refrigeration apparatus is installed so that the refrigerant and air are in counterflow, and the refrigerant is also arranged to flow in the direction from the heat exchanger 4c to 4a in FIG. Yes. In this state, the heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 4a on the windward side, that is, the suction port side of the outdoor unit 1 and the liquid branch pipe 11 are connected, and the brazed portion of the branch pipe is the suction port of the outdoor unit 1 Will be placed on the side.

  Generally, a branch pipe is used to join or branch a plurality of refrigerant flow paths formed in a refrigeration circuit, and a plurality of pipes are connected by brazing. Accordingly, the brazing range becomes larger, and fatigue failure is more likely to occur than other brazed parts. When the brazed part of the shunt pipe is disposed on the suction port side of the outdoor unit 1, the brazed part of the shunt pipe is fatigued. When destroyed, the possibility of refrigerant leaking out of the outdoor unit 1 increases. Moreover, the suction port side of the outdoor unit 1 is arranged to be easily affected by external environmental changes. Therefore, the shunt pipe is connected to the heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 4a on the windward side, that is, the suction port side, and is not disposed on the suction port side.

  In FIG. 11, the path pattern of the heat exchanger is changed, and the shunt pipe is arranged on the heat exchanger at the leeward side, that is, at the center of the casing of the outdoor unit 1. As in FIG. 10, the arrows in the heat transfer tubes indicate the direction of refrigerant flow during the cooling operation, and air is forced to flow in the direction of the heat exchangers 4a to 4c by the outdoor fan. In the case of FIG. 11, as in FIG. 10, the heat exchanger path is arranged in the order of the heat exchangers 4c, 4b, 4a so that the refrigerant flows in the direction from the heat exchangers 4c to 4a so that the refrigerant and the air flow counter to each other. However, the path is arranged to flow to the heat exchanger 4b after reaching the heat exchanger 4a, and the liquid branch pipe 11 is connected from the heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 4b.

  As a result, since the liquid distribution pipe 11 is arranged on the leeward side and in the center of the casing of the outdoor unit 1, even if the brazed part is fatigued and the refrigerant leaks, the inside of the outdoor unit 1 and the outdoor heat exchange 4 It can be made to stay in the inside of the machine room 3 in which the end part 26 is arrange | positioned, and it can suppress that a refrigerant | coolant leaks out of the outdoor unit 1. FIG.

  10 and 11, the gas shunt pipe 10 is connected to the heat transfer pipe of the heat exchanger 4 c and is not arranged on the windward side of the outdoor heat exchanger 4 in terms of the refrigerant flow. Therefore, even if the brazed part is fatigued and the refrigerant leaks, it remains in the machine room 3.

As a result, even if fatigue failure occurs in the outdoor heat exchanger 4 while the outdoor fan 5 is stopped, the refrigerant stays inside the outdoor unit 1 and nothing in the outdoor unit 1 ignites. The refrigerant will not ignite. Furthermore, even if a fire type is obtained from the outside of the outdoor unit 1 and the refrigerant is ignited, both the blower chamber 2 and the machine chamber 3 of the outdoor unit 1 are made of a flame-retardant material such as sheet metal, so that they stay inside. It is possible to prevent the outdoor unit 1 from being ignited or igniting outside the outdoor unit 1 and spreading the surroundings only by burning the refrigerant in a short time.
Also, if the outdoor fan 5 is operating, the refrigerant is discharged and diffused into the atmosphere from the front port before the refrigerant stays and the concentration rises, so that the refrigerant does not reach a concentration sufficient to burn, It will not ignite.

  Note that if the heat exchanger path pattern is changed, the heat exchange performance may be reduced. However, since only the last stage of the path returns to the windward side, a significant decrease in the heat exchange performance may occur. There is no. For example, even if the heat exchange performance is reduced, it can be recovered by a small change such as narrowing the fin pitch and increasing the number of fins or changing the number of stages.

  Further, the gas branch pipe 10 and the liquid branch pipe 11 are arranged so as to be connected to the heat transfer pipes of the leeward heat exchangers 4b and 4c, and the heat transfer of the leeward heat exchanger as in the first and second embodiments. By increasing the ratio of the thickness and outer diameter of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger on the windward side of the heat tube to improve the pressure resistance, the durability of the entire outdoor heat exchanger is improved and fatigue resistance is improved. Safety can also be secured when destruction occurs.

  For example, FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a configuration in the case where a heat exchanger tube of a heat exchanger on the windward side, that is, the inlet side, has a small outer diameter, but the heat exchanger on the leeward side on the outdoor fan 5 arrangement side. A heat transfer tube 41a having a large outer diameter is disposed in the heat transfer tube 4c, and a heat transfer tube 41c having a small outer diameter is disposed in the heat transfer tube of the upwind heat exchanger 4a on the suction port side. Further, as in FIG. 11, the paths are set so that the refrigerant flows as indicated by the dashed arrows. Therefore, the refrigerant sequentially passes through the heat transfer tubes 41a having large outer diameters of the heat exchangers 4c and 4b, and enters the heat transfer tubes 41c having small outer diameters of the heat exchangers 4a. After passing through the heat transfer tube 41c having a small outer diameter of the heat exchanger 4a, it enters the heat exchanger 4b again. At this time, it passes through the heat transfer tube 41c of the heat exchanger 4b having a small outer diameter, This is a path that flows to the tube 11. In addition, the heat exchanger 4b is the structure in which the heat exchanger tubes 41a and 41c are mixed, and the heat exchanger 4b may be unified by the heat exchanger tubes 41c. That is, when entering the heat exchanger 4b from the heat exchanger 4c, the heat transfer tube 41a has a large outer diameter, but may be configured by a heat transfer tube 41c having a small outer diameter. If the heat transfer tube 41c having a small outer diameter is used, a decrease in heat exchange performance is expected. However, by adjusting the fin pitch of the heat exchangers 4b and 4a to increase the number of fins, the heat exchange performance decreases. Can be suppressed.

  As a result, the shunt pipe can be arranged on the leeward side, that is, in the center of the casing, and the pressure resistance of the heat exchanger on the windward side, that is, the suction port side is increased, and the durability against fatigue failure of the entire outdoor heat exchanger is improved. Even if fatigue failure occurs, the leaked refrigerant can be kept inside the outdoor unit 1, and safety can be ensured.

  FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a configuration when a thick heat transfer tube is used for the heat exchanger on the windward side, that is, on the suction side, but the heat exchanger on the leeward side on the outdoor fan 5 arrangement side. A heat transfer tube 41a having a small thickness is disposed in the heat transfer tube 4c, and a heat transfer tube 41b having a large thickness is disposed in the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4a on the windward side which is the suction port side. Further, as in FIG. 11, the paths are set so that the refrigerant flows as indicated by the dashed arrows. Therefore, the refrigerant sequentially passes through the heat exchanger tubes 41a having the thin wall thickness of the heat exchangers 4c and 4b, and enters the heat transfer tube 41b having the large wall thickness of the heat exchanger 4a. After passing through the heat exchanger tube 41b with the thick wall of the heat exchanger 4a, it enters the heat exchanger 4b again. At this time, it passes through the heat exchanger tube 41a with the thin wall of the heat exchanger 4b, This is a path that flows to the tube 11. Unlike FIG. 12, FIG. 13 has the same outer diameter of the heat transfer tube, and the heat transfer performance of the heat transfer tube is substantially the same, or it is not necessary to arrange different types of heat transfer tubes on the heat exchanger 4b. Further, since the heat exchange performance is hardly lowered, it is not necessary to adjust the fin pitch of the heat exchangers 4b and 4a.

  Furthermore, it can be configured with the conventional parts and dimensions, and there is no need to redesign the component parts when the path is changed.

  As a result, the shunt pipe can be arranged on the leeward side, that is, in the center of the casing, and the pressure resistance of the heat exchanger on the windward side, that is, the suction port side is increased, and the durability against fatigue failure of the entire outdoor heat exchanger is improved. Even if fatigue failure occurs, fatigue failure proceeds from the heat exchanger side arranged in the central part of the housing, which is inferior in durability against fatigue failure, so that the leaked refrigerant can be kept inside the outdoor unit 1 and safety is improved. It can be secured.

As described above, since the shunt pipe is arranged at the leeward side of the outdoor unit 1, that is, at the center of the casing by changing the path of the outdoor heat exchanger 4, the durability against fatigue failure is improved, and Even if the brazed part is fatigued and the refrigerant leaks, fatigue breakage occurs from the brazed part side arranged in the central part of the housing, which is inferior in durability against fatigue breakage, and can be retained in the outdoor unit 1, The refrigerant can be prevented from leaking out of the outdoor unit 1.
Further, the overall outdoor heat exchanger is configured by increasing the ratio of the thickness and outer diameter of the heat transfer tube of the heat exchanger 4a arranged on the windward side of the outdoor unit 1, that is, on the suction port side to increase the pressure resistance. The durability against fatigue failure can be improved, and safety when fatigue failure occurs can be secured.

  Therefore, in an outdoor unit having a heat exchanger configured by a plurality of paths in a plurality of rows and using a flammable refrigerant, the path of the outdoor heat exchanger is changed to change the position of the branch pipe and the outdoor heat exchanger The simple structure change that changes the ratio of the wall thickness and outer diameter of the heat transfer tube improves the durability against fatigue failure of the heat transfer tube and the durability of the brazed part of the flow dividing tube. Even if fatigue damage occurs in the brazed part and the refrigerant leaks, the outdoor unit fan diffuses into the atmosphere while the outdoor fan is in operation, and the refrigerant ignites by staying in the outdoor unit when the outdoor fan is stopped. It is possible to obtain an air conditioner or a refrigeration apparatus excellent in reliability and safety in which the spread of fire outside the outdoor unit is suppressed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outdoor unit 2 Blower room 3 Machine room 4 Outdoor heat exchanger 4a 1st heat exchanger 4b 2nd heat exchanger 4c 3rd heat exchanger 5 Outdoor fan (propeller fan)
6 Fan motor 7 Fan motor support plate 8 Compressor 9 Expansion valve 10 Gas distribution pipe 11 Liquid distribution pipe 12 Separator plate 13 Rear port 14 Side port 15 Front port 16 Rear unit 17 Right side unit 18 Front unit 19 Left side unit 20 Top plate 21 Bottom plate 22 Bell mouth 23 Grill 24 Electrical box 25 Heat transfer tube 25a Heat transfer tube of the first heat exchanger 25b Heat transfer tube of the second heat exchanger 25c Heat transfer tube of the third heat exchanger 26 Outdoor heat exchanger end 27 Indoor unit 28a, 28b Outdoor unit side connection port 28c, 28d Indoor unit side connection port 29 Switching valve 30 Indoor heat exchanger 31a, 31b Extension pipe 32 Indoor fan 33 Fin part 34 Fin 35 Through hole 36 Hairpin pipe 37 U-shaped pipe 38 U-shaped pipe brazing section 39 Gas shunt pipe brazing section 40 Liquid shunt pipe brazing section 41a Heat transfer pipe 1
41b Heat transfer tube 2
41c Heat transfer tube 3

Claims (5)

An outdoor unit comprising a casing formed of a first wall surface having a suction port and a second wall surface having a blow-out port and provided with a refrigerant circuit for circulating a flammable refrigerant; An outdoor heat exchanger composed of a plurality of rows of heat exchangers having heat transfer tubes for circulating a flammable refrigerant, and outside air is provided in the outdoor unit and flows in the row direction of the outdoor heat exchangers through the suction port. The blower that discharges from the outlet to the outside of the outdoor unit and the vicinity of the first wall surface or the second wall surface, and the farthest from the blower among the plurality of rows of heat exchangers A first heat exchanger row arranged; and a second heat exchanger row arranged on the blower side with respect to the first heat exchanger row, wherein the first heat exchanger row is provided. The ratio of the thickness of the heat transfer tube to the outer diameter is the thickness of the heat transfer tube of the second heat exchanger row A refrigeration air conditioning system, characterized in that it is constituted by a ratio greater than heat transfer tube outer diameter. The refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer tubes of the first heat exchanger array are configured by heat transfer tubes having a thickness greater than that of the heat transfer tubes of the second heat exchanger array. The refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer tubes of the first heat exchanger array are configured by heat transfer tubes having an outer diameter smaller than that of the heat transfer tubes of the second heat exchanger array. 4. The outdoor heat exchanger includes a liquid branch pipe and a gas branch pipe, and the liquid branch pipe and the gas branch pipe are connected to the second heat exchanger row. The refrigeration air conditioner according to any one of the above. The refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the combustible refrigerant is an HC refrigerant such as propane, butane, or isobutane.

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