JP2023181531A - heat exchange unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a heat exchange unit capable of suppressing increase in a manufacturing cost by suppressing damage of a flat tube caused by sliding with other members.SOLUTION: A utilization unit 3 includes a utilization heat exchanger 32 and a first member 34. In the utilization heat exchanger 32, a plurality of flat tubes 32a are stacked at prescribed intervals in a thickness direction by a heat transfer fin 32b. The first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32. The first member 34 includes a body 34a, and a protrusion 34b protruding from the body 34a. The protrusion 34b is inserted between the adjoining flat tubes 32a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Regarding a heat exchange unit.

A heat exchange unit is known that includes a heat exchanger having a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged substantially parallel to each other at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, and a plurality of heat transfer fins joined to the heat transfer tubes. .

Patent Document 1 (International Publication No. 2018/128035) discloses a heat exchanger in which a thin flat tube is used as a heat transfer tube, and a bracket that is a member that supports the heat exchanger and restricts its movement. A heat exchange unit (outdoor heat exchanger) is disclosed. In the heat exchange unit of Patent Document 1, the bracket is a plate-like member in which a tube hole into which a heat transfer tube is inserted is formed. The heat exchanger tube inserted into the tube hole is fixed to the housing by being joined to the bracket by brazing.

At joints using brazing, it may become impossible to join the bracket and the heat exchanger tube due to corrosion that occurs over time. In such a case, the heat exchanger tubes slide against the tube holes formed in the bracket due to vibrations caused by the operation of the heat exchange unit. When a flat tube with a relatively thin wall thickness is used as a heat transfer tube as in the heat exchange unit of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the flat tube will be damaged at the point where it slides with the tube hole. The problem is that the choices of materials that can be used for the pipe are limited, and manufacturing costs tend to increase.

The present disclosure proposes a heat exchange unit that can suppress an increase in manufacturing costs by suppressing damage to flat tubes caused by sliding with other members.

The heat exchange unit of the first aspect includes a heat exchanger and a first member. In the heat exchanger, a plurality of flat tubes are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction using heat transfer fins. The first member is attached to the heat exchanger. The first member has a main body and a protrusion protruding from the main body, and the protrusion is inserted between adjacent flat tubes.

According to this heat exchange unit, compared to the case where the movement of the heat exchanger is restricted by inserting the heat exchanger tube into the tube hole provided in the bracket, the flat tube and the member that contacts the flat tube and restricts the movement ( The contact area with the first member) can be significantly reduced. Therefore, even if the first member and the flat tube slide due to vibrations caused by the operation of the utilization unit, damage to the flat tube due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the second aspect is the heat exchange unit according to the first aspect, and the first member has a plurality of protrusions.

According to this heat exchange unit, movement of the heat exchanger is effectively restricted because the first member has the plurality of protrusions.

The heat exchange unit of the third aspect is the heat exchange unit of the first aspect or the second aspect, and the heat exchanger includes a plurality of first heat exchange parts. The first member has a plurality of protrusions for each of the plurality of first heat exchange parts.

According to this heat exchange unit, movement of the heat exchanger is effectively restricted because the first member has the plurality of protrusions.

The heat exchange unit according to the fourth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to third aspects, and the protrusion has a columnar shape.

According to this heat exchange unit, the protrusion can be easily inserted between adjacent flat tubes. Therefore, manufacturing of the heat exchange unit becomes easy and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the fifth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to third aspects, and the protrusion has a claw portion that engages with the flat tube.

According to this heat exchange unit, the first member can effectively restrict the movement of the heat exchanger.

The heat exchange unit according to the sixth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and the first member is manufactured using resin.

According to this heat exchange unit, the hardness of the protrusions can be reduced compared to a case where the heat exchange unit is manufactured using metal. Therefore, even if the first member and the flat tube slide, damage to the flat tube due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the seventh aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which the first member is manufactured using metal and a resin coating is applied to the surface.

According to this heat exchange unit, by suppressing the hardness of the surface of the first member to a low level through the resin coating, it is possible to effectively suppress damage to the flat tube due to sliding while ensuring high rigidity of the first member.

The heat exchange unit according to the eighth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which the first member is manufactured using metal, and insulating rubber is attached to the surface.

According to this heat exchange unit, by keeping the hardness of the surface of the first member low with the insulating rubber, it is possible to effectively suppress damage to the flat tube due to sliding while ensuring high rigidity of the first member.

The heat exchange unit according to the ninth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, and further includes a casing and a second member fixed to the casing. The first member is fixed to the second member by screwing or engagement.

The heat exchange unit according to the tenth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, and the first member has a main body in contact with the heat transfer fin.

According to this heat exchange unit, the first member can receive the weight of the heat exchanger through contact between the main body and the heat transfer fins. As a result, the weight of the heat exchanger that the protrusion receives is almost zero or is significantly reduced, so even if the first member and the flat tube slide, this sliding will prevent the flat tube from being damaged. be done. As a result, the number of options for flat tubes that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the eleventh aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, and the heat exchanger further includes a header that connects the ends of the plurality of flat tubes to each other. The main body of the first member is in contact with the header.

According to this heat exchange unit, since the first member can receive the weight of the heat exchanger together with the protrusion by the main body, the weight of the heat exchanger that is received by the protrusion is reduced. Therefore, even if the first member and the flat tube slide, damage to the flat tube due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the number of options for flat tubes that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the twelfth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, and the heat exchanger includes a second heat exchange section in which the thickness direction of the flat tube is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. has. The first member is attached to the heat exchanger vertically below the second heat exchange section.

According to this heat exchange unit, the first member can restrict movement while supporting the second heat exchange section.

1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioner 1. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an air conditioner 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the utilization unit 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the usage unit 3 taken along line A-A' in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first utilization heat exchange section 321. FIG. It is a figure which looked at the 1st utilization heat exchange part 321 along the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first utilization heat exchange section 321 taken along plane B of FIG. 5. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first member 34. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second member 35. FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing how to assemble the first member 34 and the second member 35 to the second casing 31. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the heat exchanger 32 of the air conditioner 1 according to modification A. FIG.

(1) Overall Configuration The heat exchange unit according to the present disclosure is used, for example, as a unit for an air conditioner that utilizes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle, although the application is not limited thereto. Below, the air conditioner 1 in which the usage unit 3, which is an example of the heat exchange unit of the present disclosure, is used will be described with reference to the drawings.

The air conditioner 1 air-conditions the interior (room) of the room RM, which is the target space, using a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The air conditioner 1 mainly includes a heat source unit 2, a utilization unit 3, a liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5, a gas refrigerant communication pipe 6, a remote control 8, and a control section 9.

The liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 and the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 connect the heat source unit 2 and the utilization unit 3. The heat source unit 2, the utilization unit 3, the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5, and the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 are connected in an annular manner by refrigerant piping to form a refrigerant circuit 100. The refrigerant circuit 100 has a refrigerant sealed inside. Although details will be described later, the control unit 9 controls each device of the air conditioner 1 to perform air conditioning operations such as heating operation and cooling operation.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioner 1. As shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the air conditioner 1. The directions "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", and "right" used in the following description follow the directions shown by arrows in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

(2) Detailed configuration (2-1) Heat source unit The heat source unit 2 is installed outside the room RM (outdoors, for example, on the roof of the building, near the outer wall of the building, etc.). The heat source unit 2 mainly includes a first casing 21, a compressor 22, a four-way switching valve 23, a heat source heat exchanger 24, a heat source expansion valve 25, a heat source fan 26, and a closing valve 27. ing.

(2-1-1) First Casing The first casing 21 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing. The first casing 21 houses therein a compressor 22, a four-way switching valve 23, a heat source heat exchanger 24, a heat source expansion valve 25, and a heat source fan 26.

(2-1-2) Compressor In the refrigerant circuit 100, the compressor 22 sucks low-pressure refrigerant from the suction side 22a, compresses it to high pressure, and then discharges it from the discharge side 22b. The compressor 22 includes a compression element (not shown) and a compressor motor (not shown) that rotationally drives the compression element. The rotation speed of the compressor motor is controlled by the control unit 9 via an inverter or the like. The capacity of the compressor 22 is controlled by the controller 9 changing the rotation speed of the compressor motor.

(2-1-3) Four-way switching valve The four-way switching valve 23 switches the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 100. The four-way switching valve 23 has a first port P1, a second port P2, a third port P3, and a fourth port P4. The four-way switching valve 23 is set to a first state (a state indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2) in which the first port P1 and the fourth port P4 communicate with each other and the second port P2 and the third port P3 communicate with each other by the control unit 9. ) and a second state (the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 2) in which the first port P1 and the second port P2 communicate with each other and the third port P3 and the fourth port P4 communicate with each other.

The first port P1 is connected to the discharge side 22b of the compressor 22. The second port P2 is connected to the gas side of the heat source heat exchanger 24. The third port P3 is connected to the suction side 22a of the compressor 22. The fourth port P4 is connected to the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6.

(2-1-4) Heat Source Heat Exchanger The heat source heat exchanger 24 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air. One end of the heat source heat exchanger 24 is connected to a heat source expansion valve 25 . The other end of the heat source heat exchanger 24 is connected to the second port P2 of the four-way switching valve 23.

(2-1-5) Heat Source Expansion Valve The heat source expansion valve 25 is an expansion mechanism that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 100. The heat source expansion valve 25 is provided between the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 and the liquid side of the heat source heat exchanger 24 . The heat source expansion valve 25 is an electric expansion valve whose opening degree can be controlled. The opening degree of the heat source expansion valve 25 is controlled by the control unit 9.

(2-1-6) Heat Source Fan The heat source fan 26 generates airflow and sends outside air to the heat source heat exchanger 24. The heat source fan 26 sends outside air to the heat source heat exchanger 24, thereby promoting heat exchange between the refrigerant in the heat source heat exchanger 24 and the outside air. The heat source fan 26 is rotationally driven by a heat source fan motor 26a. The air volume of the heat source fan 26 is controlled by the controller 9 changing the rotation speed of the heat source fan motor 26a.

(2-1-7) Closing Valve The closing valve 27 is a valve that is manually opened and closed, and is opened and closed by an installation worker when installing the air conditioner 1, for example. The closing valve 27 includes a liquid side closing valve 27a and a gas side closing valve 27b. The liquid side closing valve 27a is provided between the heat source expansion valve 25 and the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 in the refrigerant circuit 100. The gas side closing valve 27b is provided between the fourth port P4 of the four-way switching valve 23 and the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 in the refrigerant circuit 100.

(2-2) Utilization unit The utilization unit 3 is a wall-mounted indoor air conditioner installed on the wall WL in the room RM. The utilization unit 3 mainly includes a second casing 31 , three utilization heat exchangers 32 , a utilization fan 33 , two first members 34 , and two second members 35 .

FIG. 3 is a front view of the usage unit 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the utilization unit 3 taken along line A-A' in FIG. For convenience, FIG. 3 shows the inside of the second casing 31 with a part of the second casing 31 being transparent. For convenience, FIG. 4 shows a projection 34b (described later) of the first member 34 in a transparent manner.

(2-2-1) Second Casing The second casing 31 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing that is long in the left-right direction. The second casing 31 houses therein a utilization heat exchanger 32, a utilization fan 33, a first member 34, and a second member 35. The second casing 31 has an inlet 31a, an outlet 31b, and an opening 31c.

The second casing 31 is an example of a casing.

The inlet 31 a is an opening that allows indoor air to flow into the second casing 31 . The inlet 31a is formed at the upper part of the front surface of the second casing 31.

The air outlet 31b is an opening through which air that has undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant in the utilization heat exchanger 32 is blown out. The air outlet 31b is formed at the lower part of the front surface of the second casing 31. The air outlet 31b is closed by a flap 31b1. The posture (rotation angle) of the flap 31b1 is controlled by the control unit 9. The control unit 9 controls the attitude of the flap 31b1, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the air outlet 31b.

The opening 31c is an opening for engaging a first fixing portion 35c (described later) of the second member 35. Although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the second members 35 are provided near both ends of the heat exchanger 32 in the left-right direction. Moreover, each second member 35 has two first fixing parts 35c. Therefore, two openings 31c are also formed near both ends of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the left-right direction.

(2-2-2) Utilization fan The utilization fan 33 generates airflow. As the utilization fan 33 generates an airflow, indoor air passes through the utilization heat exchanger 32. When the indoor air passes through the utilization heat exchanger 32, heat exchange between the refrigerant in the utilization heat exchanger 32 and the outside air is promoted. The utilization fan 33 is a cross-flow fan whose rotation axis is arranged along the left-right direction.

The utilization fan 33 is rotationally driven by a utilization fan motor 33a. The air volume of the usage fan 33 is controlled by the control unit 9 changing the rotation speed of the usage fan motor 33a.

(2-2-3) Utilization heat exchanger The utilization heat exchanger 32 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air in the refrigerant circuit 100. One end of the utilization heat exchanger 32 is connected to the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5. The other end of the utilization heat exchanger 32 is connected to the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6.

The utilization heat exchanger 32 is an example of a heat exchanger.

In the present embodiment, the utilization heat exchanger 32 includes three utilization heat exchange sections: a first utilization heat exchange section 321 , a second utilization heat exchange section 322 , and a third utilization heat exchange section 323 . The difference between the first heat exchange section 321, the second heat exchange section 322, and the third heat exchange section 323 is the arrangement inside the second casing 31. The first heat exchange section 321, the second heat exchange section 322, and the third heat exchange section 323 have the same structure. Therefore, below, the structure of the first heat exchange section 321 will be explained as an example, and the description of the structures of the second heat exchange section 322 and the third heat exchange section 323 will be omitted. Note that the arrangement of the first heat exchange section 321, the second heat exchange section 322, and the third heat exchange section 323 inside the second casing 31 will be described later.

In addition, when the first utilization heat exchange section 321, the second utilization heat exchange section 322, and the third utilization heat exchange section 323 are collectively referred to as utilization heat exchange sections 321, 322, and 323.

The utilization heat exchange parts 321, 322, and 323 are examples of first heat exchange parts. The first heat exchange section 321 and the third heat exchange section 323 are examples of the second heat exchange section.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first utilization heat exchange section 321. FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the first utilization heat exchange section 321 taken along plane B of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram of the first heat exchange section 321 viewed along the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a. FIG. 7 also shows a part of the first member 34 for convenience. The thickness direction, width direction, and longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a used in the following description follow the directions shown by arrows in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.

The first heat exchange section 321 includes a plurality of flat tubes 32a, a plurality of heat transfer fins 32b, a first header 32c, a second header 32d, and a third header 32e. The first heat exchange unit 321 is a stacked heat exchanger in which a plurality of flat tubes 32a are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction of the flat tubes 32a by a plurality of heat transfer fins 32b. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 32 includes an inner heat exchange section 32i and an outer heat exchange section 32o.

The flat tube 32a is a heat transfer tube through which a refrigerant flows. The flat tube 32a is formed into an oval shape with a flat cross section. The flat tube 32a is a multi-hole tube having a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed perpendicular to the cross section. The plurality of coolant channels 32a1 are formed side by side in the width direction of the flat tube 32a. The flat tube 32a is formed, for example, by extrusion using aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In this embodiment, the flat tube 32a is arranged so that its longitudinal direction runs along the left-right direction.

The heat transfer fins 32b are strip-shaped plates that support the plurality of flat tubes 32a at predetermined intervals. The heat transfer fins 32b are formed with a plurality of slit-shaped cutouts 32b1 into which the flat tubes 32a are inserted. The notch 32b1 is formed so as to extend from one of the edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer fin 32b toward the other edge while being perpendicular to the edge when viewed from the thickness direction of the heat transfer fin 32b. There is. The plurality of cutouts 32b1 are formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer fins 32b. The heat transfer fins 32b are formed using aluminum or an aluminum alloy, for example.

The flat tube 32a is inserted into the notch 32b1 with the width direction extending along the extending direction of the notch 32b1 of the heat transfer fin 32b. The plurality of heat transfer fins 32b are arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a. The heat transfer fins 32b and the flat tube 32a are joined by brazing at the notch 32b1. The plurality of flat tubes 32a are joined to the heat transfer fins 32b so that the end portions are lined up along the thickness direction of the flat tubes 32a. For convenience, FIGS. 5 and 7 illustrate the outer edge formed by the plurality of heat transfer fins 32b arranged in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a and a part of the plurality of heat transfer fins 32b.

Both the inner heat exchange section 32i and the outer heat exchange section 32o are formed into substantially the same shape by joining a predetermined number of flat tubes 32a to a predetermined number of heat transfer fins 32b. The inside heat exchange section 32i and the outside heat exchange section 32o are arranged to overlap in the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a. As a result, as shown by arrows in FIG. 6, the utilization fan is A flow path is formed through which the airflow generated by 33 flows. The inside heat exchange section 32i is arranged at a position closer to the utilization fan 33 than the outside heat exchange section 32o.

The first header 32c, the second header 32d, and the third header 32e are cylindrical members that connect the refrigerant channels 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a with each other at the ends of the plurality of flat tubes 32a.

The first header 32c is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a included in the internal heat exchange section 32i so as to connect the refrigerant channels 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a to each other. Specifically, one end in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of flat tubes 32a included in the internal heat exchange section 32i is inserted into the first header 32c through an opening formed in the side surface of the first header 32c, and is then inserted into the first header 32c using brazing or the like. and is fixed to the first header 32c.

A gap G1 of a predetermined width is formed between the first header 32c and the heat transfer fins 32b of the internal heat exchange section 32i adjacent to the first header 32c, into which a protrusion 34b (described later) of the first member 34 can be inserted. It is fixed to the flat tube 32a so as to be fixed to the flat tube 32a. The first header 32c is connected to the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 via a branch pipe 32c1.

The second header 32d is located at the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i and at the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the outer heat exchanger 32o. The refrigerant passages 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a and the refrigerant passages 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a of the external heat exchange section 32o are provided so as to communicate with each other. Specifically, the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i and the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the outer heat exchanger 32o are formed on the side surface of the second header 32d. It is inserted into the second header 32d through the opening provided and fixed to the second header 32d using brazing or the like.

A gap G2 of a predetermined width is formed between the second header 32d and the heat transfer fins 32b of the internal heat exchange section 32i adjacent to the second header 32d, into which a protrusion 34b (described later) of the first member 34 can be inserted. It is fixed to the flat tube 32a so as to be fixed to the flat tube 32a.

The third header 32e is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a of the outside heat exchanger 32o so as to connect the refrigerant channels 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a to each other. Specifically, one end in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of flat tubes 32a included in the external heat exchanger 32o is inserted into the third header 32e through an opening formed in the side surface of the third header 32e, and is then inserted into the third header 32e using brazing or the like. and is fixed to the third header 32e. The third header 32e is connected to the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 via a branch pipe 32e1.

As a result, the refrigerant that has flowed into the first header 32c through the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 passes through the plurality of refrigerant flow paths 32a1 formed in the flat tube 32a of the inner heat exchange section 32i and flows into the third header 32e. Inflow. The refrigerant that has flowed into the third header 32e passes through a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed in the external heat exchange section 32o, and flows into the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 through the second header 32d. Further, the refrigerant that has flowed into the first header 32c through the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 passes through a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed in the flat tube 32a of the external heat exchange section 32o and flows into the third header 32e. do. The refrigerant that has flowed into the third header 32e passes through a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed in the inner heat exchange section 32i, passes through the first header 32c, and flows into the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5.

Note that when the first header 32c, the second header 32d, and the third header 32e are collectively referred to as headers 32c, 32d, and 32e.

The first utilization heat exchange section 321 is provided in front of the utilization fan 33 so that the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined forward with respect to the up-down direction (vertical direction) when the utilization unit 3 is viewed from the left and right direction.

The second utilization heat exchange section 322 is provided above the first utilization heat exchange section 321 when the utilization unit 3 is viewed from the left and right direction, so that the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined backward with respect to the vertical direction. .

The third utilization heat exchange section 323 is provided behind and above the utilization fan 33, when the utilization unit 3 is viewed from the left and right, so that the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction.

(2-2-4) First member The first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32, and while supporting the utilization heat exchanger 32, the utilization heat exchanger 34 is damaged by vibrations etc. caused by the operation of the utilization unit 3. to regulate the movement of The first member 34 is a plate-shaped member, and in the area surrounded by the outer periphery of the utilization fan 33 and the utilization heat exchanger 32, the first member 34 is provided at both left and right ends of the flat tube 32a of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the left-right direction. and are arranged perpendicular to each other. The first member 34 has a main body 34a and a protrusion 34b. The first member 34 is manufactured using hard resin.

In the present disclosure, the state in which the first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32 refers to the state in which the protrusion 34b is inserted between the flat tubes 32a adjacent in the thickness direction.

In this embodiment, the usage unit 3 has two first members 34. The two first members 34 are arranged such that the main bodies 34a face the gaps G1 and G2 of the utilization heat exchanger 32, respectively. Further, in the present embodiment, the first member 34 is used vertically below the first heat exchange section 321 and the third heat exchange section 323 of the heat exchanger 32 and behind the second heat exchange section 322. It is attached to the heat exchanger 32.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first member 34.

The main body 34a mainly has a first cross section 34a1, a second cross section 34a2, a third cross section 34a3, and a fourth cross section 34a4, and has a polygonal shape in plan view with an opening 34a5 formed on the main surface. It is a member of

The first cross section 34a1 comes into contact with the end of the heat transfer fin 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i of the first heat exchanger 321 when the first member 34 is attached to the heat exchanger 32. , is a surface formed to face the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the flat tube 32a.

The second cross section 34a2 comes into contact with the end of the heat transfer fin 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i of the second heat exchanger 322 when the first member 34 is attached to the heat exchanger 32. , is a surface formed to face the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the flat tube 32a.

The third cross section 34a3 comes into contact with the end of the heat transfer fin 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i of the third heat exchanger 323 when the first member 34 is attached to the heat exchanger 32. , is a surface formed to face the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the flat tube 32a.

The fourth cross section 34a4 is a surface formed so as to be located outside both ends of the utilization fan 33 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the fourth cross section 34a4 is formed so as to come into contact with a main body 35a (described later) of the second member 35.

The opening 34a5 is an opening for engaging a second fixing portion 35d (described later) of the second member 35.

The protruding portion 34b is arranged so that the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3 are in contact with the flat tubes 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i, and the flat tubes 32a are adjacent to each other in the gap G1 or the gap G2. inserted between. The protrusion 34b is a columnar protrusion. The protrusion 34b includes a first protrusion 34b1, a second protrusion 34b2, and a third protrusion 34b3.

The first protrusion 34b1 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i that abuts the first cross section 34a1. The first protrusion 34b1 is formed to protrude from the first cross section 34a1.

The second protrusion 34b2 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i that abuts the second cross section 34a2. The second protrusion 34b2 is formed to protrude from the second cross section 34a2.

The third protrusion 34b3 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i that abuts the third cross section 34a3. The third protrusion 34b3 is formed to protrude from the third cross section 34a3.

In this embodiment, the first member 34 provided on the left side of the heat exchanger 32 has three first protrusions 34b1, three second protrusions 34b2, and three third protrusions 34b3. . Further, the first member 34 provided on the right side of the utilization heat exchanger 32 has two each of first protrusions 34b1, second protrusions 34b2, and third protrusions 34b3. The numbers of the first protrusion 34b1, the second protrusion 34b2, and the third protrusion 34b3 are not limited to two or three, and may be one or four or more. Further, the number of first protrusions 34b1, second protrusions 34b2, and third protrusions 34b3 that the first member 34 has may be the same on the left and right sides of the heat exchanger 32, or It doesn't have to be the same number.

As explained above, in the first member 34, the protruding portion 34b is inserted between the adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i, so that the first member 34 The movement of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the thickness direction or longitudinal direction is restricted. At the same time, when the first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32, the main body 34a (specifically, the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3) is connected to the inside utilization heat exchanger 32. The utilization heat exchanger 32 is supported by coming into contact with the end portion of the heat transfer fin 32b that the portion 32i has.

(2-2-5) Second member The second member 35 is fixed to both the second casing 31 and the first member 34, and supports the utilization heat exchanger 32 via the first member 34. do. The second member 35 includes a main body 35a, an insertion portion 35b, two first fixing portions 35c, and a second fixing portion 35d.

In this embodiment, the utilization unit 3 has two second members 35. The two second members 35 are arranged to support the first member 34 disposed on the right side of the utilization heat exchanger 32 and the first member 34 disposed on the left side of the utilization heat exchanger 32, respectively. .

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second member 35. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing how to assemble the first member 34 and the second member 35 to the second casing 31. As shown in FIG.

The main body 35a is an arc-shaped plate member that partially covers the upper part of the utilization fan 33 when viewed from the left and right direction. In this embodiment, the main body 35a is formed so as to come into contact with the fourth cross section 34a4 of the first member 34.

The insertion portion 35b restricts movement of the first member 34 in the left-right direction. The insertion portion 35b is constituted by a plate-shaped member that protrudes from the main body 35a orthogonally to the left-right direction. The plate-like members constituting the insertion portion 35b are provided with a gap of a predetermined width in the left-right direction so as to sandwich the main body 34a of the first member 34 from the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 10, the first member 34 is inserted into the gap formed by the main body 34a and the insertion portion 35b.

The first fixing portion 35c fixes the second member 35 to the second casing 31. In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 35c is a claw that engages with the opening 31c of the second casing 31. The first fixing portion 35c is formed to protrude downward from the circumferential end of the main body 35a when viewed from the left and right. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 4, by covering the upper part of the utilization fan 33 with the main body 35a, the first fixing part 35c engages with the opening 31c. By engaging the first fixing portion 35c with the opening 31c, vertical movement of the second member 35 is restricted, and the second member 35 is fixed to the second casing 31.

The second fixing portion 35d fixes the first member 34 to the second member 35. In this embodiment, the second fixing portion 35d is a claw that engages with the opening 34a5 of the first member 34. As shown in FIG. 10, when the first member 34 is inserted into the insertion portion 35b, the second fixing portion 35d engages with the opening 34a5. By engaging the second fixing portion 35d with the opening 34a5, the first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35, and vertical movement of the first member 34 is restricted.

As explained above, the first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35, and the second member 35 is fixed to the second casing 31, so that the second member 35 is fixed to the second member 35. The utilization heat exchanger 32 can be supported via one member 34 .

The second member 35 according to the present embodiment also has the function of flowing condensed water generated in the utilization heat exchanger 32 to drain pans (not shown) provided below the second member 35 before and after the utilization fan 33, respectively. Specifically, when the condensed water generated in the utilization heat exchanger 32 falls from the end of the utilization heat exchanger 32 to the main body 35a, it moves to the front end or the rear end along the upper surface of the main body 35a. and falls into the drain pan.

(2-3) Remote control The remote control 8 receives instructions from the user to execute heating operation, cooling operation, humidification operation, etc., instructions to stop the air conditioner 1, and set values such as the set temperature Ts, and controls the received results. It is transmitted to the control unit 9 as a signal.

(2-4) Control unit The control unit 9 mainly sends and receives control signals to the compressor 22, the four-way switching valve 23, the heat source expansion valve 25, the heat source fan 26, the usage fan 33, and the remote controller 8. Possibly connected. Although details will be described later, the control unit 9 controls the refrigerant circuit 100 by controlling the operation of the compressor 22, the four-way switching valve 23, the heat source expansion valve 25, the heat source fan 26, and the utilization fan 33. Control.

The control unit 9 is typically realized by a computer including a control calculation device and a storage device (both not shown). The control calculation device is a processor such as a CPU or GPU. The control calculation device reads a control program stored in the storage device and performs operational control according to this control program. Further, the control calculation device can write calculation results to the storage device and read information stored in the storage device according to the control program.

Note that FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram. The control section 9 is composed of an outdoor control section provided inside the heat source unit 2 and an indoor control section provided inside the utilization unit 3, and the outdoor control section and the indoor control section mutually transmit and receive control signals. It may be connected by a possible communication line.

(3) Air Conditioning Operation Next, heating operation and cooling operation, which are air conditioning operations executed by the control unit 9, will be explained.

(3-1) Heating Operation When the control unit 9 receives a control signal from the remote controller 8 regarding an instruction to execute the heating operation, it starts the heating operation. During the heating operation, the control unit 9 switches the four-way switching valve 23 to the first state (see the broken line in FIG. 2). Further, the control unit 9 sets the heat source expansion valve 25 to an opening degree corresponding to the set temperature Ts received from the remote controller 8, operates the compressor 22, and rotationally drives the utilization fan 33. Thereby, the heat source heat exchanger 24 functions as a refrigerant evaporator, and the utilization heat exchanger 32 functions as a refrigerant condenser.

During heating operation, the refrigerant circuit 100 functions as follows. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 22 is condensed by exchanging heat with indoor air sent by a utilization fan 33 in a utilization heat exchanger 32 . As a result, indoor air is heated and discharged into the room as conditioned air. After the condensed refrigerant passes through the heat source expansion valve 25 and is depressurized, the condensed refrigerant exchanges heat with outside air sent by the heat source fan 26 in the heat source heat exchanger 24 and evaporates. The refrigerant that has passed through the heat source heat exchanger 24 is sucked into the compressor 22 and compressed.

(3-2) Cooling Operation When the control unit 9 receives a control signal from the remote controller 8 regarding an instruction to execute the cooling operation, it starts the cooling operation. During the cooling operation, the control unit 9 switches the four-way switching valve 23 to the second state (see the solid line in FIG. 1). Further, the control unit 9 sets the heat source expansion valve 25 to an opening degree corresponding to the set temperature Ts received from the remote controller 8, operates the compressor 22, and rotationally drives the usage fan 33. Thereby, the heat source heat exchanger 24 functions as a refrigerant condenser, and the utilization heat exchanger 32 functions as a refrigerant evaporator.

During cooling operation, the refrigerant circuit 100 functions as follows. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 22 is condensed by exchanging heat with outside air sent by a heat source fan 26 in a heat source heat exchanger 24 . After the condensed refrigerant passes through the heat source expansion valve 25 and is depressurized, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air sent by the utilization fan 33 in the utilization heat exchanger 32 and evaporates. As a result, the indoor air is cooled and discharged indoors as conditioned air. The refrigerant that has passed through the utilization heat exchanger 32 is sucked into the compressor 22 and compressed.

(4) Features (4-1)
The utilization unit 3 includes a utilization heat exchanger 32, a first member 34, and a second member 35. In the utilization heat exchanger 32, a plurality of flat tubes 32a are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction by heat transfer fins 32b. The first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32 . The second member 35 supports the utilization heat exchanger 32 via the first member 34 . The first member 34 has a main body 34a and a protrusion 34b protruding from the main body 34a. The protrusion 34b is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a.

In the utilization unit 3, the protrusion 34b of the first member 34 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a, thereby restricting the movement of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the thickness direction or longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 32a. be done. As a result, compared to the case where the movement of the heat exchanger is restricted by inserting the heat exchanger tube into the tube hole provided in the bracket, the member (first member 34) that contacts the flat tube 32a and restricts the movement of the heat exchanger ) can significantly reduce the contact area with Therefore, even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide due to vibrations caused by the operation of the utilization unit 3, damage to the flat tube 32a due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube 32a increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-2)
The first member 34 has a plurality of protrusions 34b. In the usage unit 3 including the usage heat exchanger 32 including a plurality of heat exchange parts (first usage heat exchange part 321, second usage heat exchange part 322, and third usage heat exchange part 323), the first member 34 is , a plurality of protrusions 34b are provided for each of the available heat exchange parts 321, 322, and 323.

According to the utilization unit 3, since the first member 34 has the plurality of protrusions 34b, movement of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the thickness direction or longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a is effectively restricted.

(4-3)
The protrusion 34b is columnar.

By forming the protrusion 34b into a columnar shape, the protrusion 34b can be easily inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a. For this reason, manufacturing of the usage unit 3 becomes easy and the manufacturing cost of the usage unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-4)
The first member 34 is manufactured using resin.

By manufacturing the first member 34 using resin, the hardness of the protrusion 34b can be reduced compared to a case where the first member 34 is manufactured using metal. Therefore, even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide, damage to the flat tube 32a due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube 32a increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-5)
The utilization unit 3 further includes a second casing 31 and a second member 35 fixed to the second casing 31. The first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35 by engagement.

(4-6)
The first member 34 has a main body 34a in contact with the heat transfer fins 32b.

More specifically, when the first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32, the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3 of the main body 34a are such that the inner utilization heat exchange part 32i is The heat transfer fins 32b are formed so as to come into contact with the ends of the heat transfer fins 32b. Therefore, the first member 34 can be used as a heat exchanger by contacting the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3 of the main body 34a with the heat transfer fins 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i. It can support 32 weights. As a result, the weight of the utilization heat exchanger 32 that the protrusion 34b receives becomes almost zero or is significantly reduced, so even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide, this sliding causes the flat tube 32a to damage is suppressed. As a result, the number of options for the flat tubes 32a that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-7)
The utilization heat exchanger 32 includes a first utilization heat exchange section 321 and a third utilization heat exchange section 323, in which the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined with respect to the vertical direction when viewed from the left and right. The first member 34 is attached to the heat exchange section 321 vertically below the first heat exchange section 321 and the third heat exchange section 323 .

As a result, in the utilization unit 3, the first member 34 supports the first utilization heat exchange section 321 and the third utilization heat exchange section 323 while supporting the first utilization heat exchange section 321 and the third utilization heat exchange section 323. movement can be regulated.

(5) Modification (5-1) Modification A
The protruding portion 34b may have a claw portion 34c that engages with the flat tube 32a. The claw portions 34c engage with the ends of the flat tubes 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i on the outer heat exchanger 32o side by inserting the protrusions 34b between adjacent flat tubes 32a. is formed.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the heat exchanger 32 of the air conditioner 1 according to Modification A.

The first member 34 can effectively restrict the movement of the heat exchanger 32 by engaging the claw portion 34c with the end of the flat tube 32a.

(5-2) Modification B
The first member 34 may be manufactured using a material other than resin. The first member 34 may be manufactured using metal, and a resin coating may be applied to the surface. Further, the first member 34 may be manufactured using metal, and insulating rubber may be attached to the surface.

As a result, the hardness of the surface of the first member 34 is kept low by the resin coating or the insulating rubber, thereby effectively suppressing damage to the flat tube 32a due to sliding, while ensuring high rigidity of the first member 34.

(5-3) Modification C
In the above embodiment, the first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35 by the second fixing portion 35d engaging with the opening 34a5 of the first member 34, but the fixing method is not limited to this. For example, the first member 34 may be fixed to the second member 35 with screws.

(5-4) Modification D
The main body 34a of the first member 34 may be in contact with any one of the headers 32c, 32d, and 32e.

When the main body 34a of the first member 34 comes into contact with any one of the headers 32c, 32d, and 32e, the first member 34 becomes a usable heat exchanger. It can support 32 weights. This reduces the weight of the utilization heat exchanger 32 that the protrusion 34b receives. As a result, the weight of the utilization heat exchanger 32 that the protrusion 34b receives becomes almost zero or is significantly reduced, so even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide, this sliding causes the flat tube 32a to damage is suppressed. As a result, the number of options for the flat tubes 32a that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(5-5) Modification E
In the above embodiment, the utilization heat exchanger 32 had a plurality of utilization heat exchange sections 321, 322, and 323, but the utilization heat exchanger 32 may be configured with only one heat exchange section.

(5-6) Modification example F
In the above, an example in which the second member 35 separate from the second casing 31 supports the utilization heat exchanger 32 via the first member 34 has been described as an embodiment, but the second casing 31 is the second member. It's okay. In other words, the second casing 31 may support the first member 34 by functioning as the second member.

(5-7) Modification example G
Although the usage unit 3 including the first member 34 has been described as an embodiment, the heat source unit 2 may include the first member attached to the heat source heat exchanger 24.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it will be understood that various changes in form and details can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as described in the claims. .

1 Air conditioner 100 Refrigerant circuit 2 Heat source unit 3 Utilization unit 31 Second casing (casing)
32 Usage heat exchanger 321 1st usage heat exchange part 322 2nd usage heat exchange part 323 3rd usage heat exchange part 32a flat tube 32b heat transfer fin 32c first header 32d 2nd header 32e 3rd header 33 usage fan 34th 1 member 34a Main body 34b Projection 34c Claw 35 Second member

International Publication No. 2018/128035

Regarding a heat exchange unit.

A heat exchange unit is known that includes a heat exchanger having a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged substantially parallel to each other at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, and a plurality of heat transfer fins joined to the heat transfer tubes. .

Patent Document 1 (International Publication No. 2018/128035) discloses a heat exchanger in which a thin flat tube is used as a heat transfer tube, and a bracket that is a member that supports the heat exchanger and restricts its movement. A heat exchange unit (outdoor heat exchanger) is disclosed. In the heat exchange unit of Patent Document 1, the bracket is a plate-like member in which a tube hole into which a heat transfer tube is inserted is formed. The heat exchanger tube inserted into the tube hole is fixed to the housing by being joined to the bracket by brazing.

At joints using brazing, it may become impossible to join the bracket and the heat exchanger tube due to corrosion that occurs over time. In such a case, the heat exchanger tubes slide against the tube holes formed in the bracket due to vibrations caused by the operation of the heat exchange unit. When a flat tube with a relatively thin wall thickness is used as a heat transfer tube as in the heat exchange unit of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the flat tube will be damaged at the point where it slides with the tube hole. The problem is that the choices of materials that can be used for the pipe are limited, and manufacturing costs tend to increase.

The present disclosure proposes a heat exchange unit that can suppress an increase in manufacturing costs by suppressing damage to flat tubes caused by sliding with other members.

The heat exchange unit of the first aspect includes a heat exchanger and a first member. In the heat exchanger, a plurality of flat tubes are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction using heat transfer fins. The first member is attached to the heat exchanger. The first member has a main body and a protrusion protruding from the main body, and the protrusion is inserted between adjacent flat tubes. The first member has a main body that contacts the heat transfer fins.

According to this heat exchange unit, compared to the case where the movement of the heat exchanger is restricted by inserting the heat exchanger tube into the tube hole provided in the bracket, the flat tube and the member that contacts the flat tube and restricts the movement ( The contact area with the first member) can be significantly reduced. Therefore, even if the first member and the flat tube slide due to vibrations caused by the operation of the utilization unit, damage to the flat tube due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

According to this heat exchange unit, the first member can receive the weight of the heat exchanger through contact between the main body and the heat transfer fins. As a result, the weight of the heat exchanger that the protrusion receives is almost zero or is significantly reduced, so even if the first member and the flat tube slide, this sliding will prevent the flat tube from being damaged. be done. As a result, the number of options for flat tubes that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the second aspect is the heat exchange unit according to the first aspect, and the main body abuts the vertically lower end of the heat transfer fin.

The heat exchange unit of the third aspect is the heat exchange unit of the second aspect, in which the first member supports the heat exchanger.

The heat exchange unit according to the fourth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to third aspects, and the first member has a plurality of protrusions.

According to this heat exchange unit, movement of the heat exchanger is effectively restricted because the first member has the plurality of protrusions.

The heat exchange unit according to the fifth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, and the heat exchanger includes a plurality of first heat exchange parts. The first member has a plurality of protrusions for each of the plurality of first heat exchange parts.

According to this heat exchange unit, movement of the heat exchanger is effectively restricted because the first member has the plurality of protrusions.

The heat exchange unit according to the sixth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and the protrusion has a columnar shape.

According to this heat exchange unit, the protrusion can be easily inserted between adjacent flat tubes. Therefore, manufacturing of the heat exchange unit becomes easy and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the seventh aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, in which the protrusion has a claw portion that engages with the flat tube.

According to this heat exchange unit, the first member can effectively restrict the movement of the heat exchanger.

The heat exchange unit according to the eighth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, and the first member is manufactured using resin.

According to this heat exchange unit, the hardness of the protrusions can be reduced compared to a case where the heat exchange unit is manufactured using metal. Therefore, even if the first member and the flat tube slide, damage to the flat tube due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the ninth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, in which the first member is manufactured using metal and a resin coating is applied to the surface.

According to this heat exchange unit, by suppressing the hardness of the surface of the first member to a low level through the resin coating, it is possible to effectively suppress damage to the flat tube due to sliding while ensuring high rigidity of the first member.

The heat exchange unit according to the tenth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, in which the first member is manufactured using metal, and insulating rubber is attached to the surface.

According to this heat exchange unit, by keeping the hardness of the surface of the first member low with the insulating rubber, it is possible to effectively suppress damage to the flat tube due to sliding while ensuring high rigidity of the first member.

The heat exchange unit according to the eleventh aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, and further includes a casing and a second member fixed to the casing. The first member is fixed to the second member by screwing or engagement.

The heat exchange unit according to the twelfth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, and the heat exchanger further includes a header that connects the ends of the plurality of flat tubes to each other. The main body of the first member is in contact with the header.

According to this heat exchange unit, since the first member can receive the weight of the heat exchanger together with the protrusion by the main body, the weight of the heat exchanger that is received by the protrusion is reduced. Therefore, even if the first member and the flat tube slide, damage to the flat tube due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the number of options for flat tubes that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the heat exchange unit is suppressed.

The heat exchange unit according to the thirteenth aspect is the heat exchange unit according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, and the heat exchanger is a second heat exchange unit in which the thickness direction of the flat tube is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. has. The first member is attached to the heat exchanger vertically below the second heat exchange section.

According to this heat exchange unit, the first member can restrict movement while supporting the second heat exchange section.

1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioner 1. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an air conditioner 1. FIG. 3 is a front view of the utilization unit 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the usage unit 3 taken along line A-A' in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first utilization heat exchange section 321. FIG. It is a figure which looked at the 1st utilization heat exchange part 321 along the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first utilization heat exchange section 321 taken along plane B of FIG. 5. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first member 34. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second member 35. FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing how to assemble the first member 34 and the second member 35 to the second casing 31. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the heat exchanger 32 of the air conditioner 1 according to modification A. FIG.

(1) Overall Configuration The heat exchange unit according to the present disclosure is used, for example, as a unit for an air conditioner that utilizes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle, although the application is not limited thereto. Below, the air conditioner 1 in which the usage unit 3, which is an example of the heat exchange unit of the present disclosure, is used will be described with reference to the drawings.

The air conditioner 1 air-conditions the interior (room) of the room RM, which is the target space, using a vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The air conditioner 1 mainly includes a heat source unit 2, a utilization unit 3, a liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5, a gas refrigerant communication pipe 6, a remote control 8, and a control section 9.

The liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 and the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 connect the heat source unit 2 and the utilization unit 3. The heat source unit 2, the utilization unit 3, the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5, and the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 are connected in an annular manner by refrigerant piping to form a refrigerant circuit 100. The refrigerant circuit 100 has a refrigerant sealed inside. Although details will be described later, the control unit 9 controls each device of the air conditioner 1 to perform air conditioning operations such as heating operation and cooling operation.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioner 1. As shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the air conditioner 1. The directions "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", and "right" used in the following description follow the directions shown by arrows in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

(2) Detailed configuration (2-1) Heat source unit The heat source unit 2 is installed outside the room RM (outdoors, for example, on the roof of the building, near the outer wall of the building, etc.). The heat source unit 2 mainly includes a first casing 21, a compressor 22, a four-way switching valve 23, a heat source heat exchanger 24, a heat source expansion valve 25, a heat source fan 26, and a closing valve 27. ing.

(2-1-1) First Casing The first casing 21 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing. The first casing 21 houses therein a compressor 22, a four-way switching valve 23, a heat source heat exchanger 24, a heat source expansion valve 25, and a heat source fan 26.

(2-1-2) Compressor In the refrigerant circuit 100, the compressor 22 sucks low-pressure refrigerant from the suction side 22a, compresses it to high pressure, and then discharges it from the discharge side 22b. The compressor 22 includes a compression element (not shown) and a compressor motor (not shown) that rotationally drives the compression element. The rotation speed of the compressor motor is controlled by the control unit 9 via an inverter or the like. The capacity of the compressor 22 is controlled by the controller 9 changing the rotation speed of the compressor motor.

(2-1-3) Four-way switching valve The four-way switching valve 23 switches the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 100. The four-way switching valve 23 has a first port P1, a second port P2, a third port P3, and a fourth port P4. The four-way switching valve 23 is set to a first state (a state indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2) in which the first port P1 and the fourth port P4 communicate with each other and the second port P2 and the third port P3 communicate with each other by the control unit 9. ) and a second state (the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 2) in which the first port P1 and the second port P2 communicate with each other and the third port P3 and the fourth port P4 communicate with each other.

The first port P1 is connected to the discharge side 22b of the compressor 22. The second port P2 is connected to the gas side of the heat source heat exchanger 24. The third port P3 is connected to the suction side 22a of the compressor 22. The fourth port P4 is connected to the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6.

(2-1-4) Heat Source Heat Exchanger The heat source heat exchanger 24 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the outside air. One end of the heat source heat exchanger 24 is connected to a heat source expansion valve 25 . The other end of the heat source heat exchanger 24 is connected to the second port P2 of the four-way switching valve 23.

(2-1-5) Heat Source Expansion Valve The heat source expansion valve 25 is an expansion mechanism that reduces the pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 100. The heat source expansion valve 25 is provided between the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 and the liquid side of the heat source heat exchanger 24 . The heat source expansion valve 25 is an electric expansion valve whose opening degree can be controlled. The opening degree of the heat source expansion valve 25 is controlled by the control unit 9.

(2-1-6) Heat Source Fan The heat source fan 26 generates airflow and sends outside air to the heat source heat exchanger 24. The heat source fan 26 sends outside air to the heat source heat exchanger 24, thereby promoting heat exchange between the refrigerant in the heat source heat exchanger 24 and the outside air. The heat source fan 26 is rotationally driven by a heat source fan motor 26a. The air volume of the heat source fan 26 is controlled by the controller 9 changing the rotation speed of the heat source fan motor 26a.

(2-1-7) Closing Valve The closing valve 27 is a valve that is manually opened and closed, and is opened and closed by an installation worker when installing the air conditioner 1, for example. The closing valve 27 includes a liquid side closing valve 27a and a gas side closing valve 27b. The liquid side closing valve 27a is provided between the heat source expansion valve 25 and the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 in the refrigerant circuit 100. The gas side closing valve 27b is provided between the fourth port P4 of the four-way switching valve 23 and the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 in the refrigerant circuit 100.

(2-2) Utilization unit The utilization unit 3 is a wall-mounted indoor air conditioner installed on the wall WL in the room RM. The utilization unit 3 mainly includes a second casing 31 , three utilization heat exchangers 32 , a utilization fan 33 , two first members 34 , and two second members 35 .

FIG. 3 is a front view of the usage unit 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the utilization unit 3 taken along line A-A' in FIG. For convenience, FIG. 3 shows the inside of the second casing 31 with a part of the second casing 31 being transparent. For convenience, FIG. 4 shows a projection 34b (described later) of the first member 34 in a transparent manner.

(2-2-1) Second Casing The second casing 31 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing that is long in the left-right direction. The second casing 31 houses therein a utilization heat exchanger 32, a utilization fan 33, a first member 34, and a second member 35. The second casing 31 has an inlet 31a, an outlet 31b, and an opening 31c.

The second casing 31 is an example of a casing.

The inlet 31 a is an opening that allows indoor air to flow into the second casing 31 . The inlet 31a is formed at the upper part of the front surface of the second casing 31.

The air outlet 31b is an opening through which air that has undergone heat exchange with the refrigerant in the utilization heat exchanger 32 is blown out. The air outlet 31b is formed at the lower part of the front surface of the second casing 31. The air outlet 31b is closed by a flap 31b1. The posture (rotation angle) of the flap 31b1 is controlled by the control unit 9. The control unit 9 controls the attitude of the flap 31b1, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the air outlet 31b.

The opening 31c is an opening for engaging a first fixing portion 35c (described later) of the second member 35. Although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the second members 35 are provided near both ends of the heat exchanger 32 in the left-right direction. Moreover, each second member 35 has two first fixing parts 35c. Therefore, two openings 31c are also formed near both ends of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the left-right direction.

(2-2-2) Utilization fan The utilization fan 33 generates airflow. As the utilization fan 33 generates an airflow, indoor air passes through the utilization heat exchanger 32. When the indoor air passes through the utilization heat exchanger 32, heat exchange between the refrigerant in the utilization heat exchanger 32 and the outside air is promoted. The utilization fan 33 is a cross-flow fan whose rotation axis is arranged along the left-right direction.

The utilization fan 33 is rotationally driven by a utilization fan motor 33a. The air volume of the usage fan 33 is controlled by the control unit 9 changing the rotation speed of the usage fan motor 33a.

(2-2-3) Utilization heat exchanger The utilization heat exchanger 32 performs heat exchange between the refrigerant and indoor air in the refrigerant circuit 100. One end of the utilization heat exchanger 32 is connected to the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5. The other end of the utilization heat exchanger 32 is connected to the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6.

The utilization heat exchanger 32 is an example of a heat exchanger.

In the present embodiment, the utilization heat exchanger 32 includes three utilization heat exchange sections: a first utilization heat exchange section 321 , a second utilization heat exchange section 322 , and a third utilization heat exchange section 323 . The difference between the first heat exchange section 321, the second heat exchange section 322, and the third heat exchange section 323 is the arrangement inside the second casing 31. The first heat exchange section 321, the second heat exchange section 322, and the third heat exchange section 323 have the same structure. Therefore, below, the structure of the first heat exchange section 321 will be explained as an example, and the description of the structures of the second heat exchange section 322 and the third heat exchange section 323 will be omitted. Note that the arrangement of the first heat exchange section 321, the second heat exchange section 322, and the third heat exchange section 323 inside the second casing 31 will be described later.

In addition, when the first utilization heat exchange section 321, the second utilization heat exchange section 322, and the third utilization heat exchange section 323 are collectively referred to as utilization heat exchange sections 321, 322, and 323.

The utilization heat exchange parts 321, 322, and 323 are examples of first heat exchange parts. The first heat exchange section 321 and the third heat exchange section 323 are examples of the second heat exchange section.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first utilization heat exchange section 321. FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the first utilization heat exchange section 321 taken along plane B of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram of the first heat exchange section 321 viewed along the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a. FIG. 7 also shows a part of the first member 34 for convenience. The thickness direction, width direction, and longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a used in the following description follow the directions shown by arrows in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.

The first heat exchange section 321 includes a plurality of flat tubes 32a, a plurality of heat transfer fins 32b, a first header 32c, a second header 32d, and a third header 32e. The first heat exchange unit 321 is a stacked heat exchanger in which a plurality of flat tubes 32a are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction of the flat tubes 32a by a plurality of heat transfer fins 32b. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 32 includes an inner heat exchange section 32i and an outer heat exchange section 32o.

The flat tube 32a is a heat transfer tube through which a refrigerant flows. The flat tube 32a is formed into an oval shape with a flat cross section. The flat tube 32a is a multi-hole tube having a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed perpendicular to the cross section. The plurality of coolant channels 32a1 are formed side by side in the width direction of the flat tube 32a. The flat tube 32a is formed, for example, by extrusion using aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In this embodiment, the flat tube 32a is arranged so that its longitudinal direction runs along the left-right direction.

The heat transfer fins 32b are strip-shaped plates that support the plurality of flat tubes 32a at predetermined intervals. The heat transfer fins 32b are formed with a plurality of slit-shaped cutouts 32b1 into which the flat tubes 32a are inserted. The notch 32b1 is formed so as to extend from one of the edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer fin 32b toward the other edge while being perpendicular to the edge when viewed from the thickness direction of the heat transfer fin 32b. There is. The plurality of cutouts 32b1 are formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the heat transfer fins 32b. The heat transfer fins 32b are formed using aluminum or an aluminum alloy, for example.

The flat tube 32a is inserted into the notch 32b1 with the width direction extending along the extending direction of the notch 32b1 of the heat transfer fin 32b. The plurality of heat transfer fins 32b are arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a. The heat transfer fins 32b and the flat tube 32a are joined by brazing at the notch 32b1. The plurality of flat tubes 32a are joined to the heat transfer fins 32b so that the end portions are lined up along the thickness direction of the flat tubes 32a. For convenience, FIGS. 5 and 7 illustrate the outer edge formed by the plurality of heat transfer fins 32b arranged in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a and a part of the plurality of heat transfer fins 32b.

Both the inner heat exchange section 32i and the outer heat exchange section 32o are formed into substantially the same shape by joining a predetermined number of flat tubes 32a to a predetermined number of heat transfer fins 32b. The inside heat exchange section 32i and the outside heat exchange section 32o are arranged to overlap in the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a. As a result, as shown by arrows in FIG. 6, the utilization fan is A flow path is formed through which the airflow generated by 33 flows. The inside heat exchange section 32i is arranged at a position closer to the utilization fan 33 than the outside heat exchange section 32o.

The first header 32c, the second header 32d, and the third header 32e are cylindrical members that connect the refrigerant channels 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a with each other at the ends of the plurality of flat tubes 32a.

The first header 32c is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a included in the internal heat exchange section 32i so as to connect the refrigerant channels 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a to each other. Specifically, one end in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of flat tubes 32a included in the internal heat exchange section 32i is inserted into the first header 32c through an opening formed in the side surface of the first header 32c, and is then inserted into the first header 32c using brazing or the like. and is fixed to the first header 32c.

A gap G1 of a predetermined width is formed between the first header 32c and the heat transfer fins 32b of the internal heat exchange section 32i adjacent to the first header 32c, into which a protrusion 34b (described later) of the first member 34 can be inserted. It is fixed to the flat tube 32a so as to be fixed to the flat tube 32a. The first header 32c is connected to the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 via a branch pipe 32c1.

The second header 32d is located at the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i and at the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the outer heat exchanger 32o. The refrigerant passages 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a and the refrigerant passages 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a of the external heat exchange section 32o are provided so as to communicate with each other. Specifically, the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i and the other longitudinal end of the flat tube 32a of the outer heat exchanger 32o are formed on the side surface of the second header 32d. It is inserted into the second header 32d through the opening provided and fixed to the second header 32d using brazing or the like.

A gap G2 of a predetermined width is formed between the second header 32d and the heat transfer fins 32b of the internal heat exchange section 32i adjacent to the second header 32d, into which a protrusion 34b (described later) of the first member 34 can be inserted. It is fixed to the flat tube 32a so as to be fixed to the flat tube 32a.

The third header 32e is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a of the outside heat exchanger 32o so as to connect the refrigerant channels 32a1 of the plurality of flat tubes 32a to each other. Specifically, one end in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of flat tubes 32a included in the external heat exchanger 32o is inserted into the third header 32e through an opening formed in the side surface of the third header 32e, and is then inserted into the third header 32e using brazing or the like. and is fixed to the third header 32e. The third header 32e is connected to the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 via a branch pipe 32e1.

As a result, the refrigerant that has flowed into the first header 32c through the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5 passes through the plurality of refrigerant flow paths 32a1 formed in the flat tube 32a of the inner heat exchange section 32i and flows into the third header 32e. Inflow. The refrigerant that has flowed into the third header 32e passes through a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed in the external heat exchange section 32o, and flows into the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 through the second header 32d. Further, the refrigerant that has flowed into the first header 32c through the gas refrigerant communication pipe 6 passes through a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed in the flat tube 32a of the external heat exchange section 32o and flows into the third header 32e. do. The refrigerant that has flowed into the third header 32e passes through a plurality of refrigerant channels 32a1 formed in the inner heat exchange section 32i, passes through the first header 32c, and flows into the liquid refrigerant communication pipe 5.

Note that when the first header 32c, the second header 32d, and the third header 32e are collectively referred to as headers 32c, 32d, and 32e.

The first utilization heat exchange section 321 is provided in front of the utilization fan 33 so that the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined forward with respect to the up-down direction (vertical direction) when the utilization unit 3 is viewed from the left and right direction.

The second utilization heat exchange section 322 is provided above the first utilization heat exchange section 321 when the utilization unit 3 is viewed from the left and right direction, so that the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined backward with respect to the vertical direction. .

The third utilization heat exchange section 323 is provided behind and above the utilization fan 33, when the utilization unit 3 is viewed from the left and right, so that the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined forward with respect to the vertical direction.

(2-2-4) First member The first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32, and while supporting the utilization heat exchanger 32, the utilization heat exchanger 34 is damaged by vibrations etc. caused by the operation of the utilization unit 3. to regulate the movement of The first member 34 is a plate-shaped member, and in the area surrounded by the outer periphery of the utilization fan 33 and the utilization heat exchanger 32, the first member 34 is provided at both left and right ends of the flat tube 32a of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the left-right direction. and are arranged perpendicular to each other. The first member 34 has a main body 34a and a protrusion 34b. The first member 34 is manufactured using hard resin.

In the present disclosure, the state in which the first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32 refers to the state in which the protrusion 34b is inserted between the flat tubes 32a adjacent in the thickness direction.

In this embodiment, the usage unit 3 has two first members 34. The two first members 34 are arranged such that the main bodies 34a face the gaps G1 and G2 of the utilization heat exchanger 32, respectively. Further, in the present embodiment, the first member 34 is used vertically below the first heat exchange section 321 and the third heat exchange section 323 of the heat exchanger 32 and behind the second heat exchange section 322. It is attached to the heat exchanger 32.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first member 34.

The main body 34a mainly has a first cross section 34a1, a second cross section 34a2, a third cross section 34a3, and a fourth cross section 34a4, and has a polygonal shape in plan view with an opening 34a5 formed on the main surface. It is a member of

The first cross section 34a1 comes into contact with the end of the heat transfer fin 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i of the first heat exchanger 321 when the first member 34 is attached to the heat exchanger 32. , is a surface formed to face the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the flat tube 32a.

The second cross section 34a2 comes into contact with the end of the heat transfer fin 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i of the second heat exchanger 322 when the first member 34 is attached to the heat exchanger 32. , is a surface formed to face the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the flat tube 32a.

The third cross section 34a3 comes into contact with the end of the heat transfer fin 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i of the third heat exchanger 323 when the first member 34 is attached to the heat exchanger 32. , is a surface formed to face the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the flat tube 32a.

The fourth cross section 34a4 is a surface formed so as to be located outside both ends of the utilization fan 33 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the fourth cross section 34a4 is formed so as to come into contact with a main body 35a (described later) of the second member 35.

The opening 34a5 is an opening for engaging a second fixing portion 35d (described later) of the second member 35.

The protruding portion 34b is arranged so that the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3 are in contact with the flat tubes 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i, and the flat tubes 32a are adjacent to each other in the gap G1 or the gap G2. inserted between. The protrusion 34b is a columnar protrusion. The protrusion 34b includes a first protrusion 34b1, a second protrusion 34b2, and a third protrusion 34b3.

The first protrusion 34b1 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i that abuts the first cross section 34a1. The first protrusion 34b1 is formed to protrude from the first cross section 34a1.

The second protrusion 34b2 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i that abuts the second cross section 34a2. The second protrusion 34b2 is formed to protrude from the second cross section 34a2.

The third protrusion 34b3 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i that abuts the third cross section 34a3. The third protrusion 34b3 is formed to protrude from the third cross section 34a3.

In this embodiment, the first member 34 provided on the left side of the heat exchanger 32 has three first protrusions 34b1, three second protrusions 34b2, and three third protrusions 34b3. . Further, the first member 34 provided on the right side of the utilization heat exchanger 32 has two each of first protrusions 34b1, second protrusions 34b2, and third protrusions 34b3. The numbers of the first protrusion 34b1, the second protrusion 34b2, and the third protrusion 34b3 are not limited to two or three, and may be one or four or more. Further, the number of first protrusions 34b1, second protrusions 34b2, and third protrusions 34b3 that the first member 34 has may be the same on the left and right sides of the heat exchanger 32, or It doesn't have to be the same number.

As explained above, in the first member 34, the protruding portion 34b is inserted between the adjacent flat tubes 32a in the gap G1 or the gap G2 of the inner heat exchanger 32i, so that the first member 34 The movement of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the thickness direction or longitudinal direction is restricted. At the same time, when the first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32, the main body 34a (specifically, the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3) is connected to the inside utilization heat exchanger 32. The utilization heat exchanger 32 is supported by coming into contact with the end portion of the heat transfer fin 32b that the portion 32i has.

(2-2-5) Second member The second member 35 is fixed to both the second casing 31 and the first member 34, and supports the utilization heat exchanger 32 via the first member 34. do. The second member 35 includes a main body 35a, an insertion portion 35b, two first fixing portions 35c, and a second fixing portion 35d.

In this embodiment, the utilization unit 3 has two second members 35. The two second members 35 are arranged to support the first member 34 disposed on the right side of the utilization heat exchanger 32 and the first member 34 disposed on the left side of the utilization heat exchanger 32, respectively. .

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second member 35. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing how to assemble the first member 34 and the second member 35 to the second casing 31. As shown in FIG.

The main body 35a is an arc-shaped plate member that partially covers the upper part of the utilization fan 33 when viewed from the left and right direction. In this embodiment, the main body 35a is formed so as to come into contact with the fourth cross section 34a4 of the first member 34.

The insertion portion 35b restricts movement of the first member 34 in the left-right direction. The insertion portion 35b is constituted by a plate-shaped member that protrudes from the main body 35a orthogonally to the left-right direction. The plate-like members constituting the insertion portion 35b are provided with a gap of a predetermined width in the left-right direction so as to sandwich the main body 34a of the first member 34 from the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 10, the first member 34 is inserted into the gap formed by the main body 34a and the insertion portion 35b.

The first fixing portion 35c fixes the second member 35 to the second casing 31. In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 35c is a claw that engages with the opening 31c of the second casing 31. The first fixing portion 35c is formed to protrude downward from the circumferential end of the main body 35a when viewed from the left and right. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 4, by covering the upper part of the utilization fan 33 with the main body 35a, the first fixing part 35c engages with the opening 31c. By engaging the first fixing portion 35c with the opening 31c, vertical movement of the second member 35 is restricted, and the second member 35 is fixed to the second casing 31.

The second fixing portion 35d fixes the first member 34 to the second member 35. In this embodiment, the second fixing portion 35d is a claw that engages with the opening 34a5 of the first member 34. As shown in FIG. 10, when the first member 34 is inserted into the insertion portion 35b, the second fixing portion 35d engages with the opening 34a5. By engaging the second fixing portion 35d with the opening 34a5, the first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35, and vertical movement of the first member 34 is restricted.

As explained above, the first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35, and the second member 35 is fixed to the second casing 31, so that the second member 35 is fixed to the second member 35. The utilization heat exchanger 32 can be supported via one member 34 .

The second member 35 according to the present embodiment also has the function of flowing condensed water generated in the utilization heat exchanger 32 to drain pans (not shown) provided below the second member 35 before and after the utilization fan 33, respectively. Specifically, when the condensed water generated in the utilization heat exchanger 32 falls from the end of the utilization heat exchanger 32 to the main body 35a, it moves to the front end or the rear end along the upper surface of the main body 35a. and falls into the drain pan.

(2-3) Remote control The remote control 8 receives instructions from the user to perform heating operation, cooling operation, humidification operation, etc., instructions to stop the air conditioner 1, and set values such as the set temperature Ts, and controls the received results. It is transmitted to the control unit 9 as a signal.

(2-4) Control unit The control unit 9 mainly sends and receives control signals to the compressor 22, the four-way switching valve 23, the heat source expansion valve 25, the heat source fan 26, the usage fan 33, and the remote controller 8. Possibly connected. Although details will be described later, the control unit 9 controls the refrigerant circuit 100 by controlling the operation of the compressor 22, the four-way switching valve 23, the heat source expansion valve 25, the heat source fan 26, and the utilization fan 33. Control.

The control unit 9 is typically realized by a computer including a control calculation device and a storage device (both not shown). The control calculation device is a processor such as a CPU or GPU. The control calculation device reads a control program stored in the storage device and performs operational control according to this control program. Further, the control calculation device can write calculation results to the storage device and read information stored in the storage device according to the control program.

Note that FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram. The control section 9 is composed of an outdoor control section provided inside the heat source unit 2 and an indoor control section provided inside the utilization unit 3, and the outdoor control section and the indoor control section mutually transmit and receive control signals. It may be connected by a possible communication line.

(3) Air Conditioning Operation Next, heating operation and cooling operation, which are air conditioning operations executed by the control unit 9, will be explained.

(3-1) Heating Operation When the control unit 9 receives a control signal from the remote controller 8 regarding an instruction to execute the heating operation, it starts the heating operation. During the heating operation, the control unit 9 switches the four-way switching valve 23 to the first state (see the broken line in FIG. 2). Further, the control unit 9 sets the heat source expansion valve 25 to an opening degree corresponding to the set temperature Ts received from the remote controller 8, operates the compressor 22, and rotationally drives the usage fan 33. Thereby, the heat source heat exchanger 24 functions as a refrigerant evaporator, and the utilization heat exchanger 32 functions as a refrigerant condenser.

During heating operation, the refrigerant circuit 100 functions as follows. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 22 is condensed by exchanging heat with indoor air sent by a utilization fan 33 in a utilization heat exchanger 32 . As a result, indoor air is heated and discharged into the room as conditioned air. After the condensed refrigerant passes through the heat source expansion valve 25 and is depressurized, the condensed refrigerant exchanges heat with outside air sent by the heat source fan 26 in the heat source heat exchanger 24 and evaporates. The refrigerant that has passed through the heat source heat exchanger 24 is sucked into the compressor 22 and compressed.

(3-2) Cooling Operation When the control unit 9 receives a control signal from the remote controller 8 regarding an instruction to execute the cooling operation, it starts the cooling operation. During the cooling operation, the control unit 9 switches the four-way switching valve 23 to the second state (see the solid line in FIG. 1). Further, the control unit 9 sets the heat source expansion valve 25 to an opening degree corresponding to the set temperature Ts received from the remote controller 8, operates the compressor 22, and rotationally drives the utilization fan 33. Thereby, the heat source heat exchanger 24 functions as a refrigerant condenser, and the utilization heat exchanger 32 functions as a refrigerant evaporator.

During cooling operation, the refrigerant circuit 100 functions as follows. The high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 22 is condensed by exchanging heat with outside air sent by a heat source fan 26 in a heat source heat exchanger 24 . After the condensed refrigerant passes through the heat source expansion valve 25 and is depressurized, the refrigerant exchanges heat with the indoor air sent by the utilization fan 33 in the utilization heat exchanger 32 and evaporates. As a result, the indoor air is cooled and discharged indoors as conditioned air. The refrigerant that has passed through the utilization heat exchanger 32 is sucked into the compressor 22 and compressed.

(4) Features (4-1)
The utilization unit 3 includes a utilization heat exchanger 32, a first member 34, and a second member 35. In the utilization heat exchanger 32, a plurality of flat tubes 32a are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction by heat transfer fins 32b. The first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32 . The second member 35 supports the utilization heat exchanger 32 via the first member 34 . The first member 34 has a main body 34a and a protrusion 34b protruding from the main body 34a. The protrusion 34b is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a.

In the utilization unit 3, the protrusion 34b of the first member 34 is inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a, thereby restricting the movement of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the thickness direction or longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 32a. be done. As a result, compared to the case where the movement of the heat exchanger is restricted by inserting the heat exchanger tube into the tube hole provided in the bracket, the member (first member 34) that contacts the flat tube 32a and restricts the movement of the heat exchanger ) can significantly reduce the contact area with Therefore, even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide due to vibrations caused by the operation of the utilization unit 3, damage to the flat tube 32a due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube 32a increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-2)
The first member 34 has a plurality of protrusions 34b. In the usage unit 3 including the usage heat exchanger 32 including a plurality of heat exchange parts (first usage heat exchange part 321, second usage heat exchange part 322, and third usage heat exchange part 323), the first member 34 is , a plurality of protrusions 34b are provided for each of the available heat exchange parts 321, 322, and 323.

According to the utilization unit 3, since the first member 34 has the plurality of protrusions 34b, movement of the utilization heat exchanger 32 in the thickness direction or longitudinal direction of the flat tube 32a is effectively restricted.

(4-3)
The protrusion 34b is columnar.

By forming the protrusion 34b into a columnar shape, the protrusion 34b can be easily inserted between adjacent flat tubes 32a. For this reason, manufacturing of the usage unit 3 becomes easy and the manufacturing cost of the usage unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-4)
The first member 34 is manufactured using resin.

By manufacturing the first member 34 using resin, the hardness of the protrusion 34b can be reduced compared to a case where the first member 34 is manufactured using metal. Therefore, even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide, damage to the flat tube 32a due to this sliding is suppressed. As a result, the selection of materials that can be used for the flat tube 32a increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-5)
The utilization unit 3 further includes a second casing 31 and a second member 35 fixed to the second casing 31. The first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35 by engagement.

(4-6)
The first member 34 has a main body 34a in contact with the heat transfer fins 32b.

More specifically, when the first member 34 is attached to the utilization heat exchanger 32, the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3 of the main body 34a are such that the inner utilization heat exchange part 32i is The heat transfer fins 32b are formed so as to come into contact with the ends of the heat transfer fins 32b. Therefore, the first member 34 can be used as a heat exchanger by contacting the first cross section 34a1, the second cross section 34a2, and the third cross section 34a3 of the main body 34a with the heat transfer fins 32b of the inner heat exchanger 32i. It can support 32 weights. As a result, the weight of the utilization heat exchanger 32 that the protrusion 34b receives becomes almost zero or is significantly reduced, so even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide, this sliding causes the flat tube 32a to damage is suppressed. As a result, the number of options for the flat tubes 32a that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(4-7)
The utilization heat exchanger 32 includes a first utilization heat exchange section 321 and a third utilization heat exchange section 323, in which the thickness direction of the flat tube 32a is inclined with respect to the vertical direction when viewed from the left and right. The first member 34 is attached to the heat exchange section 321 vertically below the first heat exchange section 321 and the third heat exchange section 323 .

As a result, in the utilization unit 3, the first member 34 supports the first utilization heat exchange section 321 and the third utilization heat exchange section 323 while supporting the first utilization heat exchange section 321 and the third utilization heat exchange section 323. movement can be regulated.

(5) Modification (5-1) Modification A
The protruding portion 34b may have a claw portion 34c that engages with the flat tube 32a. The claw portions 34c engage with the ends of the flat tubes 32a of the inner heat exchanger 32i on the outer heat exchanger 32o side by inserting the protrusions 34b between adjacent flat tubes 32a. is formed.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area around the heat exchanger 32 of the air conditioner 1 according to Modification A.

The first member 34 can effectively restrict the movement of the heat exchanger 32 by engaging the claw portion 34c with the end of the flat tube 32a.

(5-2) Modification B
The first member 34 may be manufactured using a material other than resin. The first member 34 may be manufactured using metal, and a resin coating may be applied to the surface. Further, the first member 34 may be manufactured using metal, and insulating rubber may be attached to the surface.

As a result, the hardness of the surface of the first member 34 is kept low by the resin coating or the insulating rubber, thereby effectively suppressing damage to the flat tube 32a due to sliding, while ensuring high rigidity of the first member 34.

(5-3) Modification C
In the above embodiment, the first member 34 is fixed to the second member 35 by the second fixing portion 35d engaging with the opening 34a5 of the first member 34, but the fixing method is not limited to this. For example, the first member 34 may be fixed to the second member 35 with screws.

(5-4) Modification D
The main body 34a of the first member 34 may be in contact with any one of the headers 32c, 32d, and 32e.

When the main body 34a of the first member 34 comes into contact with any one of the headers 32c, 32d, and 32e, the first member 34 becomes a usable heat exchanger. It can support 32 weights. This reduces the weight of the utilization heat exchanger 32 that the protrusion 34b receives. As a result, the weight of the utilization heat exchanger 32 that the protrusion 34b receives becomes almost zero or is significantly reduced, so even if the first member 34 and the flat tube 32a slide, this sliding causes the flat tube 32a to damage is suppressed. As a result, the number of options for the flat tubes 32a that can be used increases, and the manufacturing cost of the utilization unit 3 is suppressed.

(5-5) Modification E
In the above embodiment, the utilization heat exchanger 32 had a plurality of utilization heat exchange sections 321, 322, and 323, but the utilization heat exchanger 32 may be configured with only one heat exchange section.

(5-6) Modification example F
In the above, an example in which the second member 35 separate from the second casing 31 supports the utilization heat exchanger 32 via the first member 34 has been described as an embodiment, but the second casing 31 is the second member. It's okay. In other words, the second casing 31 may support the first member 34 by functioning as the second member.

(5-7) Modification example G
Although the usage unit 3 including the first member 34 has been described as an embodiment, the heat source unit 2 may include the first member attached to the heat source heat exchanger 24.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it will be understood that various changes in form and details can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as described in the claims. .

1 Air conditioner 100 Refrigerant circuit 2 Heat source unit 3 Utilization unit 31 Second casing (casing)
32 Usage heat exchanger 321 1st usage heat exchange part 322 2nd usage heat exchange part 323 3rd usage heat exchange part 32a flat tube 32b heat transfer fin 32c first header 32d 2nd header 32e 3rd header 33 usage fan 34th 1 member 34a Main body 34b Projection 34c Claw 35 Second member

International Publication No. 2018/128035

Claims (12)

a heat exchanger (32) in which a plurality of flat tubes (32a) are stacked at predetermined intervals in the thickness direction by heat transfer fins (32b);
a first member (34) attached to the heat exchanger and regulating movement of the heat exchanger;
The first member is
It has a main body (34a) and a protrusion (34b) protruding from the main body, and the protrusion is inserted between the adjacent flat tubes.
heat exchange unit. The first member is
having a plurality of the protrusions;
A heat exchange unit according to claim 1. The heat exchanger is
including a plurality of first heat exchange parts (321, 322, 323),
The first member is
having a plurality of the protrusions for each of the plurality of first heat exchange parts;
The heat exchange unit according to claim 1 or 2. The protrusion is
columnar,
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The protrusion is
having a claw portion (34c) that engages with the flat tube;
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The first member is
Manufactured using resin,
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The first member is
Manufactured using metal and has a resin coating on the surface.
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The first member is
Manufactured using metal, with insulating rubber attached to the surface,
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5. Further comprising a casing (31) and a second member (35) fixed to the casing,
The first member is
fixed to the second member by screwing or engagement;
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The first member is
the main body is in contact with the heat transfer fins,
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The heat exchanger is
further comprising a header (32c, 32d, 32e) that connects the ends of the plurality of flat tubes to each other,
The first member is
the main body is in contact with the header,
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The heat exchanger is
a second heat exchange part (321, 323) in which the thickness direction of the flat tube is inclined with respect to the vertical direction;
The first member is
attached to the heat exchanger vertically below the second heat exchange section;
A heat exchange unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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