JP7443630B1 - Heat exchanger and air conditioner equipped with it - Google Patents

Abstract

The heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat tubes arranged in a first direction and each extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The flat tube has a tube wall provided with a heat transfer channel through which fluid flows in the internal space, and the tube wall has flat tube side walls facing each other in a first direction, and the tube side walls have through holes. is formed. Adjacent flat tubes have connecting portions that connect the tube walls and communicate the heat transfer channels inside the tube walls, and the connecting portion is connected to at least one of the opposing tube side wall portions of the adjacent flat tubes. The connecting protrusion protrudes in the first direction from the peripheral edge of the formed through hole.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a headerless heat exchanger and an air conditioner equipped with the same.

2. Description of the Related Art There is a heat exchanger that is formed by laminating a plurality of heat exchange members and exchanges heat between a first fluid such as a refrigerant and a second fluid such as air. Among such heat exchangers, there is one that discloses a headerless heat exchanger (for example, see Patent Document 1). The heat exchanger of Patent Document 1 has a plurality of heat transfer channels provided as first fluid channels in the stacking direction of substantially rectangular heat exchange members, each of which extends in the longitudinal direction of the heat exchange members, and a heat exchange channel. It has a header channel that extends in the stacking direction of the members and communicates the plurality of heat transfer channels. In the heat exchanger of Patent Document 1, the heat exchange member is a plate, and the unevenness provided on the plate forms a heat transfer flow path for the refrigerant between the plate and the adjacent plate on one side in the stacking direction. An air flow path is formed between the plate and the adjacent plate on the other side in the stacking direction. Further, by providing a through hole in the portion where the plate and the adjacent plate on the other side in the stacking direction are joined, the heat transfer channels of the refrigerant communicate with each other.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-176791

However, the heat exchanger of Patent Document 1 is constructed by stacking plates, and the refrigerant heat transfer flow path and the air flow path are formed by the unevenness provided on the plates, and the through holes provided at the joint portion of the plates. The refrigerant header flow path is formed by the plate pitch, and the refrigerant heat transfer flow path and air flow in the plate stacking direction, depending on the size of the unevenness of the plate (i.e., the depth of the groove or the height of the protrusion). The total width of the flow path is determined. Note that the width of the air flow path in the plate stacking direction can be changed depending on the size of the unevenness, but since the unevenness is processed directly on the plate, there is a limit to changing the size of the unevenness. If you try to widen the width of the path, the width of the refrigerant heat transfer path will become narrower. As described above, the heat exchanger of Patent Document 1 has a low degree of freedom in designing the air flow path.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to increase the degree of freedom in designing air flow paths in a headerless heat exchanger.

A first heat exchanger according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of flat tubes arranged in a first direction and each extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction , and each of the flat tubes has a fluid in an internal space. A heat exchanger having a tube wall provided with a heat transfer channel through which the heat transfer channel flows, the heat exchanger being disposed at at least one end of the plurality of flat tubes in the second direction, and one end of the heat transfer channel of the plurality of flat tubes. , the one end of the flat tube is fixed to the tube sealing portion at a constant pitch, and the tube wall includes a plate-shaped tube sealing portion that covers the flat tubes facing each other in the first direction. a tube side wall portion, a through hole is formed in the tube side wall portion, and the adjacent flat tubes connect the tube walls and communicate the heat transfer channels inside the tube walls. The connecting portion includes a connecting protrusion that protrudes in the first direction from a peripheral edge of the through hole, which is formed on at least one of the opposing tube side walls of the adjacent flat tubes. It is constructed.

Further, an air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, the above-mentioned heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected via refrigerant piping, and in which fluid circulates. It is something.

In the heat exchanger and the air conditioner equipped with the same according to the present disclosure, a heat transfer channel for a fluid is provided in the tube wall of the flat tube, and adjacent flat tubes connect the tube walls to each other and the heat transfer channel to each other. The connecting portion projects in the first direction from the peripheral edge of the through hole in the tube side wall. Therefore, by changing the length of the connecting portion, the width of the air flow path outside the connecting portion in the first direction can be changed, so the air flow path can be changed without narrowing the width of the fluid heat transfer path in the first direction. The width in the first direction can be increased. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the air flow path in the headerless heat exchanger can be increased.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of an air conditioner equipped with the heat exchanger of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of flat tubes of the heat exchanger in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the portion surrounded by an ellipse in FIG. 4; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a connecting portion surrounded by a square in FIG. 7; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 4. FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 10. FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger in FIG. 10 taken along plane B, viewed from above. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger in FIG. 10 taken along plane C, viewed from above. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a position regulating portion of a flat tube of a heat exchanger according to a sixth embodiment.

Hereinafter, a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings and the like. Note that in the following drawings including FIG. 1, the relative dimensional relationships, shapes, etc. of each component may differ from the actual ones. In addition, in the following drawings, parts with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this is common throughout the entire specification. In addition, to facilitate understanding, we use terms that indicate directions (for example, "top", "bottom", "right", "left", "front", "back", etc.), but these notations are as follows: This is only described for convenience of explanation, and does not limit the arrangement or orientation of the device or parts. In the specification, the positional relationship between each component, the stretching direction of each component, and the arrangement direction of each component are, in principle, those when the heat exchanger is installed in a usable state.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the heat exchanger 101 includes a plurality of flat tubes 10 arranged in a first direction D1 and connected to each other. The flat tube 10 extends in the direction in which the tube axis Ax extends (hereinafter also referred to as the tube axis direction), and has a flat shape that is long in one direction in a cross section perpendicular to the tube axis Ax. Hereinafter, the first direction D1 in which the plurality of flat tubes 10 are arranged is referred to as the stacking direction, the tube axis direction of the flat tubes 10 is referred to as the second direction D2 or the longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 10, and the longitudinal direction of the cross section of the flat tubes 10 is referred to as the second direction D2 or the longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 10. The direction may be referred to as the third direction D3 or the lateral direction of the flat tube 10. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the heat exchanger 101 is defined below as being installed so that the stacking direction (first direction D1) of the flat tubes 10 is the left-right direction. The tube axis Ax of each flat tube 10 is in the vertical direction perpendicular to the lamination direction (first direction D1), and the transversal direction (third direction D3) is perpendicular to the tube axis direction and the lamination direction. It is defined as being arranged in the front-back direction.

The arrangement of the heat exchanger 101 or the angle between the stacking direction (first direction D1) of the flat tubes 10 in the heat exchanger 101 and the tube axis direction (second direction D2) of each flat tube 10 is as described above. Not limited to cases. For example, the heat exchanger 101 may be arranged in an inclined manner so that the tube axis direction of each flat tube 10 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Alternatively, in the case where the heat exchanger 101 is installed so that the stacking direction (first direction D1) of the flat tubes 10 is in the left-right direction, the tube axis direction of each flat tube 10 is inclined with respect to the up-down direction. The heat exchanger 101 may be configured as follows.

A gap, which is an air flow path P2, is formed between the tube walls 11 of adjacent flat tubes 10 in the stacking direction (first direction D1). Air circulates along the lateral direction (third direction D3).

The flat tube 10 arranged at one end in the stacking direction among the plurality of flat tubes 10 is provided with a first pipe a and a second pipe b, which serve as an inlet and an inlet for fluid (for example, refrigerant, etc.) in the heat exchanger 101. . Here, the fluid flowing in the flat tube 10 may be a refrigerant, water, brine, or the like. In the heat exchanger 101, a fluid flow path is provided between the first pipe a and the second pipe b. Fluid flow paths are provided within the plurality of flat tubes 10. The heat exchanger 101 exchanges heat between air and fluid. In the following description, it is assumed that the fluid flowing through the plurality of flat tubes 10 is a refrigerant.

Adjacent flat tubes 10 have connecting portions 19 for connecting their tube walls 11 to each other. Each flat tube 10 has a tube wall 11 and connecting protrusions 19a and 19b (see FIG. 3 described below) that extend outward from the tube wall 11 in a first direction D1 and constitute a connecting portion 19. The flat tube 10 has a tube structure in which an internal space through which the refrigerant flows is maintained over its longitudinal direction (second direction D2), that is, from the upper end to the lower end of the tube wall 11. The detailed structure of the flat tube 10 will be described later.

Both ends of the flat tube 10 in the longitudinal direction (second direction D2) are sealed. Specifically, the heat exchanger 101 includes a tube sealing portion 20 that closes each open end 1e on both sides of the flat tube 10 in the longitudinal direction (second direction D2). In the example of FIG. 1, the tube sealing portions 20 are provided for each flat tube 10 at two locations, on the upper side and the lower side of the flat tube. The tube sealing part 20 is joined to the open end 1e of the flat tube 10 by a joining means such as brazing or adhesive.

FIG. 2 is a refrigerant circuit diagram of the air conditioner 100 equipped with the heat exchanger 101 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the heat exchanger 101 constitutes a part of a refrigerant circuit 100c in which refrigerant circulates in the air conditioner 100.

The air conditioner 100 includes a compressor 102, a heat exchanger 101, an expansion valve 105, an indoor heat exchanger 104, and a four-way valve 103. In FIG. 2, a compressor 102, a heat exchanger 101, an expansion valve 105, and a four-way valve 103 are provided in an outdoor unit 100A, and an indoor heat exchanger 104 is provided in an indoor unit 100B. A first pipe a and a second pipe b (see FIG. 1), which serve as inlets and outlets for the refrigerant of the heat exchanger 101, are connected to a four-way valve 103 and an expansion valve 105 of a refrigerant circuit 100c.

The compressor 102, the heat exchanger 101, the expansion valve 105, the indoor heat exchanger 104, and the four-way valve 103 are connected to each other via refrigerant piping, thereby forming a refrigerant circuit 100c in which refrigerant can circulate. In the air conditioner 100, the operation of the compressor 102 performs a refrigeration cycle in which refrigerant circulates through the compressor 102, the heat exchanger 101, the expansion valve 105, and the indoor heat exchanger 104 while changing its phase.

The outdoor unit 100A is provided with an outdoor fan 107 that forces outdoor air to pass through the heat exchanger 101. The heat exchanger 101 exchanges heat between the outdoor air flow generated by the operation of the outdoor fan 107 and the refrigerant. The indoor unit 100B is provided with an indoor fan 106 that forces indoor air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger 104. The indoor heat exchanger 104 exchanges heat between a refrigerant and a flow of indoor air generated by the operation of the indoor fan 106.

The operation of the air conditioner 100 can be switched between cooling operation and heating operation. In FIG. 2, the direction of the refrigerant flow during the cooling operation is shown by a broken line arrow, and the direction of the refrigerant flow during the heating operation is shown by a solid line arrow. The four-way valve 103 is an electromagnetic valve that switches the refrigerant flow path according to switching between cooling operation and heating operation of the air conditioner 100. The four-way valve 103 guides the refrigerant from the compressor 102 to the heat exchanger 101 and the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger 104 to the compressor 102 during cooling operation, and directs the refrigerant from the compressor 102 indoors during heating operation. The refrigerant is guided to the heat exchanger 104 and the refrigerant from the heat exchanger 101 is guided to the compressor 102.

During cooling operation of the air conditioner 100, refrigerant compressed by the compressor 102 is sent to the heat exchanger 101. In the heat exchanger 101, the refrigerant emits heat to the outdoor air and is condensed. Thereafter, the refrigerant is sent to the expansion valve 105 , where the pressure is reduced, and then sent to the indoor heat exchanger 104 . Thereafter, the refrigerant takes in heat from the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger 104 and evaporates, and then returns to the compressor 102. Therefore, during cooling operation of the air conditioner 100, the heat exchanger 101 functions as a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger 104 functions as an evaporator.

During heating operation of the air conditioner 100, refrigerant compressed by the compressor 102 is sent to the indoor heat exchanger 104. In the indoor heat exchanger 104, the refrigerant emits heat to the indoor air and is condensed. Thereafter, the refrigerant is sent to the expansion valve 105 , where the pressure is reduced, and then sent to the heat exchanger 101 . Thereafter, the refrigerant takes in heat from the outdoor air in the heat exchanger 101 and evaporates, and then returns to the compressor 102. Therefore, during heating operation of the air conditioner 100, the heat exchanger 101 functions as an evaporator, and the indoor heat exchanger 104 functions as a condenser.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the flat tube 10 of the heat exchanger 101 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 101 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the portion surrounded by an ellipse in FIG. The refrigerant flow path of the heat exchanger 101 and the structure of the flat tubes 10 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, solid white arrows indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant when the heat exchanger 101 is used as a condenser. Further, in FIG. 5, the direction of air flow is indicated by a dashed white arrow.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the tube wall 11 includes substantially flat tube side walls 10a and 10b facing each other in the first direction D1, and respective ends of the tube side walls 10a and 10b on both sides in the third direction D3. It has curved connection wall parts 10c and 10d that connect the pipe side wall part 10a and the pipe side wall part 10b. The tube side wall portion 10a and the tube side wall portion 10b each have a rectangular shape with a long side extending in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 10 (second direction D2) and a short side extending in the lateral direction of the flat tube 10 (third direction D3). has a condition. Although the tube side wall portions 10a and 10b each have a flat plate shape, "flat plate shape" as used in the present application does not necessarily have to be a completely flat surface, but may have a structure that appears to extend in a plane as a whole. For example, a depression, a protrusion, or a waveform may be formed in a part of a planarly expanding area. In FIG. 4, the left side wall of the tube wall 11 is the tube side wall 10a, and the right side wall of the tube wall 11 is the tube side wall 10b. As shown in FIG. 4, a through hole h1a penetrating in the first direction D1 is formed in the left tube side wall 10a, and a through hole h1b penetrating in the first direction D1 is formed in the right tube side wall 10b. is formed.

The connecting portions 19 of adjacent flat tubes 10 have a cylindrical shape in which a hollow portion Sg penetrating in the first direction D1 is formed. The connecting portion 19 extends from the peripheral edge of the through hole h1a or h1b in at least one of the opposing tube side wall portions 10a or 10b of the opposing tube side wall portions 10a or 10b of the adjacent flat tubes 10, It is composed of a connecting protrusion 19a or 19b extending to the side. In FIG. 4, the connecting portion 19 is composed of cylindrical connecting protrusions 19a and 19b formed on both of the opposing tube side walls 10a and 10b of the adjacent flat tubes 10. Such through holes h1a, h1b and connecting protrusions 19a, 19b are formed by, for example, a burring process in which a hole is bored in a flat plate part of the flat tube 10, and the flat plate part on the periphery is deformed so as to rise up into a cylindrical shape. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting portion 19 connects the through hole h1a and the through hole h1b provided in the tube side walls 10a and 10b by the hollow portion Sg, thereby connecting the internal spaces of the adjacent tube walls 11. communicate. Further, the connecting portion 19 has a function of partitioning a hollow portion Sg inside the connecting portion 19 and an air flow path P2 which is a space outside the connecting portion 19.

As shown in FIG. 4, the through hole h1a, the through hole h1b, and the connecting portion 19 are formed inside the opening ends 1e on both sides in the longitudinal direction (second direction D2) of the flat tube 10. Specifically, in the heat exchanger 101 arranged as shown in FIG. It is formed below the end 1e and above the lower open end 1e of the flat tube 10.

Such a flat tube 10 is manufactured by, for example, forming the through holes h1a and h1b and the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b in advance in a member that is the source of the flat tube 10, and then molding the member by roll forming. can do. Further, the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b may be formed by raising the peripheral edge of the hole when forming the through holes h1a and h1b in the member that is the source of the flat tube 10. For the flat tube 10, for example, a metal material having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, or brass is used.

The refrigerant flow path in the heat exchanger 101 includes a heat transfer path P1a provided in the tube wall 11 of each flat tube 10 and extending in the longitudinal direction (second direction D2) of the flat tube 10, and a plurality of flat tubes 10. The header flow path P1b extends in the stacking direction (first direction D1) and connects the heat transfer flow paths P1a of the plurality of flat tubes 10. One end of the header flow path P1b extending in the first direction D1 is connected to the first pipe a (see FIG. 1).

The above-described through hole h1a, through hole h1b, hollow portion Sg of the connecting portion 19, etc. constitute a header flow path P1b, and a refrigerant flows through the hollow portion Sg. In the heat exchanger 101, the connecting portion 19 is constituted by a part of the flat tube 10, and the portion of the header flow path P1b disposed between the tube walls 11 of the flat tube 10 is a hollow inside the connecting portion 19. Department Sg. Therefore, in the heat exchanger 101, since the header flow path P1b is formed in the flat tube 10 which is a heat exchange member, there is no need to provide a header tube in addition to the plurality of flat tubes 10, and the structure is headerless. .

In the example of FIG. 5, inside each of the flat tubes 10, extending in the longitudinal direction (second direction D2, vertical direction) of the flat tube 10, the inner space of the tube wall 11 of the flat tube 10 is A first partition 30 is provided that divides the vehicle in a direction (third direction D3, front-rear direction). The upper end 30e of the first partition 30 is provided below the upper open end 10e of the flat tube 10. Thereby, a folded passage P1at is formed in the upper part of the internal space of the tube wall 11, through which the refrigerant can flow in the front-rear direction (third direction D3). That is, in the example of FIG. 5, the refrigerant heat transfer channel P1a has an inverted U-shape including a folded channel P1at.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5, as shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerant flow path of the heat exchanger 101 is parallel to the plurality of heat transfer paths P1a in the lower part of the heat exchanger 101. The header flow path P1b and the header flow path P1c (see FIG. 3) are provided. The header flow path P1b is composed of hollow portions Sg of a plurality of connecting portions 19 provided on the front side in the lower part of the heat exchanger 101, and the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the header flow path P1c is configured by hollow portions (not shown) of a plurality of connecting portions 18 provided on the rear side in the lower part of the heat exchanger 101. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the right end of the header flow path P1b on the front side is connected to the first pipe a, and the right end of the header flow path P1c on the rear side is connected to the second pipe b.

Note that the heat exchanger 101 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5 is an example of the heat exchanger 101 of the present disclosure, and the shape of the heat transfer channel P1a, the presence or absence of the first partition 30 in the flat tube 10, and the number , the arrangement, and the arrangement of the first pipe a and the second pipe b in the heat exchanger 101 can be changed as appropriate.

Next, an example of the operation of the heat exchanger 101 when the heat exchanger 101 is used as a condenser will be described using FIGS. 1 to 2 and 4 to 5. As shown by the white arrow in FIG. 1, a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger 101 from the first pipe a. As shown in FIG. 4, in the heat exchanger 101, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant first flows into the header flow path P1b that passes through the lower front sides of the plurality of flat tubes 10 in the left-right direction. flows from right to left. In the process, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is distributed and flows into the heat transfer channels P1a provided in the tube walls 11 of each of the plurality of flat tubes 10. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant that has flowed into each heat transfer channel P1a flows upward in the front side of the internal space of the tube wall 11, and turns backward in the channel P1at (see FIG. 5) at the upper part of the internal space of the tube wall 11. After flowing to the inner space of the pipe wall 11, the water flows downward at the rear side of the inner space of the pipe wall 11. At this time, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant exchanges heat with the air flowing through the gap between the tube walls 11 of the flat tubes 10 (i.e., the air flow path P2) via the tube walls 11, thereby radiating heat to the air. It condenses and becomes a high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. The high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant from the plurality of heat transfer channels P1a flows into the header channel P1c (see FIG. 3) passing through the lower rear side of the plurality of flat tubes 10, and merges in the header channel P1c. do. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant that has merged in the header flow path P1c is transferred from the second pipe b connected to the header flow path P1c to the outside of the heat exchanger 101 (e.g. , flows out to the expansion valve 105) of the refrigerant circuit 100c shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting portions 19 that connect the tube walls 11 of adjacent flat tubes 10 connect the heat transfer channels P1a with each other, and provide a refrigerant flow path ( In particular, it partitions the header flow path P1b) and the outer air flow path P2. The connecting portion 19 includes connecting protrusions 19a and 19b that are part of the flat tube 10.

Therefore, in the heat exchanger 101 of the present disclosure, the length of the connecting portion 19 can be set according to the desired pipe pitch Lp, and the length of the connecting portion 19 can be set without narrowing the width of the refrigerant heat transfer channel P1a in the first direction D1. The pitch Lp and the width of the air flow path P2 in the first direction D1 can be changed. Therefore, compared to a conventional heat exchanger formed by laminating plates, it is possible to provide the heat exchanger 101 with a higher degree of freedom in designing the air flow path.

Furthermore, in a conventional configuration in which a refrigerant heat transfer channel and an air channel are provided between stacked plates, the joints between heat exchange members (plates in the conventional configuration) This results in problems such as increased ventilation resistance, poor drainage of condensed water, and blockage of the air flow path P2 due to frost. In addition, heat exchange performance is reduced due to increased ventilation resistance, poor drainage of condensed water, or blockage of the air flow path P2 due to frost.

On the other hand, in the heat exchanger 101 of the present disclosure, the area of the joint between the heat exchange members (i.e., the flat tubes 10) can be minimized, and even when the width of the air flow path P2 in the first direction D1 is widened, Since it is only necessary to change the length of the connecting portion 19, the number of changes in parts can be reduced.

The connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b constituting the connecting part 19 are configured to fit into each other, for example. Such a configuration will be explained using a specific example. A cylindrical connecting protrusion 19b protruding to the right is formed on the right tube side wall portion 10b of the left flat tube 10 among the flat tubes 10 adjacent to each other in the first direction D1. A cylindrical connecting protrusion 19a that protrudes to the left is formed on the tube side wall 10a. The inner diameter Dia of the connecting protrusion 19a is approximately the same size as the outer diameter Dob of the connecting protrusion 19b, and when the flat tubes 10 are stacked, the right end of the connecting protrusion 19b is fitted into the connecting protrusion 19a. By doing so, the flat tubes 10 are connected to each other. In this case, the depth of insertion and the length in the first direction D1 of each connecting projection 19a, 19b are such that when the pipe pitch L is set to a desired length, the tips of each connecting projection 19a, 19b are opposite to each other. It is preferable to appropriately decide so as not to protrude into the heat transfer channel P1a of the flat tube 10.

Note that the configuration in which the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b fit together may not be used. For example, the outer diameter Dob of the connecting protrusion 19b is made slightly smaller than the inner diameter Dia of the connecting protrusion 19a, and the right tip of the connecting protrusion 19b is attached to the connecting protrusion 19a so that the pipe pitch Lp becomes the desired length. After insertion, the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b may be joined by a joining means such as brazing or adhesive.

Note that the shapes of the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b constituting the connecting part 19 are not limited to the above-mentioned shapes, and the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b connect the refrigerant header flow path P1b and the air flow path P1b. It is sufficient if it can be separated from the flow path P2. Further, the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b may be formed so that they partially overlap in the first direction D1 (see FIG. 4), or their tips may not overlap in the first direction D1. May be joined. In a configuration in which the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b partially overlap in the first direction D1, a portion of the connecting portion 19 in the first direction D1 has a double wall structure, so that a configuration in which the tips are joined to each other and In comparison, the strength of the connecting portion 19 can be increased.

As described above, the heat exchanger 101 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of flat tubes 10 arranged in the first direction D1 and each extending in the second direction D2 intersecting the first direction D1. This is a heat exchanger 101 equipped with a heat exchanger 101. The flat tube 10 has a tube wall 11 provided with a heat transfer passage P1a through which fluid flows in the inner space. The tube wall 11 has flat tube side walls 10a and 10b facing each other in the first direction D1, and through holes h1a and h1b are formed in the tube side walls 10a and 10b. Further, adjacent flat tubes 10 have a connecting portion 19 that connects the tube walls 11 to each other and allows the heat transfer channels P1a inside the tube walls 11 to communicate with each other. The connecting portion 19 includes a connecting protrusion 19a that projects in the first direction D1 from the peripheral edge of the through hole h1a, h1b formed in at least one of the opposing tube side walls 10a, 10b of the adjacent flat tubes 10; 19b.

In the heat exchanger 101, a heat transfer passage P1a is provided in the tube wall 11 of the flat tube 10, and adjacent flat tubes 10 have a connecting portion 19 that connects the tube walls 11 and communicates the heat transfer passage P1a with each other. The connecting portion 19 includes connecting protrusions 19a and 19b that protrude in the first direction D1 from the peripheral edges of the through holes h1a and h1b of the tube side walls 10a and 10b. In conventional heat exchangers, heat transfer channels for the refrigerant and air channels are formed by directly machining the plates, and the heat transfer channels are communicated with each other by through holes provided at the joints between the plates. If an attempt is made to widen the width of the air flow path, the width of the refrigerant heat transfer flow path becomes narrower. On the other hand, in the heat exchanger 101 of the present disclosure, the fluid heat transfer channel P1a is provided in the flat tube 10, and the connecting portion 19 that connects the heat transfer channels P1a is directed from the tube side walls 10a, 10b in the first direction D1. It has a structure that stands out. Therefore, by changing the length of the connecting portion 19, the width of the air flow path P2 (that is, the gap between the tube walls 11) in the first direction D1 can be changed, so that the width of the fluid heat transfer path P1a in the first direction D1 can be changed. The width of the air flow path P2 in the first direction D1 can be increased without narrowing the air flow path P2. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the air flow path in the headerless heat exchanger 101 can be increased.

Further, the connecting portion 19 is constituted by connecting protrusions 19a and 19b formed on both the opposing tube side wall portions 10a and 10b of the adjacent flat tubes 10. This makes it difficult for the connecting protrusion 19a or 19b to penetrate into the tube wall 11, compared to the case where the connecting portion 19 is composed of one of the connecting protrusions 19a or 19b.

Furthermore, the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b formed on both the opposing tube side wall portions 10a and 10b of adjacent flat tubes 10 at least partially overlap in the first direction D1. Thereby, a part of the connecting portion 19 can be formed into a double wall structure, and the strength of the connecting portion 19 can be increased.

Moreover, the flat tube 10 is arranged in the internal space of the tube wall 11, extends in the second direction D2, and divides the internal space into a third direction D3 perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2. It has a partition 30. At least one end (for example, the upper end 30e) of the first partition 30 in the second direction D2 is located inside of both ends (open ends 10e on both sides) of the flat tube 10 in the second direction D2.

This makes it possible to freely change the fluid flow path, so for example, when the heat transfer flow path Pa1 is folded up and down in accordance with the position of the fluid inlet and outlet, two rows of flat tubes 10 are arranged and the rows are passed. There is no need to provide a header.

Embodiment 2.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger 101b according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the heat exchanger 101b of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the connecting portion 19 surrounded by a square in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. In FIGS. 6 and 8, solid white arrows indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant when the heat exchanger 101b is used as a condenser. The heat exchanger 101b according to the second embodiment will be explained based on FIGS. 6 to 8. The heat exchanger 101b of the second embodiment is obtained by changing the configuration of the tube sealing part 20 in the heat exchanger 101 of the first embodiment. Note that components having the same functions and actions as those in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.

In the heat exchanger 101 of the first embodiment, the tube sealing portions 20 were provided at two locations on the upper side and the lower side of the flat tube 10 for each flat tube 10, but in the heat exchanger 101 of the second embodiment In 101b, tube sealing portions 120 common to the plurality of flat tubes 10 are provided at two locations on the upper side and the lower side of the plurality of flat tubes 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the tube sealing section 120 is configured of a substantially rectangular plate-like member that covers the open ends 1e of the plurality of flat tubes 10. The open ends 1e of the plurality of flat tubes 10 are fixed to the tube sealing part 120 at a constant pitch. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the tube sealing part 120 has a plurality of grooves 120r and a plane part 120p between the grooves 120r. In the tube sealing part 120, the grooves 120r are formed at a constant pitch Lr in the stacking direction (first direction D1) of the flat tubes 10, and are formed at a constant pitch Lr in the lateral direction of the flat tube 10 along the open end 1e of the flat tube 10. (third direction D3). The pitch Lr of the groove portions 120r in the tube sealing portion 120 and the tube pitch Lp of the flat tube 10 are the same. An end portion of the flat tube 10 including the open end 10e is arranged in each groove portion 120r of the tube sealing portion 120. The width of the groove portion 120r in the first direction D1 is approximately the same size as the thickness of the flat tube 10 in the first direction D1, and is the same or slightly wider.

In the lower tube sealing portion 120, the flat portion 120p other than the portion that closes the lower open end 10e of the flat tube 10 (that is, the groove portion 120r) is free from condensed water or frost generated in the flat tube 10, etc. A drainage hole 120h is formed for draining water such as melt water.

When the flat tubes 10 are stacked during the manufacture of the heat exchanger 101b, the longitudinal ends of each flat tube 10 are stacked with the opposing connecting protrusions 19a and 19b of adjacent flat tubes 10 engaged with each other. It is inserted into each groove 120r of the tube sealing part 120. Thereby, the plurality of flat tubes 10 are arranged at a constant tube pitch Lp in the first direction D1. Thereafter, each groove 120r of the tube sealing part 120 and the longitudinal end of each flat tube 10, and the connecting protrusion 19a and the connecting protrusion 19b of the adjacent flat tube 10 are bonded by brazing or adhesive. It is joined by a joining means such as. By fixing the open ends 1e of the plurality of flat tubes 10 to the tube sealing part 20 by the joining means, the strength of closing the open ends 1e of the longitudinal ends of the flat tubes 10 can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the configuration in which the positions of the plurality of flat tubes 10 in the stacking direction (first direction D1) are determined by the tube sealing part 120, when the flat tubes 10 are stacked, the tube walls 11 of adjacent flat tubes 10 In order to easily adjust the distance between the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b, it is preferable that the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b engage with each other more lightly than the configuration in which the connecting protrusions 19b are fitted into the connecting protrusions 19a.

An example of such a configuration will be described using FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the connecting protrusions 19b and 19a constituting the connecting part 19 in the adjacent flat tubes 10 each have a curved cylindrical shape so that the opening diameter is larger at the distal end than at the proximal end. The connecting protrusion 19b is formed at the periphery of the through hole h1b of the tube side wall 10b, and the connecting protrusion 19a is formed at the periphery of the through hole h1a of the tube side wall 10a. The through hole h1b is smaller than the through hole h1a. When the connecting protrusion 19b is inserted into the connecting protrusion 19a during stacking of the flat tubes 10, the tip of the connecting protrusion 19b is hooked on the inner surface of the connecting protrusion 19a.

As a result, compared to a configuration in which the connecting protrusions 19b and the connecting protrusions 19b constituting the connecting part 19 fit together, in the configuration in which they engage lightly, the contact area between the connecting protrusions 19b and the connecting protrusions 19b is reduced. Frictional force can be reduced. Therefore, when installing a plurality of flat tubes 10 in the tube sealing part 120, it becomes easy to adjust the distance between the tube walls 11 of adjacent flat tubes 10.

Similarly to the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b shown in FIG. 4, the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b in FIG. 8 are similar to the connecting protrusions 19a and 19b shown in FIG. It can be formed by raising it.

As described above, in addition to the structure of the heat exchanger 101 of the first embodiment, the heat exchanger 101b of the second embodiment is arranged at at least one end (open end 10e) of the plurality of flat tubes 10 in the second direction D2. and includes a plate-shaped tube sealing part 120 that covers one end of the heat transfer channel Pa1 of the plurality of flat tubes 10. One end (open end 1e) of the flat tube 10 is fixed to a groove 120r formed in the tube sealing part 120 at a constant pitch Lr. In addition, since the end of the flat tube 10 is inserted into the groove 120r in the above example, it is excellent in strength. Note that a convex portion (not shown) may be formed instead of the groove portion 120r as the uneven structure on the side of the tube sealing portion 120 that is coupled to the end portion of the flat tube 10. Each convex portion may be inserted into the end portion of the flat tube 10 using the tube sealing portion 120 in which convex portions are formed at a constant pitch Lr.

Thereby, the flat tubes 10 can be arranged at a constant tube pitch Lp by the tube sealing part 120 while ensuring a heat exchange area.

Embodiment 3.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a heat exchanger 101c according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 9, when the heat exchanger 101c is used as a condenser, the flow direction of the refrigerant is shown by a solid white arrow or a broken white arrow. Based on FIG. 9, a heat exchanger 101c according to the third embodiment will be described. The heat exchanger 101c of the third embodiment is the heat exchanger 101b of the second embodiment with heat transfer fins 50 added thereto. Note that components having the same functions and actions as those in Embodiment 2 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.

The heat exchanger 101c of Embodiment 3 uses the heat transfer fins 50, for example, in each gap between the plurality of flat tubes 10, that is, the air flow path P2, between the opposing tube side wall portions 10a and 10b of adjacent flat tubes 10. Equipped with corrugated fins to connect. In this case, the opposing tube side walls 10a, 10b of adjacent flat tubes 10 and the heat transfer fins 50 are brazed to each other. This promotes heat exchange between the refrigerant and air, and improves the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 101c.

Further, in the heat exchanger 101c of the third embodiment, like the heat exchanger 101 of the first embodiment, there is a high degree of freedom in designing the air flow path P2, so it is easy to add the heat transfer fins 50. Here, the pitch Lr of the groove portions 120r of the tube sealing portion 120 may be set according to the desired tube pitch Lp.

As described above, in the heat exchanger 101c of the third embodiment, the heat transfer area is increased by adding the heat transfer fins 50, and the heat exchange performance can be improved.

Embodiment 4.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger 101d according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 101d of FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 101d in FIG. 10 taken along plane B, viewed from above. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 101d in FIG. 10 taken along plane C, viewed from above. In FIGS. 10 to 12, solid white arrows indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant when the heat exchanger 101d is used as a condenser. In addition, in FIGS. 12 and 13, the direction of air flow is indicated by a dashed white arrow. A heat exchanger 101d according to the fourth embodiment will be explained based on FIGS. 10 to 13. The heat exchanger 101d of the fourth embodiment is the heat exchanger 101b of the second embodiment in which the positions of the first pipe a and the second pipe b are changed, and the refrigerant flow path is also changed with this change. Ru. Note that components having the same functions and actions as those in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the heat exchanger 101d of the fourth embodiment, the second pipe b is provided in the flat tube 110 disposed at one end in the stacking direction among the plurality of flat tubes 110, and A first pipe a is provided in a flat pipe 110 located at the end. Specifically, the first pipe a is provided at the bottom of the leftmost flat tube 110 and at the center in the front-rear direction, and the second pipe b is provided at the bottom of the right-most flat tube 110 and at the center in the front-rear direction. ing.

In the heat exchanger 101d, the first partition 30 (see FIG. 6 of the second embodiment) is not provided in the tube wall 111 of the flat tube 110. On the other hand, the heat exchanger 101d includes a second partition 40 that divides the header flow path P1b in the stacking direction (first direction D1) of the flat tubes 110, as shown in FIG. The second partition 40 blocks the refrigerant from flowing in the first direction D1 between adjacent heat transfer channels P1a. Specifically, it is provided in the connecting portion 119, the through hole h1a of the tube side wall 110a, the through hole h1b of the tube side wall 110b, etc.

In the example of FIG. 11, one second partition 40 is provided in the header flow path P1b connected to the first pipe a, and the header flow path P1b is connected to the left header flow path P1b1 connected to the first pipe a. and a right header flow path section P1b2. The second partition 40 is provided so as to be visible from the outside between the connecting projection 119b of the left flat tube 110 and the connecting projection 119a of the right flat tube 110. That is, at the position where the second partition 40 is provided, the respective tips of the connecting protrusion 119a and the connecting protrusion 119b are joined to the second partition 40.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the refrigerant flow path of the heat exchanger 101d is provided in parallel with the plurality of heat transfer paths P1a at the lower and upper portions of the heat exchanger 101d at the center in the front-rear direction. The header flow path P1b and the header flow path P1d are configured. The header passage P1b is composed of hollow parts Sg of a plurality of connecting parts 119 provided at the lower part of the heat exchanger 101d, and the header passage P1d is composed of a plurality of connecting parts provided at the upper part of the heat exchanger 101d. 117 hollow parts (not shown), etc. The left end of the lower header flow path P1b is connected to the first pipe a, and the right end of the lower header flow path P1b is connected to the second pipe b.

Similarly to the lower connecting part 119, the upper connecting part 117 also connects from the peripheral edge of the through hole h2a or h2b in at least one of the opposing tube side walls 110a and 110b of the adjacent flat tubes 110. , a connecting protrusion 117a or 117b extending toward the opposing tube side wall 110b or 110a.

In the heat exchanger 101d, since the first partition 30 (see FIG. 6 of the second embodiment) is not provided in the tube wall 111 of the flat tube 110, the inner space of the tube wall 111 is divided into one I-shaped space. This is a heat transfer channel P1a.

The second partition 40 is provided between the tube walls 111 of at least one set of adjacent flat tubes 110 among the plurality of flat tubes 110 in the lower header flow path P1b. That is, a plurality of second partitions 40 may be provided in the lower header flow path P1b. In this case, by providing one or more second partitions 40 also in the upper header flow path P1d, a meandering refrigerant flow path can be formed.

Next, an example of the operation of the heat exchanger 101d when the heat exchanger 101d is used as a condenser will be described using FIGS. 2 and 10 to 13. As shown in FIG. 10, a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger 101d from the first pipe a. As shown in FIG. 11, in the heat exchanger 101d, the high temperature and high pressure gaseous refrigerant first flows into the left header flow path portion P1b1 of the header flow path P1b passing through the lower part of the plurality of flat tubes 110, The water flows through this header flow path portion P1b1 from left to right. In the process, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is distributed and flows into the heat transfer passages P1a provided in the tube walls 111 of the leftmost flat tubes 110 among the plurality of flat tubes 110. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant that has flowed into each of the heat transfer passages P1a of the several flat tubes 110 on the left flows upward through the internal space of the tube wall 111, and then passes through the header, passing through the upper portions of the plurality of flat tubes 110. After merging in the flow path P1d (see FIG. 12), in the process of flowing to the right through the header flow path P1d, the heat is distributed and flows into each of the heat transfer flow paths P1a of the right-side flat tubes 110 among the plurality of flat tubes 110. , flows downward. As shown in FIG. 13, when flowing upward through each heat transfer passage P1a of some flat tubes 110 on the left side, and downward through each heat transfer passage P1a of several flat tubes 110 on the right side, The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant exchanges heat with the air flowing through the gap between the tube walls 111 of the flat tubes 110 (that is, the air flow path P2) via the tube walls 111, and radiates heat to the air and condenses. It becomes a high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. As shown in FIG. 11, the high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant from each of the heat transfer passages P1a of the several flat tubes 110 on the right is then transferred to the right header passage P1b2 in the header passage P1b. They flow in, merge in this header flow path portion P1b2, and flow out from the second pipe b to the outside of the heat exchanger 101d (for example, to the expansion valve 105 of the refrigerant circuit 100c shown in FIG. 2).

As described above, the heat exchanger 101d according to the fourth embodiment is provided between the tube walls 111 of at least one set of adjacent flat tubes 110 among the plurality of flat tubes 110, and the heat transfer flow through the connecting portion 119 is A second partition 40 is provided to block the flow of the fluid between the channels.

As a result, the header flow path P1b can be partitioned in a simple manner, and by providing the second partition 40 in the connecting portion 119, the airtightness of the second partition 40 can be checked from the outside. I can do it.

Embodiment 5.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a heat exchanger 101e according to the fifth embodiment. In FIG. 14, when the heat exchanger 101e is used as a condenser, the flow direction of the refrigerant is shown by a solid white arrow or a broken white arrow. Based on FIG. 14, a heat exchanger 101e according to Embodiment 5 will be described. Embodiment 5 is an embodiment in which the first partition 30 of Embodiment 1 is added to the heat exchanger 101d of Embodiment 4 in which the second partition 40 is provided. Note that components having the same functions and operations as those in Embodiment 4 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 14, in the heat exchanger 101e of the fifth embodiment, the second pipe b is provided in the flat tube 210 disposed at one end in the stacking direction among the plurality of flat tubes 210; A first pipe a is provided in a flat tube 210 located at the end. Specifically, the first pipe a is provided below and in front of the leftmost flat tube 210, and the second pipe b is provided below and in front of the rightmost flat tube 210.

In the example of FIG. 14, the refrigerant flow path of the heat exchanger 101e includes a plurality of heat transfer paths P1a, and a header flow path P1b and a header flow path P1c provided in parallel in the lower part of the heat exchanger 101e. , is composed of. The header flow path P1b is composed of hollow portions Sg (see FIG. 4) of a plurality of connecting portions 219 provided on the front side in the lower part of the heat exchanger 101e. Further, the header flow path P1c is constituted by a plurality of hollow portions (not shown) of the connecting portions 18 (see FIG. 3) provided on the rear side in the lower part of the heat exchanger 101e. The left end of the front header flow path P1b is connected to the first pipe a, and the right end is connected to the second pipe b.

In the heat exchanger 101e, the first partition 30 is provided in the tube wall 211 of each flat tube 210, as in the case of the first embodiment, and the refrigerant is distributed in the front-back direction in the upper part of the internal space of the tube wall 211. A circulating return channel P1at is formed. That is, the refrigerant heat transfer channel P1a has an inverted U-shape including a folded channel P1at.

The front header flow path P1b is divided into a left header flow path P1b1 connected to the first pipe a and a right header flow path P1b2 connected to the second pipe b by the second partition 40. It is divided.

Next, an example of the operation of the heat exchanger 101e when the heat exchanger 101e is used as a condenser will be described using FIG. 14. A high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger 101e from the first pipe a. In the heat exchanger 101e, the high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant first flows into the left header flow path P1b1 of the front header flow path P1b, and in the process of flowing through this header flow path P1b1 from left to right, a plurality of The heat is distributed and flows into each of the heat transfer channels P1a of some of the flat tubes 210 on the left side. The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant that has flowed into each of the heat transfer channels P1a of the several flat tubes 210 on the left side flows upward, backward, and downward in the internal space of the tube wall 211, and then flows through the header channel on the rear side. After merging at P1d, in the process of flowing to the right through this header flow path P1d, the heat transfer flow paths P1a of the right side of the plurality of flat tubes 210 are distributed and flowed, and the heat transfer flows upward, forward, and downward. flows in this order. When flowing through each heat transfer passage P1a of some flat tubes 210 on the left side and when flowing through each heat transfer passage P1a of some flat tubes 210 on the right side, a high temperature and high pressure gaseous refrigerant flows through flat tubes 210. By exchanging heat with the air flowing through the gap between the tube walls 211 (that is, the air flow path P2) through the tube walls 211, the heat is radiated to the air and condensed, and the refrigerant becomes a high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. Become. Thereafter, the high-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant from each heat transfer passage P1a of the several flat tubes 210 on the right flows into the right header passage P1b2 of the front header passage P1b, and this header flow They join together at the passage P1b2 and flow out from the second pipe b to the outside of the heat exchanger 101e (for example, to the expansion valve 105 of the refrigerant circuit 100c shown in FIG. 2).

Embodiment 6.
FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration of the position regulating portion 315 of the flat tube 310 of the heat exchanger 101f according to the sixth embodiment. Based on FIG. 15, a heat exchanger 101f according to Embodiment 6 will be described. The heat exchanger 101f is obtained by changing the shape of the flat tube 10 of the heat exchanger 101 according to the first embodiment. The heat exchanger 101f of the sixth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a position regulating portion 315 that regulates the distance between the tube walls 311 of adjacent flat tubes 310. Note that components having the same functions and actions as those in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted.

Adjacent flat tubes 310 have position regulating portions 315 for making the distance between tube walls 311 constant. Each flat tube 310 has a tube wall 311 and connection protrusions 319a and 319b that constitute a connection portion 319 and extend outward from the tube wall 311 in the first direction D1. . Further, in the sixth embodiment, each flat tube 310 has position regulating protrusions 315a and 315b extending outward from the tube wall 311 in the first direction D1, which constitute the position regulating section 315.

Specifically, of the substantially flat tube side walls 310a and 310b facing each other in the first direction D1 in the tube wall 311, the tube side wall 310a is provided with a position regulating protrusion 315a, and the tube side wall 310b is provided with a position regulating protrusion. A section 315b is provided. Then, the distance between the tube walls 311 is regulated by the position regulating protrusions 315a and 315b provided on each of the adjacent flat tubes 310 coming into contact with each other. That is, the position regulating portion 315 is a spacer provided on the tube wall 311 of the flat tube 310.

Each position regulating projection 315a, 315b has, for example, a rectangular frame shape when the heat exchanger 101f is viewed from the front. Note that the shape of each position regulating protrusion 315a, 315b is not limited to the above shape, and may be, for example, a trapezoidal or triangular frame shape. By providing the position regulating protrusions 315a and 315b, the heat transfer area in the heat exchanger 101f is expanded and the heat exchange performance is improved. Here, the reason why each position regulating protrusion 315a, 315b is formed into a frame shape is to reduce ventilation resistance.

In the example of FIG. 15, the position regulating portion 315 is configured by position regulating protrusions 315a and 315b provided on each of the adjacent flat tubes 310, but is not particularly limited to this configuration. The position regulating portion 315 may be constituted by one position regulating protrusion provided on one (the tube side wall portion 310a or 310b) of the opposing tube side wall portions 310a and 310b in the adjacent flat tubes 310. In this case, the position regulating protrusion provided on the flat tube 310 comes into contact with the tube wall 311 of the adjacent flat tube 310.

As shown in FIG. 15, the position regulating protrusions 315a, 315b can be provided integrally with the flat tube 310. Specifically, it is formed by a part of the member that constitutes the flat tube 310. For example, when the flat tube 310 is made from a plate-shaped member, at the same time as forming the through hole h1a etc., the flat tube 310 is molded from a material that includes a blank area in addition to the portion that will become the tube wall 311, and the blank area is The position regulating protrusions 315a, 315b may be formed by making a cut in a part and bending it.

Note that the position regulating protrusions 315a and 315b may be formed of a member different from the flat tube 310.

As described above, in the heat exchanger 101f of the sixth embodiment, at least one of the opposing tube side walls 310a and 310b of the adjacent flat tubes 310 has a position regulating protrusion 315a that regulates the distance between the tube walls 311. , 315b are provided. Thereby, the heat transfer area can be expanded, and the distance between the tube walls 311 of adjacent flat tubes 310 can be defined.

Although the embodiments have been described, the present disclosure is not limited only to the embodiments described above. For example, each embodiment may be combined. In the third embodiment, a case has been described in which the heat transfer fins 50 are applied to the heat exchanger 101b of the second embodiment. However, the heat transfer fins 50 of the third embodiment It may be applied to the heat exchanger 101 of No. 6. In addition, when the heat exchanger 101f of Embodiment 6 is provided with the heat transfer fins 50, the heat transfer fins 50 are arranged in a part other than the connecting part 319 and the position regulating part 315 in the air flow path P2. .

1e open end, 10 flat tube, 10a tube side wall, 10b tube side wall, 10c connection wall, 10d connection wall, 10e open end, 11 tube wall, 18 connection, 19 connection, 19a connection protrusion, 19b Connection protrusion, 20 Pipe sealing part, 30 First partition, 30e Upper end, 40 Second partition, 50 Heat transfer fin, 100 Air conditioner, 100A Outdoor unit, 100B Indoor unit, 100c Refrigerant circuit, 101 Heat exchange 101b Heat exchanger, 101c Heat exchanger, 101d Heat exchanger, 101e Heat exchanger, 101f Heat exchanger, 102 Compressor, 103 Four-way valve, 104 Indoor heat exchanger, 105 Expansion valve, 106 Indoor fan, 107 outdoor fan, 110 flat tube, 110a tube side wall, 110b tube side wall, 111 tube wall, 117 connecting portion, 117a connecting projection, 117b connecting projection, 119 connecting portion, 119a connecting projection, 119b connecting projection, 120 Pipe sealing part, 120h drainage hole, 120p plane part, 120r groove part, 210 flat pipe, 211 pipe wall, 219 connecting part, 310 flat pipe, 310a pipe side wall part, 310b pipe side wall part, 311 pipe wall, 315 position regulating part , 315a position regulating projection, 315b position regulating projection, 319 connecting portion, 319a connecting projection, 319b connecting projection, Ax tube axis, B plane, C plane, D1 first direction, D2 second direction, D3 third Direction, Dia inner diameter, Dob outer diameter, L pipe pitch, Lp pipe pitch, Lr pitch, P1a heat transfer channel, P1at turning channel, P1b header channel, P1b1 header channel, P1b2 header channel, P1c header flow passage, P1d header passage, P2 passage, Pa1 heat transfer passage, Sg hollow part, a first piping, b second piping, h1a through hole, h1b through hole, h2a through hole.

Claims (7)

A plurality of flat tubes are arranged in a first direction and each extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the flat tube has a tube wall provided with a heat transfer channel through which a fluid flows in an internal space. A heat exchanger having
a plate-shaped tube sealing portion disposed at at least one end of the plurality of flat tubes in the second direction and covering one end of the heat transfer flow path of the plurality of flat tubes;
The one end of the flat tube is fixed to the tube sealing part at a constant pitch,
The tube wall has flat tube side wall portions facing each other in the first direction, and a through hole is formed in the tube side wall portion,
The adjacent flat tubes have connecting portions that connect the tube walls and communicate the heat transfer channels inside the tube walls,
The connecting portion is constituted by a connecting protrusion that is formed on at least one of the opposing tube side wall portions of the adjacent flat tubes and that protrudes from the peripheral edge of the through hole in the first direction . ,
Heat exchanger. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is constituted by the connecting protrusion portions formed on both opposing tube side wall portions of the adjacent flat tubes. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the connecting protrusions formed on both of the opposing tube side wall portions of the adjacent flat tubes at least partially overlap in the first direction. The flat tube is arranged in the internal space of the tube wall, and includes a first partition extending in the second direction and dividing the internal space into a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, respectively. has
The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein at least one end of the first partition in the second direction is located inside both ends of the flat tube in the second direction. A second partition is provided between the tube walls of at least one set of adjacent flat tubes among the plurality of flat tubes and blocks the flow of the fluid between the heat transfer channels via the connecting portion. The heat exchanger according to item 1. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the opposing tube side walls of the adjacent flat tubes is provided with a position regulating protrusion that regulates a distance between the tube walls. A refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 6, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger are connected via refrigerant piping, and in which the fluid circulates. Air conditioner.

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