JP7480942B2 - Indoor heat exchanger - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an indoor heat exchange device that heats and/or cools the indoor space of a building through heat exchange, and in particular to an indoor heat exchange device that uses a heat pipe.

Conventionally, as this type of indoor heat exchange device, for example, the one described in Patent Publication No. 4869780 (Patent Document 1) is known. As shown in FIG. 30, this indoor heat exchange device Ka has a main body 200 installed in an indoor space E formed by a floor wall Ea, a side wall Eb, and a ceiling wall Ec. This main body 200 is configured with a plurality of heat pipes 201 capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space E by the heat of a heat source fluid supplied from a heat source fluid supply machine (not shown), and a support means 202 that supports these heat pipes 201 in a vertical line at a predetermined interval with their axes horizontal. The heat pipes 201 are configured with a metal outer tube that seals a heat exchange medium to be vaporized or liquefied, and an inner tube that is installed in the outer tube and is supplied with a heat source fluid and vaporizes or liquefies the heat exchange medium by the heat of the heat source fluid.

The support means 202 includes a pair of supports 203 that support the heat pipes 201. The supports 203 are formed in the shape of columns that are erected between the floor wall Ea and the ceiling wall Ec of the room, and are configured with a number of through holes (not shown) that are formed at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction and through which each heat pipe 201 is inserted and supported.

When heating the room, the heat source fluid supply machine supplies heated heat source fluid to the inner tube of the heat pipe 201. In the heat pipe 201, the heat exchange medium evaporates and heat is released from the outer tube of the heat pipe 201, thereby heating the room. On the other hand, when cooling the room, the heat source fluid supply machine supplies cooled heat source fluid to the inner tube of the heat pipe 201. In the heat pipe 201, the heat exchange medium condenses and heat is absorbed from the outer tube of the heat pipe 201, thereby cooling the room. In addition, the number of heat pipes 201 is determined in this device taking into consideration the size of the heating and cooling output, the interior design, etc.

Patent No. 4869780

In the conventional indoor heat exchange device Ka, the number of heat pipes 201 is determined taking into consideration the cooling and heating output and the interior design. In this case, the support 203 of the support means 202 is formed in a columnar shape and installed between the floor wall Ea and the ceiling wall Ec. Therefore, the support 203 is present even in the area where the heat pipes 201 are not installed. In other words, the support 203 is largely exposed between the lowest heat pipe 201(a) and the floor wall Ea, and between the highest heat pipe 201(b) and the ceiling wall Ec. This narrows the indoor space E and impairs the appearance quality.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide an indoor heat exchange device that minimizes the presence of components in spaces where no heat pipes are present, thereby enabling the indoor space to be expanded and improving the appearance quality.

In order to achieve the above object, the indoor heat exchanger of the present invention comprises a main body provided in an indoor space formed by a floor wall, a side wall, and a ceiling wall, the main body being provided with a heat pipe capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space by heat of a heat source fluid supplied from a heat source fluid supplying machine, and a support means for supporting the heat pipe with its axis horizontal,
The heat pipe is arranged vertically in a single or multiple rows at a predetermined interval, and the support means is configured to support the heat pipe and to be attached to the side wall and/or the ceiling wall,
The outer diameter of the heat pipe is D, the vertical distance between the upper end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the upper end is La, and the vertical distance between the lower end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end is Lb, the configuration is set so that 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D.
Here, the main body is the part supported by the support means and exposed to the indoor space, and the pipes and pipe covers that run from the heat source fluid supply device to the heat pipe are not included in the main body even though they are exposed indoors.

When the device is installed indoors, the heat pipes are supported by the support means, which supports one or more heat pipes arranged vertically at a predetermined interval, and the support means is attached to the side wall and/or ceiling wall. Then, the main body is constructed by attaching necessary members to the heat pipes and support means as necessary.
In this state, the distance La between the upper end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe held nearby is set to 0.5D≦La≦3D, and the distance Lb between the lower end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe held nearby is set to 0.5D≦Lb≦3D, so that almost no unnecessary parts are exposed above or below the main body, and therefore the upper and lower sides of the main body are neat and tidy, ensuring a large indoor space and improving the appearance quality of the device.Within this range, there is no problem in installing the main body with its lower end in contact with the floor wall, or its upper end in contact with the ceiling wall, or also with its lower end in contact with the floor wall and its upper end in contact with the ceiling wall.

When this device is operated, the heat source fluid is supplied from the heat source fluid supply machine to the heat pipe, and heat is dissipated in the heat pipe to heat the room, or heat is absorbed in the heat pipe to cool the room.

If necessary, the support means is configured to include a support plate that is used in a plurality of positions at required intervals along the axial direction of the heat pipe to support the heat pipe, the support plate is configured to include a support surface portion having a surface perpendicular to the axis of the heat pipe, and an attachment portion that is connected to the support surface portion and is used to attach to the side wall, and the support surface portion of the support plate is configured to include holding openings that correspond to the number of heat pipes provided in the vertical direction and through which the heat pipes are inserted and held.

When mounting the heat pipes on the support plate, for example, first, multiple support plates are attached to the side wall via the mounting parts at a specified interval, and then the heat pipes are inserted into the holding openings on the support surface of the support plate and supported on the support plate. In this case, the support surface of the support plate has holding openings in the number corresponding to the number of heat pipes provided in the vertical direction, so that the support plate itself has less excess protruding upward and downward, making it less likely that unnecessary parts will be exposed above and below the main body.

If necessary, the heat pipe is provided with a circumferential groove formed on both ends thereof, the circumferential groove having a width slightly larger than the plate thickness of the support surface of the support plate, and a bottom surface formed on a circumferential surface having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery and centered on the axis line,
The retaining opening in the support surface portion of the support plate is configured to include a large-diameter insertion portion that is formed slightly larger than the outer periphery of the heat pipe and through which the heat pipe is inserted, a retaining portion that is smaller in diameter than the insertion portion and into which the bottom surface of the circumferential groove fits, and a communicating portion that connects the insertion portion and the retaining portion.

When mounting a heat pipe on a support plate, for example, first, multiple support plates are attached to the side wall at a predetermined interval via the mounting parts, and then the heat pipe is inserted into the holding opening of the support surface part and supported on the support plate. In this case, first, the heat pipe is inserted into the insertion part of the holding opening, then the circumferential groove is moved to a position corresponding to the holding part through the communication part, and then the circumferential groove is inserted into the holding part. This causes the bottom surface of the circumferential groove to fit into the holding part. Since the heat pipe is first inserted into the large-diameter insertion part of the holding opening, insertion can be performed easily. When the heat pipe is supported on the support plate, the circumferential groove fits into the holding part, and the side surface constituting the circumferential groove abuts against the opening edge of the holding part, restricting the axial movement of the heat pipe, and the heat pipe can be securely held.

In this case, when a plurality of the holding openings are formed on the support surface of the support plate to support a plurality of the heat pipes, it is effective to form at least the uppermost holding opening with the holding portion on top and the insertion portion on the bottom. This makes it possible to minimize the amount of excess part that protrudes above the support plate itself, and therefore makes it difficult to expose unnecessary parts above and below the main body. Also, for example, when the main body is installed close to the ceiling wall, the holding portion of the uppermost holding opening is above the insertion portion, so the heat pipes can be installed as close to the ceiling wall as possible. This makes it possible to improve the heat exchange efficiency on the ceiling wall side by the heat pipes.

Furthermore, if necessary, the holding opening of the support surface portion of the support plate is configured to have an opening at one side edge of the support surface portion through which the heat pipe can be inserted, and a support portion at the other side edge that supports and holds the heat pipe.
As a result, when mounting the heat pipes on the support plates, for example, first, multiple support plates are attached to the side walls at a predetermined interval via the mounting parts, and then the heat pipes are inserted into the holding openings of the support surface parts and supported on the support plates. In this case, when the heat pipes are pushed into the holding openings in a direction perpendicular to their axis, the heat pipes reach the support parts and are supported and supported by them. This makes the work easier than when the heat pipes are moved axially to be inserted, and thus improves the workability of the installation.

In this case, it is effective to provide the opening of the holding opening above the support portion and to tilt the holding opening upward. By tilting the holding opening upward, it is possible to prevent the held heat pipe from easily slipping out of the holding opening, and the heat pipe can be held securely.

In this case, the heat pipe is configured to have a circumferential groove recessed at both ends, the groove having a width slightly larger than the plate thickness of the support surface of the support plate, and a bottom surface formed on a circumferential surface having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery, the bottom surface being centered on the axis line,
It is effective to form the holding opening in a size such that the outer periphery of the heat pipe cannot be inserted therethrough but the bottom surface of the circumferential groove of the heat pipe can be inserted therethrough.
As a result, when attaching the heat pipe to the support plate, the circumferential groove of the heat pipe is inserted into the opening of the holding opening, so that the bottom surface of the circumferential groove fits into the support part. As the circumferential groove fits into the support part and the side surfaces that make up the circumferential groove abut against the edge of the support part, the movement of the heat pipe in the axial direction is restricted, so the heat pipe can be held securely.

If necessary, the support means is configured with a fixed plate that is fixed to the side wall and to which the mounting portion of the support plate is attached. By providing a fixed plate, the support plate is supported reliably, and as a result, the support of the heat pipe can be stabilized.

Furthermore, if necessary, when a plurality of the heat pipes are supported in a vertical row at a predetermined interval,
The heat pipes are connected to each other via a heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger is connected to a heat exchanger via a heat pipe.

In this case, it is effective to configure the plate-like body with a plate-like body main body and a band-shaped contact plate having an arcuate surface that is provided along the upper and lower edges of the plate-like body and contacts the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe centered on the axis of the heat pipe. The plate-like body can be installed between the heat pipes by sliding the contact plate along the arcuate surface, making assembly easy.

If necessary, a metal heat dissipator is provided on the heat pipe, and the heat dissipator is configured to include a heat dissipation board having an outer surface and an inner surface along the axial direction of the heat pipe, and a fitting recess provided on the inner surface of the heat dissipation board into which the heat pipe is moved relatively in a direction perpendicular to the axis. This allows the heat dissipator to be attached simply by fitting the fitting recess of the heat dissipator onto the heat pipe, improving installation workability. Also, because the heat dissipator is made of metal, it functions as a heat dissipation plate or heat absorption plate, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

If necessary, a gutter member that constitutes the main body and that catches condensation water that forms on the outer surface of the heat pipe and flows down is provided below the heat pipe that is supported immediately adjacent to the lower end of the main body. As a result, condensation may form on the heat pipe due to the cooling of the heat pipe or the surrounding environment, and this condensation water may flow down, but since the gutter can catch this condensation water, it can be easily discharged.

In this case, it is effective to configure the gutter member with a gutter body that extends along the axis of the heat pipe and has a cup-shaped cross section to receive the condensed water, and a guide that is connected to the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end of the body and guides the flowing condensed water into the gutter body. The guide guides the flowing condensed water into the gutter body, so the condensed water can be reliably discharged.

Furthermore, if necessary, the main body is configured to include a cover that covers all or part of the heat pipe and the support means. By covering all or part of the heat pipe and the support means with the cover, the device can be protected and the appearance quality can be improved. Of course, the cover may also be used to cover the exposed tubes that are connected to the heat pipe.

If necessary, the support means may be configured to include a suspension support for suspending and supporting the heat pipes from the ceiling wall in a number corresponding to the number of the heat pipes provided in the vertical direction,
The hanging support is configured to include a first metal holder that holds one of the outer peripheral surfaces of the heat pipe, separated by an imaginary plane that passes through the axis of the heat pipe and is parallel to the axis, a second metal holder that holds the other outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe, separated by the imaginary plane, and is capable of clamping the heat pipe together with the first holder, and a mounting member that mounts the first holder and the other holder to the ceiling wall.

Here, the first holder, the second holder, and the mounting member may be separate or integrated, and may be modified as appropriate. Also, the first holder and the second holder may hold a single heat pipe, or several heat pipes may be grouped together, and may be modified as appropriate. The length of the plate along the axial direction of the heat pipe and the length of the recess in the fitting portion may be determined as appropriate.

When installing this device indoors, the hanging support is installed on the ceiling wall and the heat pipe is held on this hanging support. This hanging support is installed by attaching one holder and the other holder to the ceiling wall via an attachment member. The heat pipe is then provided between the one holder and the other holder of the hanging support. As a result, one of the outer peripheral surfaces of the heat pipe is held by the one holder and the other outer peripheral surface is held by the other holder, and the heat pipe is sandwiched between the one holder and the other holder. In this state, the main body is hung from the ceiling wall, but almost no unnecessary parts are exposed above or below the main body, so the upper and lower sides of the main body are neat, especially the lower side, ensuring a large indoor space and improving the appearance quality of the device.

In this case, it is effective to form the first and second holding bodies in the same shape, and to provide a plate body having an outer surface and an inner surface along the axial direction of the heat pipe, and a fitting recess on the inner surface side of the plate body into which the outer peripheral surface side of the heat pipe fits. The fitting recesses are provided according to the number of heat pipes, but for example, when holding two pipes, at least two fitting recesses are provided on the top and bottom of one plate body. Since the heat pipes are held in the fitting recesses, they are held securely. In addition, since the plate body functions as a heat dissipation plate or a heat absorption plate, the heat exchange efficiency can be further improved.

If necessary, the suspension support is configured with a connecting holder connected to the one holder and the other holder, and the connecting holder is configured with a metal one connecting holder that holds one of the outer peripheral surfaces of the heat pipe, which is bounded by an imaginary plane that passes through the axis of the heat pipe and is parallel to the axis, and a metal other connecting holder that holds the other outer peripheral surface of the imaginary plane and can clamp the heat pipe together with the one connecting holder. This allows the connecting holders to be connected in accordance with the number of heat pipes. Therefore, multiple heat pipes can be suspended vertically, which increases the number of heat pipes and increases output.

In this case, it is effective to form the first connecting holder and the second connecting holder in the same shape, and to provide a plate having an outer surface and an inner surface along the axial direction of the heat pipe, and a fitting recess on the inner surface side of the plate into which the outer surface side of the heat pipe fits. The fitting recesses are provided according to the number of heat pipes, but when holding two pipes, for example, at least two fitting recesses are provided above and below on one plate. The heat pipes are held in the fitting recesses, so they are held securely. In addition, the plate functions as a heat dissipation plate or a heat absorption plate, so the heat exchange efficiency can be further improved.

If necessary, a gutter member that constitutes the main body and that catches condensation water that forms on the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe and flows down is provided at the lower edge of the hanging support. Condensation may form on the heat pipe and flow down due to the cooling of the heat pipe or the surrounding environment, but since this condensation water can be caught by the gutter member, it can be easily discharged.

If necessary, the heat pipe may be configured to include an outer metal tube in which a heat exchange medium to be vaporized or liquefied is sealed, and an inner tube provided within the outer tube and supplied with a heat source fluid, for vaporizing or liquefying the heat exchange medium by the heat of the heat source fluid,
The heat source fluid supply machine is configured to include a storage tank for storing heat source fluid, a Peltier heat source device attached to the storage tank for cooling or heating the heat source fluid, a delivery pipe connected to the storage tank for delivering the heat source fluid to the heat pipe side, a return pipe connected to the storage tank for returning the heat source fluid from the heat pipe side, and a pump installed in either the delivery pipe or the return pipe for circulating the heat source fluid.

As a result, the heat pipe is configured to include a metal outer tube in which a heat exchange medium to be vaporized or liquefied is sealed, and an inner tube that is provided inside the outer tube and to which a heat source fluid is supplied to vaporize or liquefy the heat exchange medium using the heat of the heat source fluid. Heat exchange is performed using the latent heat due to the heat of condensation or vaporization of the heat exchange medium, so the amount of heat source fluid supplied to the inner tube can be reduced. Therefore, in the heat source fluid supplying machine, the heat source fluid can be easily cooled and heated by the Peltier heat source device, and can also be easily transported by a pump. The Peltier heat source device can be operated with low power, and the pump can also be made smaller, so power consumption can be reduced. The entire heat source fluid supplying machine can also be made smaller.

As described above, with the indoor heat exchange device of the present invention, when the main body is attached to a side wall and/or ceiling wall, the vertical distance La between the upper end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe held in close proximity is set to 0.5D≦La≦3D, and the vertical distance Lb between the lower end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe held in close proximity is set to 0.5D≦Lb≦3D, so that almost no unnecessary parts are exposed above or below the main body, and therefore the upper and lower sides of the main body are neat, a large indoor space is secured, and the external appearance quality of the device can be improved.

1 is a partially exploded perspective view showing an indoor heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention together with an installation state of a main body thereof; 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 1A and 1B show a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan sectional view and FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a support plate of a support means in the indoor heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a plate-shaped body in an indoor heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a gutter member in the indoor heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a front view showing a process of supporting a heat pipe on a support plate of a support means in the indoor heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5A to 5C are side views showing a process for supporting a heat pipe on a support plate of a support means in the indoor heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a side view showing a process of attaching a plate-shaped body to a heat pipe in the indoor heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1A and 1B show a heat pipe for use in an indoor heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a partial front cross-sectional view, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a heat-source fluid supplying machine in an indoor heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention together with its installed state. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention together with its installed state. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention together with its installed state. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a heat dissipator in an indoor heat exchanger according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a state in which a heat dissipator is attached to a heat pipe in an indoor heat exchanger according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 13A and 13B are front and side views showing a state in which heat pipes are supported on a support plate of a support means in an indoor heat exchanger according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a support plate of a support means in an indoor heat exchanger according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a side view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a side view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention together with its installed state. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view showing a suspension support of the support means and a gutter member attached thereto in an indoor heat exchanger according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view showing the main body of an indoor heat exchanger according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention together with its installed state. FIG. 23 is a side cross-sectional view showing modified examples of one holder and the other holder of the suspension support, together with the installation state of the main body using the modified examples, in the indoor heat exchanger according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. This is a side cross-sectional view showing a connecting holder connected to one holder and the other holder of the hanging support, together with the installation state of the main body using this, in an indoor heat exchanger according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a body of a conventional indoor heat exchanger together with its installed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an indoor heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 to 12 show an indoor heat exchanger K according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The basic structure of the indoor heat exchanger K according to this embodiment includes a main body B provided in an indoor space E formed by a floor wall Ea (FIG. 14), a side wall Eb, and a ceiling wall Ec, as shown in FIG. 1. The main body B includes a heat pipe H capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space E by the heat of a heat source fluid F supplied from a heat source fluid supplying device 50, and a support means S for supporting the heat pipe H with its axis P horizontal. Here, the main body B is a part supported by the support means S and exposed to the indoor space E, and the pipes and pipe covers piping from the heat source fluid supplying device 50 to the heat pipe H are not included in the main body B even if they are exposed to the room.

As shown in FIG. 11, the heat pipe H is configured with an outer tube 1 made of a metal such as aluminum and having a circular cross section, which seals in the heat exchange medium W to be vaporized or liquefied, and an inner tube 2 made of a metal such as aluminum and having a circular cross section, which is provided inside the outer tube 1 and into which a heat source fluid F is supplied from a heat source fluid supply device 50 described below, and which vaporizes or liquefies the heat exchange medium W by the heat of the heat source fluid F. The inner tube 2 is disposed eccentrically with respect to the outer tube 1 with its axis parallel to that of the outer tube 1, so that the heat pipe H has an eccentric double tube configuration. Reference numeral 3 denotes an inlet portion provided at one end of the inner tube 2, and 4 denotes an outlet portion provided at the other end of the inner tube 2.

The heat exchange medium W filled in the outer tube 1 may be any medium that can be easily vaporized or liquefied, and water may be used. Here, the inside of the outer tube 1 is reduced in pressure from normal pressure to lower the boiling point of water, allowing it to be vaporized at a low temperature. The heat source fluid F supplied to the inner tube 2 may be any fluid that can supply the heat exchange medium W at the desired temperature, and may be cold water, hot water, or steam. That is, the inner tube 2 is configured as a heat absorption inner tube or a heat supply inner tube depending on the temperature of the heat source fluid F. Note that the inner tube 2 may be provided with two systems, a heat absorption inner tube dedicated to cooling and a heat supply inner tube dedicated to heating. The outer tube 1 has an outer diameter D of, for example, 40 mm to 100 mm. The inner tube 2 has an outer diameter of, for example, 5 mm to 15 mm. The lengths of these are set to, for example, 500 mm to 6000 mm.

The heat pipe H is also configured with a circumferential groove 5 at both ends, recessed into the outer tube 1, with a width slightly larger than the plate thickness of the support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 described below, and with the bottom surface formed on a circumferential surface with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer circumference and centered on the axis P.

The heat pipes H are arranged in a vertical line with one or more at a predetermined interval. Multiple groups of vertical lines may also be arranged side by side. The inner tubes 2 of the multiple heat pipes H may be connected in series with a connecting tube, or all of them may be connected in parallel, or some may be connected in series and the series groups may be connected in parallel, or any other suitable connection may be used. In this embodiment, two heat pipes H are provided, arranged in a vertical line with a predetermined interval, and the inner tubes 2 are connected in series.

The support means S is configured to support these heat pipes H and to be attached to the side wall Eb and/or the ceiling wall Ec. In this embodiment, it is configured to be attached to the side wall Eb. In detail, the support means S is configured to include a support plate 10 that is used in a plurality (two in this embodiment) at required intervals along the axial direction of the heat pipes H and supports the heat pipes H with the plurality (two). The support plate 10 is configured to include a support surface portion 11 having a surface perpendicular to the axis P of the heat pipes H, and an attachment portion 12 that is connected to the support surface portion 11 and is attached to the side wall Eb. The support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 is provided with a number of holding openings 13 that correspond to the number of heat pipes H provided in the vertical direction, and through which the heat pipes H are inserted and held. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the support means S is configured to include a fixing plate 14 that is fixed to the side wall Eb and to which the attachment portion 12 of the support plate 10 is attached. This fixed plate 14 is attached to the side wall Eb at a position close to the ceiling wall Ec.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the holding opening 13 of the support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 is configured with a large-diameter insertion portion 15 that is formed slightly larger than the outer circumference of the heat pipe H and through which the heat pipe H is inserted, a holding portion 16 that is smaller in diameter than the insertion portion 15 and into which the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 5 fits, and a communication portion 17 through which the insertion portion 15 and the holding portion 16 communicate. The topmost holding opening 13 has the holding portion 16 formed on the top and the insertion portion 15 formed on the bottom. The holding openings 13 below the topmost one have the holding portion 16 formed on the bottom and the insertion portion 15 formed on the top. This makes it possible to reduce the excess portion protruding above the support plate 10 itself as much as possible, and therefore makes it difficult to expose unnecessary portions above and below the main body B.

In this embodiment, a metal plate-like body 20 is provided that has a surface along the axis P direction of the heat pipe H and is installed between adjacent heat pipes H. As shown in FIG. 6, the plate-like body 20 is configured with a plate-like body main body 21 and a band-like contact plate 22 that has an arc surface that is provided along the upper and lower edges of the plate-like body main body 21 and contacts the outer peripheral surface centered on the axis of the heat pipe H.

Furthermore, below the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to the lower end of the main body B, a gutter member 30 is provided which constitutes the main body B and receives condensation water generated on the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe H and flows down. As shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the gutter member 30 is configured to include a gutter body 31 having a cup-shaped cross section that extends along the axis P direction of the heat pipe H and receives condensation water, and a guide 32 connected to the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to the lower end of the main body B and directs the condensation water flowing down into the inside of the gutter body 31. The gutter body 31 is attached to the fixed plate 14. The guide 32 is configured to include a fitting portion 33 having a C-shaped cross section that is detachably supported on the upper side of the gutter body 31 and fits the heat pipe H on the upper side, a vertical plate 34 that is suspended from the fitting portion 33, and a horizontal plate 35 that is provided at the lower end of the vertical plate 34 and has both ends that fit into a pair of fitting grooves 36 provided opposite each other on the gutter body 31. The horizontal plate 35 has holes (not shown) at appropriate locations, and the condensed water flows down through these holes into the gutter body 31. Alternatively, the condensed water flows down from the longitudinal end of the horizontal plate 35 into the gutter body 31. A drain pipe (not shown) is connected to the gutter body 31 to drain the condensed water that has accumulated in the gutter body 31.

Furthermore, the main body B is provided with a cover 40 that covers all or part of the heat pipes H and the support means S. More specifically, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the cover 40 is provided with a decorative frame 41 that surrounds the heat pipes H, the support plate 10, the plate-like body 20, and the gutter member 30. The decorative frame 41 is made of a material such as wood, resin, metal, or a mixture of these, and is composed of an upper decorative frame 42, a lower decorative frame 43, and a pair of side decorative frames 44, which are attached to the fixed plate 14 via corresponding upper mounting brackets 45, lower mounting brackets 46, and a pair of side mounting brackets 47, respectively. A decorative plate 48 formed in a mesh shape is provided at the opening of the decorative frame 41. The decorative plate 48 is made of an appropriate material such as resin or punched metal.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, when the outer diameter of the heat pipe H is D, the vertical distance between the upper end Ba of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H (the uppermost heat pipe H) supported immediately adjacent to this upper end Ba is La, and the vertical distance between the lower end Bb of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H (the lowermost heat pipe H) supported immediately adjacent to this lower end Bb is Lb, the values are set to 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D.

In this embodiment, the outer diameter D of the heat pipe H is set to D = 48.6 mm, the vertical distance La between the upper end Ba of the main body B (the upper surface of the upper decorative frame body 42 in the decorative frame body 41 of the cover 40) and the axis P of the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to the upper end Ba is set to La = 95 mm, and the vertical distance Lb between the lower end Bb of the main body B (the lower surface of the lower decorative frame body 43 in the decorative frame body 41 of the cover 40) and the axis P of the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to the lower end Bb is set to Lb = 135 mm. The numerical values are not limited to these. In addition, if the heat pipe H, the support plate 10, the plate-like body 20, and the gutter member 30 are not covered with the cover 40, the upper end Ba of the main body B becomes the upper end of the support plate 10, and the lower end Bb of the main body B becomes the lower end of the gutter member 30.

As shown in Figures 1 and 12, the heat source fluid supplying machine 50 is configured to include a storage tank 51 for storing heat source fluid F, a Peltier heat source device 52 attached to the storage tank 51 for cooling or heating the heat source fluid F, a delivery pipe 53 connected to the storage tank 51 for delivering the heat source fluid F to the heat pipe H side, a return pipe 54 connected to the storage tank 51 for returning the heat source fluid F from the heat pipe H side, and a pump 55 installed in either the delivery pipe 53 or the return pipe 54 (the delivery pipe 53 in the embodiment) for circulating the heat source fluid F.

The Peltier heat source 52 is turned on and off by a switching power supply 56. Reference numeral 57 denotes a control unit, which has a power switch (not shown) that turns on and off the power supply from the power line 58, and also has a setting unit (not shown) that sets the temperature of the heat source fluid F in the storage tank 51, and turns on and off the switching power supply 56 based on the detection of a temperature sensor (not shown) that detects the temperature of the heat source fluid F in the storage tank 51 so that the heat source fluid F reaches the predetermined temperature set by the setting unit.

The storage tank 51, Peltier heat source 52, delivery pipe 53, return pipe 54, pump 55, switching power supply 56, and control unit 57 are housed in a case body 59 and unitized as shown in FIG. 12. The case body 59 of the heat source fluid supply device 50 can be installed in an appropriate location such as indoors or outdoors. A temperature sensor (not shown) and a controller (not shown) that displays the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and issues commands to the control unit 57 are provided indoors.

Therefore, when assembling the heat pipe H in the indoor heat exchange device K according to this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the fixing plate 14 is fixed to the side wall Eb near the ceiling wall Ec, and the support plate 10 is attached to the fixing plate 14. In this state, the heat pipe H is inserted into the holding opening 13 of the support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 and is supported on the support plate 10. In this case, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, first, the heat pipe H is inserted into the insertion portion 15 of the holding opening 13, then the circumferential groove 5 is moved to a position corresponding to the holding portion 16 through the communication portion 17, and then the circumferential groove 5 is inserted into the holding portion 16. As a result, the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 5 fits into the holding portion 16. Since the heat pipe H is first inserted into the large-diameter insertion portion 15 of the holding opening 13, the insertion can be easily performed.

When the heat pipe H is supported on the support plate 10, the circumferential groove 5 fits into the holding portion 16, and the side surface constituting the circumferential groove 5 abuts against the opening edge of the holding portion 16, restricting the movement of the heat pipe H in the direction of the axis P, thereby allowing the heat pipe H to be securely held. In addition, since the support plate 10 is provided on the fixed plate 14, the support of the support plate 10 is secure, and as a result, the support of the heat pipe H can be stabilized.

In addition, the support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 is formed with a number of holding openings 13 corresponding to the number of heat pipes H provided in the vertical direction, so the support plate 10 itself has less excess parts protruding upward and downward, making it difficult to expose unnecessary parts above and below the main body B. In addition, because the holding portion 16 of the topmost holding opening 13 is above the insertion portion 15, the heat pipes H can be provided as close as possible to the ceiling wall Ec. This improves the heat exchange efficiency on the ceiling wall Ec side by the heat pipes H.

Next, the plate-like body 20 is placed between the heat pipes H. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, the plate-like body 20 is provided with a band-shaped contact plate 22 having an arcuate surface that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe H centered on the axis along the upper and lower edges of the plate-like body main body 21. Therefore, the plate-like body 20 can be placed between the heat pipes H by sliding the contact plate 22 along the arcuate surface of the heat pipe H, which makes assembly easy.

A gutter member 30 is provided below the lowest heat pipe H. In this case, the gutter body 31 is fixed to the fixing plate 14, and a guide 32 is connected between the lowest heat pipe H and the gutter body 31.

Then, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the heat pipe H is piped and the cover 40 is attached. When attaching the cover 40, first, the decorative frame 41 is attached to the fixed plate 14, and the heat pipe H, the support plate 10, the plate-like body 20 and the gutter member 30 are surrounded by the decorative frame 41. Next, the decorative plate 48 is attached to the opening of the decorative frame 41. In this state, the vertical distance La between the upper end Ba of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H held in the immediate vicinity is set to 0.5D≦La≦3D, and the vertical distance Lb between the lower end Bb of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H held in the immediate vicinity is set to 0.5D≦Lb≦3D, so that almost no unnecessary parts are exposed above or below the main body B, and therefore the upper and lower sides of the main body B are neat, the indoor space is secured widely, and the appearance quality of the device can be improved.

When the device is operated, the heat source fluid F is supplied from the heat source fluid supplying device 50 to the heat pipes H, and the heat is dissipated in the heat pipes H to heat the room, or the heat is absorbed in the heat pipes H to cool the room. In this case, the metal plate-like body 20 is installed between the heat pipes H, and functions as a heat dissipation plate or heat absorption plate, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

In addition, condensation may occur on the heat pipe H due to the cooling of the heat pipe H or the surrounding environment, and this may flow down. However, as the gutter member 30 is provided on the lower side, this condensed water can be received and easily discharged. In this case, the gutter member 30 is connected to a guide 32 on the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to the lower end Bb of the main body B, so that the flowing condensed water is guided into the inside of the gutter main body 31, allowing the condensed water to be reliably discharged.

Figure 13 shows an indoor heat exchanger K according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a combination of two heat pipes H and support plates 10 as shown in the indoor heat exchanger K according to the first embodiment. Accordingly, a long fixed plate 14 (not shown) and gutter member 30 are used. The heat pipes H, support plate 10, plate-like body 20, and gutter member 30 can be covered with a decorative frame 41 and decorative plate 48 of a cover 40 formed accordingly. When not covered with a cover 40, the upper end Ba of the main body B becomes the upper end of the support plate 10, and the lower end Bb of the main body B becomes the lower end of the gutter member 30. Since two sets of heat pipes H are provided, the output can be increased accordingly. Other actions and effects are the same as those described above.

14 and 15 show an indoor heat exchanger K according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the heat pipes H are long and the number of heat pipes in the vertical direction is increased to 10 in the indoor heat exchanger K according to the first embodiment. The support plate 10 is formed accordingly. In the support plate 10, the uppermost holding opening 13 is formed with the holding portion 16 on top and the insertion portion 15 on the bottom, and the other holding openings 13 are formed with the holding portion 16 on the bottom and the insertion portion 15 on top. The heat pipes H, support plate 10, plate-shaped body 20, and gutter member 30 can also be covered with the decorative frame body 41 and decorative plate 48 of the cover 40 formed accordingly. When not covered with the cover 40, the upper end Ba of the main body B becomes the upper end of the support plate 10, and the lower end Bb of the main body B becomes the lower end of the gutter member 30. In this embodiment, the relationships 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D are maintained. As the heat pipes H become larger and their number increases, the output increases. Other functions and effects are the same as above.

16 to 18 show an indoor heat exchanger K according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This is a device dedicated to heating, which is equipped with a metal heat dissipator 60 attached to a heat pipe H instead of the plate-shaped body 20 in the indoor heat exchanger K according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, this heat dissipator 60 is configured with a heat dissipation board 61 having an outer surface and an inner surface along the axis P direction of the heat pipe H, and a fitting recess 62 provided on the inner surface of the heat dissipation board 61 and into which the heat pipe H is moved relatively in a direction perpendicular to its axis P and fitted. Outward folds 63 are formed at the upper and lower ends of the fitting recess 62. Reference numeral 64 denotes a retaining metal fitting that is engaged with the folds 63 and spans between the folds 63 when the fitting recess 62 of the heat dissipator 60 is fitted to the heat pipe H.

Since this device is for heating only, unlike the above, the gutter member 30 is not provided. The heat pipe H, support plate 10, and heat dissipator 60 can also be covered with the decorative frame body 41 and decorative plate 48 of the cover 40 formed to match them. Since the heat dissipator 60 functions as a decorative plate, only the decorative frame body 41 may be provided. Also, it may cover only the left and right sides where the piping is located. When not covered with the cover 40, the upper end Ba of the main body B becomes the upper end of the heat dissipator 60, and the lower end Bb of the main body B becomes the lower end of the heat dissipator 60. Even in this embodiment, the relationships 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D are maintained.

In the indoor heat exchange device K according to this embodiment, the heat dissipator 60 can be installed simply by fitting its fitting recess 62 into the heat pipe H and holding it with the retaining metal fittings 64, improving installation workability. In addition, since the heat dissipator 60 is made of metal, it functions as a heat sink, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. Apart from the cooling function and related functions and effects, the other functions and effects are the same as those described above.

Figures 19 and 20 show the main parts of an indoor heat exchanger K according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This is an indoor heat exchanger K according to the first embodiment described above, but using a different support plate 10. The support plate 10 is configured with a support surface portion 11 having a surface perpendicular to the axis P of the heat pipe H, and a mounting portion 12 connected to the support surface portion 11 and for mounting to the side wall Eb. The support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 is provided with a number of holding openings 13 corresponding to the number of heat pipes H provided in the vertical direction, through which the heat pipes H are inserted and held.

The holding opening 13 of the support surface portion 11 of the support plate 10 has an opening 70 at one side edge of the support surface portion 11 through which the heat pipe H can be inserted, and is configured with a support portion 71 on the other side edge that supports and holds the heat pipe H. The opening 70 of the holding opening 13 is provided above the support portion 71, and the holding opening 13 is inclined upward. In addition, the holding opening 13 is formed to a size that does not allow the outer periphery of the heat pipe H to be inserted, but allows the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 5 of the heat pipe H to be inserted.

Therefore, in the indoor heat exchange device K according to this embodiment, when the heat pipe H is attached, the heat pipe H is inserted into the holding opening 13 of the support surface portion 11 and is supported on the support plate 10. In this case, when the heat pipe H is attached to the support plate 10, the circumferential groove 5 of the heat pipe H is aligned with the opening 70 of the holding opening 13, and the heat pipe H is pushed in through the opening 70 of the holding opening 13 in a direction perpendicular to its axis P. As a result, the heat pipe H reaches the support portion 71 and is supported and supported thereon. For this reason, the work is easier than when the heat pipe H is moved in the axial direction and inserted, and the installation workability can be improved accordingly. In addition, when the heat pipe H is supported by the support portion 71, the bottom surface of the circumferential groove 5 fits into the support portion 71. The circumferential groove 5 fits into the support portion 71, and the side surface constituting the circumferential groove 5 abuts against the edge of the support portion 71, so that the movement of the heat pipe H in the direction of the axis P is restricted, and the heat pipe H can be securely held. Other actions and effects are the same as above.

21 and 22 show an indoor heat exchanger K according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the heat pipes H are longer than those in the indoor heat exchanger K according to the fifth embodiment, and the number of heat pipes in the vertical direction is increased to 10. A support plate 10 (not shown) is formed accordingly. The heat pipes H, support plate 10, plate-like body 20, and gutter member 30 can also be covered with a decorative frame body 41 and decorative plate 48 of a cover 40 formed accordingly. When not covered with a cover 40, the upper end Ba of the main body B becomes the upper end of the support plate 10, and the lower end Bb of the main body B becomes the lower end of the gutter member 30. In this embodiment, the relationship 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D is maintained. The heat pipes H become larger and the number of them increases, so the output increases. Other actions and effects are the same as those described above.

Figure 23 shows an indoor heat exchanger K according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention. This is the same as the indoor heat exchanger K according to the sixth embodiment, except that the gutter member 30 is removed, and instead of the plate-like body 20, a metal heat dissipator 60 (Figure 17) is provided on the heat pipe H, making it suitable for heating. The heat pipe H, support plate 10, and heat dissipator 60 can be covered with the decorative frame 41 and decorative plate 48 of the cover 40 formed accordingly. Since the heat dissipator 60 functions as a decorative plate, only the decorative frame 41 may be provided. Also, only the left and right sides where the piping is located may be covered. When not covered with the cover 40, the upper end Ba of the main body B becomes the upper end of the uppermost heat dissipator 60, and the lower end Bb of the main body B becomes the lower end of the lowermost heat dissipator 60. In this embodiment, the relationships 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D are maintained.

In the indoor heat exchange device K according to this embodiment, the heat dissipator 60 can be installed simply by fitting its fitting recess 62 into the heat pipe H and holding it with a retaining metal fitting 64 (not shown), improving installation workability. In addition, since the heat dissipator 60 is made of metal, it functions as a heat dissipation plate or heat absorption plate, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. Other functions and effects are the same as those described above.

24 to 27 show an indoor heat exchanger K according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The indoor heat exchanger K according to this embodiment includes a main body B installed in an indoor space E formed by a floor wall Ea (FIG. 14), a side wall Eb, and a ceiling wall Ec. The main body B includes a heat pipe H (FIG. 11) similar to the above, which can radiate and absorb heat to and from the indoor space E using the heat of the heat source fluid F supplied from the heat source fluid supply device 50 (FIG. 12), and a support means S that supports the heat pipe H with its axis P horizontal. Here, the main body B is the part that is supported by the support means S and exposed to the indoor space E, and the pipes and pipe covers that are piped from the heat source fluid supply device 50 to the heat pipe H are not included in the main body B even if they are exposed indoors. One heat pipe H is installed in the vertical direction. In addition, two heat pipes H may be installed in the axial direction.

The support means S supports the heat pipe H, and in this embodiment, is configured to be attached to the ceiling wall Ec. More specifically, the support means S is configured to include a hanging support 80 that supports the heat pipe H by hanging it from the ceiling wall Ec in accordance with the number of heat pipes H provided in the vertical direction. The hanging support 80 is configured to include a metal one-side holding body 81 that holds one side of the outer periphery of the heat pipe H, which is bounded by an imaginary plane M that passes through the axis P of the heat pipe H and is parallel to the axis P, a metal other-side holding body 82 that holds the other side of the outer periphery of the heat pipe H, which is bounded by the imaginary plane M, and can clamp the heat pipe H together with the one-side holding body 81, and an attachment member 83 that attaches the one-side holding body 81 and the other-side holding body 82 to the ceiling wall Ec.

The first holding body 81 and the second holding body 82 are each formed in the same shape and are configured with a plate body 84 having an outer surface and an inner surface along the axis P direction of the heat pipe H, and a number of fitting recesses 85 (one in this embodiment) provided on the inner surface side of the plate body 84 corresponding to the number of heat pipes H provided in the vertical direction, into which the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe H fits.

The first retaining body 81 and the second retaining body 82 each have a groove-shaped engagement groove 86 along the longitudinal direction at their lower edge, while a fastening protrusion 87 with a U-shaped cross section is provided at their upper edge. The mounting member 83 is a rod-shaped member with a roughly H-shaped cross section and grooves formed on both longitudinal sides, and these grooves are configured as fastening recesses 88 into which the fastening protrusions 87 of the first retaining body 81 and the second retaining body 82 fit and are supported. The fastening protrusions 87 fit into the fastening recesses 88 due to their elasticity.

Furthermore, the lower edge of the plate 84 of the one holding body 81 and the other holding body 82 of the hanging support 80 is provided with a gutter member 30 which constitutes the main body B and receives condensation water generated on the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe H and flows down. The gutter member 30 is configured to include a gutter body 31 similar to the above, which extends along the axis P direction of the heat pipe H and has a cup-shaped cross section to receive condensation water, and a guide 90 which guides the condensation water into the inside of the gutter body 31. The guide 90 is detachably supported on the upper side of the gutter body 31 and is configured to include an upper part 92 having a pair of engaging convex parts 91 which engage with the engaging groove parts 86 of the one holding body 81 and the other holding body 82, a vertical plate 93 which is vertically attached from the upper part 92, and a horizontal plate 94 which is provided at the lower end of the vertical plate 93 and has both ends which fit into a pair of fitting grooves 36 provided opposite each other in the gutter body 31. The horizontal plate 94 has holes (not shown) at appropriate locations, and the condensed water flows through these holes into the gutter body 31. Alternatively, the condensed water flows from the longitudinal end of the horizontal plate 94 into the gutter body 31. A drain pipe (not shown) is connected to the gutter body 31 to drain the condensed water that has accumulated in the gutter body 31.

As shown in FIG. 27, the outer diameter D of the heat pipe H, the vertical distance between the upper end Ba (upper surface of the mounting member 83) of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to this upper end Ba is La, and the vertical distance between the lower end Bb (lower surface of the gutter main body 31 of the gutter member 30) of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H supported immediately adjacent to this lower end Bb is Lb, the values are set to 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D. In this embodiment, the outer diameter D of the heat pipe H is set to D=48.6 mm, La=63 mm, and Lb=101 mm. The numerical values are not limited to these.

Therefore, in the indoor heat exchange device K according to this embodiment, when the main body B is installed indoors, the hanging support 80 is installed on the ceiling wall Ec, and the heat pipe H is held on this hanging support 80. The hanging support 80 is installed by attaching the one-side holder 81 and the other-side holder 82 to the ceiling wall Ec via the mounting member 83. Then, the heat pipe H is provided between the one-side holder 81 and the other-side holder 82 of the hanging support 80. In this case, the heat pipe H is held by the fitting recess 85, so that the installation can be easily performed. As a result, the heat pipe H is held by the one-side outer surface side by the one-side holder 81 and the other-side outer surface side by the other-side holder 82, and is held by the one-side holder 81 and the other-side holder 82, so that the holding is reliable. In order to strengthen the holding, the one-side holder 81 and the other-side holder 82 can be connected in a direction approaching each other, for example, by bolts and nuts.

Next, the gutter member 30 is attached to the lower edge of the plate 84 of the first holding body 81 and the second holding body 82 of the hanging support 80. In this case, the gutter body 31 is connected to the first holding body 81 and the second holding body 82 via the guide 90. In addition, piping is provided to the heat pipe H.

In this state, the main body B is suspended from the ceiling wall Ec, but the vertical distance La between the upper end Ba of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H held nearby is set to 0.5D≦La≦3D, and the vertical distance Lb between the lower end Bb of the main body B and the axis P of the heat pipe H held nearby is set to 0.5D≦Lb≦3D, so that almost no unnecessary parts are exposed above or below the main body B, and as a result, the upper and lower sides of the main body B are neat, ensuring a large indoor space and improving the appearance quality of the device.

When the device is operated, the heat source fluid F is supplied from the heat source fluid supply machine to the heat pipe H, and heat is dissipated in the heat pipe H to heat the room, or heat is absorbed in the heat pipe H to cool the room. In this case, the heat pipe H is sandwiched between one holder 81 and the other holder 82 made of metal, so that the one holder 81 and the other holder 82 function as a heat dissipation plate or a heat absorption plate, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

In addition, condensation may occur on the heat pipe H due to the cooling of the heat pipe H or the surrounding environment, and this condensation may flow down. However, as the gutter member 30 is provided on the underside, this condensation water can be received and easily discharged. In this case, in the gutter member 30, the gutter body 31 is connected to the first holding body 81 and the second holding body 82 via the guide 90, so that the condensation water flowing down is guided through the guide 90 into the inside of the gutter body 31, allowing the condensation water to be reliably discharged.

Figure 28 shows a modified example of the one holding body 81 and the other holding body 82 of the hanging support 80 in the indoor heat exchanger K according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention. The one holding body 81 and the other holding body 82 are formed long vertically, and on the inner surface side thereof, multiple (a pair in the embodiment) fitting recesses 85 are provided to hold multiple (two in the embodiment) heat pipes H at a predetermined interval vertically. Even in this modified example, the relationship 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D is maintained. As a result, multiple (two in the embodiment) heat pipes H are suspended vertically, and the number of heat pipes H increases, which increases the output. Other actions and effects are the same as those described above.

Figure 29 shows a connecting holder 100 connected to the one holder 81 and the other holder 82 of the hanging support 80 shown in Figures 24 to 27 in an indoor heat exchanger K according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The connecting holder 100 is configured with a metal one connecting holder 101 that holds one outer peripheral surface side of the heat pipe H with an imaginary plane M passing through the axis P of the heat pipe H and parallel to the axis P as a boundary, and a metal other connecting holder 102 that holds the other outer peripheral surface side with the imaginary plane M as a boundary and can clamp the heat pipe H together with the one connecting holder 101.

The first connecting holder 101 and the second connecting holder 102 are each formed in the same shape and are configured with a plate 104 having an outer surface and an inner surface along the axis P direction of the heat pipe H, and a number of fitting recesses 105 (one in this embodiment) provided on the inner surface of the plate 104 corresponding to the number of heat pipes H provided in the vertical direction, into which the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe H fits.

The upper edge of the plate 104 of the first connected holder 101 is provided with an engaging protrusion 106 that engages with the engaging groove 86 of the first held body 81, and the lower edge of the plate 104 is provided with an engaging groove 107 with which the engaging protrusion 106 engages. Similarly, the upper edge of the plate 104 of the second connected holder 102 is provided with an engaging protrusion 106 that engages with the engaging groove 86 of the second held body 81, and the lower edge of the plate 104 is provided with an engaging groove 107 with which the engaging protrusion 106 engages. The engaging groove 107 is formed in a shape that allows the engaging protrusion 91 of the guide 90 of the gutter member 30 to engage.

Even when this connecting holder 100 is used, the relationship of 0.5D≦La≦3D and 0.5D≦Lb≦3D is maintained. This allows the connecting holder 100 to be connected in accordance with the number of heat pipes H. Therefore, since multiple heat pipes H (two in the embodiment) can be suspended vertically, the number of heat pipes H can be increased and the output can be increased. Other functions and effects are the same as those described above. In addition, multiple fitting recesses 105 can be provided in the connecting holder 100. In addition, multiple connecting holders 100 can be connected and used. Furthermore, the connecting holder 100 can of course be connected to one holding body 81 and the other holding body 82 of the hanging support 80 shown in FIG. 28.

In the above embodiment, the heat pipe H is supported on the side wall Eb by the support plate 10 and on the ceiling wall Ec by the hanging support 80, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the support plate 10 and the hanging support 80 may be used together to support the heat pipe H on the side wall Eb and the ceiling wall Ec, and may be modified as appropriate. In the above embodiment, the number of heat pipes H supported by the support plate 10 and the hanging support 80 is not limited to the above number, and may be modified as appropriate. In that case, the support plate 10 and the hanging support 80 may be formed according to the number of heat pipes H to be provided. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the heat source fluid supply device 50 is configured using a Peltier heat source device 52, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and any device that can supply heat source fluid, such as an outdoor unit of various air conditioners, a heat pump, or an oil boiler, may be configured, and may be modified as appropriate. Those skilled in the art can easily make many modifications to these exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and effects of the present invention, and many of these modifications are included in the scope of the present invention.

K indoor heat exchange device E indoor space Ea floor wall Eb side wall Ec ceiling wall B main body Ba upper end Bb lower end W heat exchange medium F heat source fluid P axis 1 outer pipe 2 inner pipe 3 inlet portion 4 outlet portion 5 circumferential groove S support means 10 support plate 11 support surface portion 12 mounting portion 13 holding opening 14 fixing plate 15 insertion portion 16 holding portion 17 communication portion 20 plate-like body 21 plate-like body main body 22 contact plate 30 gutter member 31 gutter main body 32 guide 33 fitting portion 34 vertical plate 35 horizontal plate 36 fitting groove 40 cover 41 decorative frame body 42 upper decorative frame body 43 lower decorative frame body 44 side decorative frame body 45 upper mounting bracket 46 lower mounting bracket 47 side mounting bracket 48 decorative board 50 Heat source fluid supplier 51 Storage tank 52 Peltier heat source 53 Delivery pipe 54 Return pipe 55 Pump 56 Switching power supply 57 Control unit 58 Power line 59 Case body 60 Heat dissipation body 61 Heat dissipation board 62 Fitting recess 63 Folded portion 64 Holding metal fitting 70 Opening 71 Support portion 80 Suspension support body M Imaginary plane 81 One holding body 82 Other holding body 83 Mounting member 84 Plate body 85 Fitting recess 86 Engaging groove portion 87 Fastening protrusion portion 88 Fastening recess 90 Guide 91 Engaging protrusion portion 92 Upper portion 93 Vertical plate 94 Horizontal plate 100 Connecting holder 101 One connecting holder 102 Other connecting holder 104 Plate body 105 Fitting recess 106 Engaging protrusion portion 107 Engaging protrusion portion

Claims (17)

An indoor heat exchange device comprising a main body provided in an indoor space formed by a floor wall, side walls and a ceiling wall, the main body being provided with a heat pipe capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space by heat of a heat source fluid supplied from a heat source fluid supplying device, and a support means for supporting the heat pipe with its axis horizontal,
The heat pipe is arranged vertically in a single or multiple rows at a predetermined interval, and the support means is configured to support the heat pipe and to be attached to the side wall and/or the ceiling wall,
where D is the outer diameter of the heat pipe, La is the vertical distance between the upper end of the body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the upper end, and Lb is the vertical distance between the lower end of the body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end, the following relationships are set: 0.5D≦La≦3D, 0.5D≦Lb≦3D ,
The support means is configured to include a plurality of support plates that are used at required intervals along the axial direction of the heat pipes to support the heat pipes, the support plates being configured to include a support surface portion having a surface perpendicular to the axis of the heat pipes, and an attachment portion that is connected to the support surface portion and is for attachment to the side wall, and the support surface portion of the support plate is provided with holding openings that correspond to the number of the heat pipes provided in the vertical direction and through which the heat pipes are inserted and held,
The heat pipe is configured with a circumferential groove recessed at both ends thereof, the groove having a width slightly larger than the plate thickness of the support surface portion of the support plate, the bottom surface of the circumferential groove being centered on the axis and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery,
an indoor heat exchange device, characterized in that the retaining opening of the support surface portion of the support plate is configured to include a large-diameter insertion portion formed slightly larger than the outer periphery of the heat pipe and through which the heat pipe is inserted, a retaining portion of smaller diameter than the insertion portion and into which the bottom surface of the circumferential groove fits, and a communicating portion through which the insertion portion and the retaining portion communicate with each other . The indoor heat exchange device as described in claim 1, characterized in that when a plurality of the retaining openings are formed on the support surface portion of the support plate to support a plurality of the heat pipes, at least the uppermost retaining opening is formed with the retaining portion formed on top and the insertion portion formed on the bottom. An indoor heat exchange device comprising a main body provided in an indoor space formed by a floor wall, side walls and a ceiling wall, the main body being provided with a heat pipe capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space by heat of a heat source fluid supplied from a heat source fluid supplying device, and a support means for supporting the heat pipe with its axis horizontal,
The heat pipe is arranged vertically in a single or multiple rows at a predetermined interval, and the support means is configured to support the heat pipe and to be attached to the side wall and/or the ceiling wall,
where D is the outer diameter of the heat pipe, La is the vertical distance between the upper end of the body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the upper end, and Lb is the vertical distance between the lower end of the body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end, the following relationships are set: 0.5D≦La≦3D, 0.5D≦Lb≦3D,
The support means is configured to include a plurality of support plates that are used at required intervals along the axial direction of the heat pipes to support the heat pipes, the support plates being configured to include a support surface portion having a surface perpendicular to the axis of the heat pipes, and an attachment portion that is connected to the support surface portion and is for attachment to the side wall, and the support surface portion of the support plate is provided with holding openings that correspond to the number of the heat pipes provided in the vertical direction and through which the heat pipes are inserted and held,
the support opening of the support surface of the support plate has an opening at one side edge of the support surface through which the heat pipe can be inserted, and a support portion at the other side edge for supporting and holding the heat pipe;
2. An indoor heat exchange device, comprising: a support portion for supporting said heat exchanger; a support opening for supporting said heat exchanger; The heat pipe is configured with a circumferential groove recessed at both ends thereof, the groove having a width slightly larger than the plate thickness of the support surface portion of the support plate, the bottom surface of the circumferential groove being centered on the axis and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer periphery,
4. The indoor heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein the holding opening is formed to a size such that the outer periphery of the heat pipe cannot be inserted therethrough but the bottom surface of the circumferential groove of the heat pipe can be inserted therethrough. 5. The indoor heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the support means comprises a fixing plate fixed to the side wall and to which the mounting portion of the support plate is attached. An indoor heat exchange device comprising a main body provided in an indoor space formed by a floor wall, side walls and a ceiling wall, the main body being provided with a heat pipe capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space by heat of a heat source fluid supplied from a heat source fluid supplying device, and a support means for supporting the heat pipe with its axis horizontal,
The heat pipe is arranged vertically in a single or multiple number at a predetermined interval, and the support means is configured to support the heat pipe and to be attached to the side wall and/or the ceiling wall,
where D is the outer diameter of the heat pipe, La is the vertical distance between the upper end of the body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the upper end, and Lb is the vertical distance between the lower end of the body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end, the following relationships are set: 0.5D≦La≦3D, 0.5D≦Lb≦3D,
The support means is configured to include a plurality of support plates that are used at required intervals along the axial direction of the heat pipes to support the heat pipes, the support plates being configured to include a support surface portion having a surface perpendicular to the axis of the heat pipes, and an attachment portion that is connected to the support surface portion and is for attachment to the side wall, and the support surface portion of the support plate is provided with holding openings that correspond to the number of the heat pipes provided in the vertical direction and through which the heat pipes are inserted and held,
When a plurality of the heat pipes are supported in a vertical row at predetermined intervals,
a metal plate having a surface along the axial direction of the heat pipes and disposed between adjacent heat pipes; When a plurality of the heat pipes are supported in a vertical row at predetermined intervals,
6. The indoor heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a metal plate having a surface along the axial direction of the heat pipes and disposed between the adjacent heat pipes. 8. An indoor heat exchange device as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the plate-like body is composed of a plate-like body main body and a band-shaped contact plate having an arcuate surface that is provided along the upper and lower edges of the plate-like body and contacts the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe centered on the axis of the heat pipe. An indoor heat exchange device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a metal heat dissipator attached to the heat pipe, the heat dissipator comprising a heat dissipation board having outer and inner surfaces along the axial direction of the heat pipe, and a fitting recess provided on the inner surface of the heat dissipation board into which the heat pipe is fitted by being moved relatively in a direction perpendicular to its axis. An indoor heat exchange device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a gutter member which constitutes the main body and collects condensation water which forms on the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe and flows down is provided below the heat pipe which is supported immediately adjacent to the lower end of the main body. The indoor heat exchange device as described in claim 10, characterized in that the gutter member is configured to include a gutter body having a cup- shaped cross-section extending along the axial direction of the heat pipe and receiving condensation water, and a guide connected to a heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end of the body and guiding the flowing condensation water into the inside of the gutter body. 12. The indoor heat exchange device according to claim 1 , wherein the main body is provided with a cover for covering all or a part of the heat pipe and the supporting means. An indoor heat exchange device comprising a main body provided in an indoor space formed by a floor wall, side walls and a ceiling wall, the main body being provided with a heat pipe capable of radiating and absorbing heat to and from the indoor space by heat of a heat source fluid supplied from a heat source fluid supplying device, and a support means for supporting the heat pipe with its axis horizontal,
The heat pipe is arranged vertically in a single or multiple number at a predetermined interval, and the support means is configured to support the heat pipe and to be attached to the side wall and/or the ceiling wall,
where D is the outer diameter of the heat pipe, La is the vertical distance between the upper end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the upper end, and Lb is the vertical distance between the lower end of the main body and the axis of the heat pipe supported immediately adjacent to the lower end, the following relationships are set: 0.5D≦La≦3D, 0.5D≦Lb≦3D,
The support means is configured to include a hanging support that supports the heat pipes by hanging them from the ceiling wall in a number corresponding to the number of the heat pipes provided in the vertical direction,
the suspension support is configured to include a first metal holder for holding one of the outer peripheral surfaces of the heat pipe with respect to an imaginary plane passing through the axis of the heat pipe and parallel to the axis, a second metal holder for holding the other outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe with respect to the imaginary plane and capable of clamping the heat pipe together with the first holder, and a mounting member for mounting the first holder and the second holder to the ceiling wall,
An indoor heat exchange device characterized in that the hanging support is configured with a connecting holder connected to the one holder and the other holder, and the connecting holder is configured with a metal one connecting holder that holds one of the outer peripheral surface sides of the heat pipe separated by an imaginary plane passing through the axis of the heat pipe and parallel to the axis, and a metal other connecting holder that holds the other outer peripheral surface side separated by the imaginary plane and is capable of clamping the heat pipe together with the one connecting holder. The indoor heat exchange device as described in claim 13, characterized in that the one holding body and the other holding body are each formed to the same shape and are configured as a plate body having outer and inner surfaces along the axial direction of the heat pipe, and a fitting recess on the inner surface of the plate body into which the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe fits. An indoor heat exchange device as described in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the one connecting holder and the other connecting holder are each formed to the same shape and are configured as a plate body having outer and inner surfaces along the axial direction of the heat pipe, and a fitting recess on the inner surface of the plate body into which the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe fits. An indoor heat exchange device as described in any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that a gutter member which constitutes the main body and which collects condensation water which forms on the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe and flows down is provided at the lower edge of the hanging support. The heat pipe is configured to include a metal outer tube in which a heat exchange medium to be vaporized or liquefied is sealed, and an inner tube provided inside the outer tube and supplied with a heat source fluid, and vaporizes or liquefies the heat exchange medium by the heat of the heat source fluid,
The indoor heat exchange device described in any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the heat source fluid supply machine is configured to include a storage tank for storing heat source fluid, a Peltier heat source device attached to the storage tank for cooling or heating the heat source fluid, an outlet pipe connected to the storage tank for sending the heat source fluid to the heat pipe side, a return pipe connected to the storage tank for returning the heat source fluid from the heat pipe side, and a pump interposed between either the outlet pipe or the return pipe for circulating the heat source fluid.

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