US20130220584A1

US20130220584A1 - Heat exchanger, and all-in-one air conditioner equipped therewith

Info

Publication number: US20130220584A1
Application number: US13/883,648
Authority: US
Inventors: Kazuhisa Mishiro; Takeshi Yoshida
Original assignee: Sharp Corp
Current assignee: Sharp Corp
Priority date: 2010-12-01
Filing date: 2011-11-17
Publication date: 2013-08-29
Also published as: JP5618368B2; WO2012073719A1; CN103238037A; JP2012117751A

Abstract

A heat exchanger (20) is provided with: two header pipes (21, 22) which are disposed parallel to each other with a space therebetween; a plurality of flat tubes (23) which are disposed between the header pipes, refrigerant passages (24) provided therein communicating with the interiors of the header pipes; and fins (25) which are disposed between the flat tubes. The plurality of flat tubes are divided into two parts: an upper group (27) located in the upper part; and a lower group (28) located in the lower part. The flat tubes of the upper group and parts corresponding thereto of the header pipes constitute an upper heat exchange part (40), and the flat tubes of the lower group and parts corresponding thereto of the header pipes constitute a lower heat exchange part (41).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger and an all-in-one air conditioner equipped therewith.

BACKGROUND ART

Widely used in car air conditioners, outdoor units of building air conditioners, etc. are parallel-flow-type heat exchangers in each of which a plurality of flat tubes are disposed between a plurality of header pipes having a plurality of refrigerant passages formed inside the flat tubes to communicate with insides of the header pipes, and in which fins such as corrugated fins are disposed between the flat tubes.
An example of a conventional side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger is shown in FIG. 6. A heat exchanger 1 includes two header pipes 2 and 3, and a plurality of flat tubes 4 disposed between the header pipes 2 and 3. In FIG. 6, the header pipes 2 and 3 extend in a vertical direction, and they are arranged parallel to and spaced from each other in a horizontal direction, and the flat tubes 4 extend in the horizontal direction and disposed at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction. In many cases, however, when it is practically installed in apparatuses, the parallel-flow heat exchanger 1 is set at various angles depending on designs of the apparatuses, and in such cases, needless to say, the terms “horizontal” and “vertical” should not be taken in their strict senses.
The flat tubes 4 are elongate members made by extrusion of metal and have a refrigerant passage 5 formed inside thereof for a refrigerant to flow therethrough. The flat tubes 4 are disposed such that the extrusion direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 4, is horizontal, and thus the direction in which the refrigerant flows through the refrigerant passages 5 is also horizontal. As the refrigerant passage 5, a plurality of refrigerant passages 5 having the same sectional shape and area are arranged in the depth direction in FIG. 4, so that the vertical section of each of the flat tubes 4 has a harmonica-like shape. The refrigerant passages 5 each communicate with the inside of the header pipes 2 and 3. A fin 6 is disposed between each adjacent two of the flat tubes 4. Although a corrugated fin is used as the fin 6, a plate fin may be used instead.
The header pipes 2 and 3, the flat tubes 4, and the fins 6 are made of a highly heat conductive material such as aluminum. The flat tubes 4 are fixed by brazing or welding to the header pipes 2 and 3, and so are the corrugated fins 6 to the flat tubes 4.
In the heat exchanger 1 shown in FIG. 6, refrigerant ports 7 and 8 are provided in the header pipe 3 alone. Inside the header pipe 3, partition panels 9 a and 9 c are provided to be spaced from each other in a vertical direction; inside the header pipe 2, a partition panel 9 b is provided at a height between the partition panels 9 a and 9 c.
When the heat exchanger 1 is used as an evaporator, a refrigerant flows in through the lower refrigerant port 7 as indicated by a solid-line arrow in FIG. 6. The refrigerant that has entered through the refrigerant port 7 is blocked by the partition panel 9 a and flows toward the header pipe 2 via some of the flat tubes 4. This flow of the refrigerant is indicated by a left-pointing block arrow. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 2 is then blocked by the partition panel 9 b and flows toward the header pipe 3 via other flat tubes 4. This flow of the refrigerant is indicated by a right-pointing block arrow. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 3 is then blocked by the partition panel 9 c and flows toward the header pipe 2 again via still other flat tubes 4. This flow of the refrigerant is indicated by another left-pointing block arrow. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 2 flows back toward the header pipe 3 again via still other flat tubes 4. This flow of the refrigerant is indicated by another right-pointing block arrow. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 3 then flows out through the refrigerant port 8. In this way, the refrigerant flows from down upward along a zigzag route. Although the number of partition panels is three here, it is merely one example, and the number of partition panels and the resulting number of times the refrigerant flows back can be set arbitrarily as required.
When the heat exchanger 1 is used as a condenser, the refrigerant flows in an opposite direction. Specifically, the refrigerant flows into the header pipe 3 through the refrigerant port 8 as indicated by a dotted-line arrow in FIG. 6, is then blocked by the partition panel 9 c and flows toward the header pipe 2 via some flat tubes 4, is then blocked by the partition panel 9 b in the header pipe 2 and flows toward the header pipe 3 via other flat tubes 4, is then blocked by the partition panel 9 a in the header pipe 3 and flows toward the header pipe 2 again via still other flat tubes 4, then flows back at the header pipe 2 toward the header pipe 3 again via still other flat tubes 4, and then flows out through the refrigerant port 7, as indicated by a dotted-line arrow; that is, the refrigerant flows from up downward along a zigzag route.
The above description deals with a case where the refrigerant is made to flow from down upward when the heat exchanger 1 is used as the evaporator while the refrigerant is made to flow from up downward when the heat exchanger 1 is used as the condenser; however, a setting is possible where the refrigerant is oppositely directed.
A typical example of an apparatus equipped with a heat exchanger is an air conditioner, one example of which is an all-in-one air conditioner. It is used where a separate-type conditioner composed of outdoor and indoor units cannot be placed, and composed of a condenser and an evaporator disposed in one housing to be placed inside a room such that heat is discharged to outside the room via an air discharge duct and meanwhile air is circulated inside the room to thereby adjust the room temperature. Examples of such an all-in-one air conditioner are disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 listed below.
An all-in-one air conditioner disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes an evaporator and a condenser both built as a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger where a copper tube penetrates a large number of aluminum fins. The evaporator and the condenser are independent components and placed away from each other. During a cooling operation, heat is discharged from the condenser via an air discharge duct; one end of the air discharge duct is connected to a lower outlet port provided in a backside of the air conditioner and another end of the air discharge duct is connected to, for example, a window.
An all-in-one air conditioner disclosed in Patent Literature 2 includes a housing separated by a partition panel into upper and lower parts, which are a cooling chamber and a heat discharging chamber, respectively; an evaporator is disposed in the cooling chamber while a condenser is disposed in the heat discharging chamber. The heat discharging chamber is provided with an air intake port and an air outlet port, and one end of an air discharge duct is attached to the air outlet port while one end of an air intake duct is detachably attached to the air intake port. The other end of the air discharge duct is attached to an opening such as a window. The other end of the air intake duct is, like that of the air discharge duct, able to be attached to an opening such as a window to achieve air intake/discharge by a double-duct method where both the air discharge duct and the air intake duct are used.
FIG. 7 shows an all-in-one air conditioner of the type described in Patent Literature 2. The air conditioner 10 includes a housing 11 which is separated by a horizontal partition panel 12 into upper and lower parts, namely a cooling chamber 13 and a heat discharging chamber 14, respectively. In the cooling chamber 13, an evaporator 15 is disposed, and in the heat discharging chamber 14, a condenser 16 and a compressor 17 are disposed. The evaporator 15, the condenser 16, and the compressor 17, together with an unillustrated pressure reducing expansion unit and an unillustrated four-way valve, form a heat pump cycle as a refrigerating cycle. Besides, an unillustrated blower is provided in the cooling chamber 13, to form a room-air-circulation air path 18 which is indicated by a broken-line arrow. Another unillustrated blower is provided in the heat discharging chamber 14, to form a heat-discharging air path 19 which is indicated by a broken-line arrow. The heat-discharging air path 19 is formed to send air that passes through the condenser 16 into an unillustrated air discharge duct. The evaporator 15 and the condenser 16 are each a fin-and-tube type heat exchanger.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2005-274077
Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2010-54111

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The all-in-one air conditioners described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 both include separate heat exchangers respectively used as the evaporator and the condenser, which invites complexity in configuration, preventing achievement of a compact and lightweight all-in-one air conditioner.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing, and an object of the present invention is to provide a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger suitable for all-in-one air conditioners, and an all-in-one air conditioner equipped therewith.

Solution to Problem

A side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger according to the present invention includes a plurality of header pipes disposed in parallel at intervals, a plurality of flat tubes disposed between the plurality of header pipes, the flat tubes each having a refrigerant passage formed therein to communicate with insides of the header pipes, and a fin disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of flat tubes. Here, the plurality of flat tubes are divided into an upper group located in an upper part of the heat exchanger and a lower group located in a lower part of the heat exchanger, a flat tube belonging to the upper group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tube belonging to the upper group form an upper heat exchanging portion, and a flat tube belonging to the lower group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tube belonging to the lower group form a lower heat exchanging portion.
In the heat exchanger having the above configuration, it is preferable that one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion function as an evaporator, and that the other one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion function as a condenser.
In the heat exchanger having the above configuration, it is preferable that, in one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion that functions as the condenser, a refrigerant flow through the flat tubes from an upper one of the flat tubes to a lower one of the flat tubes.
In the heat exchanger having the above configuration, it is preferable that a heat insulating portion be provided between the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion.
In the heat exchanger having the above configuration, it is preferable that a heat-insulating partition panel be provided inside the plurality of header pipes, and that the heat-insulating partition panel function as part of the heat insulating portion.
An all-in-one air conditioner according to the present invention includes any one of the above-described heat exchangers, and a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path. Here, the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.
In the air conditioner having the above configuration, it is preferable that the upper heat exchanging portion function as an evaporator, and that the lower heat exchanging portion function as a condenser.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, flat tubes disposed between header pipes are divided into an upper group and a lower group, flat tubes of the upper group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tubes of the upper group form an upper heat exchanging portion, and flat tubes of the lower group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tubes belonging to the lower group form a lower heat exchanging portion. This configuration makes it possible to achieve a compact and lightweight side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger where an evaporator and a condenser are combined. This accordingly makes it possible to achieve a compact and lightweight all-on-one air conditioner equipped with such a heat exchanger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic structure of a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an all-in-one air conditioner equipped with a heat exchanger according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic structure of a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic structure of a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic structure of a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic structure of a conventional side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger; and

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional all-in-one air conditioner.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Descriptions will be given below of a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIG. 1.
A structure of a parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 is basically the same as the conventional structure shown in FIG. 6. Specifically, a plurality of flat tubes 23 extending in a horizontal direction are disposed between two vertically-extending header pipes 21 and 22. Here, the terms “horizontal” and “vertical” are used in the same senses as in the above-given descriptions of the conventional structure.
The flat tubes 23, refrigerant passages 24 inside the flat tubes 23, and fins 25 have the same configurations and fixed in the same manner as the flat tubes 4, the refrigerant passages 5, and the fins 5, respectively, of the conventional structure. A combination of a fin 25 and a side plate 26 is disposed on an external flat surface of an outermost one of the plurality of flat tubes 23 placed in a vertical row.
The plurality of flat tubes 23 are divided into an upper group 27 disposed in an upper part and a lower group 28 disposed in a lower part. A space 29 is provided between the upper group 27 and the lower group 28. The space 29 functions as a heat insulating portion HI that prevents thermal influence of one on the other of the upper group 27 and the lower group 28. Partition panels 30 and 31 are provided inside the header pipes 21 and 22, respectively, at positions between the upper and lower groups 27 and 28. Thereby, the upper and lower groups 27 and 28 are completely separated from each other.
Part of the header pipes 21 and 22 located above the partition panels 30 and 31 and the flat tubes 23 belonging to the upper group 27 form an upper heat exchanging portion 40. Part of the header pipes 21 and 22 located below the partition panels 30 and 31 and the flat tubes 23 belonging to the lower group 27 form a lower heat exchanging portion 41.
In the upper heat exchanging portion 40, an upper refrigerant port 32 and a lower refrigerant port 33 are formed in the header pipe 22. Inside the header pipe 22, a partition panel 34 is provided at a height between the upper and lower refrigerant ports 32 and 33.
In the upper heat exchanging portion 40, a number of the flat tubes 23 located above the partition panel 34 and a number of the flat tubes 23 located below the partition panel 34 are set to be equal. However, in some cases, in view of pressure loss caused by evaporation, a flow path located on a latter stage in a cooling operation may be designed to include a larger number of flat tubes 2.
In the lower heat exchanging portion 41, an upper refrigerant port 35 and a lower refrigerant port 36 are formed in the header pipe 22. Inside the header pipe 22, partition panels 37 and 38 are provided at positions between the upper and lower refrigerant ports 35 and 36. Inside the header pipe 21, a partition panel 39 is provided at a height between the partition panels 37 and 38.
In the lower heat exchanging portion 41, a number of the flat tubes 23 disposed below the partition panel 38 is equal to a number of the flat tubes 23 disposed between heights of the partition panels 38 and 39, a number of the flat tubes 23 disposed between heights of the partition panels 39 and 37 is smaller than the number of the flat tubes 23 disposed below the partition panel 38 or between the heights of the partition panels 38 and 39, and further, a number of the flat tubes 23 disposed above the partition panel 37 is smaller than the number of the flat tubes 23 disposed between the heights of the partition panels 39 and 37.
The lower refrigerant port 33 of the upper heat exchanging portion 40 and the upper refrigerant port 35 of the lower heat exchanging portion 41 are connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe 42. The refrigerant pipe 42 is provided with a pressure reducing expansion unit 43.
During a cooling operation, the upper heat exchanging portion 40 is made to function as an evaporator, and the lower heat exchanging portion 41 is made to function as a condenser. That is, a high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant discharged from an unillustrated compressor flows through the lower refrigerant port 36 into the lower heat exchanging portion 41. The refrigerant which has entered the lower heat exchanging portion 41 flows in the flat tubes 23 located below the partition panel 38 toward the header pipe 21. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 21 then flows in the flat tubes 23 located between the partition panels 38 and 39 back toward the header pipe 22. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 22 then flows in the flat tubes 23 located between the partition panels 39 and 37 back toward the header pipe 21 again. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 21 then flows in the flat tubes 23 located above the partition panel 37 back toward the header pipe 22 again, and then flows out through the upper refrigerant port 35.
The high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant that has entered through the lower refrigerant port 36 into the lower heat exchanging portion 41, while flowing zigzag from down upward inside the lower heat exchanging portion 41, dissipates heat to air passing through the lower heat exchanging portion 41, and the refrigerant condenses. The refrigerant that has flown out of the upper refrigerant port 35 of the lower heat exchanging portion 41 flows via the pressure reducing expansion unit 43 and then through the lower refrigerant port 33 into the upper heat exchanging portion 40.
The refrigerant which has entered the upper heat exchanging portion 40 through the lower refrigerant port 33 flows through the flat tubes 23 located below the partition panel 34 toward the header pipe 21. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 21 then flows back through the flat tubes 23 located above the partition panel 34 toward the header pipe 22. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 22 flows out through the upper refrigerant port 32. In this way, the refrigerant expands while flowing zigzag inside the upper heat exchanging portion 40, the refrigerant taking heat from air passing through the upper heat exchanging portion 40. Then, the refrigerant flows out through the upper refrigerant port 32 back to the unillustrated compressor. In this way, in the upper heat exchanging portion 40 functioning as the evaporator, the refrigerant flows from the lower flat tubes 23 to the upper flat tubes 23. Instead, in the upper heat exchanging portion 40 functioning as the evaporator, the refrigerant may flow from the upper flat tubes 23 to the lower flat tubes 23.
The provision of the heat insulating portion HI between the upper heat exchanging portion 40 and the lower heat exchanging portion 41 helps reduce thermal influence of one of the upper heat exchanging portion 40 and the lower heat exchanging portion 41 on the other. This allows the upper heat exchanging portion 40 to fully function as the evaporator, and the lower heat exchanging portion 41 to fully function as the condenser.
During a heating operation, an unillustrated four-way valve is switched to reverse the direction in which the refrigerant flows. That is, the high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the unillustrated compressor enters the upper heat exchanging portion 40 through the upper refrigerant port 32, and there, the refrigerant dissipates heat to air passing through the upper heat exchanging portion 40, and the refrigerant condenses. The refrigerant that has flown through the lower refrigerant port 33 out of the upper heat exchanging portion 40 flows via the pressure reducing expansion unit 43 and through the upper refrigerant port 35 into the lower heat exchanging portion 41. The refrigerant expands in the lower heat exchanging portion 41, absorbing heat from air passing through the lower heat exchanging portion 41, and then flows through the lower refrigerant port 36 back to the unillustrated compressor.
The side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 is configured such that the header pipes 21 and 22 are shared by the upper heat exchanging portion 40 and the lower heat exchanging portion 41, one of the two portions is used as the evaporator and the other as the condenser. This configuration is compact compared with a configuration where separate side-flow type parallel flow heat exchangers are provided such that one is used exclusively as an evaporator and the other as a condenser.
FIG. 2 shows a case where the parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 is equipped in an all-in-one air conditioner. The all-in-one air conditioner 10 shown in FIG. 2 basically follows the structure of the all-in-one air conditioner shown in FIG. 7. Such components as find their counterparts in FIG. 7 are identified with common reference signs, and no description of them will be repeated.
In the parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 fitted inside a housing 11, the upper heat exchanging portion 40 is disposed in an room-air-circulation air path 18 and the lower heat exchanging portion 41 is disposed in a heat-discharging air path 19.
Being equipped with the parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 having a compact configuration, the all-in-one air conditioner 10 itself can also be compact and lightweight. Furthermore, in comparison with a case where an evaporator and a condenser are separately installed, installation can be achieved by an easier operation in a shorter period of time.
In the cooling operation, moisture contained in the air condenses into condensate on an external surface of the upper heat exchanging portion 40 functioning as the evaporator. The condensate is caused to drop or flow down by gravity, to wet the lower heat exchanging portion 41 functioning as the condenser. This further enhances the condensation effect of the lower heat exchanging portion 41.
A parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 according to a second embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the partition panels 30 and 31 inside the header pipes 21 and 22 of the first embodiment are replaced with heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI, respectively. The heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI take part in forming a heat insulating portion HI, achieving further secure thermal separation.
In FIG. 3, the heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI are each formed of two partition panels that are disposed spaced from each other. The heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI are made of aluminum, and thus, if they were each formed of a single panel, heat transfer would be likely to occur; however, by forming them of two panels arranged spaced from each other, it is possible to give them sufficient heat insulating properties. Some gas may be sealed in the space between the two panels, or the space may be a vacuum space.
The heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI may be formed by a method other than the above method. For example, the heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI may each be formed of a thicker panel or of a panel made of a heat insulating material.
A parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 according to a third embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. In the third embodiment, a lower refrigerant port 36 of a lower heat exchanging portion 41 is connected to a lower refrigerant port 33 of an upper heat exchanging portion 40 via a refrigerant pipe 42.
In the parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 according to the third embodiment, in the lower heat exchanging portion 41, a number of flat tubes 23 disposed above a partition panel 37 is equal to a number of flat tubes 23 disposed between heights of the partition panel 37 and a partition panel 39, and a number of flat tubes 23 disposed between heights of the partition panel 39 and a partition panel 38 is smaller than the number of the flat tubes 23 disposed above the partition panel 37 or between the heights of the partition panels 37 and 39, and a number of flat tubes 23 disposed below the partition panel 38 is smaller than the number of the flat tubes 23 disposed between the heights of the partition panels 39 and 38.
During a cooling operation, a high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant discharged from an unillustrated compressor enters the lower heat exchanging portion 41 through an upper refrigerant port 35. The refrigerant which has entered the lower heat exchanging portion 41 flows in the flat tubes 23 located above the partition panel 37 toward the header pipe 21. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 21 then flows in the flat tubes 23 located between the partition panels 37 and 39 back toward the header pipe 22. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 22 then flows in the flat tubes 23 located between the partition panels 39 and 38 back toward the header pipe 21 again. The refrigerant that has entered the header pipe 21 then flows in the flat tubes 23 located below the partition panel 38 back toward the header pipe 22 again, and then flows out through the lower refrigerant port 36.
The high-temperature high-pressure refrigerant that has entered through the upper refrigerant port 35 into the lower heat exchanging portion 41, while flowing zigzag from up downward inside the lower heat exchanging portion 41, dissipates heat to air passing through the lower heat exchanging portion 41, and the refrigerant condenses. The refrigerant that has flown out of the lower refrigerant port 36 of the lower heat exchanging portion 41 flows via the pressure reducing expansion unit 43 and through the lower refrigerant port 33 into the upper heat exchanging portion 40. The refrigerant expands in the upper heat exchanging portion 40, taking heat from air passing through the upper heat exchanging portion 40. Then, the refrigerant flows out through an upper refrigerant port 32 back to the unillustrated compressor.
In the lower heat exchanging portion 41 functioning as a condenser, the refrigerant flows from an upper flat tube 23 to a lower flat tube 23. Movement from up downward is natural for the refrigerant, which is a liquid, and thus, this embodiment allows efficient heat exchange to be achieved.
A parallel-flow heat exchanger 20 according to a fourth embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. In the fourth embodiment, a lower refrigerant port 36 of a lower heat exchanging portion 41 is connected to an upper refrigerant port 32 of an upper heat exchanging portion 40 via a refrigerant pipe 42.
During a cooling operation, a refrigerant enters the upper heat exchanging portion 40 through the upper refrigerant port 32, and there, the refrigerant expands while flowing from an upper flat tube 23 to a lower flat tube 23, taking heat from air passing through the upper heat exchanging portion 40. Then, the refrigerant flows out through the lower refrigerant port 33 back to an unillustrated compressor.
In the third and fourth embodiments as well, by replacing the partition panels 30 and 31 with heat-insulating partition panels 30HI and 31HI, respectively, it is possible to achieve further secure thermal separation.
It should be understood that the embodiments specifically described above are not meant to limit the present invention, and that many variations and modifications can be made within the spirit of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is applicable to a side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger and an all-in-one air conditioner equipped therewith.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

- 10 all-in-one air conditioner
- 11 housing
- 12 partition panel
- 13 cooling chamber
- 14 heat discharging room
- 17 compressor
- 18 room-air-circulation air path
- 19 heat discharging air path
- 20 parallel-flow heat exchanger
- 21, 22 header pipe
- 23 flat tube
- 24 refrigerant passage
- 25 fin
- 27 upper group
- 28 lower group
- 30, 31 partition panel
- 30HI, 31HI heat-insulating partition panel
- 32, 35 upper refrigerant port
- 33, 36 lower refrigerant port
- 40 upper heat exchanging portion
- 41 lower heat exchanging portion
- HI heat insulating portion

Claims

1. A side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of header pipes disposed in parallel at intervals;

a plurality of flat tubes disposed between the plurality of header pipes, the flat tubes each having a refrigerant passage formed therein to communicate with insides of the header pipes; and

a fin disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of flat tubes,

wherein

the plurality of flat tubes are divided into an upper group located in an upper part of the heat exchanger and a lower group located in a lower part of the heat exchanger,

a flat tube belonging to the upper group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tube belonging to the upper group form an upper heat exchanging portion, and

a flat tube belonging to the lower group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tube belonging to the lower group form a lower heat exchanging portion.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1,

wherein

one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator, and

another one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 2,

wherein

in one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion that functions as the condenser, a refrigerant flows through the flat tubes from an upper one of the flat tubes to a lower one of the flat tubes.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1,

wherein

a heat insulating portion is provided between the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4,

wherein

a heat-insulating partition panel is provided inside the plurality of header pipes, and

the heat-insulating partition panel functions as part of the heat insulating portion.

6. An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:

the heat exchanger of claim 1; and

a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path,

wherein

the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and

the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.

7. The air conditioner of claim 6, wherein

the upper heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.

8. An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:

the heat exchanger of claim 2; and

wherein

9. An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:

the heat exchanger of claim 3; and

wherein

10. An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:

the heat exchanger of claim 4; and

wherein

11. An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:

the heat exchanger of claim 5; and

wherein

12. The air conditioner of claim 8,

wherein

13. The air conditioner of claim 9,

wherein

14. The air conditioner of claim 10,

wherein

15. The air conditioner of claim 11,

wherein