This application is a U.S. national stage application of PCT/JP2016/058533 filed on Mar. 17, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and an air conditioner including the heat exchanger.
A conventionally known heat exchanger includes a pair of headers facing each other horizontally in its upper and lower portions, a plurality of flat heat transfer tubes communicatively connected in parallel with the headers at uniform intervals, and corrugated fins provided in a gap between the flat heat transfer tubes to be brought into intimate contact with the tubes. The heat exchanger causes refrigerant that is a heat exchange medium to be distributed in parallel to the plurality of flat heat transfer tubes simultaneously.
When such a heat exchanger is subjected to a heating operation in cold weather as an air conditioner outdoor unit of heat pump type for cooling and heating, frost is formed on the fin and the surface of the heat transfer tube, decreasing a heat exchange efficiency.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 09-280754 (PTD 1) discloses a heat exchanger to take a measure against such frost formation. The heat exchanger includes corrugated fins disposed to project windward from flat heat transfer tubes and includes louvers formed only in its leeward portion.
PTD 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 09-280754
Although the heat exchanger described in PTD 1 includes fins projecting windward of a refrigerant flow paths (flat tubes) and can accordingly prevent or reduce the frost formation on the fins located windward, it suffers from a low defrosting efficiency on the fins. For example, the frost on the fin is melted into water through the defrosting operation, and the water is drained through the fins and the heat transfer tubes. However, the fin includes many regions extending horizontally, allowing the water to easily stay on the fin. In particular, water is drained only through the fin in the portion projecting windward in the fin of the heat exchanger, allowing water to easily stay on the fin, which leads to poor drainage efficiency. This results in a low defrosting efficiency of the heat exchanger.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problem. At an object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger capable of reducing frost formation on a fin and having high defrosting efficiency.
A heat exchanger according to the present invention includes at least one heat transfer tube which is provided to extend in a first direction and in which refrigerant flows, a fin connected to the at least one heat transfer tube and having a first region and a second region which are located windward of the at least one heat transfer tube in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a first guide member provided to extend in the first direction. The first region and the second region are spaced apart from each other in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction. The first guide member is disposed between the first region and the second region in the third direction. Among the at least one heat transfer tube and the first guide member, the first guide member is disposed most windward in the second direction.
An air conditioner according to the present invention includes a heat exchanger according to the present invention and a fan configured to blow a gas to the heat exchanger in the second direction.
The present invention can provide a heat exchanger with high defrosting efficiency capable of preventing or reducing frost formation on a fin.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, in which the same or corresponding parts will be designated by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will not be repeated.
<Air Conditioner>
An air conditioner 100 according to Embodiment 1 will be described first with reference to
Compressor 1 has an inlet side and an outlet side which are connected to four-way valve 2. Four-way valve 2 is provided in the refrigerant circuit so as to switch a refrigerant flow direction. Air conditioner 100 is provided so as to perform heating operation, cooling operation, and defrosting operation by switching the refrigerant flow direction by four-way valve 2. In
<Outdoor Heat Exchanger>
Outdoor heat exchanger 5 will now be described with reference to
As shown in
Heat transfer tube 20 and heat transfer tube 21 are spaced apart from each other in second direction B. Second direction B is a direction crossing first direction A and extends in the flow direction of the gas blown to outdoor heat exchanger 5 by outdoor fan 7. Second direction B is, for example, the horizontal direction. Heat transfer tube 20 is disposed windward of heat transfer tube 21 in second direction B. Heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 are connected to first and second fin portions 24 in a third direction C. Third direction C is a direction crossing first direction A and second direction B. Third direction C is, for example, the horizontal direction and is a direction orthogonal to second direction B.
A plurality of through-holes 26 extending in first direction A are provided in heat transfer tube 20. Through-holes 26 include, for example, six through-holes 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d, 26e, and 26f. A plurality of through-holes 27 extending in first direction A are provided in heat transfer tube 21. Through-holes 27 include, for example, six through-holes 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d, 27e, and 27f. The cross-sections of through-holes 26 and 27 orthogonal to first direction A may have any shape, which is a rectangular shape, for example. Through-holes 26 are connected to a first distributor 10, which will be described below. This allows the refrigerant to flow in through-holes 26 of heat transfer tube 20. Through-holes 27 are connected to a second distributor 11, which will be described below. This allows the refrigerant to flow in through-holes 27 of heat transfer tube 21.
First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are provided to extend in first direction A. The refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit of air conditioner 100 does not flow in first guide member 22 and second guide member 23. That is to say, first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 do not constitute the refrigerant circuit of air conditioner 100. First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are so-called solid members in which no through-holes are provided, unlike heat transfer tubes 20 and 21. Through-holes extending in first direction A may be provided inside first guide member 22 and second guide member 23. It suffices that in this case, the through-holes provided in first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are not connected to the refrigerant circuit of air conditioner 100.
The material for first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 is, for example, copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al). The material for first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may be identical to or different from the material for heat transfer tubes 20 and 21. The material for first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may be, for example, resin such as hard resins such as polypropylene and a composite material including polypropylene.
First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are spaced apart from each other in second direction B. First guide member 22 is disposed windward of second guide member 23 in second direction B. First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are connected to first and second fin portions 24 in third direction C. It suffices that first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are connected to first and second fin portions 24 by any method, which are fixed to first and second fin portions 24 by, for example, brazing.
First guide member 22 is disposed between and connected to a first region 24F of first fin portion 24, which will be described below, and a second region 24G of second fin portion 24, which will be described below. First guide member 22 has a first surface that is not connected to first and second fin portions 24. Second guide member 23 has a second surface that is not connected to first and second fin portions 24. The first surface and the second surface are provided to extend in first direction A. The lower edges of the first surface and the second surface in first direction A are provided so as to efficiently drain the water that has passed through on the first surface and the second surface to reach the lower edges. The lower edges of the first surface and the second surface are connected to, for example, a drain member (not shown) that can drain water out of outdoor heat exchanger 5. The lower edges of the first surface and the second surface may be spaced apart from, for example, the drain member such as a drain pan above this drain member.
With reference to
Among heat transfer tubes 20 and 21, first guide member 22, and second guide member 23, first guide member 22 is disposed most windward in second direction B. First guide member 22, heat transfer tube 20, second guide member 23, and heat transfer tube 21 are disposed in order from windward to leeward in second direction B. First guide member 22 and heat transfer tube 20 are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. Heat transfer tube 20 and second guide member 23 are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. Second guide member 23 and heat transfer tube 21 are spaced apart from each other in the second direction.
First guide member 22 has a first end 22A located windward and a second end 229 located leeward. The surfaces of first end 22A and second end 22B are provided to extend in first direction A and are not connected to first and second fin portions 24. The first surface is formed of the surfaces of first end 22A and second end 22B. Heat transfer tube 20 has a third end 20A located windward and a fourth end 20B located leeward. Second guide member 23 has a fifth end 23A located windward and a sixth end 23B located leeward. The surfaces of fifth end 23A and sixth end 23B are provided to extend in first direction A and are not connected to first and second fin portions 24. The second surface is formed of the surfaces of fifth end 23A and sixth end 23B. Heat transfer tube 21 has a seventh end 21A located windward and an eighth end 21B located leeward. First and second fin portions 24 have a ninth end 24A located windward and a tenth end 24B located leeward.
A first space 30 is provided between second end 22B of first guide member 22 which is located leeward and third end 20A of heat transfer tube 20 which is located windward. That is to say, first space 30 faces a part of the first surface of first guide member 22. A second space 31 is provided between fourth end 209 of heat transfer tube 20 which is located leeward and fifth end 23A of second guide member 23 which is located windward. That is to say, second space 31 faces a part of the second surface of second guide member 23. A third space 32 is provided between sixth end 23B of second guide member 23 which is located leeward and seventh end 21A of heat transfer tube 21 which is located windward. That is to say, third space 32 faces a part of the second surface of second guide member 23. Spaces 30, 31, and 32 face lateral ends 24E of first and second fin portions 24 in third direction C.
First end 22A of first guide member 22 is provided to be continuous with, for example, ninth ends 24A of first and second fin portions 24 in third direction C. Eighth end 21B of heat transfer tube 21 is provided to be continuous with, for example, tenth ends 24B of first and second fin portions 24 in third direction C.
Heat transfer tubes 20 and 21, first guide member 22, and second guide member 23 have the same width in, for example, third direction C. The widths of first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 in second direction B are smaller than, for example, the widths of heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 in second direction B. In other words, an area S1 of the cross-section of first guide member 22 which is perpendicular to first direction A and an area S2 of the cross-section of second guide member 23 which is perpendicular to first direction A are smaller than areas S3 and S4 of the cross-sections of heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 perpendicular to first direction A. Areas S3 and S4 also include the areas inside through-holes 26 and 27. The width of first guide member 22 in second direction B is smaller than the distance between third end 20A of heat transfer tube 20 and each of ninth ends 24A of first and second fin portions 24 in second direction B. Although the distance between third end 20A of heat transfer tube 20 and each of ninth ends 24A of first and second tin portions 24 in second direction B may have any value as long as the frost on ninth end 24A can be melted by the heat of the refrigerant flowing in through-hole 26 of heat transfer tube 20 during defrosting operation, this distance preferably has the smallest possible value.
Fin 24 includes first fin portion 24 and second fin portion 24 disposed with heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 therebetween in third direction C. First and second fin portions 24 are configured separately. First and second fin portions 24 have, for example, a similar configuration. First and second fin portions 24 are separated from each other in third direction C. First and second fin portions 24 are formed as corrugated fins formed of, for example, a thin film made of metal or the like shaped in a wave form. First fin portion 24 has first region 24F located windward of heat transfer tube 20 located most windward in second direction B. Second fin portion 24 has second region 24G located windward of heat transfer tube 20 located most windward in second direction B. First region 24F and second region 24G are spaced apart from each other in third direction C. As described above, first guide member 22 is connected to first region 24F and second region 24G.
First and second fin portions 24 are provided with, for example, a plurality of louvers 25. Louvers 25 are provided to extend in third direction C and are spaced apart from each other in second direction B. Some of louvers 25 are provided in a portion of fin 24 which is located between adjacent first guide members 22 in third direction C, a portion of fin 24 which is located between adjacent second guide members 23 in third direction C, and a portion of fin 24 which is located between adjacent heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 in third direction C.
With reference to
For example, a plurality of heat transfer tubes 20, a plurality of heat transfer tubes 21, a plurality of first guide members 22, and a plurality of second guide members 23 are provided. Heat transfer tubes 20 are spaced apart from each other in third direction C. Heat transfer tubes 21 are spaced apart from each other with first or second fin portion 24 therebetween in third direction C. First guide members 22 are spaced apart from each other with first or second fin portion 24 therebetween in third direction C. Second guide members 23 are spaced apart from each other with first or second fin portion 24 therebetween in third direction C. Fin 24 may further include a plurality of fin portions spaced apart from each other in third direction C, in addition to the first and second fin portions. The fin portions are spaced apart from each other with one heat transfer tube 20, one heat transfer tube 21, one first guide member 22, and one second guide member 23 therebetween in third direction C. In this case, a plurality of spaces 30, a plurality of spaces 31, and a plurality of spaces 32 are provided in third direction C.
It suffices that outdoor heat exchanger 5 has any configuration as long as it has the above configuration. For example, outdoor heat exchanger 5 further includes first distributor 10, second distributor 11, and a folded header 12 as shown in
The respective lower ends of heat transfer tubes 20 in first direction A are connected to first distributor 10. First distributor 10 is provided so as to distribute the refrigerant to heat transfer tubes 20. The respective lower ends of heat transfer tubes 21 in first direction A are connected to second distributor 11. Second distributor 11 is connected to the respective lower ends of heat transfer tubes 21 in first direction A. Second distributor 11 is provided so as to distribute the refrigerant to heat transfer tubes 21. First distributor 10 is disposed windward of second distributor 11. First distributor 10 is connected to expansion valve 4 through, for example, a refrigerant pipe. Second distributor 11 is connected to four-way valve 2 through, for example, a refrigerant pipe. Folded header 12 is connected to the respective upper ends of heat transfer tube 20 and heat transfer tube 21 in first direction A.
The respective lower ends and the respective upper ends of first guide members 22 in first direction A are not connected to, for example, all of first distributor 10, second distributor 11, and folded header 12. The respective lower ends and the respective upper ends of second guide members 23 in first direction A are not connected to, for example, all of first distributor 10, second distributor 11, and folded header 12. The lower edge of the first surface may be provided to be in contact with the outer surface of first distributor 10, which will be described below. The lower edge of the second surface may be provided to be in contact with the outer surface of second distributor 11, which will be described below.
<Operation of Refrigeration Cycle Apparatus>
The operations of air conditioner 100 and outdoor heat exchanger 5 will now be described with reference to
With reference to
In contrast, the other region of fin 24 which is sandwiched between first guide members 22 adjacent to each other in third direction C and is located windward of the partial region, that is, the region of fin 24 located (projecting) windward of heat transfer tube 20 is distant from heat transfer tube 20 through which the refrigerant flows, compared with the partial region. The surface temperature of fin 24 thus exhibits a temperature distribution according to the distance from heat transfer tube 20 in the other region. That is to say, the surface temperature of fin 24 exhibits a temperature distribution in which temperature is highest at ninth end 24A of fin 24 which is located most distant from third end 20A of heat transfer tube 20 and gradually decreases as closer to the position at which the surface overlaps third end 20A of heat transfer tube 20 in third direction C.
With reference to
The surface temperature of fin 24 and the temperature of the air flowing on the surface of fin 24 exhibit the temperature distributions as shown in
Air conditioner 100 forms a refrigerant flow path indicated by the broken line and arrow F2 shown in
With reference to
Outdoor heat exchanger 5 thus has a drainage efficiency higher than that of an outdoor heat exchanger having no first guide member 22, that is, an outdoor heat exchanger having no third drain flow path passing through first guide member 22 and having only the first drain flow path and the second drain flow path. In particular, outdoor heat exchanger 5 has a high drain efficiently in a region of fin 24 which is located windward of heat transfer tube 20. This allows outdoor heat exchanger 5 to reduce a time for defrosting operation more than the above outdoor heat exchanger. In addition, outdoor heat exchanger 5 prevents water from staying on fin 24 and also prevents the water which has stayed on fin 24 even after defrosting operation from forming frost again during heating operation, and accordingly has high heat exchange efficiency during heating operation.
<Function and Effect>
Outdoor heat exchanger 5 according to Embodiment 1 includes heat transfer tubes 20 and 21, first guide member 22, and fin 24. Heat transfer tube 20 is provided to extend in first direction A, in which refrigerant flows. Fin 24 is connected to heat transfer tubes 20 and 21. Fin 24 has first region 24F and second region 24G located windward of heat transfer tube 20 in second direction B. First region 22F and second region 24G are spaced apart from each other in third direction C. First guide member 22 is disposed between first region 24F and second region 24G in third direction C. Of heat transfer tubes 20 and 21, first guide member 22 is disposed most windward. First guide member 22 has first end 22A and second end 22B as a first surface which extends in first direction A and is not connected to fin 24. Refrigerant does not flow in first guide member 22.
In outdoor heat exchanger 5, fin 24 has first region 24F and second region 24G located windward of heat transfer tube 20 in second direction B. This allows outdoor heat exchanger 5 to prevent or reduce frost formation on first region 24F and second region 24G of fin 24 during heating operation in which outdoor heat exchanger 5 acts as an evaporator, thus making the frost formation amount on fin 24 uniform in third direction C. Thus, outdoor heat exchanger 5 can efficiently melt the frost on fin 24 during defrosting operation. In addition, outdoor heat exchanger 5 includes first guide member 22 connected to first region 24F and second region 24G of fin 24, and thus can efficiently drain the water, generated on first region 24F and second region 24G during defrosting operation, downward in first direction A through first end 22A and second end 22B of first guide member 22. That is to say, outdoor heat exchanger 5 prevents or reduces frost formation on fin 24 and has high defrosting efficiency.
In outdoor heat exchanger 5, the first surface of first guide member 22 has a surface of second end 22B of first guide member 22 which is located leeward in second direction B. This allows outdoor heat exchanger 5 to have a drainage efficiency higher than that of an outdoor heat exchanger in which the first surface has only the surface of first end 22A of first guide member 22 which is located windward.
In outdoor heat exchanger 5, fin 24 includes first fin portion 24 and second fin portion 24 disposed with heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 therebetween in third direction C. First region 24F is formed on first fin portion 24, and second region 24G is formed on second tin portion 24. This allows outdoor heat exchanger 5 to efficiently drain the water, generated on first region 24F and second region 24G of the corrugated fin during defrosting operation, downward in first direction A through first end 22A and second end 22B of first guide member 22 even when, for example, first and second fin portions 24 are formed of corrugated fins or the like.
Outdoor heat exchanger 5 includes heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 spaced apart from each other in second direction B, and at least one second guide member 23 provided to extend in first direction A and spaced apart from two heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 adjacent to each other in second direction B among heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 between the two adjacent heat transfer tubes 20 and 21. Second guide member 23 has a second surface which extends in first direction A and is not connected to fin 24. Alternatively, three or more heat transfer tubes may be spaced apart from each other in second direction B. In this case, a second guide member is preferably disposed between two heat transfer tubes adjacent to each other in second direction B. Consequently, the region of fin 24 which is located between the two heat transfer tubes adjacent to each other in second direction B and is not connected to heat transfer tubes is connected with second guide member 23 having the second surface. Outdoor heat exchanger 5 including second guide member 23 can thus increase the efficiency of draining water from the relevant region on fin 24.
Air conditioner 100 according to Embodiment 1 includes outdoor heat exchanger 5 as described above, outdoor fan 7 that blows gas to outdoor heat exchanger 5 in second direction B, and four-way valve 2 capable of switching the flow direction of the refrigerant flowing through heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 of outdoor heat exchanger 5. Air conditioner 100 can thus have high efficiency during heating operation and defrosting operation.
First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may have any configuration as long as they have the first surface and the second surface.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Although the example configurations of first guide member 22 have been described with reference to
With reference to
First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may be provided such that their lengths in the cross-sections of the first surface and the second surface which are perpendicular to first direction A increase toward downward in first direction A. Such a configuration widens the first surface of first guide member 22 and the second surface of second guide member 23 toward downward in first direction A. Since the water melted from the portion of fin 24 located above lower portions of the first surface and the second surface flows in the lower portions, the flow rate of the water flowing on the first surface and the second surface increases toward downward. The drain efficiency owing to the first surface and the second surface can be increased further when the first surface of first guide member 22 and the second surface of second guide member 23 are wider toward downward in first direction A.
It suffices that first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are adjacent to fin 24 in outdoor heat exchanger 5. Herein, the state in which first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are adjacent to fin 24 refers to the state in which first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are connected to fin 24 as described above or the state in which first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 are spaced apart from fin 24 at a minute interval therebetween and are not connected to fin 24. First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may be spaced apart from lateral end 24E of fin 24 in third direction C at such an interval as to allow the water on lateral end 24E to contact first guide member 22 and second guide member 23. In this case, first guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may be positioned with respect to the component other than fin 24 in outdoor heat exchanger 5. Also with such a configuration, the water that has reached lateral end 24E in fin 24 is efficiently drained by first guide member 22 and second guide member 23. An outdoor heat exchanger including such first guide member 22 can achieve effects similar to those of outdoor heat exchanger 5 according to Embodiment 1. In this case, as shown in
First guide member 22 and second guide member 23 may be fixed by press Fitting to outdoor heat exchanger 5 to which heat transfer tubes 20 and 21 and fin 24 are fixed by brazing.
A heat exchanger according to Embodiment 2 will now be described with reference to
Fin 24 is, for example, a flat fin. A plurality of fins 24 are layered in first direction A. Fins 24 have, for example, the same configuration. First cut-away portion 51 is provided in each of fins 24 layered in first direction A. First cut-away portions 51 have, for example, the same configuration. First cut-away portions 51 are provided to overlap one another in, for example, first direction A.
First cut-away portion 51 faces ninth end 24A of fin 24 and is provided to extend in second direction B. It suffices that first cut-away portion 51 has any configuration as long as it can receive first guide member 22. The width of first cut-away portion 51 in second direction B is equal to, for example, the width of first guide member 22 in second direction B. The width of first cut-away portion 51 in third direction C is equal to, for example, the width of first guide member 22 in third direction C. In this case, first region 24F and second region 24G located windward of heat transfer tube 20 in second direction B are disposed with first cut-away portion 51 therebetween in third direction C.
Second end 22B of first guide member 22 is fitted with, for example, the end of first cut-away portion 51 which is located leeward without any gap. First end 22A of first guide member 22 is provided to be continuous with, for example, ninth end 24A of fin 24. First end 22A may project windward of, for example, ninth end 24A. First guide member 22 is provided with indentation 40 as shown in, for example,
Each of fins 24 may be provided with a third cut-away portion 53 capable of receiving heat transfer tube 20. Third cut-away portion 53 faces tenth end 24B of fin 24 and is provided to extend in second direction B. It suffices that third cut-away portion 53 has any configuration as long as it can receive heat transfer tube 20. The width of third cut-away portion 53 in second direction B is equal to, for example, the width of heat transfer tube 20 in second direction B. The width of third cut-away portion 53 in third direction C is equal to, for example, the width of heat transfer tube 20 in third direction C.
Third end 20A of heat transfer tube 20 is fitted with, for example, the end of third cut-away portion 53 which is located windward without any gap. Fourth end 20B of heat transfer tube 20 is provided to be continuous with, for example, tenth end 24B of fin 24. Fourth end 20B may project leeward of, for example, tenth end 24B.
First cut-away portion 51 and third cut-away portion 53 are spaced apart from each other in second direction 13. The end of first cut-away portion 51 which is located leeward is located windward of the end of third cut-away portion 53 which is located windward. From a different perspective, fin 24 includes first fin portion 24 and second fin portion 24 formed with first cut-away portion 51 and third cut-away portion 53 therebetween in third direction C. First and second tin portions 24 are configured integrally. That is to say, fin 24 has a portion located between first cut-away portion 51 and third cut-away portion 53 in second direction B, and first fin portion 24 and second fin portion 24 are connected to each other with this portion therebetween. First guide member 22 is disposed between first region 24F formed on first fin portion 24 and second region 24G formed on second fin portion 24.
First guide member 22 and fin 24 can be positioned with respect to each other by, for example, first guide member 22 inserted into first cut-away portion 51. Heat transfer tube 20 and fin 24 can be positioned with respect to each other by, for example, heat transfer tube 20 inserted into third cut-away portion 53.
Also with such a configuration, fin 24 has first region 24F and second region 24G located windward of heat transfer tube 20 in second direction B, and the frost formation on first region 24F and second region 24G of fin 24 can accordingly be prevented or reduced during heating operation in which outdoor heat exchanger 5 serves as an evaporator, resulting in uniform frost formation amount on fin 24 in third direction C. This allows outdoor heat exchanger 5 to efficiently melt the frost on fin 24 during defrosting operation. Further, since outdoor heat exchanger 5 includes first guide member 22 connected to first region 24F and second region 24G of fin 24, the water generated on first region 24F and second region 24G during defrosting operation can be efficiently drained downward in first direction A through first end 22A of first guide member 22 and indentation 40. That is to say, outdoor heat exchanger 5 according to Embodiment 2 can achieve effects similar to those of outdoor heat exchanger 5 according to Embodiment 1.
It suffices that at least a part of the portion of first guide member 22 which is received in first cut-away portion 51 is configured appropriately as long as an interval can be formed between first cut-away portion 51 and first guide member 22. First guide member 22 may have, for example, any of the configurations shown in
An outdoor heat exchanger according to Embodiment 3 will now be described with reference to
Second cut-away portion 52 is provided in each of fins 24 layered in first direction A. Second cut-away portions 52 have, for example, the same configuration. Second cut-away portions 52 are provided to overlap one another in, for example, first direction A.
Second cut-away portion 52 is provided leeward of, for example, first cut-away portion 51. The end of second cut-away portion 52 which is located windward is connected to the end of first cut-away portion 51 which is located leeward. Second cut-away portion 52 is not provided so as to receive first guide member 22. The width of the end of second cut-away portion 52 which is located windward in third direction C is smaller than the width of first guide member 22 in third direction C.
The surface of a part of second end 22B of first guide member 22 inserted into first cut-away portion 51 faces second cut-away portion 52 of fin 24. The surface of the part of first guide member 22 which faces second cut-away portion 52 is provided to extend in first direction A and is not connected to fin 24. That is to say, the first surface of first guide member 22 has the surface of first end 22A and the surface of the part of first guide member 22.
The outdoor heat exchanger according to Embodiment 3 can thus achieve effects similar to those of the outdoor heat exchanger according to Embodiment 2.
Although second cut-away portion 52 is preferably connected to first cut-away portion 51 leeward of first cut-away portion 51, it may be connected to any location of first cut-away portion 51.
The outdoor heat exchangers according to Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 may further include a heat transfer tube leeward of heat transfer tube 20. For example, a heat transfer tube and a fin that have configurations similar to those of heat transfer tube 20 and tin 24 shown in
Although the heat exchangers (outdoor heat exchangers) according to Embodiments 1 to 3 are suitable for air conditioners as described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. The heat exchanges according to Embodiments 1 to 3 are applicable to, for example, apparatuses that employ a heat pump that compresses refrigerant by a compressor and circulates the compressed refrigerant, such as a heat pump water heater or a refrigerator.
It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and non-restrictive in every respect. It is therefore intended that the scope of the present invention is defined by claims, not only by the embodiments described above, and encompasses all modifications and variations equivalent in meaning and scope to the claims.
The present invention is particularly advantageously applied to an air conditioner which is subjected to heating operation in cold weather and a heat exchanger included in the air conditioner.
1 compressor, 2 four-way valve, 3 indoor heat exchanger, 4 expansion valve, 5 outdoor heat exchanger, 6 indoor fan, 7 outdoor fan, 10 first distributor, 11 second distributor, 12 folded header, 20, 21 heat transfer tube, 20A third end, 20B fourth end, 21A seventh end, 21B eighth end, 22 first guide member, 22A first end, 22B second end, 23 second guide member, 23A fifth end, 23B sixth end, 24 fin, 24A ninth end, 24B tenth end, 25 louver, 40, 41, 42 indentation, 43 base material, 44 coating film, 51 first cut-away portion, 52 second cut-away portion, 53 third cut-away portion.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2016/058533 | 3/17/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2017/158795 | 9/21/2017 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3190352 | Simpelaar | Jun 1965 | A |
20040003619 | Lee | Jan 2004 | A1 |
20080202153 | Watanabe | Aug 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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105021069 | Nov 2015 | CN |
09-280754 | Oct 1997 | JP |
10-062086 | Mar 1998 | JP |
2000-241093 | Sep 2000 | JP |
2006-046698 | Feb 2006 | JP |
2006-207994 | Aug 2006 | JP |
3942210 | Jul 2007 | JP |
2012-067971 | Apr 2012 | JP |
2006070918 | Jul 2006 | WO |
2016027811 | Feb 2016 | WO |
Entry |
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U.S. Appl. No. 15/775,130, filed May 10, 2018, Akaiwa et al. |
International Search Report of the International Searching Authority dated Jun. 7, 2016 for the corresponding international application No. PCT/JP2016/058533 (and English translation). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20190049162 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |