Patent Grant
11384997
This application is a U.S. national stage application of International Application No. PCT/JP2018/022575, filed on Jun. 13, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger unit provided with the heat exchanger, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus, and particularly to a structure of a spacer that maintains an interval between fins installed on heat transfer tubes.
Some heat exchanger has been known that is provided with flat tubes, to improve heat exchange performance, that are each a heat transfer tube having a flat sectional shape with multiple holes. One example of such a heat exchanger is a heat exchanger where flat tubes are arranged at predetermined intervals from one another in the up-and-down direction with the direction of pipe axes extending in the lateral direction. In such a heat exchanger, plate-like fins are aligned in the direction of the pipe axes of the flat tubes, and heat is exchanged between air passing through between the fins and fluid flowing through the flat tubes. Some fin has been known that is provided with a fin collar at the rim of an insertion portion for the flat tube. The fin collar ensures a separation between the fins by causing the distal end of the fin collar to be in contact with the next fin. By maintaining an appropriate interval between the fins disposed next to each other, resistance against frost and drainage properties of the heat exchanger are ensured to prevent the reduction of heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger.
In Patent Literature 1, by raising opposite end portions, in the longitudinal direction, of the rim of an insertion portion, into which the flat tube is inserted, from the plate surface of the fin, the opposite end portions are in contact with the next fin. In Patent Literature 2, by raising a portion of the plate surface of the fin, which is a portion other than the rim of an insertion portion, the portion is caused to be in contact with the next fin. In Patent Literature 3, by raising a portion of the rim of an insertion portion for the flat tube, which is a portion that faces the long side of the section of the flat tube, the portion is caused to be in contact with the next fin.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-78295
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent No. 5177307
Patent Literature 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-198440
In Patent Literature 1, by raising the opposite end portions, in the longitudinal direction, of the rim of the insertion portion, a spacer is obtained that maintains the interval between the arranged fins and hence, a standing portion formed at a portion of the rim of the insertion portion that extends along the longitudinal direction is short. The standing portion is joined to the flat tube and transfers heat to the flat tube. A problem, however, is caused in that heat exchange performance is reduced as the standing portion is short.
In Patent Literature 2, another spacer that maintains the interval between the arranged fins is provided to a portion other than the rim of the insertion portion. As the spacer is disposed in an air passage between the fins, a problem is caused in that ventilation resistance increases in the heat exchanger and the ventilation resistance further increases during operation under the condition that outside air has a low temperature, where frost increases from the spacer used as a base point. Not only the spacer prevents drainage of condensation water or meltwater of frost through the air passage between the fins but also a problem is caused in that heat transfer performance of the fins reduces as a hole is provided in the plate surface of the fin.
In Patent Literature 3, by raising the portion of the rim of the insertion portion for the flat tube, which is a portion that faces the long side of the section of the flat tube, the spacer is formed. In recent years, however, as the thickness of the flat tube has been reduced, the width of the insertion portion is small and hence, it is difficult to raise the spacer from the plate surface of the fin up to a required height. In a case where the height of the spacer from the plate surface is insufficient, the interval between the fins disposed next to each other is small. Drainage properties of condensation water may thus reduce and ventilation properties may be reduced by, for example, the clogging of the air passage when frost forms. A problem therefore is caused in that the heat exchanger does not effectively produce heat exchange performance.
The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger unit, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus where deterioration in drainage properties and ventilation properties is prevented, an air passage is not easily clogged when frost forms, and both defrosting properties and heat exchange performance are achieved.
A heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a flat tube and a plurality of fins that are each a plate having a plate surface extending in a longitudinal direction and in a width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The plate surface intersects a pipe axis of the flat tube. The plurality of fins are arranged at an interval from one another. The plurality of fins each have an insertion portion in which the flat tube is inserted, a first spacer formed at a rim of the insertion portion and maintaining the interval, and a second spacer formed at a portion of the plate other than the rim of the insertion portion and maintaining the interval. The first spacer is positioned at one end portion in a longitudinal direction of a section of the rim of the insertion portion, and the section is perpendicular to the pipe axis of the flat tube.
A heat exchanger unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned heat exchanger, and a fan configured to send air to the heat exchanger. The above-mentioned first spacer is positioned upwind of the above-mentioned second spacer in a direction of a flow of air sent to the heat exchanger.
A refrigeration cycle apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned heat exchanger unit.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with the above-mentioned configuration, the interval between the fins is appropriately maintained. It is therefore possible to prevent the clogging of the air passage when frost forms, and drainage properties of meltwater are ensured during the defrosting process. Further, as the first spacer is positioned at an end portion of the insertion portion in the longitudinal direction of the flat tube, it is possible to prevent the reduction of ventilation properties between the fin and the flat tube. Resistance against frost and drainage properties of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger unit are therefore enhanced while heat exchange performance is maintained.
Hereinafter, embodiments of a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger unit, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus are described. Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to drawings. In the drawings, components and portions given the same reference signs are the same or corresponding components and portions, and the reference signs are common in the entire specification. Further, forms of components described in the entire specification are merely examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the description in the specification. In particular, the combination of the components is not limited to the combination in each embodiment, and components described in one embodiment may be applicable to another embodiment. Further, when it is not necessary to distinguish or specify a plurality of components or portions of the same kind that are, for example, differentiated by suffixes, the suffixes may be omitted. In the drawings, the relationship in size of the components and portions may differ from that of actual components and portions. It is noted that directions indicated by “x”, “y”, and “z” in the drawings indicate the same directions in the drawings.
The outdoor heat exchanger 5 is mounted on an outdoor unit 8, the indoor heat exchanger 7 is mounted on an indoor unit 9, and a fan 2 is disposed in the vicinity of each of the outdoor heat exchanger 5 and the indoor heat exchanger 7. In the outdoor unit 8, the fan 2 sends outside air into the outdoor heat exchanger 5 to exchange heat between the outside air and refrigerant. In the indoor unit 9, the fan 2 sends indoor air into the indoor heat exchanger 7 to exchange heat between the indoor air and refrigerant, so that the temperature of the indoor air is conditioned. Further, in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 1, the heat exchanger 100 may be used as the outdoor heat exchanger 5, mounted on the outdoor unit 8, or as the indoor heat exchanger 7, mounted on the indoor unit 9, and the heat exchanger 100 is used as a condenser or an evaporator. In the specification, a unit, such as the outdoor unit 8 and the indoor unit 9, on which the heat exchanger 100 is mounted is particularly referred to as “heat exchanger unit”.
The heat exchanger 100 shown in
The width direction of the fin 40 means a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fin 40, and extends along the x direction shown in
The plurality of fins 40 are arranged along a direction along which the pipe axes of the flat tubes 30 extend. The fins 40 disposed next to each other are disposed with a predetermined gap between the plate surfaces 48 so that air is allowed to pass through between the plate surfaces 48. To ensure an interval between the fins 40 disposed next to each other, a first spacer 50 and a second spacer 60 are formed on the fins 40. Hereinafter, the first spacer 50 and the second spacer 60 may be collectively referred to as “spacer”. The spacer is formed by bending a portion of the fin 40, which is a plate, and the spacer is erected in a direction intersecting the plate surface 48.
As shown in
The standing piece 45 formed to extend along each of the long sides 47a, 47b of the insertion portion 44 is formed by raising, from the plate surface 48, the corresponding one of tongue-shaped pieces 145a, 145b formed at a portion other than a portion in which the tongue-shaped piece 150 is formed. The tongue-shaped pieces 145a, 145b each extend in the longitudinal direction of the fin 40 and are each formed long in the width direction of the fin 40 to have the width W2. In
As shown in
In addition, one second spacer 60 is disposed in the intermediate region 43 between the flat tubes 30 disposed next to each other in
The first spacer 50 is positioned upwind of the second spacer 60 in the direction of the flow of air flowing in in the x direction. The difference in temperature between air passing through the heat exchanger 100 and a region close to the first end edge 41 of the fin 40 positioned upwind in the direction of the flow of air is larger than the difference in temperature between air passing through the heat exchanger 100 and a region close to the second end edge 42 of the fin 40 positioned downwind in the direction of the flow of air. At the region close to the first end edge 41, heat is therefore easily exchanged between the fin 40 and the air. As the second spacer 60 is positioned in a region other than the region close to the first end edge 41 of the fin 40, where heat is thus easily exchanged, even with the second spacer 60 disposed, the reduction of heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 100 is prevented. Further, in a case where the heat exchanger 100 is operated as an evaporator under the condition that outside air has a low temperature, frost easily forms on an upwind portion of the heat exchanger 100, where the difference in temperature between the upwind portion and air is large. By disposing the second spacer 60 downwind of the first spacer 50, increase of frost from the second spacer 60 used as a base point is prevented and the interval between the fins 40 is appropriately ensured. It is therefore possible to prevent the reduction of ventilation properties of the heat exchanger 100 and appropriately ensure heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 100.
When the fin 40 is viewed in the y direction, that is, when the fin 40 is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface 48, the standing surface 63 of the second spacer 60 extends parallel to the width direction of the fin 40. The configuration, however, is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. The standing surface 63 of the second spacer 60 may be inclined. In this case, as condensation water or meltwater of frost flowing down from an upper portion of the fin 40 flows from the standing surface 63 in the direction of gravity, stagnation of water on the standing surface 63 is prevented to obtain an advantageous effect that drainage properties of the heat exchanger 100 increases.
In addition, the width W3 of the second spacer 60 may be smaller than the width W1 of the first spacer 50. As the width of the standing surface 63 of the second spacer 60 is small, ventilation resistance between the fins 40 of the heat exchanger 100 reduces and ventilation properties of the heat exchanger 100 are therefore increased. In addition, as the opening port 61 in the plate surface 48 of the fin 40 is also small, it is possible to prevent the reduction of heat exchange performance.
The second spacer 60 may be disposed in a region between second end portions 32 and the second end edge 42 of the fin 40, and each second end portion 32 of the flat tube 30 is disposed downwind in the width direction of the fin 40. By disposing the second spacer 60 further downwind than is the flat tube 30, it is possible to prevent the reduction of heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 100 caused by the provision of the second spacer 60.
<Modification of Second Spacer 60>
<Advantageous Effects of Embodiment 1>
In the heat exchanger 100 according to Embodiment 1, as the first spacer 50 is disposed at the end portion 46a in the longitudinal direction in the rim of the insertion portion 44 provided to the fin 40, it is possible to suitably set the height of the first spacer 50 from the plate surface 48 to the distal end of the first spacer 50. For example, even in the case where the transverse axis of the flat tube 30 is short, as the height of the first spacer 50 is ensured, it is possible to appropriately ensure the interval between the fins 40. The reduction of the amount of refrigerant filled in the refrigeration cycle apparatus 1 is required to reduce global warming. As it is possible to set the transverse axis of the flat tube 30 to have a small value, the heat exchanger 100 is effective to reduce the amount of filled refrigerant.
The first spacer 50 is disposed upwind of a first end portion 31 of the flat tube 30. No possibility consequently remains that ventilation properties of the air passage between the fins 40 are impaired. It is therefore possible to appropriately ensure a gap between the fins 40 by the first spacer 50 while ventilation resistance between the fins 40 is not increased.
As the first spacer 50 is disposed only at the end portion 46a, which is one end portion of the insertion portion 44 in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to dispose the standing piece 45 at a portion other than the vicinity of the end portion 46a. It is therefore possible to set an area on which the flat tube 30 and the standing piece 45 are in contact with each other to be large compared with a case where the first spacer 50 is disposed at each of the opposite end portions of the insertion portion 44 in the longitudinal direction. Heat transfer between the flat tube 30 and the fin 40 is consequently facilitated and heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 100 increases.
The description has been made above for a state where air flows into the heat exchanger 100a from a direction perpendicular to the first end edge 41 of the fin 140 of the heat exchanger 100a. However, there may be also a case where the heat exchanger 100a is disposed and inclined to the direction of gravity, for example. In Embodiment 1, the direction of gravity extends downward along the z axis. The heat exchanger 100, 100a, however, may be disposed to have the z axis inclined to the direction of gravity. The inclination angle of each of the flat tubes 30 and the second spacer 60 is only required to be suitably set corresponding to an environment where the heat exchanger 100, 100a is disposed.
The second spacer 60 may be disposed in a shielded region 145. The shielded region 145 is, within an intermediate region 143 between two insertion portions 144 of the heat exchanger 100a, a region between an imaginary line p and a lower surface of the flat tube 30. The imaginary line p is drawn horizontal to the width direction of the fin 140 from a lower end of the first end portion 31 of the flat tube 30. When air flows into the heat exchanger 100a across the first end edge 41 of the fin 140 in the x direction, the shielded region 145 is a region shielded by the flat tube 30 disposed and inclined. In a case where the flat tube 30 is disposed as shown in
A heat exchanger 200 according to Embodiment 2 is a heat exchanger obtained by changing the structure of the insertion portion 44 from that in the heat exchanger 100 according to Embodiment 1. The description of the heat exchanger 200 according to Embodiment 2 is made below mainly for points different from Embodiment 1. In the drawings, portions of the heat exchanger 200 according to Embodiment 2 having the same functions as those in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference signs as used in the drawings for describing Embodiment 1.
The first spacer 50 provided to the fin 240 of the heat exchanger 200 according to Embodiment 2 has the same structure as that of the heat exchanger 100 shown in
The standing piece 245 formed to extend along each of the long side portions 247a, 247b of the insertion portion 244 is the corresponding one of tongue-shaped pieces 245a, 245b formed at a portion other than a portion in which the tongue-shaped piece 150 is formed. The tongue-shaped pieces 245a, 245b each extend in the longitudinal direction of the fin 240 and are each formed long in the width direction of the fin 240 to have the width W2. In
<Advantageous Effects of Embodiment 2>
In the heat exchanger 200 according to Embodiment 2, as the first spacer 50 is disposed at the end portion 46a in the longitudinal direction in the rim of the insertion portion 244 provided to the fin 240, it is possible to suitably set the height of the first spacer 50 from the plate surface 48 to the distal end of the first spacer 50, to appropriately ensure the interval between the fins 240 disposed next to each other. In addition, as the insertion portions 244 are each a cut-out in the second end edge 242, it is possible to insert the flat tubes 30 into the insertion portions 244 of the fin 240 from the second end edge 242. In manufacturing the heat exchanger 200, the fins 240 and the flat tubes 30 are easily assembled. Further, in a case where the fin 40 according to Embodiment 1 and the fin 240 according to Embodiment 2 have the same width, it is possible to set the distance between the first end portion 31 of the flat tube 30 and the first end edge 41 of the fin 240 to be larger than that of the fin 40. In a case where the heat exchanger 200 is disposed in such a manner that the first end edge 41 of the fin 240 is disposed upwind and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 1 is operated under the condition that outside air has a low temperature, it is therefore possible to reduce frost forming in a region close to the first end edge 41 of the fin 240.
In addition, similarly to Embodiment 1, the flat tube 30 in the heat exchanger 200 according to Embodiment 2 may also be inclined to the width direction of the fin 240. In this case, the second spacer 60 may also be inclined to the width direction of the fin 240. With such a configuration, water flowing down from the upper portion of the fin 240 is easily drained from the upper surface of the flat tube 30 and the upper surface of the second spacer 60 to improve drainage properties of the heat exchanger 200.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2018/022575 | 6/13/2018 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2019/239519 | 12/19/2019 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130284416 | Jindou | Oct 2013 | A1 |
| 20140116667 | Choi | May 2014 | A1 |
| 20140345312 | Katoh | Nov 2014 | A1 |
| 20180299209 | Etienne | Oct 2018 | A1 |
| 20190137193 | Yoshioka | May 2019 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 103791659 | May 2014 | CN |
| 2725311 | Apr 2014 | EP |
| 3038976 | Jan 2017 | FR |
| H03-095394 | Apr 1991 | JP |
| H10-078295 | Mar 1998 | JP |
| 2005-121288 | May 2005 | JP |
| 2007-017042 | Jan 2007 | JP |
| 2010-139115 | Jun 2010 | JP |
| 2012-163318 | Aug 2012 | JP |
| 5177307 | Apr 2013 | JP |
| 2014-156990 | Aug 2014 | JP |
| 2017-120134 | Jul 2017 | JP |
| 2017-198440 | Nov 2017 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Examination Report dated Jul. 15, 2021, issued in corresponding IN Patent Application No. 202027047967 (and English Machine Translation). |
| Office Action dated Sep. 26, 2021, issued in corresponding CN Patent Application No. 201880093622.X (and English Machine Translation). |
| Extended European Search Report dated Apr. 30, 2021, issued in corresponding European Patent Application No. 18922498.3. |
| Office Action dated May 11, 2021, issued in corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-525008 (and English Machine Translation). |
| Examination Report dated Aug. 9, 2021 issued in corresponding AU patent application No. 2018427606. |
| Examination Report dated Jan. 24, 2022 issued in corresponding AU patent application No. 2018427606. |
| International Search Report of the International Searching Authority dated Sep. 4, 2018 for the corresponding International application No. PCT/JP2018/022575 (and English translation). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210180878 A1 | Jun 2021 | US |
