The present invention relates to an outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus.
Outdoor units of a refrigeration apparatus have been reported to have a polypropylene cap or a cage-shaped electrical-corrosion-preventing body provided to the lower end of a header manifold; e.g., as in patent document 1 (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2011-145029).
However, in cases where water traveling along the header manifold enters the cap or accumulates in a floor frame (a drain pan) in such a configuration, there is a risk of the water infiltrating from a reticulated portion of the cage, contacting the header manifold, and inducing electrical corrosion of the header manifold.
An object of the present invention is to provide an outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus in which a heat exchanger made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy is used, wherein the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus is not susceptible to metal corrosion.
An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a heat exchanger, a floor frame, and a cap. The heat exchanger is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The heat exchanger has a plurality of flat pipes arranged in a row facing a side face, a header manifold to which each of the flat pipes is connected, and a plurality of fins joined to the flat pipes. In the heat exchanger, exchange of heat occurs between a fluid flowing inside the flat pipes and flowing outside the flat pipes. The heat exchanger is mounted on the floor frame, The cap covers the lower end part of the header manifold from below. The cap has a first drainage structure allowing water that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to drain out.
By having the cap placed on the lower end of the header manifold and an opening part for draining water provided to the cap, it is possible for dew from the heat exchanger that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to drain out, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be prevented.
Examples of the drainage structure include an opening, a cutout, and a gutter.
Dew from the heat exchanger includes condensation water and rainwater.
The material of the cap is preferably rubber in terms of enabling sate mounting of the header manifold as well as providing waterproofness and vibration resistance; examples including natural rubber, chloroprene rubber, nitrite rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, silicone rubber, fluorine rubber, AFLAS, hydrogenated nitrite rubber, and urethane rubber. The rubber is preferably a hard rubber (hardness: 50).
An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the cap is configured from a bottom face part and a side face part, and the first drainage structure is provided to the side face part,
According to the present aspect, having the drainage structure provided to the side face of the cap allows a larger drainage structure to be used, dew from the heat exchanger that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to be more efficiently drained to the outside, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be more effectively prevented.
An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the first drainage structure is an opening. The bottom face of the opening is provided below the lower end of the header manifold. Furthermore, the bottom face of the opening is set to incline downward from the inside toward the outside.
According to the present aspect, having the opening provided to the side face of the cap, the bottom face of the opening below the lower end of the header manifold, and the bottom face of the opening set at an incline allows condensation that has entered into the cap to be more efficiently routed outside the cap and guided to the floor frame, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be more effectively prevented.
An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the second or third aspect, wherein a projection is provided to the surface facing opposite the bottom face part of the floor frame.
According to the. present aspect, the lower end of the header manifold is raised by the cap, which allows infiltration of water into the header manifold to be prevented even when condensation accumulates in the floor frame, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be further prevented. Furthermore, condensation that has accumulated in the floor frame can be prevented from flowing into the cap and coming into contact with the header manifold.
An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to a fifth aspect of t le present invention is the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein a second drainage structure is provided to the projection.
According to the present aspect, condensation that has entered into the cap can be guided from the drainage structure of the lower part of the cap to the floor frame, which allows heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be prevented.
Examples of the drainage structure include an opening, a cutout, and a gutter or the like.
An outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to any of the first through fifth aspects, wherein the cap is designed so that there is no gap through which water can enter between the cap and the header manifold.
According to the present aspect, the lower end of the header manifold does not come into contact with water even when condensation accumulates in the floor frame, which allows heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be more effectively prevented.
In the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, having the cap placed on the lower end of the header manifold and the opening part for draining water provided to the cap makes it possible for dew from the heat exchanger that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to drain out, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be prevented.
In the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, having the drainage structure provided to the side face of the cap allows a larger drainage structure to be used, dew from the heat exchanger that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to be more efficiently drained out, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be further prevented.
In the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, having the opening provided to the side face of the cap, the bottom face of the opening below the lower end of the header manifold, and the bottom face of the opening set at an incline allows condensation that has entered into the cap to be more efficiently routed outside the cap and guided to the floor frame, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be further prevented.
In the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, because the lower end of the header manifold is raised by the cap, infiltration of water into the header manifold can be prevented even when condensation accumulates in the floor frame, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage can be further prevented. Furthermore, the condensation accumulated in the floor frame can be prevented from flowing into the cap and coming into contact with the header manifold. In the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, because condensation that has entered into the cap can be guided from the drainage structure of the lower part of the cap to the floor frame, heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage can be prevented.
In the outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, because the lower end of the header manifold does not come into contact with water even when condensation accumulates in the floor frame, heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage can be further prevented.
An embodiment of the present invention is described below while referring to the drawings.
The outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus of the present embodiment is used as an outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus,
(1) General Configuration of the Outdoor Unit
The outdoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
The outdoor unit 20 mainly comprises a roughly box-form casing 50, an outdoor fan (not illustrated), refrigerant circuit-configuring parts (not illustrated) including a heat exchanger, a compressor, valves, pipes, and the like, to configure a refrigerant circuit, and an electrical unit (not illustrated) for performing operation and control.
A blow-out opening positioned at the center and to the left of a front face 51 is formed on the casing 50, and air sent out by the outdoor fan is blown out forward from the blow-out opening.
The casing 50 has a ceiling plate 57, a right rear plate 56, and a right front plate 55, and additionally has a left side plate 54 and a floor frame 8. “60” indicates a fan grill attached on the outside of the casing 50.
The outdoor heat exchanger 25 allows refrigerant flowing inside to be condensed or evaporated by heat exchange with outside air. The outdoor heat exchanger 25 is made entirely of aluminum or aluminum alloy, The outdoor heat exchanger 25 is disposed inside the casing 50 with a proper space from the casing 50, or a resin member, or the like, is disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger 25 and the casing 50, so as not to be in direct contact with the casing 50 (see
The outdoor heat exchange 25, as illustrated in
(2) Cap
The cap 14 is made of a rubber material, and has a bottom face part 15 and a side face part 16. The bottom face part 15 is of a cylindrical configuration. The side face part 16 of the cylindrical configuration stands vertically upright from an edge portion on the circumference of the circle of the bottom face part 15 viewed from above, whereby a hole 19 into which the lower end part 6a of the header manifold 6 is inserted is formed. A lower end ob of the header manifold 6 is inserted so as to contact an upper face 15b of the bottom face part 15, and the heat exchanger 25 is mounted on the cap 14. The cap 14 is formed from hard rubber (hardness: 50) so that the cap 14 will not come free even if the heat exchanger 25 mounted thereon vibrates.
The cap 14 has a drainage opening 17 in the side face part 16. Condensation from the heat exchanger 25 that has traveled along the header manifold 6 and entered the gap between the header manifold 6 and the cap 14 is drained out from the drainage opening 17. A bottom face 17a of the drainage opening 17 is provided below the upper face 15b of the bottom face part 15. Therefore, condensation from the heat exchanger 25 that has traveled along the header manifold 6 and entered the gap between the header manifold 6 and the cap 14 can be more effectively drained. Furthermore, the bottom face 17a is set at a downward incline from the inside toward the outside, and drainage of condensation is further promoted.
A boss 15a. is provided to a surface of the bottom face part 15 facing the floor frame 8. Accordingly, even when water accumulates in the floor frame 8, there is minimal likelihood that the lower face part 6a of the header manifold 6 will be immersed in the water.
(3) Features of the Outdoor Unit
(3-1) The outdoor unit 20 of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment comprises a heat exchanger 25, a floor frame 8, and a cap 14. The heat exchanger 25 is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The heat exchanger 25 has a plurality of flat pipes 2 arranged facing a side face, a header manifold 6 to which each of the flat pipes 2 are connected, and a plurality of fins 4 joined to the flat pipes 2. In the heat exchanger 25, exchange of heat occurs between a fluid flowing inside the flat pipes 2 and air flowing outside the flat pipes 2. The heat exchanger 25 is mounted on the floor frame 8. The cap 14 covers the lower end part 6a of the header manifold 6 from below. The cap 14 has a drainage opening 17 through which water that has entered via a gap between the header manifold 6 and the cap 14 drains out.
By having the cap placed on the lower end of the header manifold and an opening part for draining water provided to the cap, it is possible for condensation from the heat exchanger that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to drain out, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be prevented.
(3-2) In the outdoor unit 20 of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the cap 14 is configured from a bottom face part 15 and a side face part 16, and the drainage opening 17 is provided to the side face 16.
According to this embodiment, having the drainage opening provided to the side face of the cap allows a larger drainage opening to be used, condensation from the heat exchanger that has entered via a gap between the header manifold and the cap to be more efficiently drained out, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be more effectively prevented.
(3-3) In the outdoor unit 20 of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the bottom face 17a of the drainage opening 17 is provided below the lower end 6b of the header manifold 6. Furthermore, the bottom face 17a is set at a downward incline from the inside toward the outside.
According to this embodiment, having the opening provided to the side face of the cap, the bottom face of the opening below the lower end of the header manifold, and the bottom face of the opening set at an incline allows condensation that has entered into the cap to be more efficiently routed outside the cap and guided to the floor frame, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be more effectively prevented.
(3-4) In the outdoor unit 20 of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a boss 15a is provided to a surface of the bottom face part 15 facing the floor frame 8.
According to this embodiment, the lower end of the header manifold is raised by the cap, which allows the header manifold to be prevented from being immersed in water even when condensation accumulates in the floor frame, and heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be further prevented. Furthermore, condensation that has accumulated in the floor frame can be prevented from flowing into the cap and coming into contact with the header manifold.
(3-5) in the outdoor unit 20 of the air-conditioning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the cap 14 is designed to leave substantially no gap through which water can enter between the cap 14 and the header manifold 6.
According to this embodiment, the lower end of the header manifold does not come into contact with water even when condensation accumulates in the floor frame, which allows heat exchanger corrosion and refrigerant leakage to be more effectively prevented.
(4) Modified Examples
A modified example of the present embodiment is presented below. A plurality of modified examples may be appropriately combined.
(4-1) Modified example A
Although the outdoor unit 20 illustrated in the above embodiment is used in an air-conditioning apparatus it, the outdoor unit is not limited to this and may be used in another refrigeration apparatus.
(4-2) Modified Example B
In the outdoor unit 20 indicated by the embodiments, a drainage opening 18 (see
(4-3) Modified Example C
In the cap 141 of the outdoor unit 20 indicated by the embodiments, a drainage opening 18 may be provided to the bottom face part 15 (see
According to the present invention as above, susceptibility to an effect of metal corrosion can be suppressed, and this is useful for an outdoor unit of a refrigeration apparatus.
2 Flat pipe
4 Fin
6, 61, 62 Header manifold
8 Floor frame
14 Cap
17 Drainage opening
20 Outdoor unit
25 Outdoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger)
35 Outdoor fan
50 Casing
51 Front plate
54 Left side plate
55 Right front plate
56 Right rear plate
57 plate
58 Partitioning plate
60 Fan grill
Patent document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2011-145029
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2012-022708 | Feb 2012 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2013/051394 | 1/24/2013 | WO | 00 | 7/31/2014 |