阅读说明：本技术 热交换器 (Heat exchanger ) 是由 高桥优辉 于 2019-03-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供能够通过确保必要的连通路的截面积来减少冷媒的压力损失的热交换器。连通路(12c)通过使伸出部(121c2、122c2)互相相向来形成,前述伸出部(121c2、122c2)使上侧头部件(121)及下侧头部件(122)的连结部(121c、122c)的既定部分分别向上方及下方伸出。由此,能够将形成于上侧头部件(121)与下侧头部件(122)之间的连通路(12c)的面积较大地形成,所以即使在连结部(121c、122c)能够形成连通路(12c)的范围被限制的情况下,也能够确保必要的连通路(12c)的面积,能够减少冷媒的压力损失。(The invention provides a heat exchanger capable of reducing pressure loss of refrigerant by ensuring the necessary cross section of a communication path. The communication path (12 c) is formed by opposing extension portions (121 c2, 122c 2) to each other, and the extension portions (121 c2, 122c 2) extend upward and downward predetermined portions of the connection portions (121 c, 122 c) of the upper head member (121) and the lower head member (122), respectively. Thus, the area of the communication passage (12 c) formed between the upper head member (121) and the lower head member (122) can be formed to be large, and therefore, even when the range in which the connection portions (121 c, 122 c) can form the communication passage (12 c) is limited, the area of the communication passage (12 c) required can be ensured, and the pressure loss of the refrigerant can be reduced.)

1. A heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchange units, the heat exchange units having a plurality of refrigerant pipes arranged at intervals from each other, and a pair of headers to which both end portions of the plurality of refrigerant pipes are connected, the plurality of heat exchange units being arranged along a flow direction of air that exchanges heat with a refrigerant, and the refrigerant being sequentially flowed with respect to each of the plurality of heat exchange units,

a plurality of heads of the plurality of heat exchange units arranged in the air flow direction are integrally formed by facing a pair of head members to each other,

a pair of head members, each of which has inner surfaces abutting each other between adjacent heads, and which is provided with a coupling portion that is a portion for coupling the adjacent heads,

the connection part is provided with a communication path for communicating the adjacent heads,

the communication path is formed by opposing protruding portions that protrude a predetermined portion of the coupling portion of the pair of head members outward of each other.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1,

the respective protruding portions formed at the pair of head members protrude to different heights from each other.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 or 2,

the communication path is formed between a plurality of drain holes provided at intervals in the connection portion.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger used as an evaporator of an air conditioner for a vehicle, for example.

Background

As this type of heat exchanger, the following heat exchangers have been known: the heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange units each having a plurality of refrigerant pipes arranged at intervals from each other, a pair of headers connecting both end portions of each of the plurality of refrigerant pipes, and the plurality of heat exchange units are arranged in a flow direction of air exchanging heat with the refrigerant, and the refrigerant is sequentially flowed through each of the plurality of heat exchange units (see, for example, patent document 1).

In the heat exchanger, the plurality of heads of the plurality of heat exchange units arranged in the air flow direction are integrally formed by facing the pair of plates to each other and forming spaces corresponding to the respective heads. In the pair of plates, inner surfaces of the adjacent heads abut against each other, and a coupling portion that is a portion coupling the adjacent heads is provided.

Patent document 1, Japanese patent laid-open No. 2003-214794.

In the heat exchanger, the refrigerant is caused to flow into one head of the adjacent other heat exchange unit after passing through the one head and the other head a plurality of times in one heat exchange unit by spacing the heads from each other in each of the plurality of heat exchange units.

In the heat exchanger, in order to cause the refrigerant to flow from the heat exchange unit located on the upstream side to the heat exchange unit located on the downstream side in the refrigerant flow direction, the communication passage for communicating the adjacent header and the header is formed within a range limited to the connection portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the header. Therefore, in the heat exchanger, the required cross-sectional area of the communication passage cannot be secured, and the pressure loss of the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger may be increased.

Disclosure of Invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger capable of reducing the pressure loss of a refrigerant by securing a necessary cross-sectional area of a communication passage.

The heat exchanger of the present invention is provided with a plurality of heat exchange units having a plurality of refrigerant pipes arranged at intervals from each other and a pair of heads at which both end portions of the plurality of refrigerant pipes are connected to each other, the plurality of heat exchange units being arranged in a flow direction of air that exchanges heat with the refrigerant, the refrigerant being caused to flow in order for each of the plurality of heat exchange units, the plurality of heads of the plurality of heat exchange units arranged in the flow direction of the air being integrally formed by facing the pair of head members to each other, a pair of head members, each of which has inner surfaces abutting each other between adjacent heads, and which is provided with a coupling portion that is a portion for coupling the adjacent heads, the connection portion is provided with a communication path for communicating the adjacent heads, and the communication path is formed by mutually opposing protruding portions protruding outward from predetermined portions of the connection portions of the pair of head members.

Thus, the communication path is formed by orienting the protruding portions formed on both sides of the pair of head members, and therefore the area of the communication path formed between the pair of head members is formed to be large.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, since the area of the communication passage formed between the pair of head members can be formed large, the area of the necessary communication passage can be secured even when the range in which the communication passage can be formed at the connection portion is limited, and the pressure loss of the refrigerant can be reduced.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a vehicle air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the heat exchanger.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the heat exchanger.

Fig. 4 is a main part sectional view for explaining the communication path.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view a-a of fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view B-B of fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerant flow path of the heat exchanger.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention.

The heat exchanger of the present invention is applied to an air conditioner for a vehicle.

As shown in fig. 1, the air conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit 1 to which a heat exchanger 10 of the present invention provided in a vehicle interior a is connected. The refrigerant circuit 1 is connected to a compressor 2 driven by an engine for vehicle travel, a condenser 3 for condensing a refrigerant discharged from the compressor 2, and an expansion valve 4 for decompressing the refrigerant condensed by the condenser 3, in addition to the heat exchanger 10 functioning as an evaporator. The vehicle air conditioner further includes an outdoor fan 5 for circulating air that exchanges heat with the refrigerant circulating through the condenser 3, and an indoor fan 6 for circulating air that exchanges heat with the refrigerant circulating through the heat exchanger 10. The outdoor fan 5 and the indoor fan 6 are driven by electric power generated by an alternator provided in the vehicle or electric power of a battery, respectively.

As shown in fig. 3, the heat exchanger 10 is composed of a pair of heat exchange units 10a and 10b arranged in the air flow direction (white arrows in fig. 3).

As shown in fig. 2, each of the pair of heat exchange units 10a and 10b includes an upper header 11a and 11b provided at an upper portion, a lower header 12a and 12b provided at a lower portion, a plurality of refrigerant tubes 13a and 13b having upper ends connected to the upper header 11a and 11b and lower ends connected to the lower header 12a and 12b, and fins 14a and 14b provided between the adjacent refrigerant tubes 13a and 13 b.

The upper heads 11a and 11b are made of a metal member such as aluminum, and are formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the horizontal direction. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the upper heads 11a and 11b are spaced apart from each other by spacer members 11a1 and 11b1 at a position one-third of the axial length from one axial end of the internal space. A refrigerant inlet 11a2 for allowing the refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 3 to flow therein is provided at one axial end of the upper header 11a of the one heat exchange unit 10 a. Further, at one axial end portion of the upper header 11b of the other heat exchange unit 10b, a refrigerant outlet 11b2 for allowing the refrigerant to flow out of the heat exchanger 10 is provided.

The lower heads 12a and 12b are made of a metal member such as aluminum, and are formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the horizontal direction. As shown in fig. 2, the lower heads 12a and 12b are spaced apart from each other by spacer members 12a1 and 12b1 at two-thirds of the axial length from one axial end of the internal space. As shown in fig. 3, the lower heads 12a and 12b are connected to each other via a plurality of communication paths 12c in one third of the space on the other axial side.

As shown in fig. 4 to 6, the lower heads 12a and 12b arranged in the air flow direction have an outer peripheral portion formed by an upper head member 121 having upper sides integrally formed and lower ends of the refrigerant pipes 13a and 13b connected to each other, and a lower head member 122 having lower sides integrally formed and assembled to the upper head member 121. In the lower heads 12a and 12b, both ends are closed by a closing plate not shown in the figure in a state where the upper head member 121 and the lower head member 122 are opposed to each other.

In the upper head member 121, for example, a plate-like member made of aluminum is bent by press working or the like, and a pair of semi-cylindrical portions 121a and 121b extending in a semi-cylindrical shape are formed so that their central axes are parallel to each other. In the upper head member 121, a coupling portion 121c that couples the paired semi-cylindrical portions 121a and 121b is formed in a groove shape.

The connection portion 121c is provided with a plurality of drain holes 121c1 spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction for discharging downward dew condensation water generated in the refrigerant tubes 13a and 13b and the fins 14a and 14 b. A caulking piece 121d that engages with lower head member 122 when upper head member 121 and lower head member 122 are assembled is provided at an edge portion of drain hole 121c 1.

Further, the lower head member 122 is provided with a pair of half cylindrical portions 122a and 122b and a coupling portion 122c, similarly to the upper head member 121. The coupling portion 122c of the lower head member 122 has an inner surface that is in contact with the inner surface of the coupling portion 121c of the upper head member 121 in the longitudinal direction. The coupling portion 122c is provided with a drainage hole 122c1 at a position corresponding to a drainage hole 121c1 formed in the coupling portion 121c of the upper head member 121.

The plurality of communication passages 12c are formed in the coupling portions 121c and 122c located on the other axial side of the upper head member 121 and the lower head member 122. As shown in fig. 4, the communication path 12c is formed by forming a plurality of protruding portions 121c2 and 122c2 protruding upward and downward from the coupling portion 121c and the coupling portion 122c, respectively, and facing the plurality of protruding portions 121c2 and the plurality of protruding portions 122c2 upward and downward from each other.

The upward projecting dimension H1 of the projecting portion 121c2 on the upper head member 121 side is different from the downward projecting dimension H2 of the projecting portion 122c2 on the lower head member 122 side. Specifically, the upward projecting dimension H1 of the projecting portion 121c2 on the upper head member 121 side to which the refrigerant tubes 13a, 13b are connected is formed larger than the downward projecting dimension H2 of the projecting portion 122c2 of the lower head member 122.

The refrigerant pipes 13a and 13b are hollow members formed into a flat plate shape by press molding a metal such as aluminum, for example. The refrigerant tubes 13a and 13b are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (width direction) of the flow path cross section, and a plurality of refrigerant flow paths through which the refrigerant flows are formed in the longitudinal direction (width direction) of the flow path cross section. As shown in fig. 2, the refrigerant pipes 13a and 13b are arranged so that the adjacent refrigerant pipes 13a and 13b and the flat portion face each other with a predetermined interval therebetween.

The fins 14a and 14b are, for example, cell stripe fins (コルゲートフィン) obtained by bending a metal plate such as aluminum into a wave shape, and as shown in fig. 2, the peak portions of the wave shape are joined to the flat portions of the refrigerant tubes 13a and 13b by welding.

In the heat exchanger 10 configured as described above, as shown in fig. 7, the refrigerant flowing into one axial end side of the upper header 11a of one heat exchange unit 10a through the refrigerant inlet 11a2 flows through the refrigerant pipe 13a connected to one axial end side of the upper header 11a and flows into one axial end side of the lower header 12 a. The refrigerant flowing into one axial end side of the lower head 12a flows through the refrigerant pipe 13a connected to the axial center side of the lower head 12a and flows into the axial center side of the upper head 11 a. The refrigerant flowing into the axial center portion side of the upper head 11a flows through the refrigerant pipe 13a connected to the other side in the width direction of the upper head 11a and flows into the lower head 12 a.

The refrigerant flowing into the other axial side of the lower head 12a of the one heat exchange unit 10a flows into the other axial side of the lower head 12b of the other heat exchange unit 10b via the plurality of communication passages 12 c.

The refrigerant flowing into the other axial side of the lower header 12b of the other heat exchange unit 10b flows through the refrigerant pipe 13b connected to the other axial side of the lower header 12b, and flows into the other axial side of the upper header 11 b. The refrigerant flowing into the other axial side of the upper head 11b flows through a refrigerant pipe 13b connected to the axial center side of the upper head 11b, and flows into the axial center side of the lower head 12 b. The refrigerant flowing into the axial center side of the lower head 12b flows through the refrigerant pipe 13b connected to one axial end side of the lower head 12b, flows into one axial end side of the upper head 11b, and flows out of the upper head 11b through the refrigerant outlet port 11b 2.

The communication path 12c is formed in a range limited to the other one-third of the axial direction of the lower heads 12a and 12 b. However, as shown in fig. 4, the communication path 12c has a plurality of projecting portions 121c2 and 122c2 formed on the coupling portion 121c and the coupling portion 122c so as to project upward and downward, respectively, and the projecting portions 121c2 and the projecting portions 122c2 are vertically opposed to each other, so that a necessary opening area is secured.

As described above, according to the heat exchanger 10 of the present embodiment, the communication path 12c is formed by opposing the protruding portions 121c2, 122c2 that protrude upward and downward from the predetermined portions of the connection portions 121c, 122c of the upper head member 121 and the lower head member 122, respectively.

Accordingly, the area of the communication passage 12c formed between the upper head member 121 and the lower head member 122 can be formed to be large, and therefore, even when the range in which the communication passage 12c can be formed at the connection portions 121c and 122c is limited, the area of the communication passage 12c required can be ensured, and the pressure loss of the refrigerant can be reduced.

The projecting heights H1 and H2 of the projecting portions 121c2 and 122c2 formed in the upper head member 121 and the lower head member 122 are different from each other.

Thus, the projecting heights H1 and H2 of the projecting portions 121c2 and 122c2 corresponding to the respective strengths of the upper head member 121 and the lower head member 122 are set, whereby the necessary strength can be secured.

The communication path 12 is formed between a plurality of water drain holes 121c1, 122c1 provided at intervals between the connection portions 121c, 122 c.

Thus, by forming the plurality of communication paths 12c between the plurality of drain holes 121c1 and 122c1, the drain holes 121c1 and 122c1 can be formed at necessary positions, and the necessary area of the communication paths 12c can be secured.

In the above-described embodiments, the present invention has been described as being applied to a vehicle air conditioner, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be applied to another cooling device including an evaporator.

In the above embodiment, the heat exchanger 10 having the pair of heat exchange units 10a and 10b communicating with each other through the communication passage 12c is shown, but the present invention can be applied to a heat exchanger having 3 or more heat exchange units communicating with each other through the communication passages.

In the above embodiment, the heat exchanger 10 in which the refrigerant flowing into the upper header 11a through the refrigerant inlet 11a2 flows between the upper headers 11a and 11b and the lower headers 12a and 12b 6 times vertically has been shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a heat exchanger in which the refrigerant flows vertically a plurality of times may be used, or a heat exchanger in which the refrigerant flows vertically two times or a heat exchanger in which the refrigerant flows vertically 4 times may be used.

In the above embodiment, the communication path 12c that communicates the space between the lower heads 12a and 12b is formed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a heat exchanger in which a communication path is formed between the upper heads 11a and 11 b.

Description of the reference numerals

A heat exchanger 10 …, a heat exchange unit 10a, 10b …, an upper head 11a, 11b …, a lower head 12a, 12b …, a communication path 12c …, a refrigerant pipe 13 …, a connecting part 121 … of an upper head part, a lower head part 122 …, a water discharge hole 121c, 122c …, a connecting part 121c1, 122c1 …, and a protruding part 121c2, 122c2 ….