CN113785168A

CN113785168A - Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle device

Info

Publication number: CN113785168A
Application number: CN201980095830.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 前田刚志; 东井上真哉
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2019-05-14
Filing date: 2019-05-14
Publication date: 2021-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2039-05-14
Also published as: WO2020230267A1; EP3971507A1; EP3971507A4; JP7170859B2; JPWO2020230267A1; EP3971507B1; CN113785168B

Abstract

Provided are a heat exchanger and a refrigeration cycle device which are provided with a plurality of heat transfer pipes connected with each other at both ends in the pipe axis direction and which can suppress deformation. The heat exchanger has: a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged in a first direction at intervals to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough; a first header connected to one end of each of the plurality of heat transfer pipes; a second header connected to the other end of each of the plurality of heat transfer pipes; and a plurality of reinforcing members connected to the first header and the second header, the plurality of heat transfer tubes and the plurality of reinforcing members being arranged between the first header and the second header, connected by the first header and the second header, and having no member connecting the side surfaces to each other.

Description

Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and a refrigeration cycle apparatus including the same, and particularly to a structure for suppressing deformation of a heat transfer pipe.

Background

In recent years, heat exchangers for refrigeration and air-conditioning apparatuses are known as follows: corrugated fins disposed in gaps formed between a plurality of heat transfer tubes are eliminated, and the heat transfer tubes are reduced in diameter to narrow the interval between the heat transfer tubes. In such a heat exchanger, since a plurality of heat transfer tubes are closely arranged and air passes between the heat transfer tubes, heat exchange performance is improved, and high performance and weight reduction of the refrigeration cycle apparatus are achieved. In recent years, reduction in the amount of refrigerant used with a high global warming potential has become an important issue, and there is a need for development of a heat exchanger with a smaller volume in the heat transfer tubes and higher performance than conventional heat exchangers.

For example, a heat exchanger disclosed in patent document 1 includes flat tubes made of aluminum instead of conventional round tubes made of copper. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat tubes arranged at intervals, and a pair of headers connected to both ends of the flat tubes in the tube axis direction.

The heat exchanger disclosed in patent document 2 includes a heat transfer pipe in which a plurality of round pipes having a reduced diameter are arranged in the air flow direction, and fins are joined to the round pipes to connect the round pipes to each other. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged in a direction orthogonal to the ventilation direction at intervals, and a pair of headers connected to both ends of a circular tube constituting the heat transfer tubes.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: international publication No. 2015/005352

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-155479

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, the heat transfer tubes of the heat exchangers of patent documents 1 and 2 have a smaller area of cross section perpendicular to the tube axis direction than the conventional heat transfer tubes, and have lower rigidity and strength. Further, in the heat exchanger, since the heat transfer promoting members such as the corrugated fins are not present between the plurality of heat transfer tubes, it is difficult to suppress buckling of the heat transfer tubes in the tube axis direction and warping of the heat transfer tubes in the arrangement direction, and there is a possibility of deformation of the entire heat transfer tubes.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a heat exchanger and a refrigeration cycle apparatus that include a plurality of heat transfer pipes connected to each other at both end portions in a pipe axis direction and are capable of suppressing deformation.

Means for solving the problems

The heat exchanger of the present invention comprises: a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged in a first direction at intervals to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough; a first header connected to one end of each of the plurality of heat transfer pipes; a second header connected to the other end of each of the plurality of heat transfer pipes; and a plurality of reinforcing members connected to the first header and the second header, the plurality of heat transfer tubes and the plurality of reinforcing members being arranged between the first header and the second header, connected by the first header and the second header, and having no member connecting side surfaces to each other.

The refrigeration cycle apparatus of the present invention includes the heat exchanger described above.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, the heat exchanger can be suppressed from being deformed in the arrangement direction of the plurality of heat transfer tubes by the reinforcing member connected to the first header and the second header.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing a configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus including a heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a front view showing a main part structure of a heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the heat exchanger 50 of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the heat exchanger 50 of fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 50 of fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a heat exchanger 150 as a comparative example of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 50A as a modification of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 50B as a modification of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the reinforcing member 3B of fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 50C as a modification of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a heat exchanger 250 according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a heat exchanger 350 according to embodiment 3.

Detailed Description

The heat exchanger and the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to the drawings and the like. In the following drawings including fig. 1, the relative dimensional relationship, shape, and the like of each constituent member may be different from the actual ones. In the drawings, the same or corresponding members are denoted by the same reference numerals and are common throughout the specification. For the sake of easy understanding, terms indicating directions (for example, "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "front", "rear", and the like) are used as appropriate, but these terms are described as such for convenience of description, and do not limit the arrangement and directions of the devices or components. In the specification, the positional relationship between the respective constituent members, the extending direction of the respective constituent members, and the arrangement direction of the respective constituent members are, in principle, the relationship and the direction when the heat exchanger is set in a usable state.

Embodiment mode 1

[ refrigeration cycle device 100]

Fig. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing a configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 including a heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1. In fig. 1, the arrows shown by the broken lines indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant during the cooling operation in the refrigerant circuit 110, and the arrows shown by the solid lines indicate the flow direction of the refrigerant during the heating operation. First, a refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 including a heat exchanger 50 will be described with reference to fig. 1. In the embodiment, the air-conditioning apparatus is exemplified as the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, but the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 is used for cooling purposes or air-conditioning purposes such as a refrigerator, a freezer, a vending machine, an air-conditioning apparatus, a refrigeration apparatus, and a water heater, for example. The illustrated refrigerant circuit 110 is an example, and the configuration of the circuit elements and the like are not limited to those described in the embodiments, and can be appropriately modified within the technical scope of the embodiments.

The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 includes a refrigerant circuit 110, and the refrigerant circuit 110 connects the compressor 101, the flow switching device 102, the indoor heat exchanger 103, the pressure reducing device 104, and the outdoor heat exchanger 105 in a ring shape via refrigerant pipes. At least one of the outdoor heat exchanger 105 and the indoor heat exchanger 103 uses a heat exchanger 50 described later. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 includes an outdoor unit 106 and an indoor unit 107. The outdoor unit 106 houses a compressor 101, a flow switching device 102, an outdoor heat exchanger 105, a pressure reducing device 104, and an outdoor fan 108 for supplying outdoor air to the outdoor heat exchanger 105. The indoor unit 107 houses an indoor heat exchanger 103 and an indoor fan 109 that supplies air to the indoor heat exchanger 103. The outdoor unit 106 and the indoor unit 107 are connected to each other via two

extension pipes

111 and 112, which are part of refrigerant pipes.

The compressor 101 is a fluid machine that compresses and discharges a sucked refrigerant. The flow path switching device 102 is, for example, a four-way valve, and is a device for switching the flow path of the refrigerant between the cooling operation and the heating operation by the control of a control device (not shown).

The indoor heat exchanger 103 is a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the inside and the indoor air supplied by the indoor air-sending device 109. The indoor heat exchanger 103 functions as a condenser during the heating operation and functions as an evaporator during the cooling operation.

The decompression device 104 is, for example, an expansion valve, and is a device for decompressing refrigerant. As the pressure reducing device 104, an electronic expansion valve whose opening degree is adjusted by the control of the control device can be used.

The outdoor heat exchanger 105 is a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside and the air supplied by the outdoor fan 108. The outdoor heat exchanger 105 functions as an evaporator during the heating operation and functions as a condenser during the cooling operation.

[ operation of refrigeration cycle apparatus ]

Next, an example of the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100 will be described with reference to fig. 1. During the heating operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the high-pressure and high-temperature gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101 flows into the indoor heat exchanger 103 via the flow switching device 102, exchanges heat with the air supplied by the indoor air-sending device 109, and condenses. The condensed refrigerant is in a high-pressure liquid state, flows out of the indoor heat exchanger 103, and is in a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state by the pressure reducer 104. The low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 105, and is evaporated by heat exchange with the air supplied by the outdoor fan 108. The evaporated refrigerant is in a low-pressure gas state and is sucked into the compressor 101.

During the cooling operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circuit 110 flows in the opposite direction to that during the heating operation. That is, during the cooling operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the high-pressure and high-temperature gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 101 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 105 via the flow switching device 102, exchanges heat with the air supplied by the outdoor air-sending device 108, and is condensed. The condensed refrigerant is in a high-pressure liquid state, flows out of the outdoor heat exchanger 105, and is in a low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state by the pressure reducer 104. The low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 103, and is evaporated by heat exchange with the air supplied by the indoor air-sending device 109. The evaporated refrigerant is in a low-pressure gas state and is sucked into the compressor 101.

[ Heat exchanger 50]

Fig. 2 is a front view showing a main part structure of a heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the heat exchanger 50 of fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of the heat exchanger 50 of fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 50 of fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross section orthogonal to the tube axis of the flat tube 1, and shows a cross section of a-a portion of fig. 2. The cross section shown in fig. 5 is sometimes referred to as a first cross section. In fig. 2, an arrow RF indicated by hatching indicates the flow of the refrigerant flowing into the heat exchanger 50 or flowing out of the heat exchanger 50. The heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to fig. 2 to 5.

The heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1 includes a plurality of flat tubes 1, a first header 2a and a second header 2b connected to end portions of the plurality of flat tubes 1, and a plurality of reinforcing members 3 arranged in parallel with the plurality of flat tubes 1. A plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged in the x direction. The plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged with the tube axis along the y direction. In embodiment 1, the y direction is parallel to the direction of gravity. However, the arrangement of the heat exchanger 50 is not limited to this, and the y-direction may be arranged obliquely to the gravitational direction. The plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged at equal intervals and at intervals having a width w1 in the x direction.

The first header 2a is connected to one end 12 of the plurality of flat tubes 1 in the tube axis direction. The second header 2b is connected to the other end 11 of the plurality of flat tubes 1 in the tube axis direction. The first header 2a and the second header 2b are arranged such that the longitudinal direction thereof faces the parallel direction of the plurality of flat tubes 1. The first header 2a and the second header 2b are parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction. In the following description, the first header 2a and the second header 2b may be collectively referred to as a header 2.

The reinforcing member 3 is disposed outside the flat tubes 1 located at both ends of the plurality of flat tubes 1 arranged in the x direction. In the heat exchanger 50 shown in fig. 2 to 5, two reinforcing members 3 are arranged, and one reinforcing member 3 is arranged at the end in the x direction of the first header 2a and the second header 2 b. The other reinforcing member 3 is disposed at the end portions of the first header 2a and the second header 2b in the direction opposite to the x direction.

The

end portions

11 and 12 of the plurality of flat tubes 1 are inserted into the header 2, respectively, and the

end portions

31 and 32 of the plurality of reinforcing members 3 are also inserted into the header 2, respectively, and joined by a joining method such as brazing. The plurality of flat tubes 1 and the plurality of reinforcing members 3 are arranged in parallel in the x direction. The plurality of flat tubes 1 have heat transfer portions 13, which are portions other than the

end portions

11 and 12, between the lower surface of the first header 2a and the upper surface of the second header 2 b. The reinforcing member 3 has a central portion 33, which is a portion other than the

end portions

31 and 32, between the lower surface of the first header 2a and the upper surface of the second header 2 b.

(Flat tube 1)

The plurality of flat tubes 1 each allow a refrigerant to flow therein. The plurality of flat tubes 1 extend between the first header 2a and the second header 2b, respectively. The plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged at intervals w1 in the x direction and are arranged in parallel in the extending direction of the header 2. The plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged to face each other. A gap serving as a flow path for air is formed between two adjacent flat tubes 1 of the plurality of flat tubes 1. In embodiment 1, the direction in which the plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged and the direction in which the header 2 extends, i.e., the x direction, are referred to as a first direction.

The heat exchanger 50 has a first direction in which the plurality of flat tubes 1 are arranged in a horizontal direction. However, the arrangement direction of the plurality of flat tubes 1 as the first direction is not limited to the horizontal direction, and may be a vertical direction or a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Similarly, the heat exchanger 50 has the plurality of flat tubes 1 extending in the vertical direction. However, the extending direction of the plurality of flat tubes 1 is not limited to the vertical direction, and may be a horizontal direction or a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

With respect to the adjacent flat tubes 1 among the plurality of flat tubes 1, the mutually adjacent flat tubes 1 are not connected to each other by the heat transfer promoting member 130. The heat transfer promoting member 130 is, for example, a plate fin, a corrugated fin, or the like. That is, the plurality of flat tubes 1 are connected to each other only by the header 2.

As shown in fig. 5, the flat tube 1 has a cross-sectional shape that is flat in one direction, such as an oblong shape. The flat tube 1 has first and second side ends 60a and 60b and a pair of

flat surfaces

60c and 60 d. In the cross section shown in fig. 5, the first side end 60a may be formed to protrude outward between one end of the flat surface 60c and one end of the flat surface 60 d. In this cross section, the second side end 60b may be formed to protrude outward between the other end of the flat surface 60c and the other end of the flat surface 60 d. That is, the flat tube 1 may have fins extending in the z direction or in the direction opposite to the z direction from the end 60a and the end 60b in the longitudinal direction of the cross section. The fins provided from the first side end portion 60a and the second side end portion 60b of the flat tube 1 are provided to improve the heat exchange performance of the flat tube 1 in the heat exchanger 50 having no heat transfer promoting member 130 (see fig. 6) between the plurality of flat tubes 1.

When the heat exchanger 50 functions as an evaporator of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flows from one end to the other end in the extending direction inside the flat tubes 1 in each of the plurality of flat tubes 1. When the heat exchanger 50 functions as a condenser of the refrigeration cycle apparatus 100, the refrigerant flows from the other end to one end in the extending direction inside the flat tubes 1 in each of the plurality of flat tubes 1.

(header 2)

The first header 2a and the second header 2b extend in the x direction, respectively, and are configured to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough. As shown in fig. 2, for example, the refrigerant flows in from one end of the second header 2b and is distributed to each of the plurality of flat tubes 1. The refrigerant having passed through the plurality of flat tubes 1 merges in the first header 2a and flows out from one end of the first header 2 a.

In fig. 2 to 5, the outer shape of the header 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped, but the shape is not limited. The outer shape of the header 2 may be, for example, a cylinder, an elliptic cylinder, or the like, and the sectional shape may be appropriately changed. The structure of the header 2 may be, for example, a tubular body having both ends closed, or a structure in which plate-like bodies having slits formed therein are stacked. The first header 2a and the second header 2b are respectively formed with refrigerant inflow ports into which and out of which refrigerant can flow.

(reinforcing Member 3)

As shown in fig. 5, in the heat exchanger 50, the reinforcing member 3 is arranged in parallel with the plurality of flat tubes 1. That is, the reinforcing member 3 is disposed so that the longitudinal direction thereof is parallel to the tube axes of the plurality of flat tubes 1. In embodiment 1, the reinforcing members 3 are disposed at both ends of the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1. That is, the reinforcing member 3 is provided at two locations in the heat exchanger 50, and one reinforcing member 3 is disposed adjacent to the flat tube 1a located at the end portion on the opposite side in the x direction, and is located outside the arrangement of the plurality of flat tubes 1. The other reinforcing member 3 is disposed adjacent to the flat tube 1b located at the end in the x direction, and is located outside the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1.

In embodiment 1, the reinforcing members 3 are cylindrical bodies, and are arranged in a group of two at both ends of the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1. When focusing on the reinforcing member 3a or the reinforcing member 3b at one location, the two cylinders are aligned in the z direction. The interval between the two cylindrical bodies is set equal to the width of the plurality of flat tubes 1 in the z direction.

The reinforcing member 3 is made of a material having higher strength than the material constituting the flat tube 1. Since the flat tube 1 is made of aluminum, the reinforcing member 3 can be made of a material having higher rigidity and strength than aluminum, such as stainless steel.

(Effect of reinforcing Member 3)

Fig. 6 is a front view of a heat exchanger 150 as a comparative example of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1. The heat exchanger 150 of the comparative example has the same configuration as that of embodiment 1, but is different in that corrugated fins as the heat transfer promoting members 130 are provided between the plurality of flat tubes 1 and the reinforcing member 3 is not provided. The heat transfer promoting members 130 connect the side surfaces of the plurality of adjacent flat tubes 1. The heat transfer promoting member 130 is joined to the side surfaces of the plurality of flat tubes 1x by brazing or the like.

The heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1 narrows the interval w1 between the plurality of flat tubes 1, and increases the number of flat tubes 1 to be arranged. Thus, the heat exchanger 50 can improve the heat exchange performance between the refrigerant and the fluid passing through the heat exchanger while reducing the volume without providing the heat transfer promotion members 130 disposed between the plurality of flat tubes 1 and connecting the side surfaces of the flat tubes 1 to each other. Further, the plurality of flat tubes 1 of embodiment 1 have a smaller width dimension in the x direction than the flat tube 1x of the heat exchanger 150 of the comparative example in which the heat transfer promotion member 130 is provided. Therefore, in the flat tube 1 of the heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1, for example, when a load in the x direction is applied to the heat transfer portion 13 with the

end portions

11 and 12 being fixed ends, the strength and rigidity against bending are lower than those of the flat tube 1x of the comparative example. On the other hand, in the heat exchanger 150 of the comparative example, the heat transfer promoting members 130 are provided between the plurality of flat tubes 1x, and therefore, even if a load is applied to the heat transfer portions 113 of the plurality of flat tubes 1x, the heat transfer promoting members 130 and the adjacent flat tubes 1x are joined to each other so as to be less likely to deform.

Here, a heat exchanger 50x as a comparative example is assumed, and in this heat exchanger 50x, the reinforcing member 3 is not provided in the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1, and the flat tubes 1 are arranged at the positions of the reinforcing member 3. Thus, for example, when the second header 2b is fixed and a load in the x direction is applied to the first header 2a, the heat exchanger 50x is easily deformed from the initial shape F0 shown by the two-dot chain line in fig. 2 to the shape F1. The shapes F0 and F1 are rectangles each formed by connecting the center line of the header 2 in the x direction and the center line of the reinforcing member 3 in the y direction when the heat exchanger 50x is viewed from the front, and show the schematic shape of the heat exchanger 50 when viewed from the front. As described above, in the case of the heat exchanger 50x in which the heat transfer promoting member 130 of the heat exchanger 150 is eliminated, there is a problem in that the strength with respect to deformation in the arrangement direction of the plurality of flat tubes 1 is reduced.

That is, in the case of the heat exchanger 50x of the comparative example in which the reinforcing member 3 as described above is not provided, there are problems as follows: the plurality of flat tubes 1 each have low strength against bending in the x direction, and when a load in the x direction is applied to the first header 2a, the plurality of flat tubes 1 are easily deformed, and as a result, the shape of the entire heat exchanger 50x is easily deformed. In addition, there are problems as follows: when a load is applied to the heat exchanger 50x in the y direction, each of the plurality of flat tubes 1 is also deformed in a buckling manner, and the heat exchanger 50x is easily deformed in a direction in which the distance between the first header 2a and the second header 2b is shortened.

However, the heat exchanger 50 according to embodiment 1 includes the reinforcing members 3 at both ends of the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1. Therefore, by adding the reinforcing member 3 to the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1, the load applied to the heat exchanger 50 can be shared by the reinforcing member 3, and therefore, the strength of the heat exchanger 50 is improved, and deformation of the heat exchanger 50 can be suppressed. Further, by further increasing the strength and rigidity against bending in the x direction as compared with the flat tubes 1, the reinforcing member 3 can enhance the effect of suppressing deformation of the entire heat exchanger 50. Further, since the strength and rigidity of the reinforcing member 3 against buckling are also higher than those of the flat tubes 1, deformation of the heat exchanger 50 that shortens in the y direction can also be suppressed.

Further, since the reinforcing member 3 is disposed so that the longitudinal direction thereof is along the tube axis of the plurality of flat tubes 1, the strength and rigidity of the heat exchanger 50 can be improved and deformation can be suppressed without inhibiting the flow of water due to dew condensation or frost melting of the plurality of flat tubes 1.

(modification of reinforcing Member 3)

In the above description, the reinforcing member 3 has a cylindrical shape, but is not limited to this embodiment. A modified example of the reinforcing member 3 will be described below.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 50A as a modification of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1. Fig. 7 shows a section a-a of fig. 2. The heat exchanger 50A is a heat exchanger in which the reinforcing member 3 of the heat exchanger 50 is replaced with a reinforcing member 3A having the same cross-sectional shape as the plurality of flat tubes 1. The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing member 3A has the same outer shape as the flat tube 1 in the cross section shown in fig. 7, and the inside is solid. On the other hand, the flat tube 1 has a refrigerant passage formed therein. Therefore, when the neutral axis N along the z direction is assumed in the cross section shown in fig. 7, the section modulus around the neutral axis N of the reinforcing member 3A is a larger value than the section modulus around the neutral axis N of the flat tube 1. Therefore, even if the reinforcing member 3A is made of the same material as the flat tube 1, the strength and rigidity of the reinforcing member 3A are higher than those of the flat tube 1. In embodiment 1, the reinforcing member 3A is made of a material having higher strength and rigidity than the flat tubes 1, and therefore has further higher strength and rigidity than the flat tubes 1.

In the heat exchanger 50A of the modification, the plurality of flat tubes 1 connected to the header 2 and the reinforcing member 3A have the same cross-sectional shape and outer shape. Therefore, when the header 2 and the plurality of flat tubes 1 are joined by brazing at the time of manufacturing, the reinforcing member 3A can also be joined using a positioning jig common to the plurality of flat tubes 1. Therefore, the positioning jig for the reinforcing member 3A and the plurality of flat tubes 1 during manufacturing can be simplified. The header 2 is provided with insertion portions into which the

end portions

11, 12, 31, 32 of the plurality of flat tubes 1 and the reinforcing member 3A are inserted, and the shapes of the insertion portions can be used in common. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the header 2 can also be reduced.

The reinforcing member 3A shown in fig. 7 has a flat side surface 35 in the cross section shown in fig. 7, and the side surface 35 is disposed so as to face the flat surface 15 of the flat tube 1. Thus, the reinforcing member 3A can cause the fluid to flow between the side surface 35 and the flat surface 15, similarly to the plurality of flat tubes 1, without obstructing the flow of the fluid.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 50B as a modification of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1. Fig. 8 corresponds to the section a-a of fig. 2. The heat exchanger 50B includes a reinforcing member 3B having an I-shaped cross-sectional shape in fig. 8. The reinforcing member 3B includes flange portions extending in the x direction and the opposite direction to the x direction at both ends in the z direction. The reinforcing member 3B can have a section modulus around the neutral axis N larger than that of the flat tube 1 by appropriately setting the width of the flange portion in the x direction.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the reinforcing member 3B of fig. 8. The outer shape of the cross-sectional shape of the

end portions

31 and 32 of the reinforcing member 3B is the same as the outer shape of the cross-sectional shape of the flat tube 1. With this configuration, the strength and rigidity of the central portion 33 of the reinforcing member 3B are higher than those of the heat transfer portions 13 of the flat tubes 1. However, the

end portions

31 and 32 of the reinforcing member 3B inserted into the insertion portion of the header 2 have the same shape as the flat tubes 1. Therefore, the insertion portion of the header 2 into which the reinforcing member 3B is inserted can be formed in the same shape as the insertion portion into which the flat tubes 1 are inserted. Therefore, the reinforcing member 3B can be inserted into the header 2 in the same manner as the flat tubes 1 while having a shape having higher strength and rigidity than the flat tubes 1, and therefore, the heat exchanger 50A can be easily manufactured.

The reinforcing member 3B includes end surfaces 34 and 35 at both ends in the longitudinal direction. In a state where the

end portions

31 and 32 of the reinforcing member 3B are inserted into the header 2, the end surfaces 34 and 35 abut against the lower surface of the first header 2a and the upper surface of the second header 2B. Therefore, when a load is applied in the direction in which the reinforcing member 3B of the heat exchanger 50B is bent, the lower surface of the first header 2a and the upper surface of the second header 2B abut against the end surfaces 34 and 35 of the reinforcing member 3B and can receive the load, and therefore, the strength and rigidity of the heat exchanger 50B are further improved. Further, by joining the end surfaces 34 and 35 of the reinforcing member 3B to the header 2, the joint area of the reinforcing member 3B and the header 2 is increased, and the strength and rigidity of the heat exchanger 50B can be further improved.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger 50C as a modification of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1. Fig. 10 corresponds to the section a-a of fig. 2. The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing member 3C of the heat exchanger 50C is a shape bent at the center. The width of the reinforcing member 3C in the z direction is set to be the same as that of the flat tube 1. The width of the reinforcing member 3C in the x direction is a width from both ends of the reinforcing member 3C in the z direction to the center of the curve. In embodiment 1, the reinforcing member 3C has a larger width in the x direction than the flat tube 1. Thus, the reinforcing member 3C can have a section modulus around the neutral axis N larger than that of the flat tube 1.

Further, the reinforcing member 3C located at the end in the x direction of the heat exchanger 50C and the reinforcing member 3C located at the end in the opposite direction to the x direction are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the heat exchanger 50C in fig. 10. With this configuration, the strength and rigidity of the heat exchanger 50C deformed in the x direction are equal to those of the heat exchanger deformed in the opposite direction to the x direction, and thus the heat exchanger can have stable strength.

Further, since the reinforcing member 3C is formed so as to open outward with respect to the arrangement of the plurality of flat tubes 1 of the heat exchanger 50C as it goes from the center in the z direction toward both ends, it is easy to introduce the fluid into both ends of the arrangement of the plurality of flat tubes 1.

Embodiment mode 2

The heat exchanger 250 of embodiment 2 will be explained. The heat exchanger 250 is a heat exchanger in which the position of the reinforcing member 3A of the heat exchanger 50A of embodiment 1 is changed. Note that the same reference numerals are given to constituent elements having the same functions and actions as those in embodiment 1, and the description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a heat exchanger 250 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 11 corresponds to the section a-a of fig. 2. The heat exchanger 250 includes the reinforcing member 3Aa and the reinforcing member 3Ab at both ends of the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1, and includes the reinforcing member 3Ac and the reinforcing member 3Ad in the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1, as in the heat exchanger 50A of embodiment 1. That is, the reinforcing member 3Ac and the reinforcing member 3Ad are disposed adjacent to two flat tubes 1 of the plurality of flat tubes 1. In embodiment 2, the reinforcing members 3Aa, 3Ab, 3Ac, and 3Ad are arranged at equal intervals. The reinforcing members 3Aa and 3Ab and the reinforcing members 3Ac and 3Ad are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the arrangement of the plurality of flat tubes 1. The reinforcing member 3Ac and the reinforcing member 3Ad are sometimes referred to as a first reinforcing member, and the reinforcing member 3Aa and the reinforcing member 3Ab are sometimes referred to as a second reinforcing member.

The heat exchanger 250 of embodiment 2 further includes the reinforcing member 3Ac and the reinforcing member 3Ad, and therefore has further improved strength and rigidity as compared with the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1. Further, when the header 2 is long in the x direction, the strength of the center portion of the heat exchanger 250 in the x direction is weak. For example, in the case where the reinforcing members 3A are arranged at both ends as in the heat exchanger 50A of embodiment 1, when a load is applied to the central portion of the first header 2a in the direction opposite to the y direction, the first header 2a is flexed, and the flat tubes 1 arranged at the central portion receive a force in the buckling direction. Therefore, in the heat exchanger 250 according to embodiment 2, the strength of the central portion of the heat exchanger 250 can be increased by providing the reinforcement members 3Ac and the reinforcement members 3Ad not only at the both ends of the plurality of flat tubes 1 but also inside the array. Therefore, the heat exchanger 250 is advantageous in the case of having a structure long in the x direction.

The arrangement of the reinforcing member 3 is not limited to the embodiment shown in fig. 11. For example, the reinforcing member 3 may be disposed only inside the array of the plurality of flat tubes 1. The arrangement of the reinforcing member 3 can be appropriately set according to the length of the heat exchanger 250 in the x direction, and is preferably located at a position symmetrical with respect to the center of the arrangement of the plurality of flat tubes 1.

The arrangement of the reinforcing member 3 may be set according to the flow rate distribution of the fluid flowing into the heat exchanger 250. For example, when air is sent to the heat exchanger 250 by a blower, the reinforcing member 3 may be disposed at a portion where the air flow rate is small, taking into account the air flow rate at each position of the heat exchanger 250 based on the disposition of the blower.

In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing member 3 may be changed in the heat exchanger 250. For example, the cross-sectional shape may be changed according to the position in the heat exchanger 250. The heat transfer promoting members 130 are not disposed between the reinforcing members 3Ac and 3Ad of the heat exchanger 250 of embodiment 2 and the adjacent flat tubes 1. Therefore, the cross-sectional shapes of the reinforcing member 3Ac and the reinforcing member 3Ad can be appropriately changed. The heat exchanger 250 can be formed of a reinforcing member 3 having a high cross-sectional modulus and an uneven side surface shape, such as the reinforcing member 3B having the I-shaped cross section or the reinforcing member 3C having a bent shape.

Embodiment 3

The heat exchanger 350 of embodiment 3 will be explained. The heat exchanger 350 is a heat exchanger in which the plurality of flat tubes 1 of the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1 are changed to have heat transfer tubes of different structures. Note that the same reference numerals are given to constituent elements having the same functions and actions as those in embodiment 1, and the description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a heat exchanger 350 according to embodiment 3. Fig. 12 corresponds to the section a-a of fig. 2. The heat exchanger 350 includes a plurality of heat transfer tubes 1A. The plurality of heat transfer tubes 1A are formed by arranging a plurality of two circular tubes 301 in parallel with the tube axes and connecting the tubes with fins 4. The plurality of heat transfer tubes 1A further include fins 5 and fins 6 extending in the z direction and in the opposite direction from the ends of the round tubes 301. In embodiment 3, the heat transfer pipe 1A is configured by connecting two circular tubes 301, but may be configured by connecting more circular tubes 301. Although the refrigerant flows inside the circular tube 301, the cross-sectional shape of the circular tube 301 may be not only a circle but also an ellipse or another shape.

The heat exchanger 350 includes a reinforcing member 303 in an array of the plurality of heat transfer tubes 1A. In the cross section shown in fig. 12, the outer shape of the reinforcing member 303 is the same as the outer shape of the plurality of heat transfer pipes 1A. The reinforcing member 303 arranges two cylindrical rods in 3D and connects them with a plate 304. Further, the reinforcing member 303 is provided with a plate material 305 and a plate material 306 extending from the ends in the z direction and the opposite direction to the z direction. Since the reinforcing member 303 is formed by connecting the solid rods 3D with the plate material 304, the section modulus around the neutral axis N along the z direction is larger than that of the plurality of heat transfer tubes 1A.

The heat exchanger 350 may be configured to have a different arrangement of the reinforcing member 303. For example, the heat exchanger may be disposed at the end of the array of the plurality of heat transfer tubes 1A as in the heat exchanger 50 of embodiment 1. In addition, the heat exchanger 350 may further increase the number of the reinforcing members 303.

According to the heat exchanger 350 of embodiment 3, the strength and rigidity of the reinforcing member 303 are higher than those of the heat transfer pipe 1A. The

end portions

31 and 32 of the reinforcing member 303 inserted into the insertion portion of the header 2 have the same shape as the heat transfer tube 1A. Therefore, the insertion portion of the header 2 into which the reinforcing member 303 is inserted can be formed in the same shape as the insertion portion into which the heat transfer tubes 1A are inserted. Therefore, the reinforcing member 303 can be inserted into the header 2 in the same manner as the heat exchanger tubes 1A while having a shape with higher strength and rigidity than the heat exchanger tubes 1A. Therefore, the manufacture of the heat exchanger 350 becomes easy.

In addition, in the reinforcing member 303, not only the bar 3D but also the

plate materials

304, 305, and 306 can be joined to the header 2. Thus, the

plates

304, 305, and 306 can also contribute to the strength and rigidity of the heat exchanger 350.

The embodiments have been described above, but the embodiments are not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the embodiments may be combined. In short, in order to be careful, various modifications, applications, and applications which may be made as necessary by those skilled in the art are also included in the technical scope. The

flat tubes

1, 1A, and 1b according to embodiments 1 to 2 and the heat transfer tube 1A according to embodiment 3 may be collectively referred to as a heat transfer tube.

Description of the reference numerals

1 flat tube, 1A heat transfer tube, 1A flat tube, 1B flat tube, 1x flat tube, 2 header, 2a first header, 2B second header, 3 reinforcing member, 3A reinforcing member, 3Aa reinforcing member, 3Ab reinforcing member, 3Ac reinforcing member, 3B reinforcing member, 3C reinforcing member, 3D rod, 3A reinforcing member, 3B reinforcing member, 4 fin, 5 fin, 11 end portion, 12 end portion, 13 heat transfer portion, 31 end portion, 32 end portion, 33 center portion, 34 end surface, 50 heat exchanger, 50A heat exchanger, 50B heat exchanger, 50C heat exchanger, 50x heat exchanger, 60A first side end portion, 60B second side end portion, 60C flat surface, 60D flat surface, 100 refrigeration cycle device, 101 compressor, 102 flow path switching device, 103 indoor heat exchanger, 104 pressure reducing device, 105 outdoor heat exchanger, 106 outdoor units, 107 indoor units, 108 outdoor units, 109 indoor units, 110 refrigerant circuits, 111 extension pipes, 112 extension pipes, 113 center portions, 130 heat transfer promoting members, 150 heat exchangers, 250 heat exchangers, 301 round pipes, 303 reinforcing members, 304 plate materials, 305 plate materials, 350 heat exchangers, F0 shapes, F1 shapes, N neutral axes, RF arrows.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, having:

a plurality of heat transfer tubes arranged in a first direction at intervals to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough;

a first header connected to one end of each of the plurality of heat transfer pipes;

a second header connected to the other end of each of the plurality of heat transfer pipes; and

a plurality of reinforcing members connected with the first header and the second header,

the plurality of heat transfer tubes and the plurality of reinforcing members are arranged between the first header and the second header, are connected by the first header and the second header, and have no member for connecting side surfaces to each other.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1,

the plurality of reinforcing members include a first reinforcing member disposed adjacent to two of the plurality of heat transfer pipes in the first direction.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2,

the plurality of reinforcing members include second reinforcing members disposed outside the heat transfer tubes located at both ends in the first direction among the plurality of heat transfer tubes.

4. A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the plurality of reinforcing members are arranged in the first direction together with the plurality of heat transfer pipes, and are arranged at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the arrangement of the plurality of heat transfer pipes.

5. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the plurality of reinforcing members and the plurality of heat transfer pipes are arranged at equal intervals in the first direction.

6. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

each of the plurality of reinforcing members has a section modulus around a neutral axis intersecting the first direction that is greater than a section modulus of the plurality of heat transfer pipes in a first section orthogonal to pipe axes of the plurality of heat transfer pipes.

7. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

each of the plurality of reinforcing members has:

two insertion portions inserted into the first header or the second header at both ends of the reinforcing member; and

a heat transfer portion located between the two insertion portions,

the two insertion portions have the same outer shape as the plurality of heat transfer pipes in a first cross section orthogonal to pipe axes of the plurality of heat transfer pipes,

the heat transfer portion has a different outer shape from the two insertion portions in the first cross section.

8. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the sectional shape of each of the plurality of reinforcing members is the same shape as the sectional shape of the plurality of heat transfer pipes perpendicular to the pipe axis.

9. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

the plurality of reinforcing members are made of a material having higher strength than the plurality of heat transfer pipes.

10. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

each of the plurality of heat transfer tubes is a flat tube,

each of the plurality of reinforcing members has a flat side surface, and the side surface is disposed so as to face a flat surface of the flat tube along a major axis direction of a cross-sectional shape in a cross section perpendicular to a tube axis of the flat tube.

11. A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising the heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 10.