JP7118279B2 - HEAT EXCHANGER, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND AIR CONDITIONER - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, its manufacturing method, and an air conditioner.

BACKGROUND ART A heat exchanger that functions as a condenser mounted on an indoor unit and a heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator mounted on an outdoor unit in an air conditioner are known. The liquid refrigerant condensed in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit is depressurized by the expansion valve and becomes a gas-liquid two-phase state in which gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant are mixed. Then, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant is turned into a low-pressure gas refrigerant by evaporating the liquid refrigerant of the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant in the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit. Thereafter, the low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the heat exchanger flows into the compressor mounted on the outdoor unit, is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is discharged from the compressor again. This cycle is then repeated.

In such heat exchangers, flat tubes, which are heat transfer tubes with a flat cross section, are used for the purpose of improving energy efficiency by reducing airflow resistance and saving refrigerant by reducing the volume inside the tubes. Instruments are becoming popular.

For example, in a heat exchanger using flat tubes, a plurality of flat tubes extending up and down in the vertical direction are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction with the long sides of the flat shapes facing each other. Headers extending in the horizontal direction and communicating with the flat tubes are connected to the upper and lower ends of each flat tube. Corrugated fins, for example, are arranged between the horizontally arranged flat tubes.

In this way, when mounting a heat exchanger with vertically arranged headers on a product such as an indoor unit or an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, due to restrictions such as the shape or size of the product, a dedicated bending machine is required. may be used to bend into a square shape, a square shape with one side open, an L shape, or the like. In this case, due to compression or tension in the bending process of the heat exchanger, the fins arranged inside the bending part may be crushed, or the fins outside the bending part may come off from the flat tube, resulting in a decrease in heat exchange efficiency. There was a risk of inviting

For this reason, as a conventional technique, for example, in the heat exchanger disclosed in Patent Document 1, the fins and flat tubes are not arranged in the bending portion, and the wind short-circuit prevention plate is arranged instead. As a result, in the bending process of the heat exchanger, the wind short-circuit prevention plate is bent to prevent the fins located at the bending portion from being crushed and peeled off, thereby avoiding damage to the fins.

JP-A-10-160382

On the other hand, there is also known a heat exchanger in which headers are arranged vertically, in which the lower headers are arranged in two rows and the upper headers are arranged in one row. In this case, one of the lower two rows of headers functions as an upstream header for refrigerant flow, and the other functions as a downstream header for refrigerant flow. Also, the upper header functions as a column-passing header that communicates with the lower upstream header and downstream header.

In such a heat exchanger, when the heat exchanger is bent, in addition to the problem of damage such as crushing and peeling of the fins due to the bending stress, the elongation of the outer header located outside the bend-molded portion causes the inside of the heat exchanger to expand. Since the elongation of the inner header is larger than that of the inner header, there is a problem that the outer header is damaged. Therefore, it is a challenge to establish a structure that does not damage the outer header during the bending process.

However, in the case of using the heat exchanger technology of Patent Document 1, although the header can be divided by dividing the header to avoid damage to the header, the divided headers are connected by a plurality of pipes after bending and molding, and then brazed. I needed it. Therefore, there is a problem that the brazing process is added in addition to the brazing work of the flat tube and the header, and the work becomes complicated and the number of man-hours for manufacturing the heat exchanger increases due to the brazing process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and can prevent the header and fins from being damaged due to bending and avoiding a decrease in heat exchange efficiency without complicating the work and increasing the number of manufacturing steps. An object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger, its manufacturing method, and an air conditioner.

The heat exchanger according to the present invention extends in a first direction, has a flattened cross section in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and faces the long side of the flattened shape in the second direction. a first row and a second row of a plurality of flat tubes spaced apart from each other; a first header that communicates between ends; a second header that is disposed on one end side of each of the flat tubes in the second row in the first direction and communicates between the one ends; The first header and the second header are arranged on the other end side of the flat tube in the first direction so as to straddle the first row and the second row, and the other ends are communicated with each other. the first row and the second row are arranged side by side, the third header is divided, and each flat tube is divided a heat exchanger in which the first header and the second header are bent and formed except between the third headers, wherein at least one of the first header and the second header is bent A stress-absorbing portion for absorbing the stress is provided at the bending-molding portion where the stress due to molding is greater.

Further, in the method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to the present invention, the heat exchanger is provided extending in a first direction, has a flattened cross section in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and has the flattened shape in the second direction. A first row and a second row of a plurality of flat tubes arranged at intervals with their long sides facing each other, and each of the flat tubes in the first row arranged on one end side in the first direction. a first header that communicates the one end portions; a second header, disposed on the other end side of each of the flat tubes in the first direction, straddling the first row and the second row, communicating the other ends of the first header; an assembling step of assembling and brazing together the second header and a third header that connects the circulation of the refrigerant in the second header; and the first header and the third a bending step of bending and forming two headers, wherein in the assembling step, the first row and the second row are arranged side by side, the third header is divided and arranged, and the third header is divided and arranged. Each of the flat tubes is arranged except between the third headers, and the stress is applied to at least the bending part of the first header or the second header, whichever has the greater stress due to the bending. forming a stress absorbing portion that absorbs the

Furthermore, an air conditioner according to the present invention comprises a refrigerant circuit having at least a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator, and is equipped with the above heat exchanger as the condenser or the evaporator.

According to the present invention, the flat tube and the third header are not arranged at the bending portion, that is, the fins interposed between the adjacent flat tubes are not arranged. And damage such as peeling does not occur. In addition, the stress absorbing portion that absorbs the stress caused by bending is provided at least at the bending portion of the first header or the second header where the stress caused by bending is greater. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage due to interference between the first header and the second header positioned at the bending portion. Moreover, since there is no need to perform a brazing operation separate from the brazing operation of the flat tube and the header, the work is not complicated and the manufacturing man-hours are not increased. Thus, it is possible to prevent damage to the header and fins due to bending and to avoid deterioration in heat exchange efficiency.

1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing an example of an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a heat exchanger mounted on an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a manufacturing process of the heat exchanger of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state of the heat exchanger of FIG. 2 before bending; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the state of the heat exchanger of FIG. 2 after being bent; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger according to Embodiment 2; FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state after bending of the heat exchanger according to Embodiment 2; FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger according to Embodiment 3; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state before bending of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 4; FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state before bending of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 5; FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state after bending of the heat exchanger according to Embodiment 5; FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view showing a bent portion of the heat exchanger of FIG. 10; FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state before bending of a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 6; FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state after bending of the heat exchanger according to Embodiment 6;

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts, which are common throughout the specification. Also, the forms of the constituent elements shown in the entire specification are merely examples and are not limited to these descriptions. Furthermore, in the drawings below, the size relationship of each component may differ from the actual size.

Embodiment 1.
<Configuration of air conditioner 200>
First, an air conditioner according to Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is a refrigerant circuit diagram showing an example of an air conditioner 200 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. In FIG. 1, the flow of refrigerant during cooling operation is indicated by solid arrows, and the flow of refrigerant during heating operation is indicated by dashed arrows.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the air conditioner 200 includes an outdoor unit 201 and an indoor unit 202 . The outdoor unit 201 includes a heat exchanger 10 as an outdoor heat exchanger, an outdoor fan 13 , a compressor 14 and a four-way valve 15 . The indoor unit 202 includes an indoor heat exchanger 16, an expansion device 17, and an indoor fan (not shown). The heat exchanger 10, the compressor 14, the four-way valve 15, the indoor heat exchanger 16, and the expansion device 17 are connected by refrigerant pipes 12 to form a refrigerant circuit.

The heat exchanger 10 functions as an evaporator during heating operation and functions as a condenser during cooling operation.

The outdoor fan 13 is attached to the heat exchanger 10 and supplies air, which is a heat exchange fluid, to the heat exchanger 10 .

The compressor 14 compresses refrigerant. Refrigerant compressed by the compressor 14 is discharged and sent to the four-way valve 15 . Compressor 14 may comprise, for example, a rotary compressor, a scroll compressor, a screw compressor, a reciprocating compressor, or the like.

The four-way valve 15 switches the flow of refrigerant between heating operation and cooling operation. In other words, during the heating operation, the four-way valve 15 connects the discharge port of the compressor 14 and the indoor heat exchanger 16, and also connects the suction port of the compressor 14 and the heat exchanger 10. switch. In addition, the four-way valve 15 connects the discharge port of the compressor 14 and the heat exchanger 10 during the cooling operation, and also connects the suction port of the compressor 14 and the indoor heat exchanger 16 to direct the flow of refrigerant. switch.

The indoor heat exchanger 16 functions as a condenser during heating operation, and functions as an evaporator during cooling operation. The indoor heat exchanger 16 is a fin-and-tube heat exchanger similar to the heat exchanger 10, and also includes, for example, a micro-channel heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a heat pipe heat exchanger, and a double tube heat exchanger. It can be configured with a type heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, or the like.

The indoor heat exchanger 16 is also provided with an indoor fan (not shown) to supply the indoor heat exchanger 16 with air as a heat exchange fluid.

The expansion device 17 expands and decompresses the refrigerant that has passed through the heat exchanger 10 or the indoor heat exchanger 16 . The throttle device 17 can be composed of, for example, an electric expansion valve capable of adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant. As the expansion device 17, not only an electric expansion valve but also a mechanical expansion valve employing a diaphragm as a pressure receiving portion, a capillary tube, or the like can be applied.

<Operation of air conditioner 200>
Next, the operation of the air conditioner 200 will be described together with the flow of refrigerant. First, the cooling operation performed by the air conditioner 200 will be described. The flow of the refrigerant during the cooling operation is indicated by solid line arrows in FIG. Here, the operation of the air conditioner 200 will be described by taking as an example a case where the heat exchange fluid is air and the heat exchange fluid is refrigerant.

As shown in FIG. 1 , by driving the compressor 14 , high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 14 . After that, the refrigerant flows according to the solid line arrows. The high-temperature, high-pressure single-phase gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 14 flows through the four-way valve 15 into the heat exchanger 10 functioning as a condenser. In the heat exchanger 10, heat is exchanged between the flowing high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and the air supplied by the outdoor fan 13, and the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant is condensed to form a high-pressure single-phase liquid refrigerant. become.

The high-pressure liquid refrigerant sent out from the heat exchanger 10 is turned into a two-phase refrigerant of low-pressure gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant by the expansion device 17 . The two-phase refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 16 that functions as an evaporator. In the indoor heat exchanger 16, heat is exchanged between the flowing two-phase refrigerant and air supplied by an indoor fan (not shown). becomes a single-phase gas refrigerant. This heat exchange cools the interior of the room. The low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 16 flows through the four-way valve 15 into the compressor 14 , is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is discharged from the compressor 14 again. This cycle is then repeated.

Next, the heating operation performed by the air conditioner 200 will be described. It should be noted that the flow of the refrigerant during the heating operation is indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the compressor 14 is driven, high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 14 . After that, the coolant flows according to the dashed arrows.

The high-temperature, high-pressure single-phase gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 14 flows through the four-way valve 15 into the indoor heat exchanger 16 that functions as a condenser. In the indoor heat exchanger 16, heat is exchanged between the flowing high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and air supplied by an indoor fan (not shown), and the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant is condensed into a high-pressure single-phase state. liquid refrigerant. This heat exchange heats the room.

The high-pressure liquid refrigerant sent out from the indoor heat exchanger 16 is turned into a two-phase refrigerant of low-pressure gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant by the expansion device 17 . Refrigerant in a two-phase state flows into heat exchanger 10 which functions as an evaporator. In the heat exchanger 10, heat is exchanged between the flowing two-phase refrigerant and the air supplied by the outdoor fan 13, and the liquid refrigerant of the two-phase refrigerant evaporates to form a low-pressure single-phase refrigerant. state gas refrigerant.

The low-pressure gas refrigerant sent out from the heat exchanger 10 flows through the four-way valve 15 into the compressor 14 , is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant, and is discharged from the compressor 14 again. This cycle is then repeated.

When the refrigerant flows into the compressor 14 in a liquid state during the cooling operation and the heating operation described above, liquid compression occurs, which causes the compressor 14 to malfunction. Therefore, it is desirable that the refrigerant flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger 16 during the cooling operation or from the heat exchanger 10 during the heating operation is a single-phase gas refrigerant.

Here, in the evaporator, when heat is exchanged between the air supplied from the fan and the refrigerant flowing inside the heat transfer tubes that make up the evaporator, moisture in the air condenses and evaporates. Water droplets form on the surface of the vessel. Water droplets generated on the surface of the evaporator drip downward along the surfaces of the fins and heat transfer tubes and are discharged as drain water below the evaporator.

Moreover, since the heat exchanger 10 functions as an evaporator during heating operation in which the outside air temperature is low, moisture in the air may form frost on the heat exchanger 10 . Therefore, the air conditioner 200 performs a "defrosting operation" for removing frost when the temperature of the outside air drops below a certain temperature (for example, 0° C.).

The “defrosting operation” is an operation of supplying hot gas (high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant) from the compressor 14 to the heat exchanger 10 to prevent frost from adhering to the heat exchanger 10 functioning as an evaporator. That is. Note that the defrosting operation may be executed when the duration of the heating operation reaches a preset value (for example, 30 minutes). Further, the defrosting operation may be performed before the heating operation when the temperature of the heat exchanger 10 is below a certain temperature (for example, -6°C). Frost and ice adhering to the heat exchanger 10 are melted by the hot gas supplied to the heat exchanger 10 during the defrosting operation.

For example, a bypass refrigerant pipe (not shown) connects the discharge port of the compressor 14 and the heat exchanger 10 so that the hot gas can be directly supplied from the compressor 14 to the heat exchanger 10 during the defrosting operation. You may do so. In addition, a configuration in which the discharge port of the compressor 14 is connected to the heat exchanger 10 via a refrigerant flow switching device (for example, a four-way valve 15) so that hot gas can be supplied from the compressor 14 to the heat exchanger 10. may be

<Regarding heat exchanger 10>
Next, the heat exchanger 10 mounted on the air conditioner 200 according to Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the heat exchanger 10 mounted on the air conditioner 200 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing process of the heat exchanger 10 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the state of the heat exchanger 10 of FIG. 2 before bending. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the state of the heat exchanger 10 of FIG. 2 after bending.

2, the arrow AF indicates the ventilation direction of the air supplied from the outdoor fan 13 (see FIG. 1) to the heat exchanger 10, and the arrow RF indicates the direction of the heat exchanger during cooling operation of the air conditioner 200. The flow direction of the refrigerant supplied to 10 is shown. Incidentally, the flow direction of the refrigerant supplied to the heat exchanger 10 during the heating operation of the air conditioner 200 is the opposite direction of the arrow RF in FIG. In addition, in the flat shape of the cross section of each flat tube 3 (flat tubes 31 and 32 described later), the length in the long side direction is width, the length in the short side direction is thickness, and the length in the long side direction is width In some cases, the direction and the short side direction are described as the thickness direction and the like. Furthermore, let the extension direction of each flat tube 3 be the 1st direction X, and let the horizontal direction orthogonal to the said 1st direction X be the 2nd direction Y. FIG. The long side direction (width direction) of the cross section of each flat tube 3, which intersects the first direction X and the second direction Y of each flat tube 3, is a direction parallel to the flat plane. Let the three directions be Z. For the sake of convenience, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z will be described as directions in the heat exchanger 10 before bending and forming shown in FIG. 4 . In addition, the flat tube 3 is a general term that collectively includes the flat tube 31 connected to the first header 1 and the flat tube 32 connected to the second header 2 . Further, in each figure, the first direction X, the second direction Y and the third direction Z are shown to be orthogonal to each other, but should intersect at an angle close to 90 degrees, such as 80 degrees. may

In the case of the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the heat exchanger 10 has a shape that is bent into, for example, an L shape in accordance with the shape of the product to be mounted. The heat exchanger 10 is provided with a flat tube 3, which is a flat heat transfer tube, extending in the extension direction, which is the first direction X, so that the wind generated by the outdoor fan 13 (see FIG. 1) flows. A plurality of them are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, which is the second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X. The flat tube 3 has a perforated tube structure in which a YZ cross section perpendicular to the first direction X has a flat shape, and a plurality of coolant channels (not shown) through which coolant flows are formed therein. In particular, in the case of the first embodiment, the flat tubes 3 are arranged in the third direction Z perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y as the flat tubes 31 in the first row and the flat tubes 32 in the second row. are arranged in two rows.

Corrugated fins 4 are provided between the flat tubes 31 and 32 adjacent to each other in the second direction Y in the flat tubes 31 in the first row and the flat tubes 32 in the second row. intervened. That is, the heat exchanger 10 is configured as a so-called double-row fin-and-tube heat exchanger. The fins 4 are connected between the adjacent flat tubes 31 and between the flat tubes 32 to transfer heat to the flat tubes 31 and 32 . The fins 4 improve the efficiency of heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant. Here, corrugated fins 4 are used. It may be plate-type fins that connect to each other. Further, since heat exchange between the air and the refrigerant takes place on the surfaces of the flat tubes 31 and 32, the fins 4 may be omitted.

That is, in the heat exchanger 10, the flat tubes 31 in the first row are provided facing up and down in the first direction X, which is the extending direction, and are arranged in the horizontal direction, which is the second direction Y, at intervals. , and fins 4 are interposed between adjacent flat tubes 31 . In the heat exchanger 10, each flat tube 32 in the second row is provided facing up and down in the first direction X, which is the extending direction, and is arranged in the horizontal direction, which is the second direction Y, at intervals. , and fins 4 are interposed between adjacent flat tubes 32 .

One end of each flat tube 31 in the first row in the first direction X, that is, in the heat exchanger 10, each flat tube in the first row located on the windward side of the wind sent from the outdoor fan 13 (see FIG. 1) The lower ends of the pipes 31 are connected to the first headers 1 that communicate the lower ends with each other. The lower ends of the first row of flat tubes 31 arranged on the windward side are directly inserted into the first header 1 . The first header 1 is connected to the refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner 200 via a refrigerant pipe (not shown), and allows hot gas refrigerant to flow from the refrigerant circuit. The first header 1 is also called gas header. The first header 1 allows the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant from the compressor 14 to flow into the heat exchanger 10 during cooling operation, and causes the gas refrigerant after heat exchange in the heat exchanger 10 to flow out to the refrigerant circuit during heating operation. .

In addition, the second header 2 is connected to the lower ends in the first direction X of the flat tubes 32 in the second row so that the lower ends communicate with each other. That is, in the heat exchanger 10, the second header 2 functioning as a refrigerant distributor is provided at the lower end of each flat tube 32 in the second row positioned on the leeward side of the air blown from the outdoor fan 13 (see FIG. 1). is provided. The lower ends of the flat tubes 32 of the second row arranged on the leeward side are directly inserted into the second header 2 . The second header 2 is arranged in parallel with the first header 1 . The second header 2 is connected to the refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner 200 via refrigerant piping (not shown). Refrigerant flows into the second header 2 from the refrigerant circuit when the heat exchanger 10 functions as an evaporator. In the heat exchanger 10, when the heat exchanger 10 functions as an evaporator, a second row of flat tubes located on the leeward side of the heat exchanger 10 via the second header 2 as a refrigerant distributor The refrigerant flows into 32 and flows out from each of the flat tubes 31 in the first row on the windward side, forming a refrigerant flow path in which the refrigerant and the air flow in opposite directions.

At the other end in the first direction X of the flat tubes 31 in the first row and the flat tubes 32 in the second row, that is, at the upper end, the flat tubes 31 in the first row and the flat tubes 32 in the second row The third headers 5a and 5b are arranged to straddle the respective flat tubes 32 of and connect the upper ends of the headers 5a and 5b. The upper ends of the flat tubes 31 in the first row and the flat tubes 32 in the second row are directly inserted into the third headers 5a and 5b. The third headers 5a and 5b are arranged so that the heat exchanger 10 is divided except for the bending portion 6, and the refrigerant flows through the first header 1 and the second header 2 in parallel. In other words, only the first header 1 and the second header 2 are arranged in the bending portion 6 of the heat exchanger 10 .

That is, in the heat exchanger 10, the first header 1 is located upstream in the refrigerant flow direction RF during the cooling operation of the air conditioner 200, and the second header 2 is located on the upstream side in the refrigerant flow direction RF during the cooling operation of the air conditioner 200. Located downstream in RF. The third headers 5a and 5b are located midway in the flow direction RF of the refrigerant flowing from the first header 1 to the second header 2 in the heat exchanger 10 during cooling operation. Then, the refrigerant, which is guided from the first header 1 into the flat tubes 31 of the first row and flows upward, is guided to the flat tubes 32 of the second row, and then flows toward the second header 2 side. hand over. Partitions 7 are provided inside the third headers 5a and 5b at equal intervals corresponding to the connected flat tubes 31 and 32, respectively. Note that the partition 7 may be partially omitted. Therefore, the refrigerant supplied to the heat exchanger 10 is distributed through the first header 1 and flows into each flat tube 31 and rises inside each flat tube 31 . Then, the refrigerant that has risen to the upper end of each flat tube 31 is passed through the third header 5a or 5b to each flat tube 32 side, flows into each flat tube 32, and flows into each flat tube 32. to descend. The refrigerant descending to the lower end in each flat tube 32 joins at the second header 2 and is discharged through the second header 2 .

Such a heat exchanger 10 is formed through the manufacturing process shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, first, in the assembling step S1, a predetermined number of flat tubes 31 and fins 4 are alternately arranged, and a predetermined number of flat tubes 32 and fins 4 are alternately arranged. to be placed. Then, the intervening fins 4 are compressed between the flat tubes 31 and the flat tubes 32 adjacent to each other. In this state, the third headers 5a and 5b, in which the heat exchanger 10 is divided and arranged with the bending portion 6 interposed therebetween, are attached to the upper ends of the flat tubes 31 and 32 in the first direction X. As shown in FIG. At the same time, the first header 1 is attached to the lower ends of the flat tubes 31 and 32 in the first direction X, and the second headers 2 are attached to the lower ends of the plurality of flat tubes 32 in the first direction X. As shown in FIG. At this time, the flat tubes 31 and 32 are not arranged at the bending portion 6 of the heat exchanger 10 . Furnace brazing is then performed in this assembled state to form the heat exchanger 10 before bending and forming as shown in FIG. The order in which the flat tubes 31 and 32, the fins 4, the first header 1, the second header 2, and the third headers 5a and 5b are assembled is not limited to this, and can be changed as appropriate. is. For example, after assembling the flat tubes 31 and 32 to the first header 1, the second header 2, and the third headers 5a and 5b, the fins 4 are formed between the adjacent flat tubes 31 and the flat tubes 32. may be placed.

Next, in the bending process S2, the assembled body assembled in the assembling process S1, that is, the heat exchanger 10 in a state before bending is placed so that the first header 1 is outside and the second header 2 is inside. It is bent in a direction using a jig (not shown) or the like. Thereby, the heat exchanger 10 after bending shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 is formed. In the case of the first embodiment, the first header 1 is arranged on the windward side in the ventilation direction AF of the air supplied from the outdoor fan 13 (see FIG. 1) to the heat exchanger 10, and the second header 2 is arranged on the windward side. It is arranged on the leeward side in the ventilation direction AF of the air. However, this arrangement may be changed as appropriate depending on the arrangement relationship between the outdoor fan 13 and the heat exchanger 10 . Therefore, the first header 1 may be arranged on the leeward side in the airflow direction AF, and the second header 2 may be arranged on the windward side in the airflow direction AF.

Here, in the case of the first embodiment, the heat exchanger 10 of the first header 1 is provided with the stress absorbing portion 1a in the bend-molded portion 6 for absorbing the stress caused by the bend-molding. Specifically, the stress absorbing portion 1a is formed such that the length of the first header 1 at the bending portion 6 is longer than the length of the second header 2, and the length of the second header 2 is opposite to the direction perpendicular to the first direction X. It has a shape bent toward the outside in the bending direction of the side. This makes it possible to absorb the elongation of the first header 1 during bending.

<Effect of Embodiment 1>
As described above, in the heat exchanger 10 of Embodiment 1 and the air conditioner 200 equipped with the same, the first header 1 is bent at the stress absorbing portion 1a provided in the bending portion 6 of the heat exchanger 10. It absorbs the elongation of the first header 1 at that time. As a result, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 located outside does not interfere with the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 located inside during bending. Therefore, damage to the heat exchanger 10 due to interference between the first header 1 and the second header 2 can be prevented. In particular, in the heat exchanger 10, since the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the third headers 5a and 5b are not arranged in the bending portion 6, the fins 4 may be crushed or peeled off during bending. never. In addition, since there is no need to perform a brazing operation separate from the brazing operation for the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the headers, that is, the first header 1, the second header 2 and the third headers 5a and 5b, It does not cause complication of work and an increase in manufacturing man-hours.

In the first embodiment described above, the case where the first header 1 is provided with the stress absorbing portion 1a is described. good too.

Embodiment 2.
Next, a heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state after bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to the second embodiment.

The second embodiment is obtained by partially changing the form of the first header 1 of the first embodiment. Since the configurations of the heat exchanger 10 and the air conditioner 200 are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted, and similar or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals.

In the case of the second embodiment, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the heat exchanger 10 is arranged such that the stress absorbing portion 1a provided in the first header 1 is oriented in the first direction X as shown in FIGS. It has a curved shape. Specifically, in the case of the second embodiment, the stress absorbing portion 1a provided in the first header 1 has a shape bent toward the third headers 5a and 5b, that is, upward in the first direction X. there is This makes it possible to absorb the elongation of the first header 1 during bending.

<Effects of Embodiment 2>
As described above, in the heat exchanger 10 of the second embodiment, the first header 1 is the stress absorbing portion 1a provided in the bending portion 6 (see FIG. 4) of the heat exchanger 10, and the first It absorbs the elongation of the header 1. As a result, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 located outside does not interfere with the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 located inside during bending. Therefore, damage to the heat exchanger 10 due to interference between the first header 1 and the second header 2 can be prevented. Further, in the heat exchanger 10, since the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the third headers 5a and 5b are not arranged in the bending portion 6, the fins 4 are crushed and peeled off during bending. never. In addition, since there is no need to perform a brazing operation separate from the brazing operation for the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the headers, that is, the first header 1, the second header 2 and the third headers 5a and 5b, It does not cause complication of work and an increase in manufacturing man-hours.

Moreover, since the stress absorbing portions 1a provided in the first header 1 are bent upward in the first direction X, the stress absorbing portions 1a of the first header 1 are directed outward in the bending direction. not be tortuous. As a result, it is possible to make the header more compact than in the case of the first embodiment in which the shape is bent outward in the bending direction on the opposite side of the second header 2 .

Embodiment 3.
Next, a heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 3. FIG.

The third embodiment is obtained by partially changing the first header 1 of the first embodiment, and the configurations of the heat exchanger 10 and the air conditioner 200 are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the description is omitted. , and similar or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals.

In the case of the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the first header 1 of the heat exchanger 10 is divided into two parts with the bending part 6 (see FIG. 4) interposed therebetween. The stress absorbing portion 1a is formed separately as a joint that connects the opposing ends of the split first header 1, that is, one end 1b and the other end 1c. In this case, the one end portion 1b and the other end portion 1c of the first header 1 and the stress absorbing portion 1a separately formed as a joint are assembled together with other constituent members in the assembly step S1. and brazed at the same time. Note that the stress absorbing portion 1a has the same shape as that of the first embodiment described above, except that it is provided separately. This makes it possible to absorb the elongation of the first header 1 during bending.

<Effect of Embodiment 3>
As described above, in the heat exchanger 10 of the third embodiment, the first header 1 is divided into two parts with the bending part 6 (see FIG. 4) of the heat exchanger 10 interposed therebetween, and the stress absorbing part 1a is separated into two parts. have. The stress absorbing portion 1a absorbs the elongation of the first header 1 during bending. As a result, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 located outside does not interfere with the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 located inside during bending. Therefore, damage to the heat exchanger 10 due to interference between the first header 1 and the second header 2 can be prevented. Further, in the heat exchanger 10, since the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the third headers 5a and 5b are not arranged in the bending portion 6, the fins 4 are crushed and peeled off during bending. never. In addition, the brazing operation of the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the headers, that is, the first header 1, the second header 2 and the third headers 5a and 5b, and the one end 1b and the other of the first header 1 The end portion 1c, the stress absorbing portion 1a formed separately as a joint, and the brazing work are performed at the same time, and there is no need to perform a separate brazing work. It does not lead to an increase in manufacturing man-hours.

Here, the case where the first header 1 is divided into two with the bending part 6 of the heat exchanger 10 therebetween was described, but the second header 2 has the bending part 6 of the heat exchanger 10 therebetween. may be divided into two. Also in this case, the same effect as in the third embodiment can be obtained.

Embodiment 4.
Next, a heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 4. FIG.

The fourth embodiment is obtained by partially changing the first header 1 of the first embodiment, and the configurations of the heat exchanger 10 and the air conditioner 200 are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the description is omitted. , and similar or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals.

In the case of the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the first header 1 of the heat exchanger 10 is divided into two parts with the bending part 6 (see FIG. 4) interposed therebetween. The stress absorbing portion 1a is formed separately as a joint that connects the side surfaces of the opposing ends of the first header 1, that is, the side surface of one end portion 1b and the side surface of the other end portion 1c. be done. In this case, the side surface of one end portion 1b and the side surface of the other end portion 1c of the first header 1 and the stress absorbing portion 1a separately formed as a joint are assembled in the assembly step S1. The components are assembled together and brazed at the same time. Note that the stress absorbing portion 1a has the same shape as that of the first embodiment described above, except that it is provided separately. This makes it possible to absorb the elongation of the first header 1 during bending.

<Effect of Embodiment 4>
As described above, in the heat exchanger 10 of the fourth embodiment, the first header 1 is divided into two with the bending portion 6 (see FIG. 4) of the heat exchanger 10 interposed therebetween, and the stress absorbing portion 1a is separately formed. have. The stress absorbing portion 1a absorbs the elongation of the first header 1 during bending. As a result, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 located outside does not interfere with the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 located inside during bending. Therefore, damage to the heat exchanger 10 due to interference between the first header 1 and the second header 2 can be prevented. Further, in the heat exchanger 10, since the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the third headers 5a and 5b are not arranged in the bending portion 6, the fins 4 are crushed and peeled off during bending. never. In addition, the brazing operation of the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the headers, that is, the first header 1, the second header 2 and the third headers 5a and 5b, and the side surface of one end 1b of the first header 1 and the side surface of the other end 1c, and the stress absorbing portion 1a formed separately as a joint, are simultaneously brazed, and there is no need to perform a separate brazing operation. Neither complication nor an increase in manufacturing man-hours is caused.

Here, the case where the first header 1 is divided into two with the bending part 6 of the heat exchanger 10 therebetween was described, but the second header 2 has the bending part 6 of the heat exchanger 10 therebetween. may be divided into two. Also in this case, the same effect as in the fourth embodiment can be obtained.

Embodiment 5.
Next, a heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 5. FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state after bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an enlarged bent portion of the heat exchanger 10 of FIG.

The fifth embodiment is obtained by partially changing the first header 1 of the first embodiment, and the configurations of the heat exchanger 10 and the air conditioner 200 are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the description is omitted. , and similar or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals.

In the case of the fifth embodiment, the first header 1 of the heat exchanger 10 is arranged at a position lower than the second header 2 in the first direction X, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 . The position of the first header 1 as a whole in the first direction X may be lower than that of the second header 2 , or only the bending part 6 (see FIG. 4 ) may be lower than the second header 2 . may be positioned at a lower position. The stress absorbing portion 1a is arranged at least in the bending portion 6 (see FIG. 4) where the position of the first header 1 in the first direction X is lower than the second header 2. As shown in FIG.

Thus, in the heat exchanger 10 of the fifth embodiment, the stress absorbing portion 1a provided in the first header 1 is arranged at a position lower than the second header 2 in the first direction X. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to absorb the elongation of the first header 1 without interference between the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 and the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 by bending. It's becoming In other words, interference due to bending can be avoided by setting the arrangement position to a position where there is no interference in the vertical direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the shape such as bending outward in the bending direction or bending upward. Therefore, as compared with the case of the first embodiment, it can be formed easily and inexpensively, and the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 is not bent outward in the bending direction. It can also be made more compact than the heat exchanger 10 .

<Effect of Embodiment 5>
As described above, in the heat exchanger 10 of the fifth embodiment, the first header 1 arranged at a position lower than the second header 2 in the first direction X is formed by bending the heat exchanger 10 at the bending portion 6 ( 4) absorbs the elongation of the first header 1 during bending. As a result, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 located outside does not interfere with the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 located inside during bending. Therefore, damage to the heat exchanger 10 due to interference between the first header 1 and the second header 2 can be prevented. Further, in the heat exchanger 10, since the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the third headers 5a and 5b are not arranged in the bending portion 6, the fins 4 are crushed and peeled off during bending. never. In addition, since there is no need to perform a brazing operation separate from the brazing operation for the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the headers, that is, the first header 1, the second header 2 and the third headers 5a and 5b, It does not cause complication of work and an increase in manufacturing man-hours.

In particular, in this case, by simply shifting the positions of the first header 1 and the second header 2 in the first direction X in the vertical direction, the shape can be bent outwardly or upwardly in the bending direction. There is no need to provide changes such as Accordingly, it has the advantage of being able to be formed more easily and at a lower cost. In addition, compared to the case of the first embodiment, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 is not bent outward in the bending direction. It is also possible to achieve compactness.

Embodiment 6.
Next, a heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state before bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 6. FIG. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state after bending of the heat exchanger 10 according to Embodiment 6. FIG.

The sixth embodiment is obtained by partially modifying the first header 1 of the fifth embodiment, which is obtained by partially modifying the first header 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, since the configurations of the heat exchanger 10 and the air conditioner 200 are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted, and similar or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals.

In the case of the sixth embodiment, the first header 1 of the heat exchanger 10 is arranged at a position lower than the second header 2 in the first direction X, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 . The position of the first header 1 as a whole in the first direction X may be lower than that of the second header 2 , or only the bending part 6 (see FIG. 4 ) may be lower than the second header 2 . may be positioned at a lower position.

Further, in the heat exchanger 10 of the sixth embodiment, the stress absorbing portion 1a has a length in the second direction Y at the bending portion 6 (see FIG. 4) of the first header 1, which is It is longer and has a shape bent toward the second header 2 side. This makes it possible to absorb the elongation of the first header 1 without interference between the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 and the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 by bending. In other words, interference due to bending can be avoided by setting the arrangement position to a position where there is no interference in the vertical direction. In addition, since the stress absorbing portion 1a has a shape bent toward the second header 2 side, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 is not bent outward in the bending direction. , it is also possible to achieve compactness as compared with the case of the first embodiment.

Although the first header 1 is arranged at a position lower than the second header 2 in the first direction X here, the second header 2 is lower than the first header 1 in the first direction X. position. Moreover, the stress absorbing portion 1 a may be provided not only on the first header 1 but also on the bent portion 2 a of the second header 2 . Also in this case, the same effect as in the fifth embodiment can be obtained.

<Effect of Embodiment 6>
As described above, in the heat exchanger 10 of Embodiment 6, the position in the first direction X is arranged at a position lower than the second header 2, and the bending portion 6 (see FIG. 4) of the heat exchanger 10 is positioned at a position lower than the second header. The length in the two directions Y is longer than that of the second header 2, and the first header 1 has the stress absorbing portion 1a bent toward the second header 2 side. , to absorb elongation of the first header 1 during bending. As a result, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 located outside does not interfere with the bent portion 2a of the second header 2 located inside during bending. Therefore, damage to the heat exchanger 10 due to interference between the first header 1 and the second header 2 can be prevented. Further, in the heat exchanger 10, since the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the third headers 5a and 5b are not arranged in the bending portion 6, the fins 4 are crushed and peeled off during bending. never. In addition, since there is no need to perform a brazing operation separate from the brazing operation for the flat tubes 31 and 32 and the headers, that is, the first header 1, the second header 2 and the third headers 5a and 5b, It does not cause complication of work and an increase in manufacturing man-hours.

Further, in this case, as compared with the case of the first embodiment, the stress absorbing portion 1a of the first header 1 is not bent outward in the bending direction, so the heat exchanger 10 of the first embodiment is It is also possible to achieve compactness compared to .

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 first header 1a stress absorbing portion 1b end portion 1c end portion 2 second header 2a bending portion 3 flat tube 4 fin 5a third header 6 bending portion 7 partition 10 heat exchange device, 12 refrigerant pipe, 13 outdoor fan, 14 compressor, 15 four-way valve, 16 indoor heat exchanger, 17 expansion device, 31 flat tube, 32 flat tube, 200 air conditioner, 201 outdoor unit, 202 indoor unit , AF ventilation direction, RF flow direction, X first direction, Y second direction, Z third direction.

Claims (10)

It extends in a first direction and has a flattened cross section in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a plurality of the flattened pieces are arranged at intervals with the long sides of the flattened shape facing each other in the second direction. a first row and a second row of flattened tubes;
a first header disposed on one end side of each of the flat tubes in the first row in the first direction and communicating the one ends with each other;
a second header disposed on one end side of each of the flat tubes in the second row in the first direction and communicating the one ends with each other;
It is arranged on the other end side in the first direction of each of the flat tubes so as to straddle the first row and the second row, communicates the other ends, and connects the first header and the second header. a third header for passing the refrigerant through the header;
The first row and the second row are arranged side by side,
the third header is divided,
A heat exchanger in which each of the flat tubes is arranged except between the divided third headers, and the first header and the second header are bent and formed,
A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a stress absorbing portion that absorbs the stress is provided at least at a bent portion of the first header or the second header that is subjected to a larger stress due to the bending. The first header or the second header, which has a larger stress due to the bending,
The length of the bending portion is formed longer than the other second header or the first header,
The stress absorbing portion is
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger has a shape bent in the first direction or in a direction orthogonal to the first direction. 3. The position of said first header or said second header having said stress absorbing portion in said first direction is arranged at a position lower than said other second header or said first header. The heat exchanger according to . The stress absorbing portion is
4. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first header and the second header are provided in the larger section related to the bending. The stress absorbing portion is
The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat exchanger is separately formed as a joint that connects the opposing ends of the first header or the second header. The stress absorbing portion is
5. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat exchanger is separately formed as a joint that connects side surfaces of opposing ends of the first header or the second header. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein fins are interposed between each of said flat tubes adjacent in said second direction. It extends in a first direction and has a flattened cross section in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a plurality of the flattened pieces are arranged at intervals with the long sides of the flattened shape facing each other in the second direction. a first row and a second row of flattened tubes;
a first header disposed on one end side of each of the flat tubes in the first row in the first direction and communicating the one ends with each other;
a second header disposed on one end side of each of the flat tubes in the second row in the first direction and communicating the one ends with each other;
It is arranged on the other end side in the first direction of each of the flat tubes so as to straddle the first row and the second row, communicates the other ends, and connects the first header and the second header. an assembling step of assembling and brazing together a third header that connects the circulation of the refrigerant in the header;
a bending step of bending and forming the first header and the second header in the assembly assembled in the assembling step;
In the assembly process,
The first row and the second row are arranged side by side, the third header is divided and arranged, and each flat tube is arranged except between the third headers divided and arranged,
A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, wherein a stress absorbing portion for absorbing the stress is formed in at least one of the first header and the second header where the stress caused by the bending is greater. In the assembling step,
The first header or the second header, which has a larger stress due to the bending,
The length of the bending portion is formed longer than the other second header or the first header,
The stress absorbing portion is
9. The method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the shape is bent in the first direction or in a direction orthogonal to the first direction. An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit having at least a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator, and mounting the heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7 as the condenser or the evaporator.

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