Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes flat tubes and corrugated fins. The corrugated fin includes peak portions contacting the adjacent tubes, and flat portions for making air to pass therebetween in an air flow direction. The flat portion has a first area including pairs of end louvers provided in end portions of the flat portion in a width direction between the adjacent tubes, and a flat part provided between the end louvers in the width direction. The pairs of the end louvers are arranged in the flat portion in the air flow direction. The first area is provided at least one of an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion of the flat portion in the air flow direction.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel, each flat tube having a passage therein through which a thermal medium flows in a tube longitudinal direction; and   a plurality of corrugated fins, each of which is disposed between adjacent tubes, wherein   the corrugated fin includes
 a plurality of peak portions contacting the adjacent tubes, and 
 a plurality of flat portions for making air to pass therebetween in an air flow direction, 
   each of the flat portions is bent from the peak portion to be positioned between the adjacent tubes,   the flat portion has a first area including a plurality of pairs of end louvers provided in end portions of the flat portion in a width direction between the adjacent tubes, and a flat part provided between the end louvers in the width direction,   the pairs of the end louvers are arranged in the flat portion in the air flow direction perpendicular to the width direction and the tube longitudinal direction, and   the first area is provided at least one of an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion of the flat portion in the air flow direction.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first area is provided on the flat portion from the upstream end portion to the downstream end portion in the air flow direction.   
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flat portion further has a second area including the pairs of the end louvers, and a corresponding number of center louvers; and   each center louver and a pair of the end louvers are successively connected in the width direction.   
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the end louver has a protruding height protruding from the flat portion, which is larger than a protruding height of the center louver.   
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the protruding height of the end louver is equal to or larger than 0.1 mm, which is a dimension between a louver-side face of the flat portion and an outer face of the end louver in the tube longitudinal direction; and   the end louver has an aperture having a height dimension between the louver-side face of the flat portion and an inner face of the end louver in the tube longitudinal direction, the height dimension being equal to or larger than 0 mm.   
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tube has a groove thereon extending approximately in parallel to the tube longitudinal direction; and   the peak portion is connected to the tube so as to intersect the groove.   
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flat portion includes a protrusion protruding from an upstream end of the tube in the air flow direction.   
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the protrusion has only a flat part thereon.   
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the protrusion has a plurality of pairs of the end louvers on the end portions in the width direction.   
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flat portion is bent from the peak portion to have a bending portion therebetween; and   the bending portion has a curvature radius equal to or smaller than 0.5 mm.   
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the curvature radius is equal to or smaller than 0.3 mm.   
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the flat portion includes a plurality of center louvers, each center louver being connected to the pair of end louvers in the width direction and having a protruding height protruding from the flat portion; and   the protruding height of the center louver is equal to or smaller than 0.15 mm, which is a dimension between a louver-side face of the flat portion and an outer face of the center louver in the longitudinal direction.   
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the protruding height of the center louver is equal to or smaller than 0.1 mm.   
   
   
       14 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of flat tubes arranged in parallel, each flat tube having a passage therein through which a thermal medium flows in a tube longitudinal direction; and   a plurality of corrugated fins, each of which is disposed between adjacent tubes, wherein   the corrugated fin includes
 a plurality of peak portions contacting the adjacent tubes, and 
 a plurality of flat portions for making air to pass therebetween in an air flow direction, 
   each of the flat portions is bent from the peak portion to be positioned between the adjacent tubes, and to have a bending portion between the flat portion and the peak portion   the flat portion has a louver area including a plurality of pairs of end louvers provided in end portions of the flat portion in a width direction between the adjacent tubes, and a corresponding number of center louvers provided between the end louvers in the width direction,   the pairs of the end louvers are arranged in the air flow direction perpendicular to the width direction and the tube longitudinal direction,   the end louver has a predetermined protruding height protruding from the flat portion in the tube longitudinal direction, which is larger than a protruding height of the center louver, and   the bending portion has a curvature radius equal to or smaller than 0.5 mm.   
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the curvature radius is equal to or smaller than 0.3 mm.   
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the peak portion is a flat part in contact with the tube.   
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the protruding height of the center louver is equal to or smaller than 0.15 mm, which is a dimension between a louver-side face of the flat portion and an outer face of the center louver in the longitudinal direction.   
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the protruding height of the center louver is equal to or smaller than 0.1 mm.   
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the tube has a groove thereon extending approximately in parallel to the tube longitudinal direction; and   the peak portion is connected to the tube so as to intersect the groove.   
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the flat portion is bent from the peak portion by approximately 90°.