Heat exchanger core, heat exchanger, and evaporator of refrigeration cycle apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanger core includes a first tube, a second tube, a first fin, a second fin, and a connection member. The second tube is provided upstream of the first tube in a direction of air flow. The first fin is coupled to an outer surface of the first tube for facilitating heat exchange of the first tube. The second fin is coupled to an outer surface of the second tube for facilitating heat exchange of the second tube. The second fin is located upstream of the first fin to define a clearance therebetween. The connection member connects peaks of the first and second fins or connects valleys of the first and second fins.

1 . A heat exchanger core comprising:
 a first tube configured to carry a first fluid flowing therethrough to cause heat exchange between the first fluid and air;   a second tube provided upstream of the first tube in a direction of air flow, the second tube carrying a second fluid flowing therethrough to cause heat exchange between the second fluid and air;   a first fin that is coupled to an outer surface of the first tube for facilitating heat exchange of the first tube, the first fin having a series of corrugations to have a peak and a valley;   a second fin that is coupled to an outer surface of the second tube for facilitating heat exchange of the second tube, the second fin having a series of corrugations to have a peak and a valley, the second fin being located upstream of the first fin in the airflow direction and apart from the first fin to define a clearance therebetween; and   a connection member that is configured to connect the first fin with the second fin, wherein:   the connection member connects the peak of the first fin with the peak of the second fin or connects the valley of the first fin with the valley of the second fin.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger core according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second fins are configured to have an identical fin pitch and an identical fin height with each other; and   the connection member has a connection dimension that is larger than the fin height of the first and second fins.   
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger core according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the connection member is one of a plurality of connection members that are provided between the first and second fins at intervals of a constant dimension; and   a ratio of the connection dimension relative to the constant dimension is set equal to or less than 0.3.   
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger core according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid flowing through the first tube is identical with the second fluid flowing through the second tube. 
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 the heat exchanger core according to  claim 1 ;   a plurality of first tubes;   a plurality of second tubes;   a first tank configured to distribute fluid to each of the plurality of first tubes;   a second tank configured to collect fluid flowing out of each of the plurality of first tubes;   a third tank configured to distribute fluid to each of the plurality of second tubes; and   a fourth tank configured to collect fluid flowing out of each of the plurality of second tubes, wherein:   the plurality of first tubes is in fluid communication with the first and second tanks; and   the plurality of second tubes is in fluid communication with the third and fourth tanks.   
   
   
       6 . An evaporator for a refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 a heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein:   the first and second tubes carry refrigerant as fluid flowing therethrough; and   the refrigerant evaporates by absorbing heat from air.   
   
   
       7 . A heat exchanger core comprising:
 a first tube configured to carry a first fluid flowing therethrough to cause heat exchange between the first fluid and air;   a second tube provided upstream of the first tube in a direction of air flow, the second tube carrying a second fluid flowing therethrough to cause heat exchange between the second fluid and air;   a first fin that is coupled to an outer surface of the first tube for increasing a heat exchange contact area of the first tube with air, the first fin having a series of corrugations to form a plurality of fin crests;   a second fin that is coupled to an outer surface of the second tube for increasing a heat exchange contact area of the second tube with air, the second fin having a series of corrugations to form a plurality of fin crests, the second fin being spaced away from the first fin in the airflow direction to define a clearance therebetween; and   a plurality of connection members, each of which is configured to connects the first and second fins to span the clearance, wherein:   each of the plurality of connection members connects one of the plurality of fin crests of the first fin with an adjacent one of the plurality of fin crests of the second fin; and   the plurality of connection members is arranged at predetermined intervals.   
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger core according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first fin includes a plurality of side surface portions, each of which is integrally coupled to an adjacent one of the side surface portions through a corresponding fin crest to form the corrugation of the first fin;   the second fin includes a plurality of side surface portions, each of which is integrally coupled to an adjacent one of the side surface portions through a corresponding fin crest to form the corrugation of the second fin; and   each of the plurality of connection members is configured to have a shape such that the shape of the connection member matches the corrugation of the first fin and the corrugation of the second fin.