Air conditioner and outdoor unit thereof

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger connected to the compressor through a first connection pipe, a second heat exchanger connected to the first heat exchanger through a second connection pipe and adapted to discharge super-cooled refrigerant through a third connection pipe, and a blower to blow air toward the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger includes a first header in communication with the first connection pipe for introduction of the refrigerant, a plurality of tubes each having one end in communication with the first header and the other opposite end, and a second header in communication with the other end of each of the plurality of tubes. The second heat exchanger includes a heat exchange pipe that is bent plural times between the second connection pipe and the third connection pipe.

1 . An air conditioner, comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   a first heat exchanger arranged to exchange heat with the surrounding air and connected to the compressor through a first connection pipe so as to condense the gas-phase refrigerant compressed by the compressor;   a second heat exchanger arranged to exchange heat with the surrounding air and connected to the first heat exchanger through a second connection pipe so as to super-cool the refrigerant condensed by the first heat exchanger, the super-cooled refrigerant being discharged through a third connection pipe; and   a blower arranged to generate air flow toward the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger,   wherein the first heat exchanger includes a first header in communication with the first connection pipe for introduction of the refrigerant, a plurality of tubes each having one end in communication with the first header, and a second header in communication with the other end of each of the plurality of tubes, and   wherein the second heat exchanger includes a heat exchange pipe that is bent plural times between the second connection pipe and the third connection pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the second heat exchanger is arranged upstream of the first heat exchanger in a blowing direction of the blower. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger includes a plurality of baffles arranged in the first header and the second header to divide the plurality of tubes into a plurality of groups;   each of the groups includes the plurality of tubes; and   the refrigerant of the first heat exchanger flows in the same direction through the tubes of the same group.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein some of the plurality of groups arranged downstream in a refrigerant flow direction include a lower number of tubes than others arranged upstream in the refrigerant flow direction. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein the second connection pipe is connected to the first header at one side of the first heat exchanger, and is connected to the second heat exchanger at one side of the second heat exchanger corresponding to the side of the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger includes a first heat exchange region defined between the first header and the second header;   the second heat exchanger includes a first bent portion and a second bent portion arranged at opposite sides, and a second heat exchange region defined between the first bent portion and the second bent portion; and   the first heat exchange region and the second heat exchange region overlap each other.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein the first heat exchange region and the second heat exchange region have the same shape. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein a distance between the first bent portion and the second bent portion of the second heat exchanger is substantially equal to a distance between the first header and the second header of the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , wherein a height of the first heat exchange region is substantially equal to a height of the second heat exchange region. 
     
     
         10 . An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, the outdoor unit comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   a first heat exchanger connected to the compressor so as to condense the gas-phase refrigerant compressed by the compressor and including a first header, a second header and a plurality of tubes arranged between the first header and the second header to define a first heat exchange region;   a second heat exchanger connected to the first heat exchanger so as to super-cool the refrigerant condensed by the first heat exchanger and including a heat exchange pipe that is bent plural times to define a second heat exchange region; and   a blower arranged to generate air flow passing through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger,   wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged parallel to each other in a blowing direction of the blower.   
     
     
         11 . The outdoor unit according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the blower includes an axial flow fan; and   the second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger and the axial flow fan are arranged sequentially in the blowing direction.   
     
     
         12 . The outdoor unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the first heat exchange region and the second heat exchange region have substantially the same shape and size. 
     
     
         13 . The outdoor unit according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger includes a plurality of baffles arranged in the first header and the second header to divide the plurality of tubes into a plurality of groups;   each of the groups includes the plurality of tubes; and   the refrigerant of the first heat exchanger flows in the same given direction when passing through the tubes of the same group, and flows in different directions when passing through the tubes of the neighboring two groups.   
     
     
         14 . The outdoor unit according to  claim 10 , further comprising a box-shaped case, the case being formed by coupling a front plate, a rear plate, two lateral plates, a top plate and a bottom plate. 
     
     
         15 . The outdoor unit according to  claim 14 , wherein the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the blower are arranged inside the case. 
     
     
         16 . The outdoor unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged between the rear plate and the blower in a blowing direction of the blower.