Heat exchanger, and all-in-one air conditioner equipped therewith

Abstract

A heat exchanger ( 20 ) is provided with: two header pipes ( 21, 22 ) which are disposed parallel to each other with a space therebetween; a plurality of flat tubes ( 23 ) which are disposed between the header pipes, refrigerant passages ( 24 ) provided therein communicating with the interiors of the header pipes; and fins ( 25 ) which are disposed between the flat tubes. The plurality of flat tubes are divided into two parts: an upper group ( 27 ) located in the upper part; and a lower group ( 28 ) located in the lower part. The flat tubes of the upper group and parts corresponding thereto of the header pipes constitute an upper heat exchange part ( 40 ), and the flat tubes of the lower group and parts corresponding thereto of the header pipes constitute a lower heat exchange part ( 41 ).

1 . A side-flow type parallel-flow heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of header pipes disposed in parallel at intervals;   a plurality of flat tubes disposed between the plurality of header pipes, the flat tubes each having a refrigerant passage formed therein to communicate with insides of the header pipes; and   a fin disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of flat tubes,   wherein   the plurality of flat tubes are divided into an upper group located in an upper part of the heat exchanger and a lower group located in a lower part of the heat exchanger,   a flat tube belonging to the upper group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tube belonging to the upper group form an upper heat exchanging portion, and   a flat tube belonging to the lower group and part of the plurality of header pipes corresponding to the flat tube belonging to the lower group form a lower heat exchanging portion.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 ,
 wherein   one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator, and   another one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 ,
 wherein   in one of the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion that functions as the condenser, a refrigerant flows through the flat tubes from an upper one of the flat tubes to a lower one of the flat tubes.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 ,
 wherein   a heat insulating portion is provided between the upper heat exchanging portion and the lower heat exchanging portion.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4 ,
 wherein   a heat-insulating partition panel is provided inside the plurality of header pipes, and   the heat-insulating partition panel functions as part of the heat insulating portion.   
     
     
         6 . An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:
 the heat exchanger of  claim 1 ; and   a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path,   wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and   the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein
 the upper heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.   
     
     
         8 . An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:
 the heat exchanger of  claim 2 ; and   a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path,   wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and   the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.   
     
     
         9 . An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:
 the heat exchanger of  claim 3 ; and   a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path,   wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and   the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.   
     
     
         10 . An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:
 the heat exchanger of  claim 4 ; and   a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path,   wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and   the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.   
     
     
         11 . An all-in-one air conditioner comprising:
 the heat exchanger of  claim 5 ; and   a housing including a room-air-circulation air path and a heat-discharging air path,   wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the room-air-circulation air path, and   the lower heat exchanging portion of the heat exchanger is disposed in the heat-discharging air path.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner of  claim 8 ,
 wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner of  claim 9 ,
 wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner of  claim 10 ,
 wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner of  claim 11 ,
 wherein   the upper heat exchanging portion functions as an evaporator and the lower heat exchanging portion functions as a condenser.