Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle apparatus equipped with the same

Abstract

A compact, readily-manufacturable heat exchanger and a refrigeration cycle apparatus equipped with the same are provided. One of opposite ends of a main body in a refrigerant flowing direction is provided with a first inlet communication hole that extends in a direction of arrangement of first refrigerant channels and that communicates with all of the first refrigerant channels. The other end is provided with a first outlet communication hole that extends in the direction of arrangement of the first refrigerant channels and that communicates with all of the first refrigerant channels.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a main body including   a first refrigerant path in which a plurality of first refrigerant channels through which a first refrigerant flows are arranged in a single row;   a second refrigerant path in which a plurality of second refrigerant channels through which a second refrigerant flows are arranged in a single row, the first refrigerant path and the second refrigerant path being formed integrally to one another, the main body comprising;   first communication holes that are formed at opposite ends of the first refrigerant path, as holes extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of first refrigerant channels, and communicate with the plurality of first refrigerant channels; and   second communication holes that are formed at opposite ends of the second refrigerant path, as holes extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of second refrigerant channels, and communicate with the plurality of second refrigerant channels,   wherein the first refrigerant flows into one of the first communication holes formed at the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path, flows through the first refrigerant channels, and flows outside via the other first communication hole,   wherein the second refrigerant flows into one of the second communication holes formed at the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path, flows through the second refrigerant channels, and flows outside via the other second communication hole, and   wherein the first refrigerant channels and the second refrigerant channels extend in parallel to each other and are disposed adjacent to each other, and the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant exchange heat via a partition at adjacent surfaces of the first refrigerant channels and the second refrigerant channels.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 ,
 wherein, of the first communication holes formed at the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path and the second communication holes formed at the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path, the first communication hole and the second communication hole located at a same side are displaced from each other by a predetermined amount in a channel-extending direction of the first refrigerant path or the second refrigerant path.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 ,
 wherein, in an extending direction of each first communication hole, the first communication hole has one end that is closed and another end that is open such that the first refrigerant flows into and out from the open end thereof, and   wherein, in an extending direction of each second communication hole, the second communication hole has one end that is open and another end that is closed such that the second refrigerant flows into and out from the open end thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 ,
 wherein at least one of the first communication holes formed at the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path is divided into multiple sections, and   wherein the multiple sections include one first divided-communication-hole inflow section into which the first refrigerant flows from outside and that makes the first refrigerant flow to one or more of the plurality of first refrigerant channels, at least one first divided-communication-hole turnaround section that causes the first refrigerant flowing from the one or more of the first refrigerant channels to turn around and flow to a different one or more of the first refrigerant channels other than the one or more of the first refrigerant channels, and one first divided-communication-hole outflow section that causes the first refrigerant flowing from the first divided-communication-hole turnaround section through the different one or more of the first refrigerant channels to flow outside, so that the first refrigerant flows through the first refrigerant path by being turned around therein.   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 ,
 wherein at least one of the second communication holes formed at the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path is divided into multiple sections, and   wherein the multiple sections include one second divided-communication-hole inflow section into which the second refrigerant flows from outside and that makes the second refrigerant flow to one or more of the plurality of second refrigerant channels, at least one second divided-communication-hole turnaround section that causes the second refrigerant flowing from the one or more of the second refrigerant channels to turn around and flow to a different one or more of the second refrigerant channels other than the one or more of the second refrigerant channels, and one second divided-communication-hole outflow section that causes the second refrigerant flowing from the second divided-communication-hole turnaround section through the different one or more of the second refrigerant channels to flow outside, so that the second refrigerant flows through the second refrigerant path by being turned around therein.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first refrigerant path has a plurality of first refrigerant channel groups, each of which is a set of plurality of the first refrigerant channels, and   wherein the second refrigerant path has a plurality of second refrigerant channel groups, each of which is a set of plurality of the second refrigerant channels.   
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20 ,
 wherein the plurality of first refrigerant channel groups in the first refrigerant path are disposed adjacent to each other and are arranged such that directions of arrangement of the first refrigerant channels are parallel to one another, and   wherein the plurality of second refrigerant channel groups in the second refrigerant path are disposed adjacent to each other and are arranged such that directions of arrangement of the second refrigerant channels are parallel to one another,   wherein a first refrigerant channel group located at one end of the plurality of first refrigerant channel groups disposed adjacent to each other is disposed adjacent to a second refrigerant channel group located at one end of the plurality of second refrigerant channel groups disposed adjacent to each other, and the direction of arrangement of the first refrigerant channels in the first refrigerant channel group is parallel to the direction of arrangement of the second refrigerant channels in the second refrigerant channel group,   wherein the first communication holes communicate with all of the first refrigerant channels constituting the plurality of first refrigerant channel groups, and   wherein the second communication holes communicate with all of the second refrigerant channels constituting the plurality of second refrigerant channel groups.   
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20 ,
 wherein the first refrigerant channel groups in the first refrigerant path and the second refrigerant channel groups in the second refrigerant path are alternately arranged adjacent to each other, and the directions of arrangement in all of the groups of refrigerant channels are parallel to one another,   wherein the first communication holes are formed at opposite ends of each first refrigerant channel group, and opposite ends of each first communication hole in an extending direction thereof are closed, and   wherein the second communication holes are formed at opposite ends of each second refrigerant channel group, and opposite ends of each second communication hole in an extending direction thereof are closed.   
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 22 ,
 wherein the heat exchanger further comprises first convergence holes extending through the heat exchanger in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of first communication holes and communicating with the plurality of first communication holes; and second convergence holes extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of second communication holes and communicating with the plurality of second communication holes,   wherein the first refrigerant flows into one of the first convergence holes formed at the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path, flows through the first refrigerant channels, and flows outside via the other first convergence hole, and   
       wherein the second refrigerant flows into one of the second convergence holes formed at the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path, flows through the second refrigerant channels, and flows outside via the other second convergence hole. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 23 ,
 wherein, in an extending direction of each first convergence hole of the plurality of first convergence holes, the first convergence hole has one end that is closed and another end that is open such that the first refrigerant flows into and out from the open ends thereof, and   wherein, in an extending direction of each second convergence hole, the second convergence hole has one end that is closed and another end that is open such that the second refrigerant flows into and out from the open ends thereof.   
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20 ,
 wherein the main body further comprises first convergence holes each constituted of a first-convergence-hole inflow section extending through the main body and communicating with one or more of a plurality of the first communication holes located at one end of the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path and a first-convergence-hole outflow section extending through the main body and communicating with remainder of the first communication holes located at the one end; a first intermediate convergence hole extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of a plurality of the first communication holes located at an end, which is opposite from an end provided with the first convergence hole, of the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path and communicating with the plurality of first communication holes; and second convergence holes extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of second communication holes and communicating with the plurality of second communication holes,   wherein the first refrigerant flows into the first-convergence-hole inflow section formed at one end of the first refrigerant path, flows through one or more of the first refrigerant channel groups, travels through the first intermediate convergence hole, flows through a different one or more of the first refrigerant channel groups by being turned around therein, and flows outside via the first-convergence-hole outflow section, and   wherein the second refrigerant flows into one of the second convergence holes formed at the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path, flows through the second refrigerant channels, and flows outside via the other second convergence hole.   
     
     
         26 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20 ,
 wherein the main body further comprises first convergence holes each constituted of a first-convergence-hole inflow section extending through the main body and communicating with one or more of a plurality of the first communication holes located at one end of the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path and a first-convergence-hole outflow section extending through the main body and communicating with remainder of the first communication holes located at the one end; a first intermediate convergence hole extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of a plurality of the first communication holes located at an end, which is opposite from an end provided with the first convergence hole, of the opposite ends of the first refrigerant path and communicating with the plurality of first communication holes; second convergence holes constituted of a second-convergence-hole inflow section extending through the main body and communicating with one or more of a plurality of the second communication holes located at one end of the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path and a second-convergence-hole outflow section extending through the main body and communicating with remainder of the second communication holes located at the one end; and a second intermediate convergence hole extending through the main body in a direction of arrangement of a plurality of the second communication holes located at an end, which is opposite from an end provided with the second convergence hole, of the opposite ends of the second refrigerant path and communicating with the plurality of second communication holes,   wherein the first refrigerant flows into the first-convergence-hole inflow section formed at one end of the first refrigerant path, flows through one or more of the first refrigerant channel groups, travels through the first intermediate convergence hole, flows through a different one or more of the first refrigerant channel groups by being turned around therein, and flows outside via the first-convergence-hole outflow section, and   wherein the second refrigerant flows into the second-convergence-hole inflow section formed at one end of the second refrigerant path, flows through one or more of the second refrigerant channel groups, travels through the second intermediate convergence hole, flows through a different one or more of the second refrigerant channel groups by being turned around therein, and flows outside via the second-convergence-hole outflow section.   
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant flow in directions for forming a countercurrent in at least one or more of the refrigerant channels.   
     
     
         28 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus, comprising:
 the heat exchanger of  claim 15 .