Refrigerant distributing device and heat exchanger including the same

Abstract

A header that has a configuration in which the header is connected to one end of each of a plurality of flattened pipes of a heat exchanger that flows a refrigerant in parallel to the plurality of flattened pipes disposed in parallel and an interior of the header is divided by one or more division plates in a parallel direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer pipes are disposed in parallel, the header being mounted so as to stand in an up-down direction, and a distributor configured to distribute the refrigerant to each chamber within the header divided by the division plates, are provided.

1 . A refrigerant distributing device comprising:
 a header having a configuration in which the header is connected to one end of each of a plurality of heat-transfer pipes of a heat exchanger that flows a refrigerant in two-phase gas-liquid state in parallel to the plurality of heat-transfer pipes disposed in parallel and an interior of the header is divided, by one or more division plates, in a parallel direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer pipes are disposed, the header being mounted so as to stand in an up-down direction; and   a distributor configured to distribute the refrigerant to each chamber within the header divided by the division plates and flow the refrigerant into each chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant distributing device of  claim 1 , wherein a drift suppression member is provided at a refrigerant inflow portion of each chamber so as to suppress a drift of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant distributing device of  claim 2 , wherein the drift suppression member is an orifice configured to reduce a flow of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant distributing device of  claim 1 , wherein a position of the division plates is set in accordance with a wind speed distribution at the heat exchanger, and the position of the division plate is set such that a length, in the parallel direction, of the chamber to which the heat-transfer pipes passing through a portion where a wind speed is high are connected is shorter than a length, in the parallel direction, of the chamber to which the heat-transfer pipes passing through a portion where the wind speed is low are connected. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant distributing device of  claim 1 , wherein the distributor is connected to each of the respective chambers via each of a plurality of capillary tubes that allow a flow rate of the refrigerant to be adjusted, a distribution amount of the refrigerant flowed into each chamber is set in accordance with a wind speed distribution at the heat exchanger, the plurality of capillary tubes are selected such that a distribution amount for the chamber to which the heat-transfer pipes located at a portion where a wind speed is high are connected is larger than a distribution amount for the chamber to which the heat-transfer pipes located at the portion where the wind speed is low are connected. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger comprising a refrigerant distributing device including a header having a configuration in which the header is connected to one end of each of a plurality of heat-transfer pipes of a heat exchanger that flows a refrigerant in two-phase gas-liquid state in parallel to the plurality of heat-transfer pipes disposed in parallel and an interior of the header is divided by one or more division plates in a parallel direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer pipes are disposed, the header being mounted so as to stand in an up-down direction; and a distributor configured to distribute the refrigerant to each chamber within the header divided by the division plates and flow the refrigerant into each chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the parallel direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer pipes are disposed is the up-down direction, the header is mounted so as to stand in the up-down direction, and each heat-transfer pipe is a flattened pipe having a plurality of through holes that are refrigerant flow paths. 
     
     
         8 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising a heat exchanger including a refrigerant distributing device including a header having a configuration in which the header is connected to one end of each of a plurality of heat-transfer pipes of a heat exchanger that flows a refrigerant in two-phase gas-liquid state in parallel to the plurality of heat-transfer pipes disposed in parallel and an interior of the header is divided by one or more division plates in a parallel direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer pipes are disposed, the header being mounted so as to stand in an up-down direction; and a distributor configured to distribute the refrigerant to each chamber within the header divided by the division plates and flow the refrigerant into each chamber. 
     
     
         9 . An air-conditioning apparatus comprising a heat exchanger including a refrigerant distributing device including a header having a configuration in which the header is connected to one end of each of a plurality of heat-transfer pipes of a heat exchanger that flows a refrigerant in two-phase gas-liquid state in parallel to the plurality of heat-transfer pipes disposed in parallel and an interior of the header is divided by one or more division plates in a parallel direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer pipes are disposed, the header being mounted so as to stand in an up-down direction; and a distributor configured to distribute the refrigerant to each chamber within the header divided by the division plates and flow the refrigerant into each chamber.