Heat exchanger and heat pump apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanger according to the present invention includes a plurality of thin-plate members spaced apart from one another, fluid flowing through the space, a flow channel formed in each of the plurality of thin-plate members, a medium flowing through the flow channel, the medium exchanging heat with the fluid, and a pair of headers each connecting ends of a corresponding one of two sides of the plurality of thin-plate members. The plurality of thin-plate members satisfy a relationship of 3≦Fp/Ft≦21, where Fp denotes a pitch of the plurality of thin-plate members adjacent to one another, and Ft denotes a thickness of each of the plurality of thin-plate members.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A heat pump apparatus comprising:
 a heat exchanger including
 a plurality of thin-plate members spaced apart from one another, fluid flowing through the space, a flow channel formed in each of the plurality of thin-plate members, a medium flowing through the flow channel, the medium exchanging heat with the fluid, and 
 a pair of headers each connecting ends of a corresponding one of two sides of the plurality of thin-plate members; and 
   a refrigerant circuit connecting a compressor, a condenser, an expansion unit, and an evaporator by pipes and circulating refrigerant,   wherein the evaporator is the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged and connected so that
 the refrigerant flows into one of the pair of headers provided on a lower side in a direction of gravity, flows through the flow channel formed in each of the plurality of thin-plate members in a direction from the lower side toward an upper side in the direction of gravity, flows into an other one of the pair of headers provided on the upper side in the direction of gravity, and is discharged from the other one of the pair of headers on the upper side in the direction of gravity, 
   wherein the heat exchanger is one of heat exchangers arranged in parallel on the upper side and on the lower side in the direction of gravity,   wherein the heat exchangers arranged in parallel are connected in parallel, and   wherein a member promoting heat exchange between the fluid and the plurality of thin-plate members is not coupled between adjacent ones of the plurality of thin-plate members.   
     
     
         13 . The heat pump apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a diameter of the flow channel in each of the plurality of thin-plate members is 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein
 the plurality of thin-plate members satisfy a relationship of
   3≦ Fp/Ft≦ 21,
 
   where Fp denotes a pitch of the plurality of thin-plate members adjacent to one another, and Ft denotes a thickness of each of the plurality of thin-plate members.   
     
     
         15 . The heat pump apparatus  claim 12 , wherein the flow channel formed in each of the plurality of thin-plate members has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         16 . The heat pump apparatus of  claim 12 ,
 wherein one of the pair of headers provided on the lower side in the direction of gravity includes
 an outer pipe connecting the ends of one side of the plurality of thin-plate members; and 
 an inner pipe provided inside the outer pipe, 
   wherein the inner pipe has an inlet and a plurality of outlets, the refrigerant flowing into the inlet and being discharged from the plurality of outlets to the outer pipe.   
     
     
         17 . The heat pump apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of outlets are provided only in a lower part of the inner pipe in the direction of gravity. 
     
     
         18 . The heat pump apparatus of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the heat exchanger is one of a plurality of heat exchangers arranged side by side in a direction of flow of the fluid, and   wherein, in the direction of flow of the fluid, each of the plurality of thin-plate members provided on an upstream side is alternately staggered with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of thin-plate members provided on a downstream side.