Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes: flat pipes vertically arrayed and fins that partition a space between adjacent ones of the flat pipes into air flow passages. Each of the flat pipes includes a passage for a refrigerant. The flat pipes are divided into heat exchange sections. Each of the heat exchange sections includes: a main heat exchange section connected to a gas-side entrance communication space, and a sub heat exchange section that is connected in series to the main heat exchange section at a vertical position different from the main heat exchange section and to a liquid-side entrance communication space.

1 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 flat pipes vertically arrayed, wherein each of the flat pipes includes a passage for a refrigerant; and   fins that partition a space between adjacent ones of the flat pipes into air flow passages, wherein   the flat pipes are divided into heat exchange sections,   each of the heat exchange sections includes:
 a main heat exchange section connected to a gas-side entrance communication space, and 
 a sub heat exchange section that is connected:
 in series to the main heat exchange section at a vertical position different from the main heat exchange section, and 
 to a liquid-side entrance communication space, and 
 
   a first heat exchange section among the heat exchange sections includes a lowermost one of the flat pipes,   the main heat exchange section of the first heat exchange section is a first main heat exchange section,   the sub heat exchange section of the first heat exchange section is a first sub heat exchange section, and   the first main heat exchange section is disposed to include the lowermost flat pipe.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein
 all the heat exchange sections other than the first heat exchange section are disposed above the first heat exchange section, and   the first main heat exchange section is disposed below the first sub heat exchange section in the first heat exchange section.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein
 a ratio of a number of the flat pipes constituting the first main heat exchange section to a number of the flat pipes constituting the first sub heat exchange section is smaller than a ratio of a number of the flat pipes constituting the main heat exchange section to a number of the flat pipes constituting the sub heat exchange section in the heat exchange sections other than the first heat exchange section.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein
 all the heat exchange sections other than the first heat exchange section are disposed above the first heat exchange section,   the first sub heat exchange section includes a first upper sub heat exchange section and a first lower sub heat exchange section disposed below the first upper sub heat exchange section, and   the first main heat exchange section includes:
 a first upper main heat exchange section connected to the first upper sub heat exchange section above the first upper sub heat exchange section, and 
 a first lower main heat exchange section connected to the first lower sub heat exchange section below the first lower sub heat exchange section. 
   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein
 a ratio of a number of the flat pipes constituting the first lower main heat exchange section to a number of the flat pipes constituting the first lower sub heat exchange section is smaller than a ratio of a number of the flat pipes constituting the first upper main heat exchange section to a number of the flat pipes constituting the first upper sub heat exchange section.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the heat exchange sections are vertically disposed side by side, and   the sub heat exchange section is disposed below the main heat exchange section in the heat exchange sections other than the first heat exchange section.