Evaporator and refrigeration cycle apparatus including the same

Abstract

An evaporator includes: fins disposed at a predetermined interval in a fin thickness direction; heat transfer tubes extending through the fins in the fin thickness direction; and a first heat exchange section in which, when the heat transfer tubes are viewed in the fin thickness direction, a center of distribution of the heat transfer tubes in an airflow direction is disposed on a leeward side of a center of the fins in the airflow direction. The evaporator is disposed in a refrigeration cycle apparatus in which a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is enclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An evaporator comprising:
 fins disposed at a predetermined interval in a fin thickness direction;   heat transfer tubes extending through the fins in the fin thickness direction; and   a first heat exchange section in which, when the heat transfer tubes are viewed in the fin thickness direction, a center of distribution of the heat transfer tubes in an airflow direction is on a leeward side of a center of the fins in the airflow direction, wherein   the evaporator is disposed in a refrigeration cycle apparatus in which a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is enclosed.   
     
     
         2 . The evaporator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchange section in which the center of the distribution of the heat transfer tubes is on a windward side of the center of the fins in the airflow direction when the heat transfer tubes are viewed in the fin thickness direction. 
     
     
         3 . The evaporator according to  claim 2 , further comprising a third heat exchange section in which the center of the distribution of the heat transfer tubes coincides with the center of the fins in the airflow direction when the heat transfer tubes are viewed in the fin thickness direction. 
     
     
         4 . The evaporator according to  claim 2 , wherein the first heat exchange section is integral with the second heat exchange section. 
     
     
         5 . The evaporator according to  claim 3 , wherein the first heat exchange section is integral with one or more of the second heat exchange section and the third heat exchange section. 
     
     
         6 . An evaporator comprising:
 fins disposed at a predetermined interval in a fin thickness direction;   heat transfer tubes extending through the fins in the fin thickness direction;   a first heat exchange section in which a distance from a windward-side end of one of the heat transfer tubes disposed on a most windward side in an airflow direction to a windward-side end of the fins is a first dimension; and   a second heat exchange section in which a distance from a windward-side end of one of the heat transfer tubes disposed on a most windward side in the airflow direction to a windward-side end of the fins is a second dimension smaller than the first dimension, wherein,   the evaporator is disposed in a refrigeration cycle apparatus in which a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is enclosed.   
     
     
         7 . The evaporator according to  claim 6 , further comprising
 a third heat exchange section in which a first distance is equal to a second distance, wherein,   the first distance is from a windward-side end of one of the heat transfer tubes disposed on a most windward side in the airflow direction to a windward-side end of the fins, and   the second distance is from a leeward-side end of one of the heat transfer tubes disposed on a most leeward side in the airflow direction to a leeward-side end of the fins.   
     
     
         8 . The evaporator according to  claim 6 , wherein the first heat exchange section is integral with the second heat exchange section. 
     
     
         9 . The evaporator according to  claim 7 , wherein the first heat exchange section is integral with one or more of the second heat exchange section and the third heat exchange section. 
     
     
         10 . An evaporator comprising:
 fins disposed at a predetermined interval in a fin thickness direction; and   heat transfer tubes extending through the fins in the fin thickness direction, wherein   each of the fins has cutouts that are in a direction orthogonal to an airflow direction and the fin thickness direction,   the heat transfer tubes are flat multi-hole pipes inserted into the cutouts,   the evaporator comprises a first heat exchange section in which an opening side of the cutouts is on a leeward side in the airflow direction, and   the evaporator is disposed in a refrigeration cycle apparatus in which a non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture is enclosed.   
     
     
         11 . The evaporator according to  claim 10 , further comprising a second heat exchange section in which the opening side of the cutouts is disposed on a windward side in the airflow direction. 
     
     
         12 . The evaporator according to  claim 11 , wherein the first heat exchange section is integral with the second heat exchange section. 
     
     
         13 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes any of an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerant, an HFO (hydrofluoroolefin) refrigerant, CF3I (trifluoroiodomethane), and a natural refrigerant.   
     
     
         14 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes any of R32, R1132(E), R1234yf, R1234ze, CF3I, and CO2.   
     
     
         15 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes at least R1132(E), R32, and R1234yf.   
     
     
         16 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes at least R1132(E), R1123, and R1234yf.   
     
     
         17 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes at least R1132(E) and R1234yf.   
     
     
         18 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes at least R32, R1234yf, and at least one of R1132a or R1114.   
     
     
         19 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes at least R32, CO2, R125, R134a, and R1234yf.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 the evaporator according to  claim 1 , wherein   the non-azeotropic refrigerant mixture includes at least R1132(Z) and R1234yf.