Heat exchanger or refrigeration apparatus including heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger including: a heat exchanging part that includes flat tubes aligned vertically when the heat exchanger is installed; a first flow divider that includes: a first pipe through which a refrigerant enters or exits from the first flow divider; second pipes that provide refrigerant flow paths between the heat exchanging part and the first pipe; and a main body that internally has a first space; and second flow dividers that internally include second spaces that provide refrigerant flow paths between the heat exchanging part and the first flow divider.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat exchanging part comprising flat tubes that are vertically aligned when the heat exchanger is installed;   a first flow divider comprising:
 a first pipe through which a refrigerant enters or exits from the first flow divider; 
 second pipes that provide refrigerant flow paths between the heat exchanging part and the first pipe; and 
 a main body that internally has a first space that:
 communicates with a first end of the first pipe and a first end of each of the second pipes, and 
 causes the refrigerant to flow from the first pipe into the second pipes or from the second pipes into the first pipe; and 
 
   second flow dividers that each internally include a second space that provide refrigerant flow paths between the heat exchanging part and the first flow divider, wherein each of the second spaces:
 communicates with a first end of each of corresponding ones of the flat tubes and a second end of each of corresponding ones of the second pipes, and 
 causes the refrigerant to flow from the corresponding ones of the flat tubes into the corresponding one of the second pipes or from the corresponding one of the second pipes into the corresponding ones of the flat tubes, wherein 
   the second spaces are three or more second spaces aligned vertically when the heat exchanger is installed,   one of the second spaces is a center second space located in a center, and another of the second spaces is a lower second space located below the center second space, and   a number of flat tubes that communicate with the lower second space is smaller than a number of flat tubes that communicate with the center second space.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a third pipe that serves as an outlet for the refrigerant when the first pipe serves as an inlet for the refrigerant and that serves as the inlet for the refrigerant when the first pipe serves as the outlet for the refrigerant; and   a third flow divider that provides a refrigerant flow path between one of the second flow dividers and the third pipe and that internally includes a third space that communicates with:
 either the third pipe or a first end of one of the flat tubes disposed in a stage where the corresponding one of the flat tubes is disposed, and 
 a second end of a corresponding one of the flat tubes, wherein 
   when the first pipe serves as the inlet for the refrigerant, the third space causes the refrigerant from the second end of the corresponding one of the flat tubes to flow into the third pipe or the one of the flat tubes, and   when the first pipe serves as the inlet for the refrigerant, the third space cause the refrigerant from the third pipe or the first end of the one of the flat tubes to flow into the corresponding one of the flat tubes.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the heat exchanging part exchanges heat between the refrigerant in the flat tubes and air flows, and   when the heat exchanger is installed, some of the air flows passing through a first area that surrounds one of the flat tubes communicating with a second space that is disposed above the lower second space travel faster than others of the air flows passing through a second area that surrounds the flat tubes communicating with the lower second space.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the lower second space is disposed at a height position equal to or lower than one-third of an overall height of the heat exchanging part when the heat exchanger is installed. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein a lowermost one of the flat tubes communicates with the lower second space when the heat exchanger is installed. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of lower second spaces are aligned vertically when the heat exchanger is installed. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of center second spaces are aligned vertically in the state where the heat exchanger is installed. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 when the heat exchanger is installed,   the first end of the first pipe is connected to the main body such that the first pipe extends downward from the first space, and   the first end of the second pipe is connected to the main body such that the second pipe extends upward from the first space.   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein when the heat exchanger is installed,
 the first end of the first pipe is connected to the main body such that the first pipe extends upward from the first space, and   the first end of the second pipe is connected to the main body such that the second pipe extends downward from the first space.   
     
     
         20 . A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
 a compressor that compresses a refrigerant; and   the heat exchanger according to  claim 11 .