Refrigerant distributer, heat exchanger, and air-conditioning apparatus

Abstract

A refrigerant distributer includes a plurality of plates. The refrigerant distributer is configured to divert, into a plurality of refrigerant flows, refrigerant flowing in from one or a plurality of inlet ports thereof and allow the refrigerant flows to be let out from a plurality of outlet ports thereof spaced from one another in a first direction. The plurality of plates include: an inflow plate having one of the plurality of inlet ports; a communication plate having a communication chamber communicating with the one of the plurality of inlet ports of the inflow plate; and a heat transfer tube insertion plate into which a heat transfer tube communicating with one of the plurality of outlet ports is inserted, the heat transfer tube insertion plate having heat transfer tube insertion space through which a plurality of the heat transfer tubes communicate with the communication chamber.

1 . A refrigerant distributer including a plurality of plates, the refrigerant distributer being configured to divert, into a plurality of refrigerant flows, refrigerant flowing in from one or a plurality of inlet ports thereof and allow the refrigerant flows to be let out from a plurality of outlet ports thereof spaced from one another in a first direction,
 the plurality of plates comprising:   an inflow plate having one of the plurality of inlet ports;   a communication plate having a cuboid communication chamber communicating with the one of the plurality of inlet ports of the inflow plate; and   a heat transfer tube insertion plate into which a heat transfer tube communicating with one of the plurality of outlet ports is inserted, the heat transfer tube insertion plate having heat transfer tube insertion space through which a plurality of the heat transfer tubes communicate with the communication chamber,.   wherein the communication chamber has a descent inhibiting portion projecting from a side thereof in a second direction different from the first direction and located lower than a top of the one or the plurality of inlet ports, the descent inhibiting portion being configured to inhibit liquid refrigerant from descending, when the refrigerant in a two-phase gas-liquid state flows in from the one or the plurality of inlet ports.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerant distributer of  claim 1 , wherein one or the plurality of inlet ports are formed in the inflow plate such that the one or the plurality of inlet ports are located upstream of a flow of the fluid, when a fluid flows in one direction outside the heat transfer tube. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerant distributer of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plates further comprises a branch passage plate disposed between the inflow plate and the communication plate, the branch passage plate having a branch passage through which the refrigerant flowing in from the one or the plurality of inlet ports is diverted into a plurality of refrigerant flows in a second direction. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerant distributer of  claim 3 , wherein the branch passage is formed such that respective end portions of a straight part of the branch passage, the straight part extending straight in the second direction, extend toward opposite sides in the first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerant distributer of  claim 3 , wherein the branch passage is formed such that an upstream end portion of end portions of a straight part of the branch passage, the straight part extending straight in the second direction, the upstream end portion being located upstream of a flow of the fluid, extends in two different directions parallel to the first direction, when a fluid flows in one direction outside the heat transfer tube. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerant distributer of  claim 1 , wherein, the descent inhibiting portion is unevenly located to be downstream of a flow of the fluid when a fluid flows in one direction outside the heat transfer tube. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 the refrigerant distributer of  claim 1 , and   a plurality of heat transfer tubes connected to the plurality of respective outlet ports.   
     
     
         9 . An air-conditioning apparatus comprising the heat exchanger of  claim 8 .