Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes: a header, having a first end and a second end which are opposite each other, and further having an inner cavity; a plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged in an axial direction of the header, with ends of the plurality of heat exchange tubes being connected to the header; and a connecting tube, the connecting tube having a connecting part and a supply part which is connected to the connecting part and also connected to the first end of the header, the supply part being configured such that a flow direction of a heat exchange medium supplied to a predetermined number of heat exchange tubes through the inner cavity of the header is not parallel to an axis of the header, the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes being a predetermined number of heat exchange tubes counted from the first end of the header. By using the heat exchanger according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, heat exchanger performance can be improved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a header, comprising a first end and a second end which are opposite each other, and further comprising an inner cavity;   a plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged in an axial direction of the header, with ends of the plurality of heat exchange tubes being connected to the header; and   a connecting tube, the connecting tube comprising a connecting part and a supply part which is connected to the connecting part and also connected to the first end of the header, the supply part being configured such that a flow direction of a heat exchange medium supplied to a predetermined number of heat exchange tubes through the inner cavity of the header is not parallel to an axis of the header, the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes being a predetermined number of heat exchange tubes counted from the first end of the header.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least a portion of the supply part is inserted in the first end of the header; and an end face of an end of the supply part that is remote from the connecting part is located at one side of a first heat exchange tube in the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes, said side being remote from the second end of the header, in the axial direction of the header.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the supply part is inserted in the first end of the header; and an end face of an end of the supply part that is remote from the connecting part is located between a first heat exchange tube in the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes and a final heat exchange tube in the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes, in the axial direction of the header.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein:
 the supply part of the connecting tube comprises an opening penetrating a tube wall, and/or an opening at the end of the supply part that is remote from the connecting part.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein:
 a cross section of the opening is parallel or inclined relative to the axis of the header.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 an axis of the supply part of the connecting tube is parallel to the axis of the header, or an axis of the supply part of the connecting tube is inclined relative to the axis of the header.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the end of the supply part of the connecting tube that is remote from the connecting part is closed, or a cross-sectional area of the end of the supply part of the connecting tube that is remote from the connecting part is smaller than a cross-sectional area of another portion of the supply part of the connecting tube.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the end face of the end of the supply part is inclined relative to the axis of the header.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the end face of the end of the supply part that is remote from the connecting part faces toward the ends of the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes inserted in the header.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 in a direction from the first end to the second end of the header, an axis of the supply part of the connecting tube is inclined toward the ends of the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes inserted in the header, relative to the axis of the header.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 an end face of an end of the supply part that is remote from the connecting part is inclined relative to an axis of the supply part.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 an end of the supply part of the connecting tube that is remote from the connecting part is bent relative to another portion of the supply part.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 an end of the supply part of the connecting tube that is remote from the connecting part is bent toward the ends of the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes inserted in the header, relative to another portion of the supply part.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a baffle disposed in the header, the baffle being disposed at one side of the end of the supply part, said side being remote from the connecting part, and the baffle allowing some of the heat exchange medium supplied by the connecting tube to flow along the header to the side of the baffle that is remote from the supply part.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a cross-sectional area of the supply part of the connecting tube gradually increases in a direction from the first end to the second end of the header.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein:
 in the direction from the first end to the second end of the header, an axis of the supply part of the connecting tube is inclined toward the ends of the predetermined number of heat exchange tubes inserted in the header, relative to the axis of the header.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 if the heat exchanger is acting as a condenser, the connecting tube is an inlet tube of the heat exchanger, for inputting the heat exchange medium to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the predetermined number is less than or equal to 10, or the supply part comprises a tube segment in the header, the tube segment having a length in the axial direction of the header, and the number of heat exchange tubes within the range of this length being less than or equal to 10.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the header also has an end cap disposed at the first end of the header, and the supply part of the connecting tube is connected to the end cap or inserted in the header through an opening in the end cap.   
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a ratio of the length, in the axial direction of the header, of a part of the connecting tube that is inserted in the inner cavity of the header to the length of the inner cavity of the header in the axial direction of the header is less than 1/5.