Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes: a first header and a second header; and a plurality of heat-transfer members, each of the plurality of heat-transfer members having a first end in a second direction connected to the first header and a second end in the second direction connected to the second header. The heat exchanger further includes a plurality of heat-transfer promotion members, each of the plurality of heat-transfer promotion members being located in the external space, being arranged in a central region between two heat-transfer members adjacent to each other in a first direction among the plurality of heat-transfer members, and extending in a third direction.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a first header and a second header extending in a first direction and arranged apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and   a plurality of heat-transfer members arranged apart from each other in the first direction,   each of the plurality of heat-transfer members having a first end in the second direction connected to the first header and a second end in the second direction connected to the second header,   an internal space, through which a first heat exchange medium flows, of each of the first header, the second header, and the plurality of heat-transfer members being separated from an external space through which a second heat exchange medium flows,   the internal space of the first header communicating with the internal space of the second header through the internal space of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members,   the heat exchanger further comprising:   at least one heat-transfer promotion member; and   at least one positioning member,   the at least one heat-transfer promotion member
 being located in the external space, 
 being arranged in a central region between two heat-transfer members adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of heat-transfer members, and 
 extending in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, 
   the at least one positioning member
 being located in the external space, 
 positioning the at least one heat-transfer promotion member with respect to the first header, the second header, and the plurality of heat-transfer members, and 
 being arranged only on a downstream side in the third direction in which the second heat exchange medium flows, relative to the internal space of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members. 
   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one heat-transfer promotion member is spaced apart from each of the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a width of the at least one positioning member in the first direction is wider than an interval between two heat-transfer members adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of heat-transfer members,   a width of the at least one positioning member in the second direction is narrower than a width of the at least one heat-transfer promotion member in the second direction, and   the at least one positioning member is connected to the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each of the plurality of heat-transfer members includes a heat transfer tube portion provided with the internal space of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members, and a fin portion extending from the heat transfer tube portion to the downstream side,   the fin portion of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members includes a hole arranged to overlap with each other when viewed from the first direction, and   the at least one positioning member is inserted through the hole of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a material of the at least one positioning member includes at least one of aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu).   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a first reinforcing member and a second reinforcing member located in the external space, arranged to sandwich the plurality of heat-transfer members in the first direction, and connected to each of the first header and the second header,   a width of the at least one positioning member in the first direction is equal to or wider than an interval between the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member in the first direction,   a width of the at least one positioning member in the second direction is narrower than a width of the at least one heat-transfer promotion member in the second direction, and   the at least one positioning member is connected to each of the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member, and is spaced apart from the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein
 a thermal conductivity of a material of the at least one positioning member is lower than a thermal conductivity of a material of the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of heat-transfer members has a first end located on a most upstream side in the third direction in which the second heat exchange medium flows, and a second end located on a most downstream side in the third direction,   the at least one heat-transfer promotion member has a third end located on a most upstream side in the third direction, and a fourth end located on a most downstream side in the third direction, and   the third end is arranged on the downstream side in the third direction relative to the first end.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one heat-transfer promotion member includes a first portion located on an upstream side in the third direction, and a protruding portion located on a downstream side in the third direction relative to the first portion and protruding from the first portion in the first direction.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the at least one heat-transfer promotion member includes at least one through hole passing through the protruding portion in the first direction.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in a cross section vertical to the second direction, at least one groove is formed in an outer perimeter surface of the at least one heat-transfer promotion member facing in the first direction, and   the at least one groove extends in the second direction.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a distance in the first direction between the at least one heat-transfer promotion member and one heat-transfer member adjacent to the at least one heat-transfer promotion member is set to become gradually shorter from an upstream side toward a downstream side in the third direction.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a length a of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members in the third direction, a length L of the at least one heat-transfer promotion member in the third direction, a maximum width b of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members in the first direction, a pitch p of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members in the first direction, and an average width tP of the at least one heat-transfer promotion member in the first direction satisfy the following relational equation in a range of 0<tP/(p−b)<1:
     L/a≤ 2.3247· e   −5.332 tp/p-b   [Equation 1]
 
   
     
     
         14 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus,
 the first heat exchange medium being refrigerant and the second heat exchange medium being air,   the refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:   a first heat exchange circuit including the heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , the refrigerant circulating in the first heat exchange circuit; and   a blower configured to send the air to the heat exchanger in the third direction.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a width of the at least one positioning member in the first direction is wider than an interval between two heat-transfer members adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of heat-transfer members,   a width of the at least one positioning member in the second direction is narrower than a width of the at least one heat-transfer promotion member in the second direction, and   the at least one positioning member is connected to the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein
 each of the plurality of heat-transfer members includes a heat transfer tube portion provided with the internal space of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members, and a fin portion extending from the heat transfer tube portion to the downstream side,   the fin portion of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members includes a hole arranged to overlap with each other when viewed from the first direction, and   the at least one positioning member is inserted through the hole of each of the plurality of heat-transfer members.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein
 a material of the at least one positioning member includes at least one of aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu).   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein
 a material of the at least one positioning member includes at least one of aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu).   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 each of the plurality of heat-transfer members has a first end located on a most upstream side in the third direction in which the second heat exchange medium flows, and a second end located on a most downstream side in the third direction,   the at least one heat-transfer promotion member has a third end located on a most upstream side in the third direction, and a fourth end located on a most downstream side in the third direction, and   the third end is arranged on the downstream side in the third direction relative to the first end.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each of the plurality of heat-transfer members has a first end located on a most upstream side in the third direction in which the second heat exchange medium flows, and a second end located on a most downstream side in the third direction,   the at least one heat-transfer promotion member has a third end located on a most upstream side in the third direction, and a fourth end located on a most downstream side in the third direction, and   the third end is arranged on the downstream side in the third direction relative to the first end.