Air conditioning apparatus

Abstract

A utilization heat exchanger in an air conditioning apparatus includes first and second heat-exchanging portions. The first and second heat-exchanging portions each include flat tubes that are arranged in a first direction, inside of which refrigerant flows. The flat tubes each have a first portion, a second portion, and a coupling portion. The first and second portions extend in directions different from each other on a plane orthogonal to the first direction, when viewed in the first direction. The coupling portion couples the first and second portions to each other to allow an angle formed between the directions in which the first and second portions extend to be smaller than 180 degrees, when viewed in the first direction. The first and second heat-exchanging portions are coupled to each other via a first coupling tube to allow a flow of the refrigerant to be in series.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioning apparatus that performs air conditioning operation, comprising
 a heat exchanger including a first heat-exchanging portion and a second heat-exchanging portion,   the first heat-exchanging portion and the second heat-exchanging portion each including
 a plurality of flat tubes that are arranged in a first direction, inside of which refrigerant flows, 
   the plurality of flat tubes each having
 two extending portions extending in directions different from each other on a plane orthogonal to the first direction, when viewed in the first direction, and 
 a coupling portion coupling the two extending portions to allow an angle (α, β) formed between the directions in which the two extending portions extend to be smaller than 180 degrees, when viewed in the first direction, wherein 
   a plurality of the extending portions arranged in the first direction of the first heat-exchanging portion
 form first tube rows, 
   a plurality of the extending portions arranged in the first direction of the second heat-exchanging portion
 form second tube rows, 
   the second heat-exchanging portion
 is disposed adjacent to the first heat-exchanging portion to allow a plurality of the coupling portions and the second tube rows to be positioned between the two first tube rows of the first heat-exchanging portion, and 
   the first heat-exchanging portion and the second heat-exchanging portion
 are coupled to each other via a coupling tube to allow a flow of the refrigerant to be in series. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling tube
 couples the first heat-exchanging portion and the second heat-exchanging portion to each other to allow, in the predetermined air conditioning operation, the refrigerant flowing through the first heat-exchanging portion and the refrigerant flowing through the second heat-exchanging portion to form counter flows with respect to an airflow (a) flowing toward the first heat-exchanging portion and the second heat-exchanging portion.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the first heat-exchanging portion further includes
 two first headers that couple end portions of the plurality of extending portions forming the first tube rows to each other, the end portions lying on a side opposite to the coupling portions, 
   the second heat-exchanging portion further includes
 two second headers that couple end portions of the plurality of extending portions forming the second tube rows to each other, the end portions lying on a side opposite to the coupling portions, 
   the second heat-exchanging portion
 is disposed to allow the two second tube rows to be respectively positioned upwind of the different first tube rows, 
   the coupling tube
 couples one of the first headers and one of the second headers to each other, the one of the first headers and the one of the second headers being provided to either one of pairs of the first tube rows and the second tube rows, the pair being arranged in a direction in which the airflow flows, and 
   each of an other one of the first headers and an other one of the second headers, the other one of the first headers and the other one of the second headers being not coupled to each other via the coupling tube,
 functions as an inlet portion or an outlet portion for the refrigerant to or from the extending portions. 
   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the extending portions
 are disposed to allow end portions lying on a side opposite to the coupling portions to be positioned vertically below the coupling portions.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling tube
 couples the first heat-exchanging portion and the second heat-exchanging portion to each other to allow the refrigerant flowing through the first heat-exchanging portion and the refrigerant flowing through the second heat-exchanging portion to flow in parallel to each other.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the first heat-exchanging portion further includes
 two first headers that couple end portions of the plurality of extending portions forming the first tube rows to each other, the end portions lying on a side opposite to the coupling portions, 
   the second heat-exchanging portion further includes
 two second headers that couple end portions of the plurality of extending portions forming the second tube rows to each other, the end portions lying on a side opposite to the coupling portions, 
   the second heat-exchanging portion
 is disposed to allow the two second tube rows to be respectively positioned upwind of the different first tube rows, 
   the coupling tube
 couples one of the first headers and one of the second headers to each other, the one of the first headers and the one of the second headers being provided to either one of pairs of the first tube rows and the second tube rows, the pair being not arranged in a direction in which the airflow (a) flows, and 
   each of an other one of the first headers and an other one of the second headers, the other one of the first headers and the other one of the second headers being not coupled to each other via the coupling tube,
 functions as an inlet portion or an outlet portion for the refrigerant to or from the extending portions. 
   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling tube includes
 a branching portion that causes the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat-exchanging portion to branch before flowing into the second heat-exchanging portion.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein in the branching portion,
 an inlet portion into which the refrigerant flowing out of the first heat-exchanging portion flows is provided vertically below outlet portions that communicate with the second heat-exchanging portion.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         13 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.   
     
     
         16 . The air conditioning apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising
 a blowing device, wherein   the heat exchanger is disposed at a position at which an airflow (a) flowing into the blowing device passes.