# US 10,309,701 B2 · Heat exchanger and air conditioner

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- Number: US 10,309,701 B2
- Document ID: US10309701B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/916,736
- Filed: 2014-09-05
- Published: 2016-07-28
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-11
- Assignees: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
- Applicants: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
- Inventors: Kousuke Morimoto; Yoshio Oritani; Masanori Jindou; Tomohiko Sakamaki; Takuya Kazusa; Junichi Hamadate
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309701B2

## CPC

- F25B 39/00: Evaporators; Condensers
- F28D 1/05391: {with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators}
- F28F 1/022: {with multiple channels}
- F28F 1/325: {Fins with openings}
- F28F 9/0204: {for elongated header box, e.g. with transversal and longitudinal partitions}
- F28F 9/0265: {by using guiding means or impingement means inside the header box}
- F28F 9/0275: {with multiple branch pipes}
- F28F 27/02: for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12)
- F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02)
- F25B 39/028: {having distributing means}
- F28F 2275/04: by brazing
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)

## Abstract

In two heat exchange regions connected together in series when an outdoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions has heat exchange sections not less than heat exchange sections of an upstream one of the heat exchange regions, and a most downstream one of the heat exchange regions has more heat exchange sections than a most upstream one of the heat exchange regions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat exchanger comprising:
at least one heat exchanger unit including a plurality of vertically arranged flat tubes, fins joined to the flat tubes,
a first header collection pipe connected to one end of each of the plurality of flat tubes, and
a second header collection pipe connected to the other end of each of the plurality of flat tubes,
the heat exchanger unit being divided into a plurality of vertically arranged heat exchange regions, and the plurality of heat exchange regions being connected in series when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator,
the heat exchanger allowing a refrigerant flowing through the plurality of flat tubes and air to exchange heat, wherein
each of the heat exchange regions is further divided into a plurality of vertically arranged heat exchange sections in which flows of the refrigerant run in the same direction, each heat exchange section including two or more of the plurality of flat tubes,
communicating spaces each communicating with the two or more of the plurality of flat tubes are formed in each of the first and second header collection pipes in a one-to-one relationship with the heat exchange sections,
partition plates are arranged in each of the first and second header collection pipes to partition each communicating space, which is located upstream of an associated one of the heat exchange sections when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, from other vertically adjacent communicating space,
when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a most upstream one of the heat exchange regions has less flat tubes in each heat exchange section than the flat tubes in each heat exchange section of a most downstream one of the heat exchange regions,
in two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions has the heat exchange sections not less than the heat exchange sections of an upstream one of the heat exchange regions, and a most downstream one of the heat exchange regions has more heat exchange sections than a most upstream one of the heat exchange regions,
in two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as the evaporator, the communicating spaces of the heat exchange sections of the upstream one of the heat exchange regions are respectively connected to different communicating spaces, or different sets of two or more communicating spaces, of the heat exchange sections of the downstream one of the heat exchange regions, and
the heat exchange section having the largest number of the flat tubes is arranged at a lowest position in each of the heat exchange regions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the number of the heat exchange sections of each of the heat exchange regions gradually increases from the most upstream heat exchange region toward the most downstream heat exchange region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein in two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions having more heat exchange sections than an upstream one, the number of the heat exchange sections of the downstream heat exchange region is a multiple of the number of the heat exchange sections of the upstream heat exchange region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein between two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions having more heat exchange sections than an upstream one, a branch pipe is provided to connect each of the heat exchange sections of the upstream heat exchange region to the plurality of mutually different heat exchange sections of the downstream heat exchange region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein
the heat exchanger unit includes a plurality of heat exchanger units, and
all the heat exchange regions of the plurality of heat exchanger units are connected in series when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An air conditioner comprising:
a refrigerant circuit including the heat exchanger of claim 1,
wherein a refrigerant is circulated in the refrigerant circuit to perform a refrigeration cycle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein in two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions having more heat exchange sections than an upstream one, the number of the heat exchange sections of the downstream heat exchange region is a multiple of the number of the heat exchange sections of the upstream heat exchange region.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein between two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions having more heat exchange sections than an upstream one, a branch pipe is provided to connect each of the heat exchange sections of the upstream heat exchange region to the plurality of mutually different heat exchange sections of the downstream heat exchange region.

### Claim 9

A heat exchanger comprising:
at least one heat exchanger unit including a plurality of vertically arranged flat tubes, fins joined to the flat tubes, and
a header collection pipe connected to an end of each of the plurality of flat tubes,
the heat exchanger unit being divided into a plurality of vertically arranged heat exchange regions, and the plurality of heat exchange regions being connected in series when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator,
the heat exchanger allowing a refrigerant flowing through the plurality of flat tubes and air to exchange heat, wherein
each of the heat exchange regions is further divided into a plurality of vertically arranged heat exchange sections in which flows of the refrigerant run in the same direction, each heat exchange section including two or more of the plurality of flat tubes,
communicating spaces each communicating with the two or more of the plurality of flat tubes are formed in the header collection pipe in a one-to-one relationship with the heat exchange sections,
when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a most upstream one of the heat exchange regions has less flat tubes in each heat exchange section than the flat tubes in each heat exchange section of a most downstream one of the heat exchange regions,
partition plates are arranged in the header collection pipe to partition each communicating space, which is located upstream of an associated one of the heat exchange sections when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, from other vertically adjacent communicating space,
in two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, a downstream one of the heat exchange regions has the heat exchange sections not less than the heat exchange sections of an upstream one of the heat exchange regions, and a most downstream one of the heat exchange regions has more heat exchange sections than a most upstream one of the heat exchange regions,
in two of the heat exchange regions connected to each other when the heat exchanger functions as the evaporator, the communicating spaces of the heat exchange sections of the upstream one of the heat exchange regions are respectively connected to different communicating spaces, or different sets of two or more communicating spaces, of the heat exchange sections of the downstream one of the heat exchange regions,
the heat exchange section having the largest number of the flat tubes is arranged at a lowest position in each of the heat exchange regions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

An air conditioner comprising:
a refrigerant circuit including the heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein
a refrigerant is circulated in the refrigerant circuit to perform a refrigeration cycle.