Heat exchanger and air-conditioning apparatus employing the same

A heat exchanger comprising:

• a plurality of flat tubes extending in a first direction and arranged with spacing from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a cross-section of each of the plurality of flat tubes in the second direction being an elongated shape;
• and
• a header extending in the second direction and connecting to end portions of the adjacent flat tubes of the plurality of flat tubes in the first direction,
• the header being having inside a flow passage through which refrigerant flows,
• the flow passage including
• a plurality of partition portions each provided between the adjacent flat tubes and configured to block at least a part of the flow passage between the adjacent flat tubes to prevent the refrigerant from flowing in the second direction,
• a plurality of insertion portions formed between the adjacent partition portions, each of the plurality of insertion portions forming a space where the refrigerant flows in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, each of the plurality of flat tubes being inserted in to each of the plurality of insertion portions,
• a first communication passage allowing one ends of the adjacent insertion portions in the third direction to communicate with each other, and
• a second communication passage allowing an other ends of the adjacent insertion portions in the third direction to communicate with each other,
• a cross-sectional area of the first communication passage, of a cross-section perpendicular to the second direction, being larger than a cross-sectional area of the second communication passage, of a cross-section perpendicular to the second direction,
• the first communication passage being provided with a first refrigerant inlet connected to the flow passage and allowing the refrigerant to flow into the header.