Laminated heat exchanger

A laminated heat exchanger comprising:

• a plurality of fluidly connected laminated tube elements each defining a pair of tanks and a U-shaped passage establishing fluid communication between said pair of tanks, wherein said pairs of tanks of said plurality of tube elements define a pair of tank groups, one of said tank groups defines two tank sub groups which are formed by partitioning said one of said tank groups at a specific position, and the other of said pair of tank groups is defined by a number of said tanks connected in series;
• fins provided between adjacent tube elements of said plurality of tube elements;
• a first end plate located at a first end of said plurality of tube elements in a direction of lamination of said tube elements, said first end plate having a first hole fluidly communicating with one of said tank sub groups and a second hole;
• a pipe providing fluid communication between the other of said tank sub groups and said second hole of said first end plate;
• a second end plate located at a second end of said plurality of tube elements in a direction of lamination of said tube elements;
• a plate structure connected to said first end plate so as to define an outlet passage and an inlet passage extending from said first hole and second hole, respectively, to a central portion of said first end plate;
• an intake portion connected to said intake passage at an end thereof which is remote from said second hole;
• an outlet portion connected to said outlet passage at an end thereof which is remote from said first hole;
• and
• a block type expansion valve including a block main body brazed on said intake portion and outlet portion during brazing of said heat exchanger, and a temperature sensing, flow metering valve mounted in said block body after brazing said heat exchanger.