Condenser

Abstract

A condenser includes first and second header tanks provided at one end thereof such that the latter is located on the outer side of the former. First heat exchange tubes forming a first heat exchange path provided in a condensation part are connected to the first header tank. Second heat exchange tubes forming a second heat exchange path provided in a super-cooling part are connected to the second header tank. The first header tank has one communication section which communicates with the second header tank through a communication part and to which all the heat exchange tubes forming the first heat exchange path are connected. The communication part is provided at a height below the uppermost heat exchange tube among all the heat exchange tubes connected to the communication section. The upper end of the first header tank is located above the lower end of the second header tank.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a condenser suitable for use in, for example, a car air conditioner mounted on an automobile.[0002]Herein and in the appended claims, the upper side, lower side, left-hand side, and right-hand side of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be referred to as “upper,”“lower,”“left,” and “right,” respectively.[0003]A condenser for a car air conditioner is known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2001-33121). The known condenser has a condensation part and a super-cooling part provided such that the former is located above the latter. The condenser includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed in parallel such that their length direction coincides with the left-right direction and they are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction; fins each disposed between adjacent heat exchange tubes; and header tanks which are disposed such that their length direction coincides with the vertical direction and to w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a condenser that can increase the width of the stable range while securing its performance to the greatest degree. This is achieved by a new design that allows for the efficient transfer of refrigerant between the condensation and super-cooling parts of the condenser. The condenser includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes and header tanks that are arranged in a specific way to optimize the flow of refrigerant. The refrigerant flows through the heat exchange tubes and the communication section of the first header tank, which is located at the left-right end of the condenser. The second header tank is located above the first header tank and has a function of separating gas and liquid from each other and storing the separated liquid. The new design of the condenser allows for the early filling of the refrigerant super-cooling path with liquid-phase refrigerant, resulting in a wider stable range and better stability against load fluctuations and refrigerant leakage. Additionally, the length of the heat exchange tubes in the super-cooling part is increased, which improves the efficiency of refrigerant super-cooling."

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, in the case where the dimensions of the condenser, including the liquid receiver, as measured in the vertical direction and the left-right direction are fixed to certain dimensions, the areas of the heat exchange portions of the condensation part and the super-cooling part become insufficient, and further improvement of the refrigerant condensation efficiency and the refrigerant super-cooling efficiency cannot be attained.

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