Air conditioner

Abstract

The utility model discloses an air conditioner which comprises a machine shell, a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger, a heat exchanger and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger is arranged in the machine shell; the fan is arranged in the machine shell; the heat exchanger is provided with a plurality of refrigerant flow paths allowing refrigerants to flow, each refrigerant flow path comprises a plurality of heat exchange pipes connected in sequence, and the multiple refrigerant flow paths are arranged in the height direction of the heat exchanger and comprise the upper refrigerant flow path, the lower refrigerant flow path, the first middle refrigerant flow path and the second middle refrigerant flow path. The number of the heat exchange pipes of the lower refrigerant flow path is larger than the number of the heat exchange pipes of the upper refrigerant flow path, the number of the heat exchange pipes of the first middle refrigerant flow path and the number of the heat exchange pipes of the second middle refrigerant flow path. According to the air conditioner, heat exchange between refrigerants in the refrigerant flow paths adjacent to the lower portion of the heat exchanger and air can be more sufficient, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger is higher, heat exchange of the refrigerants in the multiple refrigerant flow paths of the heat exchanger can be balanced, and the heat exchange effect is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular to an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioners in related technologies typically include a casing, a fan, and a heat exchanger. The fan and heat exchanger are located inside the casing, and the fan can drive air to enter the casing from the air inlet and flow to the heat exchanger so that the air can exchange heat with the heat exchanger to form a heat exchange airflow before being discharged from the casing through the air outlet.

[0003] Furthermore, heat exchangers typically have multiple refrigerant flow paths, each of which can supply refrigerant flow. When air flows through the heat exchanger, the air can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path, thereby releasing heat into the air or absorbing heat from the air through the refrigerant.

[0004] However, due to the influence of wind and gravity, when the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, condensate will accumulate in the lower part of the heat exchanger. This will cause the heat exchange of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path near the lower part of the heat exchanger to deteriorate. The refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path cannot exchange heat with the air sufficiently, and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger will decrease. Utility Model Content

[0005] This utility model aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one objective of this utility model is to provide an air conditioner that enables more thorough heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the refrigerant flow path adjacent to the lower part of the heat exchanger, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger and more balanced heat exchange in the multiple refrigerant flow paths of the heat exchanger, thus achieving better heat exchange effect.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, an air conditioner is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising: a casing, wherein the casing is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet; a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within the casing and is used for heat exchange with air entering the casing; and a fan, wherein the fan is disposed within the casing, the fan driving air to enter the casing from the air inlet, and the air being discharged from the casing through the air outlet after heat exchange with the heat exchanger; the heat exchanger is provided with multiple refrigerant flow paths for refrigerant flow, each refrigerant flow path including multiple heat exchange tubes connected in sequence, the multiple refrigerant flow paths being arranged along the height direction of the heat exchanger, and the multiple refrigerant flow paths including: an upper refrigerant flow path, the upper refrigerant flow path being located at... The heat exchanger comprises: an uppermost refrigerant flow path; a lower refrigerant flow path located at the bottom of the refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger; a first middle refrigerant flow path located between and adjacent to the upper refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger; and a second middle refrigerant flow path located between the first middle refrigerant flow path and the lower refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger. The number of heat exchange tubes in the lower refrigerant flow path is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes in the upper refrigerant flow path, the first middle refrigerant flow path, and the second middle refrigerant flow path.

[0007] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: by setting a larger number of heat exchange tubes in the lower refrigerant flow path, the total length of the heat exchange tubes in the lower refrigerant flow path can be extended, that is, the flow path of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path can be extended, thereby extending the flow time of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path, the heat exchange time can be longer, and the heat exchange area between the refrigerant flowing through the lower refrigerant flow path and the air can be larger, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the lower part of the heat exchanger and the air, the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path is more complete, the heat exchange of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths of the heat exchanger is more balanced, and the heat exchange effect of the heat exchanger is better.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the number of heat exchange tubes in the first middle refrigerant flow path and the number of heat exchange tubes in the second middle refrigerant flow path are both greater than the number of heat exchange tubes in the upper refrigerant flow path.

[0009] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: it can extend the flow path of the refrigerant in multiple central refrigerant flow paths, thereby extending the flow time of the refrigerant in multiple central refrigerant flow paths, resulting in a longer heat exchange time, and the heat exchange area between the refrigerant flowing through multiple central refrigerant flow paths and the air can be larger, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the central part of the heat exchanger and the air.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the number of heat exchange tubes in the first central refrigerant flow path is the same as the number of heat exchange tubes in the second central refrigerant flow path; or, the number of heat exchange tubes in the first central refrigerant flow path is less than the number of heat exchange tubes in the second central refrigerant flow path.

[0011] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: the number of heat exchange tubes in the first central refrigerant flow path is the same as the number of heat exchange tubes in the second central refrigerant flow path, which simplifies the structural arrangement of the first and second central refrigerant flow paths. Alternatively, the number of heat exchange tubes in the first central refrigerant flow path is less than the number of heat exchange tubes in the second central refrigerant flow path. This increases the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and air in the lower second central refrigerant flow path, thereby ensuring a balanced heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in both the first and second central refrigerant flow paths.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of heat exchange tubes are arranged in multiple columns along the thickness direction of the heat exchanger, and the plurality of heat exchange tubes in each refrigerant flow path are arranged adjacently and connected in each column of heat exchange tubes.

[0013] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: multiple heat exchange tubes in each refrigerant flow path can be arranged in a concentrated manner in the height direction, that is, the heat exchange tubes of different refrigerant flow paths will not be arranged alternately, which helps to simplify the layout structure of multiple refrigerant flow paths, thereby facilitating the layout and installation of multiple refrigerant flow paths of the heat exchanger, and making the structural setting more reasonable.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, when the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the heat exchange tube at the bottom of each heat exchange tube column is the inlet tube of each refrigerant flow path, and the heat exchange tube at the top of each heat exchange tube column is the outlet tube of each refrigerant flow path.

[0015] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: When the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, each refrigerant flow path can maintain a "bottom in, top out" flow direction in a single heat exchange pipe. In this way, under the action of gravity, the flow time of the refrigerant can be extended, which in turn can extend the heat exchange time between the refrigerant and the air through the heat exchange pipe. The refrigerant can fully exchange heat with the air, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the air in each refrigerant flow path, and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger is higher.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the heat exchanger further includes: a main inlet pipe connected to a distributor; multiple branch inlet pipes, one end of each branch inlet pipe connected to the distributor, and the other end of each branch inlet pipe connected to a refrigeration inlet of a multiple refrigerant flow path; branch outlet pipes, one end of each branch outlet pipe connected to a refrigeration outlet of a multiple refrigerant flow path; and a main outlet pipe connected to the other ends of each branch outlet pipe. When the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows from the main inlet pipe to the multiple refrigerant flow paths and exits from the main outlet pipe.

[0017] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: when the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant can flow into the main inlet pipe and be evenly distributed to multiple branch inlet pipes through the distributor. Then, the refrigerant can flow into multiple refrigerant flow paths through multiple branch inlet pipes one by one. After the refrigerant exchanges heat with the air through multiple refrigerant flow paths, it is then collected into the main outlet pipe through multiple branch outlet pipes.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the height direction of the heat exchanger, the refrigeration inlet of each refrigerant flow path is lower than the refrigeration outlet of the refrigerant flow path.

[0019] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: When the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant can maintain a "bottom in, top out" flow direction in each refrigerant flow path. This can utilize gravity to extend the flow time of the refrigerant, thereby extending the heat exchange time between the refrigerant and the air through the heat exchange tubes. The refrigerant can fully exchange heat with the air, which is beneficial to improving the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the air in each refrigerant flow path, and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the diversion inlet pipe includes multiple sub-segments, and the lengths and / or diameters of two adjacent sub-segments are not the same; and / or, the lengths and / or diameters of multiple diversion inlet pipes are not the same.

[0021] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: by adjusting the length and diameter of adjacent sub-segments, the flow resistance of the refrigerant in the corresponding refrigerant flow path can be adjusted so that the flow resistance of the refrigerant in multiple refrigerant flow paths is different, thereby realizing the fine adjustment of the flow of multiple refrigerant flow paths and making the flow of refrigerant in multiple refrigerant flow paths more uniform.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the heat exchanger further includes: a transition tube, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the distributor and the main inlet pipe, one end of which is sleeved on the main inlet pipe and the wall thickness of the transition tube is greater than the wall thickness of the main inlet pipe.

[0023] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: the wall thickness of the transition pipe is greater than that of the main inlet pipe, the transition pipe is less prone to bending than the main inlet pipe, and the main inlet pipe is connected to the distributor through the transition pipe. This ensures that the flow pattern of the refrigerant is stable when it enters the distributor from the main inlet pipe, and the refrigerant is less affected by centrifugal force, which further improves the stability of the refrigerant distribution and makes the distribution more uniform.

[0024] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a casing, the casing having an air inlet and an air outlet; a heat exchanger disposed within the casing and used for heat exchange with air entering the casing; and a fan disposed within the casing, the fan driving air to enter the casing from the air inlet, and the air being discharged from the casing through the air outlet after heat exchange with the heat exchanger; the heat exchanger having multiple refrigerant flow paths for refrigerant flow, the multiple refrigerant flow paths being arranged along the height direction of the heat exchanger, and the multiple refrigerant flow paths including: an upper refrigerant flow path, the upper refrigerant flow path being located at a distance from the upper refrigerant flow path along the height direction of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes: an uppermost refrigerant flow path; a lower refrigerant flow path located at the bottom of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths in the height direction of the heat exchanger; a first middle refrigerant flow path located between and adjacent to the upper refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger; and a second middle refrigerant flow path located between the first middle refrigerant flow path and the lower refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger. The length of the lower refrigerant flow path is greater than the length of the upper refrigerant flow path, the length of the first middle refrigerant flow path, and the length of the second middle refrigerant flow path.

[0025] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: it can extend the flow path of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path, thereby extending the flow time of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path, resulting in a longer heat exchange time. Furthermore, the heat exchange area between the refrigerant flowing through the lower refrigerant flow path and the air can be larger, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the lower part of the heat exchanger and the air. The heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path is more thorough, the heat exchange of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths of the heat exchanger is more balanced, and the heat exchange effect of the heat exchanger is better.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this utility model will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model from another perspective;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path of the heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0031] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A;

[0032] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of point B;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the main inlet pipe, the distributor, and the distributor inlet pipe according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the main outlet pipe and branch outlet pipe according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0036] Figure label:

[0037] 1. Heat exchanger; 100. Refrigerant flow path; 101. Refrigeration inlet; 102. Refrigeration outlet; 110. Upper refrigerant flow path; 120. Lower refrigerant flow path; 131. First middle refrigerant flow path; 132. Second middle refrigerant flow path; 200. Heat exchange tube; 201. Inlet pipe; 202. Outlet pipe; 210. U-tube; 300. Main inlet pipe; 400. Flow divider; 500. Flow divider inlet pipe; 510. Sub-section; 600. Transition pipe; 700. Flow divider outlet pipe; 800. Main outlet pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0039] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0040] In the description of this utility model, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0041] In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means two or more, and "several" means one or more.

[0042] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present utility model may include a housing, which is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. Air can flow into the housing through the air inlet, and air inside the housing can flow out through the air outlet.

[0044] An air conditioner may include a heat exchanger 1, which is located inside the casing and is used to exchange heat with the air entering the casing. Specifically, the air flowing through the heat exchanger 1 can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 1. The refrigerant can release heat into the air or absorb heat from the air, thereby heating the air or lowering the air temperature, so that the air forms a heat exchanger airflow and is then discharged from the air outlet into the casing.

[0045] In this embodiment, the air conditioner can be an indoor unit, such as a cabinet air conditioner, and the heat exchanger 1 can be an indoor heat exchanger. In this case, the heat exchanged airflow after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 1 can be discharged into the room through the air outlet to cool or heat the room. Alternatively, the air conditioner in this embodiment can also be an outdoor unit, that is, the heat exchanger 1 can be an outdoor heat exchanger. In this case, the refrigerant can exchange heat with the outdoor air through the heat exchanger 1 to absorb heat from the outdoor air or release heat to the outside.

[0046] An air conditioner may include a fan, which is located inside the casing. The fan drives air to enter the casing from the air inlet, and after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 1, the air is discharged from the casing through the air outlet. The fan can guide the airflow and increase the airflow speed. Driven by the fan, the air can flow to the heat exchanger 1, exchange heat with the heat exchanger 1, and then be discharged through the air outlet. This can increase the airflow rate and thus improve the heat exchange efficiency between the air and the heat exchanger 1.

[0047] In addition, the heat exchanger 1 is provided with multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 for refrigerant flow. Each refrigerant flow path 100 includes multiple heat exchange tubes 200 connected in sequence, and the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 are arranged along the height direction of the heat exchanger 1. That is, the refrigerant flow path 100 is formed by multiple heat exchange tubes 200 connected in sequence. The refrigerant can flow within the multiple heat exchange tubes 200. When air flows through the heat exchange tubes 200, the air can exchange heat with the refrigerant within the heat exchange tubes 200. The refrigerant can release heat into the air to increase the temperature of the air flowing through the heat exchanger 1, or the refrigerant can absorb heat from the air to decrease the temperature of the air flowing through the heat exchanger 1. Two adjacent heat exchange tubes 200 in the same refrigerant flow path 100 can be connected by a U-shaped tube 210 so that the two adjacent heat exchange tubes 200 can be connected, and the refrigerant can flow sequentially within the multiple heat exchange tubes 200.

[0048] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 may include an upper refrigerant flow path 110, which is located at the top of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1, that is, the upper refrigerant flow path 110 is adjacent to the upper side of the heat exchanger 1 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1. The height direction is the up-down direction marked in the attached figure.

[0049] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 may include a lower refrigerant flow path 120, which is located at the bottom of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1, that is, the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is adjacent to the lower side of the heat exchanger 1 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0050] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 may include a first middle refrigerant flow path 131, which is located between and adjacent to the upper refrigerant flow path 110 and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0051] The multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 may include a second central refrigerant flow path 132, which is located between the first central refrigerant flow path 131 and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1. That is, the second central refrigerant flow path 132 is located below the first central refrigerant flow path 131.

[0052] In other words, this utility model can be equipped with four refrigerant flow paths, and the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 are arranged in sequence downward along the vertical direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0053] Specifically, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. In other words, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, and the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the second middle refrigerant flow path 132.

[0054] By increasing the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the lower refrigerant flow path 120, the total length of the heat exchange tubes 200 in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 can be extended. This extends the flow path of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path 120, thereby extending the flow time of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path 120. The heat exchange time can be longer, and the heat exchange area between the refrigerant flowing through the lower refrigerant flow path 120 and the air can be larger, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency between the lower part of the heat exchanger 1 and the air. The heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air is more thorough. Even though the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 may be affected by condensate, the heat exchange area and heat exchange time between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 are greater than those in the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. As a result, the heat exchange of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 of the heat exchanger 1 is more balanced, and the heat exchange effect of the heat exchanger 1 is better.

[0055] Therefore, the air conditioner in this embodiment of the present invention can make the heat exchange between the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 100 near the lower part of the heat exchanger 1 and the air more complete, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 1 is higher, and the heat exchange of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 200 of the heat exchanger 1 is more balanced, resulting in a better heat exchange effect.

[0056] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 are both greater than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the upper refrigerant flow path 110.

[0057] By setting the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 to be greater than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the total length of the heat exchange tubes 200 in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 can be extended. This extends the flow path of the refrigerant in both the first and second middle refrigerant flow paths, thereby extending the flow time of the refrigerant in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. The flow time of the refrigerant in the first and second middle refrigerant flow paths 131 and 132 can be longer, and the heat exchange time between the refrigerant and the air in the first and second middle refrigerant flow paths 131 and 132 can be larger. This can improve the heat exchange efficiency between the middle part of the heat exchanger 1 and the air. Even if the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the first and second middle refrigerant flow paths 131 and 132 is affected by condensate, it can still ensure that the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the first and second middle refrigerant flow paths 131 and 132 is more sufficient and the heat exchange effect is better.

[0058] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 is the same as the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. This arrangement not only allows for more thorough heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, the second middle refrigerant flow path 132, and the lower refrigerant flow path 120, and the air, but also simplifies the structure of the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132, facilitating layout.

[0059] For example, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, the upper refrigerant flow path 110 can be equipped with 16 heat exchange tubes 200, and the ends of two adjacent heat exchange tubes 200 can be connected by a U-shaped tube 210; the lower refrigerant flow path 120 can be equipped with 20 heat exchange tubes 200, and the ends of two adjacent heat exchange tubes 200 can be connected by a U-shaped tube 210; the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 can each be equipped with 18 heat exchange tubes 200, and the ends of two adjacent heat exchange tubes 200 can be connected by a U-shaped tube 210. In this way, along the height direction of the heat exchanger 1 downwards, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 can increase sequentially, and the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 100 near the lower side of the heat exchanger 1 can exchange heat with the air more fully, thereby making the heat exchange efficiency of the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 of the heat exchanger 1 more balanced.

[0060] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 is less than the number of heat exchange tubes 200 in the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. In this way, along the height direction of the heat exchanger 1, the path length of the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the path length of the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 can be increased sequentially. This can increase the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the air in the lower second middle refrigerant flow path 132. Even if the refrigerant in the lower second middle refrigerant flow path 132 is more affected by condensate when exchanging heat with the air than the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, it can still ensure that the heat exchange between the refrigerant in the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 and the refrigerant in the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 and the air is balanced, resulting in a better heat exchange effect.

[0061] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figures 2-6 As shown, multiple heat exchange tubes 200 are arranged in multiple rows along the thickness direction of the heat exchanger 1. The multiple heat exchange tubes 200 of each refrigerant flow path 100 are arranged adjacently and connected in each row of heat exchange tubes. For example, two adjacent heat exchange tubes 200 can be connected by a U-shaped tube 210 so that the refrigerant in each refrigerant flow path 100 can flow sequentially in the multiple heat exchange tubes 200.

[0062] For example, multiple heat exchange tubes 200 in each refrigerant flow path 100 are arranged in two rows along the thickness direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0063] By arranging the multiple heat exchange tubes 200 of each refrigerant flow path 100 adjacent to each column of heat exchange tubes, the multiple heat exchange tubes 200 of each refrigerant flow path 100 can be centrally arranged in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1. That is, the heat exchange tubes 200 of different refrigerant flow paths 100 will not be arranged alternately. This helps to simplify the layout structure of multiple refrigerant flow paths 100, and thus facilitates the layout and installation of multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 of the heat exchanger 1, resulting in a more reasonable structural setting.

[0064] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 3 As shown, when heat exchanger 1 acts as an evaporator, the heat exchange tube 200 at the bottom of each heat exchange tube row of each refrigerant flow path 100 is the inlet tube 201, and the heat exchange tube 200 at the top of each heat exchange tube row of each refrigerant flow path 100 is the outlet tube 202. That is to say, a single refrigerant flow path 100 has one inlet tube 201 and one outlet tube 202 in each heat exchange tube row.

[0065] With this configuration, when heat exchanger 1 acts as an evaporator, in each refrigerant flow path 100 within a single heat exchange tube array, the refrigerant can flow in from the bottom heat exchange tube 200 and out from the top heat exchange tube 200. That is, each refrigerant flow path 100 within a single heat exchange tube array can maintain a "bottom in, top out" flow direction. In this way, under the action of gravity, the refrigerant flow time can be extended, thereby extending the heat exchange time between the refrigerant and the air through the heat exchange tube 200. The refrigerant can fully exchange heat with the air, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the air in each refrigerant flow path 100, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency for heat exchanger 1.

[0066] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, heat exchanger 1 may include a main inlet pipe 300, which is connected to a distributor 400, so that refrigerant can be introduced into heat exchange tube 200 through the main inlet pipe 300.

[0067] Furthermore, the heat exchanger 1 may also include multiple branch inlet pipes 500, one end of each branch inlet pipe 500 being connected to the distributor 400, and the other end of each branch inlet pipe 500 being connected to the refrigeration inlet 101 of each refrigerant flow path 100 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0068] The main inlet pipe 300 and the distributor 400 can be connected by welding. The distributor 400 can be a pressure drop type distributor 400. The refrigerant flowing through the pressure drop type distributor can become a mist flow, which can reduce the influence of gravity on the refrigerant and make the two phases of refrigerant fully mixed, so as to facilitate the uniform distribution of the refrigerant. Thus, the refrigerant can flow into the main inlet pipe 300 and be evenly distributed into multiple distributor inlet pipes 500 through the distributor 400. Then, the refrigerant can flow into multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 one by one through the multiple distributor inlet pipes 500, and exchange heat with the air through the heat exchange tubes 200 of the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 to achieve heating or cooling of the air.

[0069] In addition, the distributor 400 can be constructed with multiple distribution holes, which are connected one-to-one with multiple distribution inlet pipes 500. After the air conditioner is installed, the multiple distribution ports can be kept horizontal, which can make the refrigerant distribution more uniform.

[0070] In addition, the distributor 400 can be located near the middle of the heat exchanger 1 in the height direction, which makes it convenient for multiple distributor inlet pipes 500 to be connected to the distributor 400 and the refrigeration inlet 101 of different refrigerant flow paths 100 respectively. The structure is reasonably set and easy to assemble.

[0071] like Figure 6 and Figure 8As shown, the heat exchanger 1 may further include branch outlet pipes 700, one end of which is connected to the refrigeration outlet 102 of the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 in a one-to-one correspondence. The heat exchanger 1 may also include a main outlet pipe 800, which is connected to the other end of each of the multiple branch outlet pipes 700. When the heat exchanger 1 acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows from the main inlet pipe 300 to the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 and flows out from the main outlet pipe 800.

[0072] The main outlet pipe 800 can be a flute-shaped pipe, and the main outlet pipe 800 and multiple branch outlet pipes 700 can be connected by welding. In this way, the refrigerant flowing out from multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 can be collected into the main outlet pipe 800 through multiple branch outlet pipes 700 to facilitate the flow of refrigerant.

[0073] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 6 As shown, in the height direction of heat exchanger 1, the refrigeration inlet 101 of each refrigerant flow path 100 is lower than the refrigeration outlet 102 of that refrigerant flow path 100. With this configuration, when heat exchanger 1 acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant in each refrigerant flow path 100 follows a "bottom in, top out" flow direction. Under the action of gravity, the flow time of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 100 can be further extended, which in turn can extend the heat exchange time between the refrigerant and the air through the heat exchange tube 200. The refrigerant can exchange heat with the air more fully, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the air in each refrigerant flow path 100, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency of heat exchanger 1.

[0074] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 7 As shown, the branch inlet pipe 500 may include multiple segments 510, and the lengths and / or diameters of two adjacent segments 510 are not the same.

[0075] Where the lengths and / or diameters of two adjacent segments 510 are not the same, it means that the lengths of two adjacent segments 510 may be different and the diameters of two adjacent segments 510 may be the same; or, the lengths of two adjacent segments 510 may be the same and the diameters of two adjacent segments 510 may be different; or, the lengths of two adjacent segments 510 may be different and the diameters of two adjacent segments 510 may also be different.

[0076] This configuration allows for adjustment of the refrigerant's flow resistance within adjacent segments 510 by varying their lengths and diameters. Specifically, a longer segment 510 results in greater flow resistance, as does a smaller diameter segment 510. This adjustment enables the regulation of refrigerant flow resistance within each refrigerant flow path 100, resulting in varying flow resistance across the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100. This allows for fine-tuning of the refrigerant distribution across the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100, leading to a more uniform refrigerant flow.

[0077] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 7 As shown, the lengths and / or diameters of the multiple branch inlet pipes 500 are not the same.

[0078] The phrase "multiple branch inlet pipes 500 have different lengths and / or diameters" means that the multiple branch inlet pipes 500 can have different lengths but the same diameter, or the multiple branch inlet pipes 500 can have the same length but different diameters, or the multiple branch inlet pipes 500 can have different lengths and different diameters. Specifically, the longer the branch inlet pipe 500, the greater the flow resistance; and the smaller the diameter of the branch inlet pipe 500, the greater the flow resistance. Therefore, the flow resistance of the refrigerant in the corresponding refrigerant flow path 100 can be adjusted to make the flow resistance of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 different, achieving fine-tuning of the flow distribution of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100, and making the refrigerant distribution in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 more uniform.

[0079] For example, in this embodiment, the branch inlet pipe 500 connected to the upper refrigerant flow path 110 can be divided into two sub-segments 510. The first sub-segment 510 has a length of 255 mm and a diameter of 4.76 mm, and the second sub-segment 510 has a length of 186 mm and a diameter of 6.35 mm. Similarly, the branch inlet pipe 500 connected to the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 can also be divided into two sub-segments 510. The first sub-segment 510 has a length of 258 mm and a diameter of 4.76 mm, and the second sub-segment 510 has a length of 195 mm and a diameter of 4.53 mm. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the branch inlet pipe 500 connected to the first middle refrigerant flow path 131 has a length of 346 mm and a diameter of 6.35 mm; and the branch inlet pipe 500 connected to the lower refrigerant flow path 120 has a length of 605 mm and a diameter of 4.76 mm.

[0080] In this way, by adjusting the diameter and length of the multiple branch inlet pipes 500, or by adjusting the diameter and length of the multiple sub-segments 510 of the branch inlet pipes 500, the resistance of the refrigerant flow in different branch inlet pipes 500 can be adjusted, thereby achieving fine-tuning of the refrigerant flow in the multiple branch inlet pipes 500 and making the refrigerant flow in the multiple branch inlet pipes 500 more uniform.

[0081] In some specific embodiments of this utility model, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 7As shown, the heat exchanger 1 may also include a transition tube 600, the two ends of which are connected to the distributor 400 and the main inlet pipe 300 respectively. One end of the transition tube 600 is sleeved on the main inlet pipe 300 and the wall thickness of the transition tube 600 is greater than the wall thickness of the main inlet pipe 300.

[0082] The transition pipe 600 can have a diameter of 12.7 mm and a wall thickness of 0.8 mm, while the main inlet pipe 300 can have a diameter of 6 mm and a wall thickness of 0.6 mm.

[0083] By setting the wall thickness of the transition pipe 600 to be greater than that of the main inlet pipe 300, the transition pipe 600 is less prone to bending than the main inlet pipe 300. The main inlet pipe 300 is connected to the distributor 400 through the transition pipe 600. This ensures that the flow pattern of the refrigerant is stable when it enters the distributor 400 from the main inlet pipe 300, and the refrigerant is less affected by centrifugal force, further improving the stability of the refrigerant distribution and making the distribution more uniform.

[0084] An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0085] like Figures 1-8 As shown, the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present utility model may include a housing, which is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. Air can flow into the housing through the air inlet, and air inside the housing can flow out through the air outlet.

[0086] An air conditioner may include a heat exchanger 1, which is located inside the casing and is used to exchange heat with the air entering the casing. Specifically, the air flowing through the heat exchanger 1 can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 1. The refrigerant can release heat into the air or absorb heat from the air, thereby heating the air or lowering the air temperature, so that the air forms a heat exchanger airflow and is then discharged from the air outlet into the casing.

[0087] In this embodiment, the air conditioner can be an indoor unit, such as a cabinet air conditioner, and the heat exchanger 1 can be an indoor heat exchanger. In this case, the heat exchanged airflow after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 1 can be discharged into the room through the air outlet to cool or heat the room. Alternatively, the air conditioner in this embodiment can also be an outdoor unit, that is, the heat exchanger 1 can be an outdoor heat exchanger. In this case, the refrigerant can exchange heat with the outdoor air through the heat exchanger 1 to absorb heat from the outdoor air or release heat to the outside.

[0088] An air conditioner may include a fan, which is located inside the casing. The fan drives air to enter the casing from the air inlet, and after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 1, the air is discharged from the casing through the air outlet. The fan can guide the airflow and increase the airflow speed. Driven by the fan, the air can flow to the heat exchanger 1, exchange heat with the heat exchanger 1, and then be discharged through the air outlet. This can increase the airflow rate and thus improve the heat exchange efficiency between the air and the heat exchanger 1.

[0089] In addition, the heat exchanger 1 is provided with multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 for refrigerant to flow through. The multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 are arranged along the height direction of the heat exchanger 1. The refrigerant can flow within the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100. When air flows through the heat exchanger 1, the air can exchange heat with the refrigerant within the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100. The refrigerant can release heat into the air to increase the temperature of the air flowing through the heat exchanger 1, or the refrigerant can absorb heat from the air to decrease the temperature of the air flowing through the heat exchanger 1.

[0090] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 may include an upper refrigerant flow path 110, which is located at the top of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1, that is, the upper refrigerant flow path 110 is adjacent to the upper side of the heat exchanger 1 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0091] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 may include a lower refrigerant flow path 120, which is located at the bottom of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1, that is, the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is adjacent to the lower side of the heat exchanger 1 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0092] The plurality of refrigerant flow paths 100 may include a first middle refrigerant flow path 131, which is located between and adjacent to the upper refrigerant flow path 110 and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0093] The multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 may include a second central refrigerant flow path 132, which is located between the first central refrigerant flow path 131 and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 in the height direction of the heat exchanger 1. That is, the second central refrigerant flow path 132 is located below the first central refrigerant flow path 131.

[0094] In other words, this utility model can be equipped with four refrigerant flow paths, and the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, the second middle refrigerant flow path 132 and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 are arranged in sequence downward along the vertical direction of the heat exchanger 1.

[0095] The length of the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is greater than the length of the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. In other words, the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is longer than the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is longer than the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, and the lower refrigerant flow path 120 is longer than the second middle refrigerant flow path 132.

[0096] This extends the flow path of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path 120, thereby increasing the flow time of the refrigerant in the lower refrigerant flow path 120. The heat exchange time can be longer, and the heat exchange area between the refrigerant flowing through the lower refrigerant flow path 100 and the air can be larger, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency between the lower part of the heat exchanger 1 and the air, resulting in more thorough heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path 120. Furthermore, even though the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 may be affected by condensate, the heat exchange area and time between the refrigerant and the air in the lower refrigerant flow path 120 are greater than those in the upper refrigerant flow path 110, the first middle refrigerant flow path 131, and the second middle refrigerant flow path 132. This allows for more balanced heat exchange in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 100 of the heat exchanger 1, resulting in better heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 1.

[0097] Therefore, the air conditioner in this embodiment of the present invention can make the heat exchange between the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 100 near the lower part of the heat exchanger 1 and the air more complete, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 1 is higher, and the heat exchange of the refrigerant in the multiple refrigerant flow paths 200 of the heat exchanger 1 is more balanced, resulting in a better heat exchange effect.

[0098] Other components and operations of the air conditioner according to the embodiments of this utility model are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0099] The air conditioner of this invention performs a refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the conditioned and heat-exchanged air.

[0100] The compressor compresses refrigerant gas under high temperature and pressure and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, and the heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0101] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the expanded refrigerant in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves its cooling effect by utilizing the latent heat of refrigerant evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout the cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature and humidity of the indoor space.

[0102] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "specific embodiment" and "specific example" refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example that is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0103] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and purpose of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, comprising: The housing is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet; A heat exchanger, which is disposed inside the housing and is used for heat exchange with air entering the housing; A fan is installed inside the housing. The fan drives air to enter the housing from the air inlet, and the air is discharged from the housing through the air outlet after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger. Its features are, The heat exchanger is provided with multiple refrigerant flow paths for refrigerant flow, each of which includes multiple heat exchange tubes connected in sequence. The multiple refrigerant flow paths are arranged along the height direction of the heat exchanger, and the multiple refrigerant flow paths include: The upper refrigerant flow path is located at the top of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths in the height direction of the heat exchanger; The lower refrigerant flow path is located at the bottom of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths in the height direction of the heat exchanger; The first middle refrigerant flow path is located between and adjacent to the upper refrigerant flow path and the lower refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger. The second middle refrigerant flow path is located between the first middle refrigerant flow path and the lower refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger; The number of heat exchange tubes in the lower refrigerant flow path is greater than the number of heat exchange tubes in the upper refrigerant flow path, the number of heat exchange tubes in the first middle refrigerant flow path, and the number of heat exchange tubes in the second middle refrigerant flow path.

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of heat exchange tubes in the first middle refrigerant flow path and the number of heat exchange tubes in the second middle refrigerant flow path are both greater than the number of heat exchange tubes in the upper refrigerant flow path.

3. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of heat exchange tubes in the first central refrigerant flow path is the same as the number of heat exchange tubes in the second central refrigerant flow path; or, The number of heat exchange tubes in the first central refrigerant flow path is less than the number of heat exchange tubes in the second central refrigerant flow path.

4. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple heat exchange tubes are arranged in multiple rows along the thickness direction of the heat exchanger, and the multiple heat exchange tubes of each refrigerant flow path are arranged adjacently and connected in each row of heat exchange tubes.

5. The air conditioner according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the heat exchange tube at the bottom of each heat exchange tube column is the inlet tube of each refrigerant flow path, and the heat exchange tube at the top of each heat exchange tube column is the outlet tube of each refrigerant flow path.

6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchanger also includes: A main inlet pipe, which is connected to a splitter; Multiple branch inlet pipes, one end of each branch inlet pipe is connected to the distributor, and the other end of each branch inlet pipe is connected to the refrigeration inlet of each refrigerant flow path in a corresponding manner. Diverter pipes, one end of each of the multiple diverter pipes is connected to the refrigeration outlet of each of the multiple refrigerant flow paths in a one-to-one correspondence; A main outlet pipe, which is connected to the other end of each of the plurality of branch outlet pipes; When the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows from the main inlet pipe to multiple refrigerant flow paths and flows out from the main outlet pipe.

7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, In the height direction of the heat exchanger, the refrigeration inlet of each refrigerant flow path is lower than the refrigeration outlet of the refrigerant flow path.

8. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The diversion inlet pipe comprises multiple sub-segments, and the lengths and / or diameters of adjacent sub-segments are not the same; and / or, The lengths and / or diameters of the multiple branch inlets are not the same.

9. The air conditioner according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heat exchanger also includes: A transition tube is provided, with its two ends connected to the distributor and the main inlet pipe, respectively. One end of the transition tube is fitted onto the main inlet pipe, and the wall thickness of the transition tube is greater than that of the main inlet pipe.

10. An air conditioner, comprising: The housing is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet; A heat exchanger, which is disposed inside the housing and is used for heat exchange with air entering the housing; A fan is installed inside the housing. The fan drives air to enter the housing from the air inlet, and the air is discharged from the housing through the air outlet after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger. Its features are, The heat exchanger is provided with multiple refrigerant flow paths for refrigerant flow, the multiple refrigerant flow paths are arranged along the height direction of the heat exchanger, and the multiple refrigerant flow paths include: The upper refrigerant flow path is located at the top of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths in the height direction of the heat exchanger; The lower refrigerant flow path is located at the bottom of the plurality of refrigerant flow paths in the height direction of the heat exchanger; The first middle refrigerant flow path is located between and adjacent to the upper refrigerant flow path and the lower refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger. The second middle refrigerant flow path is located between the first middle refrigerant flow path and the lower refrigerant flow path in the height direction of the heat exchanger; The length of the lower refrigerant flow path is greater than the length of the upper refrigerant flow path, the length of the first middle refrigerant flow path, and the length of the second middle refrigerant flow path.

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