Air conditioner

Abstract

The application discloses an air conditioner, and belongs to the technical field of air treatment. The air conditioner comprises a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with air passing through the heat exchanger; the heat exchanger comprises a flat tube for circulating refrigerant, the flat tube comprises a plurality of first flat tubes arranged along a height direction, the first flat tubes being close to a windward side of the heat exchanger; a plurality of second flat tubes arranged along the height direction, the second flat tubes being close to a leeward side of the heat exchanger; and a plurality of fins connected with the flat tube, the fins being divided into a windward section, a leeward section and a connecting section along a width direction of the fins, the windward section being provided with first flat tube insertion slots for inserting the first flat tubes, the leeward section being provided with second flat tube insertion slots for inserting the second flat tubes, and the connecting section being connected between the windward section and the leeward section and being provided with a plurality of through holes arranged along the height direction. The air conditioner can reduce the generation of waste materials in the stamping process of the fins of the heat exchanger.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of air treatment, in particular to an air conditioner. BACKGROUND

[0002] Currently, micro-channel heat exchangers are used in some air conditioners. Referring to Figure 1 , the micro-channel heat exchanger usually adopts a two-row arrangement, and the heat exchanger includes fins and a plurality of flat tubes inserted into the fins.

[0003] The fins are stamped from aluminum foil. During the stamping process, a round guide column on the stamping machine pulls the aluminum foil forward continuously, and there is no round hole in the structure of the fin itself for the round guide column to be inserted into. Therefore, referring to Figure 2 , an additional 6mm wide material is needed outside the fin to be punched. Finally, this 6mm wide material will be cut off, resulting in large material waste.

[0004] In addition, the fins of the conventional tube-fin heat exchanger will be punched and then fall on the steel needle rack with steel needles inserted into the outlet of the stamping machine. The steel needles pass through the turned edge round holes to limit the position, and when the fins are stacked to a specified height, the steel needle rack can carry the fins as a whole to the next process point to insert the copper tube. However, the fins of the micro-channel heat exchanger do not have turned edge round holes for limiting the position, and after discharging, the fins need to be stacked one by one by the stacking machine, which is extremely low in efficiency. CONTENT OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0005] The present application provides an air conditioner, which can reduce the generation of waste materials during the stamping process of the fins of the micro-channel heat exchanger and avoid the problem that the fins cannot be received after being stamped.

[0006] In one aspect of the present application, an air conditioner comprises: a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with air passing therethrough; the heat exchanger comprises: flat tubes for flowing refrigerant, the flat tubes comprising: a plurality of first flat tubes arranged along a height direction, the first flat tubes being close to a windward side of the heat exchanger; a plurality of second flat tubes arranged along the height direction, the second flat tubes being close to a leeward side of the heat exchanger; a plurality of fins connected with the flat tubes, the fins being divided into: a windward section provided with first flat tube insertion slots for inserting the first flat tubes; a leeward section provided with second flat tube insertion slots for inserting the second flat tubes; and a connecting section connected between the windward section and the leeward section, the connecting section being provided with a plurality of through holes arranged along the height direction.

[0007] In this technical solution, two rows of flat tube insertion slots, i.e., the first flat tube insertion slots and the second flat tube insertion slots, are arranged on the fins, realizing the integrated design of the two-row split heat exchanger; a column of through holes is arranged in the middle of the fins, which can be used as limiting holes matched with the guide columns of the stamping machine during the stamping process of the fins, so as to avoid the generation of waste materials during the processing of the fins, save materials, and reduce production costs.

[0008] In addition, the through hole in the middle of the fin can be used as a limiting hole matched with the steel needle on the steel needle frame after the fin is formed, which is beneficial to the stacking and placing of the fin and improves the production efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments, a through hole forming portion extending along the thickness direction of the fin is arranged on the fin, and the through hole is arranged on the through hole forming portion; the height h1 of the through hole forming portion in the thickness direction of the fin is equal to the spacing between the adjacent two fins.

[0010] In the technical scheme, since the height h1 of the through hole forming portion is equal to the spacing between the fins, the free end of the through hole forming portion can abut against the adjacent fin, so that the adjacent two fins are kept at a fixed interval.

[0011] In some embodiments, a reinforcing rib extending along the height direction is arranged on the fin and located on both sides of the through hole.

[0012] In the technical scheme, since the reinforcing rib is arranged on both sides of the through hole, the structural strength of the middle part of the fin can be strengthened, and the deformation of the fin can be avoided.

[0013] In some embodiments, the part of the fin between the adjacent two first flat tube insertion grooves is a first fin connecting portion; the part of the fin between the adjacent two second flat tube insertion grooves is a second fin connecting portion; and the through hole is located between the first fin connecting portion and the second fin connecting portion in the width direction of the fin.

[0014] In the technical scheme, the through hole is arranged between the two fin connecting portions, so that the influence of the through hole and the flat tube insertion groove on the local structural strength of the fin can be reduced when the through hole and the flat tube insertion groove are concentrated at the same height of the fin.

[0015] In some embodiments, the length direction of the heat exchanger has a first end and a second end; the heat exchanger further comprises: a distributor connected to the first end of the first flat tube; an adapter header connected to the second end of the first flat tube and the second end of the second flat tube, used for connecting the first flat tube and the second flat tube; and a gas collecting pipe connected to the first end of the second flat tube; when the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows into the first flat tube from the distributor, then continues to flow into the second flat tube through the adapter header, and finally flows out from the gas collecting pipe.

[0016] In the technical scheme, the connection forms of the two ends of the flat tube are limited, the distributor is connected to the first end of the first flat tube, and the refrigerant can be uniformly distributed to the flat tube when the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator.

[0017] In another aspect of the present application, the shell; the fan is arranged in the shell, used to drive the air flow; the heat exchanger is arranged below the fan, used to exchange heat with the air passing through it; the heat exchanger comprises: flat tubes for flowing refrigerant, the flat tubes comprise: a plurality of first flat tubes arranged in the height direction, the first flat tubes are close to the windward side of the heat exchanger; a plurality of second flat tubes arranged in the height direction, the second flat tubes are close to the leeward side of the heat exchanger; a plurality of fins connected with the flat tubes, the fins can be divided into: a windward section, a first flat tube slot is arranged on the windward section, used for inserting the first flat tube; a leeward section, a second flat tube slot is arranged on the leeward section, used for inserting the second flat tube; a connecting section connected between the windward section and the leeward section, at least the upper part of the connecting section is provided with a plurality of through holes arranged in the height direction; a round tube inserted into the through hole of the upper part of the heat exchanger.

[0018] In this technical solution, the structure of the heat exchanger of the top-outlet outdoor unit is improved: a round tube is inserted into the upper part of the heat exchanger, and no round tube is arranged in the lower part of the heat exchanger, so that the upper part and the lower part of the heat exchanger are designed differently; because a row of round tubes are added to the upper part of the heat exchanger, the air side resistance of the upper part of the heat exchanger is greater than that of the lower part of the heat exchanger, so that the wind speed of the lower part of the heat exchanger is increased, the uniformity of the air field of the heat exchanger is improved, and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger is improved.

[0019] In some embodiments, the round tube is in communication with the flat tubes of the upper part of the heat exchanger.

[0020] In this technical solution, the refrigerant flows in the round tube, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency of the upper part of the heat exchanger.

[0021] In some embodiments, the plurality of first flat tubes can be divided into windward upper flat tubes and windward lower flat tubes in the height direction, and the plurality of second flat tubes can be divided into leeward upper flat tubes and leeward lower flat tubes in the height direction.

[0022] The two ends of the length direction of the heat exchanger are respectively a first end and a second end.

[0023] The round tube has a first round tube connecting end and a second round tube connecting end located at the second end of the heat exchanger.

[0024] The heat exchanger further comprises: a first adapter distributor, the branch end of which is connected with the second end of the windward upper flat tube, and the confluence end of the first adapter distributor is connected with the first round tube connecting end; a second adapter distributor, the branch end of which is connected with the second end of the leeward upper flat tube, and the confluence end of the second adapter distributor is connected with the second round tube connecting end.

[0025] In this technical solution, the connection of the round tube and the upper flat tube is limited, which can simplify the connection structure of the round tube and the flat tube.

[0026] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger further comprises: a first distributor, a flow-dividing end of which is connected to the first end of the upper flat tube on the windward side; a second distributor, a flow-dividing end of which is connected to the first end of the lower flat tube on the windward side; an adapter header, which is connected to the second end of the lower flat tube on the windward side and the second end of the lower flat tube on the leeward side; and a header, which is connected to the first end of the second flat tube.

[0027] The heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, so that the refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger from the flow-joining end of the first distributor and the flow-joining end of the second distributor, respectively.

[0028] The refrigerant flowing into the first distributor flows through the upper flat tube on the windward side to the first adapter distributor, then flows through the round tube to the second adapter distributor, continues to flow from the second adapter distributor to the upper flat tube on the leeward side, and finally flows out from the header.

[0029] The refrigerant flowing into the second distributor flows through the lower flat tube on the windward side to the adapter header, continues to flow from the adapter header to the lower flat tube on the leeward side, and finally flows out from the header.

[0030] In some embodiments, a through-hole forming portion extending along the thickness direction of the fin is provided on the fin, and a through-hole is provided on the through-hole forming portion; the height h1 of the through-hole forming portion in the thickness direction of the fin is less than the spacing between two adjacent fins.

[0031] In this technical solution, the height h1 of the through-hole forming portion is small, so that the air resistance generated by the fin can be reduced.

[0032] In some embodiments, the number of flow-dividing channels of the second distributor is greater than the number of flow-dividing channels of the first distributor.

[0033] In this technical solution, because the flow rate of the refrigerant on the heat exchanger is large and easy to be distributed uniformly, and the flow rate of the lower part is small, the number of flow-dividing channels of the second distributor is large, which can increase the total flow rate in this process, thereby improving the uniformity of distribution. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a heat exchanger in the prior art is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a fin in the process of stamping in the prior art is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 A perspective view of an outdoor unit in an air conditioner according to some embodiments is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an outdoor unit in an air conditioner according to some embodiments is shown;

[0038] Figure 5 A perspective view of a fin and a flat tube in an air conditioner according to some embodiments is shown.

[0039] Figure 6 A side view of a fin and a flat tube in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0040] Figure 7 A perspective view of a fin in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0041] Figure 8 A side view of a fin in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0042] Figure 9 A schematic view of a fin after being stamped is shown according to some embodiments;

[0043] Figure 10 A top view of a fin in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0044] Figure 11 A partial schematic view of a fin in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0045] Figure 12 A schematic view of a fin during a stamping process is shown according to some embodiments;

[0046] Figure 13 An exploded view of a heat exchanger in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0047] Figure 14 A partial cross-sectional view of an adapter header in an air conditioner is shown according to some embodiments;

[0048] Figure 15 A wind speed distribution diagram at a heat exchanger of a top-out air conditioner outdoor unit in the prior art is shown;

[0049] Figure 16 A plot of a heat exchange coefficient versus wind speed for a top-out air conditioner outdoor unit in the prior art is shown;

[0050] Figure 17 A perspective view of a fin, a flat tube, and a round tube in an air conditioner is shown according to some other embodiments;

[0051] Figure 18 A wind speed distribution comparison between the structure of Figure 17 and the structure of Figure 1 is shown;

[0052] Figure 19 A schematic view of a round tube and a fin in an air conditioner is shown according to some other embodiments;

[0053] Figure 20 A side view of a fin, a flat tube, and a round tube in an air conditioner is shown according to some other embodiments.

[0054] Figure 21 A perspective view of a heat exchanger in an air conditioner according to further embodiments is shown;

[0055] Figure 22 A perspective view of Figure 21 A perspective view of

[0056] Figure 23 A perspective view of Figure 21 A perspective view of

[0057] In the above figures, 100, outdoor unit; 10, housing; 11, air inlet; 12, air outlet; 20, fan; 21, fan motor; 22, motor support; 30, heat exchanger; 30a, first end; 30b, second end; 31, flat tube; 31a, hole; 311, first flat tube; 3111, windward side upper flat tube; 3112, windward side lower flat tube; 312, second flat tube; 3121, leeward side upper flat tube; 3122, leeward side lower flat tube; 32, fin; 32a, windward section; 32b, connecting section; 32c, leeward section; 321, first flat tube insertion slot; 322, second flat tube insertion slot; 323, through hole; 324, through hole forming portion; 325, hole flange; 326, reinforcing rib; 327, first fin connecting portion; 328, second fin connecting portion; 3291, welding flange; 3292, positioning flange; 3293, corrugated boss; 33, distributor; 331, first distributor; 332, second distributor; 333, first adapter distributor; 334, second adapter distributor; 34, adapter header; 34a, cavity; 341, first interface; 342, second interface; 35, header; 36, round tube; 361, first round tube connecting end; 362, second round tube connecting end; 363, U tube; 364, straight tube section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] For the purpose of making the objects and implementation of the present application more clear, the following will combine the drawings in the exemplary embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the exemplary embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described exemplary embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments.

[0059] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0060] The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used only for the purpose of description and are not to be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance or a specific number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined with "first", "second", etc. can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise specified and limited.

[0061] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mount", "connect", "connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrally connected; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intermediate medium, or internal communication of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] In the present application, the air conditioner performs a refrigeration cycle of the air conditioner by using a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. The refrigeration cycle includes a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation, and supplies refrigerant to the air that has been adjusted and heat exchanged.

[0063] The compressor compresses the refrigerant gas in a low-temperature and low-pressure state 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 heat is released to the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0064] The expansion valve expands the liquid-phase refrigerant in a high-temperature and high-pressure state condensed in the condenser into a low-pressure liquid-phase refrigerant. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the refrigerant gas in a low-temperature and low-pressure state to the compressor. The evaporator can achieve a refrigeration effect by exchanging heat with a material to be cooled using the latent heat of evaporation of the refrigerant. Throughout the cycle, the air conditioner can adjust the temperature of the indoor space.

[0065] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner refers to the part of the refrigeration cycle including the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes the indoor heat exchanger, and the expansion valve can be provided in the indoor unit or the outdoor unit.

[0066] The indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger are used as a condenser or an evaporator. When the indoor heat exchanger is used as a condenser, the air conditioner is used as a heater in a heating mode, and when the indoor heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the air conditioner is used as a cooler in a cooling mode.

[0067] When the outdoor unit and the indoor unit of the air conditioner are in a split structure, the outdoor unit is also called an outdoor machine, and the indoor unit is also called an indoor machine.

[0068] Referring toFigure 3 and Figure 4 According to an embodiment of the present application, an air conditioner includes an outdoor unit 100 installed in an outdoor space. The outdoor unit 100 is connected to an indoor unit (not shown) installed in an indoor space through a pipe.

[0069] The outdoor unit 100 can be a side-outlet type or a top-outlet type.

[0070] Hereinafter, the outdoor unit 100 of the air conditioner according to the top-outlet type will be described.

[0071] The outdoor unit 100 includes a case 10 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, which constitutes the general appearance of the outdoor unit 100. The case 10 can be formed by connecting a plurality of metal plates. The metal plates can be connected by fasteners such as screws or can be welded.

[0072] The case 10 includes a top surface that is at least partially open, a bottom plate that defines a bottom configuration, and side plates connected to edges of the bottom plate at a bottom end.

[0073] The case 10 includes an air inlet 11 through which outdoor air is introduced, and an air outlet 12 through which air introduced through the air inlet 11 is discharged to the outdoor space after heat exchange.

[0074] In some embodiments, a rear side portion of the case 10 is open to form a portion of the air inlet 11. The left and right side surfaces and the front surface of the case 10 can be provided with a grating plate, and holes in the grating plate form another portion of the air inlet 11.

[0075] At least the open portion of the top surface of the case 10 forms the air outlet 12.

[0076] Air introduced through the air inlet 11 of the side surface is discharged from the air outlet 12 of the top surface.

[0077] The outdoor unit includes a fan 20, which can be an axial fan that discharges air in an axial direction.

[0078] The fan 20 can include a hub having a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of blades arranged in a circumferential direction of the hub. An axis of the fan 20 can be vertical.

[0079] A fan motor 21 is connected to one side of the fan 20. The fan motor 21 is driven to provide a rotational force to the fan 20.

[0080] The fan motor 21 is fixed to the case 10 by a motor bracket 22. For example, opposite ends of the motor bracket 22 can be fastened to the case 10 by fasteners such as screws, and the fan motor 21 can be connected to the motor bracket 22 by fasteners such as screws, thereby achieving installation of the fan motor 21 in the case 10.

[0081] The outdoor unit includes a heat exchanger 30 disposed in the casing 10 corresponding to the air inlet 11 of the side surface of the casing 10. The heat exchanger 30 is used to exchange heat with air introduced through the air inlet 11.

[0082] Figure 4 The middle arrow shows the air flow direction. When the outdoor unit is in operation, outdoor air enters the casing 10 from the air inlet 11 under the driving action of the fan 20, exchanges heat with the heat exchanger 30, and is blown out from the air outlet 12.

[0083] The heat exchanger 30 includes a refrigerant pipe through which refrigerant flows, and a fin 32 coupled to the refrigerant pipe so as to increase the heat exchange area.

[0084] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the heat exchanger 30 can be a micro-channel heat exchanger, and the refrigerant pipe is a flat pipe 31; the fin 32 is connected to the flat pipe 31 to increase the surface area of the flat pipe 31 to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant and the air.

[0085] The flat pipe 31 is a porous pipe having a plurality of holes 31a forming a refrigerant flow path. The refrigerant exchanges heat with the air when flowing through each hole 31a of the flat pipe 31. The plurality of holes 31a are arranged in the flat pipe 31 along the flow direction of the air relative to the heat exchanger 30.

[0086] Referring to Figure 5 to Figure 8 , the hollow arrows in the figure show the air flow direction, and the fin 32 can be a slot-type fin. A plurality of fins 32 are inserted into the flat pipe 31 in a stacked form.

[0087] The fin 32 can be divided into a windward section 32a, a connecting section 32b, and a leeward section 32c along the width direction. The windward section 32a is close to the air inlet 11, the leeward section 32c is away from the air inlet 11, and the connecting section 32b is connected between the windward section 32a and the leeward section 32c.

[0088] A plurality of first flat pipe slots 321 are provided on the windward section 32a. The plurality of first flat pipe slots 321 are arranged in the height direction at intervals. The slot end of the first flat pipe slot 321 is located at the windward end of the fin 32.

[0089] A plurality of second flat pipe slots 322 are provided on the leeward section 32c. The plurality of second flat pipe slots 322 are arranged in the height direction at intervals. The slot end of the second flat pipe slot 322 is located at the leeward end of the fin 32.

[0090] The flat pipe 31 includes a first flat pipe 311. The first flat pipe 311 is inserted into the first flat pipe slot 321 from the windward end of the fin 32.

[0091] The flat tube 31 comprises a second flat tube 312. The second flat tube 312 is inserted into the second flat tube slot 322 from the leeward end of the fin 32.

[0092] In the present application, by providing the first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322 on the fin 32, the first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322 form two rows, thereby realizing the integrated design of the two-row heat exchanger.

[0093] In some embodiments, a plurality of through holes 323 are provided on the connecting section 32b. The plurality of through holes 323 are arranged in the height direction.

[0094] In the present application, in the stamping process of the fin 32, the through hole 323 can be hooked by the guide column of the punching machine, and the guide column reciprocates to drive the aluminum foil forward. Compared with the prior art, the through hole 323 can be used as a guide hole for the guide column of the punching machine, thereby reducing the size of the through hole 323 and saving the material. Figure 2 In the prior art, the fin of the two-row heat exchanger needs to be cut to remove the waste materials on the left and right sides. In the present application, the fin does not generate excess waste materials during the processing, thereby saving the cutting process of the waste materials, saving the aluminum material, and reducing the material cost.

[0095] In addition, with reference to Figure 9 After the fin is punched out of the punching machine, the steel needle on the steel needle rack can pass through the through hole 323 to play a limiting role, so that the fin 32 can be neatly stacked on the steel needle rack, thereby avoiding the low efficiency problem caused by the fact that the fin 32 does not have a limiting hole and needs to be stacked one by one by the stacking machine in the prior art.

[0096] In some embodiments, with reference to Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the width direction, the first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322 are provided one by one, and the height of the one-to-one corresponding first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322 is equal.

[0097] The first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the vertical center line S of the fin 32.

[0098] In some embodiments, in combination with Figure 10 , the fin 32 is provided with a through hole forming portion 324 extending in the thickness direction of the fin 32. The hole penetrating through the through hole forming portion 324 forms the through hole 323.

[0099] The through hole forming portion 324 is a flange hole structure provided on the fin 32, so that the size of the through hole 323 in the thickness direction of the fin 32 is larger, which is conducive to limiting the fin 32 and the steel needle through the through hole 323.

[0100] In some embodiments, the height of the through-hole forming portion 324 in the fin thickness direction is h1, the distance between the two adjacent fins 32 is Fp, and h1=Fp. In this case, the through-hole forming portion 324 can separate the two adjacent fins 32 by a certain distance, and the through-hole forming portion 324 can function as a positioning element between the two fins 32.

[0101] In the two adjacent fins 32, the through-hole forming portion 324 of one fin 32 abuts against the plate surface of the other fin 32.

[0102] In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the through-hole forming portion 324 is d1, which can be any value in the range of 3mm to 7mm. For example, d1=4mm.

[0103] If d1 is too large, the air resistance of the fin 32 will increase; if d1 is too small, the height h1 of the through-hole forming portion 324 will not meet the design requirements.

[0104] In some embodiments, the free end of the through-hole forming portion 324 can have a hole flange 325 extending radially outward, and the outer diameter of the hole flange 325 is d2. 0.2mm≤d2-d1≤1mm.

[0105] The hole flange 325 abuts against the adjacent fin 32, which can increase the abutting area between the through-hole forming portion 324 and the adjacent fin 32, thereby improving the stability of the positioning function of the through-hole forming portion 324.

[0106] In some embodiments, h1<Fp, so that the height of the through-hole forming portion 324 is relatively small, which can reduce the obstruction of the through-hole forming portion 324 to the airflow, thereby reducing the air resistance generated by the fin 32.

[0107] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to Figure 7 , a portion of the fin 32 is punched in the thickness direction of the fin 32 to form a reinforcing rib 326. The reinforcing rib 326 is a profiled structure provided on the fin 32.

[0108] The reinforcing rib 326 extends in the height direction. The reinforcing rib 326 can be located on both sides of the through-hole 323 to increase the structural strength of the fin 32.

[0109] The protruding direction of the reinforcing rib 326 can be the same as the extending direction of the through-hole forming portion 324 relative to the fin 32.

[0110] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 11 , the distance between the two adjacent first flat tube slots 321 (or the two adjacent second flat tube slots 322) in the height direction is L1.

[0111] L1 can be any value in the range of 10.5mm to 16mm. If L1 is less than 10.5mm, the air resistance and cost of the heat exchanger 30 will increase. If L1 is greater than 16mm, the heat flux density of the flat tube 31 will decrease, and the heat exchange will become poor.

[0112] In some embodiments, the interval L2 of the first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322 in the width direction can be any value in the range of 6mm to 14mm. If L2 is less than 6mm, the reinforcing rib 326 and the through hole 323 cannot be processed. If L2 is greater than 14mm, the heat exchange capacity of the connecting section 32b cannot be fully utilized, and the cost is increased.

[0113] In some embodiments, continuing to refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the part of the windward section 32a between adjacent first flat tube slots 321 is a first fin connecting part 327. In the height direction, the first fin connecting part 327 and the first flat tube slot 321 are alternately distributed.

[0114] The part of the leeward section 32c between adjacent second flat tube slots 322 is a second fin connecting part 328. In the height direction, the second fin connecting part 328 and the second flat tube slot 322 are alternately distributed.

[0115] In the width direction of the fin 32, the through hole 323 can be located between the first fin connecting part 327 and the second fin connecting part 328.

[0116] If the through hole 323 is located between the first flat tube slot 321 and the second flat tube slot 322, the through hole 323 will further weaken the structural strength of the part of the fin 32 at the height of the flat tube slot.

[0117] In some embodiments, the edge of the first flat tube slot 321 and the edge of the second flat tube slot 322 of the fin 32 are provided with a welding flange 3291. The welding flange 3291 is used to form contact with the flat tube 31, and the surface of the fin 32 has a solder composite layer, which is welded together with the flat tube 31 after entering the welding tunnel furnace.

[0118] In some embodiments, the fin 32 is provided with a positioning flange 3292. The positioning flange 3292 is formed by extending outward from part of the welding flange 3291. The positioning flange 3292 is used to abut against the adjacent fin 32. The fins 32 can be spaced apart by a certain distance through the positioning flange 3292.

[0119] The positioning flange 3292 can be close to the notch of the flat tube slot. That is, the positioning flange 3292 at the first flat tube slot 321 is close to the notch of the first flat tube slot 321, and the positioning flange 3292 at the second flat tube slot 322 is close to the notch of the second flat tube slot 322.

[0120] In some embodiments, the first fin connecting portion 327 and the second fin connecting portion 328 can be provided with corrugated bosses 3293 to increase the heat exchange area.

[0121] Referring to Figure 12 The fin processing technology is described by taking the processing of three rows of fins at the same time as an example: process 1, reinforcing rib 326 stamping forming; process 2, corrugated boss 3293 stamping forming, through hole 323 bulging preforming; process 3, through hole 323 punching; process 4, through hole 323 flanging; process 5, first flat tube slot 321 and second flat tube slot 322 shearing; process 6, flanging upward; process 7, secondary flanging of positioning flange 3292 forming; process 8, row cutting.

[0122] Referring to Figure 9 The fin 32 is punched from the sheet punching machine, and after cutting, the fin 32 can be placed on the steel needle rack, the steel needle passes through the through hole 323, and the fin is stacked to a predetermined height, and the whole can be transported.

[0123] The fin 32 of the present application does not generate excess waste material during processing, does not need to cut off the waste material, and does not need to stack the fins one by one, thereby reducing the cost and improving the production efficiency.

[0124] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 13 The hollow arrows in the figure indicate the direction of air flow, and the two ends of the length direction of the heat exchanger 30 are defined as the first end 30a and the second end 30b.

[0125] The two ends of the length direction of the flat tube 31 are exposed to the fin 32. That is, the first end of the first flat tube 311, the second end of the first flat tube 311, the first end of the second flat tube 312, and the second end of the second flat tube 312 are exposed to the fin 32.

[0126] The heat exchanger 30 can include a distributor 33. The distributor 33 is connected to the first end 30a of the first flat tube 311.

[0127] The distributor 33 is a one-to-many distribution structure, that is, one distribution is divided into multiple distributions. One heat exchanger 30 can use multiple distributors 33.

[0128] The multiple distribution ends of the distributor 33 are respectively connected to the first flat tube 311. The confluence end of the distributor 33 can be connected to a capillary tube (not shown).

[0129] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 includes a switching manifold 34. The switching manifold 34 is connected to the second end 30b of the first flat tube 311 and the second end 30b of the second flat tube 312. The refrigerant in the first flat tube 311 can flow into the second flat tube 312 through the switching manifold 34. The refrigerant in the second flat tube 312 can flow into the first flat tube 311 through the switching manifold 34.

[0130] Referring to Figure 13 and Figure 14 The adapter header 34 has a plurality of cavities 34a distributed along the height direction, and the plurality of cavities 34a correspond to the plurality of rows of flat tubes 31 one by one.

[0131] The side wall of the adapter header 34 is provided with a first interface 341. The first interface 341 is in communication with the cavity 34a. The first interface 341 is used to connect with the first flat tube 311, so that the first flat tube 311 is in communication with the cavity 34a.

[0132] The side wall of the adapter header 34 is provided with a second interface 342. The second interface 342 is in communication with the cavity 34a. The second interface 342 is used to connect with the second flat tube 312, so that the second flat tube 312 is in communication with the cavity 34a.

[0133] The first flat tube 311 and the second flat tube 312 are in communication through the cavity 34a.

[0134] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 can include a header 35. The header 35 is connected with the first end 30a of the second flat tube 312.

[0135] When the heat exchanger 30 is used as an evaporator, referring to the solid arrow in Figure 13 , the refrigerant is distributed into the first flat tube 311 through the distributor 33, then flows to the second flat tube 312 through the adapter header 34, and finally flows out through the header 35.

[0136] When the heat exchanger 30 is used as a condenser, the flow direction of the refrigerant is opposite to the above-mentioned flow direction, that is, the refrigerant flows to the second flat tube 312 through the header 35, then flows to the first flat tube through the adapter header 34, and finally flows out through the distributor 33.

[0137] Therefore, in the heat exchanger 30, one of the confluence end of the distributor 34 and the confluence end of the header 35 is used as the refrigerant inlet, and the other is used as the refrigerant outlet.

[0138] When the heat exchanger 30 is used as an evaporator, the confluence end of the distributor 34 is used as the refrigerant inlet, and the confluence end of the header 35 is used as the refrigerant outlet. When the heat exchanger 30 is used as a condenser, the confluence end of the header 35 is used as the refrigerant inlet, and the confluence end of the distributor 34 is used as the refrigerant outlet.

[0139] For the top air-out type, when the height of the heat exchanger 30 is high, for example, the height of the heat exchanger 30 is above 1.2m, since the fan 20 is located above the heat exchanger 30, the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is closer to the fan 20, and the air speed of this part is larger; the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 is farther away from the fan 20, and the air speed of this part is smaller.

[0140] With reference to Figure 15 , the air speed at the top of the heat exchanger 30 can be more than 4 times the air speed at the bottom. And when the overall resistance of the heat exchanger 30 decreases, the air field non-uniformity will be more obvious. And the air resistance of the micro-channel heat exchanger is smaller than that of the tube-fin heat exchanger, so the air field non-uniformity of the micro-channel heat exchanger is more obvious.

[0141] With reference to Figure 16 , the heat transfer coefficient h of the air side of the heat exchanger 30 is usually in a power function relationship with the air speed, and the relationship between the two is a convex curve. The higher the air speed, the larger the heat transfer coefficient, but the increasing amplitude of the heat transfer coefficient gradually becomes smaller, that is, the marginal effect of the increase of the heat transfer coefficient gradually becomes obvious. The increase of the heat transfer amount at the top air speed of 4 m / s compared to the average air speed is much smaller than the decrease of the heat transfer amount at the bottom air speed of 1 m / s compared to the average air speed, resulting in waste of heat transfer area.

[0142] In order to improve the air field non-uniformity of the micro-channel heat exchanger and improve the heat transfer efficiency, the upper and lower parts of the heat exchanger 30 are differentially set in the present application.

[0143] In some embodiments, the through hole 323 is arranged at least at the upper part of the fin 32.

[0144] With reference to Figure 17 , the heat exchanger 30 includes a round pipe 36. The round pipe 36 is inserted into the through hole 323 at the upper part of the fin 32. That is, the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is provided with the round pipe 36, and the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 is not provided with the round pipe 36.

[0145] Because the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is provided with the round pipe 36 more than the lower part of the heat exchanger 30, the air side resistance of the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is greater than that of the lower part of the heat exchanger 30. In this way, more air can flow through the lower part of the heat exchanger 30, thereby improving the uniformity of the air field at the heat exchanger 30.

[0146] With reference to Figure 18 , it can be seen that after the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is differentially set, the air field uniformity of the heat exchanger 30 is improved, the air speed at the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 is increased, the air speed at the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is reduced, the air speed difference at different heights of the heat exchanger 30 is reduced, and the air field at the heat exchanger 30 is more uniform.

[0147] Because the increase of the heat transfer amount caused by the increase of the air speed at the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 is greater than the decrease of the heat transfer amount caused by the decrease of the air speed at the upper part of the heat exchanger 30, the overall heat transfer amount of the heat exchanger 30 is improved.

[0148] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the round pipe 36 is smaller than the inner diameter d1 of the through hole 323, thereby facilitating the installation of the round pipe 36 to the fin 32.

[0149] Exemplarily, d1 = 6.1-6.3 mm; the outer diameter of the circular tube 36 = 6 mm.

[0150] In some embodiments, the circular tube 36 communicates with the flat tubes 31. By circulating refrigerant in the circular tube 36, the heat flow density of the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 can be improved, so that the heat exchange capacity of the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is further improved.

[0151] In some embodiments, the circular tube 36 can communicate with the flat tubes 31 of the upper part of the heat exchanger 30.

[0152] With reference to Figure 19 , the first ends 30a of two straight tube segments 364 of the circular tube 36 can be connected by a U tube 363. The two connection ends of the circular tube 36 are located at the second end 30b of the heat exchanger 30. The two connection ends of the circular tube 36 are respectively a first circular tube connection end 361 and a second circular tube connection end 362.

[0153] For the convenience of description, with reference to Figure 20 , the first flat tube 311 located at the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is referred to as the windward side upper flat tube 3111, and the first flat tube 311 located at the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 is referred to as the windward side lower flat tube 3112. The second flat tube 312 located at the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is referred to as the leeward side upper flat tube 3121, and the second flat tube 312 located at the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 is referred to as the leeward side lower flat tube 3122.

[0154] With reference to Figure 21 to Figure 23 , the heat exchanger 30 comprises a first adapter distributor 333. The multiple distribution ends of the first adapter distributor 333 are connected with the second end 30b of the windward side upper flat tube 3111.

[0155] The confluence end of the first adapter distributor 333 is connected with the first circular tube connection end 361. The first adapter distributor 333 can be connected with the first circular tube connection end 361 by a U tube 363.

[0156] The heat exchanger 30 comprises a second adapter distributor 334. The multiple distribution ends of the second adapter distributor 334 are connected with the second end 30b of the leeward side upper flat tube 3121.

[0157] The confluence end of the second adapter distributor 334 is connected with the second circular tube connection end 362. The second adapter distributor 334 can be connected with the second circular tube connection end 362 by a U tube 363.

[0158] The connection of the circular tube 36 with the flat tube 31 can be realized by the first adapter distributor 333 and the second adapter distributor 334.

[0159] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 comprises a first distributor 331. The first distributor 331 is connected to the first ends 30a of the windward upper flat tubes 3111.

[0160] Taking the one-to-four structure of the first distributor 331, the first adapter distributor 333 and the second adapter distributor 334 as an example for illustration:

[0161] The four distribution ends of the first distributor 331 are respectively connected to the first ends 30a of the four flat tubes in the windward upper flat tubes 3111. The four distribution ends of the first adapter distributor 333 are respectively connected to the second ends 30b of the four flat tubes in the windward upper flat tubes 3111.

[0162] The round pipe 36 has four straight pipe sections 364 respectively inserted into the four rows of through holes 323. The second ends 30b of the middle two straight pipe sections are connected by the U pipe 363.

[0163] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 comprises a second distributor 332. The second distributor 332 is connected to the first ends 30a of the windward lower flat tubes 3112.

[0164] In some embodiments, the adapter header 34 is connected to the second ends 30b of the lower flat tubes 31 of the heat exchanger 30. The first interface 341 of the adapter header 34 can be connected to the second ends 30b of the windward lower flat tubes 3112, and the second interface 342 of the adapter header 34 can be connected to the second ends 30b of the leeward lower flat tubes 3122.

[0165] In some embodiments, the gas collecting pipe 35 is connected to the first ends 30a of the second flat tubes 312.

[0166] When the heat exchanger 30 is used as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows into the heat exchanger 30 from the first distributor 331 and the second distributor 332 respectively.

[0167] The refrigerant of the first distributor 331 flows through the windward upper flat tubes 3111 to the first adapter distributor 333, then continues to flow through the round pipe 36 to the second adapter distributor 334, and finally flows out of the heat exchanger 30 from the gas collecting pipe 35.

[0168] The refrigerant of the second distributor 332 flows through the windward lower flat tubes 3112 to the adapter header 34, then flows from the adapter header 34 to the leeward lower flat tubes 3122, and finally flows out of the heat exchanger 30 from the gas collecting pipe 35.

[0169] In some embodiments, the number of distribution paths of the second distributor 332 is greater than the number of distribution paths of the first distributor 331, that is, the number of distribution ends of the second distributor 332 is greater than the number of distribution ends of the first distributor 331.

[0170] Exemplarily, the first distributor 331 is a one-to-four structure, and the second distributor 332 is a one-to-eight structure. The number of shunt ends (shunt paths) of the second distributor 332 is 4, and the number of shunt ends (shunt paths) of the second distributor 332 is 8.

[0171] Because the refrigerant flow on the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is large and easy to be uniformly distributed, and the flow on the lower part is small, the number of shunt paths needs to be increased to improve the total flow in this process to improve the uniformity of distribution.

[0172] In some embodiments, the size of the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 in the height direction is w1, and the size of the lower part of the heat exchanger 30 in the height direction is w2. w1 and w2 satisfy: 3 / 7 < w1 / w2 < 3 / 2.

[0173] In some embodiments, the height h1 of the through-hole forming part 324 is smaller than the spacing Fp between fins, which can reduce the wind resistance generated by the through-hole forming part 324.

[0174] h1 is any value in 0.3mm-0.5mm.

[0175] Fp is any value in 1.4mm-1.7mm.

[0176] The inventors of the present application conducted comparative experiments on the heat exchange capacity of three types of heat exchangers:

[0177] Heat exchanger A: three-row tube-fin heat exchanger; heat exchanger B: using the fin 32 of the present application, but no circular tube is arranged on the heat exchanger; heat exchanger C: using the fin 32 of the present application, and a circular tube 36 is inserted into the upper part of the heat exchanger.

[0178] The heat exchange capacities of the three heat exchangers are shown in the following table:

[0179] Heat exchanger A B C Heat exchange amount 100％ 98％ 104％

[0180] As can be seen from the table, the heat exchange capacity of the heat exchanger C is increased by 4% compared with the heat exchange capacity of the conventional three-row tube-fin heat exchanger. The heat exchanger C uses two rows of flat tubes and the upper part is inserted with a circular tube 36 to achieve the capacity of a three-row tube-fin heat exchanger.

[0181] From the above, it can be seen that the present application improves the structure of the fin 32:

[0182] The two rows of flat tube insertion slots are arranged on the fin 32: the first flat tube insertion slot 321 and the second flat tube insertion slot 322, which realizes the integrated design of the two-row split heat exchanger.

[0183] A row of through holes 323 is provided in the middle of the fin 32. During the stamping process of the fin 32, the through holes 323 can be used as limiting holes to cooperate with the guide post of the stamping machine, so as to avoid the generation of waste during the processing of the fin 32, save materials, and reduce production costs.

[0184] In addition, the through hole 323 in the middle of the fin 32 can be used as a limiting hole to cooperate with the steel needle on the steel needle holder after the fin is formed, which is beneficial to the stacking and placement of the fins and improves production efficiency.

[0185] In addition, based on the above-mentioned fin 32 structure, this application improves the structure of the heat exchanger 30 of the top-discharge outdoor unit:

[0186] A circular tube 36 is inserted into the upper part of the heat exchanger 30, while no circular tube 36 is installed in the lower part of the heat exchanger 30, thus creating a differentiated design between the upper and lower parts of the heat exchanger 30. Because a row of circular tubes 36 is added to the upper part of the heat exchanger 30, the air-side resistance of the upper part of the heat exchanger 30 is greater than that of the lower part of the heat exchanger 30, which improves the uniformity of the airflow of the heat exchanger 30 and increases the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 30.

[0187] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0188] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An air conditioner, characterized in that, The application relates to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises: Flat tubes for flowing refrigerant, the flat tubes comprising: A plurality of first flat tubes arranged along a height direction, the first flat tubes being close to a windward side of the heat exchanger; A plurality of second flat tubes arranged along the height direction, the second flat tubes being close to a leeward side of the heat exchanger; A plurality of fins connected with the flat tubes, the fins being divided into: A windward section provided with first flat tube insertion slots for inserting the first flat tubes; A leeward section provided with second flat tube insertion slots for inserting the second flat tubes; A connecting section connected between the windward section and the leeward section, the connecting section being provided with a plurality of through holes arranged along the height direction. The fins are provided with through hole forming portions extending along the thickness direction of the fins, and the through holes are arranged on the through hole forming portions; 2. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein The height h1 of the through hole forming portions along the thickness direction of the fins is equal to the interval between adjacent two fins. The portions of the fins between adjacent two first flat tube insertion slots are first fin connecting portions, and the portions of the fins between adjacent two second flat tube insertion slots are second fin connecting portions; 3. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein The through holes are located between the first fin connecting portions and the second fin connecting portions along the width direction of the fins. The heat exchanger has a first end and a second end at two ends along a length direction of the heat exchanger.

4. The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by The heat exchanger further comprises: A distributor connected to the first ends of the first flat tubes; An adapter header for connecting the second ends of the first flat tubes and the second ends of the second flat tubes; A header connected to the first ends of the second flat tubes; When the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, refrigerant flows into the first flat tubes from the distributor, then continues to flow into the second flat tubes through the adapter header, and finally flows out from the header. The application relates to a heat exchanger.

5. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: The heat exchanger comprises: A shell; A fan arranged in the shell and used for driving air flow; A heat exchanger arranged below the fan and used for exchanging heat with air passing through the heat exchanger; the heat exchanger comprises: Flat tubes for flowing refrigerant, the flat tubes comprising: A plurality of first flat tubes arranged along a height direction, the first flat tubes being close to a windward side of the heat exchanger; A plurality of second flat tubes arranged along the height direction, the second flat tubes being close to a leeward side of the heat exchanger; A plurality of fins connected with the flat tubes, the fins being divided into: A windward section provided with first flat tube insertion slots for inserting the first flat tubes; A leeward section provided with second flat tube insertion slots for inserting the second flat tubes; A connecting section connected between the windward section and the leeward section, at least an upper portion of the connecting section being provided with a plurality of through holes arranged along the height direction; Round tubes inserted into the through holes in the upper portion of the heat exchanger.

6. The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein The round tubes are in communication with the flat tubes in the upper portion of the heat exchanger.

7. The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein The first flat tubes and the second flat tubes are divided into windward side upper flat tubes and windward side lower flat tubes along the height direction. The heat exchanger has a first end and a second end at two ends along a length direction of the heat exchanger. The circular tube has a first circular tube connecting end and a second circular tube connecting end at the second end of the heat exchanger; The heat exchanger further comprises: A first adapter distributor, whose branch end is connected with the second end of the upper flat tube on the windward side, and whose confluence end is connected with the first circular tube connecting end; A second adapter distributor, whose branch end is connected with the second end of the upper flat tube on the leeward side, and whose confluence end is connected with the second circular tube connecting end.

8. The air conditioner of claim 7, wherein The heat exchanger further comprises: A first distributor, whose branch end is connected with the first end of the upper flat tube on the windward side; A second distributor, whose branch end is connected with the first end of the lower flat tube on the windward side; An adapter header, which is connected with the second end of the lower flat tube on the windward side and the second end of the lower flat tube on the leeward side; A gas collecting pipe, which is connected with the first end of the second flat tube; When the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows into the confluence end of the first distributor and the confluence end of the second distributor respectively; The refrigerant flowing into the first distributor flows through the upper flat tube on the windward side to the first adapter distributor, then flows through the circular tube to the second adapter distributor, continues to flow through the second adapter distributor to the upper flat tube on the leeward side, and finally flows out through the gas collecting pipe; The refrigerant flowing into the second distributor flows through the lower flat tube on the windward side to the adapter header, continues to flow through the adapter header to the lower flat tube on the leeward side, and finally flows out through the gas collecting pipe.

9. The air conditioner of claim 8, wherein The branch number of the second distributor is greater than the branch number of the first distributor.

10. The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein A through hole forming portion extending along the thickness direction of the fin is provided on the fin, and the through hole is provided on the through hole forming portion; The height h1 of the through hole forming portion in the thickness direction of the fin is less than the distance between two adjacent fins.

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