Heat exchanger and HVAC system

Abstract

Provided are a heat exchanger (10) and an HVAC system (1). The heat exchanger (10) comprises a heat exchanger body (11) formed with a first refrigerant interface and a first refrigerant pipe (12). The first refrigerant pipe (12) has a first end (124) communicating with the first refrigerant interface (1111) and a second end (125) configured to communicate with a throttling assembly (30), and is configured to transfer refrigerant between the heat exchanger body (11) and the throttling assembly (30). The first end (124) of the first refrigerant pipe (12) communicated to the heat exchanger body (11) is designed to be lower than the second end (125) communicated to the throttling assembly (30), such that when transferred from the second end (125) towards the first end (124), the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe (12) are transferred generally downward such that they are transferred under dual actions of a pressure difference provided by a compressor (20) and their own gravity, thereby avoiding oil blockage.

Description

[0001] The present application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202310985399.2, titled "HEAT EXCHANGER AND HVAC SYSTEM" and filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on August 4, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of heat exchange devices, and particularly to a heat exchanger and a Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning (HVAC) system.BACKGROUND

[0003] With the development of society and the advancement of technology, HVAC products have become increasingly well-known and widely used by the public. In related art, an HVAC system such as an air conditioner comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a throttling assembly, etc., wherein the compressor is configured to compress refrigerant and output high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. Subsequently, the refrigerant exchanges heat with an external environment in the condenser and the evaporator.

[0004] In the related art, lubricating oil is provided in the compressor to enhance lubrication and ensure normal operation of the compressor. The lubricating oil will be mixed into the refrigerant to a greater or lesser extent and transferred with the refrigerant.SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the present application provide a heat exchanger and an HVAC system, which are configured to address the problem in the related art that, under low-temperature conditions, lubricating oil exhibits increased concentration and viscosity, as well as deteriorated flowability, such that the lubricating oil is prone to blocking pipelines, impeding the transfer of refrigerant, and consequently adversely affecting normal operation of the HVAC system.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a heat exchanger configured to communicate with a throttling assembly in a HVAC system, wherein the heat exchanger comprises: a heat exchanger body formed with a first refrigerant interface; a first refrigerant pipe having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end communicates with the first refrigerant interface, the second end is configured to communicate with the throttling assembly, and the first refrigerant pipe is configured to transfer refrigerant between the throttling assembly and the heat exchanger body, wherein the first end of the first refrigerant pipe is lower than the second end of the first refrigerant pipe.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first refrigerant pipe comprises: a first pipeline, extending downward along a refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first pipeline comprises at least one of a first sub-pipeline, a second sub-pipeline, and a third sub-pipeline; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the first sub-pipeline extends vertically downward; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the second sub-pipeline extends obliquely downward; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the third sub-pipeline extends downward in a curved manner.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first refrigerant pipe further comprises a second pipeline and / or a third pipeline that are connected to the first pipeline; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the second pipeline extends horizontally; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the third pipeline extends upward, and a lowest point of a top portion of the third pipeline is higher than or level with a highest point of a bottom portion of the third pipeline.

[0010] In some embodiments, the third pipeline comprises a fourth sub-pipeline and / or a fifth sub-pipeline; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the fourth sub-pipeline extends obliquely upward; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the fifth sub-pipeline extends upward in a curved manner.

[0011] In some embodiments, an extension direction of a portion of the first refrigerant pipe connected to the first refrigerant interface is same as an interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first refrigerant interface is located at a bottom of the heat exchanger body.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger body comprises: a body formed with the first refrigerant interface and a plurality of second refrigerant interfaces; a plurality of capillary tubes, wherein an end of the plurality of capillary tubes communicates with a respective one of the plurality of second refrigerant interfaces, and the plurality of capillary tubes are in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second refrigerant interfaces; a distributor, communicating with the other end of the plurality of capillary tubes; a liquid collection pipe, having an end communicating with the distributor; a subcooling tube, having two ends communicating with the first refrigerant interface and the other end of the liquid collection pipe respectively.

[0014] In some embodiments, the subcooling tube is located at a bottom of the heat exchanger body.

[0015] In some embodiments, further comprises: a filter disposed on the first refrigerant pipe.

[0016] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide an HVAC system, comprises: a compressor; a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger, wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is the heat exchanger described above; and the throttling assembly, wherein the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the throttling assembly, and the second heat exchanger are sequentially communicated.

[0017] In some embodiments, the throttling assembly comprises an electronic expansion valve.

[0018] In the heat exchanger and the HVAC system of the present application, the first refrigerant pipe of the heat exchanger is designed so that the first end connected to the heat exchanger body is lower than the second end connected to the throttling assembly, such that when transferred from the second end toward the first end, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe are transferred generally downward. In this way, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil are transferred under dual actions of a pressure difference provided by the compressor and their own gravity, so that the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe can be transferred more smoothly, and oil blockage is unlikely to occur, which ensures normal operation of the HVAC system.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] To describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application or those of the prior art more clearly, the drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Apparently, the drawings in the following description are merely some embodiments of the present application. To those of ordinary skills in the art, other drawings can also be derived from these drawings without creative efforts. FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a refrigerant flow direction in an HVAC system according to an embodiment of the present application in a cooling mode. FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a refrigerant flow direction in the HVAC system of FIG. 1 in a heating mode. FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a connection between a heat exchanger and a throttling assembly according to a first embodiment of the present application. FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a first refrigerant pipe in a heat exchanger according to a second embodiment of the present application. FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a connection between a heat exchanger and a throttling assembly according to a third embodiment of the present application. FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating a connection between a heat exchanger and a throttling assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present application. FIG. 7 is a partial schematic structural diagram of an HVAC system according to another embodiment of the present application. Reference numerals in the drawings:

[0020] HVAC system 1; heat exchanger 10; first heat exchanger 10a; second heat exchanger 10b; heat exchanger body 11; body 111; first refrigerant interface 1111; second refrigerant interface 1112; capillary tube 112; distributor 113; liquid collection pipe 114; subcooling tube 115; first refrigerant pipe 12; first pipeline 121; first sub-pipeline 1211; second sub-pipeline 1212; third sub-pipeline 1213; second pipeline 122; third pipeline 123; fourth sub-pipeline 1231; lowest point m; highest point n; top line segment 1233; bottom line segment 1234; first end 124; second end 125; filter 13; second refrigerant pipe 14; compressor 20; throttling assembly 30; four-way valve 40; high-pressure tank 50. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] In the following description of the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present application, as described in detail in the appended claims.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, embodiments of the present application provide an HVAC system 1, comprising a system for heating or cooling, such as an air conditioner, a multi-split system, a heat pump or the like, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. For illustrative purposes, the following description takes the HVAC system 1 comprising an air conditioner as an example.

[0024] The HVAC system 1 comprises a first heat exchanger 10a, a second heat exchanger 10b, a compressor 20, and a throttling assembly 30. The compressor 20, the first heat exchanger 10a, the throttling assembly 30, and the second heat exchanger 10b are sequentially connected. The compressor 20 is configured to compress refrigerant, the first heat exchanger 10a and the second heat exchanger 10b are configured to enable heat exchange between the refrigerant and an external environment, the throttling assembly 30 is configured to achieve pressure reduction through throttling.

[0025] Wherein the throttling assembly 30 may be any throttling assembly known in the related art. For example, the throttling assembly 30 may be an electronic expansion valve, a throttling valve, etc., which is not limited herein. In some embodiments of the present application, the throttling assembly 30 comprises an electronic expansion valve, wherein the electronic expansion valve is actuated by a controller and can achieve rapid state switching from fully closed to fully open, exhibiting a fast response and operation without static superheat. Moreover, the opening and closing characteristics and speed can be configured manually, providing enhanced operational flexibility.

[0026] The second heat exchanger 10b may be provided in an indoor unit of the HVAC system 1, whereas the compressor 20, the first heat exchanger 10a and the throttling assembly, etc., may be provided in an outdoor unit of the HVAC system 1. The HVAC system 1 has a cooling mode and a heating mode.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, in the cooling mode, the compressor 20 outputs high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is then transferred to the first heat exchanger 10a and, after condensation heat exchange, becomes high-pressure and ambient-temperature liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure and ambient-temperature liquid refrigerant is further transferred to the throttling assembly 30, and after pressure reduction through throttling, becomes low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant. Subsequently, the low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant flows into the second heat exchanger 10b and, after evaporative heat exchange, becomes low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which finally flows back into the compressor 20, completing one complete cooling cycle.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 2, in the heating mode, the compressor 20 outputs high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is then transferred to the second heat exchanger 10b, and, after condensation heat exchange, becomes high-pressure and ambient-temperature liquid refrigerant. The high-pressure and ambient-temperature liquid refrigerant is further transferred to the throttling assembly 30, and after pressure reduction through throttling, becomes low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant. Subsequently, the low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant flows into the first heat exchanger 10a and, after evaporative heat exchange, becomes low-temperature and low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which finally flows back into the compressor 20, completing one complete heating cycle.

[0029] It should be noted that the HVAC system 1 may further comprise a four-way valve 40 which is configured to switch the flow direction of the refrigerant between forward and reverse directions. For example, in the cooling mode, the refrigerant flows along the following path: compressor 20 -- four-way valve 40 -- first heat exchanger 10a -- throttling assembly 30 -- second heat exchanger 10b -- four-way valve 40 -- compressor 20; whereas in the heating mode, the refrigerant flows along the following path: compressor 20 -- four-way valve 40 -- second heat exchanger 10b -- throttling assembly 30 -- first heat exchanger 10afour-way valve 40 -- compressor 20.

[0030] Lubricating oil is provided in the compressor 20 to enhance lubrication and ensure normal operation of the compressor 20. The lubricating oil will be mixed into the refrigerant to a greater or lesser extent and transferred with the refrigerant. However, under low-temperature conditions, the lubricating oil exhibits increased concentration and viscosity, as well as deteriorated flowability, such that the lubricating oil is prone to blocking pipelines, impeding the transfer of the refrigerant, and consequently adversely affecting normal operation of the HVAC system 1. For example, in the cooling mode, the refrigerant transferred between the throttling assembly 30 and the second heat exchanger 10b is at a low temperature, which may easily cause lubricating oil blockage in a pipe. For another example, in the heating mode, the refrigerant flowing from the throttling assembly 30 to the first heat exchanger 10a is at a low temperature, which may easily cause lubricating oil blockage in the pipe. In addition, if the lubricating oil that is immiscible or poorly miscible with the refrigerant is used, it may also easily cause pipe blockage, impeding the transfer of the refrigerant, and consequently adversely affecting normal operation of the HVAC system 1. On this basis, embodiments of the present application provide a heat exchanger 10 to alleviate the problem of pipe blockage between the throttling assembly 30 and the heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger 10 may serve as the first heat exchanger 10a and / or the second heat exchanger 10b in the HVAC system 1 and can be flexibly designed according to requirements, which is not limited herein. Alternatively, in the embodiments of the present application, the heat exchanger 10 can serve as both the first heat exchanger 10a and the second heat exchanger 10b. The first heat exchanger 10a and the second heat exchanger 10b may have the same structure or have different structures.

[0031] Specifically, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the heat exchanger 10 in the embodiments of the present application is configured to communicate with the throttling assembly 30 in the HVAC system 1. The heat exchanger 10 comprises a heat exchanger body 11 and a first refrigerant pipe 12. The heat exchanger body 11 is formed with a first refrigerant interface 1111. The first refrigerant pipe 12 has a first end 124 and a second end 125, the first end 124 communicates with the first refrigerant interface 1111, and the second end 125 is configured to communicate with the throttling assembly 30. The first refrigerant pipe 12 is configured to transfer refrigerant between the throttling assembly 30 and the heat exchanger body 11.

[0032] Wherein, the first end 124 is lower than the second end 125, the first refrigerant pipe 12 of the heat exchanger 10 is designed so that the first end 124 connected to the heat exchanger body 11 is positioned lower than the second end 125 connected to the throttling assembly 30, such that when transferred from the second end 125 toward the first end 124, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe 12 are transferred generally downward. In this way, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil are transferred under dual actions of a pressure difference provided by the compressor 20 and their own gravity, so that the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe 12 can be transferred more smoothly, and oil blockage is unlikely to occur, which ensures normal operation of the HVAC system 1.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first refrigerant pipe 12 comprises a first pipeline 121. The first pipeline 121 extends downward along a refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11.

[0034] It should be noted that the first pipeline 121 extends downward along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, such that the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe 12 can be transferred forward not only under the pressure difference provided by the compressor 20, but also under their own gravity. Compared with the refrigerant and the lubricating oil being transferred forward solely under the pressure difference of the compressor 20, this increases the driving force for the forward transfer of the refrigerant and the lubricating oil, thereby increasing their transfer speed.

[0035] Wherein the first pipeline 121 comprises at least one of a first sub-pipeline 1211, a second sub-pipeline 1212 and a third sub-pipeline 1213. Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the first sub-pipeline 1211 extends vertically downward. Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the second sub-pipeline 1212 extends obliquely downward. Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the third sub-pipeline 1213 extends downward in a curved manner.

[0036] "Vertically" can be understood as follows: along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the slope of the first sub-pipeline 1211 in its extension direction is zero. "Obliquely" can be understood as follows: along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the slope of the second sub-pipeline 1212 in its extension direction has a fixed value that is not zero. "Curved" can be understood as follows: along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the slope of the third sub-pipeline 1213 in its extension direction varies. This variation may be increasing from a smaller value to a larger value, decreasing from a larger value to a smaller value, first increasing then decreasing, first decreasing then increasing, or the like, which is not limited herein. "Curved" may also be arcuately curved, etc., which is not limited herein.

[0037] It can be understood that the first pipeline 121 may have various shapes. For example, the first pipeline 121 may only comprise the first sub-pipeline 1211, or only comprise the second sub-pipeline 1212, or only comprise the third sub-pipeline 1213, or comprise the first sub-pipeline 1211 and the second sub-pipeline 1212, or comprise the first sub-pipeline 1211 and the third sub-pipeline 1213, or comprise the second sub-pipeline 1212 and the third sub-pipeline 1213, or comprise all of the first sub-pipeline 1211, the second sub-pipeline 1212 and the third sub-pipeline 1213. The specific shape of the first pipeline 121 can be flexibly designed according to specific requirements, such as remaining space requirements.

[0038] Further, the first refrigerant pipe 12 may also comprise a second pipeline 122 and / or a third pipeline 123 that are connected to the first pipeline 121. Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the second pipeline 122 extends horizontally. Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the third pipeline 123 extends upward, and the lowest point m of a top portion of the third pipeline 123 is higher than or level with the highest point n at a bottom portion of the third pipeline 123.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 4, along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the third pipeline 123 extends upward, and the lowest point m of the top portion of the third pipeline 123 is higher than or level with the highest point n of the bottom portion of the third pipeline 123, which can be understood as that the projection of the third pipeline 123 on a first reference plane comprises a top line segment 1233 and a bottom line segment 1234, which are opposite to each other. The lowest point m of the top line segment 1233 is higher than or level with the highest point n of the bottom line segment 1234. The first reference plane is a vertical plane parallel to a central axis of the third pipeline 123, which can be understood as a plane parallel to the plane of the drawing sheet in FIG. 4.

[0040] Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the lowest point m of the top line segment 1233 may be located at the starting point of the top line segment 1233, and the highest point n of the bottom line segment 1234 may be located at the end point of the bottom line segment 1234. In this way, the lowest point m of the top line segment 1233 and the highest point n of the bottom line segment 1234 roughly determine the extending length of the third pipeline 123.

[0041] To simplify the manufacturing of the first refrigerant pipe 12, along the refrigerant transfer direction, the first refrigerant pipe 12 can be regarded as a pipeline in which the flow cross-section for refrigerant transfer remains substantially unchanged. For further understanding, the distance r between the top line segment 1233 and the bottom line segment 1234 along the refrigerant transfer direction remains unchanged. Thus, the difference between the lowest point m of the top line segment 1233 and the highest point n of the bottom line segment 1234 roughly determines the vertical rise magnitude of the third pipeline 123. Specifically, if the lowest point m of the top line segment 1233 and the highest point n of the bottom line segment 1234 lie on the same horizontal plane, it can be understood that the vertical rise magnitude of the third pipeline 123 is approximately equal to the distance r between the top line segment 1233 and the bottom line segment 1234, and the distance r between the top line segment 1233 and the bottom line segment 1234 can be regarded as approximately equal to the inner diameter of the third pipeline 123. If the lowest point m of the top line segment 1233 is higher than the highest point n of the bottom line segment 1234, it can be understood that the vertical rise magnitude of the third pipeline 123 is less than the distance r between the top line segment 1233 and the bottom line segment 1234, and thus is less than the inner diameter of the third pipeline 123.

[0042] Based on the above analysis, the vertical rise magnitude of the third pipeline 123 in the embodiments of the present application is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the third pipeline 123, and is smaller than the vertical rise magnitude of a U-shaped pipe in the related art. The refrigerant and the lubricating oil transferred in the third pipeline 123 with a smaller vertical rise magnitude can be pushed forward under the compression action of the compressor 20, thereby preventing oil blockage.

[0043] Wherein the third pipeline 123 comprises at least one of a fourth sub-pipeline 1231 and a fifth sub-pipeline (not illustrated in the figures). Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the fourth sub-pipeline 1231 extends obliquely upward. Along the refrigerant transfer direction from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the fifth sub-pipeline 1213 extends upward in a curved manner. The expressions of "obliquely" and "curved" have been described above and are not described repeatedly here.

[0044] It can be understood that the third pipeline 123 may have various shapes. For example, the third pipeline 123 may only comprise the fourth sub-pipeline 1231, or only comprise the fifth sub-pipeline, or comprise the fourth sub-pipeline 1231 and the fifth sub-pipeline. The specific shape of the third pipeline 123 can be flexibly designed according to specific requirements, such as remaining space requirements.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, in the heat exchanger 10 according to the embodiments of the present application, when the refrigerant flows from the throttling assembly 30 to the heat exchanger body 11, the first pipeline 121 guides the refrigerant and the lubricating oil to flow downward. The second pipeline 122 guides the refrigerant and the lubricating oil to flow horizontally, and the third pipeline 123 guides the refrigerant and the lubricating oil to flow upward with a very slight rise, such that the refrigerant and the lubricating oil transferred in the first pipeline 121, the second pipeline 122, and the third pipeline 123 can be transferred forward under the pressure difference provided by the compressor 20. Compared with the first refrigerant pipe adopting a U-shaped pipe in the related art, under the same pressure difference provided by the compressor 20, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first refrigerant pipe 12 in the embodiments of the present application can be transferred more smoothly, and oil blockage is unlikely to occur, which ensures normal operation of the HVAC system 1.

[0046] It can be understood that the first refrigerant pipe 12 in the embodiments of the present application may have various shapes. For example, the first refrigerant pipe 12 may only comprise the first sub-pipeline 1211, or comprise the first pipeline 121 and the second pipeline 122, or comprise the first pipeline 121 and the third pipeline 123, or comprise the first pipeline 121, the second pipeline 122 and the third pipeline 123, etc. The specific shape of the first refrigerant pipe 12 can be flexibly designed according to specific requirements, such as remaining space requirements.

[0047] In the embodiments of the present application, the throttling assembly 30 is located above the first refrigerant interface 1111. In this case, the first refrigerant pipe 12 comprises the first pipeline 121, such that when the refrigerant and the lubricating oil flow in the first pipeline 121, they can be transferred forward under the dual driving actions of the pressure difference provided by the compressor 20 and their own gravity, thereby increasing the transfer speed of the refrigerant and the lubricating oil in the first pipeline 121. Meanwhile, under the dual driving actions, the refrigerant and the lubricating oil can also maintain a relatively high transfer speed when flowing out of the first pipeline 121, which helps increase the inertia force of the refrigerant and the lubricating oil when entering the subsequent second pipeline 122 and / or the third pipeline 123, such that they can be transferred smoothly in the subsequent second pipeline 122 and / or the third pipeline 123, thereby preventing the occurrence of oil blockage.

[0048] If the throttling assembly 30 is disposed above the first refrigerant interface 1111, the first refrigerant interface 1111 may be located at the bottom of the heat exchanger body 11, so as to expand the allowable installation range of the throttling assembly. This provides greater flexibility in positioning the throttling assembly 30 and enhanced adaptability to a wider variety of application scenarios. In other words, compared to the placement of the first refrigerant interface 1111 at a higher position, placing the first refrigerant interface 1111 at a lower position can expand the allowable installation range of the throttling assembly 30.

[0049] To facilitate the connection between the first refrigerant pipe 12 and the heat exchanger body 11, an extension direction of a portion of the first refrigerant pipe 12 connected to the first refrigerant interface 1111 may be same as an interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface 1111. For example, if the interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface 1111 is a horizontal direction, the first refrigerant pipe 12 may be connected to the first refrigerant interface 1111 via the second pipeline 122. For another example, if the interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface 1111 is an inclined direction, the first refrigerant pipe 12 may comprise a second sub-pipeline 1212 extending in the interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface 1111, and the first refrigerant pipe 12 is connected to the first refrigerant interface 1111 via the second sub-pipeline 1212. Alternatively, the first refrigerant pipe 12 may comprise a fourth sub-pipeline 1231 extending in the interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface 1111, and the first refrigerant pipe 12 is connected to the first refrigerant interface 1111 via the fourth sub-pipeline 1231.

[0050] The heat exchanger body 11 in the embodiments of the present application may be any heat exchanger in the related art, which is not limited herein. For example, referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the heat exchanger body 11 comprises a body 111, a plurality of capillary tubes 112, a distributor 113, a liquid collection pipe 114, and a subcooling tube 115. The body 111 is provided with the first refrigerant interface 1111 and a plurality of second refrigerant interfaces 1112. One end of each of the plurality of capillary tubes 112 communicates with a respective one of the plurality of second refrigerant interfaces 1112, and the plurality of capillary tubes 112 are in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second refrigerant interfaces 1112. The other end of each of the plurality of capillary tubes 112 communicates with the distributor 113. One end of the liquid collection pipe 114 communicates with the distributor 113, and the other end of the liquid collection pipe 114 communicates with the first refrigerant interface 1111 through the subcooling tube 115.

[0051] The body 111 may comprise a plurality of pipes and a plurality of heat dissipation fins. The pipes are configured to transfer refrigerant, and the heat dissipation fins are disposed outside the pipes and in contact with the pipes, so as to increase the surface area of the pipes and enhance the heat exchange effect of the heat exchanger body 11. The pipes may comprise reciprocally bent copper tubes, etc., which is not limited herein.

[0052] The distributor 113 serves to distribute the refrigerant uniformly. By connecting each of the plurality of capillary tubes 112 to the distributor 113, the refrigerant can be uniformly distributed among the capillary tubes 112, thereby achieving uniform heat exchange in various regions of the heat exchanger 10 and improving the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger 10. The subcooling tube 115 serves to enhance the heat exchange effect, improves the degree of subcooling, and improves the cooling capacity of the HVAC system 1.

[0053] Further, the subcooling tube 115 is located at the bottom of the heat exchanger body 11. Since the subcooling tube 115 is connected to the first refrigerant interface 1111, by disposing the subcooling tube 115 at the bottom of the heat exchanger body 11, the first refrigerant interface 1111 connected to the subcooling tube 115 can also be positioned at the bottom of the heat exchanger body 11. Based on the above analysis, positioning the first refrigerant interface 1111 at the bottom of the heat exchanger 10 can expand the allowable installation range of the throttling assembly 30. When the subcooling tube 115 is located at the bottom of the heat exchanger body 11, the subcooling tube 115 is provided with pipes on only one side (e.g., the upper side), which achieves better heat exchange performance compared to having pipes on both sides.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 3, the heat exchanger 10 may further comprise a second refrigerant pipe 14 communicating with the heat exchanger body 11. If the first refrigerant pipe 12 is configured to supply refrigerant into the heat exchanger body 11, the second refrigerant pipe 14 can be configured to discharge refrigerant from the heat exchanger body 11. If the first refrigerant pipe 12 is configured to discharge refrigerant from the heat exchanger body 11, the second refrigerant pipe 14 can be configured to supply refrigerant into the heat exchanger body 11.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 7, the heat exchanger 10 further comprises a filter 13 which is disposed on the first refrigerant pipe 12. The filter 13 is configured to filter impurities in the refrigerant. The filter 13 can be disposed on any one of the first pipeline 121, the second pipeline 122, or the third pipeline 123, and can be flexibly designed according to specific conditions, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0056] If each of the first heat exchanger 10a and the second heat exchanger 10b is the heat exchanger 10, the structure of the first refrigerant pipe 12 in the first heat exchanger 10a may be substantially the same as that in the second heat exchanger 10b, wherein the first refrigerant pipe 12 and the heat exchanger body 11 may be detachably connected. If the structure of the first refrigerant pipe 12 in the first heat exchanger 10a is substantially the same as that in the second heat exchanger 10b, a single specification of mold can be used to manufacture the first refrigerant pipes 12 for both the first heat exchanger 10a and the second heat exchanger 10b, thereby reducing production costs.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 7, the HVAC system 1 may further comprise a high-pressure tank 50 which can communicate with the heat exchanger 10. When the HVAC system 1 comprises two heat exchangers 10, the high-pressure tank 50 may communicate with one of the two heat exchangers 10, which is not limited herein. The high-pressure tank 50 may communicate with the first refrigerant pipe 12 of the heat exchanger 10, without a need to provide an additional interface on the heat exchanger body 11. The extension direction of a connecting pipeline between the high-pressure tank 50 and the heat exchanger 10 connected to the high-pressure tank 50 may satisfy a condition that the pipeline extends downward and / or horizontally in a direction from the high-pressure tank 50 to the heat exchanger 10 connected to the high-pressure tank 50.

[0058] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second" and the like are intended for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. For those of ordinary skills in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances. In addition, in the description of the present application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, four, and the like. "And / or" describes the relational association of associated objects and indicates that there may be three relationships. For example, "A and / or B" can indicate the presence of A alone, the presence of both A and B, or the presence of B alone. The character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between associated objects before and after " / ".

[0059] The foregoing is merely preferred embodiments of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Accordingly, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of the present application shall still fall within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, configured to communicate with a throttling assembly in a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, wherein the heat exchanger comprises: a heat exchanger body formed with a first refrigerant interface; a first refrigerant pipe having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end communicates with the first refrigerant interface, the second end is configured to communicate with the throttling assembly, and the first refrigerant pipe is configured to transfer refrigerant between the throttling assembly and the heat exchanger body, wherein the first end of the first refrigerant pipe is lower than the second end of the first refrigerant pipe.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first refrigerant pipe comprises: a first pipeline, extending downward along a refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the first pipeline comprises at least one of a first sub-pipeline, a second sub-pipeline, and a third sub-pipeline; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the first sub-pipeline extends vertically downward; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the second sub-pipeline extends obliquely downward; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the third sub-pipeline extends downward in a curved manner.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first refrigerant pipe further comprises a second pipeline and / or a third pipeline that are connected to the first pipeline; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the second pipeline extends horizontally; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the third pipeline extends upward, and a lowest point of a top portion of the third pipeline is higher than or level with a highest point of a bottom portion of the third pipeline.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the third pipeline comprises a fourth sub-pipeline and / or a fifth sub-pipeline; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the fourth sub-pipeline extends obliquely upward; along the refrigerant transfer direction from the second end to the first end, the fifth sub-pipeline extends upward in a curved manner.

6. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an extension direction of a portion of the first refrigerant pipe connected to the first refrigerant interface is same as an interface orientation of the first refrigerant interface.

7. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first refrigerant interface is located at a bottom of the heat exchanger body.

8. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the heat exchanger body comprises: a body formed with the first refrigerant interface and a plurality of second refrigerant interfaces; a plurality of capillary tubes, wherein an end of the plurality of capillary tubes communicates with a respective one of the plurality of second refrigerant interfaces, and the plurality of capillary tubes are in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second refrigerant interfaces; a distributor, communicating with an other end of the plurality of capillary tubes; a liquid collection pipe, having an end communicating with the distributor; a subcooling tube, having two ends communicating with the first refrigerant interface and an other end of the liquid collection pipe respectively.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the subcooling tube is located at a bottom of the heat exchanger body.

10. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: a filter disposed on the first refrigerant pipe.

11. A Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising: a compressor; a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger, wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is a heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 10; and a throttling assembly, wherein the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the throttling assembly, and the second heat exchanger are sequentially communicated.

12. The HVAC system according to claim 11, wherein the throttling assembly comprises an electronic expansion valve.

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