Heat exchanger, and outdoor machine for air conditioner

Abstract

To provide a heat exchanger that can improve heat exchange performance, and an outdoor machine for an air conditioner.SOLUTION: A heat exchanger 40 comprises a plurality of heat exchange parts and a plurality of connection parts 70. The heat exchange parts comprise: a plurality of outlet / inlet-side header pipes 52 each of which is arranged at one end of the corresponding heat exchange part, extends in a vertical direction, and has an outlet / inlet port through which refrigerant can flow in from or flow to the outside; connection header pipes 54 each arranged at the other end of the corresponding heat exchange part and extending in the vertical direction; and a plurality of flat pipes 62 which are aligned along the longitudinal directions of the outlet / inlet side header pipes and the connection pipes. Each of the connection parts 70 comprises: a first connection part 72 connecting a lower part of the connection header pipe located on the upstream side in an airflow, and an upper part of the connection header pipe located on a downstream side in the airflow; and a second connection part 74 connecting an upper part of the connection header pipe located on the upstream side in the airflow, and a lower part of the connection header pipe located on the downstream side in the airflow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit of an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a heat source unit for a refrigeration device including a heat exchanger in which heat exchange sections having multiple stages of flat tubes are arranged in multiple rows in the air flow direction, and a gas-side header is arranged in the heat exchange section downstream in the air flow direction, and the heat source unit is capable of suppressing frost formation on the gas-side header. This heat source unit is an air conditioning heat source unit that includes a heat source side fan, a heat source side heat exchanger having multiple stages of flat tubes and including heat exchange sections arranged in multiple rows in the air flow direction generated by the heat source side fan, and a casing in which the heat source side fan and the heat source side heat exchanger are housed. The multiple rows of heat exchange sections include a downwind side heat exchange section and an upwind side heat exchange section. The downwind side heat exchange section has a second header that is provided with an inlet and outlet for a gas refrigerant and is connected to the flat tubes of the downwind side heat exchange section. The second header is arranged at a position where the air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant flowing through the flat tubes of the upwind side heat exchange section hits it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-132582 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit for an air conditioner that are capable of improving heat exchange performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The heat exchanger of the present disclosure is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with flowing air, and includes a plurality of heat exchange sections arranged in the air flow direction, and a plurality of connection sections in which flow paths through which a refrigerant can flow are provided. The heat exchange section comprises a plurality of inlet / outlet side header pipes arranged at one end of the heat exchange section, extending in the vertical direction, and having inlets and outlets through which a refrigerant can flow in from the outside and out to the outside; a connecting header pipe arranged at the other end of the heat exchange section, extending in the vertical direction; and a plurality of flat tubes, each extending in a direction intersecting the air flow direction, having one longitudinal end connected to the inlet / outlet side header pipes and the other longitudinal end connected to the connecting header pipe, and arranged in a line along the longitudinal directions of the inlet / outlet side header pipes and the connecting header pipe, and the connection section comprises a first connection section connecting a lower part of the connecting header pipes located upstream of the air flow to an upper part of the connecting header pipes located downstream of the air flow, and a second connection section connecting an upper part of the connecting header pipes located upstream of the air flow to a lower part of the connecting header pipes located downstream of the air flow. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve heat exchange performance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] Plan view of outdoor unit [Diagram 3] Perspective view of an outdoor heat exchanger [Figure 4] Perspective view of an outdoor heat exchanger [Diagram 5] A longitudinal section of the outdoor heat exchanger in plane IV of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an outdoor heat exchanger showing a modified example of the first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an outdoor heat exchanger according to a second embodiment; [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of the outdoor heat exchanger on plane VII of FIG. [Figure 9] Exploded perspective view of the connecting header pipe DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (The knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea of ​​the present disclosure, in a heat exchanger having a heat exchange section including a plurality of flat tubes and a header pipe to which both ends of the plurality of flat tubes are connected, technology existed in which partition plates were provided inside the header pipe to separate the internal space of the header pipe according to the connection points of the flat tubes. As a result, in the heat exchanger, the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant flowing into the header pipe is prevented from becoming unevenly distributed inside the header pipe, with the liquid refrigerant at the lower side and the gas refrigerant at the upper side, due to the influence of gravity. In the heat exchanger, the refrigerant is prevented from unevenly flowing into each of the flat tubes or into a header pipe located downstream of the header pipe, and the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant flowing through the multiple flat tubes can be made uniform.

[0009] However, in a conventional heat exchanger, if a refrigerant drifts before flowing into a header pipe in which a partition plate is provided, the refrigerant may flow downstream of the header pipe without mixing inside the header pipe. Therefore, the inventors discovered a problem in that the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant may become uneven in a conventional heat exchanger, which may result in a decrease in heat exchange performance, and the subject of the present disclosure was formed in order to solve the problem. In view of this, the present disclosure provides a heat exchanger and an outdoor unit for an air conditioner that are capable of improving heat exchange performance.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. The reference symbol FR in each drawing indicates the front of the outdoor unit when it is installed on an installation surface and in normal use, the reference symbol UP indicates the upper side of the outdoor unit, and the reference symbol LH indicates the left side of the outdoor unit. In the following description, directions such as front, back, left, right, up and down are the same as directions relative to the outdoor unit unless otherwise specified.

[0012] [1-1. Configuration] [1-1-1.Outdoor unit configuration] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit 1 of an air conditioner according to the present embodiment. The air conditioner of this embodiment comprises an indoor heat exchanger housed in the indoor unit, and a refrigeration circuit formed by a compressor 5, an expansion valve, an outdoor heat exchanger 40, etc. housed in the outdoor unit 1. The air conditioner conditions the conditioned space in which the indoor unit is provided by circulating a refrigerant through this refrigeration circuit.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the outdoor unit 1 of this embodiment is a so-called side-flow type or side-blowing type outdoor unit, in which air is drawn in through an outdoor heat exchanger 40 arranged on one side, the air is heat exchanged with a refrigerant, and the air is blown out from the other side.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the outdoor unit 1. For ease of explanation, in Fig. 2, the edge of the bottom plate 12 forming the lower edge of the front air intake 15 and the side air intake 17, and a predetermined part of the back plate 18 forming the edge of the exhaust port 19 are shown by dashed lines. In Fig. 2, the arrow A indicates the air flowing due to the drive of the blower 30. The outdoor unit 1 includes a box-shaped housing 10 whose longitudinal direction extends along the left-right direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment, each part of the housing 10 is formed from a steel plate. The housing 10 comprises a bottom plate 12 that forms the bottom surface of the housing 10, a top plate 14 that forms the top surface, a front plate 16 that forms the front surface, a back plate 18 that forms the back surface, a right side plate 11 that forms the right side surface, and a left side plate 13 that forms the left side surface.

[0015] 1, front panel 16 is provided with front air intake port 15. Front air intake port 15 is a rectangular opening through which air is drawn from the outside to the inside of housing 10. Front air intake port 15 is provided at a position on front panel 16 closer to right side panel 11 than to left side panel 13. A plurality of fastening holes 20, which are through holes, are provided in the front plate 16 at a position close to the edge of the front air intake port 15 on the side of the left plate 13. These fastening holes 20 are provided so as to be aligned on the same straight line extending along the vertical direction of the housing 10. In this embodiment, three fastening holes 20 are provided in the front plate 16.

[0016] A side air intake port 17 is provided in the right side plate 11. The side air intake port 17 is a rectangular opening through which air is drawn into the inside of the housing 10. The side air intake port 17 is provided in a position on the right side plate 11 closer to the front plate 16 than to the back plate 18. Three fastening holes 20 are provided on the right side plate 11 near the edge of the side air intake 17 on the rear plate 18 side so as to be aligned on a straight line extending along the vertical direction of the housing 10.

[0017] 2, the rear panel 18 is provided with an exhaust port 19. This exhaust port 19 is an opening through which air drawn into the housing 10 is blown out to the outside of the housing 10. The front air intake 15, the side air intake 17, and the exhaust vent 19 may be provided with a filter or a lattice-like protective member.

[0018] The internal space S of the housing 10 is divided into two spaces by a partition plate 21. The partition plate 21 is a plate-shaped member that extends with a predetermined height dimension along the up-down direction of the housing 10 and also extends along the front-rear direction of the housing 10. The partition plate 21 is fixed to the housing 10 by having its lower end connected to the bottom plate 12. The partition plate 21 has an end portion located on the front side of the housing 10 connected to the front plate 16, and an end portion located on the rear side of the housing 10 connected to the rear plate 18. As a result, two spaces are defined inside the housing 10, separated by the partition plate 21: a machine chamber S1 located on the left side of the housing 10, and a fan chamber S2 located on the right side of the housing 10.

[0019] The machine room S1 accommodates the compressor 5, the expansion valve, the inlet / outlet header pipes 52 provided in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, members constituting the refrigeration circuit such as refrigerant piping, and various electric components. The blower chamber S2 houses the blower 30 and the outdoor heat exchanger 40 excluding the inlet / outlet header pipe 52. The blower 30 is an axial fan that is rotationally driven to introduce air from outside the housing 10 into the blower chamber S2, exchange heat with the refrigerant flowing through the outdoor heat exchanger 40, and then release the air again to the outside of the housing 10. The blower 30 includes a fan motor 32 and an impeller 34. The fan motor 32 is a drive unit that rotates the impeller 34, and the fan motor 32 includes a drive shaft 36 to which the impeller 34 is attached. The impeller 34 is a rotating part that is rotated by the fan motor 32 to send out air in the axial flow direction. The blower 30 is disposed at a position where the impeller 34 faces the exhaust port 19 and where the tip of the drive shaft 36 faces the exhaust port 19 .

[0020] When the blower 30 is rotationally driven, air flows from outside the outdoor unit 1 into the inside of the housing 10, i.e., into the blower chamber S2. Specifically, as shown by arrow A in Fig. 2, the air flows into the blower chamber S2 mainly from the front air intake 15 and the side air intake 17. The air flowing through the blower chamber S2 is exhausted by the blower 30 from the exhaust port 19 to the outside of the housing 10.

[0021] [1-1-2. Configuration of outdoor heat exchanger] The outdoor heat exchanger 40 is a heat exchanger in which a flow path through which a refrigerant flows is formed, and which functions as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant supplied from the indoor unit, or as a condenser that condenses the refrigerant. As shown in FIG. 2, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 of the present embodiment is formed into a generally L-shape in plan view. The outdoor heat exchanger 40 corresponds to the "heat exchanger" in this disclosure.

[0022] Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the outdoor heat exchanger 40. Figure 3 shows the outdoor heat exchanger 40 viewed from the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 side, and Figure 4 shows the outdoor heat exchanger 40 viewed from the connecting header pipe 54 side. For ease of explanation, Figures 3 and 4 show the outdoor heat exchanger 40 as being linear in plan view. For ease of explanation, Figures 3 and 4 omit some of the fins 64. For ease of explanation, Figure 3 omits the connecting pipe portion 70. 3 and 4, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 includes a plurality of heat exchange sections 50. In the present embodiment, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 includes two heat exchange sections 50.

[0023] The heat exchange section 50 is provided with an inlet / outlet header pipe 52 at one end in the longitudinal direction. The inlet / outlet header pipe 52 is a substantially cylindrical member in which both ends of a circular tubular pipe are closed with flat surfaces. The inlet / outlet header pipe 52 is arranged such that its longitudinal direction extends along the vertical direction of the outdoor unit 1. The inlet / outlet header pipe 52 is provided with an internal space SP therein.

[0024] The heat exchange section 50 is provided with a connecting header pipe 54 at the other end in the longitudinal direction. The connecting header pipe 54 in this embodiment has substantially the same shape as the inlet / outlet header pipe 52, and is a substantially cylindrical member in which both ends of a circular tubular pipe are closed with flat surfaces. The connecting header pipe 54 is disposed such that its longitudinal direction extends along the vertical direction of the outdoor unit 1. The connecting header pipe 54 has an internal space SQ therein.

[0025] The heat exchange unit 50 includes a plurality of flat tubes 62. The flat tubes 62 are long, flat members. A plurality of spaces extending along the longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 62 are provided inside the flat tubes 62. The spaces function as flow paths through which the refrigerant flows.

[0026] One end of the flat tube 62 located in the longitudinal direction is connected to a side surface of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52. The other end of the flat tube 62 located in the longitudinal direction is connected to a side surface of the connecting header pipe 54. The flat tube 62 is arranged such that the plate thickness direction of the flat tube 62 extends along the longitudinal direction of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 and the connecting header pipe 54.

[0027] The flat tubes 62 are arranged with their ends aligned at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 and the connecting header pipe 54. The longitudinal direction of the flat tubes 62 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the outdoor heat exchanger 40. An opening is provided at both ends of each of the flat tubes 62. The openings communicate with a space that functions as a flow path provided inside each of the flat tubes 62. One end of each of the flat tubes 62 opens to the internal space SP, and the other end opens to the internal space SQ.

[0028] The heat exchange section 50 includes a plurality of fins 64. The fins 64 are long, flat members whose longitudinal direction extends along the up-down direction of the outdoor unit 1. The fins 64 are provided with a plurality of insertion holes that penetrate the fins 64 in the plate thickness direction and through which each of the flat tubes 62 can be inserted. Each of the flat tubes 62 is connected to the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 and the connecting header pipe 54 while being inserted into each through hole of the fins 64. That is, each of the fins 64 is arranged with its longitudinal direction perpendicular to each of the flat tubes 62. The longitudinal direction of each of the fins 64 thus arranged coincides with the longitudinal directions of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 and the connecting header pipe 54.

[0029] 2, in the blower chamber S2, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 is disposed such that its longitudinal direction runs along the front plate 16 and the right side plate 11. Specifically, the inlet / outlet side header pipe 52 is disposed in a position close to the edge of the front air intake 15 on the left side plate 13 side, and the connecting header pipe 54 is disposed in a position close to the edge of the side air intake 17 on the back plate 18 side. The outdoor heat exchanger 40 is disposed so as to be bent so as to be close to the corner 23 of the housing 10 formed by the front plate 16 and the right side plate 11.

[0030] 2, in the blower chamber S2, the heat exchange units 50 are arranged side by side along the air flow direction. Specifically, one heat exchange unit 50 is arranged at a position farther away from the blower 30 than the other outdoor heat exchanger 40. In other words, one heat exchange unit 50 is arranged downstream in the air flow direction than the other outdoor heat exchange unit. The inlet / outlet header pipes 52 and the connecting header pipes 54 included in each heat exchange section 50 are disposed adjacent to each other along the air flow direction.

[0031] The outdoor unit 1 is provided with fixing members 38 that fix each of the outdoor heat exchangers 40 to the housing 10. Specifically, the inlet / outlet header pipes 52 included in each of the outdoor heat exchangers 40 are fixed to the front panel 16 by a plurality of fixing members 38, and the connecting header pipes 54 included in each of the outdoor heat exchangers 40 are fixed to the right side panel 11 by a plurality of fixing members 38. In the present embodiment, each of the inlet / outlet header pipes 52 and the connecting header pipe 54 is fixed by three fixing members 38. As a result, the entrance / exit side header pipe 52 and the connecting header pipe 54 fixed to the housing 10 are both arranged with their longitudinal directions aligned along the up-down direction of the housing 10 .

[0032] 1 , in the outdoor heat exchanger 40 arranged in this manner, most of the flat tubes 62 and the fins 64 are exposed from the housing 10 via the front air intake 15 and the side air intake 17. On the other hand, the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 is shielded by the front plate 16, and the connecting header pipe 54 is shielded by the right side plate 11.

[0033] 2, the partition plate 21 is provided so as to pass between the entrance / exit header pipe 52 and the multiple fins 64. As a result, the entrance / exit header pipe 52 is disposed in the machine chamber S1, and the multiple flat tubes 62, the fins 64, and the connecting header pipe 54 are disposed in the blower chamber S2.

[0034] 3 and 4, in the heat exchange section 50 located upstream in the air flow direction, a first refrigerant piping 66 is connected to the inlet / outlet header pipe 52. In the heat exchange section 50 located downstream in the air flow direction, a second refrigerant piping 68 is connected to the inlet / outlet header pipe 52. The first refrigerant piping 66 and the second refrigerant piping 68 are tubular members that function as the inlet or outlet of the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger 40. The first refrigerant piping 66 is connected to a lower part of a side surface of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52. The second refrigerant piping 68 is connected to an upper part of a side surface of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52. In the present embodiment, the second refrigerant piping 68 is formed to have a smaller pipe diameter than the first refrigerant piping 66.

[0035] [1-1-3. Configuration of the connecting pipe section] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken along plane V of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, in outdoor heat exchanger 40, the connecting header pipe 54 located upstream in the air flow direction and the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream in the air flow direction are connected by a connecting pipe portion 70. The connecting pipe section 70 includes a first connecting pipe 72 and a second connecting pipe 74. The first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 are both tubular members. Both ends of the first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 are bent in the same direction with a predetermined bending radius R, and the central portion is formed into a straight pipe shape. In this embodiment, the first connecting pipe 72 has a larger pipe diameter than the second connecting pipe 74. The internal space between the first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 functions as a flow path through which the refrigerant flows.

[0036] The first connecting pipe 72 connects the lower part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the upstream side of the air flow to the upper part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the downstream side of the air flow. The second connecting pipe 74 connects an upper part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the upstream side of the air flow and a lower part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the downstream side of the air flow.

[0037] In this way, the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located upstream of the air flow is connected to the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream of the air flow via the first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74. That is, the multiple heat exchange sections 50 are connected by the connecting pipe sections 70 .

[0038] The second connecting pipe 74 passes through a position that is farther away from the connecting header pipe 54 than the first connecting pipe 72. In other words, the first connecting pipe 72 passes between the second connecting pipe 74 and the connecting header pipe 54. Therefore, the first connecting pipe 72 has a shorter length dimension than the second connecting pipe 74.

[0039] The connection pipe portion 70 corresponds to the "connection portion" of the present disclosure. The first connecting pipe 72 corresponds to the "first connecting portion" of the present disclosure. The second connecting pipe 74 corresponds to the "second connecting portion" of the present disclosure.

[0040] In this embodiment, the inlet / outlet header pipe 52, the connecting header pipe 54, the first refrigerant piping 66, the second refrigerant piping 68, the multiple flat tubes 62, the multiple fins 64, the first connecting pipe 72, and the second connecting pipe 74 are all formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In this embodiment, the inlet / outlet header pipe 52, the connecting header pipe 54, the first refrigerant piping 66, the second refrigerant piping 68, the multiple flat tubes 62, the multiple fins 64, the first connecting pipe 72, and the second connecting pipe 74 are fixed to each other by brazing.

[0041] [1-2. Operation] The operation of the outdoor unit 1 configured as above will be described below.

[0042] First, the flow of refrigerant in the air conditioner will be described. In the case of heating operation of the air conditioner, when the outdoor unit 1 starts operating, the compressor 5 is driven. The compressor 5 compresses the refrigerant sealed in the refrigeration circuit, and sends out the gas refrigerant through each refrigerant pipe.

[0043] This gas refrigerant releases heat and is condensed in the indoor heat exchanger, then flows through piping into the expansion valve, where the pressure is reduced, and flows through the first refrigerant piping 66 into the internal space SP of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 located upstream of the air flow. The refrigerant that has flowed into the internal space SP passes through each of the flat tubes 62 located upstream of the air flow, exchanges heat with air, and then flows into the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located upstream of the air flow.

[0044] Thereafter, the refrigerant flows from the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 54 located upstream of the air flow into the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 54 located upstream of the air flow via the connecting pipe portion 70. The refrigerant passes through each of the flat tubes 62 located downstream of the air flow, exchanges heat with the air, and then flows into the internal space SP of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 located downstream of the air flow. The refrigerant then returns to the compressor 5 from the second refrigerant piping 68.

[0045] When the outdoor unit 1 starts operating, the blower 30 starts to rotate prior to the compressor 5. This causes air to flow into the blower chamber S2 from outside the outdoor unit 1. The air flowing into the blower chamber S2 passes between the flat tubes 62 and the fins 64 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the outdoor heat exchanger 40 and the up-down direction, in other words, along the width direction of the flat tubes 62.

[0046] This promotes heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing inside the flat tubes 62 and the air flowing between the fins 64. The air that has exchanged heat with the refrigerant is exhausted by the blower 30 from the exhaust port 19 to the outside of the housing 10 .

[0047] By repeating the above-mentioned operation, the outdoor unit 1 absorbs heat from the outdoor air into the refrigeration circuit and sends it out into the room. When the air conditioner performs cooling operation, the refrigerant circulates in the refrigeration circuit in the opposite direction to that in heating operation, and the outdoor heat exchanger 40 functions as a condenser.

[0048] When the outdoor heat exchanger 40 functions as an evaporator, the refrigerant flowing into the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 54 located upstream of the air flow becomes a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant. In this case, in the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 54, gravity causes the liquid refrigerant to move so as to collect at the lower side of the connection header pipe 54. Also, in the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 54, the gas refrigerant moves so as to collect at the upper side of the connection header pipe 54.

[0049] In this embodiment, in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54, which is located on the upstream side of the air flow, the refrigerant that collects on the lower side of the connecting header pipe 54 is flowed via the first connecting pipe 72 to the upper part of the connecting header pipe 54, which is located on the downstream side of the air flow. In addition, in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54, which is located upstream of the air flow, the refrigerant that collects on the upper side of the connecting header pipe 54 is flowed via the second connecting pipe 74 to the lower part of the connecting header pipe 54, which is located downstream of the air flow.

[0050] As a result, in the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 54 located downstream of the air flow, the gas refrigerant rises from the lower part to the upper part of the connection header pipe 54. On the other hand, the liquid refrigerant falls from the upper part to the lower part of the connection header pipe 54. For this reason, as described above, the gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant are mixed by the refrigerant moving inside each of the connecting header pipes 54. Then, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream in the air flow, and the heat exchange performance can be improved.

[0051] As described above, the first connecting pipe 72 has a larger pipe diameter than the second connecting pipe 74. That is, the first connecting pipe 72 is formed so that the cross-sectional area in the direction intersecting the direction in which the refrigerant flow path extends is larger than that of the second connecting pipe 74. In addition, the first connecting pipe 72 is formed so that the refrigerant flow path length is shorter than that of the second connecting pipe 74. As a result, the first connecting pipe 72 has a smaller flow resistance when the refrigerant flows than the second connecting pipe 74. This makes it possible to promote the flow of liquid refrigerant from the lower part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the upstream side of the air flow to the upper part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the downstream side of the air flow. As a result, even when the outdoor unit 1 is operating at a low load, where the refrigerant circulation volume is small and the refrigerant flow speed is slow, making it difficult for liquid refrigerant to flow above the header pipe, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream of the air flow. As a result, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, refrigerant in a substantially uniform state can be made to flow through the flat tubes 62 located downstream of the air flow, improving heat exchange performance.

[0052] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of heat exchange sections 50 arranged in the air flow direction, and a plurality of connecting pipe sections 70 having flow paths through which a refrigerant can flow. The heat exchange section 50 includes a plurality of inlet / outlet header pipes 52 arranged at one end of the heat exchange section 50, extending in the vertical direction, and having inlets through which a refrigerant can flow in from the outside or out to the outside. The heat exchange section 50 includes a connecting header pipe 54 arranged at the other end of the heat exchange section 50 and extending in the vertical direction. The heat exchange section 50 includes a plurality of flat tubes 62 arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 and the connecting header pipe 54, each of which has one longitudinal end connected to the inlet / outlet header pipe 52 and the other longitudinal end connected to the connecting header pipe 54. The connecting pipe section 70 comprises a first connecting pipe 72 that connects the lower part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the upstream side of the air flow to the upper part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the downstream side of the air flow, and a second connecting pipe 74 that connects the upper part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the upstream side of the air flow to the lower part of the connecting header pipe 54 located on the downstream side of the air flow.

[0053] As a result, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, the gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant are mixed as the refrigerant moves inside each of the connecting header pipes 54 as described above. Therefore, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream in the air flow, and heat exchange performance can be improved.

[0054] As in this embodiment, the connection pipe portion 70 may be formed of a tubular member. As a result, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, a flow path connecting the connecting header pipe 54 located on the upstream side of the air flow and the connecting header pipe 54 located on the downstream side of the air flow can be easily formed with a simple structure. Therefore, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant in the connecting header pipe 54 can be easily made uniform.

[0055] As in this embodiment, the flow path of the first connecting pipe 72 may have a larger cross-sectional area than the flow path of the second connecting pipe 74 in a direction intersecting the direction in which the flow paths extend. As a result, the first connecting pipe 72 has a smaller flow resistance when the refrigerant flows than the second connecting pipe 74. Therefore, in the outdoor heat exchanger 40, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream of the air flow.

[0056] In the embodiment described above, the connection pipe portion 70 includes two tubular members, the first connection pipe 72 and the second connection pipe 74. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other tubular members may be provided that connect the connecting header pipe 54 located upstream of the air flow and the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream of the air flow, such as the third connecting piping 76 shown in FIG. 6. In this case, it is desirable for the first connecting pipe 72 to have a pipe diameter larger than the second connecting pipe 74 and other tubular members. The first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 may have substantially the same pipe diameter. Furthermore, a plurality of other tubular members may be provided.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 includes two heat exchange sections 50. However, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 is not limited to this and may include three or more heat exchange sections 50. In this case, the connecting pipe section 70 may include connecting pipes in at least the same number as the heat exchange sections 50. Furthermore, for example, when the outdoor heat exchanger 40 includes three or more heat exchange sections 50, the connecting pipe section 70 may include a connecting pipe having one end branched into multiple parts, and the connecting pipe may connect one heat exchange section 50 to multiple heat exchange sections.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the first connecting pipe 72 is arranged to pass outside the second connecting pipe 74, but this is not limiting, and the first connecting pipe 72 may be arranged to pass inside the second connecting pipe 74, as shown in Fig. 6. This makes the first connecting pipe 72 shorter in flow path length than the second connecting pipe 74. Therefore, the first connecting pipe 72 has a smaller flow path resistance than the second connecting pipe 74 when the refrigerant flows through it.

[0059] In the above-described first embodiment, both ends of the first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 are bent in the same direction at a predetermined bend R, and the central portion is formed into a straight pipe shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 may have any shape as long as they are tubular members that connect the connecting header pipe 54 located upstream in the air flow direction to the connecting header pipe 54 located downstream in the air flow direction. For example, the first connecting pipe 72 and the second connecting pipe 74 may be formed into an arc shape in a plan view.

[0060] (Embodiment 2) The second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0061] [2-1. Structure of the linked header pipe] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an outdoor heat exchanger 140 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 7, the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 7, the outdoor heat exchanger 140 includes two heat exchange sections 150. Each of the heat exchange sections 150 includes a connecting header pipe 154 at the other end in the longitudinal direction.

[0062] FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the outdoor heat exchanger 140 taken along plane VII in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, a connection header pipe 154 of this embodiment is formed in the shape of a square tube prism in which both ends of the square tube are closed by flat surfaces. The adjacent coupling header pipes 154 are arranged along the air flow direction with their opposing side surfaces 151 in contact with each other. The coupling header pipes 154 are connected to each other by, for example, brazing with their opposing side surfaces 151 in surface contact with each other. The upper end of each of the connecting header pipes 154 is closed by a flat plate-shaped top member 156. The lower end of each of the connecting header pipes 154 is closed by a flat plate-shaped bottom member 158.

[0063] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting header pipe 154. As shown in FIG. 8 and 9, a connection portion 170 is provided on the connection header pipe 154. The connection portion 170 is a structure that connects the connection header pipes 154 to each other and allows the internal spaces SQ of the connection header pipes 154 to communicate with each other.

[0064] The connecting portion 170 includes a first connecting portion 172 , a second connecting portion 174 , and a third connecting portion 176 . The first connecting portion 172 includes a pair of first recesses 182. The second connecting portion 174 includes a pair of second recesses 184. The third connecting portion 176 includes a pair of third recesses 186. The first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are each formed by each of the pair of side surfaces 151 being recessed in a direction away from the other side surface 151. That is, the first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are formed by each of the pair of side surfaces 151 being recessed toward the internal space SQ.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 9, the first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are all provided over the entire longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe 154. As shown in Fig. 8, the first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are all arranged side by side on each side surface 151 along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction.

[0066] The first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are provided on each of the side surfaces 151 at positions that are line-symmetrical with respect to the connection point of the opposing side surfaces 151 in a plan view. Therefore, when each of the connecting header pipes 154 are connected to each other, a flow path space SR1 formed by being surrounded by each of the first recesses 182, a flow path space SR2 formed by being surrounded by each of the second recesses 184, and a flow path space SR3 formed by being surrounded by each of the third recesses 186 are formed at the locations where the connecting header pipes 154 are connected to each other. The upper ends of each of the flow path spaces SR1, SR2, and SR3 are closed by a top surface member 156. The lower ends of each of the flow path spaces SR1, SR2, and SR3 are closed by a bottom surface member 158 having a flat plate shape. 8, the flow path space SR1 is formed so that its cross-sectional area along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction is larger than that of the flow path space SR3. The flow path space SR3 is formed so that its cross-sectional area along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction is larger than that of the flow path space SR2.

[0067] The first connection portion 172 has a flow path space SR1 as an internal space. The second connection portion 174 has a flow path space SR2 as an internal space. The third connection portion 176 has a flow path space SR1 as an internal space. In the connecting header pipe 154, the first connection portion 172, the second connection portion 174, and the third connection portion 176 form a tubular portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the connecting header pipe 154. In this embodiment, a connection portion 170 is provided on the connecting header pipe 154 by arranging the second connection portion 174, the third connection portion 176, and the first connection portion 172 in that order from the side to which the flat tubes 62 are connected toward the opposite side.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 9, the first connection portion 172 includes a lower hole 191 and an upper hole 192 . The lower hole 191 is a through-hole that penetrates in the plate thickness direction of the side surface 151 in the first recess 182 located on the upstream side of the air flow. The lower hole 191 is provided on the lower side of the first recess 182. The lower hole 191 communicates between the flow path space SR1 and the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located on the upstream side of the air flow.

[0069] The upper hole 192 is a through-hole that penetrates the side surface 151 in the plate thickness direction in the first recessed portion 182 located on the downstream side of the air flow. The upper hole 192 is provided on the upper side of the first recessed portion 182. The upper hole 192 communicates between the flow path space SR1 and the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located on the downstream side of the air flow. The lower hole 191 and the upper hole 192 have substantially the same diameter dimension.

[0070] The second connecting portion 174 includes an upper hole 193 and a lower hole 194 . The upper hole 193 is a through-hole that penetrates the second recess 184 located on the upstream side of the air flow in the plate thickness direction of the side surface 151. The upper hole 193 is provided on the upper side of the second recess 184. The upper hole 193 communicates between the flow path space SR2 and the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located on the upstream side of the air flow.

[0071] The lower hole 194 is a through-hole that penetrates in the plate thickness direction of the side surface 151 in the second recess 184 located on the downstream side of the air flow. The lower hole 194 is provided on the lower side of the second recess 184. The lower hole 194 communicates between the flow path space SR2 and the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located on the downstream side of the air flow. Upper hole 193 and lower hole 194 have substantially the same diameter. Lower hole 191 is formed to have a larger diameter than lower hole 194.

[0072] The third connection portion 176 includes a communication hole 196. The communication hole 196 is a through hole that penetrates each of the third recesses 186 in the plate thickness direction of the side surface 151. Each of the communication holes 196 is provided between the lower hole 191 and the upper hole 192, and between the upper hole 193 and the lower hole 194 in the up-down direction of the connecting header pipe 154. The lower holes 191, 194 and the upper holes 192, 193 correspond to the "communicating holes" of the present disclosure.

[0073] [2-2. Operation] The operation of the outdoor unit 1 configured as above will be described below.

[0074] In the present embodiment, when the outdoor heat exchanger 140 functions as an evaporator, the refrigerant that collects at the lower side of the connecting header pipe 154 in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located upstream of the air flow is flowed via the first connection part 172 to the upper part of the connecting header pipe 154 located downstream of the air flow. In addition, in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located upstream of the air flow, the refrigerant that collects on the upper side of the connecting header pipe 154 is flowed via the second connection part 174 to the lower part of the connecting header pipe 154 located downstream of the air flow. In addition, in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located upstream of the air flow, the refrigerant that collects in the middle part of the connecting header pipe 154 is flowed via the third connection part 176 to the middle part of the connecting header pipe 154 located downstream of the air flow.

[0075] As a result, in the internal space SQ of the connection header pipe 154 located downstream of the air flow, the gas refrigerant rises from the lower part to the upper part of the connection header pipe 154. On the other hand, the liquid refrigerant falls from the upper part to the lower part of the connection header pipe 154. Therefore, as described above, the gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant are mixed by the refrigerant moving inside each of the connecting header pipes 154. Then, in the outdoor heat exchanger 140, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space SQ of the connecting header pipe 154 located downstream of the air flow, and the heat exchange performance can be improved.

[0076] Furthermore, in the outdoor heat exchanger 140, the refrigerant flows through flow path spaces SR1, SR2, and SR3 surrounded by the connecting header pipes 54, thereby making the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant uniform in the header pipe at the other end of the rear row heat exchanger and improving heat exchange performance, especially during high-load operation when the refrigerant circulation volume is large and the refrigerant flow rate is high and inertial forces are likely to be generated. In addition, in the outdoor heat exchanger 140, a flow passage that connects the pair of connecting header pipes 154 to each other can be formed without the connecting header pipes 154 protruding outward.

[0077] As described above, the first connection portion 172 is formed so that the cross-sectional area in the direction intersecting the direction in which the coolant flow path extends is larger than that of the second connection portion 174. As a result, first connection portion 172 has a smaller flow path resistance when the refrigerant flows than second connection portion 174. This makes it possible to promote the flow of liquid refrigerant from the lower portion of connection header pipe 154 located on the upstream side of the air flow to the upper portion of connection header pipe 154 located on the downstream side of the air flow.

[0078] (Other embodiments) As described above, the first and second embodiments have been described as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. In addition, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first and second embodiments to create new embodiments.

[0079] In the above-described second embodiment, the coupled header pipe 154 is formed by a pair of square tubular pipe members in surface contact with each other at the opposing side surfaces 151. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the coupled header pipe 154 may be formed by a pair of circular tubular pipe members in surface contact with each other at the opposing side surfaces.

[0080] Also, for example, the connected header pipe 154 may be formed by arranging three or more pipe members in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction and connecting adjacent side surfaces of the pipe members in surface contact with each other. In this case, the connected header pipe is provided with a connection portion 170 at each of the points of surface contact.

[0081] In the above-described second embodiment, the connection header pipe 154 includes the first connection portion 172, the second connection portion 174, and the third connection portion 176. However, this is not limited to the above, and the connection header pipe 154 may include only the first connection portion 172 and the second connection portion 174. Furthermore, for example, the connection header pipe 154 may include, as the connection portion 170, three or more tubular portions extending in the longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe 154.

[0082] In the above-described second embodiment, the first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are all provided over the entire longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe 154. In other words, the connection portion 170 is provided over the entire longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe 154. However, this is not limiting, and the connection portion 170 may be provided only in a portion of the longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe 154.

[0083] In the above-described second embodiment, the first connecting portion 172, the second connecting portion 174, and the third connecting portion 176 are formed in a polygonal shape when viewed in a cross section taken along a plane intersecting the longitudinal direction, as shown in Fig. 8. However, this is not limiting, and the connecting portion 170 may be formed in any shape, such as a circle or a rectangle, when viewed in a cross section taken along a plane intersecting the longitudinal direction.

[0084] 8, in the above-described second embodiment, the first recess 182, the second recess 184, and the third recess 186 are recessed in a direction away from the other side surface 151 on each of the pair of side surfaces 151. The first connection portion 172, the second connection portion 174, and the third connection portion 176 are formed by combining the opposing side surfaces 151 with each other and combining the pair of first recesses 182, the pair of second recesses 184, and the pair of third recesses 186 in a state where they face each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the connection portion 170 may be formed by providing a recess on only one of the opposing side surfaces 151. In this case, the connection portion 170 is formed by closing an open portion of the recess formed on one side surface with the other side surface 151.

[0085] In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 is provided in the outdoor unit 1 of the air conditioner. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the outdoor heat exchanger 40 may be provided in a cooling device such as a showcase, a hot water heater, a water heater, etc. In other words, the outdoor heat exchanger 40 may be provided in any heat pump device.

[0086] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0087] (Additional Note) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques.

[0088] (Technology 1) A heat exchanger that exchanges heat with flowing air, comprising a plurality of heat exchange sections arranged in a line in the air flow direction, and a plurality of connection sections having flow paths through which a refrigerant can flow, the heat exchange sections being arranged at one end of the heat exchange sections, extending in the vertical direction, and having a plurality of inlet / outlet side header pipes having inlets through which a refrigerant can flow in from the outside and through which a refrigerant can flow out to the outside, a connecting header pipe being arranged at the other end of the heat exchange sections and extending in the vertical direction, and a connecting header pipe having a longitudinal direction that extends in a direction intersecting the air flow direction, one longitudinal end of which is connected to the inlet / outlet side header pipes. and a plurality of flat tubes arranged in a row along the longitudinal directions of the inlet / outlet header pipe and the connecting header pipe, the other longitudinal end of which is connected to the connecting header pipe, wherein the connection portion comprises a first connection portion connecting a lower portion of the connecting header pipe located on the upstream side of the air flow to an upper portion of the connecting header pipe located on the downstream side of the air flow, and a second connection portion connecting the upper portion of the connecting header pipe located on the upstream side of the air flow to the lower portion of the connecting header pipe located on the downstream side of the air flow. As a result, in the heat exchanger, the gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant are mixed as the refrigerant moves inside each of the connected header pipes as described above. Therefore, in the heat exchanger, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space of the connected header pipe located downstream of the air flow, and the heat exchange performance can be improved.

[0089] (Technical Technique 2) The heat exchanger according to Technical Technique 1, wherein the connection portion is a tubular member. This allows the heat exchanger to easily form a flow path connecting the connecting header pipe located on the upstream side of the air flow with the connecting header pipe located on the downstream side of the air flow with a simple structure, so that the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant in the connecting header pipe can be easily made uniform in the chamber exchanger.

[0090] (Technology 3) A heat exchanger according to Technology 1, in which adjacent connecting header pipes are arranged in contact with each other on opposing side surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces is provided with a recess that is recessed in a direction away from the other side surface and extends along the longitudinal direction of the connecting header pipe, and a plurality of the recesses are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the connecting header pipe, and the connection portion comprises a flow path space surrounded by the recess and the other side surface, and a communication hole is provided in each side surface of the connecting header pipe, communicating the flow path space with an internal space of each of the connecting header pipes. As a result, in the heat exchanger, a flow path can be formed that connects a pair of connecting header pipes to each other without the connecting header pipes protruding outward. This allows the heat exchanger to save space, for example in an outdoor unit that houses the heat exchanger. In addition, the heat exchanger can form a flow path that connects the connecting header pipe located upstream of the air flow and the connecting header pipe located downstream of the air flow with a simple structure while reducing the number of parts.

[0091] (Technology 4) The heat exchanger according to any one of Technology 1 to Technology 3, wherein the flow passage of the first connection portion has a larger cross-sectional area in a direction intersecting a direction in which the flow passage extends than the flow passage of the second connection portion. As a result, the flow path of the first connection part has a smaller flow path resistance when the refrigerant flows than the flow path of the second connection part, so that in the heat exchanger, the gas-liquid state of the refrigerant can be made uniform in the internal space of the connection header pipe located downstream of the air flow.

[0092] (Technical 5) An outdoor unit of an air conditioner, comprising: the heat exchanger according to any one of Technical 1 to Technical 4; and a blower that sends air to the heat exchanger. This allows the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to achieve the same effects as the above-mentioned heat exchanger. [Industrial Applicability]

[0093] The present disclosure is applicable to a heat exchanger including a flat tube and a header pipe, and more specifically, to a heat exchanger mounted in an outdoor unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1 Outdoor unit 5. Compressor 10. Chassis 11 Right side plate 12 Bottom plate 13 Left side plate 14 Tabletop 15 Front air intake 16 Front plate 17 Side air intake 18 Back plate 19 Exhaust port 20 Fastening hole 21 Partition 23 Corner 30 Blower 32 Fan motor 34 Impeller 36 Drive shaft 38 Fixing member 40 Outdoor heat exchanger 50 Heat exchange section 52 Header pipe on entrance / exit side 54 Connecting header pipe 62 Flat tube 64 Finn 66 First refrigerant piping 68 Second refrigerant piping 70 Connection pipe section (connection section) 72 First connecting pipe (first connecting part) 74 Second connecting pipe (second connecting part) 76 Third connecting pipe 140 Outdoor heat exchanger 150 Heat exchange section 151 Side 154 Connecting header pipe 156 Top surface parts 158 Bottom member 170 Connection 172 First Connection 174 Second Connection 176 Third Connection 182 First recess (recess) 184 Second recess (recess) 186 Third recess (recess) 191, 194 Lower hole (communication hole) 192, 193 Upper hole (communication hole) 196 Communication hole 154 Connecting header pipe S interior space S1 Machine room S2 Blower room SP interior space SQ interior space SR1 Flow passage space SR2 Flow passage space SR3 Flow space

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for exchanging heat with flowing air, comprising: A plurality of heat exchange units arranged in a direction of air flow; A plurality of connection parts provided with flow paths through which a coolant can flow; Equipped with The heat exchange unit is a plurality of inlet / outlet header pipes disposed at one end of the heat exchange unit, extending in a vertical direction, and having inlets and outlets through which a refrigerant can flow in from the outside and out to the outside; a connecting header pipe disposed at the other end of the heat exchange unit and extending in the vertical direction; a plurality of flat tubes, the longitudinal direction of which extends in a direction intersecting the air flow direction, one longitudinal end of which is connected to the inlet / outlet header pipe and the other longitudinal end of which is connected to the connecting header pipe, the flat tubes being arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of each of the inlet / outlet header pipe and the connecting header pipe; Equipped with The connection portion is a first connection portion that connects a lower portion of the connection header pipe located on an upstream side of an air flow and an upper portion of the connection header pipe located on a downstream side of the air flow; a second connection portion that connects an upper portion of the connection header pipe located on the upstream side of the air flow and a lower portion of the connection header pipe located on the downstream side of the air flow; Equipped heat exchanger.

2. The connection portion is a tubular member.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1.

3. Adjacent connecting header pipes are arranged in contact with each other on opposing sides, At least one of the side surfaces is provided with a recess that is recessed in a direction away from the other side surface and extends along the longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe, The recessed portion is provided in a plurality of rows in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the connection header pipe, The connection portion is a flow path space surrounded by the recess and the other side surface; a communication hole provided on a side surface of each of the connection header pipes, the communication hole communicating the flow passage space with an internal space of each of the connection header pipes; Equipped 2. The heat exchanger of claim 1.

4. The flow passage of the first connection portion has a cross-sectional area in a direction intersecting a direction in which the flow passage extends that is larger than a cross-sectional area of ​​the flow passage of the second connection portion. A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 3; A blower that blows air into the heat exchanger; Equipped An outdoor unit for an air conditioning system.

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