Outdoor unit and refrigeration cycle device

Abstract

The present invention is provided with a housing and an outdoor heat exchanger that has a plurality of heat transfer pipes through which a fluid passes and each of which are connected to a pair of headers, the pair of headers being vertically divided in the height direction and installed along a side surface of the housing. The present invention has a drainage part in which a drainage hole that has a horizontally-long-shaped edge and that opens is formed. A concealment panel which corresponds to the lower header on the lower side of the pair of headers covers the lower header to conceal the lower header from the outside.

Description

Outdoor units and refrigeration cycle devices

[0001] This technology relates to an outdoor unit and a refrigeration cycle device, and in particular to concealing the equipment inside the outdoor unit.

[0002] A top-flow outdoor unit has an air outlet on the top surface of the housing, and an outdoor heat exchanger is installed on the side of the housing, surrounding a centrally located fan. Because air flows into the outdoor heat exchanger, a portion of the outdoor heat exchanger can be seen from outside the outdoor unit. Also, there is a heat exchanger with a pair of headers at both ends of multiple heat transfer tubes that branch and merge the refrigerant (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2010-107103 A

[0004] When the outdoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser, high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant flows from the compressor into the header of the outdoor heat exchanger. If the header is arranged horizontally, the metal sheets constituting the housing can function as pillars at the corners of the side surfaces of the housing to cover the header and conceal it from the outside.

[0005] However, in a heat exchanger with headers arranged vertically, it is difficult to hide the headers in the housing. Therefore, it is necessary to conceal the headers, especially the lower header into which the refrigerant flows from the compressor. Even if concealment is possible, drainage measures are also required to prevent rainwater and drainage water from dripping from the lower part of the outdoor unit.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an outdoor unit and a refrigeration cycle device that can hide the header while allowing drainage.

[0007] The outdoor unit according to this disclosure has a housing and a plurality of heat transfer tubes each connected to a pair of headers through which a fluid passes, the pair of headers being separated vertically into upper and lower sections, and an outdoor heat exchanger installed along the side of the housing, a drainage section having a drainage hole with an opening having a horizontally elongated edge, and a concealing panel installed corresponding to the lower header of the pair of headers to cover the lower header and hide it from the outside.

[0008] A refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present disclosure includes the outdoor unit described above.

[0009] According to the disclosed outdoor unit and refrigeration cycle device, the lower header can be hidden from the outside by installing a concealing panel in a position corresponding to the lower header. In this case, the concealing panel has a horizontally elongated drainage hole, which allows water that drips from the outdoor heat exchanger to be drained, preventing the dripping water from freezing and growing and reaching the lower header.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an air conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an outdoor unit 200 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an outdoor heat exchanger 230 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the periphery of the outdoor heat exchanger 230 in the outdoor unit 200 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a hidden panel 280 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the periphery of the hidden panel 280 in the outdoor unit 200 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a drain pan 290 according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship within the outdoor unit 200 of the outdoor heat exchanger 230 according to Embodiment 1, the hidden panel 280, and the drain pan 290. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a hidden panel 280 according to Embodiment 2.

[0011] The following describes outdoor units and refrigeration cycle devices according to embodiments, with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, components with the same reference numerals are identical or equivalent and are common throughout the following embodiments. The dimensional relationships between components in the drawings may differ from those in reality. Furthermore, in cross-sectional views, hatching is omitted in some views and devices for ease of viewing. The configurations of components shown throughout the specification are merely illustrative and are not limited to those described in the specification. In particular, the combinations of components are not limited to those in each embodiment, and components described in other embodiments may be applied to other embodiments. Furthermore, the levels of pressure and temperature are not determined in relation to absolute values, but are determined relatively based on the state, operation, etc. of the device. Furthermore, when multiple similar devices are distinguished by subscripts, the subscripts may be omitted if there is no need to distinguish or identify them.

[0012] Embodiment 1. <Configuration of Air Conditioning Apparatus> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1. Here, the air conditioning apparatus will be described as an example of a refrigeration cycle apparatus having a heat exchanger according to Embodiment 1.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner of the first embodiment has an outdoor unit 200, an indoor unit 100, and two refrigerant pipes 300. A compressor 210, a four-way valve 220, and an outdoor heat exchanger 230 of the outdoor unit 200 are connected to an indoor heat exchanger 110 and an expansion valve 120 of the indoor unit 100 by piping refrigerant pipes 300 to form a refrigerant circuit. Here, the air conditioner of the first embodiment has one outdoor unit 200 and one indoor unit 100 connected by piping. However, the number of connected units is not limited to this.

[0014] The indoor unit 100 includes an indoor heat exchanger 110, an expansion valve 120, and an indoor fan 130. The expansion valve 120, such as a throttling device, reduces the pressure of the refrigerant and expands it. For example, if the expansion valve 120 is configured as an electronic expansion valve, it adjusts its opening based on instructions from a control device (not shown). The indoor heat exchanger 110 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the indoor air in the space to be air-conditioned. For example, during heating operation, the indoor heat exchanger 110 functions as a condenser, condensing and liquefying the refrigerant. During cooling operation, the indoor heat exchanger 110 functions as an evaporator, evaporating and vaporizing the refrigerant. The indoor fan 130 passes indoor air through the indoor heat exchanger 110 and supplies the air that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger 110 into the room.

[0015] <Configuration of outdoor unit 200> Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the outdoor unit 200 according to the first embodiment. Here, the outdoor unit 200 according to the first embodiment is a top-flow type having an outlet 270 of the outdoor fan 250 at the center of the top of a rectangular parallelepiped housing 260. For the sake of explanation, Fig. 2 shows the outdoor heat exchanger 230 positioned in the upper portion and the compressor 210 and other components positioned in the lower portion. However, as shown in Fig. 4 (described later), the outdoor unit 200 according to the first embodiment has the outdoor heat exchanger 230 arranged up to a position close to the bottom. The outdoor heat exchanger 230 is arranged so as to surround the compressor 210 and other components.

[0016] The outdoor unit 200 has a compressor 210, a four-way valve 220, an outdoor heat exchanger 230, and an accumulator 240 as components that make up a refrigerant circuit. The compressor 210 compresses and discharges the refrigerant that it draws in. The compressor 210 is, for example, a scroll compressor, a reciprocating compressor, or a vane compressor. Although not particularly limited, the compressor 210 can change its capacity by arbitrarily changing its drive frequency using, for example, an inverter circuit.

[0017] The four-way valve 220, which serves as a flow path switching device, switches the flow of refrigerant between, for example, cooling operation and heating operation. During heating operation, the four-way valve 220 connects the discharge side of the compressor 210 to the indoor heat exchanger 110 and the suction side of the compressor 210 to the outdoor heat exchanger 230. During cooling operation, the four-way valve 220 connects the discharge side of the compressor 210 to the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the suction side of the compressor 210 to the indoor heat exchanger 110. While the four-way valve 220 is used here as an example, the flow path switching device is not limited to this. The flow path switching device may also be configured, for example, by combining multiple two-way valves. The accumulator 240 is installed on the suction side of the compressor 210. The accumulator 240 passes gaseous refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as gas refrigerant) and accumulates liquid refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as liquid refrigerant).

[0018] The outdoor heat exchanger 230 exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air. For the outdoor heat exchanger 230, the refrigerant serves as a fluid that serves as a heat exchange medium. Here, the outdoor heat exchanger 230 of the first embodiment functions as an evaporator during heating operation, evaporating and vaporizing the refrigerant. Meanwhile, the outdoor heat exchanger 230 functions as a condenser during cooling operation, condensing and liquefying the refrigerant. It also functions as a condenser during defrosting operation, which defrosts the heat exchanger. As described below, the outdoor heat exchanger 230 of the first embodiment has a pair of lower header 231 and folded header 233 that are spaced apart from each other and arranged vertically. Details of the outdoor heat exchanger 230 of the first embodiment will be described later. The outdoor fan 250, when driven, passes air from outside the outdoor unit 200 through the outdoor heat exchanger 230, forming a flow of air that flows out of the outdoor unit 200.

[0019] <Operation of the Air Conditioner> Next, the operation of each device in the air conditioner will be described based on the flow of refrigerant. First, the operation of each device in the refrigerant circuit during heating operation will be described based on the flow of refrigerant. The solid arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the flow of refrigerant during heating operation. High-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed and discharged by the compressor 210 passes through the four-way valve 220 and flows into the indoor heat exchanger 110. While passing through the indoor heat exchanger 110, the gas refrigerant condenses and liquefies by, for example, exchanging heat with the air in the space to be air-conditioned. The condensed and liquefied refrigerant passes through the expansion valve 120. The refrigerant is decompressed as it passes through the expansion valve 120. The refrigerant, which has been decompressed by the expansion valve 120 and is now in a gas-liquid two-phase state, passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 230. In the outdoor heat exchanger 230, the refrigerant evaporates by exchanging heat with the outdoor air sent from the outdoor fan 250, and the gasified refrigerant passes through the four-way valve 220 and the accumulator 240, and is again drawn into the compressor 210. In this way, the refrigerant in the air conditioner circulates to perform air conditioning related to heating.

[0020] Next, cooling operation will be described. The dotted arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the flow of refrigerant during cooling operation. High-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed and discharged by compressor 210 passes through four-way valve 220 and flows into outdoor heat exchanger 230. The refrigerant then passes through outdoor heat exchanger 230, where it condenses by exchanging heat with outdoor air supplied by outdoor fan 250. The liquefied refrigerant then passes through expansion valve 120. The refrigerant is decompressed as it passes through expansion valve 120. The refrigerant, now in a gas-liquid two-phase state after being decompressed by expansion valve 120, passes through indoor heat exchanger 110. The refrigerant then evaporates in indoor heat exchanger 110 by exchanging heat with, for example, air in the space to be air-conditioned. The gasified refrigerant then passes through four-way valve 220 and accumulator 240 and is drawn back into compressor 210. In this manner, the refrigerant in the air-conditioning system circulates, performing air conditioning for cooling.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the outdoor heat exchanger 230 according to the first embodiment. The outdoor heat exchanger 230 is a parallel-piped corrugated fin tube heat exchanger. The outdoor unit 200 has a plurality of the outdoor heat exchangers 230 shown in Fig. 3 , which are arranged along the side of the housing 260. The outdoor heat exchanger 230 has two lower headers 231 (lower header 231A and lower header 231B), a folded header 233, a plurality of flat heat transfer tubes 234, and a plurality of corrugated fins 235.

[0022] In the outdoor heat exchanger 230 in the first embodiment, for example, a pair of headers, each consisting of two lower headers 231 and a folded header 233, is arranged above and below in the height direction. In the first embodiment, as described above, the outdoor unit 200 is a top-flow type. Because devices such as the compressor 210 are installed below the outdoor unit 200, the folded header 233 is located above and the two lower headers 231 are located below the folded header 233 due to piping connections and the like.

[0023] Between the two lower headers 231 and the turn-back header 233, groups of flat heat transfer tubes 234 are arranged in two rows, with their flat surfaces facing each other and perpendicular to the lower header 231 and the turn-back header 233 and parallel to each other. The group of flat heat transfer tubes 234 in one row is connected to one lower header 231.

[0024] The lower headers 231 are each connected to other devices constituting the refrigeration cycle apparatus, and are pipes through which a refrigerant, a fluid that serves as a heat exchange medium, flows in and out and through which the refrigerant branches or merges. Each lower header 231 has refrigerant inlet / outlet pipes 232 (refrigerant inlet / outlet pipes 232A and 232B) through which a refrigerant from the outside flows in and out. The return header 233 also serves as a bridge that merges the refrigerant flowing in from a group of flat heat transfer tubes 234 in one row and branches and flows out to a group of flat heat transfer tubes 234 in the other row.

[0025] The flattened heat transfer tubes 234 have a flat cross section, with the outer surface on the long side of the flat shape along the depth direction (the air flow direction) being flat, and the outer surface on the short side perpendicular to the long side being curved. The flattened heat transfer tubes 234 of the first embodiment are multi-hole flattened heat transfer tubes having a plurality of holes therein that serve as refrigerant flow paths. In the first embodiment, the holes of the flattened heat transfer tubes 234 are formed facing the height direction to serve as flow paths between the lower header 231 and the turn-back header 233. As described above, the flattened heat transfer tubes 234 are arranged horizontally at equal intervals with their outer surfaces facing each other along their long sides. When manufacturing the outdoor heat exchanger 230 of the first embodiment, each flattened heat transfer tube 234 is inserted into insertion holes (not shown) in the lower header 231 and the turn-back header 233, and then brazed and joined. The brazing material used for brazing is, for example, a brazing material containing aluminum, which allows the lower header 231, the folded header 233, and the inside of each flat heat transfer tube 234 to communicate with each other.

[0026] Corrugated fins 235 are arranged between the opposing flat surfaces of the arranged flat heat transfer tubes 234. The corrugated fins 235 are arranged to increase the heat transfer area between the refrigerant and the outside air. The corrugated fins 235 are formed by corrugating a plate material and folding it into a wave-like shape with repeated mountain and valley folds.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the exterior heat exchanger 230 and its surroundings in the outdoor unit 200 according to the first embodiment. When the exterior heat exchanger 230 according to the first embodiment is used as a condenser, such as during the cooling and defrosting operations described in FIG. 3 , high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor 210 flows into the lower header 231. At this time, the lower header 231 becomes hot, causing the side surfaces of the outdoor unit 200 to become hot. In particular, the lower header 231A on the inside side becomes hotter than the lower header 231B on the outside side. In a heat exchanger with headers installed horizontally, the headers can be concealed and shielded from exposure by the metal sheet of the housing 260, which functions as pillars at the corners of the side surfaces of the housing 260. However, the lower header 231 of the exterior heat exchanger 230 according to the first embodiment, in which the headers are installed vertically, cannot be covered by the metal sheet of the housing 260. Therefore, the outdoor unit 200 according to the first embodiment has a concealing panel 280 at the bottom of the side surface of the housing 260. The hidden panel 280 is installed at a position corresponding to the lower header 231 and is a screen panel that prevents people from being seen. The hidden panel 280 also protects high-temperature equipment and parts, such as the lower header 231, from contact. Because the lower header 231 is located at the bottom of the side of the housing 260, close to the ground, the hidden panel 280 is disposed at the bottom of the side of the housing 260. Here, the position corresponding to the lower header 231 includes not only the lower header 231 but also piping and the like disposed near the lower header 231. Here, the hidden panel 280 is assumed to be installed on the left and right side surfaces of the outdoor unit 200 in FIG. 2 , where the outdoor heat exchanger 230 is exposed. However, this is not limited to this, and the hidden panel 280 may also be installed on a side surface other than the left and right sides, such as the back surface of the outdoor unit 200.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a hidden panel 280 according to the first embodiment. The hidden panel 280 according to the first embodiment is a panel that covers a portion of the side surface of the housing 260 to conceal and shield the lower header 231 and other components of the outdoor heat exchanger 230, preventing them from being exposed on the side surface of the housing 260 and being visible from the outside. If the hidden panel 280 simply covered the entire area corresponding to the lower header 231 as a screen, water dripping from the outdoor heat exchanger 230 would not be able to drain if the drain pan 290 (described later) was frozen and unable to drain. This could result in frozen ice growing until it reached the lower header 231. Therefore, the hidden panel 280 according to the first embodiment has a drainage section 281 that is horizontally elongated to fit the lower header 231. The drainage section 281 has a horizontally elongated edge, such as an oval or rectangular shape, and a drainage hole 281A that opens as a through-hole, allowing water to be drained from sources other than the drain pan 290. Here, in the first embodiment, the concealing panel 280 has one drainage hole 281A in the drainage section 281 to allow for effective drainage. The drainage hole 281A is provided in a position on the concealing panel 280 such that the lower header 231 cannot be seen from a position where a person bends down and looks down. Although not particularly limited, the drainage section 281 may have a resin with low thermal conductivity attached to the edge of the drainage hole 281A to prevent freezing near the drainage hole 281A.

[0029] The opening area of ​​the drain hole 281A in the drain portion 281 can be determined, for example, by taking into consideration the discharge amount of the drain pan 290, the amount of precipitation, etc., since the outdoor unit 200 is installed outdoors. ２ The above opening area must be ensured.

[0030] 5 , and positioning holes 283 into which tabs (not shown) of housing 260 are inserted. When hidden panel 280 is attached to housing 260, positioning is performed using drawn portions 282 and positioning holes 283 that match the uneven shape of the corners of the side surfaces of housing 260, making it easier to attach hidden panel 280 to housing 260.

[0031] 6 is a diagram showing the periphery of hidden panel 280 in outdoor unit 200 according to Embodiment 1. Hidden panel 280 according to Embodiment 1 is made of a metal material such as steel to ensure the strength of the panel itself. Therefore, hidden panel 280 also functions as a reinforcing material that reinforces housing 260. Hidden panel 280 is fastened and attached to metal pillars on both sides of housing 260 and to a base that forms the bottom surface with screws (not shown).

[0032] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a drain pan 290 according to Embodiment 1. The drain pan 290 shown in Fig. 7 is installed below the outdoor heat exchanger 230 inside the housing 260, and drains rainwater, drain water, and the like that drip from the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the like by directing them to the outside of the outdoor unit 200. The drain pan 290 has a plurality of drain ports 291 that lead to the outside of the outdoor unit 200. The drain pan 290 then discharges water that drips from the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the like from the drain ports 291 to the outside of the outdoor unit 200.

[0033] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship within the outdoor unit 200 of the lower header 231 of the outdoor heat exchanger 230, the hidden panel 280, and the drain pan 290 according to the first embodiment. Hatching is omitted in Figure 8 to make the relative positions of these elements easier to see. As shown in Figure 8, the drain pan 290 according to the first embodiment is formed so that its height on the inside side is higher than its height on the outside side. This prevents water from flowing into the inside of the unit when freezing occurs, and allows it to be guided toward the drain hole 281A in the hidden panel 280.

[0034] The positions of the top edge of the drain pan 290 on the inside side and the outside side are determined based on the distance from the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the slope angle. The position of the top edge on the inside side is designed to ensure that, even if water freezes near the drain pan 290 and the drain hole 281A of the hidden panel 280, the heat generated by the heat radiation from the lower header 231 is transferred to melt the ice and allow it to be drained. For this reason, for example, the distance between the bottom surface of the lower header 231 of the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the top edge of the drain pan 290 on the inside side is approximately 2 mm. Furthermore, even if water freezes in the drain pan 290, the ice is sloped to allow efficient drainage of the ice. Therefore, the slope between the positions of the top edge on the outside side and the top edge on the inside side is set to an angle of 2° or more. Here, for example, the position of the top edge on the outside side is set to be approximately 4 mm lower than the position of the top edge on the inside side. Therefore, the distance between the bottom surface of the lower header 231 of the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the upper side of the drain pan 290 on the outside of the machine is set to about 6 mm.

[0035] The hidden panel 280 and the drain pan 290 are positioned so that when water accumulated in the drain pan 290 overflows, it can be drained through the drain hole 281A in the drain portion 281 of the hidden panel 280. Here, it is necessary to prevent ice bridges from forming between the end faces of the hidden panel 280 and the drain pan 290, which would reduce drainage performance. For this reason, the lower edge of the drain hole 281A in the hidden panel 280 is positioned lower in the height direction than the upper edge of the drain pan 290 on the outboard side. For example, the hidden panel 280 and the drain pan 290 are positioned so that the distance in the height direction between the lower edge of the drain hole 281A and the upper edge of the drain pan 290 on the outboard side is approximately 7 mm or more. Alternatively, for example, the hidden panel 280 and the drain pan 290 are positioned such that the linear distance between the lower edge of the drain hole 281A and the upper edge of the drain pan 290 on the outside of the aircraft is approximately 10 mm or more.

[0036] As described above, the concealing panel 280 is used to conceal the lower header 231 so that it cannot be seen through the drainage hole 281A of the concealing panel 280, even when a person bends down to look down. In this case, the angle at which a person bends down to look down is set to a depression angle of 45°. It is also necessary to prevent ice that has frozen in the drain pan 290 or the like from reaching the lower header 231. For these reasons, the bottom surface of the lower header 231 in the outdoor heat exchanger 230 and the upper edge of the drainage hole 281A are set to have a relationship such that the distance D1 between the bottom surface of the lower header 231 and the upper edge of the drainage hole 281A is in the range of 0 mm < D1 ≦ 25 mm.

[0037] Furthermore, even if a person inserts a finger through the drain hole 281A of the hidden panel 280, the finger must not reach the lower header 231 inside the outdoor heat exchanger 230. Here, the finger is assumed to be, for example, a cylinder with a diameter of 12 mm. In particular, the lower header 231A on the inside side of the lower header 231 becomes hotter because refrigerant discharged from the compressor 210 flows into it. In this case, the gap D2 between the hidden panel 280 and the drain pan 290 and the gap D2 between the bottom surface of the lower header 231 and the drain pan 290 are set to 12 mm or less, and the distance D3 from the hidden panel 280 to the lower header 231 is set to 80 mm or more. For example, assuming a child's finger, the gap D2 should be set to 5.6 mm or less, and the distance D3 should be set to 44 mm or more.

[0038] As described above, in the outdoor unit 200 of the first embodiment, the concealing panel 280 is installed at a position corresponding to the lower header 231, extending across both corners of the side of the housing 260, at the lower part of the side of the housing 260 of the outdoor heat exchanger 230, in which the headers are arranged vertically in an upper and lower direction. By shielding the lower header 231 with the concealing panel 280, it is possible to conceal the lower header 231 so that it cannot be seen from the outside by a person simply bending down and looking down, while also protecting parts such as the lower header 231 from becoming hot from contact. Furthermore, the concealing panel 280 has a horizontally elongated drainage hole 281A, so that water can be drained from the drainage hole 281A even if water stops flowing into the drain pan 290 due to freezing or the like.

[0039] Moreover, hidden panel 280 in the first embodiment is made of a metal such as steel. By attaching hidden panel 280 to the metal plate at both corners of the side surface of housing 260, housing 260 can be reinforced.

[0040] Moreover, hidden panel 280 in the first embodiment has drawing portions 282 that match the irregularities at the corners of the side surface of housing 260, and positioning holes 283 that correspond to the claws of housing 260. Therefore, hidden panel 280 can be easily positioned relative to housing 260, and hidden panel 280 can be easily attached to housing 260.

[0041] Furthermore, the outdoor unit 200 of the first embodiment has a drain pan 290 below the outdoor heat exchanger 230 to collect dripping water. The lower edge of the drain hole 281A in the concealing panel 280 is positioned lower than the position of the upper edge of the drain pan 290 on the exterior side of the unit. Therefore, when water that accumulates in the drain pan 290 overflows, it can be drained through the drain hole 281A in the concealing panel 280. The height of the upper edge of the drain pan 290 on the interior side is higher than the height of the upper edge on the exterior side of the unit. This prevents water from overflowing from the drain pan 290 to the interior side of the unit. Furthermore, by varying the height of the upper edge of the drain pan 290, ice that has frozen in the drain pan 290 can be tilted, allowing the water to flow to the exterior side and be discharged through the drain hole 281A in the concealing panel 280.

[0042] In addition, by setting the distance D1 between the bottom surface of the lower header 231 and the upper edge of the drain hole 281A to be in the range of 0 mm < D1 ≦ 25 mm, water dripping from the outdoor heat exchanger 230 can be discharged from the drain hole 281A before it freezes and reaches the lower header 231.

[0043] Embodiment 2. Figure 9 is a diagram showing a hidden panel 280 according to embodiment 2. In Figure 9, components with the same reference numerals as those in Figure 5 and the like have the same functions as those described in embodiment 1. In embodiment 2, hidden panel 280 has reinforcing struts 281B formed integrally with the main body of hidden panel 280 in the short direction of drainage holes 281A in drainage section 281. As shown in Figure 9, the drainage section 281 has struts 281B, which allows the strength of hidden panel 280 to be increased.

[0044] Here, even when the concealing panel 280 has a support 281B, the opening area of ​​the drainage hole 281A is 8000 mm ２ In FIG. 9, two support columns 281B are formed, but the opening area is 8000 mm ２ As long as the number of the support columns 281B is as described above, it is not limited to this number.

[0045] Embodiment 3. In the above-described Embodiments 1 and 2, a corrugated fin tube type outdoor heat exchanger 230 having a plurality of flat heat transfer tubes 234 and corrugated fins 235 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the outdoor heat exchanger 230 has a header installed in the vertical direction, which is the height direction, within the outdoor unit 200, an outdoor heat exchanger 230 configured with heat transfer tubes other than the flat heat transfer tubes 234 or fins other than the corrugated fins 235 can be applied.

[0046] In the above-described first to third embodiments, the outdoor unit 200 is described as being used in an air conditioning system, but it can also be applied to other refrigeration cycle devices, such as a refrigerator, a freezer, or a hot water supply system.

[0047] 100 indoor unit, 110 indoor heat exchanger, 120 expansion valve, 130 indoor fan, 200 outdoor unit, 210 compressor, 220 four-way valve, 230 outdoor heat exchanger, 231, 231A, 231B lower header, 232, 232A, 232B refrigerant inlet / outlet pipe, 233 folded header, 234 flat heat transfer tube, 235 corrugated fin, 240 accumulator, 250 outdoor fan, 260 housing, 270 outlet, 280 hidden panel, 281 drainage section, 281A drainage hole, 281B support, 282 throttle section, 283 positioning hole, 290 drain pan, 291 drain outlet, 300 refrigerant piping.

Claims

1. An outdoor unit comprising: a housing; an outdoor heat exchanger having a plurality of heat transfer tubes each connected to a pair of headers through which a fluid passes, the pair of headers being separated vertically into an upper and lower portion; and an outdoor heat exchanger installed along a side of the housing, the outdoor unit having a drainage section formed with a drainage hole that opens to an oblong edge; and an outdoor unit having a concealing panel installed corresponding to the lower header of the pair of headers that covers the lower header to conceal it from the outside.

2. The outdoor unit according to claim 1, wherein the concealing panel is attached to the metal plate at both corners of the lower side of the housing and installed across both corners.

3. An outdoor unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the concealing panel is made of metal.

4. The drainage hole is 8000 mm ２ The outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an opening area of ​​at least one of the above.

5. An outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the distance between the bottom surface of the lower header and the upper edge of the drainage hole in the concealing panel is in the range of 0 mm to 25 mm.

6. An outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the concealing panel has a support for the drainage hole.

7. An outdoor unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a drain pan that is installed below the outdoor heat exchanger along the side of the housing and that collects water dripping from the outdoor heat exchanger, the height of the drain pan on the inside side of the unit being higher than the height of the drain pan on the outside side of the unit.

8. An outdoor unit according to claim 7, wherein the drain pan has a gradient of 2° or more between the height of its upper edge on the inside side of the unit and the height of its upper edge on the outside side of the unit.

9. An outdoor unit according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the position of the lower edge of the drain hole in the concealing panel is lower in the height direction than the position of the upper edge of the drain pan on the outer side of the unit.

10. An outdoor unit as described in claim 9, wherein the distance in the height direction between the lower edge of the drain hole in the hidden panel and the upper edge of the drain pan on the outside of the machine is 7 mm or more, or the straight-line distance between the lower edge of the drain hole in the hidden panel and the upper edge of the drain pan on the outside of the machine is 10 mm or more.

11. An outdoor unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the outdoor heat exchanger comprises: a plurality of flat heat transfer tubes having a flat cross section, the flat surfaces on the longitudinal sides of the flat shape being arranged opposite each other with a gap between them, the plurality of tubes having a flow path therein through which a fluid flows; and a plurality of corrugated fins arranged between two adjacent flat heat transfer tubes and joined to the flat heat transfer tubes at the flat surfaces.

12. A refrigeration cycle device having an outdoor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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