Heat exchanger

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger, comprising a first header portion, a second header portion and a plurality of first heat exchange tubes, wherein the first header portion comprises a first header and a first connecting tube, the first connecting tube is partially arranged in a tube cavity of the first header, the part of the first connecting tube arranged in the tube cavity of the first header is defined as a first sub-tube, the first sub-tube is located on one side of the first header in a first direction, the first direction is the direction of thickness of the heat exchanger, the first sub-tube has a first opening, and the first opening faces the direction of length of the first header; the second header portion comprises a second header, and the second header is spaced apart from the first header; and the first heat exchange tubes communicate the first header with the second header.

Description

heat exchanger

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 2024119567633, filed on December 27, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of heat exchange technology, and specifically to a heat exchanger for a heat pump. Background Technology

[0004] In related technologies, the connecting pipes of heat exchangers are mostly located on the side of the heat exchanger, connected to the manifold, with the inlet directly facing the heat exchange tubes. When such a heat exchanger operates as an evaporator, the refrigerant entering the manifold from the connecting pipe is a two-phase refrigerant. Within the manifold, the two-phase refrigerant undergoes gas-liquid separation, with the gas velocity being faster than the liquid velocity. Therefore, after entering the manifold from the connecting pipe, the refrigerant first enters the heat exchange tubes near the area directly opposite the connecting pipe, and this area contains more gaseous refrigerant and less liquid refrigerant, resulting in uneven refrigerant distribution and affecting the overall heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a heat exchanger that distributes refrigerant more evenly.

[0006] The heat exchanger disclosed herein includes a first manifold section, a second manifold section, and a plurality of first heat exchange tubes. The first manifold section includes a first manifold and a first connecting pipe. The first connecting pipe portion is disposed within the cavity of the first manifold. The portion of the first connecting pipe disposed within the cavity of the first manifold is defined as a first sub-pipe. The first sub-pipe is located on one side of the first manifold along a first direction, the first direction being the thickness direction of the heat exchanger. The first sub-pipe has a first opening facing the length direction of the first manifold. The second manifold section includes a second manifold, which is arranged at a distance from the first manifold. The first heat exchange tubes connect the first manifold and the second manifold.

[0007] The first daughter tube of the heat exchanger is located on one side of the first manifold along the thickness direction of the heat exchanger, and the first opening of the first daughter tube faces the length direction of the first manifold. When the heat exchanger operates as an evaporator, the refrigerant can enter the first manifold through the first opening of the first daughter tube, and then enter each of the first heat exchange tubes. The orientation of the opening of the first connecting pipe allows the refrigerant to be sprayed along the length direction of the first manifold under the action of flow inertia, thereby reducing the refrigerant flow rate in the first heat exchange tubes in the vicinity of the first connecting pipe. During the refrigerant spray flow, the gaseous refrigerant can carry the refrigerant upward, promoting the mixing of gaseous and liquid refrigerant, thereby improving the uniformity of refrigerant distribution. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat exchanger provided in this disclosure in a specific embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the heat exchanger in Figure 1.

[0010] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerant flow path when the heat exchanger in Figure 1 is working as an evaporator.

[0011] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat exchanger provided in this disclosure in a second specific embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first receiver provided in this disclosure in a specific embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat exchanger provided in this disclosure in a third specific embodiment.

[0014] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the heat exchanger in Figure 6 on the other side.

[0015] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the first manifold section of the heat exchanger in Figure 6.

[0016] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heat exchanger provided in the present disclosure in the fourth specific embodiment.

[0017] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second spacer provided in this disclosure in a specific embodiment.

[0018] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third spacer provided in this disclosure in a specific embodiment.

[0019] Reference numerals: First manifold 1, First manifold 11, First pipe section 111, Second pipe section 112, First connecting pipe 12, First sub-pipe 121, First opening 122, Second opening 123, First partition 13, First pipe 14, First hole 141, Second hole 142, Second partition 15, First arc edge 151, First side edge 152, Concave section 153, Third partition 16, Second arc edge 161, Second side edge 162, Third opening 163, Third pipe section 17, Second manifold 2, Second manifold 21, Fourth pipe section 22, First heat exchange tube 3, First surface 4, Second heat exchange tube. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To better understand the technical solutions of this disclosure, the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] It should be understood that the described embodiments are only a part of the technical solutions of this disclosure, and not all of them. Based on the technical solutions in this disclosure, all other technical solutions obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0022] The terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in the embodiments of this disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0023] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0024] It should be noted that the directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" described in the embodiments of this disclosure are used to describe the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, in the context, it should be understood that when referring to an element being connected "upper" or "lower" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower," or indirectly connected through an intermediate element.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1-11, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides a heat exchanger, which includes a first manifold section 1, a second manifold section 2, and a plurality of first heat exchange tubes 3. The first manifold section 1 includes a first manifold 11 and a first connecting pipe 12. The first connecting pipe 12 is partially disposed within the cavity of the first manifold 11. The portion of the first connecting pipe 12 disposed within the cavity of the first manifold 11 is defined as a first sub-pipe 121. The first sub-pipe 121 is located on one side of the first manifold 11 along a first direction, which is the thickness direction of the heat exchanger. The first sub-pipe 121 has a first opening 122, the direction of which is towards the length direction of the first manifold 11. The second manifold section 2 includes a second manifold 21, which is arranged at intervals from the first manifold 11. The first heat exchange tubes 3 connect the first manifold 11 and the second manifold 21.

[0026] In this embodiment, the first sub-tube 121 of the heat exchanger is located on one side of the first manifold 11 along the thickness direction of the heat exchanger, and the first opening 122 of the first sub-tube 121 faces the length direction of the first manifold 11. When the heat exchanger is working as an evaporator, the refrigerant can enter the first manifold 11 through the first opening 122, and then enter each of the first heat exchange tubes 3. The opening of the first connecting pipe 12 allows the refrigerant to be sprayed along the length direction of the first manifold 11 under the action of flow inertia, thereby reducing the refrigerant flow rate of the first heat exchange tubes 3 in the vicinity of the first connecting pipe 12. At the same time, during the refrigerant spraying and flowing process, the gaseous refrigerant can drive the refrigerant to flow upward, promoting the mixing of gaseous refrigerant and liquid refrigerant, thereby improving the uniformity of refrigerant distribution.

[0027] It should be further explained that in related technologies, the refrigerant inlet pipe of the heat exchanger is mostly located on the side of the heat exchanger, that is, on the side of the manifold away from the heat exchange tubes. When such a heat exchanger is used as an evaporator, the refrigerant entering from the inlet pipe forms an almost 90° angle with the manifold, that is, it is almost parallel to the length direction of the heat exchange tubes. Therefore, some refrigerant will directly enter the heat exchange tubes near the inlet pipe due to the inertia of the flow, resulting in a higher refrigerant concentration in that part of the heat exchange tubes. In addition, this may also lead to a situation where there is less or no refrigerant in the heat exchange tubes away from the inlet pipe. In addition, since the refrigerant is a gas-liquid two-phase mixture during evaporation, and the gaseous part moves faster than the liquid part, the gaseous part of the refrigerant will enter the nearby heat exchange tubes more quickly, resulting in a gas-heavy and liquid-light refrigerant distribution in the heat exchange tubes near the inlet pipe, leading to uneven refrigerant distribution.

[0028] However, in the embodiments disclosed herein, the first connecting pipe 12 is located on one side of the first manifold 11 along the thickness direction, that is, on the front side of the entire heat exchanger, so that the first connecting pipe 12 and the first heat exchange tube 3 are at a certain angle rather than directly opposite each other. After entering the first manifold 11, the refrigerant does not directly enter the first heat exchange tube 3, but flows towards the side wall of the first manifold 11. In addition, the first opening 122 of the first connecting pipe 12 faces the length of the first manifold 11. Therefore, after the refrigerant flows out of the first connecting pipe 12 from the first opening 122, the spray direction of the refrigerant is approximately parallel to or at a certain angle to the first manifold 11. Since the gas part is faster and lighter than the liquid part, this allows the gaseous refrigerant to carry the liquid refrigerant upwards, instead of directly entering the first heat exchange tube 3 in the vicinity of the first connecting pipe 12. This reduces the amount of refrigerant in the first heat exchange tube 3 in the vicinity of the first connecting pipe 12, making the refrigerant distribution in the first manifold 11 more uniform. At the same time, the refrigerant rises more effectively, thus greatly reducing the situation where the refrigerant cannot rise and there is little or no refrigerant at the top position (the side away from the first connecting pipe 12).

[0029] As shown in Figures 1-4, in one specific embodiment, the first manifold 1 further includes a first partition 13 and a first pipe 14. The first partition 13 is at least partially located inside the first manifold 11. The first manifold 11 includes a first pipe segment 111 and a second pipe segment 112. The first pipe segment 111 and the second pipe segment 112 are respectively located on both sides of the first partition 13. The first sub-pipe 121 is located in the first pipe segment 111 and is close to the first partition 13. The first pipe 14 connects the first pipe segment 111 and the second pipe segment 112.

[0030] It should be noted that the function of the first partition 13 is to divide the first manifold 11, thereby dividing it into a first pipe segment 111 and a second pipe segment 112, wherein the length of the first pipe segment 111 is greater than the length of the second pipe segment 112. Furthermore, the phrase "at least partially located within the first manifold 11" should be interpreted broadly, meaning that the first partition 13 may be completely located within the first manifold 11, or it may be partially located within the first manifold 11 with the remaining portion extending beyond it. This will not be elaborated upon further in this paper.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first manifold 11 is divided into a first pipe segment 111 and a second pipe segment 112 by the first partition 13, and then the first pipe segment 111 and the second pipe segment 112 are connected by the first pipe 14, which can improve the distribution performance of the first manifold 11. When the length of the first manifold 11 is long, the refrigerant may not be able to rise due to pressure drop. Therefore, after the first partition 13 divides the first manifold 11 into the first pipe segment 111 and the second pipe segment 112, the overall length of the first manifold 11 can be reduced, so that the refrigerant can fill each position of the first pipe segment 111 in a relatively smaller space, thereby improving the uniformity of distribution. Then, a portion of the refrigerant in the first pipe segment 111 is introduced into the second pipe segment 112 by connecting the first pipe segment 111 and the second pipe segment 112 through the first pipe 14. Generally, the first pipe 14 is connected to the first pipe section 111 at the upper part of the first pipe section 111. After the refrigerant is sprayed upward through the first opening 122, the refrigerant will be sprayed upward and accumulate in the upper part of the first pipe section 111. Therefore, connecting at this position allows some of the accumulated refrigerant to flow into the second pipe section 112 for distribution. This reduces the accumulation of refrigerant in the first pipe section 111 and allows the refrigerant to flow better in both pipe sections. The flowing refrigerant can facilitate the mixing of gaseous and liquid refrigerant, thereby improving the uniformity of gas-liquid distribution.

[0032] When the first manifold 1 includes the first partition 13 and the first tube 14, if the first sub-tube 121 is located on the side of the heat exchanger (along the length of the first heat exchange tube 3), because the first heat exchange tube 3 needs to be inserted into the first manifold 11 for a certain length, and the first tube 14 occupies part of the inner cavity volume of the first manifold 11, the remaining space of the first manifold 11 on this side will be small, and the insertion depth of the first sub-tube 121 will be insufficient. If the insertion depth of the first heat exchange tube 3 and the first sub-tube 121 is to be guaranteed, the inner cavity volume of the first manifold 11 needs to be increased. However, increasing the inner cavity volume of the first manifold 11 will lead to an increase in space and aggravate the gas-liquid separation of the refrigerant.

[0033] Therefore, the arrangement of the first sub-tube 121 on the front side of the heat exchanger (on one side of the thickness direction of the heat exchanger) in this disclosure allows the first heat exchange tube 3 and the first sub-tube 121 to be staggered in the insertion part (the two are roughly perpendicular), thereby ensuring that the arrangement of each structure is completed without increasing the internal volume of the first manifold 11, and making the structure more compact while ensuring the insertion depth.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, in one specific embodiment, the first pipe 14 is located inside the first manifold 11. The length direction of the first pipe 14 extends at least partially along the length direction of the first manifold 11. The first pipe 14 has at least one first hole 141 and a plurality of second holes 142. The first hole 141 is located on the side of the first pipe 14 away from the first spacer 13 and connects the first pipe segment 111 and the first pipe 14. Among the plurality of second holes 142, a portion of the second holes 142 are located at the end of the first pipe 14, and another portion of the second holes 142 are spaced apart on the sidewall of the first pipe 14. The second holes 142 connect the second pipe segment 112 and the first pipe 14.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first pipe 14 is located inside the first manifold 11 and extends along the length of the first manifold 11. This allows the first pipe 14 to guide the incoming refrigerant, enabling it to flow and be distributed along its length. Furthermore, the arrangement of the first connecting pipe 12 and the first opening 122 avoids direct obstruction by the first pipe 14, reducing momentum loss and thus pressure loss. This is because if the opening of the first connecting pipe 12 faces the first pipe 14, the refrigerant entering the first pipe section 111 from the first connecting pipe 12 would strike the first pipe 14 at an almost perpendicular angle, resulting in significant momentum loss and hindering mixing and flow. However, by using the first opening 122 facing the length of the first manifold 11, the refrigerant flows out of the first opening 122 in a direction roughly along the length of the first pipe 14, thus reducing pressure loss.

[0036] It should be further explained that after the first pipe 14 is installed in the first manifold 11 to distribute the refrigerant, the first heat exchange tube 3 needs to be inserted into the first manifold 11 to a certain depth when connected to it. Since the first pipe 14 also needs to be located inside the first manifold 11, if the first connecting pipe 12 is located on the side of the heat exchanger (along the length of the first heat exchange tube 3), the first manifold 11 will need a large space along the length of the first heat exchange tube 3 to allow for the insertion of the first heat exchange tube 3 and the first connecting pipe 12. However, if the diameter of the first manifold 11 is too large, the refrigerant flow rate within the first manifold 11 will slow down, affecting the refrigerant distribution. Therefore, arranging the first connecting pipe 12 on the front of the heat exchanger effectively solves this problem, making the space inside the first manifold 11 more compact, which is beneficial for reducing the diameter of the first manifold 11 and thus facilitating the uniform distribution of the refrigerant.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, in one specific embodiment, the first opening 122 is located on the side wall of the first sub-tube 121, and the first opening 122 is away from the first partition 13; the first sub-tube 121 also has a second opening 123, the second opening 123 faces the first partition 13, and the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second opening 123 is smaller than the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the first opening 122.

[0038] Due to the size, installation space, and allocation of the first connecting pipe 12, it is impossible for the first connecting pipe 12 to be completely close to the first spacer 13 during installation. This results in a certain space between the first sub-pipe 121 and the first spacer 13. After the refrigerant enters the first pipe section 111, due to gravity, the refrigerant (especially liquid refrigerant) will accumulate at the bottom of the first pipe section 111. This leads to excessive refrigerant in the corresponding first heat exchange tube 3, resulting in refrigerant bypass and unstable outlet superheat, leading to low performance. In this embodiment, a second opening 123 is opened at the position of the first sub-pipe 121 facing the first spacer 13. After the refrigerant is sprayed out from the second opening 123, it can impact and disturb the refrigerant at the bottom of the first pipe section 111, allowing this portion of the refrigerant to flow better and thus eliminating the adverse effects of bypass.

[0039] Furthermore, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second opening 123 is smaller than that of the first opening 122, thus allowing less refrigerant to flow out from the second opening 123. During design and use, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second opening 123 can be designed according to the pipe diameter of the first pipe segment 111 and the distance between the first connecting pipe 12 and the first spacer 13. For example, the larger the pipe diameter of the first pipe segment 111, and / or the larger the distance between the first connecting pipe 12 and the first spacer 13, the larger the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the second opening 123 can be. Additionally, different impact forces can be achieved by adjusting the offset angle of the second opening 123.

[0040] As shown in Figures 4 and 6-10, in one specific embodiment, the first manifold 1 further includes a second partition 15, which is located inside the first pipe section 111. The second partition 15 includes a first arc edge 151 and a first side edge 152. The first arc edge 151 has a preset gap with the inner wall of the first pipe section 111, and the first side edge 152 has a preset gap with the first heat exchange tube 3.

[0041] In the embodiments described above, it was mentioned that spraying refrigerant upward through the first opening 122 can improve the uniformity of refrigerant distribution. However, if all the refrigerant is sprayed upward, there may be a situation where the refrigerant in the vicinity of the first connecting pipe 12 is insufficient. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second partition 15 plays a certain role in blocking the upward sprayed refrigerant, so that the refrigerant is not all sprayed upward. In addition, since the first arc edge 151 and the first side edge 152 of the second partition 15 have preset gaps with the inner wall of the first pipe section 111 and the first heat exchange pipe 3, respectively, the refrigerant can flow on both sides of the first arc edge 151 and the first side edge 152. The refrigerant on both sides can be further mixed by passing through the second partition 15, thereby improving the uniformity of gas-liquid distribution.

[0042] As shown in Figure 10, in one specific embodiment, the first arc edge 151 has a concave section 153, which is located on at least one side of the first arc edge 151 along a first direction, and is recessed within the arc surface of the first arc edge 151. The minimum gap between the first arc edge 151 on one side of the first direction and the inner wall of the first pipe section 111 is defined as L1, and the minimum gap between the first arc edge 151 on the other side of the first direction and the inner wall of the first pipe section 111 is defined as L2, where L1 > L2. The concave section 153 can play a mixing role for a portion of the refrigerant passing through the first arc edge 151, promoting gas-liquid mixing to a certain extent. Generally, the concave section 153 is arc-shaped.

[0043] A heat exchanger has a windward side and a leeward side during operation. It's understood that the heat exchange effect is better on the windward side. Therefore, directing more refrigerant to the windward side of the heat exchanger can improve its heat exchange efficiency to some extent. In this embodiment, the minimum gap between the first arc edge 151 on one side in the first direction and the inner wall of the first pipe section 111 is greater than the minimum gap between the first arc edge 151 on the other side in the first direction and the inner wall of the first pipe section 111. This difference in gap size allows more refrigerant to flow towards the side with the larger gap as it flows radially towards both sides of the first arc edge 151. The side with the smaller gap acts as a flow barrier, reducing the amount of refrigerant passing through. Therefore, by designating the side with the larger gap as the windward side of the heat exchanger, a better heat exchange effect can be achieved.

[0044] In addition, the first heat exchange tube 3 can be configured as a flat tube with non-uniform holes. That is, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the flat tube hole of the first heat exchange tube 3 is larger near the windward side (the side corresponding to gap L1) and smaller near the leeward side (the side corresponding to gap L2). This allows more refrigerant flow to be accommodated on the windward side of the first heat exchange tube 3, while reducing the refrigerant flow on the leeward side. When used together, this can achieve a better heat exchange effect.

[0045] As shown in Figures 9 and 11, in one specific embodiment, the first manifold 1 further includes a third partition 16, which is located inside the first pipe section 111, and the distance between the third partition 16 and the first partition 13 is less than the distance between the second partition 15 and the first partition 13. The third partition 16 has a second arc edge 161 and a second side edge 162. The second arc edge 161 abuts against or is sealed to the inner wall of the first pipe section 111, and the second side edge 162 faces the first heat exchange tube 3, and there is a preset gap between the second side edge 162 and the first heat exchange tube 3.

[0046] In this embodiment, the third partition 16 communicates with the upper part of the first pipe section 111 at the second side 162, and the second side 162 faces the first heat exchange tube 3. This allows a portion of the refrigerant to flow directly into the first heat exchange tube 3 near the first connecting pipe 12 during its upward flow. Furthermore, the spaced-apart second partitions 15 and 16 allow the refrigerant to form an S-shaped flow path within the first pipe section 111, rather than a straight upward flow. This increases the amount of refrigerant entering the first heat exchange tube 3 between the second partitions 15 and 16, reduces the amount of refrigerant at the top, and simultaneously disturbs the refrigerant during its flow, promoting gas-liquid mixing and improving the overall uniformity of distribution.

[0047] As shown in Figure 11, in one specific embodiment, the third partition 16 has a third opening 163 that extends through the third partition 16. If the length of the first pipe segment 111 is defined as L, then the distance between the third partition 16 and the first partition 13 is 1 / 4L to 1 / 2L, and the distance between the second partition 15 and the first partition 13 is 1 / 2L to 4 / 5L. The third opening 163 facilitates the passage of refrigerant through the third partition 16. In practical use, the flow cross-sectional area of ​​the third opening 163 can be preset according to the distribution requirements and the diameter of the first pipe segment 111; however, this is not specifically limited in this document. Furthermore, both the second partition 15 and the third partition 16 can be baffles.

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, in one specific embodiment, a surface parallel to the length direction of the first heat exchange tube 3 is defined as the first surface 4. The projection of the first connecting pipe 12 on the first surface 4 overlaps with the projection of the first manifold 11 on the first surface 4. That is, the first connecting pipe 12 is located on the front of the heat exchanger and within the projection range formed by the first manifold 11.

[0049] As mentioned above, when the first connecting pipe 12 is located on the side of the heat exchanger, that is, on both sides of the manifold away from the heat exchange tube, the first connecting pipe 12 will waste some length space within the limited installation space, reducing the effective length of the heat exchanger, which means reducing the effective heat exchange area of ​​the heat exchanger. However, when the first connecting pipe 12 is located on the front of the heat exchanger and within the projection range formed by the first manifold 11, the first connecting pipe 12 will not occupy the space of the heat exchanger in the length direction at all, so that a heat exchanger with a larger heat exchange area can be installed within the limited length space.

[0050] As shown in Figures 6-9, in one specific embodiment, the first manifold 1 further includes a third pipe section 17, which is located at the end of the second pipe section 112 away from the first pipe section 111, and the first connecting pipe 12 connects the first pipe section 111 and the third pipe section 17; the second manifold 2 includes a fourth pipe section 22, which is arranged opposite to the third pipe section 17, and the first heat exchange pipe 3 connects the third pipe section 17 and the fourth pipe section 22.

[0051] The third pipe section 17 and the fourth pipe section 22 are located at the bottom of the second pipe section 112 and the second manifold 21, respectively, thus forming the subcooled section of the heat exchanger between the third pipe section 17 and the fourth pipe section 22. Since the third pipe section 17 and the fourth pipe section 22 are relatively short, this section does not require refrigerant distribution. The refrigerant enters the heat exchanger from the fourth pipe section 22, passes through the connected first heat exchange pipe 3, enters the third pipe section 17, and then enters the first pipe section 111 through the first connecting pipe 12 for distribution and heat exchange.

[0052] As shown in Figures 7 and 9, in one specific embodiment, the heat exchanger further includes a second heat exchange tube 5, which connects the second pipe section 112 and the fourth pipe section 22. The number of the second heat exchange tubes 5 is defined as N, then 1≤N≤3.

[0053] A heat exchanger with a first partition 13 and a first tube 14 can effectively improve the distribution effect under evaporation conditions. However, under condensation conditions, the refrigerant flowing in the opposite direction will be blocked by the first partition 13. The refrigerant from the bottom of the first partition 13 needs to enter the first tube 14 before it can enter the first tube section 111. The flow path is long and the flow resistance is large, which will cause the refrigerant to flow slowly in this part, affecting the heat exchange efficiency under condensation conditions.

[0054] However, after connecting the second pipe section 112 and the fourth pipe section 22 through a predetermined number of second heat exchange tubes 5, the obstructed portion of the refrigerant can directly enter the fourth pipe section 22 from the second pipe section 112, thereby reducing the resistance encountered by the refrigerant when flowing in the region of the second pipe section 112 and improving the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger when operating as a condenser. Intuitively, during the process of the refrigerant in the second pipe section 112 entering the fourth pipe section 22 through the second heat exchange tubes 5, the refrigerant flowing inside the second heat exchange tubes 5 can still exchange heat with the air, thus ensuring the heat exchange effect of the subcooled section.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the heat exchanger operates as an evaporator, a portion of the refrigerant in the fourth pipe section 22 can directly enter the second pipe section 112 through the second heat exchange tube 5. Since the vapor and liquid refrigerants have different weights under evaporation conditions, the refrigerant entering the first pipe section 14 from the first pipe section 111 contains a higher proportion of vapor refrigerant, while the refrigerant entering the second pipe section 112 from the second heat exchange tube 5 has a higher proportion of liquid refrigerant. Therefore, this connection method can also replenish the refrigerant in the second pipe section 112 with liquid refrigerant, making the vapor-liquid ratio of the refrigerant in the second pipe section 112 more balanced, thereby further improving the uniformity of refrigerant distribution when the heat exchanger operates as an evaporator. Thus, the arrangement of the second heat exchange tube 5 not only improves the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger under condenser conditions but also simultaneously improves the distribution effect of the heat exchanger under evaporator conditions.

[0056] The above examples illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this disclosure. The descriptions of the embodiments are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of this disclosure. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this disclosure without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications should also fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, characterized by, The heat exchanger comprises a first header (1), a second header (2) and a plurality of first heat exchange tubes (3), the first header (1) comprises a first header (11) and a first connecting pipe (12), the first connecting pipe (12) is partially arranged in the lumen of the first header (11), the part of the first connecting pipe (12) arranged in the lumen of the first header (11) is defined as a first sub-pipe (121), the first sub-pipe (121) is located on one side of the first header (11) along a first direction, the first direction is the thickness direction of the heat exchanger; the first sub-pipe (121) has a first opening (122), the direction of the first opening (122) is towards the length direction of the first header (11); the second header (2) comprises a second header (21), the second header (21) is arranged in a spaced manner with the first header (11), the first heat exchange tube (3) communicates the first header (11) and the second header (21).

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein The first header (1) further comprises a first partition (13) and a first pipe (14), the first partition (13) is at least partially located in the lumen of the first header (11), the first header (11) comprises a first pipe section (111) and a second pipe section (112), the first pipe section (111) and the second pipe section (112) are respectively located on both sides of the first partition (13), the first sub-pipe (121) is located in the first pipe section (111), and the first sub-pipe (121) is close to the first partition (13); the first pipe (14) communicates the first pipe section (111) and the second pipe section (112).

3. The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein The first pipe (14) is located in the lumen of the first header (11), the length direction of the first pipe (14) at least partially extends along the length direction of the first header (11), the first pipe (14) has at least one first hole (141) and a plurality of second holes (142), the first hole (141) is located on the side of the first pipe (14) away from the first partition (13), and the first hole (141) communicates the first pipe section (111) and the first pipe (14); part of the second holes (142) are located at the end of the first pipe (14), and the other part of the second holes (142) are arranged in a spaced manner on the side wall of the first pipe (14), the second holes (142) communicate the second pipe section (112) and the first pipe (14).

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The first opening (122) is located on the side wall of the first sub-pipe (121), and the first opening (122) is away from the first partition (13); the first sub-pipe (121) further has a second opening (123), the second opening (123) is towards the first partition (13), and the flow area of the second opening (123) is smaller than the flow area of the first opening (122).

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein The first header part (1) further comprises a second partition (15) located in the lumen of the first pipe section (111), the second partition (15) comprises a first arc edge (151) and a first side edge (152), the first arc edge (151) has a preset gap with the inner wall of the first pipe section (111), and the first side edge (152) has a preset gap with the first heat exchange pipe (3).

6. The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein The first arc edge (151) has a concave section (153) located on at least one side of the first arc edge (151) in the first direction, and the concave section (153) is concave to the arc surface of the first arc edge (151); the minimum gap between one side of the first arc edge (151) in the first direction and the inner wall of the first pipe section (111) is defined as L1, and the minimum gap between the other side of the first arc edge (151) in the first direction and the inner wall of the first pipe section (111) is defined as L2, then L1>L2.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that The first header part (1) further comprises a third partition (16) located in the lumen of the first pipe section (111), and the distance between the third partition (16) and the first partition (13) is less than the distance between the second partition (15) and the first partition (13); the third partition (16) has a second arc edge (161) and a second side edge (162), the second arc edge (161) is in abutment or sealing connection with the inner wall of the first pipe section (111), the second side edge (162) faces the first heat exchange pipe (3), and the second side edge (162) has a preset gap with the first heat exchange pipe (3).

8. The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein The third partition (16) has a third opening (163) penetrating the third partition (16); the length of the first pipe section (111) is defined as L, the distance between the third partition (16) and the first partition (13) is 1 / 4L-1 / 2L, and the distance between the second partition (15) and the first partition (13) is 1 / 2L-4 / 5L.

9. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that A plane parallel to the length direction of the first heat exchange pipe (3) is defined as a first plane (4), the projection of the first connecting pipe (12) on the first plane (4) overlaps the projection of the first header (11) on the first plane (4).

10. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 2-8, characterized in that The first header part (1) further comprises a third pipe section (17) located at one end of the second pipe section (112) away from the first pipe section (111), and the first connecting pipe (12) communicates the first pipe section (111) and the third pipe section (17); the second header part (2) comprises a fourth pipe section (22) arranged opposite to the third pipe section (17), and the first heat exchange pipe (3) communicates the third pipe section (17) and the fourth pipe section (22).

11. The heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein The heat exchanger further comprises a second heat exchange pipe (5) which communicates the second pipe section (112) and the fourth pipe section (22), and the number of the second heat exchange pipe (5) is defined as N, then 1≤N≤3.

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