| CPC F28D 1/05325 (2013.01) [F24F 11/84 (2018.01); F28F 9/02 (2013.01); F28D 1/05366 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
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1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of flat heat transfer tubes through which a refrigerant flows;
a plurality of fins configured to be arranged on outer surfaces of the plurality of flat heat transfer tubes;
a first header and a second header configured to be disposed on opposite ends of the plurality of flat heat transfer tubes, respectively;
baffles including a first baffle and a second baffle being disposed in the first header and a third baffle being disposed in the second header, the baffles being configured to prevent refrigerant from passing therethrough and to partition an inner space of the first header and the second header; and
refrigerant flow control devices including a first refrigerant flow control device and a second refrigerant flow control device configured to allow the refrigerant to selectively pass through a respective baffle from among the first baffle, the second baffle, and the third baffle and control a flow of the refrigerant, the first refrigerant flow control device being disposed on the third baffle and the second refrigerant flow control device being disposed on the second baffle,
wherein each of the refrigerant flow control devices is configured to:
block the flow of the refrigerant to prevent the refrigerant from passing through the refrigerant flow control device in a case where the refrigerant flows in one direction in a corresponding header from among the first header and the second header,
allow the refrigerant to pass through the respective baffle through the refrigerant flow control device in a case where the refrigerant flows in a direction opposite to the one direction in the corresponding header, and
control a flow rate of the refrigerant passing through the refrigerant flow control device,
wherein each of the refrigerant flow control devices includes:
a communicating pipe disposed on the respective baffle,
a check valve disposed in the communicating pipe and opening and closing the communicating pipe depending on a flow direction of the refrigerant, and
a refrigerant flow rate adjusting member disposed on one end of the communicating pipe, having a hollow cylindrical shape communicating with the communicating pipe, and having a side surface in which refrigerant passages through which the refrigerant passes are formed,
wherein the heat exchanger is configured such that, in response to introducing the refrigerant into a lower space of the first header, the refrigerant flows to a lower space of the second header through at least one flat heat transfer tube of the plurality of flat heat transfer tubes positioned below the first baffle, and
wherein a part of the refrigerant moving to the lower space of the second header flows to a middle space of the first header through the refrigerant passages of the refrigerant flow rate adjusting member of the first refrigerant flow control device and through at least one flat heat transfer tube of the plurality of flat heat transfer tubes positioned between the first baffle and the third baffle and is discharged through the check valve of the second refrigerant flow control device.
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