US 12,305,937 B2
Heat exchanger and air-conditioning apparatus employing the same
Kosuke Miyawaki, Tokyo (JP); and Yoji Onaka, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/921,188
Filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Jun. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/022543
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/250743, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0168047 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. F28F 9/02 (2006.01); F28D 1/053 (2006.01); F28F 1/02 (2006.01); F28F 9/26 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 9/0212 (2013.01) [F28D 1/053 (2013.01); F28F 1/02 (2013.01); F28F 9/26 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of flat tubes extending in a first direction and arranged with spacing from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a cross-section of each of the plurality of flat tubes in the second direction being an elongated shape; and
a header extending in the second direction and connecting to end portions of the adjacent flat tubes of the plurality of flat tubes in the first direction,
the header being having inside a flow passage through which refrigerant flows,
the flow passage including
a plurality of partition portions each provided between the adjacent flat tubes and configured to block at least a part of the flow passage between the adjacent flat tubes to prevent the refrigerant from flowing in the second direction,
a plurality of insertion portions formed between the adjacent partition portions, each of the plurality of insertion portions forming a space where the refrigerant flows in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, each of the plurality of flat tubes being inserted in to each of the plurality of insertion portions,
a first communication passage allowing one ends of the adjacent insertion portions in the third direction to communicate with each other, and
a second communication passage allowing an other ends of the adjacent insertion portions in the third direction to communicate with each other,
a cross-sectional area of the first communication passage, of a cross-section perpendicular to the second direction, being larger than a cross-sectional area of the second communication passage, of a cross-section perpendicular to the second direction,
the first communication passage being provided with a first refrigerant inlet connected to the flow passage and allowing the refrigerant to flow into the header.