HEAT EXCHANGER
A heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes stacked with a gap through which a first fluid can pass. The heat exchange tube includes: an internal flow path through which a second fluid for exchanging heat with the first fluid and which includes a folded portion; a plurality of slits provided between two flow path portions in the internal flow paths, the two flow path portions each extending from the folded portion and facing each other at an interval; and a plurality of protruding support portions in contact with another adjacent heat exchange tube to form the gap. As viewed in a stacking direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, at least one of the plurality of slits extends in a state where a center in an extending direction thereof deviates from a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger.
Description of the Related ArtJapanese Patent No. 6089172 discloses a heat exchanger in which a plurality of fin-shaped heat exchange tubes having an internal flow path through which water (fluid) flows are stacked with a gap. In order to form a gap through which air (fluid) to be heat-exchanged passes between the plurality of heat exchange tubes, each of the heat exchange tubes is provided with a plurality of embossed portions in contact with another adjacent heat exchange tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIncidentally, in the case of a heat exchanger configured by stacking a plurality of fin-shaped heat exchange tubes as described in Japanese Patent No. 6089172, it is necessary to accurately form a gap between the heat exchange tubes. Otherwise, the flow path resistance between the heat exchange tubes may cause variation, and as a result, the heat exchange rate of the heat exchanger may cause variation.
Thus, an object of the present disclosure is to accurately form a gap between heat exchange tubes in a heat exchanger configured by stacking a plurality of heat exchange tubes.
In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a heat exchanger including a plurality of heat exchange tubes stacked with a gap through which a first fluid is passable. Each of the heat exchange tubes includes: an internal flow path through which a second fluid for exchanging heat with the first fluid flows, the internal flow path including a folded portion, an inflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and into which the second fluid flows, an outflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and from which the second fluid flows out, a plurality of slits provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between two flow path portions in the internal flow paths, the two flow path portions respectively extending from the folded portions and facing each other at an interval, and a plurality of protruding support portions in contact with another adjacent heat exchange tube to form the gap. As viewed in a stacking direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, at least one of the plurality of slits extends in a state where a center in an extending direction of the plurality of slits deviates from a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
According to the present disclosure, in the heat exchanger configured by stacking a plurality of heat exchange tubes, the gap between the heat exchange tubes can be accurately formed.
A heat exchanger according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes stacked with a gap through which a first fluid is configured to pass. Each of the heat exchange tubes includes: an internal flow path through which a second fluid for exchanging heat with the first fluid flows, the internal flow path including a folded portion, an inflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and into which the second fluid flows, an outflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and from which the second fluid flows out, a plurality of slits provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between two flow path portions in the internal flow paths, the two flow path portions each extending from the folded portion and facing each other at an interval, and a plurality of protruding support portions in contact with another adjacent heat exchange tube to form the gap. As viewed in a stacking direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, at least one of the plurality of slits extends in a state where a center in an extending direction of the plurality of slits deviates from a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
According to this aspect, in the heat exchanger configured by stacking the plurality of heat exchange tubes, the gap between the heat exchange tubes can be accurately formed.
For example, as viewed in the stacking direction, at least one of the plurality of slits may extend without intersecting a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
For example, as viewed in the stacking direction, the plurality of slits may extend avoiding the center line of the heat exchange tube which passes between the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion.
For example, as viewed in the stacking direction, the plurality of slits may be provided in the heat exchange tube symmetrically with respect to a center line.
For example, the heat exchange tube may include a cut-and-raised portion, and the slit may be a through hole in the cut-and-raised portion.
For example, the cut-and-raised piece in the cut-and-raised portion may have a wall shape rising on the downstream side in the flow direction of the first fluid with respect to the through hole and inclined toward the upstream side in the flow direction.
For example, the cut-and-raised piece in the cut-and-raised portion may have a bridge shape extending in a direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the first fluid.
For example, the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion may be adjacent to each other, and as viewed in the stacking direction, a through hole may be provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion.
For example, the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion may be side by side in the flow direction of the first fluid.
For example, the inflow-side connection portion may be positioned on the downstream side in the flow direction of the first fluid, and the outflow-side connection portion may be positioned on the upstream side.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
First Preferred EmbodimentThe heat exchanger 10 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
It should be noted that as in the present first preferred embodiment, it is preferable that the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the outflow-side connection portion 30 are side by side in the flow direction of the first fluid F1 (X-axis direction), that is, overlap each other in the flow direction. Thus, it is possible to reduce the flow path resistance with respect to the first fluid F1 flowing through the gap S between the heat exchange tubes 20 as compared with a case where the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the outflow-side connection portion 30 are not side by side in the flow direction.
In addition, in consideration of the heat exchange rate between the first fluid F1 and the second fluid F2, it is preferable that the inflow-side connection portion 28 is positioned on the downstream side in the flow direction of the first fluid F1 (X-axis direction) and the outflow-side connection portion 30 is positioned on the upstream side in the flow direction of the first fluid F1. As shown in
As shown in
In addition, in the case of the present first preferred embodiment, the casing 22 includes a top plate portion 22a, a bottom plate portion 22b, and a side wall portion 22c connecting the top plate portion 22a and the bottom plate portion 22b. Heating and joining to each other the top plate portion 22a, the plurality of heat exchange tubes 20, and the bottom plate portion 22b in a stacked state manufactures a stacked body thereof. Thereafter, fixing the side wall portion 22c to the top plate portion 22a and the bottom plate portion 22b of the stacked body with screws or the like manufactures the heat exchanger 10.
In addition, the casing 22 includes an inflow port 36 communicating with the inflow-side manifold flow path 32 and an outflow port 38 communicating with the outflow-side manifold flow path 34. The second fluid F2 enters the inflow-side manifold flow path 32 through the inflow port 36, and enters the internal flow path 26 of each of the heat exchange tubes 20 from the inflow-side manifold flow path 32. The second fluid F2 in the internal flow path 26 of each of the heat exchange tubes 20 merges in the outflow-side manifold flow path 34 and flows out to the outside of the heat exchanger 10 through the outflow port 38.
As shown in
The plurality of protruding support portions 42 of the heat exchange tube 20 and the plurality of protruding support portions 44 of the adjacent heat exchange tube 20 are in contact with each other and support each other, whereby the gap S through which the first fluid F1 can pass is formed between the two heat exchange tubes 20. The protruding support portion 42 and the protruding support portion 44 are heating-joined, for example, brazed.
As shown in
As shown in
The slit 46 is provided to suppress heat exchange between the second fluids F2 flowing through the respective two flow path portions 26b extending from the folded portion 26a. That is, the slit 46 suppresses heat transfer through the heat exchange tube 20 from the second fluid F2 in one flow path portion 26b to the second fluid F2 in the other flow path portion 26b. In other words, the slit 46 suppresses a heat shortcut. Since occurrence of such a heat shortcut decreases the heat exchange rate between the first and second fluids F1 and F2, the slit 46 is provided as a countermeasure.
A heat shortcut can be suppressed with this slit 46, but the heat exchange tube 20 is likely to be deformed as compared with a case where there is no slit. Thus, the plurality of slits 46 are provided at appropriate positions so that deformation of the heat exchange tube 20 can be suppressed.
Specifically, as shown in
As shown in
As described above, the plurality of heat exchange tubes 120 of the comparative example are stacked in a state where each of them is supported by each other via the protruding support portions 140 and 142. However, when an allowable manufacturing error (for example, height errors of the protruding support portions 140 and 142, and the like.) of each of the heat exchange tubes 120 and an allowable assembly error of the plurality of heat exchange tubes 120 accumulate, deformation may occur in a certain heat exchange tube 120.
For example, as shown in
Such torsional deformation is likely to occur when the center CS in the extending direction (Y-axis direction) of the slit 146 is positioned on the straight line VL connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions 140 as shown in
Thus, in the case of the present first preferred embodiment, as shown in
In the heat exchange tube 20 of the example shown in
It should be noted that the deformation of the heat exchange tube 20 is further suppressed as the straight line VL connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions 40 is farther from the center CS of the slit 46 and closer to both ends of the slit 46.
In the heat exchange tube 20 of the preferred embodiment shown in
In addition to being positioned with respect to the plurality of protruding support portions 40 (42) in order to suppress deformation of the heat exchange tube 20, the slit 46 is provided in the heat exchange tube 20 in consideration of the following in the case of the present first preferred embodiment.
First, in the case of the present first preferred embodiment, as shown in
Specifically, there is an allowable error in the size in the stacking direction (Z-axis direction) in the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the outflow-side connection portion 30 of each of the heat exchange tubes 20. When the plurality of heat exchange tubes 20 are stacked and errors thereof are accumulated, bending stress occurs between the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the outflow-side connection portion 30 in a certain heat exchange tube 20. At this time, when the plurality of slits 46 extend on the center line C2 of the heat exchange tube 20 passing between the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the outflow-side connection portion 30, the heat exchange tube 20 may be bent along the center line C2.
Therefore, as shown in
In addition, in the case of the present first preferred embodiment, as shown in
In the case of the present first preferred embodiment, the heat exchange tube 20 also includes a component other than the slit 46 as a component that suppresses a heat shortcut.
As shown in
Specifically, in the heat exchange tube 20, the temperature difference between the second fluid F2 flowing through the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the second fluid F2 flowing through the outflow-side connection portion 30 is the largest. Therefore, when the inflow-side connection portion 28 and the outflow-side connection portion 30 are adjacent to each other, a large amount of heat shortcut may occur therebetween. In order to suppress the heat shortcut, a through hole 48 is provided.
Furthermore, in the case of the present first preferred embodiment, as shown in
According to the present first preferred embodiment as described above, in the heat exchanger configured by stacking the plurality of heat exchange tubes, the gap between the heat exchange tubes can be accurately formed.
Second Preferred EmbodimentIn the case of the first preferred embodiment described above, as shown in
As shown in
The cut-and-raised portion 252 includes, for example, a cut-and-raised piece 252a formed by forming a square bracket-shaped cut in the heat exchange tube 220 and raising a portion surrounded by the cut, and a through hole caused by the cut-and-raised piece 252a rising. The through hole in the cut-and-raised portion 252 functions as, a slit 252b that suppresses a heat shortcut between the second fluids F2 flowing through different portions (portions extending from the folded portion and facing each other) of the internal flow path 226.
In addition, in the case of the present second preferred embodiment, the cut-and-raised piece 252a in the cut-and-raised portion 252 has a wall shape that is raised on the downstream side in the flow direction of the first fluid F1 with respect to the slit 252b (through hole) and is inclined toward the upstream side in the flow direction. Therefore, the cut-and-raised piece 252a functions as a wind direction plate for the first fluid F1. Specifically, the cut-and-raised piece 252a guides the first fluid F1 into the slit 252b. Thus, the first fluid F1 flows into a different gap S of the heat exchange tubes 20. As a result, the first fluid F1 flows in the heat exchanger in a complicated manner, so that the heat exchange rate between the first fluid F1 and the second fluid F2 is improved as compared with the first preferred embodiment described above.
Also in the present second preferred embodiment, as in the first preferred embodiment described above, a gap between heat exchange tubes can be accurately formed in a heat exchanger configured by stacking a plurality of heat exchange tubes.
Third Preferred EmbodimentThe present third preferred embodiment is an improved form of the second preferred embodiment described above. Specifically, the shape of the cut-and-raised piece in the cut-and-raised portion is different.
As shown in
As shown in
Also in the present third preferred embodiment, as in the first preferred embodiment described above, a gap between heat exchange tubes can be accurately formed in a heat exchanger configured by stacking a plurality of heat exchange tubes.
Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the above-described first to third preferred embodiments, the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments.
For example, in the case of the above-described first preferred embodiment, as shown in
However, the shape of the internal flow path of the heat exchange tube in the heat exchanger according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this.
In the case of the heat exchange tube 420 shown in
In the case of the heat exchange tube 520 shown in
In the case of the heat exchange tube 620 shown in
As described above, the shape of the internal flow path and the positions of the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion of the heat exchanger can be variously changed according to the application. The internal flow path of the heat exchange tube in the heat exchanger according, to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure has only to be a flow path including at least one folded portion. That is, the heat exchange tube in the heat exchanger according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is a heat exchange tube in which two flow path portions facing each other at an interval are generated by one folded portion, and a slit is provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between the two flow path portions.
In addition, in the case of the above-described first preferred embodiment, as shown in
That is, in a broad sense, a heat exchanger according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes stacked with a gap through which a first fluid is configured to pass. Each of the heat exchange tubes includes: an internal flow path through which a second fluid for exchanging heat with the first fluid flows, the internal flow path including a folded portion, an inflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and into which the second fluid flows, an outflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and from which the second fluid flows out, a plurality of slits provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between two flow path portions in the internal flow paths, the two flow path portions each extending from the folded portion and facing each other at an interval, and a plurality of protruding support portions in contact with another adjacent heat exchange tube to form the gap. As viewed in a stacking direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, at least one of the plurality of slits extends in a state where a center in an extending direction of the plurality of slits deviates from a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
As described above, the above-described preferred embodiments have been described as the exemplification of the technique in the present disclosure. To that end, drawings and a detailed description are provided. Therefore, among the components described in the drawings and the detailed description, not only the components essential for solving the problem, but also the components not essential for solving the problem may be included in order to exemplify the above technique. Therefore, it should not be recognized that these non-essential components are essential immediately because these non-essential components are described in the drawings and the detailed description.
In addition, since the above preferred embodiments are for exemplifying the technique in the present disclosure, various changes, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like can be made within the scope of the claims or the equivalent thereof.
The present disclosure is applicable to a heat exchanger configured by stacking a plurality of fin-shaped heat exchange tubes.
Claims
1. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchange tubes stacked with a gap through which a first fluid is passable,
- each of the heat exchange tubes including:
- an internal flow path through which a second fluid for exchanging heat with the first fluid flows, the internal flow path including a folded portion;
- an inflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and into which the second fluid flows;
- an outflow-side connection portion which communicates with the internal flow path and from which the second fluid flows out;
- a plurality of slits provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between two flow path portions in the internal flow paths, the two flow path portions respectively extending from the folded portions and facing each other at an interval; and
- a plurality of protruding support portions in contact with another adjacent heat exchange tube to form the gap,
- wherein as viewed in a stacking direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, at least one of the plurality of slits extends in a state where a center in an extending direction of the plurality of slits deviates from a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein as viewed in the stacking direction, at least one of the plurality of slits extends without intersecting a straight line connecting the two adjacent protruding support portions.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein as viewed in the stacking direction, the plurality of slits extends avoiding a centerline of the heat exchange tube which passes between the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein as viewed in the stacking direction, the plurality of slits are provided in the heat exchange tube symmetrically with respect to a center line.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1,
- wherein the heat exchange tube includes a cut-and-raised portion, and
- wherein each of the slits is a through hole in the cut-and-raised portion.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein a cut-and-raised piece in the cut-and-raised portion has a wall shape rising on a downstream side in a flow direction of the first fluid with respect to the through hole and inclined toward an upstream side in the flow direction.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein a cut-and-raised piece in the cut-and-raised portion has a bridge shape extending in a direction orthogonal to a flow direction of the first fluid.
8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1,
- wherein the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion are adjacent to each other, and
- wherein as viewed in the stacking direction, a through hole is provided in a portion of the heat exchange tube between the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the inflow-side connection portion and the outflow-side connection portion are side by side in a flow direction of the first fluid.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the inflow-side connection portion is positioned on a downstream side in a flow direction of the first fluid, and the outflow-side connection portion is positioned on an upstream side.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 27, 2021
Publication Date: Jun 23, 2022
Inventors: Shigekazu YAMAGISHI (Osaka), Toshihiko MATSUDA (Osaka), Kento ISHIMURO (Osaka), Tsunehito WAKE (Tokyo), Katsufumi INOUE (Sano-shi), Ryouhei SAKAMOTO (Koga-shi), Hitoshi OONISHI (Nagaoka-shi)
Application Number: 17/512,089