Heat exchanger

Abstract

In a heat exchanger comprising a hollow header ( 2 ) and a plurality of heat exchanging tubes ( 1 ) which are in fluid communication with the header ( 1 ), the cross-sectional shape of the header ( 2 ) is formed into an angular cross-sectional shape including a rectangular cross-sectional shape and a square cross-sectional shape. Furthermore, the inner space of the header ( 2 ) is divided into a plurality of collecting chambers ( 13 ) by header-partitioning walls ( 12 ) provided in the header ( 2 ), and that the inner surface ( 14 ) of the tube-non-connecting-side wall in the collecting chamber ( 13 ) is formed into a curved surface. As a result, the inner volume of the header ( 2 ) can be reduced greatly as compared with that of the conventional header while securing sufficient pressure resistance and lightweight. Furthermore, the heat exchanger can be further miniaturized and the amount of the refrigerant to be used can be reduced. Furthermore, a heat exchanger having an excellent heat conducting characteristic and small refrigerant flow resistance can be obtained.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 a hollow header; and    a plurality of heat exchanging tubes which are in fluid communication with said hollow header,    wherein said header has an angular cross-sectional shape including a rectangular cross-sectional shape and a square cross-sectional shape,    wherein said header is provided with one or a plurality of header-partitioning walls extending in a longitudinal direction of said header, whereby an inner space of said header is divided into a plurality of collecting chambers, and    wherein a tube-non-connecting-side wall of each of said collecting chambers has a curved inner surface.    
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a maximum distance from an end of said tube communicated with said collecting chamber to said curved inner surface of said tube-non-connecting-side wall is 2 mm or more and 80% or less of a width of said tube.  
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said curved inner surface is provided with a plurality of vertically extending refrigerant-guiding grooves.  
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a communication opening is formed in said header-partitioning wall at the same height as a height of a tube-connecting position of said header.  
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a pair of guide rails disposed apart from each other are protruded from an external surface of a tube-non-connecting-side wall of said header, and wherein a bracket is connected to said header by engaging a part of said bracket with said pair of guide rails.  
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a fitted portion of said bracket fitted on said header is integrally brazed to said header.  
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of brazing-material-holding grooves extending in a longitudinal direction of said header are formed on an external surface of a tube-connecting-side wall of said header.  
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said tube is formed into a flat shape, and wherein an inner fin having a plurality of communication apertures formed in a scattered manner is inserted into an inner space thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said tube is formed into a flat shape, and wherein an inner space of said tube is divided by one or a plurality of tube-partitioning walls extending in a longitudinal direction of said tube, and wherein each of said tube-partitioning walls is provided with one or a plurality of communication apertures.  
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said header includes a sacrificial zinc layer for corrosion protection formed at an external surface thereof, whereby zinc is diffused into said header by heat at the time of integrally brazing said header and said tubes.  
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 10 , wherein zinc concentration after the diffusion in a surface of said hollow header falls within a range of from 1 to 10 wt %.  
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a tube insertion aperture is formed in a tube-connecting-side wall and front and rear side walls extending from said tube-connecting-side wall, and wherein a width of said tube is the same as or generally the same as a depth of said header in a widthwise direction of said tube.  
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each of said front and rear side walls of said header is provided with a tube-displacement-restricting piece bent toward said tube. insertion aperture and fitted on a widthwise side surface of said tube.  
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said tube-displacement-restricting piece is integrally brazed to said header.