Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle apparatus having the same

Abstract

A heat exchanger including a plurality of first refrigerant tubes, and a plurality of second refrigerant tubes separated from the plurality of first refrigerant tubes in an air flow direction. Further, a diameter of a respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes is smaller than a diameter of a respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of first refrigerant tubes; and   a plurality of second refrigerant tubes separated from the plurality of first refrigerant tubes in an air flow direction,   wherein a diameter of a respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes is smaller than a diameter of a respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one fin configured to couple the plurality of first refrigerant tubes to the plurality of second refrigerant tubes,   wherein the at least one fin includes first openings configured to receive the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and second openings configured to receive the plurality of second refrigerant tubes, and   wherein a diameter of a respective opening of the first openings is smaller than a respective opening of the second openings.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one fin includes a first fin unit configured to couple the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and a second fin unit configured to couple the plurality of second refrigerant tubes,
 wherein the first fin unit includes a plurality of first slits and the second fin unit includes a plurality of second slits, and   wherein forward slits of the plurality of first slits are longer than backward slits of the plurality of second slits.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of first slits are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the plurality of second slits. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the diameter of the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes to the diameter of the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes is 0.3 to 0.95. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the diameter of the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes is 3 mm to 15 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a distance between centers of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and a distance between centers of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes are 15 mm to 25 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one fin has a width of 10 mm to 30 mm in the air flowing direction. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each diameter of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes is smaller than each diameter of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser connected to the compressor and configured to condense the refrigerant;   an expander connected to the condenser and configured to expand the refrigerant; and   an evaporator connected to the expander and the compressor and configured to evaporate the refrigerant,   wherein at least one of the condenser and the evaporator includes a plurality of first refrigerant tubes, and a plurality of second refrigerant tubes separated from the plurality of first refrigerant tubes in an air flow direction,   wherein a diameter of a respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes is smaller than a diameter of a respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes, and   wherein the at least one of the condenser and the evaporator further includes a connector configured to connect together the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes so that liquid refrigerant passes through the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and that gas refrigerant passes through the plurality of second refrigerant tubes.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the connector is further configured to sequentially connect the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes and the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes in a refrigerant flowing direction so that refrigerant compressed by the compressor passes through the plurality of second refrigerant tubes, passes through the plurality of first refrigerant tubes, and flows to the expander. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the connector is further configured to sequentially connect the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes in a refrigerant flowing direction so that the refrigerant expanded by the expander passes through the plurality of first refrigerant tubes, passes through the plurality of second refrigerant tubes, and flows to the compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a diameter of a first part of the connector connected to the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes is smaller than a diameter of a second part of the connector connected to the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes and an area of a channel increases from the first part toward the second part. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said at least one of the condenser and the evaporator further includes at least one fin configured to couple the plurality of first refrigerant tubes to the plurality of second refrigerant tubes,
 wherein the at least one fin includes first openings configured to receive the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and second openings configured to receive the plurality of second refrigerant tubes, and   wherein a diameter of a respective opening of the first openings is smaller than a respective opening of the second openings.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fin includes a first fin unit configured to couple the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and a second fin unit configured to couple the plurality of second refrigerant tubes,
 wherein the first fin unit includes a plurality of first slits and the second fin unit includes a plurality of second slits, and   wherein forward slits of the plurality of first slits are longer than backward slits of the plurality of second slits.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of first slits are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the plurality of second slits. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a ratio of the diameter of the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes to the diameter of the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes is 0.3 to 0.95. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the diameter of the respective refrigerant tube of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes is 3 mm to 12 mm, and
 wherein a distance between centers of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and a distance between centers of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes are 15 mm to 25 mm.   
     
     
         19 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one fin has a width of 10 mm to 30 mm in the air flowing direction. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigeration cycle apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein each diameter of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes is smaller than each diameter of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes.