Distributor, heat exchanger, and heat pump apparatus

Abstract

A distributor, a heat exchanger, and a heat pump apparatus each includes an outer wall portion having a cylindrical shape and extending in a transverse direction and a plurality of cylindrical portions extending in the transverse direction, the plurality of cylindrical portions being provided in the outer wall portion or in a hollow portion inside the outer wall portion and each having a flow passage having a circular cross-section inside the cylindrical portion. The plurality of cylindrical portions are provided parallel to each other. The outer wall portion has a plurality of connecting ports formed in an upper or lower part of the outer wall portion and spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction. Each of the plurality of cylindrical portions has a plurality of orifices provided in the cylindrical portion and spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction.

1 . A distributor comprising:
 an outer wall portion having a cylindrical shape and extending in a transverse direction;   a pair of end faces that define both ends in the transverse direction of a hollow portion defined inside the outer wall portion; and   a plurality of cylindrical portions provided in the outer wall portion or in the hollow portion inside the outer wall portion, each extending in the transverse direction such that both ends in the transverse direction of the plurality of cylindrical portions are connected to the pair of respective end faces, and each having a flow passage having a circular cross-section inside the cylindrical portion,   the plurality of cylindrical portions being provided parallel to each other,   the outer wall portion having a plurality of connecting ports formed in an upper or lower part of the outer wall portion and spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction,   each of the plurality of cylindrical portions having a plurality of orifices provided in the cylindrical portion and spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction.   
     
     
         2 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical portions is provided in the outer wall portion such that at least part of the flow passage is located in the hollow portion in a cross-section of the outer wall portion perpendicular to the transverse direction. 
     
     
         3 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of orifices is provided at a position other than a position immediately below or immediately above a center of the flow passage in a cross-section of a corresponding one of the plurality of cylindrical portions perpendicular to the transverse direction. 
     
     
         4 . The distributor of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of orifices is provided such that an angle that, in the cross-section of a corresponding one of the plurality of cylindrical portions perpendicular to the transverse direction, is formed by a reference line connecting the center of the flow passage with a point immediately below the center of the flow passage and a line connecting a point at which the orifice is provided with the center of the flow passage falls within an angular range of larger than or equal to 40 degrees and smaller than or equal to 80 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of orifices of the plurality of cylindrical portions adjacent to each other are provided to face each other. 
     
     
         6 . The distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of orifices of the plurality of cylindrical portions adjacent to each other are provided to face away from each other. 
     
     
         7 . The distributor of  claim 3 , wherein
 the outer wall portion has a bent portion, and   each of the plurality of orifices is provided further inward in the bent portion than a position immediately below the center of the flow passage in a corresponding one of the plurality of cylindrical portions.   
     
     
         8 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of orifices of the plurality of cylindrical portions adjacent to each other are provided in different positions that alternate with each other in the transverse direction. 
     
     
         9 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of cylindrical portions has the plurality of orifices provided in an identical plane perpendicular to the flow passage. 
     
     
         10 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein any of the plurality of orifices has a slit shape. 
     
     
         11 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the plurality of orifices provided in one of the plurality of cylindrical portions is smaller than or equal to the number of the plurality of connecting ports provided in the outer wall portion. 
     
     
         12 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein a size of each of the plurality of orifices provided in a part of one of the plurality of cylindrical portions is different from a size of each of the plurality of orifices provided in an other part of the one of the plurality of cylindrical portions. 
     
     
         13 . The distributor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical portions has a circular cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         14 . The distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising an end divider provided at one end of the outer wall portion in the transverse direction such that the end divider closes a space located further inward than the outer wall portion and further outward than a plurality of the flow passages,
 the end divider having a face that faces the hollow portion, the face being one of the pair of end faces that defines one end in the transverse direction of the hollow portion.   
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of heat transfer tubes, arrayed in the transverse direction, that extend in an up-down direction; and   two headers provided at both respective ends of the plurality of heat transfer tubes and that each distribute and merge refrigerant,   at least one of the two headers including the distributor of  claim 1 ,   some of the plurality of heat transfer tubes being connected to the plurality of connecting ports of the distributor.   
     
     
         16 . A heat pump apparatus comprising a refrigerant circuit including the heat exchanger of  claim 15  and a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant.