Heat Exchanger and Processing Method Therefor

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/928,752, which is a national phase entry under 35 USC § 371 of International Application No. PCT/CN2021/096833, filed on May 28, 2021, which claims priority to and benefits of Chinese Patent Application No. 202010481352.9, filed on May 31, 2020, and Chinese Patent Application No. 202021054597.5, filed on Jun. 9, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a field of heat exchange technologies, and more particularly to a processing method for a heat exchanger.

Micro-channel heat exchangers are widely used in various air conditioning fields. In the related art, the micro-channel heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes, and the plurality of heat exchange tubes include a bent part, and the bent part of the heat exchange tube is twisted relative to other parts of the heat exchange tube. In the twisted and bent micro-channel heat exchanger, dust and moisture in the air tend to accumulate in the torsion section of the heat exchanger for a long time, which tends to corrode the heat exchange tube.

A processing method for a heat exchanger according to embodiments of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: preparing a heat exchanger, in which the heat exchanger includes a first tube, a second tube, and a plurality of heat exchange tubes, the plurality of heat exchange tubes are arranged in parallel along a length direction of the first tube, the heat exchange tube is connected with the first tube and the second tube to communicate the first tube with the second tube, a peripheral profile of a cross section of the heat exchange tube is generally flat, the heat exchange tube includes a first side surface and a second side surface arranged parallel to each other in a thickness direction of the heat exchanger tube, the heat exchanger further includes a third side surface and a fourth side surface arranged parallel to each other in a width direction of the heat exchanger, a maximum distance between the first side surface and the second side surface of the heat exchange tube is smaller than a maximum distance between the third side surface and the fourth side surface of the heat exchange tube, projections of the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface and the fourth side surface in the cross section of the heat exchange tube form the peripheral profile of the cross section of the heat exchange tube, the heat exchange tube includes a first section, a processing section and a second section, one end of the first section of the heat exchange tube is communicated with one end of the processing section, the other end of the first section is communicated with the first tube, one end of the second section of the heat exchange tube is communicated with the other end of the processing section, and the other end of the second section is communicated with the second tube; twisting the processing section of the heat exchange tube relative to the first section and the second section of the heat exchange tube along the length direction of the first tube, so that an angle between a first side surface of the twisted processing section of at least part of the heat exchange tubes and a first side surface of the first section of the heat exchange tube is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees; bending the processing section along its length direction to make the processing section U-shaped or V-shaped, and an included angle between the first section and the second section of the heat exchange tube being reduced to a predetermined angle; pushing the processing section by a predetermined distance along the same direction as a direction in which the processing section of the heat exchange tube is twisted, and the predetermined distance being greater than or equal to 0.1 times of a width of the heat exchange tube.

A heat exchanger according to embodiments of a second aspect of the present disclosure includes: a first tube and a second tube spaced apart from each other; a plurality of heat exchange tubes spaced apart from each other, a peripheral profile of a cross section of the heat exchange tube is generally flat, the heat exchange tube includes a first side surface and a second side surface arranged in parallel in a thickness direction of the heat exchange tube, the heat exchange tube further includes a third side surface and a fourth side surface arranged in parallel in a width direction of the heat exchange tube, a maximum distance between the first side surface and the second side surface of the heat exchange tube is smaller than a maximum distance between the third side surface and the fourth side surface of the heat exchange tube, the peripheral profile of the cross section of the heat exchange tube includes projections of the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface and the fourth side surface in the cross section of the heat exchange tube, the first side surface of the heat exchange tube intersects with the third side surface of the heat exchange tube at a first edge, the second side surface of the heat exchange tube intersects with the fourth side surface of the heat exchange tube at a second edge, the second side surface of the heat exchange tube intersects with the third side surface of the heat exchange tube at a third edge, the first side surface of the heat exchange tube intersects with the fourth side surface of the heat exchange tube at a fourth edge, the heat exchange tube includes a first section, a second section and a bent section, one end of the bent section of the heat exchange tube is connected with one end of the first section of the heat exchange tube, the other end of the bent section of the heat exchange tube is connected with one end of the second section of the heat exchange tube, the other end of the first section of the heat exchange tube is connected with the first tube, the other end of the second section of the heat exchange tube is connected with the second tube, and the heat exchange tube communicates the first tube with the second tube. In a first plane parallel to a first edge and a third edge of the first section, one end of a projection line of a second edge of the bent section is connected with a projection line of a second edge of the first section, a distance between the other end of the projection line of the second edge of the bent section and an extension line of a projection line of the first edge of the first section is denoted L, and L of the plurality of heat exchange tubes satisfies a formula: 1.1×Tw≤L≤3×Tw, wherein Tw is a width of the heat exchange tube.

Reference will be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to drawings are illustrative and used to generally explain the present disclosure, and shall not be construed to limit the present disclosure. In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that, orientation or position relationships indicated by terms such as “central”, “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “clockwise”, “anticlockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential” should be construed to refer to the orientation or position relationships as shown in the drawings under discussion. These terms are only for convenience and simplification of description of the present disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to should have a particular orientation or be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as a limitation to the present disclosure.

A heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described below with reference to,and.

As shown in, the heat exchangeraccording to the present disclosure includes a headerand a plurality of heat exchange tubes.

The headerincludes a first tubeand a second tube, and the first tubeand the second tubeare apart spaced from each other. As shown in, the first tubeand the second tubeeach extend along a left-right direction and spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the page of, and the first tubeis located behind the second tube.

The plurality of heat exchange tubesare spaced apart from each other, and a peripheral profile of a cross section of the heat exchanger tubeis substantially flat, i.e. the heat exchange tubeis a flat tube. As shown in, the plurality of heat exchange tubesare spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, each heat exchange tubehas a length, a width and a thickness, the length is larger than the width, and the width is greater than the thickness. The length of the heat exchange tubeis defined in an up-down direction, the width of the heat exchange tubeis defined in the front-rear direction, and the thickness of the heat exchange tubeis defined in the left-right direction.

As shown in, the heat exchange tubeincludes a first side surfaceand a second side surfacearranged parallel to each other in a thickness direction of the heat exchange tube, the heat exchange tubefurther includes a third side surfaceand a fourth side surfacearranged parallel to each other in a width direction of the heat exchange tube, and the maximum distance between the first side surfaceand the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeis smaller than the maximum distance between the third side surfaceand the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tube. The peripheral profile of the cross section of the heat exchange tubeincludes the projections of the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surfaceand the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tubein the cross section of the heat exchange tube.

The first side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersects with the third side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeat a first edge, the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersects with the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeat a second edge, and the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersects with the third side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeat a third edge.

As shown in, the heat exchange tubeincludes a first section, a second sectionand a bent section. One end of the bent sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected with one end of the first sectionof the heat exchange tube, and the other end of the bent sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected with one end of the second sectionof the heat exchange tube. The other end of the first sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected with the first tube, the other end of the second sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected with the second tube, and the heat exchange tubecommunicates the first tubewith the second tube.

As shown in, the first tubeand the second tubeare both provided with a heat-exchange-tube interface, the other end of the first sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected to the heat-exchange-tube interfaceof the first tube, and the other end of the second sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected to the heat-exchange-tube interfaceof the second tube.

As shown in, the second sectionand the first sectionare spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, and the second sectionis located in front of the first section. One end of the bent sectionis connected to a lower end of the first section, an upper end of the first sectionis inserted into the first pipe, the other end of the bent sectionis connected to a lower end of the second section, and an upper end of the second sectionis inserted into the second pipe.

In a first plane parallel to a first edge and a third edge of the first section(such as a plane parallel to the left-right direction and the up-down direction in), one end of a projection line of a second edge of the bent sectionis connected with a projection line of a second edge of the first section, a distance between the other endof the projection line of the second edge of the bent sectionand an extension line of a projection lineof the first edge of the first sectionis denoted as L, and L of the plurality of heat exchange tubes satisfies a formula: 1.1×Tw≤L≤3×Tw, where Tw is the width of the heat exchange tube.

In the heat exchanger according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the bent section of the heat exchange tube protrudes toward a side where the torsion occurs (for example, in the thickness direction of the heat exchange tube or the length direction of the first tube), and L satisfies the formula: 1.1×Tw≤L≤3×Tw, so that more dust and condensed water on an outer surface of the bent section can be discharged out of the heat exchanger, thus reducing the accumulation, which is conducive to slowing down the corrosion of the heat exchange tube and reducing the risk of leakage.

After research, the inventor found that a protrusion size of the bent section of the heat exchange tube should not be too small, which otherwise will lead to insufficient inclination, and the accumulated dust and other sundries cannot be discharged, and that the protrusion size should not be too large, which otherwise will lead to a too small gap or a contact between the bent sections of the adjacent heat exchange tubes, so that the condensed water cannot flow into the bottom along this section to take away the accumulated dust, and this section will become an area prone to accumulate dust and other sundries. Moreover, the inventor considered that the wider the width of the heat exchange tube, the larger the protrusion size will be, so as to ensure the inclination angle. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the protrusion size of the bent section of the heat exchange tube is associated with the width Tw of the heat exchange tube, and an appropriate size is determined.

Specifically, as shown in, the heat exchangerfurther includes a first connecting tubeand a second connecting tube, a right end of the first connecting tubeis connected to a left end of the first pipe, and a right end of the second connecting tubeis connected to a left end of the second pipe, so as to input and output a refrigerant through the connecting tubes. The bent sectionprotrudes toward a left side of the heat exchange tube.

In some embodiments, the bent sectionincludes a torsion part and an arc part, one bent sectionand another bent sectionadjacent in a thickness direction of its arc part are at least partially opposite in the thickness direction of the arc part. In other words, in the plurality of heat exchange tubes, the arc parts of adjacent bent sectionsare at least partially opposite in the thickness direction of the arc part.

In some embodiments, the bent sectionsof the heat exchange tubesadjacent to each other in a length direction of the first tubehave a gap D therebetween. As shown in, in the plurality of heat exchange tubes, the arc parts of the adjacent bent sectionshave the gap D in the thickness direction of the arc part.

In some embodiments, the first tubeand the second tubeare arranged parallel to each other, a plurality of first sectionsare arranged in parallel along the length direction of the first pipe, and a plurality of second sectionsare arranged in parallel along a length direction of the second pipe.

As shown in, the upper ends of the first sectionsof the plurality of heat exchange tubesare inserted into the first tube, and the plurality of first sectionsare arranged in parallel and spaced apart along the length direction of the first tube. The upper ends of the second sectionsof the plurality of heat exchange tubesare inserted into the second tube, and the plurality of second sectionsare arranged in parallel and spaced apart along the length direction of the second tube.

The heat exchangerfurther includes a finarranged between the first sectionsadjacent to each other in the length direction of the first tubeand between the second sectionsadjacent to each other in the length direction of the second tube.

As shown in, the finis arranged between any adjacent first sectionsand between any adjacent second sections. Specifically, no fin is arranged between any adjacent bent sections.

In some embodiments, the finis a folded fin extending in a generally wavy shape. The fin can increase the heat exchange area of two adjacent heat exchange tubes and improve the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger.

In some embodiments, one endof a projection lineof a first edge of the bent sectionin the first plane is connected to the projection lineof the first edge of the first sectionin the first plane, and a connecting line (or rather, its extension line) between the other endof the projection line of the first edge of the bent sectionin the first plane and the other endof the projection line of the second edge of the bent sectionin the first plane and the projection line (or rather, its extension line) of the first edge of the first sectionin the first plane define an included angle denoted as a therebetween, and the included angle α is greater than 10 degrees and less than 60 degrees. The connecting line between the other end of the projection line of the first edge of the bent sectionin the first plane and the other end of the projection line of the second edge of the bent sectionin the first plane is an edge of a projection of the bent sectionin the first plane.

As shown in, in the plane parallel to the left-right direction and the up-down direction, the included angle α between the connecting line between the other end of the projection line of the first edge of the bent sectionand the other end of the projection line of the second edge of the bent sectionand the projection line of the first edge of the first sectionis greater than 10 degrees and less than 60 degrees. Therefore, the bent sectionforms a slope, and the dust accumulated in the bent section can be easily flushed out of the heat exchanger through the gap D at the bent section by the condensed water generated on the surface of the heat exchanger or the water in the environment.

In some embodiments, as shown in, the heat exchangerfurther includes baffles, the bafflesinclude at least two pairs of baffles, one pair of bafflesare respectively located on both sides of the plurality of first sectionsin the length direction of the first tubeand the other pair of bafflesare respectively located on both sides of the plurality of second sectionsin the length direction of the second tube, so as to fix and protect the heat exchange tubes.

In some embodiments, as shown in, the heat exchangerfurther includes fins, the finsinclude a plurality of fins, and the plurality of finsare evenly arranged between the baffleand the heat exchange tubeand between the heat exchange tubes. The fins can increase the heat exchange area of two adjacent heat exchange tubes and improve the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger.

The heat exchanger according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is described below with reference to.

As shown in, a heat exchangeraccording to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a headerand a plurality of heat exchange tubes.

The headerincludes a first tubeand a second tube, and the first tubeand the second tubeare spaced apart from each other. As shown inand, the first tubeand the second tubeeach extend along a left-right direction and spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the pages of, and the first tubeis located behind the second tube.

The plurality of heat exchange tubesare spaced apart from each other, and a peripheral profile of a cross section of the heat exchanger tubeis substantially flat, i.e. the heat exchange tubeis a flat tube. As shown in, the plurality of heat exchange tubesare spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, each heat exchange tubehas a length, a width and a thickness, the length is larger than the width, and the width is greater than the thickness. The length of the heat exchange tubeis defined in an up-down direction, the width of the heat exchange tubeis defined in the front-rear direction, and the thickness of the heat exchange tubeis defined in the left-right direction.

As shown in, the heat exchange tubeincludes a first side surfaceand a second side surfacearranged parallel to each other in a thickness direction of the heat exchange tube, the heat exchange tubealso includes a third side surfaceand a fourth side surfacearranged parallel to each other in a width direction of the heat exchange tube, and a distance between the first side surfaceand the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeis smaller than a distance between the third side surfaceand the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tube. A peripheral profile of a cross section of the heat exchange tubeincludes projections of the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surfaceand the fourth side surfacein the cross section of the heat exchange tube, i.e. the projections of the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surfaceand the fourth side surfacein the cross section of the heat exchange tubeform the peripheral profile of the cross section of the heat exchange tube. That is, the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface and the fourth side surface are peripheral surfaces of the heat exchange tube.

The first side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the third side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at a first edge, the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at a second edge, the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the third side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at a third edge, and the first side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at a fourth edge. In some embodiments, the third side surface and/or the fourth side surface may be a curved surface, such as an arc surface, which are connected with the first side surface and the second side surface, respectively.

The heat exchange tubeincludes a first section, a second sectionand a bent section. One end of the bent sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected with one end of the first section, and the other end of the bent sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected with one end of the second sectionof the heat exchange tube. The other end of the first sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected to the first tube, the other end of the second sectionof the heat exchange tubeis connected to the second tube, and the heat exchange tubecommunicates the first tubewith the second tube. The bent sectionof the heat exchange tubeincludes a torsion part and an arc part. In a thickness direction of the arc part of the bent section, the arc parts of the bent sectionsof two adjacent heat exchange tubesare at least partially opposite.

The plurality of heat exchange tubesare arranged in parallel, the first sectionsof the plurality of heat exchange tubesare arranged in parallel in an arrangement direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, and the second sectionsof the plurality of heat exchange tubesare arranged in parallel in the arrangement direction of the plurality of heat exchange tubes. As shown in, the plurality of heat exchange tubesare arranged in the left-right direction, a plurality of first sectionsare arranged in parallel and spaced apart in the left-right direction, and a plurality of second sectionsare arranged in parallel and spaced apart in the left-right direction.

The heat exchange tubeof the plurality of heat exchange tubeslocated at one end of the first tubein the length direction of the first tubeis a first heat exchange tube(the rightmost heat exchange tube of the plurality of heat exchange tubesin), and the heat exchange tubeof the plurality of heat exchange tubeslocated at the other end of the first tubein the length direction of the first tubeis a second heat exchange tube(the leftmost heat exchange tube of the plurality of heat exchange tubesin).

In a first plane parallel to a first edge and a third edge of the first section, a distance between a projectionof a first side surfaceof the first sectionof the first heat exchange tubeand a projectionof a second side surfaceof the first sectionof the second heat exchange tubeis denoted as L2, as shown inand, one endof a projection line of a third edge of the bent sectionof the first heat exchange tubeis connected with one endof a projection line of a third edge of the first sectionof the first heat exchange tube, one endof a projection line of a fourth edge of the bent sectionof the second heat exchange tubeis connected with one endof a projection line of a fourth edge of the first sectionof the second heat exchange tube, and a distance between the other endof the projection line of the third edge of the bent sectionof the first heat exchange tubeand the other endof the projection line of the fourth edge of the bent sectionof the second heat exchange tubeis denoted as L1. In the first plane, L1 and L2 satisfy a formula: L2+0.2Tw≤L1<L2+2Tw, where Tw is the width of the heat exchange tube.

In the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, L1 is associated with L2 and Tw, respectively, and L1 is limited in a range greater than or equal to L2+0.2Tw and less than L2+2Tw, so that an overlapping area of the bent sections of the heat exchange tubes of the heat exchanger can be reduced, and a contact area of the bent sections of the heat exchange tubes can be reduced, which is conducive to slowing down the corrosion of the heat exchange tube, reducing the risk of leakage and prolonging the service life of the heat exchanger. Moreover, a length of the bent section protruding toward a side can be limited, which is beneficial to use and installation. When L1 is too small, not only the overlapping area of adjacent bent sections is large, but also a large stress concentration is caused in a region where the heat exchange tubes are nested or in contact with each other, which will result in serious surface wear of the heat exchange tube. When L2 is too large, the gap between adjacent bent sections is too large, resulting in air leakage or direct dripping of the condensed water during use, which will affect the use effect.

In some embodiments, L1 and L2 satisfy a formula: L1<L2+0.96Tw, as shown in, where Tw is the width of the heat exchange tube. Thus, the overlapping area of the bent sections of the heat exchange tubes of the heat exchanger can be reduced, and the contact area of the bent sections of the heat exchange tubes can be reduced, which is conducive to slowing down the corrosion of the heat exchange tube, reducing the risk of leakage and prolonging the service life of the heat exchanger. Moreover, the length of the bent section protruding toward a side can be limited, which is beneficial to use and installation.

In some embodiments, as shown in, the bent sectionof the heat exchange tubeincludes two torsion parts, one end of one torsion part is communicated with the one end of the first sectionof the heat exchange tube, one end of the other torsion part is communicated with the one end of the second sectionof the heat exchange tube, and the arc part communicates the two torsion parts with each other. In some embodiments, in the thickness direction of the arc part of the bent sectionof the heat exchange tube, the arc parts of the bent sectionsof adjacent heat exchange tubeshave a gap therebetween. Therefore, more dust and condensed water on the outer surface of the bent section can be further discharged out of the heat exchanger, and the dust accumulated in the bent section can be reduced.

In some embodiments, as shown in, a minimum value of the gap is denoted as h, and h of the plurality of heat exchange tubessatisfies a formula: ⅔t≤h<8.5t, where t is the thickness of the heat exchange tube. Thus, more dust and condensed water on the outer surface of the bent section can be further discharged out of the heat exchanger, thus reducing the dust accumulated in the bent section.

In other embodiments, as shown in, a minimum value of the gap is denoted as h, and h of the plurality of heat exchange tubessatisfies a formula: ⅔t≤h<X, where t is the thickness of the heat exchange tube, and X is a distance between the first side surfaces of the heat exchange tubesadjacent to each other in the length direction of the first tube. Therefore, more dust and condensed water on the outer surface of the bent section can be further discharged out of the heat exchanger, and the dust accumulated in the bent section can be reduced.

In some embodiments, the first side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the third side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at the first edge, the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the fourth side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at the second edge, and the second side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeand the third side surfaceof the heat exchange tubeintersect at the third edge.

In the first plane parallel to the first edge and the third edge of the first section(such as a plane parallel to the left-right direction and the up-down direction in), a minimum included angle between a projection lineof a first edge of the bent sectionin the first plane and the projection lineof the first edge of the first sectionin the first plane is denoted as β, the included angle β is greater than 0 degrees, and the included angles β of the plurality of heat exchange tubesare the same, and satisfy a formula: L2+Tw·cos β≤L1<L2+2Tw. Thus, the bent sectionforms a slope, and the dust accumulated in the bent section can be easily flushed out of the heat exchanger through the gap h at the bent section by the condensed water generated on the surface of the heat exchanger or the water in the environment.

The projection line of the bent sectionmay be a curve, so that there are a plurality of corresponding included angles β, and each included angle β satisfies the above formula.

In some embodiments, the included angle β is greater than 10 degrees and less than or equal to 65 degrees. The inclined angle of the slope formed by the bent sectionincreases with the increase of the included angle β, so that the dust accumulated in the bent section can be flushed out of the heat exchanger through the gap h at the bent section more easily.

In some embodiments, one end of a projection lineof a second edge of the bent sectionin the first plane is connected with a projection lineof a second edge of the first sectionin the first plane, a distance between the other endof the projection line of the second edge of the bent sectionin the first plane and an extension line of a projection lineof the first edge of the first sectionin the first plane is denoted as L, and L of the plurality of heat exchange tubessatisfies a formula: 1.1×Tw≤L≤3×Tw. In the heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the bent section of the heat exchange tube protrudes toward a side where the torsion occurs (for example, in the thickness direction of the heat exchange tube or the length direction of the first tube), and it is guaranteed that L satisfies the formula: 1.1×Tw≤L≤3×Tw, so that more dust and condensed water on the outer surface of the bent section can be discharged out of the heat exchanger, further reducing the resulted accumulation and reducing the risk of leakage of the heat exchange tube.