Showa Denko K.k.

Keihin Thermal Technology Corporation

Kouta Arino

Hideo Ohhashi

Hirohiko Watanabe

Teruyuki Nagafuji

The tank main body of a header tank of a condenser has slits formed in a circumferential wall thereof at positions between opposite end surfaces of the circumferential wall and heat exchange tubes at the opposite ends. Plate-shaped closure members are inserted into the slits from the outside of the tank main body and joined to the circumferential wall of the tank main body. Drain openings are formed in the circumferential wall of the tank main body at positions on the outer sides of the closure members as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the tank main body. A portion of a surface of each closure member which faces outward in the longitudinal direction of the tank main body forms a portion of a peripheral edge of the corresponding drain opening.

Heat exchanger

A first header tank of a condenser serves as a condensation section outlet header section. A second header tank has lower end upper ends respectively located below and above the lower end of the first header tank. A portion of a second header tank located below the lower end of the first header tank serves as a super-cooling section inlet header section. The second header tank also serves as a reservoir section. The interior of the condensation section outlet header section of the first header tank communicates, through a communication section, with a portion of the interior of the second header tank, which portion is located above the lower end of the first header tank. A flow velocity reducing member is provided in the second header tank so as to reduce the flow velocity of liquid-phase dominant refrigerant which flows into the reservoir section through the communication section.

Condenser

An evaporatorincludes a refrigerant inlet header sectionand a refrigerant outlet header sectionwhich are arranged in the front-rear direction, a refrigerant circulation passage for establishing fluid communication between the header sectionsand. First ends of the header sectionsandare closed with a first capand the second ends thereof are closed with a second cap. A refrigerant inletand a refrigerant outlet are formed in the first cap. A pipe joint member, having a refrigerant inflow portcommunicating with the refrigerant inletand a refrigerant outflow portcommunicating with the refrigerant outlet, is joined to the first cap. Mating concave portionsandare formed on the first cap. Mating convex portionsandwhich project toward the first capand which are to be fitted into the mating concave portionsand, respectively, are formed on the pipe joint member. The second caphas no mating concave portions into which the mating convex portionsare fitted. The evaporator () to which the heat exchanger of the present invention is applied can prevent erroneous attachment of the pipe joint member during manufacture thereof.

A heat exchanger includes a heat exchange core including a plurality of heat exchange tubes, a refrigerant inlet header and a refrigerant outlet header arranged toward one end of each heat exchange tube, and a refrigerant inflow header and a refrigerant outflow header arranged toward the other end of each heat exchange tube. The outlet header has an interior divided into two spaces by a flow dividing resistance plate, and some of the heat exchange tubes are joined to the outlet header so as to communicate with the space. The resistance plate has a plurality of refrigerant passing holes formed therein that are different in shape and/or size. The outlet header is provided on the outer surface thereof with identification marks for discriminating the positions of the refrigerant passing holes and representing the shapes and/or sizes of the holes.

A heat exchanger employed as an evaporator includes a heat exchange core section and first to fourth headers. The headersinclude hollow header bodieshaving opposite ends opened, and capsfixed to the corresponding opposite end openings. The capshave flat wall portionswhich close the corresponding end openings of the header bodies. A reinforcement projection portionprojecting toward the interior of the headeris formed on the flat wall portionof the cap. In the heat exchanger, the headerexhibits enhanced withstand pressure.

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Oyama, Japan

Kouta Arino