Patent ID: 11959649
Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
a compressor; and
an outdoor heat exchanger configured to operate as an evaporator and a condenser,
wherein
the outdoor heat exchanger includes a first heat exchange unit and a second heat exchange unit,
the first heat exchange unit includes
a plurality of first heat transfer tubes extending in an upward/downward direction, arranged apart from each other in a lateral direction, and having respective outflow-side ends from which refrigerant that flows in the plurality of first heat transfer tubes flows out when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator, the outflow-side ends being lower ends of the plurality of first heat transfer tubes,
a first junction pipe extending in the lateral direction, connected to the outflow-side ends of the plurality of first heat transfer tubes, and provided as a pipe in which the refrigerant that flows out of the plurality of first heat transfer tubes joins each other when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator,
an outflow pipe connected to the first junction pipe at or below a center position of the first junction pipe in the upward/downward direction, and configured to guide the refrigerant that flows out of the first junction pipe to the compressor when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator,
a plurality of second heat transfer tubes extending in the upward/downward direction, arranged apart from each other in the lateral direction, and having respective inflow-side ends from which the refrigerant flows into the plurality of second heat transfer tubes when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator, the inflow-side ends being lower ends of the plurality of second heat transfer tubes,
a first distribution pipe extending in the lateral direction, connected to the inflow-side ends of the plurality of second heat transfer tubes, and configured to distribute the refrigerant that flows through the first distribution pipe to the plurality of second heat transfer tubes when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator, and
a first connection part connecting upper ends of the plurality of first heat transfer tubes and upper ends of the plurality of second heat transfer tubes, and configured to guide the refrigerant that flows out of the plurality of second heat transfer tubes to the plurality of first heat transfer tubes when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator,

the second heat exchange unit includes
a plurality of third heat transfer tubes extending in the upward/downward direction, arranged apart from each other in the lateral direction, and having respective outflow-side ends from which the refrigerant that flows in the plurality of third heat transfer tubes flows out when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator, the outflow-side ends being lower ends of the plurality of third heat transfer tubes,
a second junction pipe extending in the lateral direction, connected to the outflow-side ends of the plurality of third heat transfer tubes, and provided as a pipe into which the refrigerant flows from the plurality of third heat transfer tubes to join each other in the second junction pipe when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator,
a plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes extending in the upward/downward direction, arranged apart from each other in the lateral direction, and having respective inflow-side ends from which the refrigerant flow into the plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator, the respective inflow-side ends being lower ends of the plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes,
a second distribution pipe extending in the lateral direction, connected to the inflow-side ends of the plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes, and configured to distribute the refrigerant that flows in the second distribution pipe to the plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator, and
a second connection part connecting upper ends of the plurality of third heat transfer tubes and upper ends of the plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes, and configured to guide the refrigerant that flows out of the plurality of fourth heat transfer tubes to the plurality of third heat transfer tubes when the outdoor heat exchanger operates as the evaporator,

the second junction pipe is connected to the first distribution pipe, and
the second heat exchange unit has a size that is larger than or equal to 15% of a size of the outdoor heat exchanger and less than or equal to 35% of the size of the outdoor heat exchanger.