Patent ID: 8671714
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: F25B,F28D,F28F

Abstract:
1. A heat exchanger unit comprising: a first plate heat exchanger; and a second plate heat exchanger disposed in series along a predetermined flow direction relative to the first plate heat exchanger, with the first and second plate heat exchangers of the heat exchanger unit being configured and arranged such that the first plate heat exchanger having a plurality of first refrigerant flow paths, a plurality of first upper refrigerant inflow ports, a plurality of first water flow paths, a first lower header portion and a first upper header portion arranged and configured to distribute and collect the refrigerant that flows to the plurality of first refrigerant flow paths and causing the refrigerant to flow in the predetermined flow direction, and a first gas-liquid mixing structure arranged and configured to promote gas-liquid mixing of the refrigerant in the first lower header portion when the heat exchanger unit heats the refrigerant, the second plate heat exchanger having a plurality of second refrigerant flow path, a plurality of second upper refrigerant inflow ports, a plurality of second water flow paths, a second lower header portion and a second upper header portion arranged and configured to distribute and collect the refrigerant that flows to the plurality of second refrigerant flow paths and causing the refrigerant to flow in the predetermined flow direction, and a second gas-liquid mixing structure arranged and configured to promote gas-liquid mixing of the refrigerant in the second lower header portion when the heat exchanger unit heats the refrigerant, and the first gas-liquid mixing structure and the second gas-liquid mixing structure being configured such that pressure loss becomes larger when the gas-liquid mixing action becomes higher and being configured such that the gas-liquid mixing action of the first gas-liquid mixing structure is higher than the gas-liquid mixing action of the second gas-liquid mixing structure, the first gas-liquid mixing structure including a plurality of first lower refrigerant inflow ports disposed in connecting portions between the plurality of first refrigerant flow paths and the first lower header portion, the second gas-liquid mixing structure including a plurality of second lower refrigerant inflow ports disposed in connecting portions between the plurality of second refrigerant flow paths and the second lower header portion, the first plate heat exchanger and the second plate heat exchanger being configured such that the first lower refrigerant inflow ports have smaller diameters than the second lower refrigerant inflow ports, and each of the first refrigerant flow paths communicates with one of the first upper refrigerant inflow ports and one of the first lower refrigerant inflow ports, and each of the second refrigerant flow paths communicates with one of the second upper refrigerant inflow ports and one of the second lower refrigerant inflow ports such that