Distributor and heat exchanger
A distributor and a heat exchanger each include a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate. The first plate is stacked on the second plate in a stacking direction. The second plate is stacked on the third plate in the stacking direction. The first plate has a first through hole. The second plate has a first hollow portion communicating with the first through hole, a plurality of second hollow portions communicating with the first hollow portion, and a plurality of third hollow portions each communicating with one of the plurality of second hollow portions. The third plate has a plurality of second through holes each communicating with one of the plurality of third hollow portions. A first dimension L 1 that is the width of the first hollow portion is larger than a second dimension L 2 that is the width of each of the plurality of second hollow portions.
1. A distributor comprising:
a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate, the first plate being stacked on the second plate in a stacking direction, the second plate being stacked on the third plate in the stacking direction,
the first plate having a first through hole,
the second plate having
a first hollow portion communicating with the first through hole,
a plurality of second hollow portions communicating with the first hollow portion, and
a plurality of third hollow portions each communicating with its associated one of the plurality of second hollow portions,
the third plate having a plurality of second through holes each communicating with its associated one of the plurality of third hollow portions,
the first hollow portion having an elongate shape having a length along which a fluid flows and a width orthogonal to the length in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction,
the plurality of second hollow portions each having an elongate shape having a length along which the fluid flows and a width orthogonal to the length in the plane perpendicular to the stacking direction,
wherein the plurality of second through holes each have an elongate shape having a length and a width orthogonal to the length in the plane perpendicular to the stacking direction,
wherein
L 1 is larger than L 2
where
L 1 is a first dimension that is the width of the first hollow portion, and
L 2 is a second dimension that is the width of each of the plurality of second hollow portions, and
wherein
L 5 is larger than L 6
where
L 5 is a fifth dimension that is the length of each of the plurality of second through holes, and
L 6 is a sixth dimension that is a length of each of the plurality of third hollow portions.
2. The distributor of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of third hollow portions each have an elongate shape having a length along which the fluid flows and a width orthogonal to the length in the plane perpendicular to the stacking direction, and
wherein L 3 is larger than L 2 and is smaller than L 1
where L 3 is a third dimension that is the width of each of the plurality of third hollow portions.
3. The distributor of claim 1 ,
wherein L 4 is smaller than L 3
where
L 3 is a third dimension that is a width of each of the plurality of third hollow portions, and
L 4 is a fourth dimension that is the width of each of the plurality of second through holes.
4. The distributor of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow portion includes a protrusion that partly reduces the first dimension L 1 in a direction along the length of the first hollow portion.
5. The distributor of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow portion includes a broadening part in which the first dimension L 1 gradually increases in a direction along the length of the first hollow portion.
6. The distributor of claim 1 , wherein the second dimensions L 2 of the plurality of second hollow portions are two or more different dimensions.
7. The distributor of claim 6 , wherein the second dimensions L 2 of the plurality of second hollow portions are gradually increased in a direction along the length of the first hollow portion.
8. The distributor of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of third hollow portions each include a protrusion protruding vertically downward.
9. The distributor of claim 8 , wherein the protrusion of each of the plurality of third hollow portions is located closer to its associated one of the plurality of second hollow portions than a middle of the third hollow portion in a direction along the length of the third hollow portion.
10. A heat exchanger comprising the distributor of claim 1 .
11. The distributor of claim 1 , wherein
L 4 is larger than L 3
where
L 3 is a third dimension that is a width of each of the plurality of third hollow portions, and
L 4 is a fourth dimension that is the width of each of the plurality of second through holes.