JP6107724B2 - Piping connection structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pipe connection structure that can be used for a heat exchanger of an air conditioner, for example.

  An air conditioner is composed of indoor heat exchangers, outdoor heat exchangers, compressors, control components (four-way valves / expansion valves), connecting pipes, etc., and most of the materials are pipe members made of copper, copper alloys, etc. Is used.

  In recent years, there has been a demand for cost reduction and weight reduction due to the price increase of copper materials and environmental problems, and aluminum or aluminum alloy piping (hereinafter referred to as “aluminum piping”) as an alternative member is a heat exchanger. It is being considered for use.

  On the other hand, compressors and surrounding piping are generally made of copper because of reliability and manufacturing problems. Therefore, when a heat exchanger using aluminum piping is used, a joint between the aluminum piping and copper piping (hereinafter referred to as “copper piping”) is generated in the machine room. For this joining, for example, welding such as eutectic joining and brazing is used.

  Here, many of the air conditioners equipped with heat exchangers are products of a type that repeats cooling operation and heating operation. Depending on the state of the outside air (temperature and humidity), the outdoor unit heat exchanger and piping members may be used during the heating operation. Condensed water adheres. When the condensed water adhering to the outdoor unit heat exchanger and the piping member touches the joint portion, there is a possibility that electric corrosion occurs on the surface of the aluminum pipe at the joint portion.

  Therefore, a method is known in which the joint portion of the metal pipe is covered with a heat shrink protection tube to prevent water from coming into contact with the joint portion and to prevent electric corrosion (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-103253 A

  By the way, the space which can arrange | position a piping member is also limited from the request of size reduction of an outdoor unit, and the aluminum piping of a heat exchanger and the copper piping of a compressor side may be faced up and down and joined.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the aluminum pipe 51 and the copper pipe 52 are joined to each other in the vertical direction, the condensed water 54 tends to accumulate at the corners between the upper end surface 53 a of the heat shrinkable tube 53 and the surface of the aluminum pipe 51. When the condensed water 54 accumulates for a long time, there is a problem that the aluminum pipe 52 is corroded depending on the salt concentration.

  In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a pipe connection structure capable of preventing corrosion of a metal pipe adjacent to the upper end surface of a covering member that covers a joint portion between pipes of different metals. It is in.

  In order to achieve the above object, a pipe connection structure according to an aspect of the present invention has an electrode potential different from that of the first type metal on the upper side of the first pipe made of the first type metal. 2nd piping which consists of 2 types of metals is arranged in the lower side, and is a piping connection structure which connects each, Comprising: The junction part of said 1st piping and said 2nd piping, said 1st A flange formed on a peripheral surface at a position spaced from the joint of the pipe and having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe and having an arc-shaped cross section at the end; And a waterproof coating material disposed so as to cover the joint portion by shrinking by heat, and the end surface of the one end portion is the first end after the thermal shrinkage of the waterproof coating material. It is comprised so that it may incline downward toward the outer side from the center of this piping.

  In the pipe connection structure according to the present invention, the flange includes a first flange having a first outer diameter, and a second flange having a smaller outer diameter than the first flange, and the first flange and The second flange is formed in the order of the first flange and the second flange along the direction from the first pipe to the second pipe, continuously in the axial direction of the pipe. It may be a thing.

  In the pipe connection structure according to the present invention, the first pipe is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy containing aluminum as a main component, and the second pipe is made of copper or a copper alloy containing copper as a main component. Good.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, corrosion of the metal piping which adjoins the upper end surface of the coating | coated member which coat | covers the junction part of piping of dissimilar metals can be prevented.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner which is the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the piping connection structure of the heat exchanger in the internal structure of the outdoor unit of FIG. It is the perspective view which expanded the piping connection structure of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the piping connection structure of FIG. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the principal part in the piping connection structure of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the pipe connection structure of FIG. 5 in a state where the upper end portion of the heat-shrinkable tube excessively rides on the flange. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the pipe connection structure of FIG. 5 in a state where the upper end portion of the heat-shrinkable tube does not ride on the flange. It is sectional drawing which shows the piping connection structure of the heat exchanger of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the positioning state before heat shrink of a heat contraction tube in the piping connection structure of FIG. It is sectional drawing in order to demonstrate the subject of piping connection structure.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>

  In the present embodiment, the pipe joint structure for a heat exchanger according to the present invention is applied to an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the outdoor unit 1 of the air conditioner of the present embodiment has a box-shaped housing 10. The housing 10 includes a base 11 that forms the lower surface of the housing 10, a front panel 13 that forms the front surface of the housing 10, a left panel 14 and a right panel 15 that form the side surfaces of the housing 10, and the housing 10. And the top plate 16 that forms the upper surface of the. The front panel 13 is provided with an air outlet 131. A fan guard 17 is attached to the outside of the air outlet 131.

  The housing 10 houses a compressor 21, a heat exchanger 23, a blower fan 24, an electrical unit 25, and the like.

  The internal space of the housing 10 is divided into a machine room 31 in which mainly the compressor 21 and the electrical unit 25 are arranged by a partition plate 26, a heat exchange room 32 in which a blower fan 24 and a heat exchanger 23 are arranged. It is divided into.

  The heat exchanger 23 is provided in an L shape along the left side surface from the back surface of the housing 10. The heat exchanger 23 includes a plurality of fins 231 arranged in parallel with each other at equal intervals, and a pipe 232 arranged orthogonal to these fins 231.

  The electrical unit 25 accommodates a board on which electronic components constituting a control circuit and a power supply circuit for controlling the compressor 21 and the blower fan 24 are mounted.

[Piping connection structure of heat exchanger 23]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a pipe connection structure 40 of the heat exchanger 23 in the internal structure of the outdoor unit 1 of FIG.
4 is an enlarged perspective view of the pipe connection structure 40 of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the pipe connection structure 40 of FIG.

  Hereinafter, the pipe 232 drawn out from the heat exchanger 23 is referred to as a “first pipe”, and the pipe 213 connected thereto is referred to as a “second pipe”.

  Here, the first piping 232 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy containing aluminum as a main component, and the second piping 213 is made of copper or a copper alloy containing copper as a main component.

  The pipe connection structure 40 is a structure for connecting the first pipe 232 and the second pipe 213 by butting up and down. The pipe connection structure 40 includes a joint 41 by welding the first pipe 232 and the second pipe 213, and a circumferential surface at a position separated from the joint 41 between the first pipe 232 and the second pipe 213. The flange 42 having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe 232 is positioned so that one end portion rides on the flange 42 and is disposed so as to cover the joint portion 41. A heat-shrinkable tube 43 (waterproof coating). Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, the end 42a of the flange 42 is formed in an arc shape in cross section so that a water droplet flows downward.

  The first pipe 232 and the second pipe 213 are joined to each other in the joint portion 41 with the first pipe 232 on the upper side and the second pipe 213 on the lower side. This is because if the upper and lower positional relationship between the first pipe 232 and the second pipe 213 in the joint portion 41 is turned upside down, the water containing copper ions from the second pipe 213 side is the first made of aluminum. This is because it adheres to the surface of the pipe 232 and causes electric corrosion.

  The heat-shrinkable tube 43 is a waterproof covering material that is shrunk by applying heat, is fixed to the covering portion, and prevents the joint portion 41 from touching water. The thickness of the heat shrinkable tube 43 may be, for example, about 0.5 mm to 1 mm after shrinkage.

  The flange 42 is formed on the entire circumference of the first pipe 232 and has a first outer diameter that is, for example, about 1-2 mm larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe 232. The flange 42 is formed by metal forming such as bead processing.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the heat-shrinkable tube 43 is in a state where one end portion rides on the flange 42 such that the upper end surface 43 a is inclined downward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232 toward the outside. Has been placed. As described above, the upper end surface 43 a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 is inclined downward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232 toward the outside, so that water droplets do not stay on the upper end surface 43 a of the heat shrinkable tube 43. For this reason, it can prevent that the 1st piping 232 adjacent to the upper end surface 43a of the heat contraction tube 43 corrodes.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7, when the upper end portion of the heat shrinkable tube 43 rides on the flange 42 excessively, the upper end surface 43 a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 faces outward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232. Therefore, there is a possibility that a water pool 44 is formed between the inside of the upper end of the heat-shrinkable tube 43 and the surface of the flange 42 without tilting downward. For this reason, corrosion may occur in the portion of the flange 42.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, even when the upper end portion of the heat shrinkable tube 43 does not ride on the flange 42, the upper end surface 43 a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 faces downward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232. Don't lean on. In this case, there is a possibility that the water reservoir 45 is formed around the surface of the flange 42 and at the corner between the upper end surface 43 a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 and the surface of the first pipe 232. For this reason, corrosion may occur in the first pipe 232.

  In order for the upper end surface 43a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 to taper downward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232 toward the outside, the heat shrinkable tube 43 is heated below the apex P of the flange 42 after the heat shrinkage of the heat shrinkable tube 43. It is necessary to position the upper end surface 43a of the contraction tube 43.

  For example, the cross section of the end 42a of the flange 42 formed by bead processing becomes a curved surface. In this case, the upper end surface 43a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 may be positioned below the apex P of the end portion 42a.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the upper end surface 43a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 is inclined downward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232 toward the outside. Water droplets are less likely to stay, and corrosion of the first pipe 232 adjacent to the upper end surface 43a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 can be prevented.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the pipe connection structure for a heat exchanger according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe connection structure 40A of the heat exchanger 23 of the second embodiment.

  The pipe connection structure 40 </ b> A of the heat exchanger 23 of the present embodiment includes a first flange 42 </ b> A having a first outer diameter, and a second flange larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe 232 and smaller than the first flange 42 </ b> A. A second flange 42B having an outer diameter is provided. However, it is desirable that the outer diameter of the second flange 42B is smaller than the inner diameter of the heat shrinkable tube 43 before shrinkage. This is because if the outer diameter of the second flange 42B is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the heat-shrinkable tube 43 before shrinkage, it is difficult to attach the heat-shrinkable tube 43 before shrinkage.

  The first flange 42A and the second flange 42B are continuous in the axial direction of the first pipe 232 and in the direction from the first pipe 232 to the second pipe 213, the first flange 42A and the second flange 42B. It is formed in the order of the flange 42B.

  In the pipe connection structure 40A of the present embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the state in which the upper end 43a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 hits below the apex P of the end portion 42a of the first flange 42A is the state before heat shrinkage. Set to the positioning state. When heat shrinks from this state, as shown in FIG. 9, the upper end of the heat shrinkable tube 43 rides on the surface and the second flange 42B below the apex P of the end 42a of the first flange 42A. Thus, the upper end surface 43 a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 is inclined downward from the center 100 of the first pipe 232 toward the outside. At this time, the presence of the second flange can prevent the upper end surface 43a of the heat shrinkable tube 43 from entering the lower side of the first flange 42A when the heat shrinkage occurs.

<Other variations>
As mentioned above, although embodiment which applied this invention was described about the pipe connection structure of the heat exchanger of an outdoor unit, this invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a pipe connection structure of a heat exchanger of an indoor unit. In addition, the present invention is applicable to any device other than an air conditioner and having a pipe joint.

  Further, the connection structure between the aluminum pipe and the copper pipe has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a pipe connection structure of a dissimilar metal pipe that may cause galvanic corrosion due to a difference in electrode potential at the joint portion 41. . That is, the present invention is applicable as a pipe connection structure for different metal pipes other than aluminum and copper.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Outdoor unit 21 ... Compressor 23 ... Heat exchanger 40 ... Pipe connection structure 41 ... Joint part 42 ... Flange 42a ... End of flange 42A ... 1st flange 42B ... 2nd flange 43 ... Heat-shrinkable tube 43a ... Upper end surface of heat-shrinkable tube 213 ... second piping 232 ... first piping

Claims (3)

On the upper side of the first pipe made of the first type metal, the second pipe made of the second type metal having an electrode potential different from that of the first type metal is arranged on the lower side. A pipe connection structure to be connected,
A joint between the first pipe and the second pipe;
A flange formed on the peripheral surface of the first pipe at a position separated from the joint, and having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first pipe and having an arcuate cross section at the end;
One end portion is positioned so as to ride on the flange, and comprises a waterproof covering disposed so as to cover the joint portion by contracting by heat,
A pipe connection structure in which an end face of the one end portion after heat shrinkage of the waterproof coating material is inclined downward from the center of the first pipe toward the outside. The pipe connection structure according to claim 1,
The flange is
A first flange having a first outer diameter;
A second flange having a smaller outer diameter than the first flange;
The first flange and the second flange are continuous in the axial direction of the pipe, and along the direction from the first pipe to the second pipe, the first flange and the second flange Piping connection structure formed in the order of flanges. The pipe connection structure according to claim 1 or 2,
The first pipe is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy containing aluminum as a main component,
A pipe connection structure in which the second pipe is made of copper or a copper alloy containing copper as a main component.

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