CA1088155A - Semiconductor power converting cooling apparatus - Google Patents

Semiconductor power converting cooling apparatus

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Publication number
CA1088155A
CA1088155A CA275,297A CA275297A CA1088155A CA 1088155 A CA1088155 A CA 1088155A CA 275297 A CA275297 A CA 275297A CA 1088155 A CA1088155 A CA 1088155A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
stacks
semiconductor
cooling medium
openings
power converting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA275,297A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Kazuo Ishizaki
Tetsushi Matsushita
Haruo Naitoo
Mituo Hamada
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Toshiba Corp
Original Assignee
Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co Ltd
Priority to CA275,297A priority Critical patent/CA1088155A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1088155A publication Critical patent/CA1088155A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

SEMICONDUCTOR POWER CONVERTING COOLING APPARATUS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In electric power converting apparatus in which a plurality of thyristor valves having ducts through which a cooling medium can pass are bridge-connected, communication ducts are provided between openings of two of the plurality of thyristor valves so that a cooling medium from a cooling apparatus can be passed therethrough. Cooling apparatus con-sisting of coolers and fans is located underneath the plurality of thyristor valves, which are arranged vertically.

Description

~ 1088155 BACKGROUND OF TEIE INVENTION

Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to semiconductor converting apparatus for electric power conversion, and, more particularly, relates to semiconductor converting apparatus provided with cooling apparatus by which forced cooling is effected.
. ,, Description of the Prior Art:
In known semiconductor converting apparatus of this kind, an open cooling systèm or a tightly closed : circulating cooling system is adopted.

In the first-mentioned system, the cooling medium is made to flow through semiconductor stacks which have :
passage ducts and in which a plurality of semiconductor :~ 15 elements, for example thyristors or diodes, are arranged :-: one above another in succession. However, this is an open system and therefore its use in places where there is ~:
: : a great deal of dust in the surrounding atmosphere, for : : example in iron foundries and the like, causes fouling.
More particularly, because there are a large number of semi_onduct s and electronic components inslde the stacks, ~ ` ~ : " ~' : ' ~ -2- :
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this system is undesirable because it ~ails to adequately protect these parts and their supports.

In the second system mentioned, tightly closed cubicles are provided. Semiconductor converting apparatus is accomodated in these cubicles and fouling ~rom the outside is prevented. Arrangements are made whereby an external cooling medium is supplied by separately located coolers so that losses occurring inside the tightly closed cubicles are prevented. However, the design of the insulated ducts is complicated and the structure of the cooling systems is complicated. Further, this structure requires a great deal -of space and its cost is rather high. ~ -Also, with the two systems described above, ; the structure is one in which the semiconductor elements are stacked one on top of another. There~ore, the semiconductor electric power converting appara-tus must of necessity be a mechanically strong structure. - -SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide ~-~
a semiconductor electric power converting apparatus which has qreat mechanical strength.

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Another object oE the preserl-t invention is to provide a semieonductor elee-trie power eonvertiny apparatus which has a meehanically strong structure, in whieh the eooling eEficiency is satisfaetor~ and in whieh pro-teetion aqainst fouLiny is easily provided.
The foregoing and other objeets are attained in aeeordanee with one aspect of the present invention through the provision of a meehanieally strong semiconduetor electric power converting apparatus which comprises a plurality of semiconductor stacks ]0 whieh have an opening at eaeh end and through which a cooling medium can pass, an electrically conductive duet connecting openings at one end of two semiconduetor s-tacks for conveying the eooling medium through the connected staeks while Eunctio~ g to prevent transverse movement of the stacks induced by seismie disturbanees, and arranged parallel to one another, and a blower apparatus~for eausing a cooling medium to flow through the semieonduetor staeks and the duets wherein the semieonduetor stacks are mechanieally bridge-connected and electrically inter~
conneeted by said duet.
In a further emhodiment, the invention eontemplates a mechanieally strong semiconduetor electric power converting apparatus whieh eomprises a base, a plurality of supporting insulators arranged on the base, and a plurality of semieonduetor ; staeks arranged on the supporting insulators with eaeh stack having top and bottom openings. An electrically eonductive duet interconnects the top openings of two adjacent semiconduc-tor stacks for eonveying the eooling medium through the connected staeks while functioning to prevent transverse movement of the stacks indùced by seismie disturbanees. A plurality of ehannels is disposed between the bottom openings of the semieonduetor .
staeks and the base, and a blower apparatus is disposed in a flow path interconneeting the ehannels.

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B~ SCRIPTION ~I' Tll~ IIN~S

Various ob~ects, ~eatures ancl atten-lclllt advantages o~
the present inv~ntion will be more fully a~preciated as the same becomes bet-ter understood from the following detailed des-crip-tion o~ the present invention when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure l is a circuit diagram of a conven-tional bridye-connected thyristor electric power converting apparatus.
Figure 2 is a sectional drawing showing an embodiment of the thyristor electric power converting apparatus according to the present lnvention.
Figure 3 shows an arrangement in whi.ch apparatus as shown in Figure 2 is used for each of three phases.
Figure 4 is a sectional drawing showing another embodi-ment of the thyristo~ electric power converting apparatus ~-~
accordlng to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
-- .
: .:
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference ~-numerals designate identical or corresponding parts -throu~h-out the~several views, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, three-phase alternating current power source , terminals R, S and T are connected respectively to common connections of bridge-arms U, V, W, X, Y and Z of a bridge- ~ -connected three-phase -thyristor electric power conver-ting apparatus. The U - X connection is point ll, the V - Y
; connection is point 12 and the W - Z connection is point li.

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The other terminals of the bridge arms U, V and W
are connected to direct current positive terminal P and the other terminals of bridge arms X, Y and z are connected to direct current negative terminal N.

Referring further to Figure 1, U and X are both connected at 11 to the same alternating current terminal R.
Therefore, at any given moment, the potential at U is the same as the potential at X. Likewise, the potential at V
is the same as the potential at Y and the potential at W
0 i5 the same as the potential at Z. In view of this, a construction as shown in Figure 2 is used in -the present ; ~ -invention. -. ' .-:
In Figure 2, the thyristor bridge arms 21 and 22 correspond to U and X. A thyristor bridge arm comprises a plurality of thyristor stages 23 arranged in succession one above the other and has an opening at each end through which a cooling medium can pass.

A thyristor element, an element voltage dividing ~c1rcu1t, a thyristor firing circuit, an oscillation- ;
preventing circuit and an anode reactor and the like are accomodated in a thyristor stage 23.
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.' The thyristor bridge arms 21 and 22 are fixed on an insulating base 25 by means of supporting insulators 24.
Insulating base 25 is located at the open top end of an underground chamber 26. Insulating channels 27 and 28 for conducting a cooling medium into the thyristor bridge arms are provided between the openings of the thyristor bridge arms 21 and 22 and the insulating base 25. Holes 29 and 30 are formed in the insulating base 25 so as to provide communication between the insulating channels 27 and 28 ancl the underground chamber.
, . -. -; A channel 31 is provided on the underground chamber side of this insulating base 25. Blowing apparatus comprising for instance a fan 32 and a cooler 33 is provided in channel 31. ~-.
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An electrically conducti~e duct 34 is provided between the top openings of the thyristor bridge arms 21 ..
and 22. An alterna-ting current input terminal is connected to the duct 34.

The thyristor bridge arms V - Y and W - Z are of similar con ruction. This is shown in Figure 3 wherein . . ' '., .,.:;~
. ~:,' '.

,: . . , . . . ' . , ' . . , ' .: ., ., ~ : . , ~ ~88~5~i 35, 36, 37 and 38 respectively correspond to the thyristor bridge arms V, Y, W and Z and the connection points 12 and 13 correspond to ducts 40 and 41. 39 is a fuse and is provided because the thyristor bridge arms are electrically charged parts.

In the apparatus of the present invention, the heat generated in the thyristor bridge arms is subjected to heat exchange by contact with the cooling medium from the cooler 33 to cool the thyristor bridge arms. The cooling medium which is heated by the heat exchange is cooled by the cooler 33 and is returned to the thyristor arms by the fan 32.

As described above, in accordance with the present nvention, the top openings of two vertically arranged lS thyristor bridge arms are interconnected by an electrically conductive duct so that the ability of the apparatus to wi-thstand earthquakes can be improved and its mechanical strength can be increased.

The thyristor bridge arms are so constructed that a cooling medium can pass therethrough.- The cooling '' . ',:
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~ 10813155 medlum is made to circulate in a closed loop so that the cooling system is not subjected to the effects of bad conditions in the surrounding atmosphere such as salt and can therefore always be kept in a clean and stable state.
Also, the size of the cooling system can be made smaller by the use of a closed loop.

The blower apparatus comprising a fan and a cooler which by necessity occupies a large space is located underground so that the height of the apparatus can be re-duced. This contributes greatly to the appearance of urban areas in which the semiconductor electric power conver~ing -apparatus is located. -. ... .
The construction is such that the openings of a pair of thyristor arms connected by a duct are at the same potential. Therefore no special insulating steps need to be taken. Accordingly, the construction of the apparatus can be made quite simple.

The use of the present invention for the three-phase bridge-connected circuit shown in Figure 1 has been described. The invention can also be used for a single-~ ' . ' ''', .
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10~ 155 phase bridye-connected circuit or other circuits and in constructions in which semiconduc-tor stac~s are connected in series where the height of the installation is re-stricted provided that the openings of the semiconductor stacks to be interconnected are at the same potential.

In Figure 2, the blower apparatus comprises a fan and a cooler arranged respectively at the outlet and at the inlet end. It is also possible to use a blower apparatus formed as a single unit and arranged either at the outlet or at the inle-t end.

Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. Underneath the insulating base 25, a partition plate 42 is provided which prevents communication between the hole 29 and the hole 30 in the underground chamber 26. ~he effect of this partition plate ~2 is that : cooling medium that has been delivered from the left, as shown in Figure 4, is delivered by the fan 32 to the insulated channel 27, the thyristor ~ridge arm 21, the electrically conductive ct 34 end the thyristor bridge arm 22.

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The cooling medium which has been subjected to heat exchange is cooled by the cooler 33 and is delivered to the next thyristor bridge arm.

In -this way it is possible to cool all the thyristor bridge arms by providing fans and coolers of suitable capacity.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be prac i~ed ~ erwise than as specifically described herein.

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Claims (3)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A mechanically strong semiconductor electric power converting apparatus comprising:
a plurality of parallelly arranged semiconductor stacks with each semiconductor stack having first and second openings through which a cooling medium can pass, an electrically conductive duct connecting two first openings of two semi conductor stacks for conveying the cooling medium through the connected stacks while functioning to prevent transverse movement of the stacks induced by seismic distur-bances, and a blower apparatus for causing the cooling medium to flow through the semiconductor stacks and the duct, wherein the semiconductor stacks are mechanically bridge-connected and electrically interconnected by said duct.
2. Semiconductor electric power converting apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the blower apparatus comprises a fan and a cooler.
3. A mechanically strong semiconductor electric power converting apparatus comprising:
a base, a plurality of supporting insulators arranged on the base, a plurality of semiconductor stacks arranged on the sup-porting insulators with each stack having top and bottom openings, an electrically conductive duct interconnecting the top openings of two adjacent semiconductor stacks for conveying the cooling medium through the connected stacks while functioning to prevent transverse movement of the stacks induced by seismic dis-turbances, a plurality of channels disposed between the bottom openings of the semiconductor stacks and the base, and a blower apparatus disposed in a flow path interconnecting the channels.
CA275,297A 1977-04-01 1977-04-01 Semiconductor power converting cooling apparatus Expired CA1088155A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA275,297A CA1088155A (en) 1977-04-01 1977-04-01 Semiconductor power converting cooling apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA275,297A CA1088155A (en) 1977-04-01 1977-04-01 Semiconductor power converting cooling apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1088155A true CA1088155A (en) 1980-10-21

Family

ID=4108292

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA275,297A Expired CA1088155A (en) 1977-04-01 1977-04-01 Semiconductor power converting cooling apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1088155A (en)

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