CA2280068A1 - Ventilation arrangement for power system - Google Patents

Ventilation arrangement for power system Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2280068A1
CA2280068A1 CA002280068A CA2280068A CA2280068A1 CA 2280068 A1 CA2280068 A1 CA 2280068A1 CA 002280068 A CA002280068 A CA 002280068A CA 2280068 A CA2280068 A CA 2280068A CA 2280068 A1 CA2280068 A1 CA 2280068A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
arrangement
power electronic
air flow
insulating
air
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002280068A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ronald D. Atanus
Richard P. Mikosz
Raymond P. O'leary
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.)
S&C Electric Co
Original Assignee
S&C Electric Co
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 S&C Electric Co filed Critical S&C Electric Co
Publication of CA2280068A1 publication Critical patent/CA2280068A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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  • Cooling Or The Like Of Electrical Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

A ventilation arrangement is provided for power electronic equipment including a plurality of power electronics assemblies. The ventilation arrangement includes a common source of directed air flow, spaced apart insulating ducts for providing air flow from the common source, and arrangements connected to each of the spaced apart insulating ducts for distributing and directing the air flow to each of the power electronics assemblies In a preferred embodiment, the insulating ducts are fabricated from extremely low leakage material that provides extremely low tracking characteristics.

Description

VENTILATION ARRANGEMENT FOR POWER SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to ventilation arrangements and more particularly to a ventilation arrangement for a power system.
Description of the Related Art Various cooling and ventilating arrangements are known for removing heat dissipation from electronic devices. For example, the following U.S. Patent Nos.
illustrate arrangements to direct ventilating air flow: 3,641,419; 4,674,004; 5,136,464; 5,646,825;
and 5,800,258. In the aforementioned 3,641,419, power supply modules of an AC to DC converter include side panels, top panels and fans to provide a horizontal airflow pattern through each individual module in an array. The arrangement in the aforementioned 4,674,004 provides a ducting structure to individual printed circuit cards in an array of parallel cards, with each duct including a plurality of spaced apertures to direct individual streams of cooling air to respective areas of the printed circuit cards. In the aforementioned 5,136,464, a housing structure houses a two or more storied configuration of electrical components and a confluence-preventing arrangement prevents air exhausted from a lower component section and air introduced into an upper component section from being combined together. The confluence-preventing arrangement includes a support section that supports the electronic components in the upper component section and a confluence preventing section below the support section. In the aforementioned 5,646,825, a cooling device for a switch cabinet includes first and second heat exchangers in respective first and second chambers. Both heat exchangers are supplied from a common compressor. A ventilation system for a cabinet in the aforementioned 5,800,258 includes multiple fan units that are disposed at mid-height in the cabinet between upper and lower stacked component arrangements, the fans being arranged in pairs with their respective air intake direction facing toward each other. The spaced-apart fan pairs form a horizontal air duct that extends to the exterior of the cabinet.
While these arrangements may generally be useful for their intended purposes, they do not relate to the field of medium voltage power electronic devices for such applications as high-speed source transfer where power electronic devices such as SCR's or thyristors generate large volumes of heat and portions of the power electronic assemblies are at diverse medium voltages during operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a ventilation arrangement for a medium-voltage power electronic device that provides desirable ventilation control while also providing insulation to the medium voltage components.
It is another object of the present invention to provide directed air flow to power electronic assemblies of power electronic modules that each have different medium voltages applied thereacross.
These and other objects of the present invention are efficiently achieved by the provision of a ventilation arrangement for power electronic equipment including a plurality of power electronics assemblies. The ventilation arrangement includes a common source of directed air flow, spaced apart insulating ducts for providing air flow from the common source, and arrangements connected to each of the spaced apart insulating ducts for distributing and directing the air flow to each of the power electronics assemblies In a preferred embodiment, the insulating ducts are fabricated from extremely low leakage material that provides extremely low tracking characteristics.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a right-side elevational view, with parts removed for clarity, of a power system provided with a ventilation arrangement in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of portions of the power system of FIG. 1 with parts removed for clarity to illustrate the ventilation arrangement of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a power electronics assembly of the power system of FIGS. 1 and 2; and FIGS. 4 and S are respective front and rear perspective views of a plenum of the ventilation arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to FIGS. l and 2, a ventilation arrangement 110 in accordance with the present invention is useful to provide a predetermined pattern and volume of directed cooling air within an enclosure 120 of a power system 112. In an illustrative embodiment, the power system 112 includes power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 (best seen in FIG.
2) housed within the enclosure 120. In a specific application, medium voltages (e.g. 2-34.5 kv) are applied across the power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118. For example, in an illustrative application, each of the power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 corresponds to an individual phase or pole of a multi-phase AC power system. The power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 dissipate large quantities of heat such that large volumes of air flow are required to ensure that the assemblies are maintained at suitable operating temperatures to allow adequate performance of their functions. The power-electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 are supported within the enclosure 120 via suitable insulators, for example as illustrated generally in FIG. 1 at 117, 119.
The ventilation arrangement 110 includes an air intake section 122 (FIG. 2) which draws in air at 121 via an air intake 123 and high pressure blowers at 124. In a specific embodiment, two blowers 124a and 124b are provided for redundancy in case one of the blowers should become non-functional. The air is drawn through filters 125 and through the high pressure blowers 124 and delivered into a plenum 126. The plenum 126 communicates to insulating ducts 128. In the illustrative embodiment, three insulating ducts 128a, 128b and 128c (FIG. 2) are connected to supply air to respective insulating plenums 130a, 130b and 130c, one to supply air to each of the power electronic assemblies 114, 116, and 118. The air is directed through the power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 and exits at 134 into the interior of the enclosure 120 and out of the enclosure 120 through an exhaust outlet at 136. Both the intake 123 and the outlet 136 include suitable vandal-deterrent features. The plenum 130 is fabricated from insulating materials such as GPO-3 fiberglass material. The insulating duct 128 is also fabricated from insulating material. In a preferred embodiment for medium-voltage applications, the insulating duct 128 is fabricated from extremely low leakage material,e.g.
poly methyl methacrylate (acrylic) or cycloaliphatic epoxy, that provides extremely low tracking characteristics. For example, the insulating duct 128 provides appropriate dielectric withstand (e.g. BIL voltages in the range of 50-150kv) for the various maximum potential differences between the power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 and the connected air delivery components, e.g. the plenum 126 which is fabricated from steel in a specific embodiment.
Refernng now additionally to FIG. 3, each of the power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 includes power electronic stages or modules 140 that are stacked one atop the other, e.g.
as illustrated at 140a, 140b and 140c. In an illustrative embodiment, the power electronic stages 140 include compression-mounted power electronic devices 141 such as semiconductors that are clamped between interposed heat sink arrangements 142, e.g. as illustrated at 142a and 142b.
The heat sinks 142 include spaced fins 143 that are generally planar, e.g. as illustrated at 143a, 143b. The heat sinks 142 are arranged such that the end portion 150 faces the plenum 130, the air being directed out of the plenum 130 in a direction 152 between and along the fins 143 of the heat sinks 142, i.e. parallel to the planes of the fins 143, with the air exiting from the front end portion 153 of the power electronic stages 140 in a direction 154. The power electronic stages 140 are carried or supported via angle brackets 155 so as to provide slide-in rack mounting of the power electronic stages 140. The angle brackets 155 are carried by opposed structural supports 156, 158. The structural supports 156, 158 are attached to and supported by upper and lower channels 157 and 159. The channels 157 and 159 also provide support for the plenum 130. The supports 156, 158 and the channels 157, 159 also provide additional flow-directing functions by bounding the perimeter of the power electronic stages 140.
In one specific embodiment, bus interconnection plates 144, 146 are provided at the front end 153 of the power electronic stages 140 to provide electrical connection between the stages 140a and 140b and the stages 140b and 140c respectively so as to connect the stages 140a, 140b and 140c in electrical series relationship. A bus connection plate 148 is provided at the front end of the stage 140c, a similar bus connection plate (not shown) being provided at the front end of the stage 140a. In a specific illustrative arrangement, the power electronic assemblies 114, 116 and 118 are connected to bus structure generally referred to at 111, 113 in FIG. 1. The plates 144, 146 and 148 provide additional flow efficiency by closing off the openings at the front 153 of the power electronic stages 140, creating a high pressure zone at the output of the plenum 130 at the back end portion 150 of the power electronic stage 140.
In another specific embodiment, a bus interconnection plate 149 is utilized to provide electrical interconnection between the stages, e.g. 140b and 140c, in which case the plates 144, 146 and 148 solely provide the function of an air dam and need not be conductive.
In accordance with important aspects of the present invention and referring now additionally to FIGS. 4 and 5, the plenum 130 has a general overall shape of a parallelepiped and includes flow concentrating and directing arrangements for cooperation with the power electronic devices 114, 116 and 118. Specifically, the plenum 130 includes an opening 160 within a rear wall 162 for receiving air from the insulating ducts 128. The plenum 130 also includes wall-defining sides 164 and 166. The generally open front 168 of the plenum 130 faces the rear end portion 150 of the power electronic devices 114, 116, and 118. Blocking members 70, 72 and 74, spanning the side walls 164, 166, are provided so as to define flow-directing openings 176, 178, 180 and 182 that are aligned with the spacing between the heat sinks 142 of the power electronic devices 114, 116 and 118. An equalization baffle 132 is provided in the plenum 130 that provides more uniform air flow and is arranged to extend along the expanse of the side walls 162, 164. In the illustrative embodiment, the equalization baffle 132 is a generally planar member including an array of openings 133. Thus air is efficiently channeled and directed from the ducts 128 through the fins 143 of the heat sinks 142 of the devices 114, 116 and 118. The flow-directing openings 176, 178, 180 and 182 generally correspond to the overall dimensions of the power electronic stages 140a, 140b and 140c. In specific embodiments, the size of the openings 176, 178, 180 and 182 are varied to control the desired air flow through the the power electronic stages 140a, 140b and 140c.
While there have been illustrated and described various embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In an arrangement for directing air to cool power electronic devices in a power system, the arrangement comprising:
first power electronic means having voltage applied thereacross and including a plurality of heat dissipation means extending along a first direction and defining a first predetermined array of passages therethrough along said first direction;
second means for providing air flow; and third means fabricated from insulating material, receiving said air flow and directing said air flow through said first predetermined array of passages in said first power electronic means in said first direction, said second means comprising an insulating duct having low electrical leakage and tracking properties.
2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first power electronic means further includes a second array of openings extending along said first direction, said third means including means for blocking said second array of openings.
3. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of said first power electronic means and a respective plurality of said third means, said second means comprising an insulating duct for each of said third means.
4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said plurality of said first power electronic means are energized to operate as different phases of a multi-phase AC system.
5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said second means further comprises means for providing predetermined air flow to said insulating duct.
6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said insulating duct is fabricated from a polymeric material.
7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said insulating duct is fabricated from a material including acyrlic.
8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said insulating duct is a tubular.
9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first power electronic means comprises a stacked array of power electronic modules including power electronic devices.
10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein each of said power electronic devices is arranged intermediate one of said plurality of heat dissipation means.
11. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said third means generally has the overall shape of a parallelepiped and includes means for defining predetermined openings for directing air flow.
12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said third means further comprises a generally planar equalization baffle having a predetermined array of openings.
13. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein said third means is fabricated from fiberglass material.
14. A system for delivering directed air flow to a plurality of power electronic assemblies energized at predetermined voltages comprising:
air-flow delivery means for providing air flow;
spaced apart insulating ducts communicating with said air-flow delivery means for providing; and distributing/directing means fabricated from insulating material, connected to receive air flow from each of said insulating ducts and providing directed air to each of the power electronics assemblies.
CA002280068A 1998-12-22 1999-08-11 Ventilation arrangement for power system Abandoned CA2280068A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US21909898A 1998-12-22 1998-12-22
US09/219,098 1998-12-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2280068A1 true CA2280068A1 (en) 2000-06-22

Family

ID=31187933

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002280068A Abandoned CA2280068A1 (en) 1998-12-22 1999-08-11 Ventilation arrangement for power system

Country Status (1)

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CA (1) CA2280068A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107919614A (en) * 2017-12-05 2018-04-17 苏州喷声电子科技有限公司 A kind of dust-proof high heat dissipation power distribution cabinet

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107919614A (en) * 2017-12-05 2018-04-17 苏州喷声电子科技有限公司 A kind of dust-proof high heat dissipation power distribution cabinet

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued
FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20030811