DE102022208365A1 - MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

A motor vehicle (20) is provided. The motor vehicle (20) comprises: at least one engine (22) for driving the motor vehicle (20); an oil cooling assembly coupled to the engine (22) and configured to oil cool the engine (22); and at least one power converter (26) coupled to a battery (28) of the motor vehicle (20) and adapted to convert energy from the battery (28) and/or for the battery (28); wherein the power converter (26) comprises: at least one semiconductor chip (50, 52); and a heat sink (40, 70) for dissipating heat generated by the semiconductor chip (50, 52) away from the semiconductor chip (50, 52), the semiconductor chip (50, 52) being arranged on the heat sink (40, 70), the heat sink (40, 70) being coupled to the oil cooling arrangement to receive the oil from the oil cooling arrangement, and the heat sink (40, 70) for cooling the semiconductor chip s (50, 52) is designed by means of the oil of the oil cooling arrangement.

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle.

Many modern motor vehicles such. B. electric vehicles, use two or more cooling systems for cooling various components of the respective motor vehicle. There is e.g. B. Electric vehicles that have an oil cooling arrangement for cooling the corresponding electric motor and a water cooling arrangement for cooling one or more electronic components of the motor vehicle, such. B. a power converter, in particular an inverter use. However, arranging two or more separate cooling systems in a motor vehicle is a very complex task and very expensive. Furthermore, the various cooling systems add a lot of weight to the automobile, thereby reducing the performance of the automobile. These problems are exacerbated even further when the different cooling systems use different cooling media, such as e.g. As water and oil, use z. B. because accordingly different collection containers for storing the cooling media must be present. Consequently, the corresponding motor vehicle is very complex, heavy and expensive, and its performance may be less than possible.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle which is relatively simple in structure, light in weight and/or inexpensive and/or high in performance.

The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

One aspect relates to a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle includes: at least one motor for driving the vehicle; an oil cooling assembly coupled to the engine and configured to oil cool the engine; and at least one power converter coupled to a battery of the motor vehicle and configured to convert energy from and/or for the battery; wherein the power converter comprises: at least one semiconductor chip; and a heatsink for dissipating heat generated by the semiconductor chip away from the semiconductor chip, the semiconductor chip being arranged on the heatsink, the heatsink being coupled to the oil cooling arrangement in order to receive the oil from the oil cooling arrangement, and the heatsink being designed to cool the semiconductor chip using the oil from the oil cooling arrangement.

The motor vehicle can be an electric vehicle, e.g. B. an electric car or an electric bus, or a hybrid vehicle, z. B. a hybrid car or bus. The motor can be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine. The motor vehicle may have two or more engines, e.g. B. an electric motor and an internal combustion engine.

The semiconductor chip can be arranged directly on the heat sink. "Direct" in this specification may mean that a component that is directly attached to another component physically touches the other component. Alternatively, "directly" in this description can mean that only a thin layer of coupling medium is provided between the one component that is directly arranged on the other component and the other component. For example, the semiconductor chip can be arranged on the heat sink such that the semiconductor chip physically touches the heat sink. Alternatively, a thin layer of electrically conductive adhesive, solder, or thermal interface material may be provided between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink.

The semiconductor chip can be a high-performance semiconductor chip. The battery can be a high voltage battery. The power converter can have two or more of the semiconductor chips. The power converter can be designed as an inverter or rectifier. The power converter can have or form one or more half-bridges. The power converter can have two or more of the heat sinks.

According to one embodiment, the heat sink has a fluid-tight oil channel; an oil inlet coupled to the oil cooling assembly and the oil gallery to direct the oil from the oil cooling assembly into the oil gallery; and an oil outlet coupled to the oil gallery and the oil cooling assembly to direct the oil from the oil gallery toward the oil cooling assembly. The oil channel can be formed by a recess in the heat sink. The oil passage may extend through the heatsink in a plane parallel to an outer surface of the heatsink, e.g. B. parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor chip is arranged.

According to one embodiment, the oil inlet comprises or is formed from a dielectric material and/or the oil outlet comprises or is formed from a dielectric material. As a result, it may be possible to dispense with an insulating layer between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink.

According to one embodiment, the oil has dielectric properties and/or is a dielectric medium. As a result, it may be possible that can be dispensed with an insulating layer between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink.

According to one embodiment, the heat sink has cooling ribs. The cooling fins can contribute to a very good cooling performance of the heat sink. The cooling ribs can be arranged on a side of the heat sink which is remote from the semiconductor chip.

According to one embodiment, the oil cooling arrangement has a cooling device for cooling the oil and at least two oil lines which couple the cooling device to the heat sink. In particular, the oil lines are coupled to the cooling device and the cooling body in a fluid-tight manner. The cooling arrangement can, for. B. comprise one or more first oil lines, which couple the cooling device to the power converter, and one or more second oil lines, which couple the cooling device to the motor. The first oil lines can be provided to conduct the oil from the cooling device to the power converter and/or vice versa. The second oil lines can be provided to conduct the oil from the cooling device to the engine and/or vice versa. The cooling device can be a conventional heat exchanger as is known in the art.

In one embodiment, the semiconductor chip is arranged directly on the heat sink. Thus, the semiconductor chip can physically touch the heatsink or can only be through a thin layer of coupling medium, such as. an electrically conductive adhesive, solder, or thermal interface material, may be coupled to the heatsink.

According to one embodiment, the heat sink has or is formed from aluminum and a copper layer is arranged between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink. The aluminum contributes to the low weight and low price of the heatsink. The copper contributes to high thermal and electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of copper may be closer to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the semiconductor chip than the coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminum. Therefore, the copper layer can reduce a thermal expansion coefficient gap between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink. This can contribute to a low mechanical stress between the semiconductor chip and the heat sink when the temperature of the power converter changes during its operation.

In one embodiment, the semiconductor chip is arranged directly on the copper layer. Thus, the semiconductor chip can physically touch the copper layer or can only be connected through a thin layer of coupling medium, such as e.g. an electrically conductive adhesive, solder, or thermal interface material, may be coupled to the copper layer.

In one embodiment, the copper layer is arranged directly on the heat sink. Thus, the copper layer can physically touch the heatsink or can only be covered by a thin layer of coupling medium such as copper. an electrically conductive adhesive, solder, or thermal interface material, may be coupled to the heatsink.

According to one embodiment, the semiconductor chip is a high-performance semiconductor chip. The high-performance semiconductor chip can be used to process high voltages, e.g. B. more than 100 V, and / or high currents z. B. of more than 10 A, be designed.

In accordance with one embodiment, the power converter has at least one further heat sink which is arranged on the semiconductor chip. The two heat sinks can provide double-sided cooling of the semiconductor chip. The additional heat sink thus contributes to very effective cooling of the semiconductor chip.

According to one embodiment, the power converter is configured to convert energy from the battery and provide the converted energy to the motor in a first mode of operation, which may be referred to as a propulsion mode. Alternatively or additionally, in a second mode of operation, which may be referred to as generator mode, the power converter converts energy from the motor and provides the converted energy to the battery.

According to one embodiment, the motor is an electric motor. In this context, the motor vehicle can be an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

• 1 zeigt eine Seitenansicht einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform eines Kraftfahrzeugs.
• 2 zeigt eine Seitenschnittansicht einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform eines Stromrichters des Kraftfahrzeugs gemäß 1.
• 3 zeigt eine Seitenschnittansicht einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform eines Stromrichters des Kraftfahrzeugs gemäß 1.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent and explained from the embodiments described below. Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• 1 12 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle.
• 2 FIG. 12 shows a side sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a power converter of the motor vehicle according to FIG 1 .
• 3 FIG. 12 shows a side sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a power converter of the motor vehicle according to FIG 1 .

The reference symbols used in the drawings and their meanings are summarized in the following list of reference symbols. Identical parts are generally provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

1 12 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 20. Motor vehicle 20 may be an electric motor vehicle, e.g. B. an electric car or an electric bus, or a hybrid vehicle, z. B. a hybrid car or a hybrid bus to be. The motor vehicle 20 has at least one engine 22, an oil cooling arrangement, at least one power converter 26 and at least one battery 28.

Motor 22 may be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine. The motor vehicle 20 may have two or more engines 22, e.g. B. an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Motor 22 may be coupled to power converter 26 via one or more electrical lines 30 .

The oil cooling arrangement is designed to cool the motor 22 and the power converter 26 . The oil cooling arrangement may include a cooling device 24 for cooling oil, e.g. B. a conventional heat exchanger, wherein the oil is used by the cooling arrangement as a cooling medium, a first oil line 32 that fluidly couples the cooling device 24 to the power converter 26, and a second oil line 34 that fluidly couples the cooling device 24 to the motor 22. The oil lines 32, 34 can be coupled to the cooling device 24 and the power converter 26 in a fluid-tight manner. The oil cooling arrangement may include two or more of the first oil lines 32 fluidly coupling the cooling device 24 to the power converter 26, e.g. B. a first oil line 32 for conducting the oil from the cooling device 24 to the power converter 26 and another first oil line 32 for conducting the oil from the power converter 26 to the cooling device 24. B. a second oil line 34 for conducting the oil from the cooling device 24 to the engine 22 and another second oil line 34 for conducting the oil from the engine 22 to the cooling device 24.

The power converter 26 can be designed as an inverter or rectifier. The power converter 26 can have or form one or more half-bridges.

The battery 28 can be a high voltage battery. The battery 28 may be provided to provide power to the motor 22 to propel the motor vehicle 20 .

2 12 shows a side sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the power converter 26 of the motor vehicle 20 according to FIG 1 . The power converter 26 is configured to convert energy from the battery 28 and/or for the battery 28 . The power converter 26 may be configured to convert energy from the battery 28 and provide the converted energy to the motor 22 in a first mode of operation, which may be referred to as a propulsion mode. Alternatively or additionally, power converter 26 may be configured to convert energy from motor 22 and provide the converted energy to battery 28 in a second mode of operation, which may be referred to as generator mode.

The converter 26 has at least one semiconductor chip, e.g. B. a first semiconductor chip 24 and a second semiconductor chip 26, and a heat sink, z. B. a first heat sink 40, for dissipating the heat generated by the semiconductor chips 50, 52 away from the semiconductor chips 50, 52 on. One or more of the semiconductor chips 50,52 may have one or more electrical contacts (not shown) per semiconductor chip 50,52. For example, one or more of the semiconductor chips 50, 52 may have one or more gate contacts, one or more source contacts, one or more drain contacts, and/or one or more substrate contacts. At least one of the semiconductor chips 50, 52 can be a high-performance semiconductor chip. The high power semiconductor chip can be used to process high voltages, e.g. B. more than 100 V, and / or high currents, z. B. of more than 10 A, be designed.

The first heat sink 40 may have a fluid-tight first oil gallery 48, a first oil inlet 44 coupled to the oil cooling assembly and the first oil gallery 48 to direct the oil from the oil cooling assembly into the first oil gallery 48, and a first oil outlet 46 coupled to the first oil gallery 48 and the oil cooling assembly to direct the oil from the first oil gallery 48 to the oil cooling assembly. The first oil channel 48 can be formed by a recess in the first heat sink 40 . The first oil passage 48 may extend through the first heatsink 40 in a plane parallel to an outer surface of the first heatsink 40, e.g. B. parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor chips 50, 52 are arranged. The first oil channel 48 can be inside the first heat sink 40 z. B. meandering. The first oil inlet 44 may include or be formed from a dielectric material and/or the first oil outlet lass 46 may include or be formed from a dielectric material. The first heat sink 40 may include or be formed from a material with high thermal conductivity. The first heat sink 40 can, for. B. copper or aluminum or be formed therefrom.

The heat sink 40 can have cooling fins 42 . The cooling fins 42 can be arranged on a side of the heat sink 40 which is remote from the semiconductor chips 50, 52.

The first heatsink 40 may be coupled to the oil cooling assembly for receiving the oil from the oil cooling assembly. The first heat sink 40 can be designed to cool the semiconductor chips 50, 52 by means of the oil of the oil cooling arrangement. The oil used by the cooling assembly may have dielectric properties and/or may be a dielectric medium.

The semiconductor chips 50, 52 can be arranged directly on, in particular on, the first heat sink 40. "Directly" in this context can mean that the semiconductor chips 50, 52 physically touch the first heat sink 40, or that only one layer, e.g. B. a thin layer of an electrically conductive adhesive or a solder, for mechanically attaching the semiconductor chips 50, 52 to the first heat sink 40 between the semiconductor chips 50, 52 and the first heat sink 40 is arranged.

The power converter 26 may have one or more terminals, e.g. a first terminal 56 and a second terminal 58. The terminals 56, 58 may be configured to couple the power converter 26 to one or more external devices (not shown), e.g. B. with a control device for controlling the converter 26 and / or supplied by the converter 26 with energy load, z. B. the engine 22 in drive mode, and / or with a power source, z. B. the battery 28 or the engine in generator mode. For example, ports 56, 58 may provide two DC ports and/or one AC port, at least two of which ports may be ports 50, 52 and the other port(s) not shown in the figures. The DC ports may include a DC-- port and a DC+ port.

The power converter 26 may include one or more signal pins (not shown) for electrically coupling one or more of the electrical contacts of the semiconductor chips 50, 52 to one or more electronic components (not shown) of a driver board (not shown) of the power converter 26. For example, one or more of the semiconductor chips 50, 52 can be electrically coupled to one another, to the connections 56, 58 and/or to the signal pin by means of one or more corresponding bonding wire connections 54.

The power converter 26 may include a housing 60 for protecting the other components of the power converter 26 . The housing 60 may be implemented by die casting and/or may be formed from a molded body. The housing 60 may include or be formed from a resin.

3 12 shows a side sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the power converter 26 of the motor vehicle 20 according to FIG 1 . The power converter 26 can have at least one further heat sink 70, which can be referred to as the second heat sink 70 and which can be arranged on the semiconductor chips 50, 52. The two heat sinks 40, 70 can provide cooling of the semiconductor chips 50, 52 on both sides.

The second heat sink 70 may have a fluid-tight second oil gallery 78, a second oil inlet 74 coupled to the oil cooling assembly and the second oil gallery 78 to direct the oil from the oil cooling assembly into the second oil gallery 78, and a second oil outlet 76 coupled to the second oil gallery 78 and the oil cooling assembly to direct the oil from the second oil gallery 78 to the oil cooling assembly. The second oil channel 78 can be formed by a recess in the second heat sink 70 . The second oil passage 78 may extend through the second heatsink 70 in a plane parallel to an outer surface of the second heatsink 70, e.g. B. parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor chips 50, 52 are arranged. The second oil channel 78 can be inside the second heat sink 70 z. B. meandering. The second oil inlet 74 may include or be formed from a dielectric material and/or the second oil outlet 76 may include or be formed from a dielectric material. The second heat sink 70 may include or be formed from a material with high thermal conductivity. The second heat sink 70 can, for. B. copper or aluminum or be formed therefrom.

The power converter 20 according to 3 can largely correspond to the power converter 26 explained above. Therefore, only those features of the power converter 26 are explained below, in which the power converter 26 according to 3 differs from the power converter 26 explained above.

A copper layer 80 can be arranged between the semiconductor chips 50, 52 and the second heat sink 70. FIG. A further copper layer (not shown) can be arranged between the semiconductor chips 50, 52 and the first heat sink 40. FIG. For example, one or both of the heatsinks 40,70 may include or be formed from aluminum and one of the copper layers 80 may be disposed between the semiconductor chips 50,52 and the corresponding heatsink 40,70.

The semiconductor chips 50, 52 can be arranged directly on (or under) the corresponding copper layer 80. Thus, the semiconductor chips 50, 52 can physically touch the corresponding copper layer 80 or only through a thin layer of coupling medium, such as. an electrically conductive adhesive, solder, or thermal interface material, may be coupled to the corresponding copper layer 80 . Furthermore, one or both copper layers 80 can be arranged directly on the corresponding heat sink 40, 70. Thus, one or both of the copper layers 80 may physically touch the corresponding heatsink 40, 70 or only through a thin layer of coupling medium such as copper. an electrically conductive adhesive, solder, or thermal interface material, may be coupled to the respective heat sink 40,70.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The power converter 26 can, for. B. more or less semiconductor chips 50, 52 have. Furthermore, the semiconductor chips 50, 52 can have more or fewer electrical contacts. Furthermore, the power converters 26 described above can have an additional copper layer between the semiconductor chips 50, 52 and the first heat sink 40. Furthermore, the power converter 26 can have one or more further terminals 56, 58 and/or signal pins for electrically coupling the semiconductor chips 50, 52 to the external device(s) and/or the driver board. Furthermore, the power converter 26 can have the driver board for driving and/or controlling the semiconductor chips 50, 52.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions are to be considered as illustrative or exemplary only and not in a restrictive manner; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations of the disclosed embodiments may be understood and practiced by those skilled in the art to practice the claimed invention from the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a", "an" or "an" does not exclude a plural. A single processor or controller or other entity may perform the functions of multiple elements recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in different dependent claims does not mean that a combination of these measures cannot be advantageous. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Reference List

20

motor vehicle

22

engine

24

oil cooling arrangement

26

power converter

28

battery

30

electrical line

32

first oil line

34

second oil line

40

first heatsink

42

first cooling fins

44

first oil inlet

46

first oil outlet

48

first oil channel

50

first semiconductor chip

52

second semiconductor chip

54

bonding wire

56

first connection

58

first connection

60

Housing

70

second heatsink

72

second cooling fins

74

second oil inlet

76

second oil outlet

78

second oil channel

80

copper layer

Claims (14)

A motor vehicle (20) comprising: at least one engine (22) for driving the motor vehicle (20); an oil cooling assembly coupled to the engine (22) and for cooling the engine (22) designed by oil; and at least one power converter (20) coupled to a battery (28) of the motor vehicle (20) and adapted to convert energy from the battery (28) and/or for the battery (28); wherein the power converter (26) comprises: at least one semiconductor chip (50, 52); and a heat sink (40, 70) for dissipating heat generated by the semiconductor chip (50, 52) away from the semiconductor chip (50, 52), the semiconductor chip (50, 52) being arranged on the heat sink (40, 70), the heat sink (40, 70) being coupled to the oil cooling arrangement to receive the oil from the oil cooling arrangement, and the heat sink (40, 70) for cooling the semiconductor chip s (50, 52) is designed by means of the oil of the oil cooling arrangement. Motor vehicle (20) after claim 1 wherein the heat sink (40, 70) comprises: a fluid-tight oil gallery (48, 78), an oil inlet (44, 74) coupled to the oil cooling assembly and the oil gallery (48, 78) to direct the oil from the oil cooling assembly into the oil gallery (48, 78); and an oil outlet (46, 76) coupled to the oil gallery (48, 78) and the oil cooling assembly for directing oil from the oil gallery (48, 78) to the oil cooling assembly. Motor vehicle (20) after claim 2 wherein the oil inlet (44, 74) comprises or is formed from a dielectric material; and/or the oil outlet (46, 76) comprises or is formed from a dielectric material. Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the oil has dielectric properties and/or is a dielectric medium. Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat sink (40, 70) has cooling ribs (42, 72). Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the oil cooling arrangement comprises a cooling device (24) for cooling the oil and at least two oil lines (32, 34) which couple the cooling device (24) to the heat sink (40, 70). Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the semiconductor chip (50, 52) is arranged directly on the heat sink (40, 70). Motor vehicle (20) according to one of Claims 1 until 6 wherein the heat sink (40, 70) comprises or is formed from aluminum; and a copper layer (80) is arranged between the semiconductor chip (50, 52) and the heat sink (40, 70). Motor vehicle (20) after claim 8 , wherein the semiconductor chip (50, 52) is arranged directly on the copper layer (80). Motor vehicle (20) according to one of Claims 8 or 9 , wherein the copper layer (80) is arranged directly on the heat sink (40, 70). Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the semiconductor chip (50, 52) is a high-performance semiconductor chip. Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power converter (26) has at least one further heat sink (40, 70) which is arranged on the semiconductor chip (50, 52). Motor vehicle (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the power converter (26) is designed such that in a first mode of operation, the power converter (26) converts energy from the battery (28) and provides the converted energy to the motor (22); and or in a second mode of operation, the power converter (26) converts energy from the motor (22) and provides the converted energy to the battery (28). Motor vehicle (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor (22) is an electric motor.

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