JP2002374083A - Cooling device for electronic component - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling device for electronic component exhibiting a high cooling efficiency and thereby facilitating compaction. SOLUTION: In the cooling device for an electronic component having an enclosed cooling air passage extending from an inlet 8 to an outlet 9 where heat generating components 2 and 6 are touched to the outer surface of a barrier defining the cooling air passage and heat is dissipated from the heat generating components 2 and 6 into the cooling air passage, a first heat receiving face 4 for touching the upper surface of a first electronic component 2 is formed at a part of the barrier wall on the inlet 8 side and a second heat receiving face 5 for touching the upper surface of a second electronic component 6 is formed at a part of the barrier wall on the outlet 9 side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling an electronic component such as an arithmetic element or a functional element in combination with an electronic element, and more particularly to a device for cooling air flowing through a passage having a closed structure and an electronic component. The present invention relates to a device for cooling electronic components by releasing heat from the cooling air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, electronic devices have been used in various fields, and the degree of integration of electronic components constituting the electronic devices has been increasing, and the operating frequency has also been increasing. . For this reason, the heat generation density of the electronic component is increased and the electronic component is likely to be heated to a high temperature, and a cooling device having a larger capacity is required in order to avoid a malfunction due to the temperature rise.

The most common method of cooling electronic devices or electronic components is air cooling, which releases heat to the atmosphere.
Conventionally, forced air cooling, in which cooling air is generated using an air cooling fan to remove heat from electronic components, and so-called natural cooling, in which cooling air by natural convection removes heat from electronic components, has been used.

When electronic components are air-cooled, if the electronic components are directly exposed to cooling air, the heat transfer coefficient from the electronic components to the cooling air increases, so that efficient air cooling can be performed. However, in order to prevent the electronic components from being contaminated by dust and the like, and to prevent a short circuit from occurring, when the cooling air is brought into direct contact with the electronic components, the cooling air may be passed through a filter. As a result, it is necessary to clean them in advance. An apparatus capable of avoiding such conditions or restrictions and air cooling electronic components is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-207691.

[0005] The cooling device described in this publication is a device using a hollow unit for blowing air, and the hollow unit is configured to have a U-shaped cross section and houses electronic parts or electronic circuits. By disposing the closed chamber in a state sandwiched by the hollow unit and flowing cooling air through the hollow unit in that state, heat is transferred from the electronic components to the cooling air via the closed chamber and the hollow unit, The electronic components are configured to be indirectly air-cooled. This type of cooling device is suitable for electronic devices such as electronic components placed in a relatively poor environment because there is no need to directly contact electronic devices such as electronic components or electronic circuits with cooling air. Can be used for

[0006]

In the cooling device described in the above publication, a closed chamber containing electronic components and the like is placed in a state sandwiched by hollow units, so that two or three sides of the closed chamber are hollow. The heat dissipating area from an electronic device such as an electronic component or a hollow unit can be increased by contacting the unit. In other words, since two or three inner surfaces of the hollow unit having a U-shaped cross section constituting the cooling air passage are heat receiving surfaces, one electronic device such as an electronic component that can be cooled at the same time is used. It is limited to one.

Further, in the structure described in the above publication,
A hollow unit with a U-shaped cross section is installed in an open state on the upper side, and a closed chamber is arranged inside the hollow unit, so the upper part of the closed chamber or electronic device where the temperature tends to rise is hollow. Located on the open side of the unit, it does not receive cooling through the hollow unit. In addition, since the cooling unit is configured to supply cooling air from an intermediate position on one side and exhaust air from an intermediate position on the other side of the hollow unit installed in such a standing state, the hollow unit Since a downward flow and an upward flow of the cooling air are generated inside, the flow of the cooling air is not sufficiently generated by natural convection, and as a result, there is room for improvement in cooling efficiency. .

Further, in the configuration described in the above-mentioned publication, the portion above the inlet and outlet of the cooling air in the hollow unit becomes a so-called dead zone in which the cooling air does not flow. However, there is room for improvement in terms of improving the cooling capacity or cooling efficiency as a result of a reduction in the substantial heat radiation area of the closed chamber accommodating the electronic device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above technical problems, and has as its object to provide a cooling device for an electronic component which is excellent in cooling capacity or cooling efficiency and can be reduced in size. It is.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a cooling air passage having a closed structure extending from an inlet to an outlet, and having a cooling air passage for cooling the passage. In a cooling device for an electronic component in which a heat-generating electronic component is brought into contact with an outer surface of a partition wall defining an air passage and heat is radiated from the heat-generating electronic component into the cooling air passage, one of the partition walls on the inflow side is provided. A first heat receiving surface for contacting the upper surface of the first electronic component is formed on the portion, and a second heat receiving surface for contacting the upper surface of the second electronic component with a part of the partition wall on the outlet side is formed. A cooling device for an electronic component.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the cooling air is supplied from the inflow port, the cooling air flows through the inside of the cooling air passage formed in a closed state by the partition wall toward the outflow port. In the course of the circulation, the cooling air sequentially contacts the first heat receiving surface and the second heat receiving surface, and deprives the electronic components in contact with these heat receiving surfaces of heat through the respective heat receiving surfaces. The electronic components are cooled. In that case, since the upper surface of the electronic component is in contact with each heat receiving surface,
Since heat is radiated from the portion of the electronic component having a high temperature to the cooling air, cooling can be performed efficiently.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the outflow port is positioned above the inflow port in an installation state in which the electronic components are in contact with the heat receiving surfaces. The cooling device is characterized in that the inflow port, the outflow port, and each heat receiving surface are formed such that the second heat receiving surface is located above the first heat receiving surface.

Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the cooling air supplied from the inflow port takes heat from the first heat receiving surface and the temperature rises, and the cooling air is supplied to the second heat receiving surface located above the first heat receiving surface. And heat is further removed from the second electronic component via the second heat receiving surface. In this way, the cooling air deprives the electronic component of heat and its temperature rises, and flows from the inlet to the outlet by natural convection. And since the inflow port and each heat receiving surface and the outflow port are formed along the flow direction of the natural convection of the cooling air, the flow of the cooling air can be smoothed, and the so-called dead zone does not occur. Each electronic component is efficiently cooled.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the second heat receiving surface is disposed above the first heat receiving surface, and is used for cooling a portion of the first heat receiving surface. The cooling device is characterized in that the air passage and the cooling air passage at the portion of the second heat receiving surface are communicated via an upward communication passage.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the cooling air supplied from the inflow port takes heat from the first electronic component on the first heat receiving surface to cool the first electronic component, and as a result, the temperature rises. The cooling air flows toward the second heat receiving surface via the communication passage, where it takes heat from the second electronic component to cool it, and is then discharged from the outlet. Each electronic component cooled in this way is arranged side by side,
The overall configuration including the electronic components can be made compact. Further, in this case, since each electronic component is cooled from the upper surface side where the temperature tends to be high, the electronic component can be efficiently cooled.

[0016]

Next, a specific example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example in which electronic components arranged in an engine room of a vehicle are cooled. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. In the example shown here, the whole is configured to be housed inside the outer box, and the bottom surface of the outer box body 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The component 2 is housed. This first electronic component 2
It is a component that inevitably generates heat when operated by being energized, such as an integrated circuit or a power transistor.

On the first electronic component 2, there is arranged a hollow unit 3 which forms a closed air passage for cooling by a partition. The hollow unit 3 is a hollow body formed of a metal or a synthetic resin having good thermal conductivity, and has a cross-section that is bent in a U-shape. The upper surface of the first electronic component 2 is in contact with the bottom surface of the hollow unit 3 so that heat can be transferred.
Therefore, the bottom surface of the hollow unit 3 is the first heat receiving surface 4.

A second electronic component that generates heat by being energized and operated between the upper flat portion of the hollow unit 3 and the lower flat portion with which the first electronic component 2 is in contact. 6 is inserted in a sandwiched state.
The upper surface of the second electronic component 6 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the upper flat plate portion so as to be able to transfer heat.
Therefore, the lower surface of the upper flat portion is the second heat receiving surface 5.
It has become.

An outer box cover 7 is placed on the outer box body 1 so as to surround the electronic components 2 and 6 and the hollow unit 3 stacked in a so-called three-layer structure.

A cooling air inlet 8 is formed at the tip of the lower flat plate portion of the hollow unit 3, and a cooling air outlet 9 is formed at the tip of the upper flat plate portion. In other words, the inlet 8 and the outlet 9 are formed at the end of each of the plate-shaped portions opposite to the communicating portion 10 connecting them. The inflow port 8 and the outflow port 9 are connected to the outer box body 1 and the outer box cover 7 described above.
And is open to the outside.

In the cooling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper surface of the first electronic component 2 is in contact with the first heat receiving surface 4 and the second electronic component 6 is in contact with the second heat receiving surface 5. Therefore, the heat generated by the operation of these electronic components 2 and 6 is
The heat is transmitted to the heat receiving surfaces 4 and 5. On the other hand, outside air, that is, cooling air is supplied from the inflow port 8. Since the cooling air first flows through the lower plate-shaped portion, heat is taken from the lower surface of the plate-shaped portion, that is, the first heat receiving surface 4, and as a result, the first electronic component 2 is indirectly air-cooled. In that case,
The first electronic component 2 is efficiently cooled because heat is removed from the upper surface.

The cooling air whose temperature has risen somewhat by removing heat from the first electronic component 2 flows through the communicating portion 10 to the upper flat plate portion by natural convection, and flows out of the upper flat plate portion through the outlet. Flow toward 9. In the process, it comes into contact with the lower surface of the upper flat portion, that is, the second heat receiving surface 5, and takes heat therefrom. As a result, the second electronic component 6 in contact with the second heat receiving surface 5 is indirectly air-cooled. In that case, the second electronic component 6 is efficiently cooled because heat is taken from the upper surface.

As described above, in the above-described cooling device according to the present invention, the cooling air only flows inside the hollow unit 3, that is, inside the cooling air passage, and directly contacts the electronic components 2 and 6. Because there is no
Is not affected by contamination by cooling air. Therefore, restrictions on the installation location of the electronic components 2 and 6 are eliminated or reduced.

Further, in the above-described cooling device, the two electronic components 2 and 6 can be cooled at the same time, and heat is taken from the upper surfaces of the respective electronic components 2 and 6 so that the cooling can be performed efficiently. Further, since the electronic components 2 and 6 can be arranged vertically, the overall configuration including the hollow unit 3 can be made compact.
Further, the cooling air is supplied from the inflow port 8 to the inside of the lower flat plate portion, flows through the communication passage 10 to the upper flat plate portion, and is discharged to the outlet 9 from there. , And its flow direction is upward. As a result, since the cooling air passage has a shape along the flow, the flow of the cooling air becomes smooth, and the cooling efficiency can be improved in that respect as well.

It is to be noted that a partition plate (baffle plate) can be provided inside each of the above-mentioned flat plate portions, and in such a configuration, the inside of each of the flat plate portions, that is, each of the heat receiving surfaces 4, 5 can be provided.
Can make the cooling air turbulent, and as a result, the heat transfer coefficient between each heat receiving surface 4, 5 and the cooling air is improved, and each electronic component 2, 6 is cooled more efficiently. be able to.

In the above specific example, the hollow unit 3
Has a U-shaped cross section, but the cross-sectional shape of the hollow unit 3 in the present invention is not limited to the above-described shape, and can be appropriately formed as needed.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the cooling air receives the first heat reception in the course of the cooling air flowing inside the cooling air passage formed in a closed state by the partition wall. The surface and the second heat receiving surface are sequentially contacted, and heat is taken from the electronic components in contact with these heat receiving surfaces via the respective heat receiving surfaces, and as a result, each electronic component can be cooled simultaneously. Further, in this case, since the upper surface of the electronic component is in contact with each heat receiving surface, heat is radiated to the cooling air from a portion of the electronic component where the temperature is high, so that each electronic component is efficiently cooled. be able to.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the cooling air deprives the first heat receiving surface of heat and rises in temperature, and flows toward the second heat receiving surface located above the first heat receiving surface. Here, heat is further removed from the second electronic component via the second heat receiving surface, and the temperature of the second electronic component rises in this way, and flows from the inlet side to the outlet side by natural convection. Flow can be smoothed, and so-called dead zones do not occur, so that each electronic component can be efficiently cooled.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the electronic components cooled by the cooling air are arranged one above the other, the overall configuration including the electronic components can be made compact. . Further, in this case, since each electronic component is cooled from the upper surface side where the temperature tends to be high, the electronic component can be efficiently cooled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a specific example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the specific example shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2, 6: electronic components, 3: hollow unit, 4: first heat receiving surface, 5: second heat receiving surface, 8: inlet, 9: outlet, 10: communicating part.

Claims (3)

[Claims] A cooling air passage having a closed structure extending from an inlet to an outlet, wherein a heat-generating electronic component is brought into contact with an outer surface of a partition wall defining the cooling air passage. A cooling device for an electronic component that dissipates heat into the cooling air passage from a first heat receiving surface that contacts an upper surface of a first electronic component with a part of the partition wall on the inflow side; An electronic component cooling device, wherein a second heat receiving surface for contacting an upper surface of a second electronic component is formed on a part of the partition wall on the exit side. 2. An installation state in which each of the electronic components is brought into contact with each of the heat receiving surfaces, wherein the outflow port is located above the inflow port, and the second heat receiving surface is located with respect to the first heat receiving surface. The cooling device for an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the inflow port, the outflow port, and each heat receiving surface are formed such that a surface is located on an upper side. 3. The second heat receiving surface is disposed above the first heat receiving surface, and the cooling air passage in the portion of the first heat receiving surface and the cooling air passage in the portion of the second heat receiving surface face upward. 3. The cooling device for an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device is connected to the electronic component through a communication passage.