JP2007104784A - Power conversion apparatus for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power conversion apparatus for vehicles that enables reduction of the occurrence of a heat spot and can be reduced in weight. <P>SOLUTION: The power conversion apparatus for vehicles includes: semiconductor devices attached to a semiconductor device attachment surface of a heat receiving block; a heat radiating portion connected to the anti-semiconductor device attachment surface of the heat receiving block; and a heat pipe inserted into the heat receiving block in the vehicle traveling direction. A one-phase semiconductor device group composed of the semiconductor devices is linearly arranged on the heat receiving block in the vehicle traveling direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle power converter.

A conventional vehicle power converter will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 19 is a side view of a vehicle power conversion device having a general main circuit configuration of a three-level circuit system. FIG. 20 is a top view of the vehicular power converter (viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 19). FIG. 21 is a front view of the vehicular power converter (viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 19). FIG. 22 is a circuit diagram of a general three-level main circuit configuration.

As shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, a vehicular power conversion device 1 having a general main circuit configuration of a three-level circuit system is disposed under the floor of a vehicle body 2. The semiconductor elements 3 (Q1 semiconductor elements 3a to Q4 semiconductor elements 3d which are IGBT elements and CDd1 semiconductor elements 3e to CDd2 semiconductor elements 3f which are clamp diode elements) are linearly connected to the semiconductor element mounting surface 5 of the heat receiving block 4 of the cooler. Arranged. Heat generated from the semiconductor element 3 is transferred to the heat radiating unit 6 through the heat receiving block 4 and is exhausted from the heat radiating unit 6 installed in the open unit 7 to the open unit 7.

The cooler mounted on the conventional vehicular power conversion apparatus 1 configured as described above includes the heat receiving block 4 and the heat radiating portion 6 made of an aluminum material, and the heat generated from the semiconductor element 3 is only conducted by the heat conduction of the aluminum material. Thus, heat is transported to the heat radiating section 6 and exhausted to the opening section 7.

Therefore, in the converter 8 shown in FIG. 22, the Q2 semiconductor element 3b and the Q3 semiconductor element 3c generate a larger amount of heat than the Q1 semiconductor element 3a and the Q4 semiconductor element 3d. Semiconductor element mounting surface 5 of heat receiving block 4 of element 3c
In this case, a portion where the amount of heat transport is insufficient with respect to the amount of heat generated occurs, a portion where the temperature is locally high, a so-called heat spot occurs, and the semiconductor element 3 may be destroyed due to thermal fatigue.

In order to avoid the heat spot phenomenon, a heat pipe 10 is inserted in the sleeper direction 12 into the heat receiving block 4 to which the semiconductor element mounting surface 5 is mounted, and the heat of the portion where heat generation is locally concentrated is small in the Q1 semiconductor element Heat is transported to the 3a, Q4 semiconductor element 3d side by the heat pipe 10 so as to equalize the heat in the heat receiving block 4 and to reduce the temperature of the part that locally generates heat.

In the three-level method, the Q1 semiconductor element 3a to Q4 semiconductor element 3d and the CDd1 semiconductor element 3 are used in order to reduce circuit inductance and reduce the loss generated from the semiconductor element 3.
Since e and the CDd2 semiconductor element 3f are arranged linearly, the length of the heat pipe 10 inserted into the heat receiving block 4 is also as long as about 1 m. Heat pipe 1
0 is inserted in the sleeper direction 12 in the heat receiving block 4.
JP 2000-92819 A

However, due to the recent increase in the speed of vehicles, it is necessary to incline the vehicle body 2 as shown in FIG. 23, and the cant angle 15 is also provided on the laying surface 14 of the rail 13. The heat pipe 10 is also tilted. Further, since the length of the heat pipe 10 is long, even if the cant angle is small, the refrigerant 16 in the heat pipe 10 is biased downward with respect to the cant tilt direction, and the liquid layer withered in the upper direction, resulting in a space layer 17 in the heat pipe 10. Cheap. This spatial layer 17
However, in the heat receiving block 4, it becomes a heat insulation layer, and a heat spot is generated in that portion, resulting in a decrease in cooling performance.

In order to solve this problem, the heat pipe diameter is increased to increase the amount of refrigerant sealed in the heat pipe 10. However, if the heat pipe diameter is increased, the thickness of the heat receiving block 4 is also increased proportionally. The mass was also increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle power conversion device that can reduce the occurrence of a heat spot phenomenon and can be reduced in weight.

The above-described problems include a semiconductor element attached to a semiconductor element mounting surface of a heat receiving block, a heat radiation portion connected to an anti-semiconductor element mounting surface of the heat receiving block, and a heat pipe inserted into the heat receiving block in a vehicle traveling direction. And a one-phase semiconductor element group constituted by the semiconductor elements is arranged in the heat receiving block linearly in the vehicle traveling direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicular power conversion device that can reduce the occurrence of a heat spot phenomenon and can be reduced in weight.

(First embodiment)
A vehicle power converter according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle power converter according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the vehicular power conversion device according to the first embodiment of the present invention (as viewed in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1). FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the vehicular power conversion device according to the first embodiment of the present invention (
FIG. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram (partially enlarged view of FIG. 1) of the vehicular power converter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram (partially enlarged view of FIG. 2) of the vehicle power converter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram (partially enlarged view of FIG. 3) of the vehicle power converter according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the Q1 semiconductor element 3a, the Q2 semiconductor element 3b, the Q3 semiconductor element 3c, and the Q4 semiconductor element 3
A group of d, the CDd1 semiconductor element 3e, and the CDd2 semiconductor element 3f is defined as a one-phase semiconductor element group (the term “semiconductor element group” may be described in a labor-saving manner).

In the vehicle power conversion device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the Q1 semiconductor element 3a
, Q2 semiconductor element 3b, Q3 semiconductor element 3c, Q4 semiconductor element 3d, CDd1 semiconductor element 3e and CDd2 semiconductor element 3f are linearly arranged in the vehicle traveling direction 11 and constitute one phase. The phase 30, the phase 31, the phase 32, and the phase 33 are arranged side by side in the vehicle sleeper direction. It is attached to the semiconductor attachment surface 5 of the heat receiving block 4. A heat radiation portion 6 is connected to the anti-semiconductor element mounting surface of the heat receiving block 4. Inside the heat receiving block 4, a heat pipe 10a extending in the vehicle traveling direction 11 between the Q1 semiconductor element 3a and the Q2 semiconductor element 3b, and the Q3 semiconductor element 3
A heat pipe 10b extending in the vehicle traveling direction 11 is inserted between c and the Q4 semiconductor element 3d. The heat pipe 10 thus configured is assembled by being inserted into the heat receiving block 4 at least one for each phase.

In the vehicular power conversion device configured as described above, the heat generated from the semiconductor element 3 is evenly transferred to the heat receiving block 4 by the heat pipe 10, and is transferred to the heat radiating unit 6 through the heat receiving block 4. Heat is discharged to the open portion 7 from the heat radiating portion 6 installed in the open portion 7.

For example, in the heat pipe 10a, when the amount of heat generated on the Q2 semiconductor element 3b side becomes large, the heat pipe 10a moves to the Q1 semiconductor element 3a side where the heat generation amount is small, so that heat is transferred from the Q2 semiconductor element 3b to the Q1 semiconductor element 3a. In addition, heat equalization is performed on the semiconductor element mounting surface 5 of the heat receiving block 4 so that the temperature of the semiconductor element mounting surface 5 can be reduced.

In addition, the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment is mounted on a conventional vehicle power conversion device because the cooling performance is not degraded by the cant angle 15 by inserting the heat pipe 10 in the vehicle traveling direction 11. The diameter of the heat pipe that had been used can also be reduced. for that reason,
The heat receiving block 4 can also be made thin, and the cooler of the vehicle power converter can be reduced in weight.

Furthermore, since the heat pipe 10 is divided, the length of the heat pipe 10 is about half that of the prior art. Therefore, even if the heat pipe is inserted in the vehicle traveling direction 11, the effect of acceleration or gradient during vehicle acceleration / deceleration is affected. The cooling efficiency is less likely to decrease.

In the vehicular power conversion device configured as described above, since the heat pipe 10 is inserted in the vehicle traveling direction 11, the decrease in cooling performance due to the cant angle, which is a problem in the conventional power conversion device, is eliminated. . In addition, since the heat pipe 10 is divided and the length of the heat pipe is shortened, the effect of the acceleration / deceleration and the gradient of the vehicle on the cooling performance is reduced, and the phenomenon that the cooling performance is deteriorated hardly occurs. Furthermore, since the temperature of the heat receiving part 4 can be made uniform by the heat pipe 10, the occurrence of the heat spot phenomenon can be reduced.
In addition, since the diameter of the heat pipe can be reduced, the thickness of the heat receiving block is reduced, and the weight of the vehicle power converter can be reduced.

(Second Embodiment)
A vehicle power converter according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a partial configuration diagram of the vehicle power converter according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the thing which has the same structure as what was described in FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 6, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

The vehicle power converter according to the second embodiment based on the present invention is different from the vehicle power converter according to the first embodiment in that the heat receiving block 4 has a heat pipe 10 attached to the semiconductor element 3. The point is that at least one is inserted between the screw 19 and the element mounting screw 19.

Therefore, in the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment, the heat pipe 10 is inserted so as to avoid the element mounting screw 19 of the semiconductor element 3, so that the heat pipe 10 is disposed closer to the semiconductor element mounting surface 5. The thickness of the heat receiving block 4 can be further reduced, and the power converter can be reduced in weight.

In the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment, as in the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce a decrease in cooling performance due to a cant angle, and to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle. In addition, the influence on the cooling performance due to the gradient and the like can be reduced, and the occurrence of the heat spot phenomenon can be reduced. Moreover, weight reduction of the vehicle power converter device can also be realized.

(Third embodiment)
A vehicle power converter according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a partial configuration diagram of the vehicle power converter according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the thing which has the same structure as what was described in FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 7, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

The vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment is different from the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment in that the heat pipe 10 and the semiconductor chip 20 inside the semiconductor element 1 in the mounting area range region 21 are provided.
At least one or more of them are inserted into the heat receiving block 4 and assembled.

Therefore, the vehicle power change apparatus of the present embodiment can efficiently perform heat transport and improve the cooling performance because the heat pipe 10 is disposed immediately below each semiconductor chip 20 that is a heat source of the semiconductor element 3. .

In the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment, as in the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce a decrease in cooling performance due to a cant angle, and to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle. In addition, the influence on the cooling performance due to the gradient and the like can be reduced, and the occurrence of the heat spot phenomenon can be reduced. Moreover, weight reduction of the vehicle power converter device can also be realized.

(Fourth embodiment)
A vehicle power converter according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a partial configuration diagram of the vehicle power converter according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10: is a block diagram of the vehicle power converter device of 4th Embodiment based on this invention (C arrow line view of FIG. 9).

In addition, about the thing which has the same structure as what was described in FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 8, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

The vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment is different from the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment in that the heat pipe insertion port 22 of the heat receiving block 4 facing the vehicle traveling direction 12 is closed and the lid 23 is closed. It is a point that is provided.

Therefore, in the vehicle power conversion device of the present embodiment, the heat pipe insertion port 22 prevents the reduction of dust, rainwater, etc., that is, the corrosion factor of the cooler while the vehicle is running, and improves the reliability of the cooler. Can be planned.

In the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment, as in the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce a decrease in cooling performance due to a cant angle, and to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle. In addition, the influence on the cooling performance due to the gradient and the like can be reduced, and the occurrence of the heat spot phenomenon can be reduced. Moreover, weight reduction of the vehicle power converter device can also be realized.

(Fifth embodiment)
A vehicle power converter according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 11 is a top view of the vehicular power converter according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle power converter according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention (F in FIG. 11).
(Arrow view). FIG. 13: is a block diagram (for 1 phase of FIG. 12) of the vehicle power converter device of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of a main circuit configuration (three-level system) for one phase according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15: is a block diagram (G arrow line view of FIG. 13) of the vehicle power converter device of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. FIG. 16: is a block diagram of the inverter of the vehicle power converter device of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. In addition, about the thing which has the same structure as what was described in FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 10, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

The power converter for a vehicle according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention attaches the semiconductor element 3 for one phase to the semiconductor element attachment surface 5 of the heat receiving block 4 having a size for one phase, and the semiconductor of the heat receiving block 4. The cooler 24 provided with the heat radiation part 6 for one phase on the surface opposite to the element mounting surface 5 is configured as a basic unit, and the cooler 24 is combined according to the required device configuration (inverter or converter). This is different from the vehicle power converter according to the first embodiment in this respect.

For example, in the case of the conventional vehicle power converter shown in FIG.
Although the main circuit configuration for one phase is the same for both, the number of phases is different, so the number of elements mounted on the cooler is different, and the shape of the cooler has two more types of cooler external shapes for the converter. Will produce a cooler. The power converter according to the present embodiment, in which the cooler that has been configured integrally in the past is divided into phases and the cooler 24 for one phase is a basic unit, has the same main circuit configuration for one phase. A converter 8 and an inverter 9 can be configured by combining a certain converter 8 and an inverter 9 with a basic unit. Therefore, in the vehicular power conversion device of the present embodiment, only one type of cooler 24 is manufactured, and since the same type is manufactured as well as reducing the manufacturing cost of the cooler 24, the quality is stabilized and cooling is performed. This will improve the reliability of the vessel.

In the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment, as in the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce a decrease in cooling performance due to a cant angle, and to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle. In addition, the influence on the cooling performance due to the gradient and the like can be reduced, and the occurrence of the heat spot phenomenon can be reduced. Moreover, weight reduction of the vehicle power converter device can also be realized.

(Sixth embodiment)
A vehicle power converter according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 17: is a front view of the vehicle power converter device of 6th Embodiment based on this invention.

FIG. 18 is a front view of a vehicle power converter according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. still,
Components having the same structure as that described in FIGS. 1 to 16 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The vehicle power converter according to the sixth embodiment based on the present invention is different from the vehicle power converter according to the fifth embodiment in that the heat receiving block 4 and the heat dissipating unit 6 of the cooler 24 are divided and assembled. It is that.

Therefore, for example, even when a stepping stone or the like hits the heat radiating portion 6 and breaks the heat radiating portion 6 during traveling, only the heat radiating portion 6 has an attachment screw 26 for the heat radiating portion 6 in the case of the vehicle power conversion device of the present embodiment. Since it is removed and replaced, the maintenance cost is good and the repair cost can be reduced.
Since the number of parts to be disassembled is reduced, work errors during repairs are reduced, leading to improved equipment reliability.

In the vehicle power conversion device according to the present embodiment, as in the vehicle power conversion device according to the first embodiment, it is possible to reduce a decrease in cooling performance due to a cant angle, and to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle. In addition, the influence on the cooling performance due to the gradient and the like can be reduced, and the occurrence of the heat spot phenomenon can be reduced. Moreover, weight reduction of the vehicle power converter device can also be realized.

1 is a side view of a vehicle power converter according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view (C arrow view of FIG. 1) of the power converter device for vehicles of 1st Embodiment based on this invention. It is a block diagram (D arrow figure of FIG. 1) of the power converter device for vehicles of 1st Embodiment based on this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram (partial enlarged view of FIG. 1) of the vehicle power converter device of 1st Embodiment based on this invention. It is a block diagram (partial enlarged view of FIG. 2) of the vehicle power converter device of the first embodiment based on the present invention. It is a block diagram (partial enlarged view of FIG. 3) of the vehicle power converter device of the first embodiment based on the present invention. It is a partial block diagram of the vehicle power converter device of 2nd Embodiment based on this invention. It is a partial block diagram of the vehicle power converter device of 3rd Embodiment based on this invention. It is a partial block diagram of the vehicle power converter device of 4th Embodiment based on this invention. It is a block diagram of the power converter device for vehicles of 4th Embodiment based on this invention (C arrow line view of FIG. 9). It is a top view of the power converter device for vehicles of a 5th embodiment based on the present invention. It is a block diagram (F arrow line view of FIG. 11) of the vehicle power converter device of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. It is a block diagram (for 1 phase of FIG. 12) of the power converter device for vehicles of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. It is a circuit diagram of the main circuit structure (3 level system) for one phase of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. It is a block diagram (G arrow line view of FIG. 13) of the vehicle power converter device of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. It is a block diagram of the inverter of the power converter device for vehicles of 5th Embodiment based on this invention. It is a front view of the power converter device for vehicles of a 6th embodiment based on the present invention. It is a front view of the power converter device for vehicles of a 6th embodiment based on the present invention. It is a side view of the power converter for vehicles whose general main circuit composition is a 3 level circuit system. FIG. 20 is a top view of the vehicle power conversion device (viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 19). FIG. 20 is a front view of the vehicle power conversion device (viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 19). It is a circuit diagram of a general three-level main circuit configuration. It is a block diagram at the time of driving | running | working of the power converter device for vehicles. It is a block diagram at the time of driving | running | working of the power converter device for vehicles.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle semiconductor cooling device 2 Car body 3 Semiconductor element 3a Q1 Semiconductor element 3b Q2 Semiconductor element 3c Q3 Semiconductor element 3d Q4 Semiconductor element 3e CDd1 Semiconductor element 3f CDd2 Semiconductor element 4 Heat receiving block 5 Semiconductor element attachment surface 6 Heat radiation part 7 Opening part 8 Converter 9 Inverter 10 Heat pipe 11 Vehicle traveling direction 12 Sleeper direction 13 Rail 14 Laying surface 15 Kant angle 16 Refrigerant 17 Spatial layer 18 Heat pipe diameter 19 Element mounting screw 20 Semiconductor chip 21 Mounting area range region 22 Heat pipe insertion port 23 Lid 24 Cooler 25 Main circuit configuration for one phase 26 Radiation mounting screw

Claims (8)

A semiconductor element mounted on the semiconductor element mounting surface of the heat receiving block;
A heat dissipating part connected to the anti-semiconductor element mounting surface of the heat receiving block;
A heat pipe inserted in the vehicle traveling direction in the heat receiving block;
A one-phase semiconductor element group constituted by the semiconductor elements is arranged in the heat receiving block linearly in the vehicle traveling direction. In the vehicle power converter according to claim 1,
The vehicular power converter according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor element groups of each phase are arranged in a straight line in the sleeper direction of the heat receiving block. In the power converter for vehicles according to claim 1 and claim 2,
The vehicle power converter according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the heat pipes are inserted in series in the vehicle traveling direction in the heat receiving block. In the vehicle power converter according to claim 1,
At least one heat pipe is inserted into a heat receiving block between a mounting screw and a mounting screw of a semiconductor element. In the vehicle power converter according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The heat pipe is at least 1 in a region within the mounting area range of the semiconductor chip inside the semiconductor element.
A semiconductor cooling device for vehicles, wherein at least one is inserted. In the vehicle power converter according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A power converter for a vehicle, wherein a heat pipe insertion opening of the heat receiving block is closed with a lid. The vehicle power converter according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
With the cooler in which the semiconductor element for one phase and the heat radiation part for one phase are attached to the heat receiving block for one phase as a unit unit, the vehicle power conversion device is configured by combining the unit units. A vehicular power conversion device. In the vehicle power converter according to claim 7,
The power converter for vehicles, wherein the heat receiving block and the heat dissipating part of the cooler are configured to be separable.

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