JP2008043047A - Cooling structure for power converter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of parts and the assembling manpower by integrating air intake side duct and air exhaust side duct. <P>SOLUTION: The cooling structure of a power converter comprises a housing 2 for accommodating a plurality of printed circuit boards 1a to 1n, a cooling fan 3 for introducing the outside air into the housing 2, the air intake side duct 6 for guiding the introduced outside air to the heat sink part 5 of the semiconductor element 4, having a large heating value which is mounted on the printed circuit board, and the air exhaust side duct 7 for guiding the outside air, which cools the heat sink part 5, to an air exhaust port 2a. A first opening port 6a connected to the intake port 2b is provided on one end side of the air intake side duct 6, and a second opening port 6b connected to the air intake side of the heat sink part 5 is provided to the other end side. A third opening part 7a, connected to the air exhaust side of the heat sink part 5, is provided to one end side of the air exhaust side duct 7, and a fourth opening part 7b, connected to the air exhaust port 2a, is provided to the other end side. The air intake side duct 6 and the air exhaust side duct 7 are formed integrally via a plate-like connecting part 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a power conversion device that forcibly air-cools a semiconductor element accommodated in a housing.

  In the power converter, the exhaust from the heat sink that cools the semiconductor element is at a high temperature. Exhausting such high-temperature exhaust gas into the casing of the power conversion device leads to an increase in the temperature in the casing and adversely affects other components.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, a cooling fan 104 for blowing air to the cooling fins 103 of the inverter unit 102 made of a semiconductor element or the like housed in the housing 101 is provided, and the exhaust formed on the top plate 101 a of the housing 101. The exhaust duct 106 connecting the outlet 105 and the exhaust side of the cooling fin 103, the intake port 107 formed on the front surface 101 b, the rear surface 101 c, or the left and right side surfaces 101 d and 101 e of the housing 101, and the cooling fin 103 A power conversion device including an intake-side duct 108 connected to the intake side has been developed.

In this power conversion device, outside air sucked into the housing 101 from the air inlet 107 by the cooling fan 104 is introduced into the housing 101 through the intake-side duct 108, passes through the cooling fin 103, The inverter unit 102 such as a semiconductor element is cooled and discharged to the outside of the housing 101 through the duct 106 and the exhaust port 105 on the exhaust side. (Patent Document 1)
JP 2000-125571 A (paragraphs 0002 to 0004, paragraphs 0012 to 0014, etc.)

By the way, in the above-described conventional power conversion device, by using the dedicated intake-side duct 108 and exhaust-side duct 106, the inverter unit 102 such as a semiconductor element is effectively cooled, and the inverter such as the semiconductor element is also cooled. There is an effect that exhaust heat from the section 102 can be discharged outside the casing 101 without diffusing into the casing 101, but there is a problem as described below.
(1) Since the intake-side duct 108 and the exhaust-side duct 106 are formed separately and independently, the number of parts increases and the management cost and the like increase.
(2) The intake-side duct 108 and the exhaust-side duct 106 must be separately assembled to the housing 101, which increases the assembly cost.

  An object of the present invention is to introduce the outside air sucked from the intake port as described above toward an inverter part such as a semiconductor element through a duct on the intake side, cool the inverter part, and then introduce the outside air into the duct on the exhaust side. In the cooling structure of the power conversion device that is discharged to the outside through the housing, the exhaust side duct and the intake side duct are integrated to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembly steps. is there.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing containing a semiconductor element, a cooling fan for introducing cooling air into the housing, and cooling air introduced into the housing from an air inlet provided in the housing by the cooling fan. In a cooling structure of a power converter comprising: an intake-side duct that leads to the semiconductor element; and an exhaust-side duct that guides cooling air that has cooled the semiconductor element to an exhaust port provided in a housing. A first opening connected to the intake port of the housing is provided on one end side of the duct, a second opening connected to the intake side of the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element is provided on the other end side, and the exhaust side duct is provided. A third opening connected to the exhaust side of the heat sink of the semiconductor element is provided on one end side of the semiconductor element, and a fourth opening connected to the exhaust port of the housing is provided on the other end side. The side duct is integrally formed through the connecting part. It was.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the cooling structure of the power conversion device according to the first aspect, the intake side duct and the exhaust side duct are formed into a flat cylindrical shape having a substantially rectangular cross section, and the intake side duct is formed. The first opening is formed wider than the second opening, and the fourth opening of the exhaust side duct is formed wider than the third opening.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the cooling structure of the power conversion device according to the second aspect, the connecting portion is formed in a plate shape in which one side surface of the intake side duct and one side surface of the exhaust side duct are connected, The heat sink part of the semiconductor element was inserted between the duct on the intake side and the duct on the exhaust side.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cooling structure for a power conversion device according to the third aspect, wherein the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element is inserted between the intake side duct and the exhaust side duct. It overlapped with the side of the part.

(1) In the first aspect of the present invention, the intake-side duct and the exhaust-side duct are integrally formed via the connecting portion, so that the conventional intake-side duct and the exhaust-side duct are formed separately and independently. Compared to what has been done, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced.
(2) In the invention of claim 2, since the first opening is formed wider than the second opening, a large amount of outside air is sucked from the wide first opening, and the width is narrow. Outside air can be effectively blown onto the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element from the second opening. And the outside air which cooled the heat sink part of the said semiconductor element can be discharged | emitted outside, diffusing from the wide 4th opening part and exhaust port of the said exhaust side duct.
(3) In the invention of claim 3, the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element is inserted between the intake-side duct and the exhaust-side duct in the connecting portion, so that the one end side of the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element is inserted. The intake-side duct can be connected, and the exhaust-side duct can be connected to the other end of the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element.
(4) According to the invention of claim 4, the connecting portion is overlapped with the side surface of the heat sink portion, the side surface of the heat sink portion is closed with the connecting portion, and the outside air introduced from the duct on the intake side is exhausted. It is possible to prevent leakage to the outside of the heat sink portion before being introduced into the side duct.

  1 is a perspective view showing a state where a printed circuit board is removed from a main part of the cooling structure of the power conversion device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the printed circuit board, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where a duct is removed. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling structure in a state where the principal printed circuit board is inserted. The cooling structure of the power conversion device of the present invention includes a housing 2 that detachably accommodates the first to n-th printed circuit boards 1a, 1b, ... 1n of the power conversion device, and an upper portion of the housing 2 A plurality of cooling fans 3 that are provided in the vicinity of the exhaust port 2 a and introduce cooling air into the casing 2, and an intake port 2 b that is provided in the lower part of the casing 2 by the cooling fan 3, enter the casing 2. The intake-side duct for introducing the introduced outside air (hereinafter referred to as cooling air) to the heat sink portion 5 of the semiconductor element 4 such as a CPU having a large heat generation amount mounted on the first printed circuit board 1a to cool it. 6 and an exhaust-side duct 7 that guides cooling air that has cooled the semiconductor element 4 to the exhaust port 2a of the housing 2. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 8 denotes another component mounted on the first printed circuit board 1 a, and reference numeral 9 denotes a support portion attached to one end portion of the first printed circuit board 1 a. The first printed circuit board 1 a is inserted into and removed from the housing 2 using the provided pair of handles 10.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the heat sink portion 5 is formed by arranging a large number of plate-like fins 5b on a base plate 5a, and the semiconductor element such that the gap δ between the fins 5b is in the vertical direction. 4 is attached.

  The intake-side duct 6 is provided with a first opening 6a connected to the intake port 2b of the housing 2 on one end side (lower end side) and on the intake side of the heat sink unit 5 on the other end side (upper end side). A second opening 6b connected to the gap δ is provided.

  The exhaust-side duct 7 has a third opening 7a connected to the exhaust-side gap δ of the heat sink portion 5 on one end side (lower end side), and the exhaust of the housing 2 on the other end side (upper end side). A fourth opening 7b that continues to the mouth 2a is provided. The intake-side duct 6 and the exhaust-side duct 7 are integrally coupled via a connecting portion 11.

  The intake-side duct 6 and the exhaust-side duct 7 are formed in a flat cylindrical shape having a substantially rectangular cross section. The first opening 6a is formed wider than the second opening 6b. The second opening 6b, which is narrower than the first opening 6a, continues to the intake side of the heat sink 5 with almost no gap. The fourth opening 7b is formed wider than the third opening 7a. The third opening 7a, which is narrower than the fourth opening 7b, continues to the exhaust side of the heat sink 5 with almost no gap. The widths of the openings 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b are formed in accordance with the heat generation amount of the semiconductor element 5.

  The connecting portion 11 is formed in a plate shape, and connects one side surface 6c of the intake-side duct 6 and one side surface 7c of the exhaust-side duct 7. The heat sink portion 5 is inserted and disposed between the intake-side duct 6 and the exhaust-side duct 7 connected by the connecting portion 11. The connecting portion 11 is disposed on the tip end portion (the end portion opposite to the base plate 5a) side of the plurality of fins 5b in a state in which the heat sink portion 5 is disposed between the intake side duct 6 and the exhaust side duct 7. The gaps δ on the tip end side of the large number of fins 5b are closed. The intake-side duct 6 and the exhaust-side duct 7 are fixed to the first printed circuit board 1a.

  Next, the effect | action of the cooling structure of the said power converter device is demonstrated. When the cooling fan 3 is rotated, outside air is sucked from the air inlet 2b provided in the lower part of the housing 2. A part of the outside air sucked at this time is guided to the intake-side end of the heat sink 5 by the intake-side duct 6 and introduced into the gap δ between the fins 5b. Since the gap δ on the tip end side of the fin 5b is closed by the plate-like connecting portion 11, the outside air introduced into the heat sink portion 5 is a gap on the tip end side of the fin 5b. Without escaping from δ to the outside, almost all the outside air passes between the fins 5b and cools the heat sink portion 5, so that the semiconductor element 5 is effectively cooled.

  And the outside air which cooled the said fin 5b is discharged | emitted out of the said housing | casing 2 from the exhaust port 2a through the duct 7 by the side of exhaust. Therefore, the high-temperature exhaust air that has cooled the semiconductor element 4 having the large heat generation amount is mounted on the other components 8 mounted on the first printed circuit board 1a, the other printed circuit boards 1b, 1c, etc. To prevent adverse effects. In the embodiment described above, the semiconductor element 4 with a large calorific value mounted on the first printed circuit board 1a is effectively cooled by a dedicated duct, and the exhaust heat of the semiconductor element 4 with the large calorific value is exhausted. Has been shown to prevent other components 8 and the like from being adversely affected. However, when the semiconductor element 4 having a large calorific value is mounted on other printed circuit boards 1b, 1c,. A duct similar to the case of the printed circuit board 1a is provided to cool the semiconductor element 4 that generates a large amount of heat.

The perspective view of the cooling structure of a power converter device. The enlarged perspective view of the principal part. The perspective view of the state which removed the duct. Sectional drawing of the cooling structure in the state which inserted all the printed circuit boards. Explanatory drawing of a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a-1n ... Printed circuit board 2 ... Housing 2a ... Exhaust port 2b ... Inlet port 3 ... Cooling fan 4 ... Semiconductor element (CPU) of large calorific value
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Heat sink part 5b ... Plate-shaped fin 6 ... Intake side duct 6a ... 1st opening part 6b ... 2nd opening part 7 ... Exhaust side duct 7a ... 3rd opening part 7b ... 4th opening part 8 ... Other parts 11 ... Connection part

Claims (4)

A housing containing a semiconductor element, a cooling fan for introducing cooling air into the housing, and an intake side for guiding cooling air introduced into the housing from an air inlet provided in the housing by the cooling fan to the semiconductor element In the cooling structure of the power conversion device, including the duct and the duct on the exhaust side that guides the cooling air that has cooled the semiconductor element to the exhaust port provided in the housing,
The intake-side duct includes a first opening connected to the intake port of the housing on one end side, and a second opening connected to the intake side of the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element on the other end side,
The duct on the exhaust side includes a third opening connected to the exhaust side of the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element on one end side, and a fourth opening connected to the exhaust port of the housing on the other end side,
The cooling structure for a power conversion device, wherein the intake-side duct and the exhaust-side duct are integrally formed via a connecting portion. The intake-side duct and the exhaust-side duct are formed in a flat cylindrical shape having a substantially rectangular cross section, and the first opening is formed wider than the second opening. The cooling structure for a power converter according to claim 1, wherein the opening of 4 is formed wider than the third opening. The connecting portion is formed in a plate shape connecting one side surface of the intake side duct and one side surface of the exhaust side duct, and the heat sink of the semiconductor element is interposed between the intake side duct and the exhaust side duct. The cooling structure of the power converter according to claim 2, wherein a portion is inserted. The power converter according to claim 3, wherein the connecting portion overlaps a side surface of the heat sink portion in a state where the heat sink portion of the semiconductor element is inserted between the duct on the intake side and the duct on the exhaust side. Cooling structure.

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