JP2012099748A - Stacked cooler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save the time of assembly and the space of a stacked cooler which cools electronic components from both sides.SOLUTION: A stacked cooler 10 has refrigerant flow paths 14 which hold electronic components 12 from both sides and through which refrigerant flows, a supply header 16 extending to one side in the stacking direction and supplying refrigerant to each refrigerant flow path 14, and a discharge header 18 extending in the same direction as the supply header 16 and discharging refrigerant from each refrigerant flow path 14. The supply and discharge headers 16, 18 are provided, respectively, with a pressure holding structure 32 which holds pressure being applied to the electronic components 12 from the refrigerant flow path 14. Since the pressure holding structure 32 becomes an alternative material of a spring employed in the prior art, the time of assembly and the space of the spring can be saved.

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in the structure of a stacked cooler that cools electronic components from both sides.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a multilayer cooler is known that cools an electronic component by bringing a refrigerant flow path through which the refrigerant flows into contact with both surfaces of the electronic component that is a heating element.

  Patent Document 1 below describes a stacked cooler that cools an electronic component from both sides. This stacked cooler includes a refrigerant flow path that sandwiches electronic components from both sides, a supply header section that extends to one side in the stacking direction, and supplies the refrigerant to each refrigerant flow path, in the same direction as the supply header section. And a discharge header portion that discharges the refrigerant from each refrigerant flow path. The refrigerant flow path is configured to be expanded and deformed so as to increase the thickness in the stacking direction due to the pressure of the refrigerant. With this configuration, the electronic component and the coolant channel can be in close contact with each other.

  In Patent Document 2 below, a stack formed by stacking a plurality of cells, a bolster provided at each end of the stack in the stacking direction, a rod extending in the stacking direction so as to penetrate both bolsters, and the bolster are restrained. Therefore, a fuel cell is described having a nut that fits over the rod. In this fuel cell, a spring is provided between the bolster and the nut, and this spring absorbs a thickness change in the stacking direction of the stack during operation.

JP 2008-16718 A JP 2003-282134 A

  In the stacked cooler, in order to improve the cooling performance, it is generally necessary to closely contact the refrigerant flow path and the electronic component without any gap. In a conventional stacked cooler, a spring elastically deformed is pressed against a refrigerant flow channel located at one end in the stacking direction, and the refrigerant flow channel and the electronic component are brought into close contact by the restoring force of the spring.

  However, in the manufacturing process, in order to apply a predetermined pressure to the laminated body composed of the refrigerant flow path and the electronic component, it is difficult to assemble the laminated body with the spring compressed in consideration of the spring stroke. However, there is a problem that it takes time to assemble.

  In addition, it is conceivable to employ a refrigerant flow path that expands and deforms as an alternative material for the spring as in the stacked cooler of Patent Document 1 described above, but the refrigerant pressure causes a gap between the refrigerant flow path and the electronic component. There is a problem that it is difficult to maintain the target pressure.

  In addition, as in the stacked fuel cell of Patent Document 2 above, it is conceivable to hold a target pressure between the stacks by tightening a nut to a rod that passes through a bolster that sandwiches the stack. However, there is a problem that it takes time for assembly.

  In addition, when the stacked cooler is mounted on a device where the installation space is limited, such as a vehicle, the size of the stacked cooler is required to be reduced, and the space inside the stacked cooler is required. There is a problem that there is no room.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a stacked cooler that has a simple structure, saves assembling, and can save space.

  The present invention includes an electronic component sandwiched from both sides, a refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant flows, a supply header portion that extends to one side in the stacking direction of the electronic component and the refrigerant flow path, and supplies the refrigerant to each refrigerant flow path. A stacked header that extends in the same direction as the supply header portion and discharges the refrigerant from each refrigerant flow path, and cools electronic components from both sides. A pressure holding structure for holding the pressure received by the electronic component from the refrigerant flow path is provided.

  In addition, the pressure holding structure is fitted to the supply and discharge header portions respectively with the male screw portions and the male screw portions, and the refrigerant flow path located at the one end is directed toward the electronic component. And a pressing nut.

  Moreover, it is preferable that an elastic member is provided between the refrigerant flow channel located at the end portion on the one side and the nut.

  Also, connected to the supply and discharge header portions, respectively, connected to a header movement restricting portion for restricting the movement of the supply and discharge header portions in the stacking direction, and to a refrigerant channel located at the other end in the stacking direction, and stacked A refrigerant flow path movement restricting portion for restricting movement of the refrigerant flow path in the direction.

  In addition, it is preferable that the stacked cooler is accommodated in a housing, and a header movement restricting portion and a refrigerant flow passage restricting portion are connected to the housing.

  According to the stacked type cooler of the present invention, it is possible to save the space while saving the labor of assembly with a simple structure.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the lamination type cooler concerning this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a stacked cooler along line AA in FIG. 1.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a stacked cooler according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As an example, a power module that supplies power to a motor that drives an automobile will be described, and a stacked cooler that cools the power module will be described. The present invention can be applied not only to the power module described above but also to a stacked cooler that cools an electronic component that is a heating element.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the stacked cooler according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the stacked cooler taken along line AA of FIG. Note that the X axis shown in the figure is a stacking direction in which electronic components and a refrigerant flow path, which will be described later, are stacked.

  The stacked cooler 10 includes a refrigerant flow path 14 that holds the electronic component 12 from both sides, a supply header section 16 that supplies the refrigerant to each refrigerant flow path 14, and a discharge header section that discharges the refrigerant from each refrigerant flow path 14. 18. Although the refrigerant of this embodiment is LLC (Long Life Coolant), the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a known refrigerant can be used.

  The electronic component 12 is a switching module. The electronic component 12 includes an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and electrodes, and is formed by molding these with an insulating resin. The electronic component 12 has a rectangular plate shape that is crushed in the stacking direction. The automobile of this embodiment has two drive motors and two inverters corresponding to the respective motors. Since one inverter is composed of six switching modules, the total number of electronic components 12 in this embodiment is twelve. Six electronic components 12 are arranged in the stacking direction, with two electronic components 12 as one set. The number of electronic components 12 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to the number 12 of electronic components 12. Further, the number of stacked electronic components 12 is also an example, and the present invention is not limited to the number of stacked 6 electronic components 12.

  The refrigerant channel 14 is made of aluminum. The refrigerant channel 14 has a rectangular tube shape that is crushed in the stacking direction. A total of seven refrigerant flow paths 14 are arranged in the stacking direction. An inlet 20 through which the refrigerant flows is formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the refrigerant flow path 14, and an outlet 22 through which the refrigerant flows out is formed at the other end. The inflow port 20 and the outflow port 22 communicate with each other through a space defined inside the refrigerant flow path 14.

  The supply header portion 16 is made of aluminum. The supply header portion 16 includes a supply header main body portion 24 and a supply header communication pipe 26. The supply header communication pipe 26 has a short-axis cylindrical shape. The supply header communication pipe 26 is connected to the refrigerant flow paths 14 adjacent to each other in the stacking direction. Specifically, it connects so that the inflow port 20 of the mutual refrigerant flow path 14 may be covered, respectively. A total of six supply header communication pipes 26 are arranged in a straight line in the stacking direction.

  The supply header main body 24 has a longer cylindrical shape than the supply header communication pipe 26. The supply header main body 24 is provided on the same straight line as the supply header communication pipe 26 so as to extend to one side in the stacking direction from the stacked body including the electronic component 12 and the refrigerant flow path 14. One end of the supply header main body 24 is connected to the refrigerant flow path 14 located at one end in the stacking direction so as to cover the inlet 20 thereof. The other end of the supply header main body 24 is connected to a heat radiating device (not shown). Further, the supply header main body 24 is fixed to a housing that houses the stacked cooler 10.

  The discharge header portion 18 is made of aluminum. The discharge header portion 18 includes a discharge header main body portion 28 and a discharge header communication pipe 30. The discharge header communication pipe 30 has a short-axis cylindrical shape. The discharge header communication pipe 30 is connected to the refrigerant flow paths 14 adjacent to each other in the stacking direction. Specifically, they are connected so as to cover the outlets 22 of the refrigerant flow paths 14. A total of six discharge header communication pipes 30 are arranged in a straight line in the stacking direction.

  The discharge header main body 28 has a cylindrical shape with a longer axis than the discharge header communication pipe 30. The discharge header main body 28 is provided on the same straight line as the discharge header communication pipe 30 so as to extend to one side in the stacking direction from the stacked body including the electronic component 12 and the refrigerant flow path 14. One end of the discharge header main body 28 is connected to the refrigerant flow path 14 located at one end in the stacking direction so as to cover the outlet 22 thereof. The other end of the discharge header main body 28 is connected to a heat radiating device (not shown). In addition, the discharge header main body 28 is fixed to a housing that houses the stacked cooler 10.

  The refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header part 16, and the discharge header part 18 are joined to each other by brazing or caulking. Then, the electronic components 12 are respectively disposed between the refrigerant flow paths 14 adjacent in the stacking direction, and the stacked body composed of these components is sandwiched at a predetermined pressure from the outside in the stacking direction. It is pinched. Specifically, the supply and discharge header communication pipes 26 and 30 are plastically deformed so as to be contracted in the stacking direction by sandwiching the predetermined pressure, and the distance between the adjacent refrigerant flow paths 14 is reduced. The refrigerant flow path 14 can be in close contact with the contact surface orthogonal to the stacking direction.

  The flow of the refrigerant in the stacked cooler 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. A case where the power module is in operation and the electronic component 12 is generating heat will be described.

  The refrigerant introduced into the supply header main body 24 from the heat radiating device (not shown) is supplied to each of the seven refrigerant flow paths 14 directly or via the supply header communication pipe 26. The heat of the electronic component 12 is transmitted to the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 14. The refrigerant whose temperature has risen due to the heat of the electronic component 12 flows into the discharge header main body 28 from the refrigerant flow path 14 directly or via the discharge header communication pipe 30. The refrigerant merged in the discharge header main body 28 is supplied to the heat radiating device and cooled. And the refrigerant | coolant cooled in the thermal radiation apparatus is again introduce | transduced into the supply header main-body part 24. FIG.

  In the stacked cooler 10 of the present invention, the supply and discharge header portions 16 and 18 extending to one side in the stacking direction are provided with a pressure holding structure 32 that holds the pressure received by the electronic component 12 from the refrigerant flow path 14. It is done. This pressure holding structure 32 is an alternative to the spring employed in the prior art. With this configuration, it is possible to save the assembly time and the space of the spring with a simple structure, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the stacked cooler 10. Here, the supply and discharge header portions 16 and 18 extending to one side in the stacking direction are portions extending from the stack formed of the electronic component 12 and the coolant channel 14 to one side in the stacking direction. In the present embodiment, they correspond to the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28, respectively.

  Next, the configuration of the pressure holding structure 32 will be described. The pressure holding structure 32 has male screw portions 34 formed on the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28, and nuts 36 fitted into the male screw portions 34, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the male screw portion 34 is formed in a predetermined section on one end side of the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may be formed over the entire length of the supply and discharge header body portions 24 and 28. Further, a female screw that is screwed into the male screw portion 34 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the nut 36.

  Further, the pressure holding structure 32 has an elastic member 38 provided between the refrigerant flow path 14 and the nut 36 respectively connected to one ends of the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28. The elastic member 38 has an annular shape that is slidable with respect to the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28, and is, for example, a resin spacer or a spring washer.

  In the stacked cooler 10 in which the electronic component 12 is sandwiched by the refrigerant flow path 14, the elastic member 38 and the nut 36 can be sequentially inserted from the other ends of the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28. At this time, the heat radiating device is not connected to the other ends of the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28, and the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28 are not fixed to the housing.

  Then, by screwing the nut 36 into the male screw portion 34, the nut 36 presses the refrigerant flow path 14 connected to each end of the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28 toward the electronic component 12. be able to. It is preferable to set the screwing amount or position of the nut 36 in advance so that the target pressure is between the electronic component 12 and the refrigerant flow path 14.

  Further, the elastic member 38 provided between the refrigerant flow path 14 and the nut 36 can absorb the expansion of the electronic components 12 in the stacking direction during the operation of the power module.

  Further, when the laminated cooler 10 is accommodated in the housing, the refrigerant flow path that restricts the movement of the refrigerant flow path 14 in the stacking direction with respect to the refrigerant flow path 14 located at the other end in the stacking direction. It is preferable to connect a movement restricting portion (not shown). The refrigerant channel movement restricting unit is a bracket that supports the stacked cooler 10 or an electronic component module that can be cooled by the refrigerant channel 14, for example, a boost converter. When the stacked type cooler 10 is accommodated in the housing, the supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28 are also connected to the housing, respectively. Therefore, the supply and discharge header supply and discharge header main body portions 24 and 28 are also moved in the stacking direction. Be regulated.

  With such a configuration, the movement in the stacking direction of the laminate including the electronic component 12 and the refrigerant flow path 14 is also restricted, and the target pressure between the electronic component 12 and the refrigerant flow path 14 is held by the pressure holding structure 32. Therefore, since the electronic component 12 and the coolant channel 14 can be in close contact with each other without any gap, the cooling performance can also be maintained.

  According to the stacked cooler 10 of the present embodiment, the pressure holding structure 32 becomes an alternative material for the spring employed in the conventional technique, so that the labor of assembling can be saved. And since the space (A area | region shown by FIG. 2) of the spring employ | adopted by the prior art is vacant, the physique of a housing can be comprised so that the space may be made small in the lamination direction. Furthermore, since cables such as a wire harness that has conventionally passed through the outside in the width direction of the stacked cooler 10 can be passed through the vacant space, the size of the housing in the width direction can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header portion 16, and the discharge header portion 18 have been described as being made of aluminum, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. If it is a material excellent in thermal conductivity, it may be made of copper, for example.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Stack type cooler, 12 Electronic component, 14 Refrigerant flow path, 16 Supply header part, 18 Discharge header part, 20 Inlet, 22 Outlet, 24 Supply header main part, 26 Supply header communication pipe, 28 Discharge header main part , 30 discharge header communication pipe, 32 pressure holding structure, 34 male screw part, 36 nut, 38 elastic member.

Claims (5)

A refrigerant flow path that sandwiches electronic components from both sides and through which refrigerant flows;
A supply header portion that extends to one side of the stacking direction of the electronic component and the refrigerant flow path and supplies the refrigerant to each refrigerant flow path;
A discharge header portion extending in the same direction as the supply header portion and discharging the refrigerant from each refrigerant flow path;
Have
In a stacked cooler that cools electronic components from both sides,
The supply and discharge header portion is provided with a pressure holding structure that holds the pressure that the electronic component receives from the refrigerant flow path.
A laminated cooler characterized by that. The stacked cooler according to claim 1, wherein
Pressure holding structure
Male screw portions formed respectively on the supply and discharge header portions;
A nut that fits to each male screw part and presses the coolant channel located at the end of the one side toward the electronic component,
Having
A laminated cooler characterized by that. The stacked cooler according to claim 2, wherein
An elastic member is provided between the refrigerant channel located at the end on the one side and the nut.
A laminated cooler characterized by that. In the stacked type cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A header movement restricting portion that is connected to the supply and discharge header portions respectively and restricts the movement of the supply and discharge header portions in the stacking direction;
A refrigerant channel movement restricting unit connected to the refrigerant channel located at the other end in the stacking direction and regulating movement of the refrigerant channel in the stacking direction;
A laminated cooler characterized by comprising: The stacked cooler according to claim 4, wherein
This stacked cooler is housed in a housing,
A header movement restriction part and a refrigerant flow movement restriction part are connected to the housing,
A laminated cooler characterized by that.

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