JP2012124261A - Laminated type cooler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve cooling performance of a substrate and reduce a space with simple structure in a laminated type cooler which cools electronic components from both sides.SOLUTION: A laminated type cooler 10 has: coolant passages 14 holding electronic components 12 from both sides and in which a coolant flows; a supply header part 16 extending toward one side in the lamination direction and supplying the coolant to each coolant passage 14; and a discharge header part 18 extending in the same direction as the supply header part 16 and discharging the coolant from each coolant passage 14. Further, the laminated type cooler 10 has a substrate 32 controlling the electronic components 12 and support members 34 connecting with at least one of the cooling passages 14, the supply header part 16, and the discharge header part 18 and supporting the substrate 32. This structure improves the cooling performance of the substrate 32 and reduce a space.

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 power conversion device that cools a semiconductor module by bringing a plurality of cooling pipes through which a cooling medium flows into contact with both surfaces of the semiconductor module containing a semiconductor element that is a heating element.

  This power conversion device extends to one side of the stacking direction in which the cooling pipe and the semiconductor module are stacked, introduces a refrigerant into each refrigerant pipe, extends in the same direction as the introduction pipe, and extends from each cooling pipe. A lead-out pipe for leading out the refrigerant.

  In the power conversion device configured as described above, the heat of the semiconductor module is transmitted from both surfaces of the semiconductor module to the refrigerant in the cooling pipe, and the semiconductor module is efficiently cooled.

JP 2009-59887 A

  A conventional stacked cooler is housed in a case together with a substrate for controlling electronic components. The substrate accommodated in the case is usually supported on the inner wall of the case via a bracket.

  When the electronic component of such a stacked cooler is a component that supplies electric power to a rotating electrical machine that drives an automobile, that is, an inverter, there is an example in which the case is mounted in the vicinity of the trunk axle of the vehicle. In this case, the heat of the trunk axle is transmitted to the board via the case and the bracket, and there is a possibility that a problem occurs in the board.

  In order to prevent this problem, it is conceivable to replace the component mounted on the substrate with a heat-resistant component. However, there is a problem that the cost increases due to the use of heat-resistant specification parts.

  Also, when the stacked cooler is mounted on a device such as a vehicle where the installation space is limited, the size of the case of the stacked cooler is naturally required to be reduced. There is a problem of having to.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a stacked type cooler that has a simple structure, can enhance the cooling performance of a substrate, 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 stack header that extends in the same direction as the supply header portion and discharges the refrigerant from each refrigerant flow path, and cools the electronic component from both sides, and a substrate that controls the electronic component; And a support member connected to at least one of the refrigerant flow path, the supply header section, and the discharge header section to support the substrate.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the support member has a connection surface that fits the outer shape of the coolant channel, the supply header portion, or the discharge header portion to be connected.

  The support member and the connection target of the support member are made of the same material, and are preferably joined by brazing or caulking.

  According to the stacked type cooler of the present invention, it is possible to improve the cooling performance of the substrate and save space with a simple structure.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the lamination type cooler concerning this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the stacked cooler viewed from the direction A in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a side view of the stacked cooler viewed from the direction B in FIG. 1. It is sectional drawing of the laminated type cooler by CC line of FIG.

  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, FIG. 2 is a side view of the stacked cooler viewed from the direction A in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view of the stacked cooler viewed from the direction, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stacked cooler taken along line CC in 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 one drive motor and one inverter corresponding to this motor. Since one inverter is composed of six switching modules, the total number of electronic components 12 in this embodiment is six. Three sets of electronic components 12 are arranged in the stacking direction, with two sets as one set.

  The number of electronic components 12 and the number of stacked layers are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the number of electronic components 12 and the number of stacked layers 3 sets. For example, when an automobile has two drive motors and two inverters corresponding to these motors, each inverter is composed of six switching modules, so that the electronic component 12 has a total of 12 It becomes a piece. In this case, two electronic components 12 can be arranged in a stacking direction in a total of six sets of two.

  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 four 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 three 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 case 27 (shown in FIG. 3) 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 three 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). The discharge header main body 28 is fixed to a case 27 that houses the stacked cooler 10.

  The multilayer cooler 10 of this embodiment includes a substrate 32 that controls the electronic component 12 and a support member 34 that supports the substrate 32 by connecting to the supply header communication pipe 26 and the discharge header communication pipe 30.

  With this configuration, the substrate 32, the supply header communication pipe 26 through which the refrigerant flows, and the discharge header communication pipe 30 are thermally connected, so that the cooling performance of the substrate 32 can be improved. Further, even if the stacked cooler 10 is mounted near the trunk axle of the vehicle, the board is not directly supported from the case as in the prior art, so that the heat of the trunk axle is transferred to the board 32. Can be prevented. In this embodiment, since the substrate is not directly supported from the case as in the prior art, it is formed to protrude from the case to the inner side, and the space of the base portion supporting the substrate can be omitted. As shown in FIG. 3, the size of the case 27, particularly the longitudinal direction of the refrigerant flow path 14, can be reduced.

  The support member 34 is made of aluminum. The support member 34 has an L-shaped cross section. The support member 34 includes a hole 34a formed so as to penetrate the plane of one side of the L-shape, and a supply header communication pipe 26 and a discharge header communication pipe that are connection targets at the end of the other side of the L-shape. And a connection surface 34b formed to fit to the outer shape of 30. Two support members 34 are arranged on the supply header communication pipe 26 and the discharge header communication pipe 30 to be connected with a predetermined interval in the stacking direction. In addition, this invention is not limited to the number of the supporting members 34, a total of four.

  By placing the substrate 32 on the upper portion of the support member 34, that is, on the plane of one side, a bolt (not shown) is inserted into the hole 32 a formed in the substrate 32 and the hole 34 a of the support member 34 and tightened. The substrate 32 and the support member 34 are fixed. The fixing means for the substrate 32 and the support member 34 of this embodiment is a bolt, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a well-known fixing means can be used.

  The refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header part 16, the discharge header part 18, and the support member 34 are joined 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.

  Further, when the laminated body is assembled to the case 27, as shown in FIG. 4, the elastically deformed elastic member 36 is pressed against the refrigerant flow path 14 located at one end portion in the laminating direction. . The elastic member 36 is, for example, a leaf spring. Due to the restoring force of the elastic member 36, the close contact between the electronic component 12 and the refrigerant flow path 14 is maintained.

  As described above, the contact surface 34b of the support member 34 and the outer shapes of the supply header communication pipe 26 and the discharge header communication pipe 30 to be connected are joined to the refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header section 16, and the discharge header section 18. By connecting at, it is possible to save labor in the assembly process.

  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 a heat radiating device (not shown) is supplied to each of the four 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. At this time, the heat of the substrate 32 is also transmitted to the refrigerant flowing through the supply header communication pipe 26 and the discharge header communication pipe 30 via the support member 32. 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.

  According to the multilayer cooler 10 of the present embodiment, the substrate 32 is not directly supported from the case 27, so that the substrate 32 is not easily affected by the heat from the case 27. Further, since the substrate 32 is connected to the supply header communication tube 26 and the discharge header communication tube 30 via the support member 34, the cooling performance of the substrate 32 can be enhanced. Further, since the connection between the support member 34 and the supply header communication pipe 26 and the discharge header communication pipe 30 is realized in the joining process of the refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header part 16, and the discharge header part 18, trouble in the assembly process. Can be omitted. Further, since the space of the base portion protruding inward from the case 27 employed in the prior art is vacant, the physique of the case 27 can be configured so that the space is reduced in the longitudinal direction of the refrigerant flow path 14.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the connection target of the support member 34 is the supply header communication pipe 26 and the discharge header communication pipe 30 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. If it is a member through which the refrigerant flows, the connection target can be at least one of the refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header part 16, or the discharge header part 18.

  In the present embodiment, the refrigerant flow path 14, the supply header portion 16, the discharge header portion 18, and the support member 34 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 components, 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, 27 Case, 28 Discharge Header body part, 30 discharge header communication pipe, 32 substrate, 34 support member, 36 elastic member.

Claims (3)

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,
A substrate for controlling electronic components;
A support member connected to at least one of the refrigerant flow path, the supply header part or the discharge header part to support the substrate;
A laminated cooler characterized by comprising: The stacked cooler according to claim 1, wherein
The support member has a connection surface that fits the outer shape of the refrigerant flow path, the supply header part or the discharge header part to be connected,
A laminated cooler characterized by that. The stacked cooler according to claim 2, wherein
The support member and the connection target of the support member are the same material, and are joined by brazing or caulking.
A laminated cooler characterized by that.

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