JP2012187949A - Cooling structure of vehicular power conversion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control the supply loss of electric power as much as possible by arranging a power conversion device 50, which converts the electric power from a generator and outputs it to at least a storage device (battery 21), in an engine compartment 2, and to cool the power conversion device 50 efficiently while inhibiting damage to the power conversion device 50 on a frontal collision of a vehicle.SOLUTION: The power conversion device 50 includes a power conversion device body part 51 arranged between a dash panel 9 and the storage device (battery 21) in the engine compartment 2 and a duct member 53 for leading outside air introduced inside a cowl box 15 to the power conversion device body part 51.

Description

  The present invention belongs to a technical field related to a cooling structure for a power converter of a vehicle, which cools a power converter such as a DC / DC converter and an inverter.

  Conventionally, mounting a power storage device that stores electricity such as a secondary battery (for example, a nickel metal hydride secondary battery, a nickel cadmium secondary battery, a lithium ion secondary battery, or a lead storage battery) on a vehicle such as an automobile has been well known. As this power storage device, it is also known that a capacitor is used in addition to the secondary battery (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, in Patent Document 1, a battery and a capacitor are arranged close to each other as a power storage unit.

JP 2008-306864 A

  By the way, when the electricity generated by the generator (alternator) is supplied to and stored in a power storage device (for example, a lead storage battery that supplies power to an electrical component mounted on a vehicle), a power conversion device such as a DC / DC converter. The power may be converted through the. These power conversion device, generator and power storage device are preferably arranged at positions close to each other. This is because the power supply loss can be suppressed by shortening the cable for connecting them. And since a generator is normally arrange | positioned in an engine room, it is preferable to also arrange | position an electrical storage apparatus and a power converter device in an engine room.

  Here, when the power converter is disposed in the engine room, the power converter is affected by heat from the engine or the like, and the power converter itself generates heat. It is required to cool.

  Therefore, in order to make it easy for the vehicle traveling wind to hit the power converter, it is conceivable to arrange the power converter in the front portion of the engine room.

  However, there is also a demand to avoid damage to the power conversion device as much as possible during a frontal collision of the vehicle. In order to satisfy this requirement, it is difficult to dispose the power conversion device in the front portion of the engine room. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of such points, and an object of the present invention is to dispose a power conversion device that converts power from a generator and outputs at least to a power storage device in an engine room. Thus, it is intended to efficiently cool the power conversion device while suppressing power supply loss as much as possible and suppressing breakage of the power conversion device in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a dash panel for partitioning a vehicle compartment and an engine room of a vehicle, and an upper end portion of the dash panel are disposed so as to extend in the vehicle width direction, and outside air from outside the vehicle is A cowl box to be introduced, a power storage device disposed in the engine room, a power generator disposed in the engine room, and converts power from the power generator to output at least to the power storage device. A power converter, wherein the power converter has a power converter main body disposed between the dash panel and the power storage device in the engine room, and outside air introduced into the cowl box. And a duct member for leading to the power converter main body.

  With the above configuration, the power conversion device main body can be disposed in the vicinity of the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the power storage device, and can be disposed in the rear portion of the vehicle in the engine room. Thereby, damage to a power converter (power converter main part) at the time of frontal collision of vehicles can be controlled. Further, the outside air introduced into the cowl box can be easily guided to the power converter main body through the duct member, and the power converter main body can be cooled by the outside air. As a result, the power converter (power converter main body) can be sufficiently cooled without arranging the power converter in the front portion of the engine room.

  In the vehicle power converter cooling structure, the air inlet of the duct member is preferably located in an outer portion in the vehicle width direction in the cowl box.

  As a result, the duct member can be disposed in the outer portion of the engine room in the vehicle width direction, and the outside air passing through the duct member is hardly affected by heat from the engine or the like, and the cooling performance of the power conversion device main body Can be improved.

  In the vehicle power converter cooling structure, it is preferable that the power converter further includes a fan that guides the outside air to the power converter main body through the duct member.

  Thus, the fan can actively guide outside air as cooling air to the power converter main body, and the cooling performance of the power converter main body can be further improved.

  When the power converter has the fan, the power converter main body and the fan are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, and the power converter integrates the power converter main body and the fan integrally. It is preferable to further have a cover member to cover.

  In this way, even if the power conversion device including the fan is disposed in the engine room, the engine room can be prevented from becoming longer in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the front overhang can be prevented from increasing. be able to. In addition, the cover member can allow the outside air guided to the power converter main body through the duct member to flow in the vicinity of the power converter main body, and the power converter main body and the fan are connected to the engine. It is possible to prevent contamination by mud entering from the lower side of the room.

  In the vehicle power converter cooling structure, the cowl box protrudes to the front of the vehicle from the dash panel, and at least a part of the power converter overlaps the cowl box in plan view. preferable.

  As a result, the front overhang can be reduced as much as possible while ensuring the size of the main body of the power converter.

  As described above, according to the power conversion device cooling structure for a vehicle of the present invention, the power conversion device includes the power conversion device main body disposed between the dash panel and the power storage device in the engine room, and the cowl box. By having a duct member for guiding the outside air introduced into the power converter main body, the power converter can be disposed in the vicinity of the power storage device in the engine room, The power supply loss can be suppressed as much as possible, and the power conversion device can be efficiently cooled while suppressing the breakage of the power conversion device in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

It is a top view which shows the vehicle left side rear part in the engine room of the vehicle to which the power converter cooling structure which concerns on embodiment of this invention was applied. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the vehicle left side rear part in the engine room of the said vehicle. It is a perspective view which shows a power converter device. It is a figure which shows the electrical connection relationship of a generator, a capacitor, a power converter device, a battery, and an electrical component.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 3 show a vehicle left rear portion in an engine room 1 of a vehicle to which a power converter cooling structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. An engine (not shown) is disposed in the engine room 1 at the front of the vehicle. The left side of FIG. 1 and the right side of FIG. 2 correspond to the front side of the vehicle. Hereinafter, the front, rear, left, right, top and bottom of the vehicle are simply referred to as front, rear, left, right, top and bottom, respectively.

  A pair of left and right front side frames 5 (only the left front side frame 5 is shown) extending in the front-rear direction are disposed at both ends of the engine room 1 in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction). The rear portion of each front side frame 5 is a kick portion (not shown) whose height position gradually decreases toward the rear side. A dash panel 9 that partitions the engine room 1 and the vehicle compartment is provided at substantially the same longitudinal position as the kick portion so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction.

  Wheel house panels 12 constituting wheel houses are fixed to the outer surfaces of the left and right front side frames 5 in the vehicle width direction, and suspension towers 13 are provided on the upper surfaces of the left and right wheel house panels 12, respectively. (Only the left wheel house panel 12 and the left suspension tower 13 are shown).

  A cowl box 15 extending in the vehicle width direction is disposed at the upper end of the dash panel 9. The cowl box 15 has a bottom wall portion 15a, a front wall portion 15b, and a rear wall portion 15c, and has a concave shape that opens upward. The upper opening of the cowl box 15 is covered with a hood hood 17. However, a gap is formed between the rear end of the bonnet hood 17 and the rear wall portion 15c of the cowl box 15, and outside air from the outside of the vehicle is introduced into the cowl box 15 through this gap. That is, the cowl box 15 has a function as an air box for introducing outside air. The cowl box 15 also has a function as an accommodation space for a wiper device (not shown). A lower end portion of a windshield (not shown) is fixed to the upper end portion of the rear wall portion 15c of the cowl box 15.

  In the present embodiment, the cowl box 15 projects forward from the dash panel 9, and the front wall portion 15 b of the cowl box 15 is located in front of the dash panel 9. In the bottom wall portion 15 a of the cowl box 15, the front portion of the dash panel 9 is recessed below the other portions. In FIG. 1, the description of the cowl box 15 is omitted, but the position of the front wall portion 15b of the cowl box 15 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

  A battery support bracket 22 for supporting the battery 21 is attached and fixed to the inner surface of the left front side frame 5 in the vehicle width direction by bolts 31. A battery 21 is supported on the upper end of the battery support bracket 22 via a support member 23. In this embodiment, the battery 21 is a lead storage battery, and corresponds to the power storage device of the present invention that stores electricity. The battery 21 is disposed in the rear portion of the engine room 1 in the vehicle width direction (in the vicinity of the left front side frame 5).

  The support member 23 is attached and fixed to the upper end portion of the support bracket 22 via a bolt 32, and supports a base portion 23a that supports the bottom surface of the battery 21, and a peripheral wall portion 23b that stands up from the peripheral portion of the base portion 23a. Have The peripheral wall portion 23 b covers the entire lower part of the peripheral side surface of the battery 21. The rod-shaped members 24 are respectively fixed to the both sides in the vehicle width direction of the peripheral wall portion 23b so as to extend upward, and male screw portions 24a are formed at the upper ends of these two rod-shaped portions 24, respectively. The nuts 26 are tightened on the male screw portions 24a in a state where the male screw portions 24a are inserted into insertion holes formed at both ends of the fixing member 25 extending in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface of the battery 21, respectively. The battery 21 is supported and fixed to the support member 23.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a capacitor 43 is provided for storing electricity generated by a generator 41 (alternator) driven by the engine and disposed in the engine room 1 when the vehicle is decelerated. It has been. The capacitor 43 is configured so that the stored electricity (electric power) is supplied to the electrical component 45 (for example, an audio device, a navigation device, a lighting device, etc.) mounted on the vehicle via the power conversion device 50. Has been. Further, surplus electricity (electric power) that cannot be used by the electrical component 45 from the capacitor 43 is supplied to and stored in the battery 21 that supplies electricity (electric power) to the electrical component 45. When the vehicle is not decelerated, the power from the generator 41 is supplied to the battery 21 via the power conversion device 50 and stored. In this way, the power conversion device 50 has the power from the generator 41 (the power from the capacitor 43 is also the power from the generator 41 because it originally stores the power from the generator 41). Is output to the battery 21 (and the electrical component 45).

  The power conversion device 50 includes a DC / DC converter that steps down the power from the generator 41 (capacitor 43) and outputs it to the battery 21 and the electrical component 45. That is, since the voltage (for example, 25 V) on the generator 41 and capacitor 43 side is higher than the voltage (12 V) on the battery 21 and electrical component 45 side, the generator 41 (capacitor 43) is transferred to the battery 21 and electrical component 45. When power is supplied, it is necessary to transform the power, and therefore, a power conversion device 50 including a DC / DC converter is provided.

  Although illustration of the arrangement of the capacitor 43 is omitted, it is arranged on the front side of the front wheel and the front side frame 5 in the vehicle width direction outside (left side), that is, on the left outside of the engine room 1 and in the front-rear direction. It is arranged at a position between the installed crash cans. The capacitor 43 is supported by a flange portion at the front end of the left front side frame 5 or a flange portion at the rear end of the left crush can (a flange portion connected to the flange portion of the left front side frame 5). The As a result, the capacitor 43 is hardly affected by the heat from the engine, and can be efficiently cooled by the vehicle traveling wind. In addition, during the frontal collision (light collision) of the vehicle, the capacitor 43 does not impede the shock absorbing action by the crash can, and the shock absorption by the front side frame 5 during a heavy collision such that the front side frame 5 is crushed. It does not inhibit the action.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the power conversion device 50 includes a power conversion device main body 51 including the DC / DC converter. The rear portion of the power conversion device main body 51 is provided with a heat sink 51a in which a plurality of protrusions 51b protruding rearward and extending in the vertical direction are formed side by side in the vehicle width direction. Thus, the heat generated by the DC / DC converter is dissipated toward the rear side (the dash panel 9 side). The power converter main body 51 is disposed between the dash panel 9 and the battery 21 in the engine room 1. More specifically, the power conversion device main body 51 is disposed close to the rear side of the battery 21. Further, since the battery 21 itself is located at the rear part in the engine room 1, the power converter main body 51 is located in the vicinity of the dash panel 9 and the cowl box 15.

  The power converter main body 51 is covered with a cover member 52 extending in the vertical direction except for the side where the heat sink 51a is provided. On the upper surface of the cover member 52, a duct member 53 for guiding the outside air introduced into the cowl box 15 to the power converter main body 51 is provided. The duct member 53 extends upward from the upper surface of the cover member 52, then bends rearward and extends rearward, penetrates the front wall portion 15b of the cowl box 15 and enters the cowl box 15 (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3). An intake port 53a (see FIG. 4) formed at the end of the duct member 53 on the cowl box 15 side is an outer portion in the vehicle width direction in the cowl box 15 (position close to the left front side frame 5 in the vehicle width direction). The exhaust port formed at the end of the duct member 53 on the cover member 52 side faces the inside of the cover member 52. The outside air is guided from the intake port 53a through the duct member 53 to the inside of the cover member 52 (that is, the power converter main body 51).

  Like the battery 21, the duct member 53 and the power conversion device 50 are located in an outer portion in the vehicle width direction (in the vicinity of the left front side frame 5) in the engine room 1, and thereby pass through the duct member 53. The outside air and the power conversion device 50 are made difficult to be affected by the heat from the engine.

  In the present embodiment, a fan 54 that guides the outside air to the power converter main body 51 through the duct member 53 is provided in the power converter 50, and the outside air is actively guided to the power converter main body 51 as cooling air. I am doing so. The fan 54 is located below the power converter main body 51. That is, the power converter main body 51 and the fan 54 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

  The cover member 52 integrally covers the power converter main body 51 and the fan 54, and the power converter main body 51 and the fan 54 are fixed to the cover member 52 inside the cover member 52. A discharge port 52 a is formed on the lower surface of the cover member 52. The fan 54 is located between the power converter main body 51 and the discharge port 52a. Then, due to the operation of the fan 54, a part of the outside air guided to the power converter main body 51 through the duct member 53 flows downward along the power converter main body 51 (particularly the heat sink 51a). Then, the air is discharged to the lower side of the cover member 52 through the fan 54 and the discharge port 52a. The protrusion 51b of the heat sink 51a is formed as described above so that the outside air can easily flow from the upper side to the lower side.

  The cover member 52 can allow the outside air guided to the power converter main body 51 through the duct member 53 to flow in the vicinity of the power converter main body 51, and the power converter main body 51 and the fan. 54 can be prevented from being contaminated by mud or the like entering from the lower side of the engine room 1. An input / output terminal 52b for the DC / DC converter of the power converter main body 51 is provided on the inner side surface (right side surface) of the cover member 52 in the vehicle width direction. A protective plate 52c for protecting the input / output terminal 52b is provided in the vicinity of the upper and lower sides and the rear side of the input / output terminal 52b on the right side surface of the cover member 52.

  The power conversion device 50 is supported by the support member 23. Specifically, the support member 23 is integrally provided with a rear extension 23c that extends rearward from the portion supporting the battery 21. The rear extending portion 23c includes a base extending portion 23d in which the base portion 23a extends to the rear side, and a standing wall portion 23e that stands up from the edge of the base extending portion 23d. . The upright wall portion 23e covers the periphery of the stepped portion 52d formed in a step shape in the middle portion in the vertical direction of the cover member 52 together with the rear portion of the peripheral wall portion 23b, and the stepped portion 52d includes the base extending portion 23d and the upright wall. It is supported and fixed to the portion 23e. A lower portion of the cover member 52 than the stepped portion 52d extends through the base extending portion 23d and extends downward. Thus, the power converter main body 51 and the fan 54 are supported by the support member 23 via the cover member 52.

  The power converter 50 is disposed in the engine room 1 so that a part of the power converter 50 (the rear part of the power converter main body 51 and the cover member 52) overlaps the cowl box 15 in plan view. (See FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). That is, the rear portions of the power conversion device main body 51 and the cover member 52 are located in a lower space of the cowl box 15 that protrudes forward from the dash panel 9. As a result, even if the size of the power converter main body 51 is increased in order to cope with the increase in the storage capacity of the capacitor 43, the engine room 1 can be prevented from being elongated in the front-rear direction. It is possible to reduce the overhang as much as possible.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, since the power converter device 50 is arrange | positioned in the engine room 1, the power converter device 50 (power converter main-body part 51) is located in the vicinity of the generator 41, the capacitor 43, and the battery 21. Therefore, the power supply loss can be suppressed by shortening the cable for connecting them. In particular, since the power converter main body 51 is disposed close to the battery 21, the cable between the power converter main body 51 (DC / DC converter) and the battery 21 can be minimized.

  Further, the power converter main body 51 is located between the dash panel 9 and the battery 21 in the engine room 1 (more specifically, at a position close to the rear side of the battery 21 and in the vicinity of the dash panel 9 and the cowl box 15. Therefore, the power conversion device 50 (power conversion device main body 51) can be prevented from being damaged during the frontal collision of the vehicle. Moreover, the outside air introduced into the cowl box 15 can be easily guided to the power converter main body 51 through the duct member 53, and the power converter main body 51 can be cooled by the outside air. The duct member 53 is positioned at an outer portion in the vehicle width direction in the engine room 1 and is short, and the power converter main body 51 is also positioned at an outer portion in the vehicle width direction in the engine room 1. Therefore, the outside air passing through the duct member 53 and the power converter main body 51 are not easily affected by heat from the engine, and the cooling performance of the power converter main body 51 can be improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be substituted without departing from the spirit of the claims.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the fan 54 is provided in the power conversion device 50, and the outside air introduced into the cowl box 15 is actively guided to the power conversion device main body 51 by the fan 54 as cooling air. However, such a fan 54 is not always necessary. However, it is preferable to provide the fan 54 from the viewpoint of improving the cooling performance of the power converter main body 51.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the battery 21 comprised with the lead storage battery was mentioned as an example as an electrical storage apparatus of this invention, it is not restricted to this, A nickel metal hydride secondary battery, a nickel cadmium secondary battery, lithium ion secondary The battery may be a secondary battery such as a secondary battery. Moreover, it may replace with the battery 21 of the said embodiment, and you may make it provide the capacitor 43 in the position where this battery 21 was arrange | positioned as an electrical storage apparatus of this invention.

  Furthermore, although the vehicle according to the above embodiment is driven by an engine, it is an electric vehicle in which a motor is disposed in an engine room (also referred to as a motor room) at the front of the vehicle and driven by the motor. Alternatively, it may be a hybrid vehicle using both an engine and a motor. When such a motor is used, an inverter unit including an inverter that converts DC power from the motor driving battery into AC power and supplies the motor with power is required. A conversion device can also be used. In this case, the inverter (power conversion device main body) of the inverter unit is disposed between the dash panel 9 and the power storage device (the battery 21 or the capacitor 43 in the above embodiment), and the inside of the cowl box 15 by the duct member 53. What is necessary is just to guide the external air introduced into the inverter.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted in a limited manner. The scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims, and all modifications and changes belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for a vehicle power converter cooling structure for cooling a power converter such as a DC / DC converter or an inverter.

1 Engine room 9 Dash panel 15 Cowl box 21 Battery (power storage device)
41 generator 50 power converter 51 power converter main body 52 cover member 53 duct member 53a air inlet 54 fan

Claims (5)

A dash panel that partitions the vehicle compartment from the engine compartment;
A cowl box that is disposed at the upper end of the dash panel so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and into which outside air is introduced from the outside of the vehicle;
A power storage device disposed in the engine room;
A generator disposed in the engine room;
A power conversion device that converts the power from the generator and outputs at least the power storage device,
The power converter includes a power converter main body disposed between the dash panel and the power storage device in the engine room, and outside air introduced into the cowl box to the power converter main body. A cooling structure for a power converter of a vehicle, comprising a duct member for guiding. In the vehicle power converter cooling structure according to claim 1,
The cooling structure for a power converter of a vehicle, wherein an air inlet of the duct member is located in an outer portion in the vehicle width direction in the cowl box. The power conversion device cooling structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
The power conversion device cooling structure for a vehicle, wherein the power conversion device further includes a fan that guides the outside air to the power conversion device main body through the duct member. In the vehicle power converter cooling structure according to claim 3,
The power converter main body and the fan are arranged side by side in the vertical direction,
The power conversion device cooling structure for a vehicle, wherein the power conversion device further includes a cover member that integrally covers the power conversion device main body and the fan. In the vehicle power converter cooling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The cowl box protrudes from the dash panel toward the front of the vehicle,
A cooling structure for a power conversion device for a vehicle, wherein at least a part of the power conversion device overlaps the cowl box in plan view.

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