JP2019110199A - Electronic component cooling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electronic component cooling apparatus capable of improving cooling performance of an electronic component.SOLUTION: An electronic component cooling apparatus 1 comprises: an evaporator 10 evaporating a coolant liquid by heat of an electronic component E; a capacitor 20 condensing refrigerant vapor occurred in the evaporator 10 and reproducing it to the coolant liquid; a circulation channel 30 having a first channel 31 flowing the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator 10 to the capacitor 20, and a second channel 32 flowing the refrigerant vapor from the capacitor 20 to the evaporator 10; and a compressor 40 which is provided to the first channel 31, and acts a circulation force in the refrigerant vapor toward the capacitor 20. In a downstream part of the evaporator 10 or the second channel 32, a restriction part 12 restricting the channel of the coolant liquid is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic component cooling device.

  Since a plurality of electronic components having a large amount of heat generation are used in a power module mounted on a vehicle or the like, a cooling device for cooling these electronic components is provided. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling device provided with a cooler that cools an electronic component with a refrigerant liquid, a condenser that cools the refrigerant liquid, and a pump that moves the refrigerant liquid.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-318656

  In the cooling device of Patent Document 1, the pump is provided in a flow path for circulating the refrigerant liquid from the condenser to the cooler, and causes the refrigerant liquid to flow toward the cooler. Therefore, in the cooler located downstream of the pump, the pressure in the cooler may rise due to the operation of the pump. As a result, the boiling point of the refrigerant liquid in the cooler may rise, and the cooling performance of the electronic component may be reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic component cooling device capable of improving the cooling performance of the electronic component.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, as a first solution according to an electronic component cooling device, an evaporator for evaporating a refrigerant liquid by heat of the electronic component and a refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator are condensed. A condenser that regenerates the refrigerant liquid, a first flow path that causes the refrigerant vapor to flow from the evaporator to the condenser, and a second flow path that causes the refrigerant liquid to flow from the condenser to the evaporator And a fluidization means provided in the first flow path for causing a flow force directed to the condenser on the refrigerant vapor, the evaporator or the second flow path In the downstream portion, a throttling portion for throttling the flow path of the refrigerant liquid is provided.

  Further, in the present invention, as a second solution according to the electronic component cooling device, in the first solution, the throttling portion is a surface area expansion member provided in the evaporator corresponding to the electronic component. Adopt a means of

  Further, in the present invention, as the third solution according to the electronic component cooling device, in the first or second solution, the throttling portion is a throttling passage provided in the downstream portion of the second flow passage. Adopt a means of

  Further, according to the present invention, as a fourth solution according to the electronic component cooling device, in any one of the first to third solutions, the apparatus further comprises pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure inside the evaporator. Adopt means of.

  According to the present invention, the cooling performance of the electronic component can be improved.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an electronic component cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a general view of the electronic component cooling device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a general view of the electronic component cooling device concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, an electronic component cooling device 1 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a cooling device 1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The cooling device 1 is used to cool the electronic component E. The electronic component E is, for example, a power semiconductor module of a PCU (power control unit) mounted on a vehicle traveling using a motor (electric motor) as a power source, such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle.

The cooling device 1 includes an evaporator 10, a condenser 20, a circulation flow path 30, and a compressor (vapor fluidizing means) 40.
The evaporator 10 vaporizes the refrigerant liquid by the heat of the electronic component E. The condenser 20 condenses the refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator 10 and regenerates it into the refrigerant liquid. The circulation flow path 30 has a first flow path 31 for circulating the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator 10 to the condenser 20 and a second flow path 32 for circulating the refrigerant liquid from the condenser 20 to the evaporator 10. The compressor 40 is provided in the first flow path 31 and exerts a flow force directed to the condenser 20 on the refrigerant vapor.

The evaporator 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 11 and a surface area expansion member 12 provided inside the housing 11.
The housing 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. A refrigerant liquid is stored inside the housing 11. The bottom wall 11 a of the housing 11 has a mounting surface 11 b to which the electronic component E is attached. The mounting surface 11b is an outer surface of the bottom wall 11a.
One end of the first flow path 31 is connected to the upper portion of the housing 11. One end of a second flow passage 32 is connected to the lower portion of the housing 11.

  The surface area expansion member (throttle portion) 12 is provided on the back surface 11 c of the mounting surface 11 b corresponding to the electronic component E. The back surface 11c is an inner surface of the bottom wall 11a. The surface area expansion member 12 is provided in contact with the back surface 11 c. The surface area expansion member 12 is immersed in the refrigerant liquid stored in the housing 11. The surface area expansion member 12 is a porous body. The refrigerant liquid moves inside the surface area expansion member 12 to narrow the flow path of the refrigerant liquid.

The condenser 20 is provided with a fan 21.
The other end of the first flow path 31 is connected to the top of the condenser 20. The other end of the second flow path 32 is connected to the lower portion of the condenser 20.

The first flow path 31 connects the downstream of the evaporator 10 and the upstream of the condenser 20.
The second flow path 32 connects the downstream of the condenser 20 and the upstream of the evaporator 10.

  The compressor 40 is provided in the middle of the first flow path 31. The compressor 40 pressurizes the refrigerant vapor supplied from the evaporator 10 and sends it to the condenser 20.

Next, the operation of the cooling device 1 configured as described above will be described.
In the evaporator 10, the electronic component E is cooled by the refrigerant liquid stored in the housing 11. Specifically, the heat of the electronic component E is transmitted to the bottom wall 11a. The refrigerant liquid recovers the heat of the bottom wall 11a to generate a refrigerant vapor. That is, when the refrigerant liquid changes from the liquid state to the gas state, it absorbs the heat of the bottom wall 11a (electronic component E) and cools the bottom wall 11a (electronic component E). Thus, the electronic component E is cooled by performing heat exchange indirectly with the refrigerant liquid through the bottom wall 11a. Here, the surface area expansion member 12 is configured as a porous body. Therefore, the heat transfer area is increased by moving the refrigerant liquid inside the surface area expansion member 12, so that the heat exchange efficiency is improved. As a result, cooling of the electronic component E is promoted.

The refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator 10 is discharged to the first flow path 31. The refrigerant vapor is pressurized by the compressor 40 and sent to the condenser 20. As a result, the pressure in the first flow passage 31 upstream of the compressor 40 and the pressure in the evaporator 10 become relatively low, and the pressure in the first flow passage 31 downstream of the compressor 40 and the condenser The pressure in 20 is relatively high.
The refrigerant vapor is condensed (liquefied) by being cooled by the condenser 20. That is, the refrigerant vapor is released from the gaseous state to the liquid state by radiating heat in the condenser 20. At this time, cooling of the refrigerant vapor is assisted by the air blown from the fan 21.
The condensed refrigerant liquid is discharged to the second flow path 32. The refrigerant liquid is returned to the evaporator 10 via the second flow path 32 and stored in the housing 11.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the refrigerant vapor and the refrigerant liquid are circulated in the circulation flow path 30 by causing the compressor 40 to exert a flow force on the refrigerant vapor. When the refrigerant vapor is forced to flow toward the condenser 20 by the compressor 40, the flow path of the refrigerant liquid in the evaporator 10 is narrowed by the surface area expansion member 12 of the porous body, so the compressor 40 The pressure in the first flow passage 31 and the pressure in the evaporator 10 are reduced more upstream. As a result, since the boiling point of the refrigerant liquid in the evaporator 10 is lowered, the refrigerant vapor is easily generated in the evaporator 10. Therefore, the cooling performance of the electronic component E is improved. Further, the pressure in the first flow passage 31 and the pressure in the condenser 20 downstream of the compressor 40 increase. As a result, since the boiling point (the condensing point of the refrigerant vapor) of the refrigerant liquid in the condenser 20 is increased, the refrigerant vapor is easily condensed in the condenser 20.

Second Embodiment
Next, referring to FIG. 2, an electronic component cooling device 100 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a cooling device 100) according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, in this embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the part same as the component in 1st Embodiment, the description is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different point is demonstrated.
In the cooling device 100 of the present embodiment, a throttling passage (throttling portion) 50 in which the flow path of the refrigerant liquid is narrowed is provided in the downstream portion 32 a of the second flow path 32. As the refrigerant liquid passes through the throttle passage 50, the flow velocity of the refrigerant liquid supplied from the second flow path 32 to the evaporator 10 is increased. The throttle passage 50 may be provided in the evaporator 10.

  According to the present embodiment, when the refrigerant vapor is forced to flow toward the condenser 20 by the compressor 40, the flow path of the refrigerant liquid in the second flow path 32 is narrowed by the throttling passage 50, The pressure in the first flow passage 31 upstream of the compressor 40 and the pressure in the evaporator 10 decrease. As a result, since the boiling point of the refrigerant liquid in the evaporator 10 is lowered, the refrigerant vapor is easily generated in the evaporator 10. Therefore, the cooling performance of the electronic component E is improved. Further, the pressure in the first flow passage 31 and the pressure in the condenser 20 downstream of the compressor 40 increase. As a result, since the boiling point (the condensing point of the refrigerant vapor) of the refrigerant liquid in the condenser 20 is increased, the refrigerant vapor is easily condensed in the condenser 20.

Third Embodiment
Next, an electronic component cooling device 200 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a cooling device 200) according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in this embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the part same as the component in 1st Embodiment, the description is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different point is demonstrated.
In the cooling device 200 of the present embodiment, pressure adjusting means 60 for adjusting the pressure inside the evaporator 10 is provided.

  A bypass flow passage 33 connecting the second flow passage 32 with the upstream side of the compressor 40 of the first flow passage 31 is provided. The pressure adjusting means 60 is provided at an intermediate position of the bypass flow path 33. The pressure adjusting means 60 is configured such that, when the pressure inside the evaporator 10 becomes excessively high, the refrigerant vapor flowing on the upstream side of the compressor 40 of the first flow path 31 is transferred via the bypass flow path 33 to the second The pressure in the evaporator 10 is reduced by introducing it into the flow path 32.

  If the flow force of the compressor 40 acting on the refrigerant vapor is too large, the refrigerant liquid may be excessively supplied to the evaporator 10, and the pressure inside the evaporator 10 may be excessively high. As a result, although a sufficient amount of refrigerant liquid is supplied into the evaporator 10, the boiling point of the refrigerant liquid in the evaporator 10 rises, and the cooling performance of the electronic component E is lowered. In such a case, the pressure adjusting means 60 is operated to reduce the pressure inside the evaporator 10. As a result, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the cooling performance of the electronic component E.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above with reference to the drawings, and various modifications can be considered within the technical scope thereof.
For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the compressor was illustrated as steam fluidization means, you may use a fan and a blower as steam fluidization means.
Moreover, both of the surface area expansion member 12 of the first embodiment and the throttle passage 50 of the second embodiment may be provided as the throttle unit.
Further, in the above-described third embodiment, the pressure adjusting means 60 is provided at an intermediate portion of the bypass flow passage 33 connecting the second flow passage 32 and the upstream side of the compressor 40 of the first flow passage 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pressure inside the evaporator 10 may be reduced by discharging the refrigerant vapor from the upstream side of the compressor 40 of the first flow path 31 to the outside.

  In addition, it is possible to replace components in the embodiment with known components as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 100, 200 ... Electronic component cooling device, 10 ... Evaporator, 12 ... Surface area expansion member (throttle part) 20 ... Condenser, 30 ... Circulation flow path, 31 ... 1st flow path, 32 ... 2nd flow path , 32a: downstream part, 40: compressor (vapor fluidizing means), 50: throttle passage (throttling portion), 60: pressure adjusting means, E: electronic component

Claims (4)

An evaporator that vaporizes a refrigerant liquid by heat of electronic components;
A condenser that condenses the refrigerant vapor generated by the evaporator and regenerates the refrigerant into the refrigerant liquid;
A circulation flow path having a first flow path for circulating the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the condenser, and a second flow path for circulating the refrigerant liquid from the condenser to the evaporator;
A steam fluidizing unit provided in the first flow path for applying a flow force directed to the condenser to the refrigerant vapor;
Equipped with
The electronic component cooling device is characterized in that a throttling portion obtained by throttling the flow path of the refrigerant liquid is provided at a downstream portion of the evaporator or the second flow path.   The electronic component cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the narrowed portion is a surface area expansion member provided in the evaporator corresponding to the electronic component.   The electronic component cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the throttling portion is a throttling passage provided at the downstream portion of the second flow path.   The electronic component cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising pressure adjusting means for adjusting the pressure inside the evaporator.

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