JP4123279B2 - Power converter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a power conversion device including a cooling means for a semiconductor module constituting a power conversion circuit.

  Conventionally, a power conversion circuit such as a DC-DC converter circuit or an inverter circuit is sometimes used to generate a drive current for energizing an AC motor that is a power source of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

  In general, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc. have been developed for large vehicles and improved in power performance in order to expand the market, and a large driving current is required to secure a large driving torque from an AC motor. Yes.

  Therefore, in the power conversion circuit that generates the drive current for the AC motor, heat generated from the semiconductor module including the power semiconductor element such as IGBT constituting the power conversion circuit tends to increase.

  Therefore, a large number of flat cooling tubes are arranged between a pair of headers that supply and discharge the cooling medium (refrigerant) so that the plurality of semiconductor modules constituting the power conversion circuit can be cooled with high uniformity. A cooling tube parallel type power converter in which a semiconductor module is sandwiched between cooling tubes has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, the conventional power conversion device has the following problems. That is, in the power converter, since it is necessary to dispose the header on both ends in the longitudinal direction of the flat cooling tube, there is a risk of increasing the size of the power converter as a whole.

In particular, in a power conversion device mounted on an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or the like, there is a risk that a size problem may become apparent when attempting to accommodate in a narrow space such as an engine room or a trunk room.
JP 2002-26215 A

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power converter having a small size and high reliability.

The present invention includes a semiconductor laminated unit in which a tube-shaped cooling tube that forms a refrigerant flow path made of an aluminum alloy material and a semiconductor module that constitutes a power conversion circuit are alternately laminated. unit, with which parallel arranged two semiconductor modules between adjacent cooling tubes, the pressing force of one spring member in the longitudinal direction central portion of the cooling tubes is applied from the one end surface of the stacking direction The pressing force of the spring material is evenly distributed by interposing a clamping plate made of steel material between the semiconductor laminated unit and the spring material so as to face the two semiconductor modules. The power converter is characterized in that it is (claim 1).

The power conversion device of the present invention has a configuration in which a plurality of semiconductor modules are arranged in parallel between adjacent cooling tubes and a pressing force of a spring material is applied from one end face in the stacking direction. Therefore, a contact area can be secured between the cooling tube and the semiconductor module, heat conduction between them can be promoted, and the semiconductor module can be efficiently cooled. Moreover, in the power converter device of this invention, the pressing force by the elastic deformation of a spring material can be distributed almost equally by acting through the pinching plate made of steel material.

  The power converter device 1 of this example is demonstrated using FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power conversion device 1 is a semiconductor laminate in which flat tube-shaped cooling tubes 20 forming a refrigerant flow path and flat semiconductor modules 10 constituting a power conversion circuit are alternately stacked. Unit 2 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling tubes 20 are connected to each other through the header tubes 400 disposed in the gaps between the flat surfaces 210 facing each other with a predetermined gap between the adjacent cooling tubes 20. In addition, the refrigerant is supplied or discharged via the header pipe 400.

  And the end part 290 of each cooling tube 20 uses the sealing member 23 which has the fitting part 230 fitted inside this cooling tube 20, and is a sealing member so that the fitting part 230 may be fitted inside each cooling tube 20. 23 is bonded and sealed.

  This content will be described in detail below.

  The power conversion apparatus 1 of this example is an apparatus for generating a drive current for energizing a travel motor for an electric vehicle, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power conversion device 1 includes, in addition to the semiconductor stacked unit 2, a control board (not shown) that inputs a control signal to the semiconductor module 10, a power circuit (not shown) configured by a capacitor, a reactor, and the like. It is a configured device.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the semiconductor laminated unit 2 is a unit having a multilayer laminated structure in which a plurality of semiconductor modules 10 and flat cooling tubes 20 are alternately laminated.

  In the semiconductor stacked unit 2 of this example, two semiconductor modules 10 are arranged in parallel between the cooling tubes 20 stacked adjacent to each other.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the semiconductor module 10 includes a pair of IGBT elements 11 that are power semiconductor elements and a flywheel diode element 12 that is necessary for smoothing the rotation of the motor. This is a module disposed between the electrode heat dissipation plates 15 (FIG. 4).

  The semiconductor module 10 is formed by integrally molding the pair of electrode heat dissipation plates 15 and the elements 11 and 12 with a mold resin 13.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the semiconductor module 10 is formed by resin molding so that the electrode heat dissipation plate 15 is exposed on both surfaces, and the exposed electrode heat dissipation plate 15 functions as a heat dissipation surface of the IGBT element 11 and the like. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the semiconductor module 10 includes a power terminal 150 formed integrally with the electrode heat dissipating plate 15 and a control terminal 160 held in the mold resin 13. The power terminal 150 and the control terminal 160 are disposed to face each other in a plane parallel to the electrode heat radiating plate 15.

  Therefore, in the semiconductor multilayer unit 2 using the semiconductor module 10, the power terminal 150 can protrude from the front surface side of the semiconductor multilayer unit 2 and the control terminal 160 can protrude from the back surface side.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the cooling tube 20 of this example is a multi-hole tube having a flat tube shape in which the inside is partitioned into a plurality of flow paths by a partition plate 22 arranged in the longitudinal direction. In this example, the cooling tube 20 is formed of an extruded material of an aluminum alloy material. In addition, the cooling tube 20 can be formed from a drawn material made of an aluminum alloy material.

  The cooling tube 20 is formed by drilling through holes 215 (FIG. 7) for connecting the header pipe 400 to the flat surfaces 210 near both end portions 290 thereof. The both end portions 290 of the cooling tube 20 are configured to braze and join the sealing member 23 for sealing.

  As shown in the figure, the sealing member 23 of this example is formed of a brazing material in which an aluminum alloy material is used as a base material and a brazing material and a sacrificial anode material are arranged on the surface thereof. The material of the sealing member 23 is not limited to the brazing material of this example, and may be formed only from an aluminum alloy material. In this case, when the sealing member 23 is brazed and joined to the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20, it is necessary to separately provide a brazing material therebetween.

  On the other hand, in the sealing member 23 of the present example made of the brazing material, the brazing material on the surface thereof is melted by heating, so that it is not necessary to arrange or apply the brazing material between the cooling tube 20 and the like. .

  As shown in FIG. 5, the sealing member 23 of this example is configured to be attached to the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20 that has been subjected to sizing processing. Here, the sizing process is such that the end surface 221 of the partition plate 22 of the cooling tube 20 is retracted inward, and the inner shape of the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20 can be inserted into the insertion portion 230 of the sealing member 23. It is processing to form into a shape.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the sealing member 23 includes a fitting portion 230 that is fitted inside the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20, and a flange-shaped flange portion 235 that abuts the end surface 291 in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 20. It has the shape which combines.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion height H of the fitting portion 230 with respect to the flange portion 235 is substantially matched with the retraction amount R of the end surface 221 of the partition plate 22 by the sizing process.

  Therefore, the sealing member 23 attached to the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20 can be joined by bringing the end surface 231 of the fitting portion 230 into contact with each end surface 221 of the partition plate 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the semiconductor laminated unit 2 has a supply header 41 and a discharge header 42 as a refrigerant header for supplying and discharging the refrigerant. In this example, the above-mentioned bellows-like header pipe 400 made of an aluminum material that can be expanded and contracted in the length direction is arranged in the gap between adjacent cooling tubes 20, and the header section 41, 42 is formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the header pipe 400 has connecting pipes 410 at both ends in the flow direction, and a bellows portion having a diameter larger than that of the connecting pipe 410 in the middle of the connecting pipes 410 at both ends. A tube having

  The header pipe 400 of this example is configured to be disposed in the gap between the cooling tubes 20 stacked side by side. And the header pipe | tube 400 is connected to each cooling tube 20 in the state which inserted the connecting pipe 410 of the both ends in the said through-hole 215 (refer FIG. 7) of the cooling tube 20. As shown in FIG.

  Here, in this example, in the joining structure of the header tube 400 to the cooling tube 20, the physique in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 20 in the semiconductor laminated unit 2 to be manufactured is devised.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pipe diameter of the connecting pipe 410 at both ends of the header pipe 400 is effectively smaller than the outer diameter of the intermediate part of the header pipe 400. The header tube 400 is joined so that the outer peripheral portion of the header tube 400 and the fitting portion 230 of the sealing member 23 overlap in the stacking direction.

  If the pair of header pipes 400 for supplying and discharging the refrigerant is arranged in this way, the cooling channel length is sufficiently secured between the pair of header pipes 400 and does not contribute to the formation of the refrigerant channel. The length of the end 290 of the cooling tube 20 can be shortened.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the semiconductor laminated unit 2 is manufactured by arranging the semiconductor module 10 between the cooling tubes 20, first, a bellows-like header constituting the header portions 41 and 42. The semiconductor module 10 is disposed in the gap between the cooling tubes 20 with the tube 400 extended in the stacking direction. Thereafter, the cooling tube 20 and the semiconductor module 10 are brought into close contact with each other by applying a compressive load in the stacking direction to shrink the header tube 400 in the stacking direction.

  A ceramic plate (not shown) for ensuring electrical insulation and a silicon grease layer for improving thermal conductivity are disposed between the cooling tube 20 and the semiconductor module 10. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power conversion device 1 of this example includes a plate portion 51 having a substantially flat plate shape, a pair of frames 53 disposed on the plate portion 51, and a pair of frames 53. This is a device in which the semiconductor laminated unit 2 is held by the spring material 55.

  The pair of frames 53 are arranged to stand upright on the plate portion 51 so as to face each other with a gap slightly larger than the size of the semiconductor multilayer unit 2 in the longitudinal direction. Each frame 53 includes a fixing pin 538 for locking the end of the spring material 55 passed between the pair of frames 53. And in the said power converter device 1, the semiconductor lamination | stacking unit 2 is integrated in the space formed between the said plate part 51 and the spring material 55. FIG.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1, refrigerant flow paths 511 and 512 communicating with the pair of header portions 41 and 42 are formed in the plate portion 51. When the semiconductor laminated unit 2 is inserted and assembled in the gap between the pair of frames 53, the refrigerant flow paths 511 and 512 communicate with the header portions 41 and 42, respectively.

  In the present example, the other end surface in the stacking direction of the semiconductor stacked unit 2 is bonded to the surface of the plate portion 51.

  In the power conversion apparatus 1 of this example, as shown in the figure, a clamping plate 550 that is a strength member made of a steel material or the like is disposed between the semiconductor laminated unit 2 and the spring material 55. is there. That is, the pinching plate 550 is in contact with the flat surface 210 of the cooling tube 20 that forms the end surface in the stacking direction of the semiconductor stacked unit 2.

  Therefore, in the power conversion device 1 of this example, the pressing force due to the elastic deformation of the spring material 55 can be distributed evenly to the flat surface 210 by using the pinching plate 550, so that the pressing force can be distributed. is there.

  In the power conversion device 1 of this example, the load for pressing the semiconductor stacked unit 2 in the stacking direction can be adjusted by appropriately changing the spring constant of the spring material 55.

  As described above, in the power conversion device 1 of this example, an appropriate contact load is applied between the cooling tube 20 and the semiconductor module 10 by applying a load in the stacking direction to the semiconductor stacked unit 2. it can. And while being able to ensure a contact area between the cooling tube 20 and the semiconductor module 10, heat conduction between both can be promoted.

  Therefore, in the power conversion device 1 of this example, the movement of heat between the semiconductor module 10 and the cooling tube 20 can be promoted, and the semiconductor module 10 can be efficiently cooled.

  In particular, in the power conversion device 2 of this example, since the cooling tubes 20 are in contact with both sides of the semiconductor module 10, the performance of cooling the semiconductor module 10 is very high.

  Further, as described above, in the power conversion device 1 of this example, the power terminal 150 of the semiconductor module 10 is configured to protrude to the front surface side of the semiconductor cooling unit 2 and the control terminal 160 to protrude to the back surface side. is there.

  Therefore, in this power conversion device 1, power bus bars (not shown) for connecting the power terminals 150 of the respective semiconductor modules 10 are arranged on the surface side of the semiconductor stacked unit 2, thereby efficiently using the power signal lines. Can be managed easily. And on the back surface side of the power converter 1, efficient wiring such as signal wiring to be connected to the control terminal 160 is possible. Furthermore, a printed circuit board or the like on which the signal wiring is formed is provided. It can also be arranged directly.

  As described above, in the semiconductor laminated unit 2 constituting the power conversion device 1 of this example, the bellows-like header pipe 400 is disposed in the gap between the cooling tubes 20 laminated adjacent to each other. The cooling tubes 20 are connected to each other through the header pipe 400 to form the header portions 41 and 42.

  Therefore, in this semiconductor laminated unit 2, it is not necessary to separately provide a tank or the like for forming a refrigerant header outside the end 290 in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 20. Therefore, the size in the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laminated unit 2 can be reduced.

  Further, the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20 includes a sealing member 23 including a fitting portion 230 accommodated on the inner peripheral side of the cooling tube 20 and a flange portion 235 that abuts on the end surface 291 in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 20. It is configured to be joined and sealed.

  According to the sealing member 23, the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20 is larger in the width direction than an overcap (FIG. 13) or the like joined so as to cover the outer peripheral side of the cooling tube 20. Can be suppressed.

  Further, in the sealing member 23 of the present example, the bellows tube 400 is arranged in a state in which the outer peripheral portion of the bellows tube 400 is overlapped in the stacking direction with respect to the fitting portion 230 fitted into the cooling tube 20 as described above. It is set up. Therefore, in the semiconductor cooling unit 2 of this example, the length of the end portion 290 of the cooling tube 20 can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, in the sealing member 23 of this example, the front end surface 231 facing the inner side in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 20 in the insertion portion 230, the outer peripheral surface substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion 230, and the flange portion 235 It is possible to braze and join the cooling tube 20 by using three joint surfaces formed by the end surface on the cooling tube 20 side.

  Therefore, the gap between the cooling tube 20 and the sealing member 23 can be sealed by the three joint surfaces, and the confidentiality inside the cooling tube 20 can be realized with high reliability. Further, the sealing member 23 bonded using the above-described three bonded surfaces exhibits a high bonding strength and is less likely to cause trouble such as seal leakage even when used for a long period of time.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the flange part 235 (FIG. 5) can be abbreviate | omitted from the sealing member 23 of this example, and it can also be comprised only by the insertion part 230. FIG.

  In this case, by accommodating the entire sealing member 23 including only the fitting portion 230 inside the cooling tube 20, the dimensional change in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tube 20 can be almost eliminated.

The perspective view which shows a part of power converter device in Example 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a semiconductor stacked unit in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating the semiconductor module according to the first embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the cross-sectional structure of the semiconductor module in Example 1 (CC sectional view taken on the line in FIG. 3). FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a structure for attaching a sealing member to a cooling tube in the first embodiment. The expanded sectional view which shows the edge part of the cooling tube in the semiconductor lamination unit in Example 1 (AA sectional view taken on the line AA in FIG. 2). The enlarged view which shows the edge part of the cooling tube in the semiconductor lamination unit in Example 1 (enlarged view of the B section in FIG. 2). Explanatory drawing which shows the attachment structure of the sealing member with respect to the other cooling tube in Example 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Power converter 10 Semiconductor module 11 IGBT element 12 Flywheel diode element 2 Semiconductor laminated unit 20 Cooling tube 210 Flat surface 290 End part 291 End surface 23 Sealing member 230 Insertion part 235 Flange part 41, 42 Header part 400 Header pipe

Claims (2)

It has a semiconductor laminated unit formed by alternately laminating a tube-shaped cooling tube that forms a refrigerant flow path made of an aluminum alloy material and a semiconductor module that constitutes a power conversion circuit,
The semiconductor laminate unit, together are arranged in parallel two semiconductor modules between adjacent cooling tubes, the pressing force of one spring member from one end face of the stacking direction to the longitudinal direction central portion of the cooling tube The pressing force of the spring material is provided by interposing a clamping plate made of a steel material between the semiconductor laminated unit and the spring material so as to face the two semiconductor modules. A power converter characterized by being evenly distributed . 2. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of the spring material is engaged with a pair of fixing pins provided on a frame to which the semiconductor laminated unit is fixed.

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