JP4941398B2 - Stacked cooler - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a stacked cooler for cooling a plurality of heating elements from both sides.

  Conventionally, in order to dissipate heat from a semiconductor module (heating element) incorporating a semiconductor element, a multilayer cooler configured by disposing a cooling pipe so as to sandwich the semiconductor module from both sides has been proposed (for example, , See Patent Document 1).

This stacked cooler has a configuration in which semiconductor modules and cooling pipes are alternately stacked. The plurality of stacked cooling pipes are communicated with each other by a communicating member so that a cooling medium flows through each cooling pipe. Further, a plurality of semiconductor modules are arranged in series in the cooling medium flow direction with respect to one cooling pipe.
JP 2005-191527 A

  However, in the conventional stacked cooler, if the semiconductor element J20 is integrated in the semiconductor module J2 as shown in FIG. 7A in order to reduce the size and reduce the cost, the entire semiconductor module J2 generates heat. The amount will increase. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 7B, the cooling medium temperature rises on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow, and the surface temperature of the cooling pipe J3 rises. As a result, there is a problem that the semiconductor module J2 disposed on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow cannot be sufficiently cooled and exceeds the allowable temperature of the semiconductor element J20.

  In view of the above points, the present invention provides a cooling system for a heating element disposed downstream of a cooling medium flow in a stacked cooler in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in series in the cooling medium flow direction with respect to one cooling pipe. The purpose is to improve performance.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of cooling pipes (3) formed in a flat shape having a refrigerant passage (30) through which a cooling medium flows, and a plurality of cooling pipes (3). And the plurality of cooling pipes (3) have two surfaces (311a, 312a) that come into contact with the heating element (2) and the cooling pipe (3). The heating elements (2) arranged alternately are stacked so as to be sandwiched from both sides, and a plurality of heating elements (2) are provided for each of the two surfaces (311a, 312a) of the cooling pipe (3). The heating elements (2) are arranged in series in the flow direction of the cooling medium, and a plurality of heating elements (2) are provided for one cooling pipe (3), and the flow direction of the cooling medium. Are arranged in series, and the cooling pipe (3) stacking direction and cooling When the direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the body is the cooling pipe width direction, the heating element (2) is arranged in the cooling pipe width direction substantially in the center of the cooling pipe (3), and the refrigerant passage ( 30), a first guide member (41, 42) for guiding the cooling medium flowing in the cooling pipe width direction outside of the refrigerant passage (30) to the cooling pipe width direction inside of the refrigerant passage (30), and the refrigerant A second guide member (43) that guides the cooling medium flowing in the cooling pipe width direction inside of the passage (30) to the cooling pipe width direction outside of the refrigerant passage (30) is provided.

  When the heating element (2) is arranged at the substantially central portion in the cooling pipe width direction of the cooling pipe (3), the cooling medium out of the cooling medium that has passed through the portion facing the heating element (2) in the cooling pipe (3) is cooled. The temperature of the cooling medium that has passed through the inside in the tube width direction (near the center in the cooling tube width direction) is higher than the temperature of the cooling medium that has passed through the outside in the cooling tube width direction (both edges in the cooling tube width direction).

  Therefore, the first guide members (41, 42) are provided in the cooling pipe (3), and the relatively low-temperature cooling medium flowing outside the refrigerant passage (30) in the cooling pipe width direction is supplied to the refrigerant passage (30). And a second guide member (43) is provided in the cooling pipe (3), and a relatively high-temperature cooling medium flowing inside the cooling pipe width direction of the refrigerant passage (30), By guiding the refrigerant passage (30) to the outer side in the cooling pipe width direction, the temperature of the cooling medium flowing in the central portion in the cooling pipe width direction is lowered on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow in the first and second guide members (41 to 43). Can be made. Thereby, it becomes possible to improve the cooling performance with respect to the heat generating body (2) arranged on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow.

  In the second aspect of the invention, the cooling pipe (3) includes a first refrigerant passage (111) facing the first pipe wall (311b) having a first main surface (311a) in contact with the heating element (2). 301) and a second refrigerant passage (302) facing the second pipe wall (312b) having a second main surface (312a) in contact with the heating element (2) on the opposite side of the first main surface (311a). And the refrigerant passage is formed in two stages in the stacking direction of the cooling pipe (3), and the first refrigerant passage (301) and the second refrigerant passage (302) are connected to the first pipe wall (311b). ) And the second pipe wall (312b) are partitioned from each other by the partition member (32), and the first refrigerant passage (301) and the second refrigerant passage (302) have a first A guide member (41, 42) and a second guide member (43) are provided, respectively, De member (41) and a second guide member (42), first, second wall (311b, 312b) and at least one of the partition member (32) is characterized by being formed respectively. According to this, in the two refrigerant passages (301, 302) formed in two stages, it is possible to improve the cooling performance for the heating element (2) arranged on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 3, the first guide member (41) is formed on the partition member (32), and the second guide member (42) is formed by the first and second tube walls (311b, 312b).

  In the invention according to claim 4, the cooling pipe (3) includes a pair of outer shell plates (31) constituting the first and second pipe walls (311b, 312b) and a pair of outer shell plates (31). Between the intermediate plate (32) and the outer shell plate (31), the first refrigerant passage (301) and the second refrigerant passage (301) are arranged between the intermediate plate (32) and the outer shell plate (31). The refrigerant passages (302) are formed respectively. According to this, it becomes possible to manufacture a cooling pipe (3) easily.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each means described in this column and the claim shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a stacked cooler 1 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multilayer cooler 1 of this embodiment cools a plurality of electronic components 2 from both sides, and has a plurality of flat shapes having refrigerant passages 30 (see FIG. 2) for circulating a cooling medium. The cooling pipe 3 and a communication member 4 that communicates the plurality of cooling pipes 3 are provided. A plurality of cooling tubes 3 are arranged in a stacked manner so that the electronic component 2 can be sandwiched from both sides.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling pipe 3 includes a first refrigerant passage 301 facing the first pipe wall 311b having a first main surface 311a that contacts the electronic component 2, and a side opposite to the first main surface 311a. A second refrigerant passage 302 facing the second pipe wall 312b having a second main surface 312a that contacts the electronic component 2 is provided.

  Specifically, the cooling pipe 3 of this embodiment has a so-called drone cup structure. That is, the cooling pipe 3 has a pair of outer shell plates 31 and an intermediate plate 32 disposed between the pair of outer shell plates 31. Thus, a first refrigerant passage 301 and a second refrigerant passage 302 are formed between the outer shell plate 31 and the intermediate plate 32, respectively. Therefore, the coolant pipe 30 is formed in two stages in the cooling pipe 3 in the thickness direction of the cooling pipe 3, that is, in the stacking direction of the cooling pipe 3. The intermediate plate 32 corresponds to the partition member of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, of the pair of outer shell plates 31, the one that forms the first refrigerant passage 301 together with the intermediate plate 32 is referred to as the first outer shell plate 311, and the one that forms the second refrigerant passage 302 together with the intermediate plate 32 is the second. Also called outer shell plate 312. Therefore, the first outer shell plate 311 constitutes the first tube wall 311b, and the second outer shell plate 312 constitutes the second tube wall 312b.

  Inner fins 33 that increase the heat transfer area between the cooling medium and the cooling pipe 3 are disposed between the outer shell plate 31 and the intermediate plate 32, that is, in the first refrigerant passage 301 and the second refrigerant passage 302. ing. The inner fin 33 is formed in a wave shape, whereby each of the refrigerant passages 301 and 302 is divided into a plurality of sections in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction of the cooling pipe 3 (hereinafter referred to as the width direction of the cooling pipe 3). Has been.

  3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, two inner fins 33 are arranged in series in the flow direction of the cooling medium, and a predetermined gap 320 is formed between the inner fins 33. Hereinafter, of the two inner fins 33, the one disposed on the upstream side of the cooling medium flow is referred to as an upstream inner fin 33a, and the one disposed on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow is referred to as a downstream inner fin 33b.

  The length of the electronic component 2 in the width direction is shorter than the length of the cooling pipe 3 in the width direction. In addition, the electronic component 2 is disposed at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the cooling pipe 3.

  Returning to FIG. 1, two electronic components 2 are provided for each of the first and second outer shell plates 311 and 312 of the cooling pipe 3. In other words, two electronic components 2 are provided for one first outer shell plate 311, and two electronic components 2 are provided for one second outer shell plate 312. The two electronic components 2 provided on the outer shell plates 311 and 312 are respectively arranged in series in the flow direction of the cooling medium.

  Further, at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the outer shell plate 31 of the cooling pipe 3, a substantially cylindrical flange portion 34 that protrudes to the outside, that is, the side of the other adjacent cooling pipe 3 is formed. And the communication member 4 which connects the some cooling pipe 3 is formed by joining the flange parts 34 of the adjacent cooling pipe 3 by brazing.

  When the cooling pipe 3 arranged on the outermost side in the stacking direction among the plurality of cooling pipes 3 is an outer cooling pipe 3a, the cooling pipe 3a is cooled at both ends in the longitudinal direction of one of the outer cooling pipes 3a. A refrigerant inlet 401 for introducing the medium into the stacked cooler 1 and a refrigerant discharge port 402 for discharging the cooling medium from the stacked cooler 1 are connected to each other. The refrigerant inlet 401 and the refrigerant outlet 402 are joined to one outer cooling pipe 3a by brazing. In addition, the cooling pipe 3, the communication member 4, the refrigerant introduction port 401, and the refrigerant discharge port 402 of the present embodiment are made of aluminum.

  The cooling medium introduced from the refrigerant introduction port 401 flows into the respective cooling pipes 3 from one end portion in the longitudinal direction through the communication member 4 and flows in the respective refrigerant passages 30 toward the other end portion. Then, the cooling medium is discharged from the refrigerant discharge port 402 through the communication member 4. In this way, while the cooling medium flows through the refrigerant passage 30, heat exchange is performed with the electronic component 2 to cool the electronic component 2. In this embodiment, water mixed with an ethylene glycol antifreeze is used as the cooling medium.

  4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the electronic component 2 of the present embodiment is a semiconductor module in which a semiconductor element 20 such as an IGBT and a diode (not shown) are built. And the semiconductor module comprises a part of inverter for motor vehicles. In the present embodiment, two semiconductor elements 20 are arranged in one semiconductor module (electronic component 2). The two semiconductor elements 20 are arranged in series with respect to the flow direction of the cooling medium in the cooling pipe 3 and are arranged at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the cooling pipe 3.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the cooling pipe 3 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 5, the illustration of the inner fins 33 disposed between the second outer shell plate 312 and the intermediate plate 32 is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, two first guide walls 41 projecting in a triangular pyramid shape projecting toward the first outer shell plate 311 side are launched at a portion corresponding to the gap 320 between the two inner fins 33 in the intermediate plate 32. Molded. The two first guide walls 41 are disposed closer to the downstream inner fin 33b. Further, the two first guide walls 41 are arranged at a predetermined distance so that each first guide wall 41 faces the both ends in the width direction of the downstream inner fin 33b.

  The first guide wall 41 is configured such that the direction of the cooling medium flow can be changed so that the cooling medium that has flowed outside in the width direction flows toward the center in the width direction in the first refrigerant passage 301. Specifically, the bottom surface of the triangular pyramid (the virtual surface on the intermediate plate 32) in the first guide wall 41 has a substantially right triangle shape, and the right angle portion of the bottom surface is on the outer side in the width direction and the cooling medium flow downstream side. (In other words, it is disposed on the downstream inner fin 33b side). At this time, the hypotenuse of the bottom surface of the triangular pyramid in the first guide wall 41 is inclined in a direction approaching the central portion in the width direction toward the downstream side of the cooling medium flow.

  Further, two second guide walls 42 projecting in a triangular pyramid shape on the second outer shell plate 312 side are formed by stamping at a portion corresponding to the gap 320 between the two inner fins 33 in the intermediate plate 32. The two second guide walls 42 are disposed closer to the upstream inner fin 33a. Further, the two second guide walls 42 are arranged at a predetermined distance so that each second guide wall 42 faces the both ends in the width direction of the upstream inner fin 33a.

  The second guide wall 42 is configured to be able to change the direction of the cooling medium flow so that the cooling medium flowing outside in the width direction flows toward the center in the width direction in the second refrigerant passage 302. Specifically, as with the first guide wall 41, the bottom surface of the triangular pyramid (the virtual surface on the intermediate plate 32) of the second guide wall 42 is a substantially right triangle, and the right angle portion of the bottom surface has a width. It is arranged on the outer side in the direction and downstream of the cooling medium flow (that is, on the downstream inner fin 33b side). At this time, the hypotenuse of the bottom surface of the triangular pyramid in the second guide wall 42 is inclined in a direction approaching the central portion in the width direction toward the downstream side of the cooling medium flow. The first and second guide walls 41 and 42 correspond to the first guide member of the present invention.

  Further, a third guide wall 43 protruding in a triangular pyramid shape on the refrigerant passage 30 side is stamped and formed at a portion corresponding to the gap 320 between the two inner fins 33 in the outer shell plate 31. The third guide wall 43 is configured to be able to change the direction of the coolant flow in the refrigerant passage 30 so that the coolant flowing in the vicinity of the center portion in the width direction flows toward the outside in the width direction.

  Specifically, the bottom surface of the triangular pyramid in the third guide wall 43 (the virtual surface on the outer shell plate 31) has an isosceles triangle shape, and the bottom surface of the bottom surface is arranged substantially parallel to the width direction. Has been. Further, the bottom side of the bottom surface of the triangular pyramid in the third guide wall 43 is arranged downstream of the coolant flow from the apex angle. The third guide wall 43 corresponds to the second guide member of the present invention.

  The third guide wall 43 formed on the first outer shell plate 311 is disposed at a portion that does not interfere with the first guide wall 41 when the pair of outer shell plates 31 and the intermediate plate 32 are assembled. In the present embodiment, the third guide wall 43 formed on the first outer shell plate 311 is disposed on the refrigerant flow upstream side of the first guide wall 41.

  Similarly, the third guide wall 43 formed on the second outer shell plate 312 is disposed at a portion that does not interfere with the second guide wall 42 when the pair of outer shell plates 31 and the intermediate plate 32 are assembled. Yes. In the present embodiment, the third guide wall 43 formed on the second outer shell plate 312 is disposed on the refrigerant flow downstream side of the second guide wall 42.

  As in the present embodiment, when the electronic component 2 is arranged at the substantially central portion in the cooling tube width direction of the cooling tube 3, the cooling tube among the cooling medium that has passed through the portion facing the electronic component 2 in the cooling tube 3. The temperature of the cooling medium that has passed through the inner side in the width direction (near the center in the cooling pipe width direction) is higher than the temperature of the cooling medium that has passed through the outer side in the cooling pipe width direction (both edges in the cooling pipe width direction).

  For this reason, the first and second guide walls 41 and 42 are provided in the cooling pipe 3, and the relatively low-temperature cooling medium flowing outside the cooling pipe width direction of the refrigerant passage 30 is transferred to the cooling pipe width direction of the refrigerant passage 30. In addition to guiding inward, a third guide wall 43 is provided in the cooling pipe 3, and a relatively high-temperature cooling medium flowing in the cooling pipe width direction inside of the refrigerant passage 30 is guided to the cooling pipe width direction outside of the refrigerant passage 30. Thus, the temperature of the cooling medium flowing in the central portion in the cooling pipe width direction can be lowered on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow in the first to third guide walls 41 to 43. Thereby, it becomes possible to improve the cooling performance for the electronic component 2 arranged on the downstream side of the cooling medium flow.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the first to third guide walls 31 to 43 are arranged at positions corresponding to the gaps 320 between the two inner fins 33 in the intermediate plate 32, that is, two electrons arranged in series in the refrigerant flow direction. By providing it at the part corresponding to the gap between the parts 2, the cooling medium that has become a high temperature through heat exchange with the electronic parts 2 arranged on the upstream side of the refrigerant flow is caused to flow out to both edges of the cooling pipe width direction. A relatively low temperature cooling medium that does not exchange heat with the component 2 can flow into the vicinity of the center in the width direction. Thereby, since the comparatively low-temperature cooling medium which is not heat-exchanged with the said electronic component 2 can be used for heat exchange with the electronic component 2 arrange | positioned downstream of a refrigerant | coolant flow, it arrange | positions at a cooling-medium flow downstream. It becomes possible to further improve the cooling performance of the electronic component 2 that has been made.

  In addition, the cooling pipe 3 can be easily manufactured by using a so-called drone cup structure including a pair of outer shell plate 31 and intermediate plate 32.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, the example in which the first and second guide walls 41 and 42 are stamped and formed has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first to third guide walls 41 to 43 are provided as shown in FIG. Cut and raised may be formed.

  In the above embodiment, the first and second guide walls 41 and 42 are formed on the intermediate plate 32, and the third guide wall 43 is formed on the outer shell plate 31, but the first to third guides are described. The members 41 to 43 only have to be formed on at least one of the outer shell plate 31 and the intermediate plate 32. For example, the first and second guide walls 41 and 42 are formed on the outer shell plate 31, and the third guide The wall 43 may be formed on the intermediate plate 32. Further, the first to third guide walls 41 to 43 may be formed only on the intermediate plate 32 or may be formed only on the outer shell plate 31.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the example which formed the refrigerant | coolant channel | path 30 in two stages in the cooling pipe 3, it is not restricted to this and the refrigerant | coolant channel | path 30 does not need to be divided | segmented.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the example which provided two electronic components 2 with respect to each of the 1st, 2nd outer shell plates 311 and 312 of the cooling pipe 3, it does not restrict to this but an electronic component 3 may be provided for each of the first and second outer shell plates 311 and 312 of the cooling pipe 3.

It is a front view which shows the lamination type cooler 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the cooling pipe 3 in embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the cooling pipe 3 in other embodiment. (A) is sectional drawing of the conventional lamination type cooler, (b) is a figure which shows the temperature distribution of the cooling pipe surface in a lamination type cooler.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Electronic component (heating element), 3 ... Cooling pipe, 4 ... Communication member, 30 ... Refrigerant passage, 31 ... Outer shell plate, 32 ... Intermediate plate (partition member), 41 ... 1st guide wall (1st guide member) , 42 ... 2nd guide wall (first guide member), 43 ... 3rd guide wall (second guide member), 301 ... 1st refrigerant path, 302 ... 2nd refrigerant path, 311a ... 1st main surface, 311b ... 1st pipe wall, 312a ... 2nd main surface, 312b ... 2nd pipe wall.

Claims (4)

A stacked cooler for cooling a plurality of heating elements (2) from both sides,
A plurality of cooling pipes (3) formed in a flat shape having a refrigerant passage (30) through which a cooling medium flows;
A communication member (4) communicating the plurality of cooling pipes (3),
The plurality of cooling pipes (3) have two surfaces (311a, 312a) that come into contact with the heating element (2), and the heating elements (311) arranged alternately with the cooling pipe (3). 2) are stacked so that they can be clamped from both sides,
A plurality of the heating elements (2) are provided for each of the two surfaces (311a, 312a) of the cooling pipe (3), and are arranged in series in the flow direction of the cooling medium. And
When the direction in which the cooling pipe (3) is laminated and the direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling medium are the cooling pipe width direction,
The heating element (2) is disposed in a substantially central portion of the cooling pipe (3) in the cooling pipe width direction,
In the refrigerant passage (30), a first guide for guiding the cooling medium flowing outside the refrigerant passage (30) in the cooling pipe width direction to the cooling pipe width direction inside of the refrigerant passage (30). Member (41, 42) and a second guide member for guiding the cooling medium flowing in the cooling pipe width direction inside of the refrigerant passage (30) to the cooling pipe width direction outside of the refrigerant passage (30). 43). And a laminated type cooler. The cooling pipe (3) includes a first refrigerant passage (301) facing a first pipe wall (311b) having a first main surface (311a) in contact with the heating element (2), and the first main surface. A second refrigerant passage (302) facing a second pipe wall (312b) having a second main surface (312a) in contact with the heating element (2) on the opposite side of (311a); Are formed in two stages in the stacking direction of the cooling pipe (3),
The first refrigerant passage (301) and the second refrigerant passage (302) are a partition member (32) disposed between the first pipe wall (311b) and the second pipe wall (312b). Are separated from each other by
The first guide member (41, 42) and the second guide member (43) are provided in the first refrigerant passage (301) and the second refrigerant passage (302), respectively.
The first guide member (41) and the second guide member (42) are respectively formed on at least one of the first and second pipe walls (311b, 312b) and the partition member (32). The stacked cooler according to claim 1, wherein: The first guide member (41) is formed on the partition member (32),
The stacked cooler according to claim 2, wherein the second guide member (42) is formed on the first and second pipe walls (311b, 312b). The cooling pipe (3) is disposed between a pair of outer shell plates (31) constituting the first and second pipe walls (311b, 312b) and the pair of outer shell plates (31). An intermediate plate (32) constituting the member,
The first refrigerant passage (301) and the second refrigerant passage (302) are formed between the intermediate plate (32) and the outer shell plate (31), respectively. Or the stacked cooler according to 3;

Images