JP6344139B2 - Power converter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a power conversion device including a capacitor.

  For example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and the like are equipped with a power conversion device that converts DC power from a battery into AC power to drive a motor. As such a power converter, there is one in which a capacitor is fixed in a device case that is a case of the power converter (for example, Patent Document 1). In this case, for example, the capacitor is configured such that the capacitor element is sealed with a sealing resin in a capacitor case separate from the device case.

JP2013-55840A

  However, when the capacitor case is formed of resin, there is a problem that it is difficult to dissipate heat generated in the capacitor case to the outside of the capacitor. Therefore, it is desired that the capacitor case is made of metal from the viewpoint of heat dissipation.

  However, when the capacitor case is made of metal, the temperature of the metal capacitor case is likely to change according to the surrounding temperature change, but the temperature change of the sealing resin is gradual. Therefore, for example, a difference in thermal expansion is likely to occur between the capacitor case and the sealing resin in accordance with a change in ambient temperature such as a change in the ambient temperature in the engine room where the power conversion device is disposed. Therefore, due to this difference in thermal expansion, thermal stress is generated between the capacitor case and the sealing resin, and the sealing resin may be peeled off from the capacitor case or the sealing resin may be cracked. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and will provide a power conversion device capable of preventing the sealing resin from being peeled off from a metal capacitor case or cracking in the sealing resin. It is what.

One aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of capacitor elements, and the metal capacitor case accommodating the plurality of capacitor elements, a capacitor and a sealing resin for sealing the plurality of capacitor elements within the capacitor case A power conversion device housed in a device case,
The capacitor is housed in the device case with the capacitor case fixed to the device case,
The thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall which is the outer peripheral wall of the capacitor case is smaller than the thickness of the outer peripheral wall of the device which is the outer peripheral wall of the device case.

  In the power converter, the metal capacitor case is housed in the device case in a state of being fixed to the device case. Therefore, the heat of the capacitor can be transmitted to the outside through the metal capacitor case and device case having high thermal conductivity.

  Further, the thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall is smaller than the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall. Therefore, the rigidity of the capacitor outer peripheral wall can be reduced. Thereby, the thermal stress which acts between a capacitor case and sealing resin can be made small. Thereby, it can prevent that sealing resin peels from a metal capacitor case, or a crack arises in sealing resin.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a power conversion device that can prevent the sealing resin from peeling from the metal capacitor case or the sealing resin from being cracked.

The upper side figure of the apparatus case in which the capacitor | condenser and the reactor in Example 1 were fixed. II-II arrow sectional drawing of FIG. III-III arrow sectional drawing of FIG. Sectional drawing of the power converter device in Example 1. FIG. Sectional drawing which shows a mode that the capacitor | condenser was fixed to the apparatus case which has a refrigerant flow path in Example 2. FIG.

  The power conversion device according to the present invention is used, for example, to generate a drive current for energizing an AC motor that is a power source of an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or the like.

Example 1
Examples of the power conversion device will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the power conversion device 1 of this example includes a capacitor element 21, a metal capacitor case 22 that houses the capacitor element 21, and a sealing resin 23 that seals the capacitor element 21 in the capacitor case 22. The capacitor 2 having the above is housed in the device case 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the capacitor 2 is accommodated in the device case 3 with the capacitor case 22 fixed to the device case 3. The thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 that is the outer peripheral wall of the capacitor case 22 is smaller than the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall 31 that is the outer peripheral wall of the device case 3.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the power conversion device 1 of this example fills the reactor case 42 so that the coil 41, the metal reactor case 42 that houses the coil 41, and the coil 41 are embedded. And a reactor 4 having a core 43 made of a magnetic powder mixed resin. The reactor 4 is accommodated in the device case 3 with the reactor case 42 fixed to the device case 3. The thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421 that is the outer peripheral wall of the reactor case 42 is smaller than the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall 31.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the power conversion device 1 of this example houses a power module 5 that constitutes a switching circuit unit together with a capacitor 2 and a reactor 4 in a device case 3. The device case 3 is made of a metal such as aluminum and has a substantially rectangular device bottom wall 32 and a device outer peripheral wall 31 erected vertically from the edge of the device bottom wall 32.

  From the viewpoint of convenience, hereinafter, the standing direction of the device outer peripheral wall 31 is referred to as “vertical direction Z”, and the device bottom wall 32 side of the device outer peripheral wall 31 in the vertical direction Z is referred to as “lower side”. The opposite side is called “upper side”.

  The device case 3 has a partition wall 33 that divides the space in the device case 3 into two in the longitudinal direction of the device bottom wall 32. The space in the device case 3 is divided by the partition wall 33 into a capacitor housing portion 111 that houses the capacitor 2 and a reactor housing portion 112 that houses the reactor 4. Furthermore, the device case 3 includes a module housing portion 113 that houses the power module 5 above the capacitor housing portion 111 and the reactor housing portion 112. The upper side of the module housing portion 113 in the apparatus outer peripheral wall 31 has an opening 310 that opens upward, and the opening 310 is closed by the lid 6.

  The apparatus outer peripheral wall 31 has a substantially constant thickness over the entire periphery. In this example, the thickness of the apparatus outer peripheral wall 31 can be set to, for example, 6 to 15 mm. Moreover, the partition part 33 also has a substantially constant thickness throughout. The partition wall 33 of the device case 3 is thinner than the device outer peripheral wall 31.

  The thickness of the outer peripheral wall 31 of the device needs to be a certain size from the viewpoint of securing the rigidity of the device case 3 and the like, while the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall 31 is small from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the power conversion device 1 and reducing the size. Desired. The thickness of the device case 3 is appropriately designed from the above viewpoint.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the capacitor 2 is disposed in a capacitor housing portion 111 in the device case 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the capacitor case 22 of the capacitor 2 has a substantially rectangular capacitor bottom wall 222 and a capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 erected upward from the edge of the capacitor bottom wall 222. Yes. The capacitor case 22 is open upward. The capacitor case 22 is made of a metal such as aluminum.

  The capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 has a substantially constant thickness over the entire periphery. In this example, the thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 can be set to 2 to 4 mm, for example. As described above, the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 has a smaller thickness than the device outer peripheral wall 31. The capacitor bottom wall 222 is also preferably thinner than the device outer peripheral wall 31, and in this example, the capacitor bottom wall 222 is thinner than the device outer peripheral wall 31.

  Boss portions 13 extending from the device outer peripheral wall 31 and the device bottom wall 32 are formed at the four corners of the capacitor housing portion 111 in the device case 3. Four flange portions 200 extending from the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 toward the outside of the capacitor case 22 are formed. And the capacitor | condenser 2 is being fixed to the apparatus case 3 by putting the flange part 200 on the upper surface of the boss | hub part 13, and fastening and fixing these with the volt | bolt 12. FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the reactor 4 is disposed in the reactor housing portion 112 in the device case 3. That is, the capacitor 2 and the reactor 4 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the device bottom wall 32 of the device case 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the reactor case 42 of the reactor 4 has a substantially rectangular reactor bottom wall 422 and a reactor outer peripheral wall 421 erected upward from the reactor bottom wall 422. The reactor case 42 opens upward. The reactor case 42 is made of a metal such as aluminum.

  At the four corners of the reactor bottom wall 422, flange portions 400 are formed to protrude to the outside of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421. The reactor 4 is fastened and fixed to the device case 3 by bolts 14 at these flange portions 400.

  As described above, the reactor outer peripheral wall 421 has a smaller thickness than the device outer peripheral wall 31. In this example, the thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421 can be set to 4 to 6 mm, for example. The reactor bottom wall 422 is also preferably thinner than the device outer peripheral wall 31, and in this example, the reactor bottom wall 422 is also thinner than the device outer peripheral wall 31.

  In this example, the thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 is smaller than the thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421.

In addition, the power converter device 1 can be used as an inverter for vehicles mounted in an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, etc., for example.
Moreover, the capacitor | condenser 3 can be used as the smoothing capacitor which smoothes the voltage of the direct-current power input into an inverter, for example.
Further, the reactor 4 can be used as a component of a boosting unit that boosts the power supply voltage to a predetermined voltage in the power conversion device 1.

Next, the function and effect of this example will be described.
In the power conversion device 1, the metal capacitor case 22 and the metal reactor case 42 are accommodated in the device case 3 in a state of being fixed to the device case 3. Therefore, the heat of the capacitor 2 and the reactor 4 can be transmitted to the outside through the metal capacitor case 22, the reactor case 42, and the device case 3 having high thermal conductivity.

  Further, the thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 is smaller than the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall 31. Therefore, the rigidity of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 can be reduced. Thereby, the thermal stress acting between the capacitor case 22 and the sealing resin 23 can be reduced. Thereby, it can prevent that sealing resin 23 peels from metal capacitor | condenser case 22, or a crack arises in sealing resin 23. FIG.

  Further, the thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421 is smaller than the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall 31. Therefore, the rigidity of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421 can be reduced. Thereby, the thermal stress which acts between the reactor case 42 and the core 43 can be made small. Thereby, it can prevent that the core 43 peels from the metal reactor case 42, or a crack arises in the core 43. FIG.

  Further, the thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221 is smaller than the thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421. Therefore, it is possible to effectively reduce the thermal stress between the capacitor case 22 and the sealing resin 23, which is more susceptible to thermal stress than between the reactor case 42 and the core 43. That is, since the core 43 of the reactor 4 is made of a magnetic powder mixed resin, the temperature of the core 43 is likely to change according to the surrounding temperature change as compared with the sealing resin 23 of the capacitor 2. Therefore, the thermal stress between the core 43 and the reactor case 42 is relatively small. From this point of view, the capacitor 2 is more prone to peeling and cracking of the sealing resin 23 due to the difference in thermal expansion than the reactor 4. Therefore, by having this configuration, these problems can be solved more effectively.

  As described above, according to this example, it is possible to provide a power conversion device that can prevent the sealing resin from being peeled off from the metal capacitor case or cracking in the sealing resin.

  Capacitor outer peripheral wall 221, reactor outer peripheral wall 421, and device outer peripheral wall 31 may each have a portion that is partially thicker or thinner than other portions. In such a case, the thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall 221, the thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall 421, and the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall 31 refer to the thicknesses of these main parts (for example, the part occupying half or more of the whole).

(Example 2)
In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, an apparatus case 3 is provided with a refrigerant flow path 100 through which a refrigerant for cooling the capacitor 2 flows.

  In the power conversion device 1 of this example, the device bottom wall portion 32 of the device case 3 has a recess 321 in which a part of the bottom surface of the capacitor housing portion 111 is retracted downward. And the capacitor | condenser 2 is arrange | positioned at the apparatus case 3 so that the capacitor | condenser bottom wall part 222 of the capacitor | condenser case 22 may block the recessed part 321 from upper direction. A space surrounded by the capacitor bottom wall portion 222 and the concave portion 321 becomes the refrigerant flow path 100.

  The capacitor case 22 has a plurality of fins 20 that protrude downward from the capacitor bottom wall 222. Thereby, the contact area of the capacitor | condenser case 22 and the refrigerant | coolant which flows into the refrigerant | coolant flow path 100 can be increased, and the cooling performance of the capacitor | condenser 2 with a refrigerant | coolant can be improved.

  Others are the same as in the first embodiment. Of the reference numerals used in this example or the drawings relating to this example, the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment denote the same components as in the first embodiment unless otherwise specified.

In the case of this example, the capacitor 2 can be cooled more efficiently. In addition, the capacitor case 22 can be cooled by the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 100. Therefore, it is easy to suppress the capacitor case 22 from thermally expanding before the sealing resin 23. As a result, it is possible to more effectively prevent the sealing resin 23 from peeling from the capacitor case 22.
In addition, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained.

  In addition, the said refrigerant | coolant flow path 100 may be formed so that it may also face a reactor. In this case, the cooling efficiency can be improved with respect to the reactor. As a result, the thermal stress between the core and the reactor case can be relaxed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Power converter 21 Capacitor element 22 Capacitor case 221 Capacitor outer peripheral wall 23 Sealing resin 3 Device case 31 Device outer peripheral wall

Claims (3)

Sealing the plurality of capacitor elements (21), a metal capacitor case accommodating the plurality of capacitor elements (21) (22), the plurality of capacitor elements (21) within the capacitor case (22) A power conversion device (1) in which a capacitor (2) having a sealing resin (23) is accommodated in a device case (3),
The capacitor (2) is accommodated in the device case (3) in a state where the capacitor case (22) is fixed to the device case (3).
The thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall (221) which is the outer peripheral wall of the capacitor case (22) is smaller than the thickness of the device outer peripheral wall (31) which is the outer peripheral wall of the device case (3). Device (1).   A coil (41), a metal reactor case (42) that houses the coil (41), and a magnetic powder mixed resin filled in the reactor case (42) so as to embed the coil (41) A reactor (4) having a core (43), which is accommodated in the device case (3) in a state where the reactor case (42) is fixed to the device case (3). The power conversion according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of a reactor outer peripheral wall (421) which is an outer peripheral wall of the reactor case (42) is smaller than a thickness of the device outer peripheral wall (31). Device (1).   The power converter (1) according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the capacitor outer peripheral wall (221) is smaller than a thickness of the reactor outer peripheral wall (421).

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