JP6505130B2 - Cooler - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to construction machines (hybrids), power converters for wind and solar power generation, power converters for power supplies and uninterruptible power supplies, so-called inverters for motor control for elevators, rolling machines, machine tools, etc., railways The present invention relates to a cooler used for cooling a control device or the like using a semiconductor device such as a power transistor or a thyristor of a vehicle or an electric vehicle.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-262358, filed Dec. 25, 2014, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

  A cooler (boiling cooler) for cooling a heat generating body by using latent heat when a refrigerant boils is known as a cooler used for cooling control devices using semiconductor elements such as power transistors and thyristors. There is.

  For example, the cooler (heat pipe cooler) described in Patent Document 1 embeds a plurality of circular tubular tanks having a large cross-sectional area in a base block that receives the heat of a heating element such as a semiconductor element. A plurality of thin pipes are erected on the side surface of the exposed portion, and a plurality of fins are attached to the pipes, so that the heat of the heating element can be cooled by the outside air.

JP 2004-125381 A

  In order to exhibit boiling cooling performance, it is necessary that a proper space be secured in the tank containing the refrigerant, and that a pipe be connected to this space portion. Ideally, this space is usually 1/3 or more of the tank volume. On the other hand, when the liquid refrigerant is not in contact with the bottom surface of the tank tube, the boiling cooling performance can not be exhibited.

  In the cooler described in Patent Document 1, a plurality of pipes are installed upright with respect to the side surface of the base block. When a vehicle equipped with this cooler travels in a sloped area, the tank space is partially filled with the liquid refrigerant in the axial direction of the tank, and the refrigerant reaches the pipe while it is in the liquid state. It was a problem that there was no liquid refrigerant at the bottom.

  In addition to the inclination of the circular pipe axis of the tank, the inclination of the circular pipe axis of a pipe installed upright in the tank may occur. In this case, the refrigerant may enter the pipe in a liquid state and the condensation area may be reduced, so that the cooling performance may be reduced. ) May occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to improve the cooling performance, and to provide a cooler capable of maintaining the cooling performance favorably even when the posture at the time of use changes. With the goal.

The cooler according to the present invention comprises a base block having a mounting surface in the vertical direction on which a heating element is mounted; and a circular tubular tank embedded on the opposite side of the mounting surface of the base block and containing a refrigerant; And a pipe unit comprising a plurality of mutually parallel circular tubular pipes standingly connected to the side surface of the tank; and a plurality of heat radiations attached to the plurality of pipes while penetrating the plurality of pipes The tank includes a fin, the tank extends in the horizontal direction, and the pipe is formed at an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the tank and has a proximal end having a connection end connected to the tank And a heat radiating portion bent from the proximal end and having a closed end on the distal end side, wherein the proximal end is inclined upward from the connection end at a predetermined first inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction The heat dissipating unit is water Provided at a second inclination angle of 0 ° or more with respect to the direction and less than the first inclination angle of the base end, and the center line of the heat dissipation part is disposed eccentrically above the center line of the tank The set liquid level of the refrigerant is set at a position lower than the heat radiating portion in the tank, and the set liquid level of the refrigerant stored in the tank is a horizontal direction in the extension direction of the tank The ratio (m2 / d1) of the maximum opening height m2 exposed from the set liquid surface at the connection end of the pipe to the inner diameter d1 of the tank is 0.27 or more, It is set to .

  Usually, in a thermosyphon type heat pipe (pipe unit) in which a plurality of pipes are connected to one tank, the condensation area by a plurality of pipes is larger than that of a single-pipe heat pipe, so it is accommodated in the pipe unit The liquid volume of the refrigerant is large. Moreover, in order to exhibit the boiling cooling performance at the time of the slope accompanying the up-and-down driving of the vehicle, the refrigerant in the pipe unit is biased to one side (lower side) and the refrigerant is not from the bottom of the tank on the opposite side (high side) It is necessary to increase the liquid volume of the refrigerant stored in the pipe unit in order to prevent it from being pulled up. However, on the other hand, in order to exhibit boiling cooling performance, it is also possible to secure an appropriate space between the refrigerant (liquid level of the refrigerant) contained inside the pipe unit and the pipe attached to the tank. As it is required, a large amount of refrigerant may be disadvantageous.

  In this respect, in the cooler according to the present invention, each pipe is inclined upward from the tank and connected to the tank and bent in the middle, so that the heat radiating portion of the pipe is above the tank Since it arrange | positions in the position which carried out eccentricity, the storage area of the refrigerant | coolant in a tank can be made to increase. For this reason, even when the cooler is inclined and the posture is changed, it is possible to secure a space between the tank and the heat radiating portion of the pipe and prevent the refrigerant from flowing from the tank into the heat radiating portion of the pipe. In addition, with such a configuration, a sufficient amount of refrigerant can be held in the tank, so the bottom of the tank does not dry. Further, since the pipe is bent between the base end and the heat radiating portion, even if the liquid refrigerant enters the base end, the bent portion becomes a resistance and it is difficult for the heat radiating portion to flow. Therefore, it becomes possible to increase the liquid quantity of the refrigerant stored in the tank while suppressing the flow of the liquid refrigerant from the tank to the heat radiating portion of the pipe, and the boil cooling performance is always exhibited smoothly and maintained satisfactorily. be able to.

  In the cooler according to the present invention, the heat radiating portion of the pipe has the second inclination angle of 0 °, and the heat radiating fin is attached to the heat radiating portion of the pipe so that the planar direction thereof is along the vertical direction. ing.

  Since the heat dissipating fins are arranged so that the plane direction is along the vertical direction, ie, parallel to the base block, the heat dissipating fins are parallel to the natural convection direction (vertical direction) of air when used in natural air cooling become. Therefore, the resistance to natural convection can be reduced, and the cooling performance can be improved.

  In the cooler of the present invention, the set liquid level of the refrigerant stored in the tank is the set liquid at the connection end of the pipe in a state where the extending direction of the tank is left along the horizontal direction. The ratio (m2 / d1) of the maximum opening height m2 exposed from the surface to the inner diameter d1 of the tank is set to be 0.27 or more.

  By offsetting the heat radiating portion of the pipe to the upper side with respect to the tank, it is possible to increase the liquid amount of the refrigerant stored inside the pipe unit, and the cooling performance can be improved. However, if the refrigerant contained in the pipe unit is too much, the boiling air bubbles in the tank push up the refrigerant toward the pipe so that the boiling air bubbles collide violently at the end of the pipe and the boiling noise (collision noise) occurs. There is.

  In this respect, in the state where the liquid surface of the refrigerant contained in the pipe unit is settled along the horizontal direction of the extension direction of the tank, the inventor of the present invention determined the maximum opening height m2 of the connection end of the pipe and the tank It was found that generation of boiling noise can be avoided by setting the ratio (m2 / d1) to the inner diameter d1 to be 0.27 or more. As described above, when the ratio (m2 / d1) is set to 0.27 or more, the passage of the vapor is secured between the tank and the pipe, so that the boiling air bubbles can be prevented from pushing up the refrigerant. Therefore, even when the liquid amount of the refrigerant contained in the pipe unit is increased, the generation of boiling noise can be avoided.

  According to the present invention, the cooling performance can be improved, and the cooling performance can be favorably maintained even when the posture in use changes.

It is a side view showing a cooler which is a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is the fragmentary sectional view which follows the II-II line of FIG. 3B of the cooler shown in FIG. It is a front view of the cooler shown in FIG. It is a rear view of the cooler shown in FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing in the connection part of the tank and pipe of a pipe unit. It is a partial section arrow line view showing a cooler which is a 2nd embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, each embodiment of the cooler of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 3A, 3B show a cooler 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this cooler 100, a mounting surface 21a to which the heat generating body 10 is mounted is embedded in a base block 20 formed along the vertical direction and an opposite surface 21b opposite to the mounting surface 21a of the base block 20. A plurality of tanks 31 and a pipe unit 30 consisting of a plurality of pipes 32 connected in a state of being erected on the side surface of each tank 31, and a plurality of heat radiation attached to the pipes 32 in a state of penetrating the plurality of pipes 32 A fin 40 is provided and used for a vehicle.

  Although not shown, the cooler 100 is installed so that the mounting surface 21 a of the base block 20 extends vertically in the lower part of the side surface of the vehicle.

  The base block 20 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or copper having a large heat capacity, which is excellent in thermal conductivity. The heating element 10 such as a semiconductor element is mounted on the mounting surface 21a on one side (left side in FIG. 1) of the base block 20, and the other side (right side in FIG. 1) to the mounting surface 21a to which the heating element 10 is mounted. The tank 31 is embedded in the opposite surface 21b of.

  The pipe unit 30 is configured by connecting a plurality of circular thin pipes 32 having an inner diameter d2 smaller than the inner diameter d1 of the tank 31 to the side surface of the circular tank 31. For example, a tank 31 having an inner diameter d1 of 27.6 mm and a pipe 32 having an inner diameter d2 of 13.88 mm can be suitably used.

  The tank 31 and the pipe 32 are formed of aluminum or copper, and are joined by brazing with the internal space integrated. Inside the pipe unit 30 formed by joining the tank 31 and the pipes 32, a refrigerant 60 such as pure water or perfluorocarbon is accommodated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the tank 31 is formed of a tubular pipe, the extending direction of which is disposed along the horizontal direction, and is attached to the opposite surface 21 b of the base block 20. Note that FIG. 2 shows the cross section only in the vicinity of the joint portion between the base block 20 and the tank 31 and the base end 33 of the pipe 32, and the heat dissipating part 34 and the heat dissipating fin 40 of the pipe 32 show side faces.

  As described above, the pipe 32 is set such that the inner diameter d2 is smaller than the inner diameter d1 of the tank 31, and is connected to the side surface of each tank 31 as shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the pipes 32 are arranged in parallel with each other (in a single row) at regular intervals in the extension direction of the tank 31. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each pipe 32 is formed by bending a proximal end 33 connected to the tank 31 and a heat radiating portion 34 on the distal end side of the proximal end 33. . The base end portion 33 is inclined upward at a predetermined first inclination angle α (> 0 °) with respect to the horizontal direction from the connection end 32 j with the tank 31. The heat radiating portion 34 provided continuously to the base end portion 33 is inclined at a second inclination angle of 0 ° or more and less than the first inclination angle α with respect to the horizontal direction, and is accommodated in the tank 31 It is disposed at a position higher than the set liquid surface of the refrigerant 60. In the cooler 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the heat radiating portion 34 of the pipe 32 is disposed horizontally along the closed end 32b, that is, at a second inclination angle of 0.degree. The center line is eccentric above the center line of the tank 31.

  The first inclination angle α is set based on (for example, 7 °) a potential angle when the vehicle travels in a slope and the cooler 100 is inclined. In the cooler 100 of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the first inclination angle α is set to 30 °, and the heat radiating portion 34 of the pipe 32 is higher than the set liquid surface of the refrigerant 60 by the distance S. It is placed in position.

  The set liquid surface of the refrigerant 60 stored in the pipe unit 30 is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, in the state where the extending direction of the tank 31 is left along the horizontal direction, the connection end 32 j of the pipe 32 The ratio (m2 / d1) of the maximum opening height m2 exposed from the set liquid surface to the inner diameter d1 of the tank 31 is set to 0.27 or more.

  In the cooler 100, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3A and 3B, the tank 31 (the pipe unit 30) to which the plurality of pipes 32 are attached is vertically moved in a plurality on the opposite surface 21b of the base block 20. The pipes 32 are arranged in a matrix by arranging them in parallel. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, the pipes 32 are arranged in a grid in top view, but may be arranged in a zigzag or other arrangement.

  The base block 20 and each tank 31 are integrally joined by soldering or the like. Thereby, the heat transfer between the base block 32 and the tank 31 is smoothly performed.

  A plurality of thin plate-like radiation fins 40 made of aluminum or copper excellent in thermal conductivity are attached to the heat radiation portion 34 of the pipe 32 in a state in which the pipe 32 penetrates, as if being pierced. ing. The radiation fin 40 is disposed such that the planar direction thereof is in the vertical direction. In these heat radiation fins 40, a plurality of through holes (not shown) formed by, for example, burring or the like are provided at predetermined positions of the thin plate. By press-fitting the heat dissipating part 34 of the pipe 32 into these through holes, the heat dissipating fins 40 are attached across the pipes 32 so that the heat dissipating fins 40 and the pipes 32 are integrally provided. The heat dissipating fins 40 can also be attached by expanding the pipe 32 inserted into the through hole of the heat dissipating fins 40.

  In the thus configured vehicle cooler 100, the heat generated from the heating element 10 is transmitted to the base block 20, and further transmitted from the base block 20 to the tank 31 of the pipe unit 30, and the refrigerant 60 in the tank 31 is Boil and evaporate. Then, the evaporated vapor of the refrigerant 60 rises in the tank 31 and moves into the pipe 32, and the heat is transferred to the radiation fin 40 through the pipe 32 to be cooled.

  In the cooler 100, the heat release portion 34 of the pipe 32 is eccentrically located above the tank 31 by tilting the base end portion 33 of each pipe 32 upward and connecting it to the tank 31. The storage area of the refrigerant 60 can be increased. In addition, the base end 33 of the pipe 32 inclined at the first inclination angle α in this manner has an attitude that is more than horizontal even when the cooler 100 is inclined when the vehicle travels in a sloped area. You can keep it. Thus, even when the cooler 100 is inclined and the posture is changed, a space can be secured between the tank 31 and the pipe 32, and the refrigerant 60 can be prevented from flowing from the tank 31 into the pipe 32 as it is. Therefore, in the cooler 100, while suppressing the flow of the liquid refrigerant 60 from the tank 31 into the pipe 32, the liquid amount of the refrigerant 60 stored in the tank 31 is increased to hold the refrigerant 60 in the tank 31. The bottom of the tank 31 does not dry because it can. Therefore, the cooling performance can always be exhibited smoothly, and the cooling performance can be maintained favorably.

  Further, in the cooler 100, the heat radiating portion 34 of the pipe 32 extends along the horizontal direction, and the plane direction of the heat radiation fin 40 is disposed along the vertical direction, that is, parallel to the base block 20. Thus, the heat dissipating fins 40 are parallel to the flow direction of the air (ie, the extending direction of the tank 31) by the traveling of the vehicle and to the natural convection direction (the direction of the arrow C) of the air when used in natural air cooling. Can be arranged in parallel. Therefore, even when the vehicle is stopped, the resistance to natural convection can be reduced, and the cooling performance can be improved.

  Further, in the cooler 100, the maximum opening height m2 of the connection end 32j of the pipe 32 and the tank 31 in the state where the set liquid surface of the refrigerant 60 is settled along the horizontal direction in the extension direction of the tank 31. The ratio (m2 / d1) to the inner diameter d1 is set to 0.27 or more, and the steam passage is secured, so that boiling bubbles can be prevented from pushing up the liquid refrigerant 60. Therefore, even when the liquid amount of the refrigerant 60 stored inside the pipe unit 30 is increased, the generation of boiling noise can be avoided.

  A cooler 110 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In each pipe 132 constituting the pipe unit 130 of the cooler 110, a proximal end portion 133 connected to the tank 31 and a heat radiating portion 134 on the distal end side of the proximal end portion 133 are bent by bending. ing. The base end portion 133 is connected to the tank 31 by being inclined upward at a predetermined first inclination angle α with respect to the horizontal direction, as in the first embodiment. The heat radiating portion 134 is inclined upward at a second inclination angle which is larger than 0 ° and smaller than the first inclination angle α with respect to the horizontal direction. Further, the heat dissipating fins 140 are fixed to the heat dissipating portion 134 at a slight inclination from the vertical direction. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing only the base block 20 and the vicinity of the joint portion between the tank 31 and the base end portion 133 of the pipe 132, and the heat radiating portion 134 of the pipe 132 and the heat radiating fin 140 show side surfaces.

  In this case, since the heat radiating portion 134 is inclined, two types of heat radiating fins 140 (401, 402) having different sizes and a heat radiating portion 134 having different lengths are provided in order to obtain sufficient cooling efficiency for the arrangement space. Three types of pipes 132 (301, 302, 303) are required. Moreover, since the radiation fin 140 is not parallel with respect to the natural convection direction C of air, resistance is large compared with 1st Embodiment. However, since the heat dissipating portion 134 is inclined, the refrigerant does not easily flow into the heat dissipating portion 134 as it is in liquid form, and the reduction of the cooling performance due to the reduction of the condensation area and the generation of noise due to boiling bubbles can be more effectively prevented.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made in the detailed configuration without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, as in the above-described embodiment, the radiation fins 40 are attached in a state in which all the pipes 32 are penetrated, and the plurality of pipes 32 are divided into several blocks. It is also possible to attach a small heat dissipating fin divided into two.

  Moreover, in the said 1st Embodiment, although the extension direction of the thermal radiation part 34 of the pipe 32 was arrange | positioned along the horizontal direction, the extension direction of the thermal radiation part is also horizontal directions (angle 0 degree) besides For example, it may be inclined at an angle smaller than the first inclination angle α of the proximal end 33 with respect to the horizontal direction as in the second embodiment.

  In the cooler, the cooling performance can be improved, and the cooling performance can be favorably maintained even when the posture in use changes.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 heating element 20 base block 21a mounting surface 21b opposite surface 30, 130 pipe unit 31 tank 32, 132 (301 to 303) pipe 32b closed end 32j connection end 33, 133 base end 34, 134 heat radiating portion 40, 140 (401 , 402) Heat radiation fin 60 Refrigerant 100, 110 Cooler

Claims (2)

A base block having a mounting surface along which the heating element is mounted along the vertical direction;
A circular tubular tank embedded on the opposite side of the mounting surface of the base block and containing a refrigerant; and a plurality of mutually parallel circular tubular pipes connected in an erected state to the side of the tank; A pipe unit consisting of
And a plurality of heat dissipating fins attached to the plurality of pipes in a state of being penetrated through the plurality of pipes;
The tank extends along the horizontal direction,
The pipe is formed in an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the tank, and a proximal end having a connection end connected to the tank; a heat radiating portion bent from the proximal end and having a closed end on the distal end side Have and
The proximal end is inclined upward from the connection end at a predetermined first inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction,
The heat radiating portion is provided at a second inclination angle of 0 ° or more with respect to the horizontal direction and less than the first inclination angle of the base end portion.
The center line of the heat dissipation part is disposed eccentrically above the center line of the tank,
In the tank, the set liquid level of the refrigerant is set to a position lower than the heat radiating portion, and the set liquid level of the refrigerant stored in the tank is
In the state where the extension direction of the tank is left along the horizontal direction,
The ratio (m2 / d1) of the maximum opening height m2 exposed from the set liquid surface at the connection end of the pipe to the inner diameter d1 of the tank is set to 0.27 or more. Cooler. The heat sink of the pipe has a second inclination angle of 0 °,
2. The cooler according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipating fin is attached to the heat dissipating portion of the pipe such that a planar direction thereof is along the vertical direction.

Images