JPH0226099A - Non-interrupted electric source cooler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve cooling of air-cooled generator means by using a heat pipe as a heat sink contacting the generator. CONSTITUTION: Heat generated from a power module 1 transmits a heat pipe 11 to raise the temp. of the contact portion of the pipe 11 with a power module 1 while the temp. of a portion exposed to air such as a portion contacting the fins 15 lowers. Based on such a temp. difference, an operating fluid 13 evaporates at a high temp. Portion in the pipe 11 and resulting vapor discharges the heat at a lower temp. portion to condense. Because of this heat transfer resistance is negligibly small, the heat pipe 11 acts as a radiation plane on the whole if having a greatly larger area than the junction area of the pipe 11 and power module 1 using the pipe 11 as a heat sink 10. This enhances the air-cooling.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a cooling device for cooling an uninterruptible power supply that temporarily supplies power during a commercial power outage.

PRIOR ART A known power supply device of this type is one in which multiple power modules such as storage batteries are housed in a casing and are configured to supply power during a power outage. It generates heat when exposed to heat, so it needs to be cooled down. As a cooling method for power modules, water cooling is superior in terms of cooling efficiency, but cold W
Since water is conductive, there is a risk of electrical leakage and short circuits, and there is also the inconvenience of requiring driving means such as piping and pumps. There is also a method of forced air cooling, but in that case the noise generated by the motor and fan becomes a problem. Therefore, conventionally, air cooling by natural convection is sometimes performed as the simplest cooling means, and an example thereof is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

An air passage 3 is provided along the vertical direction in the center of the casing 2 that accommodates a large number of power modules 1 that are heat generating elements.
is formed, and each power module 1 is arranged with one side thereof facing the air passage 3. As shown in FIG. 5, a heat sink 4 integrally formed from a metal with excellent thermal conductivity is attached to the side of each power module 1 facing the air passage 3. power module 1
The power module 1 is configured to be air-cooled by natural convection, as the air whose temperature has increased by removing heat from the air flows in the air passage 3 as an upward current.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, if the capacity of the power module 1 is increased, the amount of heat generated will increase accordingly, but the temperature rise becomes an obstacle to increasing the capacity, so in order to increase the capacity of the power module 1, efficient cooling is essential. On the other hand, the heat sink 4 is used to expand the heat radiation area, but since the heat sink 4 itself has heat transfer resistance, there is a distance between the surface that is in close contact with the power module 1 and the surface that radiates heat. If there is, the cooling efficiency will be significantly lowered, and therefore the size of the heat sink 4 is actually limited to approximately the same size as the side surface of the power module 1, as shown in FIG. Therefore, although the conventional air cooling means using natural convection described above has advantages such as no running cost and is quiet, it is difficult to increase the cooling capacity, and as a result, it is difficult to increase the capacity of the power module 1. There were problems such as restrictions.

This invention was made against the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cold section housing for an uninterruptible power supply device that has a high cooling capacity by air cooling.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention reduces the heat transfer resistance of the heat sink itself to an almost negligible level by configuring the heat sink using a flat heat pipe. The present invention is characterized in that the heat dissipation area is resolved by
In an uninterruptible power supply in which a plurality of electromotive force means are housed in a casing, fins are erected almost perpendicularly to the surface of a flat heat pipe, which is formed by enclosing a working fluid that transports heat as latent heat inside a flat sealed container. and attaching the flat heat pipe in close contact with the electromotive force means,
Further, the casing is provided with a cooling ventilation passage, and the fins of the heat pipe are exposed to the ventilation passage.

Further, in the present invention, the fins may have a closed hollow structure that passes through the inside of the flat closed container, and the fins themselves may also be a part of the heat pipe.

Function: Therefore, in the cooling device of the present invention, the heat generated by the electromotive force means is given to the flat heat pipe that is in close contact with the electromotive force means. The temperature rises in the area where the fins are attached, and the temperature decreases in the area where the fins are attached and facing the ventilation path, so the flat heat pipe operates based on this temperature difference and transports heat. . The heat transport is carried out as the latent heat of the working fluid sealed inside, and the flat heat pipe exhibits an extremely high heat transport ability.
The heat transfer resistance in a flat heat pipe becomes negligible in actual purchase, and as a result, even if the size of the flat heat pipe is made larger than the surface in contact with the electromotive force means, the heat dissipation efficiency does not particularly decrease. For example, since the heat dissipation area can be increased without any particular restrictions, the air cooling capacity can be increased.

Example Next, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one of the power modules 1, which is an electromotive force means to which the present invention is applied. 1o are attached in close contact. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the beat pipe 11 constituting the heat sink 10 uses a flat airtight container 12 as a container, and evaporates and condenses at a desired temperature by evacuating the inside of the container. The liquid phase working fluid 13 is sealed in the inner surface of the sealed container 12 in a portion corresponding to the contact surface with the power module 1, and the liquid phase working fluid 13 is dispersed throughout that portion. A wick 14 such as a wire mesh is provided to feed the liquid.

Also, among the heat pipes 11 mentioned above, the power module 1
A large number of thin plate-like fins 15 are vertically erected on the surface opposite to the surface to which the fins 15 are joined in the vertical direction in the normal installation state.

The power module 1 in which the heat sink 10 is the flat beat pipe 11 is housed in the casing 2 with the heat sink 10 facing the air passage 3, as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the heat emitted from the power module 1 is transferred to the heat pipe 11, so that the temperature of the part of the heat pipe 11 that is in contact with the power module 1 becomes high, and the part where the fins 15 are attached is absorbed by the air. The temperature of the parts becomes lower, and based on this temperature difference, the working fluid 13 evaporates in the higher temperature parts of the heat pipe 11, and the vapor radiates heat in the lower temperature parts exposed to air. The working fluid 13 condenses and thus transports the heat generated by the power module 1 to the air. In that case, the heat pipe 11 is connected to the working fluid 1
The heat pipe 11 transports heat as the latent heat of the power module 1, and its heat transfer resistance is so small that it can be ignored. The entire area acts as a heat dissipation surface, and therefore, the power module 1 is air-cooled with a wide heat dissipation surface without being restricted by the width of the side surface of the power module 1.

Such an air cooling effect occurs in the same way for each power module 1 due to the air flowing upward through the air passage 3, and each power module 1 is efficiently cooled.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of the flat heat pipe 2o that can be used in the present invention. Flat airtight container 2 which is the main body part
Therefore, the fins 21 have a heat pipe structure.

With such a structure, the fin 21 can also be made easily.
Since the body 13 will transport heat as its latent heat,
Compared to the case where heat is applied to the fins 15 by thermal conduction in the embodiment described above, the heat conduction to the heat radiation surface is much better, and therefore the cooling capacity of the power module 1 is further improved.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, according to the 8-position cooling system of the present invention, the heat sink itself, which is brought into close contact with the electromotive force means, becomes a heat pipe, so that the heat transfer resistance of the heat sink becomes negligibly small. As a result, the heat sink can be made larger without being restricted by the size of the bonding surface with the electromotive force means.In other words, even if the heat sink is made larger than the electromotive force means, heat is transferred well throughout the heat sink. Therefore, according to the present invention, the substantial heat dissipation area for air cooling the electromotive force means can be made wider than ever before, so the cooling capacity of the electromotive force means is improved, and as a result, the electromotive force It becomes possible to increase the capacity of the means without being constrained by heat generation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a power module to which the present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the flat heat pipe, and Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another heat pipe that can be used with the present invention. , FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an air cooling system using natural convection for an uninterruptible power supply, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional power module cooling structure. 1... Power module, 2... Casing, 3
...Air passage, 10...Heat sink, 11
゜20... Heat pipe, 12.22... Sealed container, 13... Working fluid, 14... Wick, 1
5.21...Fin. Figure 1 or 4 Figure 5

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In an uninterruptible power supply device in which a plurality of electromotive force means are housed in a casing, fins are approximately provided on the surface of a flat heat pipe, which is formed by enclosing a working fluid that transports heat as latent heat inside a flat sealed container. The heat pipe is vertically installed, and the heat pipe is attached in close contact with the electromotive force means, and the casing is provided with a cooling ventilation passage, and the fins of the heat pipe are exposed to the ventilation passage. Cooling device for uninterruptible power supply. (2) The cooling device for an uninterruptible power supply according to claim 1, wherein the fin has a sealed hollow structure that passes into the flat sealed container.