JPH07153876A - Semiconductor cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To widen the environment for use of a semiconductor element to ensure further application thereof under the cold districts. CONSTITUTION:A heater 11 is provided at a surface of a tank 1 encapsulating a semiconductor element 2 and a coolant 3, a fan 12 is provided to cool a condenser 5 and a low temperature sensor and a high temperature sensor 9 are provided to detect the temperature of tank 1. When the low temperature sensor detects the reference temperature, the heater 11 is operated and simultaneously the fan 12 is operated at a low speed in view of stopping the operation of the heater 11 and operating the fan 12 at a high speed when the high temperature sensor 9 has detected the reference temperature.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor cooling device effective for controlling electric power of a main electric motor of a train in a railway vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional device, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-23764, a semiconductor stack is housed in a tank in which a refrigerant is sealed, and heat generated from the semiconductor is transferred to the refrigerant through fins. The heat causes the refrigerant to evaporate and be guided to the condenser. The refrigerant condensed by the condenser is liquefied,
It is designed to flow into the tank again.

[0003]

The above-mentioned prior art has a temperature range in which it can be used for semiconductor elements, and this point is not taken into consideration. In particular, it cannot be used in an environment of -20 ° C. or lower in cold regions. There was a problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor cooling device capable of expanding the environment in which the semiconductor element is used and further adapting to cold regions.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a heater in a tank in which a semiconductor element and a coolant are sealed so that the ambient temperature of the semiconductor element is lower than the operable temperature of the semiconductor element. When the temperature becomes low, the heater is activated to keep the tank warm and keep the temperature above the element operating temperature.

In the high temperature region, a blower is provided to forcibly cool the condenser in order to improve its efficiency.

Further, a low temperature detection temperature sensor in the low temperature range and a high temperature temperature sensor in the high temperature range are provided, and the heater is operated by the operation of the low temperature sensor, and is operated at a low speed to prevent the blower from freezing. . Further, the operation of the heater is stopped by the operation of the high temperature sensor, and the blower is operated at high speed.

[0008]

The low temperature sensor is provided in the tank. When the temperature of the tank is detected and activated, the heater circuit is activated to heat the heater. The heater is embedded in a heater block attached to the tank, and heats the tank and the refrigerant in the tank via the heater block. Since the semiconductor element immersed in the coolant will be heated by the coolant, if the set value of the low temperature sensor is set within the operating temperature range of the semiconductor, the semiconductor will not be affected by the ambient temperature of the semiconductor cooling device. The element can be activated.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Reference numeral 1 is a tank in which the semiconductor element 2 and the coolant 3 are enclosed. Reference numeral 4 is a steam pipe, 5 is a condenser, and the condensed refrigerant flows into the tank through the liquid return pipe 6. A bushing 7 is electrically connected to the semiconductor element provided in the tank. Reference numeral 8 is a low temperature sensor, and 9 is a high temperature sensor. Reference numeral 10 denotes a heater block which is provided in close contact with the lower surface of the tank 1 with a heater 11 embedded therein. A blower 12 is installed in the lower part of the condenser 5 and sends cool air from the lower part of the condenser to the upper part.

In such a structure, the semiconductor element 2 is operated by being supplied with power from the bushing 7 penetrating the tank 1, but generates heat due to watt loss at this time. This heat is transferred to the refrigerant 3 to boil the refrigerant. The boiling vapor of the refrigerant passes through the vapor pipe 4 and flows into the condenser 5. The condenser is cooled by a blower 12 provided in the lower part and exchanges heat with the outside air to liquefy the vapor of the refrigerant. The liquefied refrigerant passes through the liquid return pipe 6 and flows into the tank 1 again. The usable temperature range of the semiconductor element is usually in the range of -20 ° C to 125 ° C, and if the outside air temperature changes beyond this range, it cannot operate. In particular, when the semiconductor element is exposed to a low temperature during a rest in a cold region, first, the low temperature sensor 8 set at −20 ° C. is activated to activate the heater 11.
Here, an electric heater is used, and details of its control circuit, heater circuit, and blower circuit described later will not be described. The heater 11 heats the heater block 10 and further heats the tank 1. Also, at low temperatures, the blower 12 may become unrotatable due to freezing, and as shown in FIG. 3, the blower is rotated at a low speed at the same time when the heater is turned on. The tank 1 heated by the heater 11 heats the refrigerant inside and heats the semiconductor element immersed in the refrigerant. From this state, when the temperature of the tank rises to 70 ° C, the high temperature sensor operates to disconnect the heater circuit. Then, the blower is rotated at a high speed to rapidly cool the condenser. As a result, heat exchange is rapidly performed, and the temperature of the semiconductor element is controlled so as not to exceed the upper limit.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a semiconductor cooling device that can be used in cold regions.

[0012]

According to the present invention, since the semiconductor element can be used by keeping the temperature of the heater in the cold region, the application range of the semiconductor element can be expanded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a semiconductor cooling device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing operation timings of a heater and a blower.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Tank, 2 ... Semiconductor element, 3 ... Refrigerant, 5 ... Condenser,
8 ... Low temperature sensor, 9 ... High temperature sensor, 10 ... Heater block, 11 ... Heater, 12 ... Blower.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Itahana 2 832 Horiguchi, Katsuta City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi System Plaza Katsuta Hitachi Mito Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor cooling device in which a semiconductor, which is an object to be cooled, is immersed in a tank in which a refrigerant is sealed, and a condenser for condensing a boiling refrigerant by receiving heat from the semiconductor is provided. A heater is provided on one surface of the device, and a cooling fan is provided to cool the condenser, and
A low temperature sensor and a high temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the tank are provided, and when the low temperature sensor detects a reference low temperature, the heater is operated at the same time, the cooling blower is operated at a low speed, and the high temperature is detected. A semiconductor cooling device characterized in that, when a sensor detects a reference high temperature, the operation of the heater is stopped and the cooling blower is operated at a high speed.