JPH09307038A - Cooling apparatus for electric power converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling apparatus for an electric power converter, which variably sets a module and an air guide contained in a casing at an angle to obtain an appropriate cooling effect. SOLUTION: A module 6 and an air guide 12 are fixed, respectively at one end, to a fixing members 15 and 15a rotatably fixed to a support frame 9 provided in a casing 8, and respectively at the other end, to a movable members 18 and 18a of a guide member comprising a support rods 6a and 12a inserted into an upper wall 8c of the casing 8. By rotating nuts 20a and 21a engaged with the support rods 6a and 12a, the support rods 6a and 12a of the guide member are moved upward and downward, to vary the angle of the module 6 and the air guide 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the structure of a cooling device for cooling semiconductor elements used in electric power converters for electric railways.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a front view of a module to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 6 is an internal structure diagram of a cooling device for a conventional power converter. As shown in FIG. 5, in a static power converter using a semiconductor element used for electric railway power feeding, both end surfaces of a flat semiconductor element 1 such as a flat diode or a flat thyristor are connected by heat transfer blocks 2. The heat pipe 4 which is held in contact with the bolt 3 and is heat-transfer connected to the heat transfer blocks 2 provided at both ends thereof, and the heat of the evaporated refrigerant in the heat pipe 4 which is heated by the heat radiation of the semiconductor element 1. A module 6 including a heat radiation fin 5 that radiates heat is mounted, and the air cooling structure using the heat pipe 4 described above is adopted as a cooling method of the semiconductor element 1.

The structure of the cooling device 7 of the power conversion device comprising the module 6 shown in FIG. 6 is such that the module 6 provided with the radiation fins 5 comprising the heat pipe 4 is arranged in the height direction along the side wall surface 8a of the housing 8. A plurality of modules 6 are installed at intervals, and a plurality of these modules 6 constitute one unit. Then, an L-shaped cross section is fixed inside the housing 8 to support frames 9, 9 fixedly attached to the side wall surface 8a to partition the housing 8 in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 6). Frames 9a, 9a are provided. Module frame 10 in which both sides of the heat transfer block 2 of the module 6 are covered by heat pipe supporters 4a
Both ends of the frame 9a, bolts 11, 11
9a, and a wind guide 12 for guiding cooling air for cooling the module 6 is provided above the units of the module 6 at both ends of the wind guide 12 similarly to the support structure of the module 6 described above. The portions are fixed to the support frames 9, 9 and fixed to the frames 9b, 9b having an L-shaped cross section with bolts 11a, 11a.

The installation angle of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 installed along the side wall surface 8a in the housing 8 is sucked from the intake port 13 provided in the lower portion of the side wall 8b of the housing 8, and the intake air is taken. The cooling air exhausted from the exhaust port 14 provided in the upper wall 8c that is substantially diagonally opposed to the position of the opening 13 maximizes the heat radiation cooling effect from the heat radiation fins 5 of the module 6. The side wall surfaces 8a are respectively inclined along the flow.

[0005]

By the way, the cooling effect of the cooling device for the power conversion device described above is the module 6
Depends on the wind speed of the cooling air that comes into contact with the radiation fins 5 constituting The wind speed of the cooling air depends on the buoyancy of the air warmed by the heat generated by the semiconductor element 1, the pressure loss caused in the flow path of the heat radiation fins 5 and the like, and the heat radiation fins 5 and the wind provided along the flow of the cooling air. It is considerably difficult to calculate the optimum installation angle with a large cooling effect, which varies depending on the pressure loss or the like caused by the installation angle of the guide 12. Further, the cooling performance of the heat pipe 4 is based on the principle of heat transport caused by the gas-liquid phase change of the refrigerant liquid in the heat pipe 4 as described above, and the larger the installation angle of the heat pipe 4 with respect to the horizontal position, the larger This is preferable because the refrigerant liquid is efficiently circulated.

Conventionally, the angle of the installation position between the module 6 and the wind guide 12 has been obtained by various calculations in consideration of the above-mentioned conditions, and based on this result, the installation is fixed in the housing 8. Has been done. However, the test result of the cooling performance by the actually incorporated cooling device is different from the result predicted by the installation angle of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 calculated as described above, and in the conventional arrangement configuration by calculation. However, there is a problem that the optimum cooling effect is not always obtained.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a cooling device for a power converter capable of setting the installation angles of the module and the wind guide at positions where an optimum cooling effect can be obtained.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is provided with a guide portion that can change the installation angles of the module and the wind guide in the housing. Accordingly, in consideration of the installation angle of the heat pipe, the position where the pressure loss of the cooling air generated in the flow path of the radiating fin and the wind guide becomes small, and the installation angle of the module and the wind guide in the guide part are respectively set. It is possible to experimentally determine the cooling effect by changing the installation angle of the module and the wind guide and the change of the cooling air velocity while changing the variable, so the wind velocity passing through the heat radiating fins of the heat pipe increases and more efficient cooling performance. It is possible to obtain a cooling device whose installation angle can realize

Then, one end of each of the module and the wind guide is rotatably fixed to a support frame fixed in the housing, and the other end of each of the modules is provided by a guide portion composed of a support rod vertically provided. By supporting and moving each support bar in the vertical direction, the installation angle of the module and the wind guide can be easily set with a simpler structure.

Support rods for connecting the other end of the module and the wind guide are provided at the support plate fixed to the housing so as to penetrate the end portions thereof, and screwed into the respective end portions of the support rods protruding from the support plate. When the nut is rotated to move the support rod up and down, the installation angle can be finely adjusted, and the optimum setting position can be easily obtained.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of a cooling device for a power converter according to an embodiment of the present invention. The modules 6 arranged in a plurality of stages along the side wall surface 8a of the casing 8 constituting the cooling device 7 of FIG. 1 and one end of the wind guide 12 are fixed by the fixing portions 15 and 15a shown by the arrow A. . These fixed portions 15 and 15a are provided on the support frame 9
A support plate 1 having a U-shaped cross section in which one end is fixed to the metal round bars 16 and 16a by welding and connected to the module frame 10 and the wind guide 12 of the module 6 shown in FIG.
It is configured to be fitted in the recesses of 7, 17a so as to be rotatable.

And, the module 6 and the wind guide 1
As shown in the arrow B and FIG. 3, the other end of 2 is provided on the side surfaces of the support rods 6a and 12a that are provided by using the upper wall 8c of the housing 8 as a support plate and penetrating the upper wall 8c. The support protrusions 6b and 12b are supported by movable portions 18 and 18a which are connected to the support protrusions 6b and 12b, respectively. In addition, the connecting portion of the movable portions 18 and 18a is a round bar 22 made of metal provided on the support plates 6c and 12c that are welded to the module frame 10 of the module 6 and the wind guide 12.
22a is inserted through the support protrusions 6b and 12b.

The projecting portions of the support rods 6a and 12a, which are connected to the movable portions 18 and 18a of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 and are provided by penetrating the upper wall 8c of the housing 8,
As shown in the arrow C portion of FIG. 1 and a perspective view of the portion shown in FIG. 4, screws 20 and 21 are provided and these screws 2 are provided.
Nuts 20a and 21a are screwed into 0 and 21 to support the support rods 6a and 12a.

The adjustment of the installation angle of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 by the movement of the support rods 6a, 12a of the guide portion in this embodiment described above is performed by adjusting the nuts 20a screwed into the support rods 6a, 12a. 21a
By rotating, the support rods 6a and 12a are moved in the vertical direction with reference to the position of the upper wall 8c which is a support plate, and the module 6 and the wind guide 12 are connected to the connecting portions 18 and 18a. The position of the fixed part 15
It can be performed by moving vertically around 15 and 15a. The module 6 and the wind guide 12 are rotated by the rotation of the nuts 20a and 21a described above.
Since the experiment of the cooling performance of the module 6 can be performed with the installation position of (1) arbitrarily changed, it is possible to determine the installation angle of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 that can obtain the optimum cooling performance.

The movable portions 18 and 18a are moved to the fixed portions 15 and 15a by the vertical movement of the support rods 6a and 12a.
Since it makes a circular motion centering around, the support rods 6a and 12a
Moves left and right. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the through hole 2 of the upper wall 8c supporting the support rods 6a and 12a is formed.
2, 22a have an oval shape with left and right cutouts.

Then, the above-mentioned nuts 20a and 21a
By rotating, the installation positions of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 can be arbitrarily changed, and a cooling experiment of the module 6 can be performed. Therefore, the installation angle of the module 6 and the wind guide 12 that can obtain the optimum cooling performance can be determined.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the cooling device having the air-cooling structure provided with the cooling fins composed of the heat pipes, the installation angles of the module and the wind guide in the housing can be varied. By providing the guide portion, even if the cooling device is configured by fixing the position and determining the installation angle by calculation, as in the conventional case,
It is possible to solve the problem that the optimum cooling effect is not always obtained, and even if the capacity and shape of the power converter changes, the installation angle of the module and the wind guide that gives the optimum cooling performance for the cooling device It can be easily set by an experiment using the cooling air. As a result, the number of manufacturing steps of the cooling device for the power conversion device can be reduced, and the cooling efficiency of the device is improved, which contributes to high reliability of the power conversion device.

Further, one end of each of the module and the wind guide is rotatably fixed, and each of the other ends is connected to a guide portion composed of a support rod provided in a vertical direction, and each support rod is For example, by arranging the nut that is screwed on the end portion of the support rod to move in the vertical direction while rotating, the installation angle can be finely adjusted and the optimum setting position can be easily set.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an internal structure of a cooling device of a power conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken along arrow A in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken along arrow B of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view taken along arrow C of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a module to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is an internal structural diagram of a cooling device for a conventional power converter.

[Description of Reference Signs] 1 semiconductor element 4 heat pipe 5 radiating fins 6 module 6a support rod 7 cooling device 8 housing 12 wind guide 12a support rod 13 intake port 14 exhaust port 15 fixed part 15a fixed part 18 movable part 18a movable part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A module in which a semiconductor element is provided with a cooling fin made of a heat pipe, and a wind guide located above the module is provided in an air intake provided under a housing for housing these modules and the wind guide. A power conversion device that is inclined at a plurality of stages in the housing along the flow of cooling air that is sucked from the mouth and exhausted from an exhaust port provided at the top of the housing. A cooling device for a power conversion device, wherein the cooling device is provided with guide portions for varying installation angles of a module and a wind guide in a housing. 2. The cooling device for a power converter according to claim 1, wherein one end of each of the module and the wind guide is rotatably fixed to a support frame in a housing that supports the module and the wind guide. Then, each of the other ends is connected to a guide portion formed of a support rod provided in the vertical direction,
A cooling device for a power conversion device, wherein the installation angle between the module and the wind guide is changed by moving each support rod in the vertical direction. 3. The cooling device for an electric power converter according to claim 2, wherein the guide portion has a support plate connected to the other end of the module and the wind guide at an end of a support plate fixed to the housing. Power conversion, characterized in that the support rods can be moved in the vertical direction by rotating nuts that are provided so as to penetrate through the portions and screwed into the respective end portions of the support rods that project from the support plate. Equipment cooling system.