US3435891A

US3435891A - Air flow baffle for rectifier heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: US3435891A
Application number: US625385A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank W Parrish
Original assignee: International Rectifier Corp USA
Current assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp
Priority date: 1967-03-23
Filing date: 1967-03-23
Publication date: 1969-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 1986-04-01

Description

' AApril 1, 1969. l |l=.w. PARRISH AIR FLOW BAFFLE FOR RECTIFIER HEAT EXCHANGER sheet l or 2 f Filed uarch 23. 1%?

AIR FLOW BAFFLE FO RECTIFIER HEAT EXCHANGER Filed March 23.- 1S67 April l, 1969 F. PARRISH 2 ofz Sheet A fw m@ w M y 4 y |V M Inflil/ M M w lll IIIIH /II| on K, Q W if W 4/ 4@ f w a w e y MWW\ M, Zv Il. Y .r Ullin y IJ, L@ M I hl Ma Ir f uw Q Ml [ad Wa M y" .wz y, n I in @L Lf 2\O 7u Q 3 Mw l www 4., ik 5. n l .if G. E 4H v I z Arm/@5x5 United States Patent Oiice U.S. Cl. 165--121 3 'Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An air baille positioned in the air shunt space between two forced cooled heat exchangers has bailles which direct air away from the path between the heat exchangers and into the surfaces of the heat exchangers. The baille is made of insulation material and has bailles of progressively longer lengths to redirect air from the air shunt path over the full length of the heat exchangers.

This invention relates to forced air cooling and more particularly relates to a novel air baille located in the air shunt space between two forced air heat exchangers for distributing the air from the air shunt region into the surfaces of the heat exchangers along their full length.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to improve the eiliciency of the cooling medium in a forced cooled pair of spaced heat exchangers.

Another object of this invention is to utilize, for cooling, the air or .gas which normally ilows through the space between spaced heat exchangers which have ilns to increase their surface areas.

These and other objects of the invention will become readily apparent upon a consideration of the following descriptions and ydrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows in perspective two spaced heat exchangers for receiving diodes in connection with a cooling fan for directing cooling air along the iinned surface of the heat exchangers.

FIGURE 2 shows an electrical circuit diagram of a circuit which incorporates the structure of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the air baille of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the heat exchangers of FIGURE 1 with the air baille of FIGURE 3 disposed in the air shunt between the two heat exchangers.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 4 taken across the section line 5-5 in FIGURE 44.

Referring iirst to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a typical arrangement of forced cooled heat exchangers, which are conductive buses and 11 having suitable elongated cooling ns of the usual type.

Buses

10 and 11 have suitable threaded openings which threadably receive the threaded studs of parallel connected

diodes

12, 13, 14 and 15, 16, 17 respectively.

Buses

10 and 11 are closely spaced, but are insulated from one another when they are operated at different potentials. A common source of forced air or gas, such as fan 18 then directs air along the length of

buses

10 and 11 and their respective fins.

FIGURE 2 is a typical circuit application for the arrangement of FIGURE 1 as a single phase-ful1 wave rectiier including a suitable transformer 19, the diodes 12 to 17. For purposes of illustration,

buses

10 and 11 are considered connected to the anodes of diodes 12 to 17, thus requiring electrical insulation between

buses

10 and 11. Obviously numerous circuit applications would require such insulation.

Since the ends of the adjacent iins of

buses

10 and 11 must be spaced from one another an air space, or air shunt exists between the buses. This space oilers less im- 3,435,891 Patented Apr. l, 1969 pedance to air ilow than do the fins, so an appreciable amount of cooling air ilows directly through this air shunt without contributing to the cooling of

buses

10 and 11.

In accordance with the invention, a novel baille is located in this air space and contains a plurality of spaced vanes of increasing length for diverting air passing down the air shunt laterally from the shunt and toward the adjacent surfaces of the shunt.

FIGURE 3 shows the novel baille 30 in perspective view as comprising a molded unitary body having a base 31 which has a central vane 32, and laterally directed vanes 33 to 40 extending therefrom. The rear of central vane 32 spreads into

end vanes

41 and 42. A top section 31a similar to base 31 is also provided but is removed in FIGURE 3 in the interest of clarity. Each of the vanes 33 to 42 form the same angle to central vane 32, of about 45 but the vanes become progressively longer to successively pick off a more interiorly disposed section of air in the air shunt. As will be seen, this permits the air of the air shunt to be uniformly distributed along the full length of the heat exchangers, or

buses

10 and 11, forming the air shunt. Convenient mounting openings such as opening 43 are provided in base 31. Batlle 30 is made of material which has high dielectric strength, is resistant to arcing, is stable at high temperatures, presents a smooth surface to prevent adherence of dust, resistance to chemical attack, good `dimensional stability and low to moderate flexibility. Typically, the baille could be made of polyvinylchloride.

While FIGURE 3 shows the vanes extending inwardly from the lateral sides of the base 31, it is clear that other vane arrangements could be used to break up the laminar ilow of air in the air shunt and to induce turbulence into the air and cause impingement of the air on the heat exchangers.,Moreover, other vane shapes with various air foils could also be used.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show how the baille of FIGURE 3 can be inserted into the air shunt between

buses

10 and 11 of FIGURE l.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate insulation support base members 50, 51 and 52.

Buses

10 and 11 are bolted to supports 50, 51, and 52, as illustrated in FIGURE 5 by bolts 53-54 and 5556 for the case of support 50. The baille 30 is thus bolted into the free air space between the ends of the adjacent ilns of buses as by bolts 57 and 58 which pass through openings in base 31 and into openings in supports 50 and 52 resectively. Air ilow will then be diverted as shown by the arrows in FIGURE 4 with the progressively longer vanes diverting the air in the air shunt laterally toward one or the other of the

buses

10 and 11.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be liinited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a iirst elongated heat exchanger; a second elongated heat exchanger parallel to and spaced from said iirst heat exchanger; a source of forced gas for moving gas along the direction of elongation of said iirst and second heat exchangers; and elongated baille means positioned in the space between said iirst and second heat exchangers; and elongated baille means positioned in the space between said iirst and second heat eX- changers and extending parallel to said iirst and second heat exchangers; said elongated baille means comprising a base section having a central vane extending longitudinally along said base section and a plurality of vanes perpendicular from said base section and positioned alternately on opposite sides of said central vanes; said pluralityy of vanes longitudinally spaced along the length of said base section and extending generally perpendicular to the plane including said rst and second heat exchangers and said baffle means; said plurality of vanes having generally plane surfaces forming acute angles to the -direction of elongation of said baille means to divert air flow along the space between said rst and second heat exchangers toward the adjacent surfaces of said irst and second heat exchangers; the adjacent surfaces of said rst and second heat exchangers having longitudinally extending ns; and a central vane extending longitudinally along said base section; said plurality of vanes positioned alter- 15 nately on opposite sides of said central vane.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of vanes have a progressively increased length in direction of air flow.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein 4 said plurality of vanes extend inwardly from the lateral sides of said base section and fall short of said central vane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,169,109 8/ 1939 Muller 317-234 X 2,340,855 2/1944 Abrams 165-51 X 2,842,722 7/ 1958 Diebold S17-234 2,904,316 9/ 1959 Hagen et al 165-126 2,927,250 3/ 1960 Scharli 317-100 3,179,570 4/1965 Le Foll 165-181 X 3,364,987 1/ 1968 Bylund et al. 1165-122 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

A. W. DAVIS, JR., Assistant Exwmine.

U.S. Cl. X.R.