WO2012152551A1

WO2012152551A1 - Power electronic system having a liquid cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2012152551A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/057053
Authority: WO
Inventors: Björn BÖGEL; Susanne Matzner; Peter Schott; Dirk Trodler; Markus Wörner
Original assignee: Semikron Elektronik Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2011-05-10
Filing date: 2012-04-18
Publication date: 2012-11-15
Also published as: DE102011075614A1

Abstract

The application relates to a power electronic system, comprising a multi-part housing having at least one first and one second main housing part, at least one power module, at least one control device, at least one capacitor device, internal and external load and auxiliary connecting devices, and a liquid cooling device formed by a first and second main housing part respectively. Said liquid cooling device has a cavity through which liquid can flow, said cavity being formed by first and second opposing and contoured surfaces of associated first and second main housing parts.

Description

Power electronic system with liquid cooling device

description

[1] The invention describes a power electronic system with an integrated liquid cooling device, wherein the system combines a plurality of components in a common housing. The power electronic system is preferably for use in vehicles, especially in purely electrically driven or in hybrid vehicles, provided.

For this purpose, the system may include components for driving an electric motor, the charge and its regulation of a battery and for voltage conversion. When used in vehicles, it is particularly advantageous with a system

Equip liquid cooling device.

From the unpublished DE 10 2010 043 466 A1 a cooling device for cooling a plurality of power modules and a hereby electrically connected capacitor is known, for example, wherein the power modules each have their own cooling element, which are lapped by the cooling liquid of the cooling device.

The invention has for its object to present a modular ausgestaltbares, so adaptable to different configurations of components, power electronic system that allows a particularly effective and adapted to the cooling requirements cooling of a plurality of these components. The object is achieved by a power electronic system with the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

Starting point of the invention is the need for a power electronic system preferably for use in vehicles with electrical main or

Additional drive. The inventive power electronic system has for this purpose a housing with at least one first and one second main housing part, at least one power module, at least one associated drive device, at least one capacitor device, internal and external load and

Auxiliary connecting devices and at least one liquid cooling device.

Here, the housing is formed in several parts with at least two main housing parts. These advantageously have in each case a main surface and a plurality of side surface and thereby each form a receiving device for at least one component of the power electronic system. In this embodiment, the respective main housing part is closed by an associated lid.

In principle, the housing can also comprise more than two, preferably stacked, main housing parts.

[9] Another possible embodiment comprises at least one

Main body part, which itself has no receiving device for components. Advantageously, both the inflow and the outflow connection of the liquid cooling device are provided in a first or a second main housing part. Likewise, the external load and auxiliary connection means are preferably provided on the side surfaces of the main housing parts.

[1 1] The at least one power module may be configured as one

Half-bridge circuit, which in combination with a plurality of similar submodules an inverter, preferably form a three-phase inverter. Alternatively, a single power module may be configured as such an inverter.

[12] Further power modules can be used as voltage transformers, preferably

DC converter can be configured by way of example for adapting a battery voltage to a vehicle electrical system voltage with a lower voltage value. Likewise, a Power module to be provided as a charge controller of a battery to the charge by means of an external power source.

[13] At least one power module is associated with a drive device, which may be formed in one or more pieces, for example in the form of a higher-level control device and a module-specific control device. Here, internal auxiliary connection means are provided for connecting a

module-specific control unit with the associated power module or the connection of various control devices with each other or the connection to external auxiliary connection means of the housing. [14] At least one power module is associated with a capacitor device which can form the DC intermediate circuit of an inverter. For this purpose, an internal load connection device is provided which connects the capacitor device with the DC voltage inputs of the inverter.

[15] Other internal load connection devices connect power modules or capacitor devices to external load connection devices of the housing.

[16] The at least one liquid cooling device is formed by means of a first and second main housing part. For this purpose, the main surface of the respective main housing part forms in each case a contoured surface in the region of the one through-flowable cavity of the liquid cooling device. The first main housing part in this case forms the first, the second main housing part, the second contoured surface. The permeable cavity is thus formed by the first and second opposing and contoured surfaces.

[17] Between the respective first and second main housing parts a sealing device is provided in a preferred manner for sealing the permeable cavity, which may be configured according to the usual way.

[18] It is particularly preferred if the liquid cooling device is designed such that the respective first and second contoured surfaces subdivide the cavity formed by them into a plurality of partial cavities. In this case, at least one first partial cavity may be formed as a connecting channel, while at least one second partial cavity is provided for cooling components. It may be preferred in this case if at least one first or a second partial cavity has structures for guiding a cooling medium. Likewise, it may alternatively or additionally be preferred if at least a first or a second partial cavity has structures for changing the flow velocity of the cooling medium. such

Structures are formed by a suitable contour of at least one of the surfaces forming one or both of the main housing parts. Advantageously, at least one power module to be cooled is arranged in a first main housing part and, for its cooling, thermally conductive with a partial area of the first contoured surface, in particular with a second one

Partial cavity, connected. Alternatively, this first contoured surface has at least one recess for arranging a cooling element of an associated one

Power module on. As a result, the cooling element of this power module can be flowed directly by the cooling medium, without the thermal resistance of an intermediate section of the main housing part.

[20] Equally advantageous, especially when used in vehicles is the

Capacitor device in the same, the first main housing part, how to arrange the at least one associated power module and thermally conductively connect the capacitor unit with the associated first contoured surface, more precisely, a region thereof. This capacitor device can in this case be assigned to a further second partial cavity.

[21] The circuit-compatible connection of at least one such power module with an associated capacitor device can take place by means of a first internal load connection device. In this case, it is particularly preferred if this first load connection device thermally conducts with the first contoured

Surface, with special cooling requirements also with its own second

Partial cavity, is connected. In this case, these first and alternatively or additionally also second internal load connection devices may be electrically insulating and thermally conductive enveloped and by means of this enclosure with a contoured surface, in particular

Cooling requirements also with its own second part cavity, be connected thermally conductive. At least one drive device can advantageously be arranged in a second main housing part and thermally conductive with a partial surface at special cooling requirements also be associated with its own second part cavity, the second contoured surface.

[24] In this embodiment, it may be useful to electrically connect at least one power module with an associated drive means by means of a plug connection device between respective first and second main housing parts.

When configuring the cooling device with a plurality of second partial cavities and at least a first part cavity, which is formed as a channel between the second partial cavities, that second partial cavity is advantageously connected to the inflow of the cooling medium, whose component arranged thereon

power electronic system has the greatest cooling demand. By way of example, this component may be a capacitor device, since these often have lower maximum operating temperatures than exemplary power modules. Of course, it is then further preferred if the further second partial cavities can be flowed through in the order of the cooling requirement of the components arranged there. [26] The inventive solution is further explained with reference to the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 shows a lateral section through a highly schematically represented power electronic system according to the invention.

[28] Fig. 2 also shows schematically a liquid cooling device of a power electronic system according to the invention.

[29] FIGS. 3 to 5 show various exploded views of a power electronic system according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a side section through a highly schematically represented power electronic system according to the invention for a vehicle with a main or auxiliary electric drive. In addition to the power electronic system, at least one drive motor, an energy store and other consumers of electrical energy are generally provided in such a vehicle. It is typical here that the operating voltage of the energy storage is different, usually higher than that of most consumers. [31] Shown is a housing consisting of a first 4 and a second main housing part 6. Both main housing parts 4, 6 are cup-shaped with a bottom surface and an edge. In addition, each main housing part 4, 6 still has a cover 5, 7. In and on the main housing parts 4, 6, the components of the power electronic system are arranged.

The first, here lower, main housing part 4 has the inlet 82 and the

Drain port 84 (see Fig. 2 to 4) to a formed by the two main housing parts 4, 6 liquid cooling device 80 on. This liquid cooling device 80 has a flow-through from the inlet port 82 to the drain port

Cavity 800, which is here formed by a plurality of partial cavities 812, 820, 822. These in turn are formed by the contoured surfaces 840, 860, here that of the bottom surfaces of the two main housing parts 4, 6.

Connection channels formed as first partial cavities 812 between second part cavities 820, 822 serving for the cooling of components or else to the inlet 82 or outlet connection can also be provided only in one of the two main housing parts. Second partial cavities 820, 822 are always by means of both

Main housing parts 840, 860 formed.

To be cooled components of the power electronic system are in direct thermal contact with the permeable cavity 800, or preferably as shown here with the second part cavities 820, 822 of

Liquid cooling device 80. In the first main housing part 4 are here a first

Power module 10 in the embodiment of a three-phase bridge circuit with associated drive circuit 20 for supplying a drive motor, and the associated DC link capacitor 30 which is fed from an external DC voltage source, the energy storage of the vehicle is arranged. Not shown are the internal load connection devices between the first power module 10 and a capacitor device 30, here the intermediate circuit capacitor.

[34] It is preferable if both the first power module 10, as well as the

Capacitor means 30 are cooled by means of the liquid cooling device 80. It is particularly preferable if a second partial cavity 820 assigned to the condenser device 30 is connected directly to the inflow connection 82, since here the

Temperature of the cooling medium is lowest. This is beneficial as the

Capacitor device 30 may be that component of the power electronic system that has the lowest thermal capacity. [35] The internal load connection device between the

Power module 10 and the capacitor device 30 directly by means of

Liquid cooling device 80 may be cooled and this be thermally conductively connected to a partial cavity 820. In this case, this load connection device can be at least partially enclosed by a thermally conductive but electrically insulating sheath and be thermally connected to the partial cavity by means of this sheath. This mechanism for cooling internal load connection devices is of course not based on the cooling of the connection between the first

Power module and the capacitor device limited. In the second illustrated main housing part 6, a further power module 12, here a DC-DC converter is provided, which adapts, for example, the voltage of the energy storage of the vehicle to the required voltage of the typical consumer. Furthermore, a charge control consisting of a transformer 14 and a power module can be provided here, which can regulate the charge of the energy store of the vehicle from a power source provided inside or outside the vehicle. For example, a power source provided inside the vehicle may be a fuel cell while an outside of the vehicle is provided

Power source may be the public power grid or an island grid. It is preferred that said components of the second main housing part 6 in a suitable manner and, if necessary, in a defined order with sub-cavities 820, 822 directly thermally conductively connect.

[37] Also shown is a higher-level control device 22, which in the embodiment provided here is not directly thermally connected to the liquid cooling device 80 without limiting the generality. At the second

Main housing part 6, the external load and auxiliary connection devices 70 are still provided. These serve as an example of the electrical connection to the drive motor, energy storage, in-vehicle consumers and the vehicle electronics.

[38] FIG. 2 schematically shows a liquid cooling device 80 of FIG

inventive power electronic system. Shown is a view of a quasi unfolded housing having a first 4 and a second main housing part 6, whose respective contoured surfaces 840, 860, the flow-through cavity 800 of the liquid cooling device 80, here divided into a plurality of sub-cavities 810, 812, 814, 820, 822 , 824, train. First partial cavities 810, 812, 814 in this case form connection channels to second partial cavities 820, 822, 824, the surfaces of which are then in direct thermal contact with at least one component of the power electronic system to be cooled. The inflow port 82 is provided here on the first main housing part 4 and merges into a first connecting channel 812, which splits 816 whereby two second partial cavities 820, 822 parallel but here consciously not similar flow through with cooling liquid. To regulate the amount of liquid for the two partial cavities and for guiding the cooling liquid is here a structure 830 of

Surface of the first contoured surface 4 in the region of the connecting channel 812 is provided.

[41] One of the two second partial cavities 820, 822, which can be flowed through in parallel, also has structures 830, here at the first 840 and offset to the second contoured surface 860, which guides the cooling medium and the

To improve the heat transfer to the cooling medium serve.

[42] Connection channels 810, which are indicated by dashed arrows in the flow direction, open into the two connecting passageways 820, 822, which flow in parallel, into a common connection channel 818. This is then fired by another second partial cavity 824 with a constriction in FIG

Druchströmungsrichtung on. This constriction is also used with structures 830, 832 of a contoured surface, here only the first surface 840, the guidance of the cooling liquid and the partial change of the flow velocity of the

Cooling medium. Following this second sub-cavity 824 is located in

Throughflow another connecting channel 814 which merges into the drain port 84.

By way of example, the position of a component 12 to be cooled of the power electronic system to a second partial cavity 824 on the

opposite side, ie on the inside of the second main housing part. 6

[44] FIGS. 3 to 5 show various exploded views of a power electronic system according to the invention with a first 4 and a second main housing part 6, each cup-shaped and closable with a cover 5, 7. 3 shows a first exploded view of a first main housing part 4 Viewing obliquely from above to make its first contoured surface 840 visible. In contrast, FIG. 4 shows the view from obliquely below to make the second contoured surface 860 of the second main housing part 6 visible. Finally, FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the second main body part 6. [45] The first contoured surface 840 of the first main body part 4 and the second contoured surface 860 of the second main body part 6 form the

Liquid cooling device 80 of the power electronic system. This is here designed with two second part cavities 820, 824 with a first part cavity 810 as a connecting channel between them and with two further first part cavities 812, 814 for connecting the second part cavities 820, 824 with the inflow 82, and with the outlet port 84 of the housing.

[46] In the first main housing part 4, a first power module 10 in three-phase bridge circuit is provided here, which is formed from three submodules 100. Each submodule 100 has a power electronic circuit on a substrate 110 and a cooling component 150. The cooling member 150 has a plurality of cooling fingers, which are directly umspülbar by a cooling medium. For this purpose, the sub-modules 100 associated with the second sub-cavity 824 per sub-module 100 has a recess 850, in which the cooling components 150 can be used. Of course, these have

Recesses 850 suitable professional sealing devices for sealing the part cavity 824 on.

[47] Common to the three submodules 100 here is a drive circuit 20, which is provided on the side of the substrate 110 remote from the cooling components 150 and is connected to the submodules 100 by means of internal auxiliary connection elements 50.

[48] Furthermore, in the first main housing part 4, a capacitor device 30 is provided which is thermally connected directly to the associated second partial cavity 820. The first surface 840 of the first housing part 4 has in the region of this second partial cavity 820 structures 830 for guiding coolant, which simultaneously serve to improve the heat transfer from the first main housing part 4 to the cooling medium. [49] Only partially shown are internal load 40 and auxiliary connection devices 50, which exemplify the load connection of the first power module 10 with the

Capacitor device 30 serve. Such internal load connection devices 40 are provided for connection to necessary external load connection devices 60. It may be advantageous to provide internal load connection devices 40 at least partially with direct thermal contact to the liquid cooling device 80. Likewise providable are internal plug connection devices 880, which can connect internal load, but also auxiliary connection devices 50 of the main housing parts 4, 6 with each other, and preferably outside of

Liquid cooling device 80, which is limited by a sealing device 870, between the contoured surfaces 840, 860 of the main housing parts 4, 6 is provided.

The second contoured surface 860 of the second main housing part 6 has the submodules 100, more precisely their cooling component 150 opposite structures, here elevations 834 to the flow through the partial cavity 824 through

Limit the space available for the cooling medium to limit. It is preferred that components arranged in the second main housing part 6 are thermally connected to these elevations 834. Since no further structures for improving the thermal connection are provided here, it is advantageous to provide components here whose cooling requirement is lower. By way of example, this can be a further power module designed as a DC-DC converter or a transformer for this purpose.

[51] Furthermore, this second contoured surface 860, in comparison to the first surface 840, has in the region of the partial cavity 820 that the

Capacitor device 30 is also associated with structures. These are

basically identical to those of the first surface 840 formed but offset therefrom arranged.

[52] The two second part cavities 820, 824 assigned and immediately thermally conductive associated with it in the second main housing part 6 more

Power modules 12, 16 provided. One of these power modules 12 forms, together with a transformer, a DC-DC converter, while the other power module 16 regulates the charge of the energy store.

Furthermore provided in the second main housing part 6 and not directly thermally connected to the liquid cooling device 80 in this embodiment is a central control device 12, which can serve to control the components arranged in this main housing part 6 but also to communicate with components of the first main housing part 4. [54] The arranged in the second main housing part 6 components of the

Power electronic system are interconnected by means not fully shown internal load 40 and auxiliary connection devices 50 circuit properly. These internal load and auxiliary connectors 50 also provide the necessary connections of the components to external load 60 and auxiliary connectors disposed on the housing.

Claims

claims

1 . Power electronic system with

a multi-part housing (2) having at least a first (4) and a second main housing part (6),

at least one power module (10, 12, 16),

at least one drive device (20, 22),

at least one capacitor device (30),

internal and external load and auxiliary connection devices (40, 42, 50, 60, 70) and

at least one liquid cooling device (80), each formed by a first (4) and a second main housing part (6), having a through-flow cavity (800) defined by first and second opposing and contoured surfaces (840, 860) of said first (4) and second main body parts (6).

2. Power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

between the respective first and second main housing parts, a sealing device (870) for sealing the permeable cavity (800) is provided.

3. The power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

in a first (4) or a second main housing parts (6), both the inflow (82), as well as the discharge port (84) to the liquid cooling device (80) are provided.

4. The power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one power module (10) is arranged in a first main housing part (4) and is thermally conductively connected to a partial surface of the first contoured surface (840), or this first contoured surface (840) has a respective recess (850) for arranging a cooling element (150 ) of the at least one

Power module (10).

5. Power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

a capacitor device (30) is arranged in a first main housing part (4) and is thermally conductively connected to one of the associated first contoured surface (840).

6. A power electronic system according to claim 4 and 5, wherein at least one power module (10) with an associated capacitor means (30) by means of a first internal load connection means (40) is connected in circuit and this first load connection means (40) thermally conductive with the first contoured surface ( 840) is connected.

7. Power electronic system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein

the first (40) and / or second internal load connection means (42) are electrically insulated and thermally conductively enveloped and are thermally conductively connected to a contoured surface (840, 860) by means of this enclosure.

8. Power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

the drive device (22) is arranged in a second main housing part (6) and is thermally conductively connected to a partial surface of the second contoured surface (860).

9. Power electronic system according to claim 4 and 8, wherein

at least one power module (10, 12) is electrically connected to an associated drive device (20) by means of a plug connection device (880) between respective first (4) and second main housing parts (6).

10. Power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

the respective first (840) and second contoured surfaces (860) form the cavity (800) formed thereby to form at least a first (810, 812, 814) and at least a second part cavity (820, 822, 824).

1 1. The power electronic system of claim 10, wherein

at least a first part of the cavity as a connecting channel (810, 812, 814) is formed.

12. Power electronic system according to claim 10, wherein

at least one partial cavity (810, 812, 814, 820, 822, 824) forms structures (830, 834) for guiding a cooling medium.

13. The power electronic system according to claim 10, wherein

at least one sub-cavity (810, 812, 814, 820, 822, 824) forms structures (832) for changing the flow rate of a cooling medium.

14. Power electronic system according to claim 10, wherein

in the case of a plurality of second partial cavities (820, 822), that second partial cavity (820) is connected to the inflow port (82) of the liquid cooling device (80), whose component of the power electronic system arranged there has the greatest cooling requirement and wherein the further second partial cavities (824) in the order of the cooling demand of the components arranged there can be flowed through.