Integrated mounting and cooling apparatus, electronic device, and vehicle

• US 10,005,355 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Brindak, Zachary, Young, Henry, Brown, Theodore, Cillessen, Sean, Murphy, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/604,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20150210158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

An integrated mounting and cooling apparatus includes a housing body having a first mounting surface configured to receive electronic components to be cooled and a heat dissipation channel extending through the housing body under the first mounting surface. An array of cooling fins is disposed in the heat dissipation channel. The apparatus is configured to serve as a mounting surface for the electronic components, as a housing for the electronic components, and a heat-sink to cool the electronic components.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing including a housing body that defines a first mounting surface configured to receive plural first electronic components to be cooled, wherein the housing body further defines a heat dissipation channel that extends through the housing body under the first mounting surface, wherein the housing body comprises a monolithic metal body; and

an array of cooling fins disposed in the heat dissipation channel;

wherein the housing body is configured to conduct heat from the first electronic components to the cooling fins for transfer of the heat from the cooling fins to a first cooling fluid passing through the heat dissipation channel; and

wherein;

the first mounting surface is planar;

the monolithic metal body is generally rectangular cuboid-shaped, and includes top and bottom sides, front and rear sides, and left and right sides;

the monolithic metal body defines a first recess in the top side, wherein the first recess is at least partially bound by the first mounting surface and at least two top sidewalls that are perpendicular to the first mounting surface, the at least two top sidewalls being part of at least two of the front and rear sides and left and right sides of the monolithic metal body; and

the heat dissipation channel extends through the monolithic metal body from the front side to the rear side under the first mounting surface, the heat dissipation channel being substantially coextensive with the first mounting surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing body defines at least one cooling channel extending through the housing body, the at least one cooling channel being configured to receive a second cooling fluid that is different, and fluidly isolated, from the first cooling fluid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing body defines a second mounting surface configured to receive plural second electronic components to be cooled, the first mounting surface being positioned on a top side of the housing body and the second mounting surface being positioned on a bottom side of the housing body and with the heat dissipation channel positioned between the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the monolithic metal body defines a second, recess, and the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are positioned within the first and second recesses, respectively; and

the monolithic metal body defines respective mounts in the first and second recesses, integral with the monolithic metal body, for mounting the plural first electronic components and the plural second electronic components to the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface, respectively.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a first cover configured for connection to top edges of the at least two top sidewalls, at the top side of the monolithic metal body, for at least partially enclosing the first recess.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the monolithic metal body defines a second mounting surface configured to receive plural second electronic components to be cooled, wherein the second mounting surface is planar and is positioned opposite the heat dissipation channel from the first mounting surface on the bottom side of the monolithic metal body;

the monolithic metal body defines a second recess in the bottom side, wherein the second recess is at least partially bound by the second mounting surface and at least two bottom sidewalls that are perpendicular to the second mounting surface, the at least two bottom sidewalls being part of at least two of the front and rear sides and left and right sides of the monolithic metal body; and

the heat dissipation channel is disposed under the second mounting surface and is substantially coextensive with the second mounting surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises:

a first cover configured for connection to top edges of the at least two top sidewalls, at the top side of the monolithic metal body, for at least partially enclosing the first recess; and

a second cover configured for connection to top edges of the at least two bottom sidewalls, at the bottom side of the monolithic metal body, for at least partially enclosing the second recess.

8. An electronic device comprising:

the apparatus of claim 6; and

the plural first electronic components affixed to the first mounting surface; and

the plural second electronic components affixed to the second mounting surface;

wherein a power output of the electronic device, in at least one mode of operation, is from 10 kW to 3000 kW.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the electronic device comprises an H-bridge power converter configured, in one or more of the at least one mode of operation, to convert an electrical input to the power output.

10. A vehicle comprising:

at least one of;

a traction motor and a drive system for electrically powering the traction motor to move the vehicle;

or an auxiliary load and an auxiliary system for electrically powering the auxiliary load;

wherein at least one of the drive system or the auxiliary system includes the electronic device of claim 8, and wherein a gross operating weight of the vehicle is at least 150 metric tons.

11. An electronic device comprising:

the apparatus of claim 1; and

the plural first electronic components affixed to the first mounting surface;

wherein a power output of the electronic device, in at least one mode of operation, is from 10 kW to 3000 kW.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device comprises an H-bridge power converter configured, in one or more of the at least one mode of operation, to convert an electrical input to the power output.

13. A vehicle comprising:

at least one of;

a traction motor and a drive system for electrically powering the traction motor to move the vehicle;

or an auxiliary load and an auxiliary system for electrically powering the auxiliary load;

wherein at least one of the drive system or the auxiliary system includes the electronic device of claim 11, and wherein a gross operating weight of the vehicle is at least 150 metric tons.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling fins are integral with the monolithic metal body such that the fins and housing body are formed of the same piece of metal.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing including a housing body that defines a first mounting surface configured to receive plural first electronic components to be cooled, wherein the housing body further defines a heat dissipation channel that extends through the housing body under the first mounting surface, and wherein the housing body comprises a monolithic metal body; and

an array of cooling fins disposed in the heat dissipation channel;

wherein the housing body is configured to conduct heat from the first electronic components to the cooling fins for transfer of the heat from the cooling fins to a first cooling fluid passing through the heat dissipation channel; and

wherein the cooling fins are integral with the monolithic metal body such that the fins and housing body are formed of the same piece of metal.

16. An electronic device comprising:

the apparatus of claim 15; and

the plural first electronic components affixed to the first mounting surface;

wherein a power output of the electronic device, in at least one mode of operation, is from 10 kW to 3000 kW.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises an H-bridge power converter configured, in one or more of the at least one mode of operation, to convert an electrical input to the power output.

18. A vehicle comprising:

at least one of;

a traction motor and a drive system for electrically powering the traction motor to move the vehicle;

or an auxiliary load and an auxiliary system for electrically powering the auxiliary load;

wherein at least one of the drive system or the auxiliary system includes the electronic device of claim 16, and wherein a gross operating weight of the vehicle is at least 150 metric tons.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising a monolithic metal body that defines a planar mounting surface configured to receive plural electronic components to be cooled, wherein the monolithic metal body further defines a heat dissipation channel extending through the monolithic metal body under the planar mounting surface; and

an array of cooling fins disposed in the heat dissipation channel;

wherein;

the monolithic metal body is configured to conduct heat from the electronic components to the cooling fins for transfer of the heat from the cooling fins to a first cooling fluid passing through the heat dissipation channel;

the monolithic metal body is generally rectangular cuboid-shaped, and includes top and bottom sides, front and rear sides, and left and right sides;

the monolithic metal body defines a first recess in the top side, wherein the first recess is at least partially bound by the planar mounting surface and at least two top sidewalls that are perpendicular to the planar mounting surface, the at least two top sidewalls being part of at least two of the front and rear sides and left and right sides of the monolithic metal body; and

the heat dissipation channel extends through the monolithic metal body from the front side to the rear side under the planar mounting surface, the heat dissipation channel being substantially coextensive with the planar mounting surface.

20. An electronic device comprising:

the apparatus of claim 19; and

the plural electronic components affixed to the planar mounting surface;

wherein a power output of the electronic device, in at least one mode of operation, is from 10 kW to 3000 kW.

21. A vehicle comprising:

at least one of;

a traction motor and a drive system for electrically powering the traction motor to move the vehicle;

or an auxiliary load and an auxiliary system for electrically powering the auxiliary load;

wherein at least one of the drive system or the auxiliary system includes the electronic device of claim 20, and wherein a gross operating weight of the vehicle is at least 150 metric tons.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cooling fins are integral with the monolithic metal body such that the fins and housing body are formed of the same piece of metal.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the monolithic metal body defines at least one cooling channel extending through the housing body, the at least one cooling channel being configured to receive a second cooling fluid that is different, and fluidly isolated, from the first cooling fluid.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the monolithic metal body defines a second recess in the bottom side that is partially bound by another mounting surface configured to receive plural additional electronic components to be cooled, and the heat dissipation channel is positioned between the planar mounting surface and the another mounting surface.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the housing further comprises:

a cover configured for connection to top edges of the at least two top sidewalls, at the top side of the monolithic metal body, for at least partially enclosing the first recess.