Cooling device for semiconductor modules

• US 20040066629A1
• Filed: 06/18/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Balszunat, Dirk, Milich, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 6,822,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/717
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A cooling device for semiconductor modules having: a cooler bar for accommodating at least one, particularly actively cooled semiconductor module; at least one first channel, particularly a bore hole, in the cooler bar for the passage of a, in particular, liquid coolant; and at least one second channel, particularly a bore hole, in the cooler bar for the feeding and/or return of the coolant to/from the semiconductor module.

Claims

1. A cooling device for at least one semiconductor module, comprising:

a cooler bar for accommodating the at least one semiconductor module, the cooler bar including;

at least one first channel for a passage of a liquid coolant, and

at least one second channel for permitting at least one of a feeding and a return of the liquid coolant at least one of to and from the at least one semiconductor module.

2. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one semiconductor module includes at least two semiconductor modules, and

the liquid coolant is able to be one of supplied to and carried away from the at least two semiconductor modules in parallel via at least one of a supply channel and a return channel of the cooler bar.

3. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one semiconductor module includes at least two semiconductor modules,

the liquid coolant is able to be one of supplied to and carried away from the at least two semiconductor modules in series via at least one of a supply channel and a return channel of the cooler bar, and

the liquid coolant is able to be conducted via the cooler bar from one of the at least two semiconductor modules to another one of the at least two semiconductor modules that is additionally mounted.

4. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the cooler bar includes at least one supply channel and at least one return channel.

5. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the cooler bar includes a metal.

6. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the cooler bar includes at least one fixing device for securing the at least one semiconductor module.

7. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the cooler bar includes bore holes for securing the at least one semiconductor module and a further element.

8. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing element for sealing between channels of the at least one second channel.

9. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the liquid coolant includes one of water and demineralized water.

10. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one semiconductor module includes at least one semiconductor power switch corresponding to one of an IGBT, a GTO, an IGCT, a MOSFET, and a bipolar transistor.

11. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the cooler bar forms a support structure by which at least one of;

the at least one semiconductor module is able to be interconnected, and

the cooling device is able to be secured.

12. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the cooler bar includes at least one of;

a structural element,

an electric line,

a sensor, and

and a control element.

13. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one semiconductor module includes a plurality of semiconductor modules arranged on several sides of the cooler bar.

14. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

respective diameters of the at least one first channel and the at least one second channel are different depending on a flow rate of the liquid coolant.

15. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one semiconductor module includes at least one actively cooled semiconductor module.

16. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one first channel includes a bore hole.

17. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one second channel includes a bore hole.

18. The cooling device as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the metal includes aluminum.

19. The cooling element as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the sealing element includes O-rings.