Cooling device for electrical power units of electrically operated vehicles

• US 20070051490A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RENK AG (RENK GmbH)
• Original Assignee: RENK AG (RENK GmbH)
• Inventors: Walter, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/02 the heat being derived from the propulsion plant B60H1/00492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A cooling device for an electrical power unit of electrically operated vehicles, comprising at least one power section and at least one control section. A first cooling circuit containing a heat exchanger with a low coolant temperature is provided mainly for cooling elements of the control sections, and a further cooling circuit with a higher coolant temperature is provided mainly for cooling elements of the power sections.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A cooling system for an electrical power unit of an electrically operated vehicle, said power unit comprising at least one power section and at least one control section, said cooling system comprising:

a first cooling circuit arranged primarily for cooling said at least one control section, said first cooling circuit comprising a first heat exchanger designed and arranged to feed coolant to said at least one control section at a first coolant temperature; and

a second cooling circuit arranged primarily for cooling said at least one power section, said second cooling circuit comprising a second heat exchanger designed and arranged to feed coolant to said at least one power section at a second coolant temperature which is higher than said first coolant temperature.

11. The cooling system of claim 9 wherein said second heat exchanger is arranged serially behind said first heat exchanger with respect to a direction of air flow toward said first heat exchanger.

12. The cooling system of claim 11 further comprising a fan, said first heat exchanger being arranged serially behind said fan.

13. An electrical power system for an electrically operated vehicle, said power system comprising:

a power unit comprising at least one power section and at least one control section;

a first cooling circuit arranged primarily for cooling said at least one control section, said first cooling circuit comprising a first heat exchanger designed and arranged to feed coolant to said at least one control section at a first coolant temperature; and

a second cooling circuit arranged primarily for cooling said at least one power section, said second cooling circuit comprising a second heat exchanger designed and arranged to feed coolant to said at least one power section at a second coolant temperature which is higher than said first coolant temperature.

14. The power system of claim 13 wherein said at least one power section and said at least one control section are arranged on a common printed circuit board in a common housing, said system further comprising at least one partition wall arranged between said at least one power section and said at least one control section.

15. The cooling system of claim 14 wherein said at least one partition wall is made of thermally insulating material.

16. The cooling system of claim 13 wherein said at least one power section and said at least one control section are physically separate from one another.

17. The power system of claim 13 wherein said control section comprises elements which are arranged in said at least one power section.

18. The power system of claim 13 wherein said at least one power section comprises elements which are arranged in said at least one control section.

19. A method of cooling an electrical power unit of an electrically operated vehicle, said power unit comprising at least one power section and at least one control section, said method comprising:

arranging a first cooling circuit primarily for cooling said at least one control section, said first cooling circuit comprising a first heat exchanger;

feeding coolant from said first heat exchanger to said at least one control section at a first coolant temperature;

arranging a second cooling circuit primarily for cooling said at least one power section, said second cooling circuit comprising a second heat exchanger; and

feeding coolant from said second heat exchanger to said at least one power section at a second coolant temperature which is higher than said first coolant temperature.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said second heat exchanger is arranged serially behind said first heat exchanger with respect to a direction of air flow toward said first heat exchanger.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising blowing air toward said first heat exchanger with a fan.