Power Supply Cooling System

• US 20080061047A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Inventors: Kornprobst, Michael F., Borowy, Dennis M., Morris, Ronald E.
• Application Number:
  US11/614,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/130.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/003 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R

Abstract

An improved cooling system for a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system. The cooling systems includes sections that are divided. One section contains electrical components and remains relatively clean, and does not receive an airflow from a fan. Another section does not contain electrical components and channels a majority of the airflow into and out of the power supply. The section channeling the majority of the airflow shields the section with the electrical components from a majority of the airflow. The method includes step of forming and disposing the structure of the cooling system.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, comprising:

a first section of the power supply containing a plurality of electrical components; and

a second section of the power supply that receives a majority of a gas flow directed into the power supply by a fan, the second section directing the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply,

wherein the second section separates the majority of the gas flow from the electrical components.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first section is a clean section that is less exposed than the second section to an environmental contaminant in the gas flow.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the second section is a dirty section that is more exposed than the first section to an environmental contaminant in the gas flow.

4. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein a direction of the gas flow received into the second section is redirected in a different direction.

5. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein a direction of the gas flow received into the second section is at approximately a right angle to a direction of the gas flow directed out of the power supply.

6. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the fan directs another gas flow in a direction away from the second section.

7. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the second section directs the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply in at least two directions, a portion of the majority of the gas flow directed in each of the at least two directions.

8. The cooling system of claim 7, wherein a portion of the second section that receives the majority of the gas flow is disposed between portions of the second section that direct the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply.

9. The cooling system of claim 8, wherein a gas flow in the portion that receives the majority of the gas flow is cooler than gas flows in the portions that direct the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply.

10. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the second section that receives the majority of the gas flow is disposed in an approximate middle section of the power supply.

11. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the gas flow enters a side of the power supply and exits at another side the power supply, the side and another side adjacent to each other.

12. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the second section is formed to have at least one wall, a plurality of electrical components being in thermal contact with the at least one wall.

13. The cooling system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of electrical components include at least one of a resistor, a silicon power device, or a magnetic device.

14. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein a majority of the second section constricts the majority of the gas flow.

15. A method of cooling a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, comprising:

forming a first section within the power supply containing a plurality of electrical components; and

forming a second section within the power supply for receiving a majority of a gas flow directed by a fan into the power supply, the second section directing the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply,

wherein the second section separates the majority of the gas flow from the plurality of electrical components.

16. A cooling system for a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, comprising:

a section of the power supply channeling a majority of a gas flow directed by a fan into the power supply through and out of the power supply, the section shielding a plurality of electrical components from the majority of the gas flow.

17. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein the section receives the majority of the gas flow in a direction and channels the majority of the gas flow in a different direction.

18. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein a direction of the gas flow received into the section is at approximately a right angle to a direction of the gas flow channeled out of the power supply.

19. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein the fan directs another gas flow in a direction away from the section.

20. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein the section channels the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply in at least two directions, a portion of the majority of the gas flow directed in each of the at least two directions.

21. The cooling system of claim 20, wherein a portion of the section that receives the majority of the gas flow is disposed between portions of the section that channel the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply.

22. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein a gas flow in the portion that receives the majority of the gas flow is cooler than gas flows in the portions that channel the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply.

23. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein a portion of the section that receives the majority of the gas flow is disposed in an approximate middle section of the power supply.

24. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein the gas flow enters a side of the power supply and a portion of the majority of the gas flow exits at another side of the power supply, the side and another side adjacent to each other.

25. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein the section is formed to have at least one wall, a plurality of electrical components being in thermal contact with the at least one wall.

26. The cooling system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of electrical components include at least one of a resistor, a silicon power device, or a magnetic device.

27. The cooling system of claim 16, wherein a majority of the section constricts the majority of the gas flow.

28. A method of cooling a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, comprising:

forming within a power supply a section of the power supply capable of channeling a majority of a gas flow directed into the power supply by a fan through and out of the power supply, the section shielding a plurality of electrical components disposed in the power supply from the majority of the gas flow.

29. A cooling system for a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, comprising:

a section disposed within the power supply that receives a majority of a gas flow directed into the power supply by a fan, the section directing the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply, the section being substantially devoid of electrical components.

30. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein the section receives the majority of the gas flow in a direction and directs the majority of the gas flow in a different direction.

31. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein a direction of the gas flow received into the section is at approximately a right angle to a direction of the gas flow directed out of the power supply.

32. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein the fan directs another gas flow in a direction away from the section.

33. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein the section directs the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply in at least two directions, a portion of the majority of the gas flow directed in each of the at least two directions.

34. The cooling system of claim 33, wherein a portion of the section that receives the majority of the gas flow is disposed between portions of the section that direct the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply.

35. The cooling system of claim 34, wherein a gas flow in the portion that receives the majority of the gas flow is cooler than gas flows in the portions that direct the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply.

36. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein a portion of the section that receives the majority of the gas flow is disposed in an approximate middle section of the power supply.

37. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein the gas flow enters a side of the power supply and a portion of the majority of the gas flow exits at another side of the power supply, the side and another side adjacent to each other.

38. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein the section is formed to have at least one wall, a plurality of electrical components being in thermal contact with the at least one wall.

39. The cooling system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of electrical components include at least one of a resistor, a silicon power device, or a magnetic device.

40. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein a majority of the section constricts the majority of the gas flow.

41. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein the gas flow is an airflow.

42. A method of cooling a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, comprising:

forming a section within the power supply that receives a majority of a gas flow directed into the power supply by a fan, the section directing the majority of the gas flow out of the power supply, the section being substantially devoid of electrical components.