Power Converter

• US 20150313040A1
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: NAKATSU, Kinya, NAKAMURA, Takayoshi, SAITO, Ryuichi, SUGA, Takashi, FUNATO, Hiroki
• Application Number:
  US14/791,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20150313040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 : for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The object is to provide a power converter which is capable of minimizing an extent to which the power converter components other than the semiconductor module are thermally affected by the heat originating from the semiconductor module.

A casing houses: semiconductor modules constituting a main circuit for power conversion; a capacitor electrically connected to the main circuit; drive circuits that provide the main circuit with a drive signal used in power conversion operation; a control circuit that provides the drive circuit with a control signal used to prompt the drive circuit to provide the drive signal. Within the casing, a cooling chamber including a coolant passage is formed, and a chamber wall of the cooling chamber is formed with a thermally conductive material. At least the semiconductor modules are housed inside the cooling chamber, and at least the capacitor and the control circuit are disposed outside the cooling chamber.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

a semiconductor module that comprises a power semiconductor element to convert DC power to AC power;

an AC-side connecting conductor that transmits the AC power; and

a passage forming body that is constructed of a thermally conductive member and forms a coolant passage through which coolant flows, wherein

the passage forming body is provided with a through hole for communicating the AC-side connecting conductor therein.

2. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a case that defines a housing space for housing the semiconductor module and is provided with an opening portion, wherein

the opening portion of the case is closed by the passage forming body in a state in which the semiconductor module is housed in the housing space of the case.

3. The power converter according to claim 2, wherein

the AC-side connecting conductor comprises a U-phase connecting conductor, a V-phase connecting conductor and a W-phase connecting conductor, and

the passage forming body is provided with a first through hole for communicating the U-phase connecting conductor, a second through hole for communicating the V-phase connecting conductor and a third through hole for communicating the W-phase connecting conductor.

4. The power converter according to claim 3, wherein

the first through hole, the second through hole and the third through hole are arranged along a direction in which the coolant flows.

5. The power converter according to claim 2, further comprising:

an AC terminal holder that holds the AC-side connecting conductor, wherein

the semiconductor module is disposed at one side of the passage forming body and the AC terminal holder is disposed at another side of the passage forming body, opposite to the semiconductor module via the passage forming body.

6. The power converter according to claim 2, wherein

the semiconductor module is disposed at one side of the passage forming body,

the passage forming body is provided with an opening that communicates with the passage at the side of the passage forming body where the semiconductor module is disposed,

the semiconductor module is provided with a heat transfer plate on which the power semiconductor element is mounted via an insulating substrate, and

the heat transfer plate closes the opening so as to directly contact with the coolant.