POWER CONVERTER

• US 20150382501A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: NAKATSU, Kinya, HORIUCHI, Keisuke, HARA, Yosei, KUWANO, Morio, NISHIHARA, Atsuo
• Granted Patent: US 9,585,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/539 with automatic control of output wave form or frequency H02M7/5375 - H02M7/5387 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A power converter includes a power semiconductor module, a first flow path forming body and a second flow path forming body that forms a housing space for storing the power semiconductor module and the first flow path forming body, in which the first flow path forming body is configured of a first side wall section, a second side wall section, and a bottom surface section, the first side wall section forms a first flow path space between one surface of the power semiconductor module and the first side wall section, the second side wall section forms a second flow path space between the other surface of the power semiconductor module and the second side wall section, and cooling refrigerant flows through the housing space, the first flow path space, and the second flow path space.

Claims

1. A power converter comprising:

a power semiconductor module that converts a DC current into an AC current;

a first flow path forming body; and

a second flow path forming body that forms a housing space for storing the power semiconductor module and the first flow path forming body,

wherein the first flow path forming body is configured of a first side wall section facing the power semiconductor module, a second side wall section facing the first side wall section with the power semiconductor module interposed therebetween, and a bottom surface section straddling a bottom surface of the power semiconductor module and connecting the first side wall section and the second side wall section,

wherein the first side wall section forms a first flow path space between one surface of the power semiconductor module and the first side wall section,

wherein the second side wall section forms a second flow path space between the other surface of the power semiconductor module and the second side wall section, and

wherein cooling refrigerant flows through the housing space, the first flow path space, and the second flow path space.

2. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the power semiconductor module has a first heat radiation section facing the first side wall section, a second heat radiation section facing the second side wall section and facing the first heat radiation section with the power semiconductor module interposed therebetween, and a power semiconductor device disposed between the first heat radiation section and the second heat radiation section,

wherein the first heat radiation section has a region in which heat radiation fins are formed and a region in which heat radiation fins are not formed,

wherein the first flow path space is formed in a region facing the region in which heat radiation fins are formed,

wherein the first side wall section has a convex section, and

wherein the convex section protrudes toward the first heat radiation section in a region facing the region in which heat radiation fins are not formed.

3. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the first flow path forming body is formed so that the bottom surface section comes into contact with the bottom surface of the power semiconductor module.

4. The power converter according to any of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover covering the housing space,

wherein the cover has a concave section and an opening section formed on a bottom surface of the concave section,

wherein a terminal of the power semiconductor module penetrates the opening section, and

wherein the power semiconductor module is disposed such that a part of the power semiconductor module is fixed within the concave section.

5. The power converter according to any of claim 1,

wherein the power semiconductor module includes a first power semiconductor module and a second power semiconductor module,

wherein the second power semiconductor module is disposed facing the first power semiconductor module with the second side wall section interposed therebetween,

wherein the first flow path forming body further has a third side wall section facing the second side wall section with the second power semiconductor module interposed therebetween,

wherein the second side wall section forms a third flow path space between one surface of the second power semiconductor module and the second side wall section,

wherein the third side wall section forms a fourth flow path space between the other surface of the second power semiconductor module and the third side wall section,

wherein the first flow path forming body forms a connection flow path space, and

wherein the first flow path forming body is formed such that the connection flow path space is connected to the first flow path space, the second flow path space, the third flow path space, and the fourth flow path space.

6. The power converter according to any of claim 1,

wherein the first flow path forming body is formed by an elastic body.

7. The power converter according to claim 6,

wherein the elastic body is silicon/EPDM/butyl/chloroprene-based rubber.

8. The power converter according to claim 6,

wherein the elastic body is polyethylene/urethane/EPDM/butyl rubber/silicon-based foam.

9. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the first flow path forming body is formed such that one or both of the first side wall section and the second side wall section has a leaf spring structure for being urged toward the power semiconductor module.