COOLING ARRANGEMENT FOR A DIRECT CURRENT POWER SUPPLY

• US 3,829,740 A
• Filed: 07/09/1973
• Issued: 08/13/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack O. Beasley
• Original Assignee: Jack O. Beasley
• Inventors: Beasley, Jack O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/377,529
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 321/8R,8C 310/68D 317/100 336/61 174/15R,16R 165/105
• US Class Current: 361/697
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20936 Liquid coolant with phase change

Abstract

Apparatus and method for dissipating the heat generated by the components of a power supply. The components can be isolated from one another in a plurality of sealed compartments. Each isolated component can be thermally connected to a heat pipe which is operative to transfer heat generated by the respective component out of its sealed compartment to a heat sink which is in communication with ambient air currents.

Claims

1. A direct current power supply comprising:

a first sealed compartment;

a transformer having a primary and a secondary mounted within said first sealed compartment, said primary being electrically coupled to an external source of alternating current;

a second sealed compartment;

a plurality of solid state rectifying devices mounted within said second sealed compartment;

coupling means for electrically coupling said plurality of solid state devices to said transformer;

a heat dissipation compartment; and

a heat pipe coupled to said transformer and to each of said plurality of solid state devices within their respective sealed compartments and extending therefrom directly out of said respective sealed compartments into said heat dissipatIon compartment, said heat pipe having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment so that heat generated by the transformer and by each of the solid state devices is directly absorbed by said heat pipe and transferred therethrough out of said first and second sealed compartments directly to the heat sink for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.

2. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 further comprising a fan operative to provide air flow through said heat dissipation compartment.

3. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein the heat sink mounted on said heat pipe comprises a plurality of heat dissipation fins.

4. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein the primary and the secondary of said transformer are single-phase.

5. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein the primary and the secondary of said transformer are three-phase.

6. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of solid state rectifying devices is electrically coupled by said coupling means to the secondary of said transformer.

7. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein said heat pipe includes said means for electrically coupling said plurality of solid state devices to said transformer.

8. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein said solid state devices are diodes.

9. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 wherein said solid state devices are silicon controlled rectifiers.

10. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 9 wherein said silicon controlled rectifiers are electrically coupled by said coupling means to the primary of said transformer.

11. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary heat sink disposed within said heat dissipation compartment and thermally coupled to each of said solid state devices.

12. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 11 wherein each of said solid state devices has an anode and a cathode, and said heat pipe is thermally coupled to the anode of each of said solid state devices, and said auxiliary heat sink is thermally coupled to the cathode of each of said solid state devices.

13. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 11 wherein said auxiliary heat sink is mounted on said heat pipe.

14. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 11 wherein said auxiliary heat sink is mounted on said heat pipe and comprises a plurality of heat dissipation fins.

15. A direct current power supply comprising:

a first sealed compartment;

a transformer having a primary and a secondary mounted within said first sealed compartment, said primary being electrically coupled to an external source of alternating current;

a second sealed compartment;

a plurality of solid state rectifying devices mounted within said second sealed compartment;

coupling means for electrically coupling said plurality of solid state devices to the secondary of said transformer;

a heat dissipation compartment; and

a plurality of heat pipes coupled to said transformer and to each of said solid state rectifying devices within their respective sealed compartments and extending therefrom directly out of said respective sealed compartments into said heat dissipation compartment, each of said plurality of heat pipes having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment so that heat generated by the transformer and by each of the solid state devices is directly absorbed by said heat pipes and transferred therethrough out of said first and second sealed compartments directly to the heat sinks for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.

16. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein each of said solid stat devices has an anode and a cathode, individual ones of said plurality of heat pipes being thermally coupled to the anode of individual ones of said solid state dEvices;

and further comprising a plurality of auxiliary heat sinks disposed within said heat dissipation compartment, individual ones of said plurality of auxiliary heat sinks being thermally coupled through the wall of said second sealed compartment to the cathode of individual ones of said solid state devices.

17. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein each of said solid state devices has an anode and a cathode, individual ones of said plurality of heat pipes being thermally coupled to the anode of individual ones of said solid state devices;

and further comprising a second plurality of heat pipes each having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment, individual ones of said second plurality of heat pipes extending into said second sealed compartment and thermally coupled to the cathode of individual ones of said solid state devices.

18. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 17 wherein the heat sinks mounted on said second plurality of heat pipes each comprise a plurality of heat dissipation fins.

19. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein said plurality of heat pipes includes said coupling means for electrically coupling said solid state devices to the secondary of said transformer.

20. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein each of said plurality of heat pipes is thermally coupled at one end to said transformer and at the opposite end to one of said solid state devices, and the heat sink mounted on each of said plurality of heat pipes is mounted intermediate the length thereof.

21. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 further comprising a plurality of silicon controlled rectifiers mounted within one of said first and second sealed compartments;

second coupling means for electrically coupling said silicon controlled rectifiers to the primary of said transformer, said silicon controlled rectifiers being operative to regulate and control the power supply output; and

a second plurality of heat pipes coupled to each of said silicon controlled rectifiers within their sealed compartment and extending therefrom directly out of their sealed compartment and into said heat dissipation compartment, each of said second plurality of heat pipes having a heat sink mounted thereon within said dissipation compartment so that heat generated by each of said silicon controlled rectifiers is directly absorbed by said second plurality of heat pipes and is transferred therethrough directly to the heat sinks for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.

22. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 further comprising a third sealed compartment;

a plurality of silicon controlled rectifiers mounted within said third sealed compartment;

second coupling means for electrically coupling said silicon controlled rectifiers to the primary of said transformer, said silicon controlled rectifiers being operative to regulate and control the power supply output; and

a second plurality of heat pipes coupled to each of said silicon controlled rectifiers within said third compartment and extending therefrom directly out of said third sealed compartment and into said heat dissipation compartment, each of said second plurality of heat pipes having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment so that heat generated by each of said silicon controlled rectifiers is directly absorbed by said second plurality of heat pipes and transferred therethrough out of said third compartment directly to the heat sinks mounted thereon for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.

23. A direct current power supply as recited in claim 15 further comprising a fan operative to provide air flow through said heat dissipation compartment.

24. A direct current power supply comprising:

a transformer having a primary and a secondary, said primary being electrically coupled to an external source of alternating current;

a plurality of solid sTate rectifying devices electrically coupled to said transformer, said transformer and said plurality of solid state devices being mounted within a plurality of sealed compartments;

a heat dissipation compartment open to ambient air; and

a heat pipe coupled to said transformer and to each of said solid state devices within their respective sealed compartments and extending therefrom directly out of said respective sealed compartments and into said heat dissipation compartment, said heat pipe having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment so that heat generated by the transformer and by each of the solid state devices is directly absorbed by said heat pipe and transferred therethrough out of the sealed compartments directly to the heat sink for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.

25. A direct current power supply comprising:

a sealed compartment, a plurality of solid state rectifying devices mounted within said sealed compartment, said devices having first and second terminals, one of said first and second terminals being electrically coupled to an external source of alternating current and the other of said first and second terminals forming the output of the power supply;

a heat dissipation compartment; and

a heat pipe coupled to each of said solid state rectifying devices within said sealed compartment and extending therefrom directly out of said sealed compartment and into said heat dissipation compartment, said heat pipe having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment so that heat generated by solid state rectifying devices is directly absorbed by said heat pipe and transferred therethrough out of said sealed compartment directly to said heat sink for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.

26. A direct current power supply comprising:

first and second sealed compartments;

a transformer having a primary and a secondary mounted within said first compartment and electrically coupled to an external source of alternating current;

a plurality of solid state rectifying devices mounted within said second compartment;

a heat dissipation compartment open to ambient air;

a plurality of electrically conductive heat pipes extending through said heat dissipation compartment and into each of said first and second sealed compartments, each of said heat pipes having one end electrically and thermally coupled to said transformer and the other end electrically and thermally coupled to one of said solid state devices, each of said heat pipes having a heat sink mounted thereon within said heat dissipation compartment so that heat generated by the transformer and by each of said solid state devices is directly absorbed by said heat pipes and transferred therethrough out of said first and second sealed compartments directly to the heat sinks for dissipation within said heat dissipation compartment.