High power AC traction inverter cooling

• US 5,253,613 A
• Filed: 04/30/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bailey, Ronald B., Griebel, Ronald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US07/876,678
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 62/259.2, 165/23, 165/42, 165/80.3, 165/185, 165/104.34, 363/141, 174/16.3, 357/75, 357/76, 357/81, 357/82, 361/382, 361/383, 361/384, 123/41.15, 123/41.49, 123/41.65, 123/41.31, 310/52, 310/59, 310/60 A:68 D, 105/49, 105/59, 257/706, 257/707, 257/712, 257/713, 257/718, 257/719
• US Class Current: 123/41.31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels

Abstract

A plurality of high power semiconductor devices are connected in circuit with at least one electric traction motor for controlling electric power to the motor. The semiconductor devices are each thermally connected between a pair of generally hollow heat sinks adapted for passing cooling air therethrough for extracting heat therefrom. An anode terminal of the devices is coupled to one of the heat sinks of a pair and a cathode terminal of the devices is connected to the other heat sink of the pair. Each of the heat sinks are mounted in a cantilever fashion to a common air plenum forming one wall of an electrical circuit area of a vehicle. The distal ends of the heat sinks of a pair are coupled together by an air flow conduit thus forming a continuous air passage through the pair of heat sinks which begins and ends at the surface containing the air supply plenum. One end of one of the pair of heat sinks, preferably the heat sink coupled to the cathode terminal, is connected to an exhaust conduit. Cooling air is then directed into the end of the other heat sink, circulating through the one heat sink and out through the exhaust conduit. In this manner, the cooling air is held in a closed path extending into the electrical circuit area so that contaminants are not deposited on the electrical components.

Claims

1. An alternating current (AC) electric powered locomotive comprising:

a plurality of AC electric motors each coupled in driving relationship to a respective pair of a plurality of pairs of wheels on the locomotive;

a direct current (DC) electric power source;

an inverter mounted in the locomotive, said inverter including a plurality of semiconductor devices arranged for receiving DC electric power from said DC electric power source and for inverting said DC electric power to AC electric power for application to said AC electric motors;

an electrical device compartment defined by at least one wall vertically oriented in said locomotive, an air exhaust and an air supply plenum being formed on an opposite side of said wall from said electrical device compartment, said wall including a plurality of apertures therethrough from each of said air exhaust and said air supply plenums;

a plurality of hollow air cooled heat sinks each having one end attached to said wall in a cantilever fashion, said heat sinks being arranged in pairs such that a first end of one of a pair is coupled to said wall overlaying an aperture therethrough to said air supply plenum and a first end of another of the pair is coupled to said wall overlaying an aperture therethrough to said air exhaust plenum;

clamping means operatively associated with each of said pair of heat sinks and adapted to compress each heat sink of each pair toward the other heat sink of the pair when selected ones of said semiconductor devices are positioned between the heat sinks of each pair of heat sinks, the clamping means clamping said heat sinks into thermal contact with opposing power terminals of said semiconductor devices;

electrically insulative conduit means coupled to second ends of each of said pair of heat sinks for forming a continuous air passage between said heat sinks; and

blower means mounted in the locomotive and coupled to said air supply plenum for forcing air into said supply plenum and into each of said one of said pairs of heat sinks through said wall, in parallel, said air being exhaust from said first end of said another of said pairs of heat sinks through said wall into said exhaust air plenum in parallel.

2. The locomotive of claim 1 wherein said DC electric power source comprises an alternator mounted on the locomotive and a diesel engine coupled in driving relationship with said alternator.

3. A method for improving cooling air performance in a diesel-electric locomotive having a diesel engine coupled in driving relationship with an alternator for supplying electric coupled in driving relationship to wheels of the locomotive, wherein the alternator produces direct current (DC) electric power and an electronic inverter converts the DC power to AC power for the electric motors, the inverter including a plurality of relatively high power semiconductor devices requiring external cooling, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting each of the semiconductor devices between respective pairs of hollow, air cooled heat sinks;

clamping each of the pairs of heat sinks into thermal contact with corresponding ones of the semiconductor devices;

connecting a first end of a first heat sink in each pair of heat sinks to an air supply plenum;

connecting a first end of a second heat sink in each pair of heat sinks to an air exhaust plenum;

coupling an insulative air conduit between second ends of each heat sink in each pair of heat sinks to form a continuous cooling air passage through each pair of heat sinks;

coupling an air blower to the air supply plenum for concurrently flowing air through each pair of heat sinks in parallel; and

isolating the semiconductor devices from the air supply plenum whereby air does not flow directly onto the devices.

4. A direct current to alternating current, power converter system for a traction vehicle comprising:

a source of direct current (DC) electric power;

an inverter including a plurality of relatively high power semiconductor devices coupled in circuit with said DC source converting the DC electric power to alternating current (AC) electric power;

blower means for providing a flow of cooling air;

an electrical device compartment defined by at least one wall vertically oriented in said vehicle, an air exhaust and an air supply plenum being formed on an opposite side of said wall from said electrical device compartment, said wall including a plurality of apertures therethrough from each of said air exhaust and said air supply plenum;

a plurality of hollow air cooled heat sinks each having one end attached to said wall in a cantilever fashion, said heat sinks being arranged in pairs such that a first end of one of a pair is coupled to said wall overlaying an aperture therethrough to said air supply plenum and a first end of another of the pair is coupled to said wall overlaying an aperture therethrough to said air exhaust plenum;

means for directing cooling air from said blower means into said heat sinks;

conduit means coupling at least two of said heat sinks into a serial air flow path for sequentially flowing air through said at least two heat sinks;

exhaust means coupled to a downstream one of said at least two heat sinks for exhausting said cooling air away from said semiconductor devices; and

said selected ones of said semiconductor devices comprising press-packs held under predetermined compression between opposing faces of said at least two heat sinks.