High power inverter air cooling

• US 6,233,149 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1997
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Singh, Vinod Kumar, Bailey, Ronald Barry, Kennedy, Wayne Alexander, Wildi, Eric Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US08/839,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/685, 361/689, 361/690, 361/697, 361/700, 361/712, 361/721, 361/723, 361/692, 361/694, 257/706-727, 257/696, 257/752, 165/80, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/76, 165/185, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/122, 298/900.3, 295/09, 174/16.3, 174/16.1, 62/36, 62/32, 622/592, 622/08, 622/09
• US Class Current: 361/704
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/115 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels

Abstract

An electrically powered vehicle includes an inverter mounted in the vehicle, the inverter having a plurality of high power IGBT modules for converting DC power to AC power for application to a plurality of AC electric motors connected in driving relationship to wheels on the vehicle. Each of the IGBT modules is mounted in thermal transfer relationship to an electrically isolated base plate and each base plate has a plurality of closely spaced, parallel slots formed across one surface with a plurality of fins fitted into the slots and extending from the base plate. The system includes apparatus for mounting the IGBT modules to a wall separating an electronics compartment from an air supply and air exhaust compartment. Air from an air supply plenum in the air supply compartment is directed into the fins extending from the IGBT base plate and exhaust through an exhaust conduit. The vehicle includes a blower to force air to flow through the fins extending from the base plate.

Claims

1. In a relatively high power electrical system including a plurality of IGBT modules connected in an electrical power switching circuit, the improvement wherein each of the IGBT modules includes:

an electrically isolated, thermally coupled base plate, the base plate having a plurality of closely spaced, heat radiating fins extending in parallel arrangement across an exposed surface of the base plate;

an electrical device compartment defined by at least one wall, an air exhaust conduit and an air supply plenum being formed on an opposite side of the wall from the electrical device compartment, the wall including a plurality of apertures therethrough from each of the air exhaust conduit and the air supply plenum, the IGBT modules being mounted to the one wall such that the IGBT device is positioned in the electrical device compartment and the plurality of fins extend through the one wall; and

a barrier attached to the one wall adjacent each end of the fins for defining a cooling air flow path through the fins for cooling the modules.

2. In a relatively high power electrical system including a plurality of IGBT modules connected in an electrical power switching circuit, the improvement wherein each of the IGBT modules includes:

an electrically isolated, thermally coupled base plate, the base plate having a plurality of closely spaced, heat radiating fins extending in parallel arrangement across an exposed surface of the base plate;

an electrical device compartment defined by at least one wall, an air exhaust conduit and an air supply plenum being formed on an opposite side of the wall from the electrical device compartment, the wall including a plurality of apertures therethrough from each of the air exhaust conduit and the air supply plenum, the IGBT modules being mounted to the one wall such that the IGBT device is positioned in the electrical device compartment and the plurality of fins extend through the one wall; and

a housing circumscribing the fins and a generally U-shaped partition extending across the housing transverse to the fins for defining a generally U-shaped air flow path through the fins for defining a cooling air flow path through the fins for cooling the modules.

3. In a relatively high power electrical system including a plurality of IGBT modules connected in an electrical power switching circuit, the improvement wherein each of the IGBT modules includes:

an electrically isolated, thermally coupled base plate, the base plate having a plurality of closely spaced, heat radiating fins extending in parallel arrangement across an exposed surface of the base plate;

an electrical device compartment defined by at least one wall, an air exhaust conduit and an air supply plenum being formed on an opposite side of the wall from the electrical device compartment, the wall including a plurality of apertures therethrough from each of the air exhaust conduit and the air supply plenum, the IGBT modules being mounted to the one wall such that the IGBT device is positioned in the electrical device compartment and the plurality of fins extend through the one wall; and

a back plate situated parallel to the one wall and covering at least a portion of side edges of the fins for defining a cooling air flow path through the fins for cooling the modules.

4. In a relatively high power electrical system including a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) modules connected in an electrical power switching circuit, the IGBT modules generating heat during their switching operations, and cooling air directed to flow past the modules to dissipate the heat from the modules and enable continued operation of the IGBT modules, the improvement wherein each of the IGBT modules includes:

an electrically isolated, thermally coupled base plate;

a plurality of closely spaced, heat radiating fins of generally similar shape and size mounted on the base plate, with the fins extending in a generally parallel arrangement from a first end of the fins constituting a base end of the fins, across an exposed face of the base plate and toward a second end of the fins spaced from the base plate, constituting a remote end of the fins; and

a barrier positioned at a first edge of the fins for blocking flow of cooling air between the edges thereof and defining a cooling air path between adjacent fins from the remote ends thereof for guiding a substantial portion of the cooling air directed toward the IGBT modules to flow along the cooling air path and between the fins for enhanced dissipation of heat generated by the IGBT modules.

5. In a relatively high power electrical system including a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) modules connected in an electrical power switching circuit, the IGBT modules generating heat during their switching operations, and cooling air directed to flow past the modules to dissipate the heat from the modules and enable continued operation of the IGBT modules, the improvement wherein each of the IGBT modules includes:

an electrically isolated, thermally coupled base plate;

a plurality of closely spaced, heat radiating fins of generally similar shape and size mounted on the base plate, with the fins extending in a generally parallel arrangement from a first end of the fins constituting a base end of the fins, across an exposed face of the base plate and toward a second end of the fins spaced from the base plate, constituting a remote end of the fins; and

a housing having barriers at the edges of the fins for blocking flow of cooling air past the edges thereof and a partition extending generally transversely across the fins and projecting from the remote ends of the fins toward but stopping short of the base plate for guiding a substantial portion of the cooling air directed toward the IGBT modules to flow along the cooling air path from one side of the partition, between the partition and the base plate and to the other side of the partition between the fins for enhanced dissipation of heat generated by the IGBT modules.

6. In a relatively high power electrical system including a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) modules connected in an electrical power switching circuit, the IGBT modules generating heat during their switching operations, and cooling air directed to flow past the modules to dissipate the heat from the modules and enable continued operation of the IGBT modules, the improvement wherein each of the IGBT modules includes:

an electrically isolated, thermally coupled base plate;

a plurality of closely spaced, heat radiating fins of generally similar shape and size mounted on the base plate, with the fins extending in a generally parallel arrangement from a first end of the fins constituting a base end of the fins, across an exposed face of the base plate and toward a second end of the fins spaced from the base plate, constituting a remote end of the fins; and

a closure member extending over at least a portion of the fins at the remote ends thereof and together with the base plate and fins defining a cooling air path between adjacent fins for guiding a substantial portion of the cooling air directed toward the IGBT modules to flow along the cooling air path and between the fins for enhanced dissipation of heat generated by the IGBT modules.