Power converter

• US 7,969,735 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Saito, Ryuichi, Funato, Hiroki, Suga, Takashi, Nakamura, Takayoshi, Nakatsu, Kinya
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US12/161,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/699
• 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 20, 30 constituting a main circuit for power conversion; a capacitor 50 electrically connected to the main circuit; drive circuits 70, 71 that provide the main circuit with a drive signal used in power conversion operation; a control circuit 74 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 28 is formed, and a chamber wall of the cooling chamber is formed with a thermally conductive material. At least the semiconductor modules 20, 30 are housed inside the cooling chamber, and at least the capacitor 50 and the control circuit 74 are disposed outside the cooling chamber.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

a semiconductor module constituting a main circuit for power conversion;

a capacitor electrically connected to the main circuit;

a drive circuit that provides 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; and

a cooling chamber comprising a coolant passage formed therein, all housed inside a casing, wherein;

a chamber wall of the cooling chamber is formed with a thermally conductive material;

at least the semiconductor module is housed inside the cooling chamber; and

at least the capacitor and be control circuit are disposed outside the cooling chamber,

further wherein the coolant passage is located over a lower area of the cooling chamber; and

the capacitor, thermally isolated from the semiconductor module via the coolant passage, is disposed on a lower side relative to the cooling chamber and is also thermally connected to the coolant passage.

2. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein:

the cooling chamber is located at an uppermost position inside the casing.

3. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein:

the control circuit, thermally connected to the coolant passage, is disposed on an upper side relative to the cooling chamber.

4. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein:

the control circuit, thermally connected to the coolant passage, is disposed on a lower side relative to the cooling chamber.

5. A power converter according to claim 4, wherein:

the control circuit is disposed on a lower side relative to the capacitor.

6. A power converter according to claim 3, wherein:

the drive circuit, thermally connected to the coolant passage, is disposed together with the control circuit on the upper side relative to the cooling chamber.

7. A power converter according to claim 4, wherein:

the drive circuit, thermally connected to the coolant passage, is disposed together with the control circuit on the lower side relative to the cooling chamber.

8. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein:

the drive circuit, thermally connected to the coolant passage, is housed inside the cooling chamber.

9. A power converter according to claim 1, wherein:

the power convertor is adopted in a hybrid vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor used as vehicle drive sources with motive power output from the internal combustion engine and motive power output from the electric motor transmitted to an axle via a transmission and the electric motor installed inside a casing of the transmission, and

the power converter is installed above the casing of the transmission or above both the casing of the transmission and a casing of the internal combustion engine, via a rigid member constituted of a material with lower thermal conductivity relative to the thermally conductive material.

10. A power converter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a wiring member that electrically connects the semiconductor module with the electric motor, wherein;

the rigid member is hollow inside; and

the wiring member passes through the hollow rigid member, reaches inside the casing of the transmission and is connected to the electric motor.

11. A power converter comprising:

a semiconductor module that comprises a semiconductor element for switching used to convert input electric power to specific electric power and output the specific electric power resulting from conversion;

a smoothing capacitor electrically connected to the semiconductor element;

a drive circuit that, based upon a control signal, provides the semiconductor element with a drive signal used to drive the semiconductor element; and

a control circuit that provides the control signal to the drive circuit, all housed inside a casing, wherein;

a separate chamber is formed inside the casing;

the separate chamber is an adiabatic chamber comprising a coolant passim formed therein and a partitioning wall defining the chamber and constituted of a thermally conductive material so as to inhibit heat release from inside the chamber to an outside;

at least the semiconductor module is housed inside the adiabatic chamber; and

at least the smoothing capacitor and the control circuit are disposed outside the adiabatic chamber,

further wherein the coolant passage is located over a lower area of the adiabatic chamber; and

the capacitor, thermally isolated from the semiconductor module via the coolant passage, is disposed on a lower side relative to the adiabatic chamber and is also thermally connected to the coolant passage.

12. A power converter according to claim 11, wherein:

the adiabatic chamber is located at, an uppermost position inside the casing.

13. A power converter, comprising:

a semiconductor module that converts input electric power to specific electric power and outputs the specific power resulting from conversion by engaging a semiconductor element in switching operation;

a capacitor that forms a smoothing circuit on a DC-side of the semiconductor element;

a drive circuit that provides the semiconductor element with a drive signal used to engage the semiconductor element in operation;

a control circuit that provides the drive circuit with a control signal used to generate the drive signal, all housed inside a casing, wherein;

an internal space at the casing is divided into a plurality of separate internal spaces;

in one of the separate internal spaces at the casing, which is defined and enclosed by a thermally conductive material, a coolant passage is formed and at least the semiconductor module is housed;

at least the capacitor and the control circuit are housed inside an other internal space at the casing not occupied by the semiconductor module;

the other separate internal space is formed under the one of the separate internal spaces at the casing;

the coolant passage is formed between the one of the separate internal spaces at the casing and the other separate internal space at the casing; and

the capacitor, thermally isolated from the semiconductor module via the coolant passage, is housed in the other separate internal space at the casing and is thermally connected to the coolant passage.

14. A power converter, comprising:

a semiconductor module that converts input electric power to specific electric power and outputs the specific power resulting from conversion by engaging a semiconductor element in switching operation;

a capacitor that forms a smoothing circuit on a DC-side of the semiconductor element;

a drive circuit that provides the semiconductor element with a drive signal used to engage the semiconductor element in operation;

a control circuit that provides the drive circuit with a control signal used to generate the drive signal, all housed inside a casing, wherein;

an internal space at the casing is divided into a plurality of separate internal spaces;

in one of the separate, internal spaces at the casing, which is defined and enclosed by a thermally conductive material, a coolant passage is formed and at least the semiconductor module is housed;

at least the capacitor and the control circuit are housed inside an other internal space at the casing not occupied by the semiconductor module; and

the one of the separate internal spaces at the casing is present at an uppermost position inside the casing.

15. A power converter, comprising:

a semiconductor module constituting a main circuit for power conversion;

a capacitor electrically connected to the main circuit;

a drive circuit that provides 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; and

a wiring member that electrically connects the capacitor with the semiconductor module, all housed inside a casing, wherein;

the semiconductor module and the capacitor are disposed in close proximity to each other;

the wiring member comprises a positive pole-side plate-like wiring conductor having a positive pole-side plate-like wiring terminal formed as an integrated part thereof and a negative pole-side plate-like wiring conductor having a negative pole-side plate-like wiring terminal formed as an integrated part thereof, layered one on top of another via an insulating member;

the capacitor comprises a capacitor terminal formed by layering a positive pole-side plate-like capacitor terminal and a negative pole-side plate-like capacitor terminal one on top of another via an insulating member;

the capacitor and the wiring member are connected with each other by clamping the capacitor terminal between the positive pole-side plate-like wiring terminal and the negative pole-side plate-like wiring terminal so that terminals with matching polarity face opposite each other and by locking together the capacitor terminal, the positive pole-side plate-like wiring terminal and the negative pole-side plate-like wiring terminal from a clamping direction;

a cooling chamber with a coolant passage formed therein is formed inside the casing;

a peripheral wall defining the cooling chamber is constituted of a thermally conductive material;

at least the semiconductor module is housed inside the cooling chamber;

the coolant passage is located over a lower area of the cooling chamber;

the capacitor, thermally isolated from the semiconductor module via the coolant passage, is disposed on a lower side relative to the cooling chamber and is also thermally connected to the coolant passage; and

the cooling chamber is located at an uppermost position inside the casing.