Cooling device and electric vehicle using cooling device

• US 8,342,276 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Murakami, Tomoatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US12/866,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20100326750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 180/165, 180/65.22, 180/65.31, 180/65.275, 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 361/698, 361/699, 174/15.1, 257712-714
• US Class Current: 180/65.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 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 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Provided are a cooling device and an electric vehicle using the cooling device. The cooling device is used for cooling a switching module containing a switching element as a heating element. The cooling device includes a cooling liquid channel having a plurality of cooling fins through which the cooling liquid flows. The cooling fins have a cut-off portion at the position corresponding at least to a center portion of chips constituting the switching module in the flow direction of the cooling liquid. A chamber is formed in the cooling liquid channel by the cut-off portion.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus for cooling a heat emission device, comprising:

a cooling liquid passage for passing a cooling liquid therethrough, the cooling liquid passage having a plurality of cooling fins;

the cooling fins having recesses defined therein at positions corresponding to at least a center of the heat emission device in a flow direction of the cooling liquid, the recesses defining a chamber without an introduction port for additional cooling liquid, in the cooling liquid passage,

wherein the center of the heat emission device is positioned within the chamber in a plan view in which the heat emission device overlaps with the cooling liquid passage.

2. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fins have round portions at ends thereof in at least the flow direction of the cooling liquid.

3. A cooling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heat spreader disposed between the heat emission device and the cooling fins;

a plurality of the heat emission devices being disposed in common on the heat spreader.

4. An electric vehicle comprising:

a cooling apparatus according to claim 1;

an electric motor for rotating wheels;

an electric generator and an electricity storage device for supplying electric power in a parallel relationship to the electric motor; and

a DC/DC converter connected between the electricity storage device and the electric generator, for converting voltage generated by the electricity storage device and applying the converted voltage to the electric motor, and converting voltage regenerated by the electric motor in a regenerative mode or voltage generated by the electric generator and applying the converted voltage to the electricity storage device,

wherein the heat emission device includes a switching device provided in the DC/DC converter.

5. An electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the electric generator comprises a fuel cell.

6. A cooling apparatus for cooling a heat emission device, comprising:

a cooling liquid passage for passing a cooling liquid therethrough, the cooling liquid passage having a plurality of cooling fins;

the cooling fins having recesses defined therein at positions corresponding to at least a center of the heat emission device in a flow direction of the cooling liquid, the recesses defining a chamber in the cooling liquid passage, wherein a height of the chamber is greater than a height of the cooling fins;

a heat spreader disposed between the heat emission device and the cooling finds; and

a plurality of the heat emission devices being disposed in common on the heat spreader.

7. A cooling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the cooling fins have round portions at ends thereof in at least the flow direction of the cooling liquid.

8. An electric vehicle comprising:

a cooling apparatus according to claim 6;

an electric motor for rotating wheels;

an electric generator and an electricity storage device for supplying electric power in a parallel relationship to the electric motor; and

a DC/DC converter connected between the electricity storage device and the electric generator, for converting voltage generated by the electricity storage device and applying the converted voltage to the electric motor, and converting voltage regenerated by the electric motor in a regenerative mode or voltage generated by the electric generator and applying the converted voltage to the electricity storage device,

wherein the heat emission device includes a switching device provided in the DC/DC converter.

9. An electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the electric generator comprises a fuel cell.

10. A cooling apparatus for cooling a heat emission device, comprising:

a cooling liquid passage for passing a cooling liquid therethrough, the cooling liquid passage having a plurality of cooling fins;

the cooling fins having recesses defined therein at positions corresponding to at least a center of the heat emission device in a flow direction of the cooling liquid, the recesses defining a chamber without an introduction port for additional cooling liquid, in the cooling liquid passage,

wherein the recesses cause disturbances in a flow of the cooling liquid at a position corresponding to a center of the heat emission device in a flow direction of the cooling liquid.

11. A cooling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cooling fins have round portions at ends thereof in at least the flow direction of the cooling liquid.

12. A cooling apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a heat spreader disposed between the heat emission device and the cooling fins;

a plurality of the heat emission devices being disposed in common on the heat spreader.

13. An electric vehicle comprising:

a cooling apparatus according to claim 10;

an electric motor for rotating wheels;

an electric generator and an electricity storage device for supplying electric power in a parallel relationship to the electric motor; and

a DC/DC converter connected between the electricity storage device and the electric generator, for converting voltage generated by the electricity storage device and applying the converted voltage to the electric motor, and converting voltage regenerated by the electric motor in a regenerative mode or voltage generated by the electric generator and applying the converted voltage to the electricity storage device,

wherein the heat emission device includes a switching device provided in the DC/DC converter.

14. An electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the electric generator comprises a fuel cell.