Power converter

• US 8,693,193 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Satoshi, Watanabe, Toshio, Idenoue, Shinsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, GREGORY D
• Application Number:
  US13/194,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20120188712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/688
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/642 Capacitive arrangements H01L23/49589, H01L23/645, H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence; capacitive effects between wiring layers on the semiconductor body H01L23/5222
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/117 Stacked arrangements of devices
• 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 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

In a power converter in which semiconductor modules are arranged on both surfaces of a cooler for downsizing, an excellent connection between control boards and a low inductance connection between smoothing capacitors and the semiconductor modules are performed at the same time. The semiconductor modules are disposed on both surfaces of the cooler, and control boards that control the semiconductor modules are arranged opposite to the respective semiconductor modules. The semiconductor modules and the cooler are held between the control boards. A current detector or a terminal block is disposed at a position perpendicular to a surface on which the cooler and the semiconductor modules contact each other, opposite to the cooler. The respective control boards disposed on both surfaces of the cooler are electrically connected by using wirings provided in the current detector or the terminal block.

Claims

1. A power converter comprising:

semiconductor modules each having a semiconductor element mounted thereon;

a cooler for cooling the semiconductor modules;

control boards that control the semiconductor modules; and

a current detector that detects one of an input current and an output current of the semiconductor modules,

wherein the semiconductor modules are arranged on both surfaces of the cooler,

wherein the current detector is arranged to face a surface of the cooler, which is not in contact with the semiconductor modules,

wherein at least two of the control boards are arranged to hold the cooler, the semiconductor modules, and the current detector therebetween, and

wherein the current detector has a wiring that electrically connects between the control boards.

2. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a metal bracket having one end fixed to the cooler, and the other holding the current detector,

wherein the end of the metal bracket which holds the current detector is positioned between the current detector and the control boards facing the current detector.

3. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein a current detection board having a current detection function is disposed within the current detector, at least a part of wirings that is disposed in the current detector and connects between the respective control boards is formed on the current detection board, and a noise suppression parts is connected to the wiring formed on the current detection board.

6. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein driver circuits that drive the semiconductor modules are provided on portions of the control boards opposite to the semiconductor modules,

wherein an output control circuit that operates the semiconductor modules and controls an output of the power converter is provided on a portion of the control boards opposite to the current detector or the terminal block, and

wherein the respective driver circuits or the driver circuits and the output control circuit are connected by a wiring that is disposed on the current detector or the terminal block, and electrically connects between the control boards.

8. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the connection between the wirings that electrically connect among the respective control boards and provided in the current detector or the terminal block, and the control boards is the same as the connection of control terminals of the semiconductor modules and the control boards.

9. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein parts lowest in the highest usable temperature, parts largest in heating, or both thereof among parts mounted on the control boards facing the semiconductor modules are mounted on a portion of the control boards opposite to the current detector or the terminal block.

10. The power converter according to claim 9,

wherein a part or all of the semiconductor elements configuring the semiconductor modules is a semiconductor having a band gap of 2.0 eV or higher.

11. The power converter according to claim 9,

wherein a part or all of the semiconductor elements configuring the semiconductor modules is made of one of silicon carbide, a gallium nitride material and diamond.

12. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor modules electrically connected to a positive pole side of an input wiring and an output wiring is disposed on a first main surface of the cooler,

wherein a semiconductor modules electrically connected to a negative pole side of the input wiring and the output wiring is disposed on a second main surface of the cooler,

wherein the semiconductor modules disposed on the first main surface and the second main surface of the cooler are connected in series to form one power converter circuit,

wherein a positive pole side control board that controls the semiconductor modules at the positive pole side is mounted on the first main surface of the cooler,

wherein a negative pole side control board that controls the semiconductor modules at the negative pole side is mounted on the second main surface of the cooler,

wherein the respective control boards are electrically connected by the wirings that are disposed on the current detector or the terminal block, and electrically connect between the respective control boards, and

wherein the semiconductor modules are combined together to form one power conversion function.

13. The power converter according to claim 12,

wherein at least one of an array of a fixed structure of the semiconductor modules and the control boards arranged on both surfaces of the cooler, an array of an electric connection structure of the semiconductor modules and the control boards, and an array of an electric connection structure between the control boards and the current detector or the terminal block, are of the same shape on both surfaces of the cooler, and

wherein the semiconductor modules and the control boards rotate about an axis parallel to a surface where the input and output terminals of the semiconductor modules are arranged.

14. The power converter according to claim 12, further comprising:

driver circuits that drive the semiconductor modules, which are mounted at positions of the respective control boards disposed on the first main surface and the second main surface of the cooler, opposite to the semiconductor modules;

an output control circuit that is mounted at a position of one of the control boards opposite to the current detector or the terminal block, operates the semiconductor modules according to a calculation result using a current value detected by the current detector, and controls an output of the power converter; and

a power supply circuit for operating the control boards, which is mounted at a position of the other control board opposite to the current detector or the terminal block,

wherein the power supply circuit, and the driver circuits and the output control circuit are connected to each other for power supply by the wirings that are provided in the current detector or the terminal block, and electrically connect between the respective control boards, and

wherein the output control circuit and the driver circuits are connected to each other for signals.

15. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein a first power conversion function is provided by the semiconductor module and the control board disposed on a first main surface of the cooler,

wherein a second power conversion function is provided by the semiconductor modules and the control board disposed on a second main surface of the cooler,

wherein the respective control boards configuring the first and second power conversion functions are electrically connected to each other by wirings that are provided in the current detector or the terminal block and electrically connect between the respective control boards to provide a function of changing respective operating states of the control board providing the first power conversion function and the control board providing the second power conversion function according to the operating states.

16. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor module and the control board providing one power conversion function is dispersed on both surfaces of the cooler in the power converter having at least two power converters,

wherein the respective dispersed circuits having the power conversion function are connected by the wirings that are provided in the current detector or the terminal block, and connect between the respective control boards, and

wherein one power conversion function is realized by the semiconductor modules and the control board disposed on both surfaces of the cooler.

17. The power converter according to claim 15,

wherein in any one of the semiconductor modules and the control board disposed on both surfaces of the cooler, the respective arrays of the fixed structure and the electric connection structure have the same shape on both surfaces of the cooler, and

wherein the semiconductor modules and the control board rotate about an axis perpendicular to a surface on which the cooler faces the current detector or the terminal block.

18. The power converter according to claim 15,

wherein the wirings that are provided in the current detector or the terminal block, and electrically connect between the respective control boards are arranged substantially in the center thereof, substantially on both ends thereof, or substantially in the center and on the both ends symmetrically with respect to a center of the current detector or the terminal block.

19. The power converter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a smoothing capacitor unit for smoothing an input voltage of the semiconductor modules,

wherein the cooler and the semiconductor modules are held between the smoothing capacitor unit and the current detector or the terminal block, and

wherein the smoothing capacitor unit and the semiconductor modules are electrically connected directly to each other.

20. The power converter according to claim 19,

wherein the smoothing capacitor unit includes capacitor elements, capacitor terminals that connect the capacitor elements and the semiconductor modules, and a capacitor case that protects connection portions of the capacitor elements and the capacitor terminals, and the capacitor elements, and has an insulation function,

wherein the capacitor case has an opening in a surface facing a surface of the cooler which is not in contact with the semiconductor modules,

wherein a height of the capacitor case is slightly larger than a distance between the highest surfaces of parts mounted on the two control boards disposed to face both surfaces of the cooler, and

wherein a difference between the height and the distance ensures an insulation distance obtained by the power converter.

21. The power converter according to claim 19,

wherein electrode surfaces that are joint surfaces of the capacitor elements and the capacitor terminals are arranged substantially in parallel to the surfaces of the cooler which come in contact with the semiconductor modules.

22. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the cooler includes a semiconductor modules mounted plate on which the semiconductor modules are mounted and a cooling fin,

wherein the cooling fin is held between the two semiconductor module mounted plates, and

wherein the two semiconductor modules mounted plates and the cooling fin are joined together by soldering.

23. The power converter according to claim 19,

wherein the terminals of the semiconductor modules and the capacitor terminals of the smoothing capacitor unit are fastened by a resin terminal block having a metal connection member,

wherein the resin terminal block is fixed to the cooler through a high heat conducting member, and

wherein the surface of the cooler which is not in contact with the semiconductor modules extends toward the smoothing capacitor unit side, and a part of the capacitor unit and the cooler contact each other directly or through the high heat conducting member.

24. The power converter according to claim 1,

wherein the smoothing capacitor unit includes capacitor elements, capacitor terminals that connect the capacitor elements and the semiconductor modules, and a capacitor case that protects connection portions of the capacitor elements and the capacitor terminals, and the capacitor elements, and has an insulation function,

wherein the smoothing capacitor unit is disposed at a position opposite to the control boards,

wherein an occupied floor area of a capacitor element container in which the capacitor elements are disposed within the smoothing capacitor unit is a projected area of the control boards or lower,

wherein the capacitor terminals are disposed substantially in parallel to a surface of the cooler on which the semiconductor modules are not mounted outside the capacitor case, and

wherein in a portion where the capacitor terminals are disposed substantially in parallel to at least a surface of the cooler on which the semiconductor modules are not mounted, a positive pole and a negative pole are disposed close to each other through an insulating material.

25. The power converter according to claim 24,

wherein the electrode surfaces for joining the capacitor elements and the capacitor terminals are disposed substantially in parallel to the surfaces of the cooler, which come in contact with the semiconductor modules.

26. The power converter according to claim 24,

wherein the cooler includes two semiconductor modules mounted plates and the cooling fin,

wherein the cooling fin is held between the semiconductor modules mounted plates, and

wherein the two semiconductor modules mounted plates and the cooling fin are jointed together by soldering.

27. The power converter according to claim 24,

wherein a power assembly is disposed on each surface of the smoothing capacitor unit, and

wherein the capacitor case of the smoothing capacitor unit has the opening in a surface not opposite to the control boards.

4. A power converter comprising:

semiconductor modules each having a semiconductor element mounted thereon;

a cooler for cooling the semiconductor modules;

control boards that control the semiconductor modules; and

an input or output terminal block for connecting an input wiring or an output wiring, which is connected to the semiconductor modules, to an external wiring of the power converter,

wherein the semiconductor modules are arranged on both surfaces of the cooler,

wherein the terminal block is arranged to face a surface of the cooler, which is not in contact with the semiconductor modules,

wherein at least two of the control boards are arranged to hold the cooler, the semiconductor modules, and the terminal block therebetween, and

wherein the terminal block mechanically holds at least two of the control boards, and has a wiring that electrically connects between the respective control boards.

5. The power converter according to claim 4,

wherein the terminal block includes bus bar wirings connected to terminals of the semiconductor modules,

wherein a part of the bas bar wirings is arranged integrally with the terminal block so as to come close to the control boards,

wherein a magnetic detection element is disposed on a portion of the control boards, which comes close to the bas bar wiring, and

wherein the magnetic detection element and the bas bar wirings form a current detector.

7. A power converter, comprising:

semiconductor modules each having a semiconductor element mounted thereon;

a cooler having front and rear surfaces on which one of the semiconductor modules are mounted on each surface for cooling the semiconductor modules;

a first control board disposed to face one of the semiconductor modules;

a second control board disposed to face the other semiconductor modules;

a third control board disposed to face an opposite surface of the surface of the second control board opposite the semiconductor modules; and

one of a current detector and a terminal block disposed to face a surface of the cooler, which is not in contact with the semiconductor modules, and detects one of an input current and an output current of the semiconductor modules,

wherein driver circuits that drive the semiconductor modules opposite to the respective control boards are mounted on the first control board and the second control board,

wherein an output control circuit that operates the semiconductor modules and controls an output of the power converter is mounted on the third control board, and

wherein wirings that electrically connect among the respective control boards is provided in the current detector or the terminal block.