Power conversion apparatus

• US 9,301,434 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kuwano, Morio, Hara, Yosei, Hamada, Haruki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jamali, Ishrat
• Application Number:
  US14/131,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699, 361/702, 361/705, 361/104.33, 361/185, 361/679.46, 361/703, 361/767, 361/775, 361/831, 363/16, 363/37, 363/55, 363/71, 363/95, 363 97- 98, 363/120, 363/131, 363/141
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/33 of a plurality of layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/33181 On opposite sides of the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• 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 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 : specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14322 : wherein the control and power circuits of a power converter are arranged within the same casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20218 : using a liquid coolant without phase change in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 : for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 : Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20945 : Thermal management, e.g. inverter temperature control
• 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

Abstract

Provided is a power conversion apparatus that includes a power semiconductor module, a smoothing capacitor module, an alternating-current bus bar, a control circuit unit to control the power semiconductor element, and a flow channel formation body to form a flow channel through which a cooling medium flows. The power semiconductor module has a first heat dissipation portion and a second heat dissipation portion facing the first heat dissipation portion. A flow channel formation body external portion of the flow channel formation body has a first surface wall that faces the first heat dissipation portion with the flow channel therebetween, a second surface wall that faces the second heat dissipation portion with the flow channel therebetween, and a sidewall to connect the first surface wall and the second surface wall. The sidewall has an opening to insert the power semiconductor module into the flow channel.

Claims

1. A power conversion apparatus, comprising:

a power semiconductor module that has a power semiconductor element to convert a direct current into an alternating current;

a smoothing capacitor module that smoothes the direct current;

an alternating-current bus bar that transmits an alternating-current output of the power semiconductor element;

a control circuit unit that controls the power semiconductor element; and

a flow channel formation body that forms a flow channel through which a cooling medium flows,

wherein the power semiconductor module has a first heat dissipation portion and a second heat dissipation portion facing the first heat dissipation portion with the power semiconductor element therebetween,

a flow channel formation body external portion of the flow channel formation body has a first surface wall that faces the first heat dissipation portion of the power semiconductor module with the flow channel therebetween, a second surface wall that faces the second heat dissipation portion of the power semiconductor module with the flow channel therebetween, at the opposite side of the first surface wall with the power semiconductor module therebetween, and a sidewall that connects the first surface wall and the second surface wall,

the sidewall has an opening to insert the power semiconductor module into the flow channel,

the smoothing capacitor module is arranged at a position facing the second surface wall of the flow channel formation body external portion,

the alternating-current bus bar is arranged at a position facing the first surface wall of the flow channel formation body external portion, and

the control circuit unit is arranged at a position facing the alternating-current bus bar, at the opposite side of the first surface wall of the flow channel formation body external portion with the alternating-current bus bar therebetween.

2. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow channel formation body is formed to be physically separated from a housing and is fixed to the housing by a fixator.

3. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power semiconductor module, the smoothing capacitor module, the alternating-current bus bar, and the control circuit unit are further installed in a housing in a state in which the power semiconductor module, the smoothing capacitor module, the alternating-current bus bar, and the control circuit unit are installed in the flow channel formation body.

4. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a connection portion of the flow channel of the flow channel formation body and an external device is exposed to the outside of the housing through an opening formed in the housing.

5. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flange portion that includes a connection portion of the flow channel of the flow channel formation body and an external device,

wherein the flange portion includes a sealing member in a portion contacting a case becoming a casing.

6. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first surface wall of the flow channel formation body has an opening and the flow channel formation body further includes a flow channel cover to close the opening of the first surface wall.

7. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a shape of a surface of the flow channel side of the flow channel cover is a convex shape corresponding to an internal shape of the flow channel formation body and an external shape of the power semiconductor module.

8. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a surface of the side opposite to the flow channel side of the flow channel cover includes a dent portion in accordance with the convex shape and the flow channel cover has a boss to fix the alternating-current bus bar to the dent portion.

9. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow channel formation body has a boss to attach a current sensor.

10. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow channel formation body has a boss to attach a circuit board.

11. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit unit is configured by arranging individual parts forming a driver circuit and a control circuit on one substrate.

12. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a minimum distance between the first surface wall and the second surface wall of the flow channel formation body is almost equal to a dimension of a flange included in a case of the power semiconductor module.

13. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow channel formation body is manufactured by a manufacturing method to cast a predetermined material in a mold, a surface of the sidewall is a tapered surface having an inclination, and surfaces of the first surface wall and the second surface wall are surfaces that do not need to be tapered.

14. The power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power conversion apparatus is connected to a motor, the alternating-current bus bar transmits the alternating-current output to the motor, the flow channel of the flow channel formation body is formed in an U shape by providing partition walls, and the power semiconductor module is inserted into the flow channel through the opening of the sidewall in a direction vertical to a flowing direction of the cooling medium flowing through the flow channel and the first heat dissipation portion and the second heat dissipation portion are parallel to the first surface wall and the second surface wall, respectively.