Water cooled inverter

• US 6,621,701 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Saito, Ryuichi, Nakamura, Takayoshi, Tamba, Akihiro, Momma, Naohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, GREGORY D
• Application Number:
  US10/195,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.2, 165/80.4, 174/15.1, 622/592, 257/706, 257/707, 257/712, 257/713, 257/723, 361/688-689, 361/699-702, 361/704, 361/707, 361/710, 361/715, 363/141, 363/144-145, 363/147
• US Class Current: 361/699
• 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: H01L 2924/1627 stacked type assemblies, e.g. stacked multi-cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

According to the invention, there is provided a water cooled inverter structure forming a plurality of shallow cavities and deep cavities in a housing, fixing a bottom surface of power semiconductor modules to shallow cavities to form a shallow water channel and directly cooling the power semiconductor modules using this shallow water channel. Since cooling water flows fast in the shallow water channel, it is possible to improve a cooling efficiency and also reduce pressure loss using a deep water channel with deep cavities. Furthermore, providing a plurality of cavities makes it possible to reduce a size of the power semiconductor modules and provide a plurality of power semiconductor modules, thus improving reliability. It is possible to place a control board below the water channel to thermally cut off the control board from the power semiconductor modules, which makes it possible to reduce temperature of a control circuit.

Claims

1. A water cooled inverter comprising:

a housing;

an IGBT module portion comprising a plurality of IGBT modules, the IBGT module portion being accommodated in the housing;

a control circuit configured such that a plurality of circuit elements for driving the plurality of IGBT modules are mounted on a board, the control circuit board being accommodated in the housing;

a connector electrically connecting the control circuit with the IGBT module portion, the connector being accommodated in the housing; and

a water channel formed between the IGBT module portion and the housing, wherein

the water channel comprises a first water channel having a first depth, and a second water channel having a second depth deeper than the first depth.

2. The water cooled inverter according to claim 1, wherein

the first channel is formed by the IGBT module, the housing, and a metallic plate disposed between the IGBT module portion and the housing, and

the second water channel is formed by the metallic plate and the housing.

3. The water cooled inverter according to claim 2, wherein the first depth of the first water channel is defined by the thickness of the metallic plate.

4. The water cooled inverter according to claim 1, wherein the first depth of the first water channel is 5 mm or less.

5. The water cooled inverter according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is fixed to a top cover of the housing.

6. The water cooled inverter according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is accommodated in a bottom cover provided on a bottom surface of the housing.

7. The water cooled inverter according to claim 1, wherein a part of the plurality of circuit elements is contacted with a heat conductive sheet bonded on the housing.

8. The water cooled inverter according to claim 1, wherein

the control circuit comprises a first control circuit configured such that a microcomputer among the circuit elements is mounted on a board, and a second control circuit configured such that the circuit elements other than the microcomputer are mounted on a board,

the second control circuit is disposed on one plane side of the IGBT module portion, and electrically connected with the IGBT module portion by a first connector, and

the first control circuit is disposed on the other plane side of the IGBT module portion so that the IGBT module and the water channel are disposed between the first and second control circuits, and electrically connected with the second control circuit by a second connector.

9. The water cooled inverter according to claim 8, wherein the first control circuit is accommodated in a bottom cover provided on a bottom surface of the housing.

10. The water cooled inverter according to claim 8, wherein a part of the circuit elements on the first control circuit is contacted with a heat conductive sheet bonded on the housing.