Cooling of power semiconductors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020203255-A1
Application number	US-201916717493-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Cooling arrangements are disclosed for solid state circuit breakers. In one arrangement, a MOV is disposed between two pulsating heat pipes. An IGCT is disposed on the other side of each pulsating heat pipe away from the MOV. In another arrangement, a bus bar is integral with a heat spreader disposed between a pulsating heat pipe and an IGCT.

First claim

1 . A solid state circuit breaker, comprising:
a first power semiconductor; a first active cooling system; and a first bus bar disposed between the first active cooling system and the first power semiconductor, the first bus bar being sandwiched between the first active cooling system and the first power semiconductor to conduct heat from the first power semiconductor to the first active cooling system through a thickness of the first bus bar, the first bus bar being metallic and extending at least a portion beyond the first active cooling system and the first power semiconductor to provide a first exposed electrical connector.

2 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first active cooling system comprises an evaporator section pressed against the first bus bar and a condenser section extending beyond the first bus bar and the first power semiconductor.

3 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 2 , further comprising a fan blowing air through the condenser section.

4 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 2 , wherein the first active cooling system comprises a plurality of pipes filled with a working fluid extending through the evaporator and condenser sections, the evaporator section comprising metallic heat sinks extending between the pipes, the first bus bar being pressed against the metallic heat sinks.

5 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 4 , wherein the first bus bar is brazed to the metallic heat sinks.

6 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 5 , wherein the metallic heat sinks comprise aluminum.

7 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first bus bar comprises a copper plate sandwiched between the first active cooling system and the first power semiconductor, the first exposed electrical connector being formed in a portion of the copper plate.

8 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first exposed electrical connector comprises a hole extending through the first bus bar.

9 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , further comprising a first electrical conductor connected to the first exposed electrical connector, the first electrical conductor applying a first voltage potential to the first bus bar, and the first bus bar applying the first voltage potential to a first side of the first power semiconductor.

10 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 9 , wherein the first voltage potential is also applied to the first active cooling system by the first bus bar.

11 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 9 , further comprising a second active cooling system and a second bus bar,
wherein the first bus bar is disposed against the first side of the first power semiconductor and the second bus bar is disposed against a second side of the first power semiconductor opposite from the first side, the second bus bar being disposed between the second active cooling system and the first power semiconductor, the second bus bar being sandwiched between the second active cooling system and the first power semiconductor to conduct heat from the first power semiconductor to the second active cooling system through a thickness of the second bus bar, the second bus bar being metallic and extending at least a portion beyond the second active cooling system and the first power semiconductor to provide a second exposed electrical connector, a second electrical conductor connected to the second exposed electrical connector, the second electrical conductor applying a second voltage potential to the second bus bar, and the second bus bar applying the second voltage potential to the second side of the first power semiconductor electrical current thereby flowing from the first electrical conductor through the first bus bar, the first side of the first power semiconductor, the first power semiconductor, the second side of the first power semiconductor and the second bus bar to the second electrical conductor.

12 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first active cooling system is a pulsating heat pipe, Cothex or hybrid Cothex.

13 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first power semiconductor comprises a IGCT, thyristor, A-IGCT, RB-IGCT or GTO.

14 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a surge arrester disposed within a center of the solid state circuit breaker; the first active cooling system disposed against one side of the surge arrester and a second active cooling system disposed against an opposite side of the surge arrester; and the first power semiconductor disposed against the first active cooling system on an opposite side from the surge arrester, and a second power semiconductor disposed against the second active cooling system on an opposite side from the surge arrester.

15 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the first bus bar comprises a copper plate sandwiched between the first active cooling system and the first power semiconductor, the first exposed electrical connector being formed in a portion of the copper plate, and further comprising a first electrical conductor connected to the first exposed electrical connector, the first electrical conductor applying a first voltage potential to the first bus bar and the first bus bar applying the first voltage potential to a first side of the first power semiconductor.

16 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 15 , wherein the first active cooling system comprises an evaporator section pressed against the first bus bar and a condenser section extending beyond the first bus bar and the first power semiconductor.

17 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 16 , further comprising a fan blowing air through the condenser section, wherein the first active cooling system comprises a plurality of pipes filled with a working fluid extending through the evaporator and condenser sections, the evaporator section comprising metallic heat sinks extending between the pipes, the first bus bar being pressed against the metallic heat sinks.

18 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 17 , wherein the first exposed electrical connector comprises a hole extending through the first bus bar, and the first voltage potential is also applied to the first active cooling system by the first bus bar.

19 . The solid state circuit breaker according to claim 18 , further comprising a second active cooling system and a second bus bar,
wherein the first bus bar is disposed against the first side of the first power semiconductor and the second bus bar is disposed against a second side of the first power semiconductor opposite from the first side, the second bus bar being disposed between the second active cooling system and the first power semiconductor, the second bus bar being sandwiched between the second active cooling system and the first power semiconductor to conduct heat from the first power semiconductor to the second active cooling system through a thickness of the second bus bar, the second bus bar being metallic and extending at least a portion beyond the second active cooling system and the first power semiconductor to provide a second exposed electrical connector, a second electrical conductor connected to the second exposed electrical connector, the second electrical conductor applying a second voltage potential to the second bus bar, and the secon

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Tschida Colin
• Cairoli Pietro
• Kim Hongrae
• Agostini Francesco
• Raciti Luca
• Leoni Davide

Classifications

• H10W70/481

  for devices being provided for in groups H10D8/00 - H10D48/00 · CPC title

• H10W40/613

  for stacked arrangements of a plurality of semiconductor devices · CPC title

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• H10W40/73 Primary

  for cooling by change of state · CPC title

• H10W40/226 Primary

  characterised by projecting parts, e.g. fins to increase surface area (leadframes for cooling H10W70/461) · CPC title