Cooler and motor-integrated power conversion apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9647509-B2
Application number	US-201114123838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2011
Priority date	Jul 19, 2011
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A surface of a plate ( 102 ) having a predetermined thickness is used as a cooling surface ( 101 ). A pair of cooling medium entrance and exit ( 111, 112 ) are provided on one end surface ( 102 a ). First and second cooling medium flow paths ( 131, 132 ), a cooling medium branch path ( 121 ) communicating with the cooling medium entrance ( 111 ) and used for dividing cooling medium to flow into the cooling medium flow paths ( 131, 132 ), and a cooling medium merging path ( 122 ) at which the cooling media flowing from the exits of the cooling medium flow paths ( 131, 132 ) merge, are formed on a surface opposite to the cooling surface ( 101 ). The cooling medium flowing clockwise through the first cooling medium flow path ( 131 ) passes through a cooling medium communicating flow path ( 123 ) formed so as to three-dimensionally cross the first cooling medium flow path ( 131 ), so that the cooling medium flowing counterclockwise through the second cooling medium flow path ( 132 ) and the cooling medium flowing through the first cooling medium flow path ( 131 ) flow into the cooling medium merging path ( 122 ). Thus, pressure loss is avoided, high cooling performance is obtained, and simplification of a cooling system including a cooling medium pipe and the like can be realized.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooler comprising:
a cooler base body having a planar surface serving as a cooling surface and a predetermined thickness in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface;
a plurality of cooling medium flow paths formed in the cooler base body and extending in a plane parallel to the surface serving as the cooling surface;
a cooling medium entrance opening on an outer side surface of the cooler base body;
a cooling medium branch path communicating the cooling medium entrance with respective first ends of each of the cooling medium flow paths;
a cooling medium exit opening on the outer side surface of the cooler base body;
a cooling medium merging path communicating the cooling medium exit with a second end of a first of the cooling medium flow paths, wherein the second end of a second of the cooling medium flow paths is located between the first end of the first of the cooling medium flow paths and the first end of the second of the cooling medium flow paths; and
a cooling medium communicating flow path connecting the second end of the second of the cooling medium flow paths with the cooling medium merging path, wherein the cooling medium communicating flow path crosses the second of the cooling medium flow paths at a plane which is shifted in the thickness direction from the plane of the cooling medium flow paths,
wherein the plurality of cooling medium flow paths are arranged in the cooler base body such that a cooling medium flowing from the first end to the second end of the respective cooling medium flow paths flows in mutually opposite directions through the first and the second of the cooling medium flow paths.

2. The cooler according to claim 1 , further comprising a fin extending in the flowing direction of the cooling medium.

3. A motor-integrated power conversion apparatus comprising:
an electric motor including an electric motor shaft and an electric motor bracket having a flat surface perpendicular to the electric motor shaft and supporting the electric motor shaft in a rotatable state;
a power conversion semiconductor device or a power conversion semiconductor module for controlling the electric motor; and
a cooler including:
a cooler base body having a planar surface serving as a cooling surface and a predetermined thickness in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface;

a plurality of cooling medium flow paths formed in the cooler base body and extending in a plane parallel to the surface serving as the cooling surface;
a cooling medium entrance opening on an outer side surface of the cooler base body;
a cooling medium branch path communicating the cooling medium entrance with respective first ends of each of the cooling medium flow paths;
a cooling medium exit opening on the outer side surface of the cooler base body;
a cooling medium merging path communicating the cooling medium exit with a second end of a first of the cooling medium flow paths, wherein the second end of a second of the cooling medium flow paths is located between the first end of the first of the cooling medium flow paths and the first end of the second of the cooling medium flow paths; and
a cooling medium communicating flow path connecting the second end of the second of the cooling medium flow paths with the cooling medium merging path, wherein the cooling medium communicating flow path crosses the second of the cooling medium flow paths at a plane which is shifted in the thickness direction from the plane of the cooling medium flow paths,
wherein the plurality of cooling medium flow paths are arranged in the cooler base body such that a cooling medium flowing from the first end to the second end of the respective cooling medium flow paths flows in mutually opposite directions through the first and the second of the cooling medium flow paths, and
wherein the cooler base body has a through hole formed therein, through which the electric motor shaft penetrates, one surface of the cooler base body is fixed on the electric motor bracket, and the power conversion semiconductor device or the power conversion semiconductor module is fixed on the other surface of the cooler base body.

4. The motor-integrated power conversion apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a fin extending in the flowing direction of the cooling medium.

Assignees

• MUKUNOKI Yasushige
• Suzuki Takaharu
• Yamauchi Hidehito
• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• MUKUNOKI Yasushige
• Suzuki Takaharu
• Yamauchi Hidehito

Classifications

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M7/48

  using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode · CPC title

• H02K9/005

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05K7/20927

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title

• H02K9/22

  by solid heat conducting material embedded in, or arranged in contact with, the stator or rotor, e.g. heat bridges · CPC title