Rotating electric machine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9881019-B2
Application number	US-201514670957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2010
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A rotating electric machine system includes: a rotating electric machine including a stator and a rotor arranged with a gap to the stator; a casing configured to hold the stator; an electric power conversion apparatus held by the casing, and configured to drive the rotating electric machine; and a first cooling flow path arranged in a portion of the casing between the stator and the electric power conversion apparatus, via which cooling medium is caused to flow so as to cool the stator and the electric power conversion apparatus. And; the electric power conversion apparatus comprises a power module configured to include a power semiconductor element therein; the power module comprises a heat radiation fin; and the heat radiation fin is arranged to protrude toward a cooling medium side via an opening formed between the power module and the first cooling flow path.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotating electric machine system, comprising:
a rotating electric machine including a stator;
a casing comprising a lower casing section configured to house the stator, the lower casing section having an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion disposed radially within the outer housing portion;
an electric power conversion apparatus housed by an upper casing section of the casing, and configured to drive the rotating electric machine; and
a first cooling flow path recessed in a flat portion of the inner housing portion, the flat portion substantially parallel with a bottom face of the electric power conversion apparatus and disposed between the stator and the electric power conversion apparatus, wherein a cooling medium is caused to flow through the first cooling flow path so as to cool the stator and the electric power conversion apparatus, wherein:
the electric power conversion apparatus comprises a power module configured to include a power semiconductor element therein;
the power module comprises one or more heat radiation fins which extend into the first cooling flow path through an opening formed in the bottom face of the electric power conversion apparatus;
the first cooling flow path communicates with an inlet pipe where the cooling medium is input; and
the inlet pipe is arranged substantially parallel with the flat portion.

2. A rotating electric machine system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second cooling flow path arranged in a curved portion of the inner housing portion, the curved portion disposed around a radial outer periphery of the stator and extending along a direction of rotation of the rotating electric machine, wherein the cooling medium is caused to flow through the second cooling flow path, wherein:
the second cooling flow path communicates with the first cooling flow path such that the cooling medium cools the stator after cooling the electric power conversion apparatus.

3. A rotating electric machine system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the first cooling flow path has a structure configured to change a direction in which the cooling medium flows; and
the second cooling flow path communicates with the first cooling flow path such that the cooling medium cools the stator after cooling the electric power conversion apparatus and the second cooling flow path has a greater cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the first cooling flow path at a communicating portion.

4. A rotating electric machine system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the power module is configured to include power semiconductor elements in two rows; and
the first cooling flow path is configured such that the cooling medium cools the power semiconductor elements arranged in a first row, following which a direction in which the cooling medium flows is changed, and the cooling medium cools the other power semiconductor elements arranged in a second row.

5. A rotating electric machine system, comprising:
a rotating electric machine including a stator;
an electric power conversion apparatus housed by an upper casing section of a casing and configured to drive the rotating electric machine;
a first cooling flow path recessed in a flat portion of an inner housing portion of a lower section of the casing, the flat portion substantially parallel with a bottom face of the electric power conversion apparatus and disposed between the stator and the electric power conversion apparatus, wherein a cooling medium is caused to flow through the first cooling flow path so as to cool the stator and the electric power conversion apparatus; and
a second cooling flow path arranged in a curved portion of the inner housing portion, the curved portion disposed around a radial outer periphery of the stator, and is configured such that the stator is cooled by the cooling medium that flows via the second cooling flow path along a direction of rotation of the rotating electric machine, wherein:
the first cooling flow path has a structure configured to change a direction in which the cooling medium flows;
the second cooling flow path communicates with the first cooling flow path such that the cooling medium cools the stator after cooling the electric power conversion apparatus, and the second cooling flow path has a greater cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the first cooling flow path at a communicating portion;
the electric power conversion apparatus comprises a power module configured to include a power semiconductor element therein;
the power module comprises one or more heat radiation fins which extend into the first cooling flow path through an opening formed in the bottom face of the electric power conversion apparatus;
the first cooling flow path communicates with an inlet pipe where the cooling medium is input; and
the inlet pipe is arranged substantially parallel with the flat portion.

6. A rotating electric machine system according to claim 5 , wherein:
the power module is configured to include power semiconductor elements in two rows; and
the first cooling flow path is configured such that the cooling medium cools the power semiconductor elements arranged in a first row, following which a direction in which the cooling medium flows is changed, and the cooling medium cools the other power semiconductor elements arranged in a second row.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Matsuo Takeshi

Classifications

• G06F17/30215

  Physics · mapped topic

• H05K7/20927

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title

• G06F17/30156

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30091

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30174 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic