JP7301554B2 - Heat exchanger - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly to a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with a temperature-adjustable object placed on its surface by means of a fluid flowing through an internal flow path.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with an object to be temperature-controlled placed on its surface by means of a fluid flowing through an internal flow path (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

US Pat. No. 6,200,400 discloses a cold plate having a channel portion defining a channel for carrying a fluid coolant and having a plurality of bosses each receiving a heat-generating component. Each of the bosses receives a component such as an electronic, optical or other heat generating component to be cooled. A cold plate has a fluid inlet. The cold plate includes fluid outlets. In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a fluid channel extends between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A plurality of fin structures are arranged around the boss. Each fin structure receives fluid from the channel and channels the fluid around the boss to cool the electronic components mounted on the boss.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-502516

As in Patent Document 1, in a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with an object for temperature adjustment placed on the surface, the shape of the internal flow path is determined according to the installation position and shape of the object. Therefore, the channel may have a portion where the channel width changes abruptly. The portion where the channel width changes abruptly is, for example, a portion where the channel width changes by avoiding a structural portion such as a boss for fixing the object as described in Patent Document 1, or a portion where the channel width changes due to the planar shape of the object. For example, the width of the flow path changes depending on the temperature. If there is such a portion where the width of the flow passage changes abruptly, a region (stagnation region) where the fluid does not spread is formed on the downstream side of the portion where the width of the flow passage abruptly changes, thereby impeding heat exchange. As a result, the heat exchange capacity may be locally insufficient in areas where the fluid does not spread.

Therefore, in order to more uniformly adjust the temperature of the object installed in the heat exchanger, it is required to suppress local variations in heat exchange capacity even when there is a portion where the width of the flow passage changes abruptly. be done.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one object of the present invention is to solve local variations in heat exchange capacity even when there is a portion where the flow passage width changes abruptly. To provide a heat exchanger capable of suppressing

To achieve the above object, a heat exchanger according to the present invention comprises a main body portion having an installation surface on which an object to be temperature-controlled is installed, and a first layer adjacent to the object across the installation surface in the main body portion. A first channel for circulating a fluid from a first inlet that is provided to the outside of the main body toward a first outlet to exchange heat with an object, and a channel that is different from the first channel. and a second flow path connected to the first flow path from the thickness direction of the first layer, and the second flow path corresponds to a sudden change portion in which the width of the flow path changes abruptly in the first flow path. is configured to open to a connection position on the downstream side and supply fluid from the connection position into the first flow path.

In the heat exchanger according to the present invention, configured as described above, from the connection position on the downstream side of the abruptly changing portion in which the width of the flow path changes rapidly in the first flow path, A fluid is supplied through a second channel that is partitioned as a different channel from the first channel. In other words, when there is a sudden change portion in which the width of the flow path changes rapidly in the first flow path, the fluid cannot be spread only by circulating the fluid from the first inlet to the first outlet in the first flow path. A region (stagnation region) is formed downstream of the abrupt change. A fluid can be sent by the second flow path from the thickness direction of the first flow path to a region downstream of the sudden change portion where the fluid does not spread. As a result, it is possible to avoid the formation of areas where the fluid does not spread, so even if there is a portion where the flow path width changes abruptly, it is possible to suppress local variations in the heat exchange capacity. Moreover, as a result, it becomes possible to more uniformly adjust the temperature of the object installed in the heat exchanger.

In the above invention, preferably, the sudden change portion in the first flow path includes a mounting portion to which a fixing member for fixing an object placed on the installation surface is coupled. Here, the fixing member is a member for fixing the object on the installation surface by being fixed to the mounting portion, and includes screws, bolts, rivets, pins, and the like, for example. The attachment portion is a structural portion formed to hold the fixing member in a fixed state in the body portion. Depending on the position and shape of the object, such an attachment portion may be formed to protrude into the first flow path or to bypass the first flow path. It can be a sudden change part that changes abruptly. According to the above configuration, the fluid can be supplied from the connecting position on the downstream side to the mounting portion (rapidly changing portion) by the second flow path. It is possible to suppress local variations in heat exchange capacity caused by In other words, it is possible to suppress the arrangement position of the mounting portion or the flow path shape of the first flow path from being restricted in order to suppress variations in heat exchange capacity, so that the degree of freedom in designing the heat exchanger can be improved. .

In the above invention, the main body preferably includes a first layer having a first flow path formed thereon, and a second layer laminated on the first layer via a partition plate and having a second flow path formed therein. , the second channel is connected to the first channel from the second layer through the opening of the partition plate formed at the connection position. With this configuration, the first flow path and the second flow path can be formed in separate layers of the multi-layer structure main body. Therefore, the second flow path can be easily formed in the second layer without being restricted by the structure of the first layer.

In this case, preferably, the second channel includes a second inlet opening to the outside of the main body in the second layer, a second outlet opening to the connecting position, and a second inlet and a second outlet in the second layer. and a connection path connecting the According to this structure, the fluid can be supplied from the outside to the second channel through a route different from that of the first channel. Therefore, unlike the case where the second flow path branches in the middle of the first flow path and then merges at the connecting position, the shape of the second flow path ( path) and the flow rate of the fluid in the second flow path can be appropriately set.

In the structure in which the main body portion includes the first layer and the second layer, the first flow path preferably has corrugated fins provided in a range including the connection position, and the second flow path preferably includes the partition plate. A fluid is provided between the corrugated fins and the partition plate through the openings. A corrugated fin is a plate-like heat transfer fin formed in a corrugated shape. With this configuration, the performance of the heat exchanger can be improved by the corrugated fins of the first flow path. Further, since the corrugated fins have a corrugated cross-sectional shape, micro flow paths (channels) through which a fluid can pass are formed between the partition plate and the corrugated fins on the partition plate. Therefore, even if the corrugated fins are provided so as to cover the openings of the second flow passages at the connection position, the fluid from the second flow passages is sent into the channels between the corrugated fins and the partition plate to perform heat exchange. be able to.

In this case, the corrugated fin preferably has a fin portion extending in the first direction and a passage portion through which the fluid can flow in a second direction intersecting the first direction. Here, in plain fins in which the plate-like fins are simply formed into a wave shape, the fin portions do not allow the fluid to flow in the second direction. Therefore, if the corrugated fins having passages are employed as described above, the fluid supplied to the channels between the corrugated fins and the partition plate moves in the second direction through the passages to another channel. can flow into As a result, even when corrugated fins are provided in the first flow path, the fluid from the second flow path can spread over a wider area. As a result, local variations in heat exchange capacity can be effectively suppressed.

In the above invention, preferably, the opening is at a position on the downstream side with respect to the connection position of the second flow path to the first flow path, and discharges the fluid supplied into the first flow path through the second flow path. A third flow path is further provided. According to this structure, the fluid supplied to the connecting position from the second channel can be easily discharged through the third channel. Therefore, even if the pressure loss in the path from the connection position to the first outlet of the first flow path increases due to, for example, the shape of the first flow path, the supply pressure of the fluid in the second flow path is not required. You can prevent it from rising.

In the above invention, preferably, the connection position is arranged at a position adjacent to the abrupt change portion on the downstream side. With this configuration, the fluid from the second flow path can be supplied to the position immediately downstream of the sudden change portion in the first flow path. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the region where the fluid is difficult to spread on the downstream side of the sudden change portion, so that it is possible to more effectively suppress local variations in the heat exchange capacity.

Even if there is a portion where the width of the flow path changes abruptly, local variations in heat exchange capacity can be suppressed.

1 is a schematic front view of a heat exchanger according to this embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 500-500 of FIG. 1; FIG. 501 is a schematic end view of a cross-section along line 501-501 of FIG. 2; FIG. 502 is a schematic end view of a cross section taken along line 502-502 of FIG. 2; FIG. 503 is a schematic end view of a cross section taken along line 503-503 of FIG. 2; It is a bottom view of the upper plate showing the first channel. FIG. 4A is a top and side view of a bottom plate that constitutes the second layer of the body; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the upper surface of the partition plate and the opening; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of perforated fins; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of offset fins; It is an enlarged cross-sectional view (A) of the second layer showing the second flow path and an enlarged cross-sectional view (B) of the second outlet. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modification of the main body in which a plurality of temperature-adjustable objects can be arranged along the Y direction; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modification of the main body in which a plurality of objects for temperature adjustment can be arranged along the X direction; It is a figure which shows the modification of the sudden change part of flow-path width. It is a figure which shows the modification of a 2nd flow path.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The configuration of a heat exchanger 100 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, in the heat exchanger 100 according to the present embodiment, heat exchange between an object M for temperature adjustment installed on an installation surface 11 and a refrigerant 5 (see FIG. 2) flowing therein causes It is a temperature adjuster that adjusts the temperature of the object M. The target object M is not particularly limited.

As an example, the heat exchanger 100 according to the present embodiment is a liquid-cooled cold plate (cooling device) that cools the coolant 5 by absorbing the heat from the heat generator installed on the installation surface 11 . The target object M, which is a heating element, is, for example, a heating element such as various electronic devices and electronic circuits (or elements forming an electronic circuit). The target object M is, for example, a processor such as a power module mounted on a power converter, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) mounted on a computer, or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). An example in which the object M is a power module having a power control switching element such as an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) will be described below.

(main body)
The heat exchanger 100 has a main body 1 . The body portion 1 has an installation surface 11 on which an object M whose temperature is to be adjusted is installed. The main body 1 has therein a coolant channel 2 through which a coolant 5 for cooling the object M placed on the installation surface 11 is circulated. The refrigerant 5 is an example of "fluid" in the scope of claims.

The main body 1 has a roughly rectangular (rectangular or square, see FIG. 2) flat plate shape. The body portion 1 has a first surface (upper surface) and a second surface (lower surface). Hereinafter, for convenience, of the two orthogonal directions in a plan view (top view), the direction along a pair of sides of the main body 1 is defined as the X direction, and the direction along the other pair of sides of the main body 1 is defined as the X direction. Let it be the Y direction. Let the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the main body 1 be the Z direction.

In the example of FIG. 1 , the first surface (upper surface) of the main body 1 is the installation surface 11 . The installation surface 11 is, for example, a flat surface, but unevenness may be formed according to the shape of the target object M. An arrangement area 12 for arranging the object M is formed on the installation surface 11 . The placement area 12 is an area within the installation surface 11 where the object M is placed and the surface of the object M and the installation surface 11 are in contact with each other.

In the example of FIG. 1, the target object M, which is a power module, has a rectangular plate-like shape in plan view. The arrangement area 12 is formed so as to roughly match the outer shape of the object M in plan view. The planar shape of the object M is arbitrary. In this embodiment, as a simple configuration example, the planar shape of the main body 1 (the shape of the installation surface 11) substantially matches the planar shape of the target object M. As shown in FIG. One placement area 12 is provided over substantially the entire installation surface 11 of the main body 1 . One target M can be placed in the heat exchanger 100 . A region other than the placement region 12 may exist on the installation surface 11 .

The installation surface 11 of the main body 1 is provided with a screw hole 13 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) corresponding to the arrangement area 12, and the object M is positioned in the arrangement area 12 by a mounting screw (or bolt) 14. It can be fixed. The mounting screw 14 is an example of a "fixing member" in the claims. The object M is installed so as to be in close contact with the installation surface 11 in a state in which gaps are eliminated by a thermally conductive compound, heat dissipation grease, or the like. In the example of FIG. 2 , the screw holes 13 are provided at the four corners of the placement area 12 on the installation surface 11 .

In the example of FIG. 1, the main body 1 has a plurality of layers laminated in the thickness direction (Z direction). Specifically, the main body 1 is laminated on the first layer S1 with the first flow path 20 formed thereon and the second layer S1 with the second flow path 30 formed thereon via the partition plate 7 . layer S2. The first layer S1 is a layer on the upper side (first surface side) of the main body portion 1 . The top surface of the first layer S1 is the installation surface 11 . The second layer S2 is a layer on the lower side (second surface side) of the main body portion 1 . The bottom surface of the second layer S2 is the second surface.

The body portion 1 is configured as an assembly of a plurality of members that partition the coolant flow path 2 inside. The body portion 1 includes an upper plate 6 , a partition plate 7 and a lower plate 8 . The upper plate 6 and the partition plate 7 constitute a first layer S1. The upper plate 6 and the partition plate 7 partition the coolant channels 2 in the first layer S1. The partition plate 7 and the lower plate 8 constitute a second layer S2. The partition plate 7 and the lower plate 8 partition the coolant flow paths 2 in the second layer S2. An assembly of the upper plate 6, the partition plate 7, the lower plate 8, and the later-described corrugated fins 9 in the first flow path 20 is collectively joined by brazing to form the main body 1. there is

(Refrigerant flow path)
As shown in FIG. 2 , the coolant channel 2 is a coolant circulation space formed inside the main body 1 . The coolant channel 2 is a passage through which the coolant 5 flows. The coolant channel 2 is formed so as to pass through at least a position directly below the placement region 12 (that is, a position overlapping the placement region 12 in plan view). The coolant 5 supplied to the coolant channel 2 is not particularly limited. As the coolant 5, for example, water, antifreeze (brine), or the like can be used. The refrigerant channel 2 is configured such that the refrigerant 5 in a partially or wholly liquid phase flows in in a saturated state, a part of which is vaporized by the heat of the object M, and the gas-liquid mixed phase refrigerant 5 flows out. good too. That is, the heat exchanger 100 may be configured to cool the object M using the heat of vaporization accompanying the phase change (vaporization) of the refrigerant 5 . As the refrigerant 5, it is possible to use, for example, a fluorine-based organic compound refrigerant such as HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) or HFO (hydrofluoroolefin).

The coolant channel 2 includes a first channel 20 , a second channel 30 and a third channel 40 .

<First flow path>
The first flow path 20 is provided on the first layer S1 adjacent to the object M (see FIG. 1) with the installation surface 11 (see FIG. 1) in the main body 1 interposed therebetween. The first flow path 20 is a space within the main body 1 defined by the upper plate 6 and the partition plate 7 . The first channel 20 includes a first inlet 21 and a first outlet 22 that open to the outside of the main body 1 . The first flow path 20 is configured to circulate the coolant 5 from the first inlet 21 toward the first outlet 22 to exchange heat with the object M. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the first inlet 21 opens in the side end surface of the main body 1 in the Y1 direction and communicates with the introduction port 3a. The first outlet 22 opens in the side end face of the main body 1 in the Y2 direction and communicates with the lead-out port 3b. The coolant 5 flows in the Y2 direction from the first inlet 21 toward the first outlet 22 . The introduction port 3a and the outlet port 3b are configured by connection members for connecting an external pipe or the like to the refrigerant channel 2. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the first flow path 20 is formed with a sudden change portion 25 where the width of the flow path changes abruptly within the first flow path 20 . That is, the first channel 20 is not a simple channel with a constant channel width, but is configured such that the channel width changes according to the position in the flow direction of the coolant 5 . The first flow path 20 has a flow path width of W1 to W2 at the boundary between an inlet portion 23 continuous from the first inlet 21 with a flow path width W1 and a wide portion 24 with a flow path width W2 (>W1). is changing rapidly. At the boundary portion between the inlet portion 23 and the wide portion 24, the inner wall defining the first flow path 20 is bent substantially at right angles to the flow path width direction (X direction) orthogonal to the flow direction. In the wide portion 24 , the width of the flow path is expanded from the inlet portion 23 to both sides in the X direction. Therefore, abrupt change portions 25 are formed on both sides of the first flow path 20 in the flow path width direction (X direction).

A sudden change portion 27 is formed in the first flow path 20 where the width of the flow path decreases sharply within the first flow path 20 . In the first flow path 20, the width of the flow path rapidly decreases from W2 to W1 (<W2) at the boundary between a wide portion 24 having a flow width W2 and an outlet portion 26 continuous to the first outlet 22. there is At the boundary between the wide portion 24 and the outlet portion 26, the inner wall defining the first channel 20 is bent substantially at right angles to the channel width direction (X direction) orthogonal to the flow direction. As a result, on both sides of the first channel 20 in the channel width direction, there are formed abruptly changing portions 27 where the channel width abruptly decreases.

The abrupt portion 25 and abrupt portion 27 in the first flow path 20 are formed by mounting portions 28 formed in the upper plate 6 defining the first flow path 20 . The mounting portion 28 is a structural portion in which the above-described screw hole 13 (see FIG. 2) is formed in the peripheral wall portion of the first channel 20 formed by the upper plate 6 . That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the screw holes 13 are opened in the first surface (mounting surface 11) of the upper plate 6, and extend into the first layer S1 in which the first flow paths 20 are formed in the thickness direction (Z direction). ). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, mounting portions 28 having screw holes 13 are provided at four corner positions of the main body portion 1 on the first layer S1. At the inlet part 23 and the outlet part 26 of the first flow path 20 , the flow path width is smaller than that of the wide width part 24 due to the formation of the attachment part 28 . In other words, the width of the first channel 20 changes abruptly due to the attachment portion 28 formed therein. Thus, the sudden change portion 25 and the sudden change portion 27 in the first flow path 20 include the attachment portion 28 to which the attachment screw 14 for fixing the object M placed on the installation surface 11 is coupled.

A corrugated fin 9 is provided in the first flow path 20 . The corrugated fins 9 are heat transfer fins formed by forming a plate-like heat transfer plate into a corrugated shape. The corrugated fin 9 has a structure in which a plurality of fin portions 51 extending along a first direction within a plane are arranged at intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction within a plane. The corrugated fins 9 of the first flow paths 20 are provided such that the first direction in which the fin portions 51 extend is along the flow direction (Y direction) of the coolant 5 in the first flow paths 20 . The corrugated fins 9 locally divide the first flow path 20 into a plurality of channels 52 by a plurality of fin portions 51 , thereby increasing the heat transfer area of the coolant 5 . The corrugated fin 9 is provided on a path from the first inlet 21 to the first outlet 22 via the wide portion 24 . That is, the corrugated fins 9 are provided over substantially the entire surface inside the first flow path 20 . As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the corrugated fins 9 are fixed on the partition plate 7. As shown in FIGS.

1 to 5 and 11, for the sake of convenience, the cross-sectional shape of the corrugated fin 9 is simplified. As the type (fin shape) of the corrugated fin 9, for example, a perforated fin 9a shown in FIG. 9, an offset fin 9b shown in FIG. 10, or the like can be adopted. The offset fins 9b are also called serrated fins. The perforated fin 9a shown in FIG. 9 is a plain fin having a structure in which fin portions 51 linearly extending in a first direction (direction A) are arranged at a constant pitch Pc in a second direction (direction B). It has a structure in which a plurality of through holes 53 are provided. Adjacent fin portions 51 are connected to each other at either end in the height direction (vertical direction) by a plate-like connecting portion 54 . The offset fin 9b shown in FIG. 10 has a plurality of rows 55 formed by arranging the fin portions 51 extending in the first direction (direction A) in the second direction (direction B). It is a fin that is provided so as to shift (offset). In this embodiment, the corrugated fins 9 are composed of offset fins 9b.

<Second flow path>
As shown in FIG. 4, the second flow path 30 is connected to the first flow path 20 from the thickness direction of the first layer S1. That is, the second channel 30 extends in the Z direction from the outside of the first layer S1 and connects to a predetermined position inside the first channel 20 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the second flow path 30 (see broken line) opens at a connection position P1 on the downstream side with respect to the abruptly changing portion 25 in which the width of the flow path changes abruptly in the first flow path 20. , to supply the coolant 5 into the first flow path 20 from the connection position P1. A connection position P<b>1 is a position where the second flow path 30 connects to the first flow path 20 . Assuming a case where the second flow path 30 is not formed, in the first flow path 20, downstream of the rapid change portion 25, there is a stagnation region where the coolant 5 does not easily flow (the flow velocity of the coolant 5 becomes close to zero). area) is formed. The connection position P1 is arranged in the stagnation area downstream of the sudden change section 25 . In this embodiment, the connection position P1 is arranged at a position adjacent to the sudden change portion 25 on the downstream side. That is, the second flow path 30 is open so as to be adjacent to the mounting portion 28 on the downstream side. The second channel 30 supplies the coolant 5 into the first channel 20 from the connection position P1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second flow path 30 is connected to the first flow path 20 from the second layer S2 through the opening of the partition plate 7 (see FIG. 8) formed at the connection position P1. . Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the second flow path 30 has a second inlet 31 (see FIG. 7) that opens to the outside of the main body 1 in the second layer S2 and a connection position P1. It includes an open second outlet 32 (see FIG. 4) and a connection path 33 (see FIG. 7) connecting the second inlet 31 and the second outlet 32 in the second layer S2. The second channel 30 is a channel formed in the second layer S2. That is, the second flow path 30 is formed in the lower plate 8 forming the second layer S2.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lower plate 8 is formed with a second inlet 31 of the second flow path 30 and a connection path 33 by grooving. As shown in FIG. 8, the partition plate 7 is formed with a second outlet 32 penetrating the partition plate 7 in the Z direction. The second channel 30 is a channel defined by the groove of the lower plate 8 and the partition plate 7 . In addition, in FIG. 7, the upper surface of the lower plate 8 is hatched for convenience of explanation.

The second inlet 31 opens at the side end surface of the main body 1 in the Y1 direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the second inlet 31 and the first inlet 21 of the first flow path 20 are arranged in the thickness direction with the partition plate 7 interposed therebetween. A refrigerant 5 is supplied to the first inlet 21 and the second inlet 31 from a common inlet 3a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connection path 33 is formed so as to extend from the second inlet 31 along the mounting portion 28 to the connection position P1. That is, the connection path 33 extends in the Y2 direction from the second inlet 31, then bends in the X direction and extends to a position directly below the connection position P1 where the second outlet 32 opens. The connection path 33 is formed in an L shape in the second layer S2 (see FIG. 7) so as to wrap around the peripheral surface of the mounting portion 28 in plan view. As shown in FIG. 4, the connection path 33 is connected in the Z direction to the second outlet 32 at the connection position P1.

Here, the first flow path 20 has corrugated fins 9 provided in a range including the connection position P1. That is, the corrugated fin 9 is provided on the upper surface of the partition plate 7 so as to cover the opening (second outlet 32) formed at the connection position P1. The second flow path 30 is provided to supply the coolant 5 between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7 through the opening (second outlet 32).

The corrugated fins 9 have a corrugated cross-sectional shape so that channels 52 are formed between the corrugated fins 9 and the upper plate 6 and between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7 respectively. The second flow path 30 supplies the coolant 5 to the channel 52 between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7 via the second outlet 32 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the corrugated fin 9 includes fin portions 51 extending in a first direction (direction A) and passages through which the coolant 5 can flow in a second direction (direction B) intersecting the first direction. 56. In the offset fin 9b, the odd-numbered rows 55 of the fin portions 51 and the even-numbered rows 55 of the fin portions 51 are shifted in the second direction (B direction). Therefore, between the fin portions 51 forming the even-numbered rows 55 and the fin portions 51 forming the odd-numbered rows 55, a gap 57 having a size corresponding to the offset amount Os in the B direction is formed. . Thereby, the coolant 5 can move in the second direction (direction B) through the gap 57 with respect to the offset fins 9b. A gap 57 between the offset fins 9 b functions as a passage portion 56 .

Note that the perforated fin 9a shown in FIG. 9 is also provided with the passage portion 56. As shown in FIG. In the perforated fin 9a, the through holes 53 formed in the fin portion 51 serve as passages for the coolant 5 flowing in the second direction (direction B). Therefore, the coolant 5 can pass through the perforated fins 9a in the second direction (direction B). The through holes 53 of the perforated fins 9a function as passages 56. As shown in FIG.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the coolant 5 supplied to the second flow path 30 passes through the second inlet 31 and the L-shaped connection path 33 (see FIG. 11(A)), and flows through the second outlet. 32 into the first channel 20 (see FIG. 11(B)). The coolant 5 flows into the channels 52 between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7, passes through the passages 56 (see FIG. 10), and flows into the adjacent channels 52 as well. Therefore, the coolant 5 flows not only through the channel 52 between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7 but also through the channels 52 between the corrugated fins 9 and the upper plate 6 on the downstream side of the sudden change portion 25 (mounting portion 28). , and exchange heat with the object M.

In the corrugated fin 9 (see FIGS. 9 and 10) having the passage portions 56, the flow resistance of the coolant 5 is higher when the coolant 5 flows in the first direction (A) than when it flows in the second direction (B). is also small. Therefore, even if the corrugated fins 9 having the passage portions 56 are provided in the first flow path 20, the coolant 5 flowing in the Y2 direction from the first inlet 21 is directed to the downstream side of the sudden change portion 25 only through the first flow path 20. It is difficult to sufficiently circulate to the position (connection position P1). By supplying the coolant 5 from the second flow path 30 to the connection position P1, a sufficient coolant flow rate can be ensured downstream of the rapid change portion 25 .

<Third flow path>
Returning to FIG. 2 , the third flow path 40 opens at a downstream position with respect to the connection position P<b>1 of the second flow path 30 with the first flow path 20 . The third channel 40 discharges the coolant 5 supplied into the first channel 20 via the second channel 30 . Further, in the present embodiment, the third flow path 40 is connected to the position upstream of the sudden change portion 27 (mounting portion 28 ) on the first outlet 22 side of the first flow path 20 . Further, since the third flow path 40 opens at the connection position P2 on the upstream side with respect to the sudden change portion 27, the refrigerant is also supplied to the upstream area with respect to the sudden change portion 27 where the flow passage width suddenly decreases. 5 can be distributed.

The connection position P<b>2 of the third flow path 40 and the connection position P<b>1 of the second flow path 30 are arranged so as to line up in the flow direction (Y direction) of the coolant 5 in the first flow path 20 . The connection position P2 is arranged at a position adjacent to the sudden change portion 27 on the upstream side. Therefore, the connection positions P1 of the second flow paths 30 are arranged at two corners on the upstream side of the wide portion 24, and the connection positions P2 of the third flow paths 40 are arranged at two corners on the downstream side of the wide portion 24. placed in each section.

As shown in FIG. 7, the third flow path 40 extends from the connection position P2 (see FIG. 2) through the second layer S2 and opens to the outside of the main body 1. As shown in FIG. Thereby, the third flow path 40 discharges the coolant 5 in the first flow path 20 from the connection position P2. The third channel 40 is a channel formed in the second layer S2.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the third flow path 40 communicates with the inside of the second layer S2 through the opening of the partition plate 7 formed at the connection position P2 (see FIG. 8). Specifically, the third flow path 40 includes a third inlet 41 (see FIG. 8) that opens to the connection position P2, and a third outlet 42 (see FIG. 7) that opens to the outside of the main body 1 in the second layer S2. ) and a connecting path 43 (see FIG. 7) connecting the third inlet 41 and the third outlet 42 in the second layer S2.

A third outlet 42 of the third channel 40 and a connection path 43 are formed in the lower plate 8 (see FIG. 7) by grooving. The third channel 40 is a channel defined by the grooves of the lower plate 8 and the partition plate 7 .

The third outlet 42 opens on the side end surface of the main body 1 on the Y2 direction side. Although illustration is omitted, the third outlet 42 is aligned in the thickness direction with the partition plate 7 interposed between the first outlet 22 of the first flow path 20 and the side end surface on the Y1 direction side shown in FIG. is formed in The refrigerant 5 is discharged from the first outlet 22 and the third outlet 42 to the common outlet 3b. As shown in FIG. 2 , the connection path 43 is formed so as to extend from the third inlet 41 to the third outlet 42 along the attachment portion 28 . That is, the connection path 43 extends in the X direction from a position directly below the connection position P2 where the third inlet 41 opens, then bends in the Y2 direction and extends to the third outlet 42 . The connection path 43 is formed in an L shape in the second layer S2 (see FIG. 7) so as to wrap along the peripheral surface of the mounting portion 28 in plan view. The connection path 43 is connected in the Z direction to a third inlet 41 formed in the partition plate 7 (see FIG. 8) at a position directly below the connection position P2.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, at the connection position P1, the coolant 5 that has flowed into the first flow path 20 from the second outlet 32 of the second flow path 30 mainly flows in the Y2 direction and reaches the connection position P2. reach. The coolant 5 flows into the third inlet 41 opened at the connection position P2. The coolant 5 that has flowed into the third inlet 41 is discharged from the third outlet 42 through the third channel 40 (connection path 43) of the second layer S2. As a result, formation of a stagnation region on the upstream side of the sudden change portion 27 on the downstream side of the first flow path 20 is suppressed.

(Effect of this embodiment)
The following effects can be obtained in this embodiment.

In the heat exchanger 100 according to the present embodiment, as described above, in the first flow path 20, from the connection position P1 on the downstream side with respect to the sudden change portion 25 in which the flow path width changes abruptly, , the coolant 5 is supplied through the second channel 30 . That is, when there is a sudden change portion 25 in which the width of the channel changes rapidly in the first channel 20, the coolant 5 is allowed to flow from the first inlet 21 toward the first outlet 22 in the first channel 20. A region (stagnation region) in which the refrigerant 5 does not spread is formed downstream of the sudden change portion 25 . The second channel 30 can feed the coolant 5 from the thickness direction (Z direction) of the first channel 20 to the area downstream of the sudden change portion 25 where the coolant 5 does not spread. As a result, it is possible to avoid the formation of areas where the coolant 5 does not spread, so even if there is a portion where the flow path width changes abruptly, it is possible to suppress local variations in the heat exchange capacity. Moreover, as a result, it becomes possible to more uniformly adjust the temperature of the object M installed in the heat exchanger 100 .

In addition, since the sudden change portion 25 in the first flow path 20 includes the mounting portion 28 to which the mounting screw 14 for fixing the object M placed on the installation surface 11 is coupled, the object M is fixed. Even if the attachment portion 28 that becomes the sudden change portion 25 in the first flow path 20 (first layer S1) is provided in the second flow path 30, the attachment portion 28 (rapid change portion 25) is provided on the downstream side The coolant 5 can be supplied from the connection position P1 of the . As a result, even when the mounting portion 28 is provided in the first flow path 20, local variations in the heat exchange capacity due to the mounting portion 28 can be suppressed. In other words, it is possible to suppress the arrangement position of the mounting portion 28 or the flow path shape of the first flow path 20 from being restricted in order to suppress variations in heat exchange capacity, so that the degree of freedom in designing the heat exchanger 100 is improved. be able to.

In addition, the body portion 1 includes a first layer S1 in which the first flow path 20 is formed and a second layer S2 in which the second flow path 30 is formed. , is connected to the first channel 20 through the opening of the partition plate 7 formed at the connection position P1. Can be formed in layers. Therefore, the second flow path 30 can be easily formed in the second layer S2 without being restricted by the structure of the first layer S1.

Further, the second flow path 30 includes a second inlet 31 that opens to the outside of the main body 1 in the second layer S2, a second outlet 32 that opens to the connection position P1, and a second inlet 31 in the second layer S2. and the second outlet 32 , the coolant can be supplied from the outside to the second flow path 30 through a path different from that of the first flow path 20 . Therefore, for example, unlike the case where the second flow path 30 branches in the middle of the first flow path 20 and then merges at the connection position P1, the second flow is not restricted by the structure of the first flow path 20. The shape (path) of the channel 30, the flow rate of the coolant 5 in the second channel 30, and the like can be appropriately set.

Further, since the first flow path 20 has the corrugated fins 9 provided in the range including the connection position P1, the corrugated fins 9 of the first flow path 20 can improve the performance of the heat exchanger 100. Further, since the corrugated fins 9 have a corrugated cross-sectional shape, channels 52 are formed between the partition plate 7 and the corrugated fins 9 on the partition plate 7 . Since the second flow path 30 is provided to supply the coolant 5 between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7 through the opening (second outlet 32) of the partition plate 7, the connection position Even if the corrugated fins 9 are provided so as to cover the openings of the second flow passages 30 at P1, the coolant 5 from the second flow passages 30 is sent into the channels 52 between the corrugated fins 9 and the partition plate 7 to generate heat. can be exchanged.

Further, since the corrugated fin 9 has the fin portion 51 extending in the first direction and the passage portion 56 through which the coolant 5 can flow in the second direction (direction B) intersecting the first direction (direction A), The coolant 5 supplied to the channel 52 between the fins 9 and the partition plate 7 can move in the second direction through the passage portion 56 and flow into another channel 52 . As a result, even when the corrugated fins 9 are provided in the first flow path 20, the refrigerant 5 from the second flow path 30 can be spread over a wider area, thereby effectively suppressing local variations in heat exchange capacity. can do.

Moreover, it opens at a position on the downstream side with respect to the connection position P1 of the second flow path 30 to the first flow path 20, and discharges the coolant 5 supplied into the first flow path 20 through the second flow path 30. Since the third flow path 40 is provided, the coolant 5 supplied from the second flow path 30 to the connection position P<b>1 can be easily discharged through the third flow path 40 . Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, when a sudden change portion 27 in which the flow path width is rapidly reduced is provided downstream of the connection position P1, the shape of the first flow path 20 causes the connection position Even if the pressure loss in the path from P1 to the first outlet 22 of the first flow path 20 increases, it is possible to suppress an unnecessary increase in the supply pressure of the fluid in the second flow path 30 .

In addition, since the connection position P1 is arranged at a position adjacent to the sudden change portion 25 on the downstream side, the second flow path is located at a position immediately downstream of the sudden change portion 25 in the first flow passage 20. Refrigerant 5 from line 30 can be supplied. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the region where the refrigerant 5 is difficult to spread on the downstream side of the sudden change portion 25, so that it is possible to more effectively suppress local variations in the heat exchange capacity.

(Modification)
It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as examples and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of claims rather than the description of the above-described embodiments, and includes all modifications (modifications) within the scope and meaning equivalent to the scope of claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the object M is a power module having a power control switching element, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the object M is not particularly limited and may be any object.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which one placement area 12 is provided on the installation surface 11 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of placement regions 12 (that is, the number of objects M that can be placed on the installation surface 11) may be two or more (plural).

For example, the modification shown in FIG. 12 shows an example in which two objects M can be arranged along the flow direction (Y2 direction) of the coolant 5 from the first inlet 21 to the first outlet 22 . In other words, two arrangement regions (not shown) are provided side by side in the Y2 direction. The mounting portions 28 are provided at four locations in each of the two arrangement areas, for a total of eight locations. The heat exchanger 100 may be provided with a plurality of placement areas 12 in this way.

In the example of FIG. 12, two abrupt change portions 25 are provided in the Y direction where the channel width of the first channel 20 abruptly expands. In addition, on the downstream side of each of the sudden change portions 25, there are provided sudden change portions 27 in which the passage width of the first passage 20 is suddenly reduced. A second flow path 30a is connected to the downstream side of the first sudden change portion 25 on the upstream side, and a second flow path 30b is connected to the downstream side of the second sudden change portion 25. As shown in FIG. The second flow path 30a has a configuration similar to that of the above-described embodiment, is opened at the side end surface of the main body 1 in the Y1 direction, and is connected to the first sudden change portion 25 at a connection position P1 on the downstream side. connected to. The second flow path 30b on the downstream side includes a second inlet 131 that opens at a connection position P11 on the Y2 direction side (downstream side) with respect to the connection position P1. The second flow path 30b is connected to a second outlet 132 opening at a connection position P12 on the downstream side with respect to the second sudden change portion 25 via a connection path 133 formed in the second layer S2. there is Therefore, the second flow path 30b receives the coolant 5 from the second inlet 131, passes through the second layer S2, and flows from the connection position P12 on the downstream side of the second rapid change portion 25 into the first flow path 20. Refrigerant 5 is supplied to . In this way, the second flow path does not have an inlet (second inlet 31) that opens to the outside, but the inlet (second inlet 131) that opens into the first flow path 20 and the coolant 5 at the connection position. It may be configured to have an outlet for supplying (second outlet 132).

12, the coolant 5 supplied from the second flow path 30b into the first flow path 20 is connected to the second rapid change portion 27 on the upstream side of the third flow path 40. is discharged to the outside.

Moreover, unlike FIG. 12, the modification shown in FIG. 13 shows an example in which two objects M can be arranged along the width direction of the flow path (X direction). That is, two arrangement regions are provided side by side in the X direction.

In the example of FIG. 13 , at two corners on the upstream side (Y1 direction side) of the first flow path 20, there are formed abruptly changing portions 25 where the width of the flow path rapidly expands. It is the same as the above-described embodiment in that the two corners (Y2 direction side) are formed with abruptly changing portions 27 in which the width of the flow path is abruptly decreased. In the modified example of FIG. 13, a sudden change portion 125 including a mounting portion 128 provided in a columnar shape is further provided in the first flow path 20 at the central portion in the flow path width direction (X direction). At the position where the mounting portion 128 is formed, the width of the first flow path 20 is W11, and at the sudden change portion 125, the width of the first flow path 20 is expanded from W11 to W12. The second flow path 30 opens at a connection position P21 on the downstream side of the sudden change portion 125. As shown in FIG. In this way, the abruptly changing portion in which the width of the first channel 20 changes abruptly can be formed by a structural portion (mounting portion 128) formed in the first channel 20 in a columnar or island shape. . Note that in FIG. 13, a sudden change portion 127 in which the width of the flow path suddenly decreases is formed by the mounting portion 128 on the downstream side. A third flow path 40 is provided so as to open at a connection position P<b>22 on the upstream side with respect to the sudden change portion 127 .

Although illustration is omitted, the configuration of FIG. 12 and the configuration of FIG. 13 may be combined to configure the main body 1 so that a plurality of objects M can be arranged in each of the X direction and the Y direction.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the sudden change portions 25 and 27 in the first flow path 20 are formed by the mounting portion 28 for fixing the object M is shown, but the sudden change portion is the mounting portion 28 need not be formed. For example, in the modification shown in FIG. 14, the channel width of the first inlet 21 (inlet portion 23) and the first outlet 22 (outlet portion 26) of the first channel 20 is simply narrow, and the boundary portion with the wide portion 24 Abrupt changes 25 and 27 are formed by the change in the width of the flow path at . Thus, the abrupt change can be formed within the first flow path 20 regardless of the presence or absence of the mounting portion 28 .

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the first surface (upper surface) of the main body portion 1 is used as the installation surface 11 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The second surface (lower surface) of the main body 1 may be the installation surface 11 , or both the first surface and the second surface may be the installation surface 11 . When both the first surface and the second surface are the installation surface 11, the first flow path 20 (first layer S1) adjacent to the first surface and the first flow path 20 (first layer S1) adjacent to the second surface ( A first layer S1) can be provided, and a second flow path 30 (second layer S2) can be provided between the first flow paths 20 (first layer S1).

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the first inlet 21 is provided on the side end surface in the Y1 direction of the main body 1 and the first outlet 22 is provided on the side end surface in the Y2 direction is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. do not have. In the present invention, the first inlet 21 and the first outlet 22 may be provided on the same side end face of the body portion 1 . In this case, the first flow path 20 extending from the first inlet 21 is turned back (made a U-turn) at the end opposite to the first inlet 21 and connected to the first outlet 22. good too. Both the first inlet 21 and the first outlet 22 may be open on any surface of the main body 1, for example, through the upper plate 6 or the lower plate 8 in the thickness direction to form the first surface or the second surface. may be opened to

In the above embodiment, the first inlet 21 of the first flow path 20 and the second inlet 31 of the second flow path 30 open to the same Y1 direction side end surface of the main body 1. The present invention is not limited to this. The first inlet 21 of the first channel 20 and the second inlet 31 of the second channel 30 may open on different surfaces of the main body 1 . For example, as shown in FIG. 15 , the first inlet 21 may open on the side end face of the main body 1 and the second inlet 31 may open on the second surface of the main body 1 . In FIG. 15, the second flow path 30 penetrates the second layer S2 (lower plate 8) in the thickness direction (Z direction) and connects to the first flow path 20 at a position directly below the connection position P1. . When the first inlet 21 and the second inlet 31 are provided on different surfaces in this manner, the introduction port and the outlet port may be provided separately.

In addition, in the modification of FIG. 15, the partition plate 7 is not provided in the main-body part 1, but only the 1st layer S1 is provided in the main-body part 1. As shown in FIG. As described above, when the second flow path 30 does not have a connecting path extending parallel to the first flow path 20, the second layer S2 is not required, and the body portion 1 has only the first layer S1. good too.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the corrugated fins 9 provided in the first flow path 20 are offset fins 9b, but the present invention is not limited to this. The corrugated fins 9 provided in the first flow path 20 may be the perforated fins 9a shown in FIG. The corrugated fins 9 provided in the first flow path 20 may be corrugated fins that do not have the passage portion 56, such as plain fins. As the corrugated fins 9 provided in the first flow path 20, louver fins or herringbone fins other than these may be adopted. Furthermore, in the present invention, the corrugated fins 9 do not have to be provided in the first flow path 20 .

Moreover, although the first flow path 20 has one first inlet 21 and one first outlet 22 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the first flow path 20 may be branched into a plurality of branches and connected to the plurality of first outlets 22 respectively, or may be joined from the plurality of first inlets 21 .

Similarly, in the above-described embodiment, two second flow paths 30 are connected one by one to the connection positions P1 on both sides in the X direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, one second flow path 30 may branch from one second inlet 31 and have a plurality of second outlets 32 so as to be connected to two (plural) connection positions P1 respectively. good. The same is true for the third flow path 40 , and may join from two (plural) third inlets 41 at two (plural) connection positions P<b>2 and connect to one third outlet 42 .

Moreover, although the example which provided the 3rd flow path 40 was shown in the said embodiment, this invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the third channel 40 may not be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the corrugated fins 9 are provided in a range including the connection position P1 (second outlet 32) is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, corrugated fins 9 may not be formed at connection position P1 (second outlet 32). Further, the corrugated fin 9 may be provided so as to include a part of the connection position P1 (second outlet 32) instead of including the entire connection position P1 (second outlet 32). That is, the corrugated fins 9 may be provided so as to cover only part of the second outlet 32 . When the corrugated fins 9 are provided in a range including the connection position P1 (the second outlet 32), there is a gap between the part where the corrugated fins 9 exist and the part where the corrugated fins 9 do not exist (the connection position P1) in the first flow path 20. Since there is no difference in heat transfer area, it is possible to make local changes in cooling capacity less likely to occur.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which the connection position P1 is arranged at a position adjacent to the sudden change portion 25 on the downstream side, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the connection position P1 may be away from the sudden change portion 25 downstream. The connection position P1 can supply the coolant 5 to the stagnation region formed downstream of the rapid change portion 25 when the coolant 5 is circulated only through the first channel 20 without the second channel 30 being formed. If there is, it does not have to be adjacent to the sudden change section 25 .

In the above embodiment, the heat exchanger 100 is a liquid-cooled cold plate that absorbs the heat from the object M, which is a heating element, into the refrigerant 5 to cool it. is not limited to In the present invention, the heat exchanger 100 may be a temperature regulator that heats the object M by supplying the heat of the fluid on the high temperature side to the object M on the low temperature side through heat exchange. Further, the heat exchanger 100 may be configured to be supplied by switching between the low-temperature refrigerant 5 and the high-temperature fluid, and switch between cooling and heating according to the temperature of the object M.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the screw holes 13 (see FIG. 3) of the mounting portion 28 are formed in the upper plate 6 was shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The screw holes 13 may pass through the top plate 6 . For example, the screw holes 13 may be formed through the upper plate 6 and the partition plate 7 to reach the lower plate 8 .

1 main body 5 refrigerant (fluid)
7 partition plate 9 corrugated fin 11 installation surface 14 mounting screw (fixing member)
20 first channel 21 first inlet 22 first outlet 25, 125 abrupt change portion 27, 127 abrupt change portion 28, 128 mounting portion 30, 30a, 30b second channel 31, 131 second inlet 32, 132 second second Outlet 33, 133 Connection path 40 Third flow path 51 Fin portion 56 Passage portion 100 Heat exchanger M Object P1, P11, P12 Connection position P2, P21, P22 Connection position S1 First layer S2 Second layer

Claims (8)

a main body having an installation surface on which an object whose temperature is to be adjusted is installed;
A fluid is circulated from a first inlet that is provided on a first layer adjacent to the object across the installation surface in the main body, and that opens to the outside of the main body, toward a first outlet. A first flow path that exchanges heat with
A second flow path that is partitioned as a flow path different from the first flow path and connected to the first flow path from the thickness direction of the first layer,
The second flow path opens at a connection position on the downstream side of a portion where the width of the flow path changes abruptly in the first flow path, and the fluid flows into the first flow path from the connection position. A heat exchanger configured to supply. 2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said sudden change portion in said first flow path includes a mounting portion to which a fixing member for fixing said object placed on said installation surface is coupled. The body portion includes the first layer in which the first flow path is formed, and a second layer laminated on the first layer via a partition plate and in which the second flow path is formed,
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said second flow path is connected from said second layer to said first flow path via an opening in said partition plate formed at said connection position. The second flow path includes a second inlet opening to the outside of the main body in the second layer, a second outlet opening to the connection position, and the second inlet and the second flow path in the second layer. 4. A heat exchanger according to claim 3, comprising a connection path connecting with the outlet. The first flow path has corrugated fins provided in a range including the connection position,
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein said second flow path is provided to supply fluid between said corrugated fins and said partition plate through openings in said partition plate. 6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein said corrugated fin has a fin portion extending in a first direction and a passage portion through which fluid can flow in a second direction intersecting said first direction. A third opening at a position downstream of the connection position of the second flow path to the first flow path to discharge the fluid supplied into the first flow path through the second flow path. A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a channel. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said connecting position is arranged at a position adjacent to said sudden change portion on the downstream side.

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