JP7326953B2 - Cooling system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling device, and more particularly to a cooling device that exchanges heat by blowing air from a fan unit to a radiator.

A power electronics unit having a semiconductor element for power conversion or the like may be subject to restrictions on the volume of the device in which it is incorporated, and in this case, miniaturization of the cooling structure inside the power electronics unit is required. As such a cooling structure, the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The cooling structure of Patent Document 1 includes a heat sink to which a heat source such as an electric element is attached, and a fan that blows air to the fins (heat radiator) of the heat sink. In such a cooling structure, a fan is arranged opposite to the tip side of a plurality of fins in the heat sink. In the cooling structure, if the tips of the fins and the fan are brought as close as possible, it is advantageous for miniaturization.

JP 2017-69499 A

In Patent Document 1, air is blown to the fins in the area facing the blade members of the fan, but it is difficult to blow air to the fins in the area facing the boss (shaft) of the fan. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the fins in the area facing the boss are sparse, and the fins in the area facing the blade member are dense. However, even if the fins are provided with sparseness and denseness as in Patent Document 1, the air flow in the fins is directed from the region facing the blade member toward both ends in the extending direction of the fins, so the region facing the boss is not blown. However, there is a problem that a sufficient cooling effect cannot be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling device capable of improving the cooling effect in a region facing a boss of a fan.

A cooling device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a base with which a heating element contacts, a plurality of radiators erected from the base, a boss provided on the opening side of the radiator, and a boss connected to the boss. and a fan unit having blade members, wherein the plurality of heat radiators are configured to guide the air blown from the fan unit from a region opening to the blade member to a region opening to the boss. a group of induction radiators; and a second group of induction radiators for guiding air blown from the fan unit from a region opening to the boss to a region opening to the blade members , wherein the first group of induction radiators and the occupation density is smaller in the area opening to the boss than in the area opening to the blade member .
A cooling device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a base with which a heating element contacts, a plurality of radiators erected from the base, a boss provided on an opening side of the radiator, and a boss connected to the boss. and a fan unit having blade members, wherein the plurality of heat radiators guide air blown from the fan unit from a region opening to the blade member to a region opening to the boss. 1 group of induction radiators, and a second group of induction radiators for guiding the air blown from the fan unit from a region opened to the boss to a region opened to the blade member, wherein the first induction radiator The group is characterized by being formed by a plurality of pin-like members.
Further, the cooling device of one aspect of the present invention includes a base with which a heating element is in contact, a plurality of radiators erected from the base, a boss provided on the opening side of the radiator, and a boss connected to the boss. and a fan unit having blade members, wherein the plurality of heat radiators guide air blown from the fan unit from a region opening to the blade member to a region opening to the boss. 1 group of induction radiators, and a second group of induction radiators for guiding the air blown from the fan unit from a region opened to the boss to a region opened to the blade member, wherein the first induction radiator At least part of the boundary between the group and the second induction radiator group is formed in a region opening to the boss.

According to the present invention, the first group of induction heat radiators can guide and circulate the wind to the region of the heat radiators that is open to the boss. Furthermore, the second group of induction heat radiators can facilitate the flow of the air to the area opening to the blade member so that the wind guided to the area opening to the boss does not stay. As a result, it is possible to ensure the flow rate of the air blown to the area opened to the boss by the plurality of radiators, and to improve the cooling performance in the area.

1 is a partial front cross-sectional view of a cooling device according to an embodiment; FIG. It is a schematic bottom view of the heat sink of embodiment. It is a bottom view similar to FIG. 2 of the heat sink in the cooling device of a comparative example. It is a bottom view similar to FIG. 2 of the heat sink which concerns on a modification. FIG. 3 is a bottom view similar to FIG. 2 of a heat sink according to another modified example;

A cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be modified appropriately without changing the gist of the invention. In the following diagrams, part of the configuration may be omitted for convenience of explanation. Further, in the following, a case where the cooling device according to the present invention is applied to a power electronics unit including general power converters using semiconductors such as power converters, voltage regulators, inverter devices, and converter devices will be described. do.

FIG. 1 is a partial front cross-sectional view of a cooling device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the power electronics unit 1 according to the first embodiment includes a semiconductor element 10 serving as a heating element, and a cooling device including a heat sink 20 and a fan unit 30 . In the power electronics unit 1, the semiconductor element 10, the heat sink 20, and the fan unit 30 are arranged in an internal space of a housing (not shown).

Here, the following description is based on the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction indicated by arrows in each drawing. However, these directions are merely examples set for the convenience of explanation, and arbitrary changes such as changing the X direction in the drawing to the vertical direction may be made upon implementation.

The semiconductor element 10 is, for example, an element that performs power conversion, and is formed in a state of being packaged with a resin material. The surface of the semiconductor element 10 facing the heat sink 20 is formed as a heat dissipation surface, and heat generated during power conversion is mainly emitted from the heat dissipation surface.

FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view of the heat sink according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the heat sink 20 includes a base 21 formed in the shape of a square plate having a thickness in the Z direction, and a plurality of heat sinks erected from the -Z side (the front side in FIG. 2) of the base 21 . A boss-side induction radiator 23 and an outward induction radiator 24 are provided as radiators. The four sides forming the outer edge of the base 21 extend in the X direction and the Y direction. The heat sink 20 is made of a material having high thermal conductivity, and specifically, metal such as aluminum can be exemplified. The semiconductor element 10 is in contact with the base 21 . In the heat sink 20, the heat from the semiconductor element 10 (see FIG. 1) is transferred to the radiators 23 and 24 through the base 21, and heat is exchanged between the surfaces of the radiators 23 and 24 and the air in contact therewith. is performed and heat is radiated from the heat sink 20 .

The base 21 has a first region 21A located on the +X side and the +Y side when viewed by dividing the -Z side surface into two parts in each of the X direction and the Y direction and dividing the whole into roughly four parts. there is Further, the base 21 has a second area 21B, a third area 21C, and a fourth area 21D in clockwise order from the first area 21A when divided into four parts as described above.

When the base 21 is divided into the first to fourth regions 21A to 21D as described above, the boss-side induction radiator 23 is formed in the first region 21A and the third region 21C, and the outer induction radiator 24 is formed in the first region 21A and the third region 21C. are formed in the second region 21B and the fourth region 21D. Therefore, the radiators 23 and 24 are provided in a shape that is approximately symmetrical with respect to the central position of the -Z side surface of the base 21 as a point of symmetry. In the present embodiment, the second region 21B and the fourth region 21D in which the outward induction heat radiator 24 is formed are X larger than the first region 21A and the third region 21C in which the boss side induction heat radiator 23 is formed. The width of the direction is formed large.

The radiators 23 and 24 are erected in the Z direction. The boss-side induction radiators 23 are formed of pin-shaped members, and are arranged side by side with the X direction and the Y direction as the alignment directions. In the present embodiment, the boss-side induction radiator 23 is formed in the shape of a truncated quadrangular pyramid, and is formed in such a shape that the cross-sectional area gradually decreases from the base to the tip. Here, the -Z side, which is the leading end side of each of the radiators 23 and 24, is the opening side, and each of the radiators 23 and 24 is open to the fan unit 30. As shown in FIG. In this specification and the scope of claims, the direction and position of the "opening" in the radiator including the boss-side induction radiator 23 and the outward induction radiator 24 is the tip side in the erecting direction. The crossing X and Y directions shall not be included.

Each boss-side induction radiator 23 is formed to have various thicknesses. Specifically, the thickness of the boss-side induction radiator 23 is made smaller the closer it is to the center of the base 21, and gradually increases as it moves away from the center. Also, the boss-side induction radiators 23 are set to have substantially the same installation interval (pitch) in the X direction and the Y direction. As a result, the distance between adjacent boss-side induction radiators 23 gradually increases from the outer peripheral side toward the center of the base 21, and the space therebetween also gradually expands. In other words, when viewed from the Z direction, the area occupied by the boss-side induction radiator 23 is smaller at the center than at the outer periphery of the base 21, and more specifically, gradually increases from the outer periphery toward the center. becomes smaller.

The outward induction radiator 24 is formed of a plate-shaped member whose thickness direction is the Y direction. The outward induction radiators 24 extend in the X direction perpendicular to the Y and Z directions, and are arranged in parallel at equal intervals (at predetermined intervals) in the Y direction. . Therefore, a plurality of flow paths through which the air blown from the fan unit 30 flows are formed between the outward induction radiators 24 adjacent in the Y direction.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the fan unit 30 is arranged facing the opening side (front end side) of each of the radiators 23 and 24 in the heat sink 20 . The fan unit 30 includes a substantially cylindrical boss 31 that rotates around a rotation center axis C by receiving driving force from a drive means (not shown), and a plurality of blade members 32 that are connected to the outer periphery of the boss 31 . I have. The fan unit 30 also includes a casing 33 that houses the boss 31 and blade members 32 .

The casing 33 is formed in a frame shape having four sides in the X direction and the Y direction, and is provided so as to open the +Z side and the -Z side. The casing 33 is provided so as to be slightly inward or roughly aligned in the X and Y directions with respect to the areas where the radiators 23 and 24 are formed. In addition, the casing 33 is supported via a support member (not shown) so that the +Z side end of the casing 33 is arranged with a slight gap from the tip (−Z side end) of each of the radiators 23 and 24. be done. In FIG. 1, a gap is provided between the +Z side end of the casing 33 and the tip of each of the radiators 23 and 24, but they may be arranged so as to be in contact with each other.

A rotation center axis C of the boss 31 is provided so as to extend in the direction in which the radiators 23 and 24 are erected, that is, in the Z direction. The blade member 32 is formed to blow air from the -Z side of the casing 33 to the +Z side by the rotation of the boss 31 , thereby blowing air toward the radiators 23 and 24 .

As shown in FIG. 2, when the heat sink 20 and the boss 31 indicated by the chain double-dashed line are stacked in the Z direction, the circular boss 31 is positioned at the center of the base 21 to form the first to fourth regions. It is arranged so as to straddle all of 21A to 21D. In other words, all of the first to fourth regions 21A to 21D overlap the boss 31 in a positional relationship. In FIG. 2 , in the heat sink 20 , an area A opening to the boss 31 is defined as an area inside a circular two-dot chain line indicating the boss 31 . A position indicated by a two-dot chain line concentric with the boss 31 outside the boss 31 is a position through which the tip of the blade member 32 passes when the boss 31 rotates. Therefore, the area between the passing position and the boss 31 is defined as a blowing area S through which the blade member 32 rotates. area. In the area A opening to the boss 31, a part of the boundary between the areas adjacent to each other in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 is formed in the first to fourth areas 21A to 21D.

Here, the cooling function of the heat sink 20 and the fan unit 30 in the above embodiment will be explained after explaining the cooling function of the comparative example shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a bottom view similar to FIG. 2 of the heat sink in the cooling device of the comparative example.

In the cooling device of the comparative example, in the heat sink 120, the formation of the boss-side induction radiator 23 in the above-described embodiment is omitted, and a radiator plate 122 similar to the outward induction radiator 24 is formed by extending in the X direction. and A fan unit (not shown) in the comparative example has a configuration similar to that of the fan unit 30 in the embodiment, and includes bosses 131 and blade members 132 .

In the comparative example, when air is blown to the heat sink 120 by the rotation of the boss 131 and the blade member 132, the air flows in the +Z direction toward the heat dissipation plate 122 from the blowing area S through which the blade member 132 passes. After the air flows between the adjacent heat radiation plates 122 and hits the base 121, the air blows out from both ends of the heat radiation plates 122 in the X direction to obtain a cooling effect.

Here, since air is not blown from the boss 131 in the fan unit, the air does not flow or becomes difficult to flow and stays in the area A opening to the boss 131 in the plurality of heat dissipation plates 122 . Therefore, there is a problem that the cooling performance is deteriorated and the temperature of the area A and its peripheral portion is increased.

By the way, if the space between the heat radiation plate 122 and the fan unit is increased, the amount of air flowing to the area A opening to the boss 131 can be increased by the rectification effect. It is not preferable because the overall size of the

In contrast, in the above-described embodiment, when the fan unit 30 is operated to blow air to the heat sink 20, air flows from the fan unit 30 in the +Z direction, which is the side of the radiators 23 and 24. FIG. After the air flows through the space between the adjacent radiators 23 and 24 and hits the base 21 (see the arrows in FIG. 1), the air flows in the direction along the −Z side surface of the base 21 to The heat is blown out of the heat sink 20 from between the radiators 23 and 24 . In such an air flow, heat exchange takes place between the air and each radiator 23, 24 to provide a cooling effect.

More specifically, air flow in the heat sink 20 will be described in more detail. In the fan unit 30 , air is not blown from the boss 31 but air is blown from the air blow area S surrounding the boss 31 . In the first region 21A and the third region 21C, when the air flows between the boss-side induction radiators 23 erected in the air blowing region S, the air flows outward (radially) from the region overlapping the air blowing region S in the Z direction. direction outward). Here, the occupancy density of the boss-side induction radiator 23 is smaller in the area A opening to the boss 31 than in the blowing area S. More specifically, as the blowing area S approaches the area A opening to the boss 31, gradually become smaller. Therefore, the distance between the adjacent boss-side induction heat radiators 23 becomes smaller toward the outer side of the base 21, and the outward flow of air in the blowing region S becomes a resistance. Therefore, part of the wind that has flowed to the boss-side induction radiator 23 flows into the area A that opens to the boss 31 . As a result, the air blown from the fan unit 30 can be guided from the air blow area S to the area A opening to the boss 31 by the plurality of boss-side induction radiators 23 having different occupancy densities. Here, the plurality of boss-side induction radiators 23 form a first group of induction radiators.

In addition, in the heat sink 20, the air flows from the blowing area S of the fan unit 30 into the space between the outward induction radiators 24 erected in the second area 21B and the fourth area 21D. Here, the air blown from the air blowing region S is generated by the rotation of the fan unit 30 (blade member 32). In this embodiment, the blade member 32 rotates clockwise in FIG. Airflow will also occur in the direction along. The direction of air blown by the rotation of the fan unit 30 is mainly the -X direction in the second region 21B where the outward induction radiator 24 is formed, and is mainly the +X direction in the fourth region 21D. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the extending direction of each outward induction radiator 24 is formed in the X direction, and each outward induction radiator 24 is provided along the air blowing direction caused by the rotation of the fan unit 30. there is The -X side in the second region 21B and the +X side in the fourth region 21D are set as the downstream side in the air blowing direction of the blade member 32 rotation. These downstream sides are arranged close to or in the vicinity of the outer peripheral side of the base 21, so that the air blown from the blade member 32 can be guided to the outer peripheral side of the base 21 and circulated.

A boss-side induction radiator 23 is arranged on the upstream side of the blown air from the outer induction radiator 24 . Specifically, the boss-side induction radiator 23 of the first region 21A is arranged on the +X side, which is the upstream side of the blown air from the outward induction radiator 24 of the second region 21B. The boss-side induction radiator 23 of the third region 21C is arranged on the −X side, which is the upstream side of the blown air from the outer induction radiator 24 of the fourth region 21D. As a result, the air guided by the boss-side induction heat radiator 23 to the area A opening to the boss 31 can be flown out of the base 21 from the area A through the blowing area S by the blowing of the outward induction heat radiator 24 . . As a result, air can be circulated while suppressing air retention in the area A, the cooling performance of the area A can be improved, and high temperature can be prevented. Here, the air from the fan unit 30 is guided by the plurality of outward induction heat radiators 24 from the area A opening to the boss 31 to the air blow area S opening to the blade member 32, A second set of inductive heat sinks is formed.

By improving the cooling performance in this way, it is possible to secure the air volume to the area A without separating the heat sink 20 and the fan unit 30, so that the size expansion in the Z direction can be avoided and the capacity of the power electronics unit 1 can be reduced. can contribute to

In addition, since the outward induction radiator 24 is formed in a plate shape, the air can be circulated and guided from the area A opened in the boss 31 to the outer peripheral side of the base 21, and the heat radiation area of the outward induction radiator 24 and the A large surface area can be ensured, and the cooling capacity can be better exhibited.

Furthermore, by forming the boss-side induction radiator 23 in the shape of a truncated square pyramid, the heat that has passed through the base 21 can be easily transferred to the boss-side induction radiator 23, and cooling performance can be ensured. Further, in the boss-side induction radiator 23, the space on the tip side is made looser than on the base side so that the air can flow easily. can be induced.

In the above-described embodiment, each boss-side induction radiator 23 is thickened so that the distance between the boss-side induction radiators 23 adjacent to each other toward the area A opening to the boss 31 from the outer peripheral side of the base 21 increases. is changing. In other words, by changing the thickness of the boss-side induction heat radiator 23, the occupancy density (denseness) of the boss-side induction heat radiator 23 is adjusted according to the area, and the amount of air guided to the area A opening to the boss 31, It is possible to adopt a design in which the amount of air flowing out to the outside is appropriately adjusted.

The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of the present invention. Furthermore, if the technical idea of the present invention can be realized in another way by advances in technology or another derived technology, the method may be used for implementation. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that can be included within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

In the above-described embodiment, the plurality of boss-side induction radiators 23 are arranged at the same interval, but the thickness is changed to change the separation distance between the adjacent boss-side induction radiators 23. However, the present invention is limited to this. not a thing For example, the distance between adjacent boss-side induction radiators 23 may be changed by changing the installation interval while setting the thickness of the boss-side induction radiators 23 to be the same or randomly.

In addition, the outward induction radiator 24 is not limited to a plate-like shape. Various shapes may be used.

Also, the boss-side induction radiator 23 is not limited to a truncated pyramidal shape, and various modifications are possible as long as it stands upright in the Z direction. For example, the shape of the boss-side induction radiator 23 may be a cylindrical shape, a columnar shape with a polygonal cross section such as a triangular columnar shape or a square columnar shape, or a combination of straight lines and curved lines such as a semicircular cross section or a teardrop shape. It is also possible to form a columnar shape. Further, the shape of the boss-side induction radiator 23 may be formed in a frustum shape having the same cross-sectional shape as the columnar shape.

5, the boss-side induction radiator 23 may be made of a plate-like member and formed in a shape that gradually tapers toward a region A opening to the boss 31 when viewed in the Z direction. The boss-side induction radiator 23 in FIG. 5 is formed so that the area occupied in the blowing region S decreases stepwise as it approaches the region A opening to the boss 31 . In the boss-side induction radiator 23 as well, the air blown from the fan unit 30 can be guided from the air blow area S to the area A opening to the boss 31 as in the above-described embodiment.

Also, the shape of the boss 31 may be changed, such as a truncated cone or a combination of a truncated cone and a cylinder.

1 power electronics unit 10 semiconductor element (heating element)
20 heat sink (cooling device)
21 base 23 boss-side induction radiator (radiator, first group of induction radiators, pin-shaped member)
24 outward induction radiator (radiator, second induction radiator group, plate-like member)
30 fan unit (cooling device)
31 Boss 32 Blade member

Claims (7)

a base with which the heating element contacts;
a plurality of radiators erected from the base;
A cooling device comprising a boss disposed on the opening side of the radiator and a fan unit having a blade member connected to the boss,
the plurality of radiators are a first induction radiator group that guides the air blown from the fan unit from a region that opens to the blade member to a region that opens to the boss;
a second group of induction radiators for guiding the air blown from the fan unit from the area opening to the boss to the area opening to the blade member ;
The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the first group of induction radiators has a smaller occupation density in the area opening to the boss than in the area opening to the blade member. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the first group of induction heat radiators has a occupied area that gradually decreases toward the area that opens to the boss in the area that opens to the blade member. a base with which the heating element contacts;
a plurality of radiators erected from the base;
A cooling device comprising a boss disposed on the opening side of the radiator and a fan unit having a blade member connected to the boss,
the plurality of radiators are a first induction radiator group that guides the air blown from the fan unit from a region that opens to the blade member to a region that opens to the boss;
a second group of induction radiators for guiding the air blown from the fan unit from the area opening to the boss to the area opening to the blade member ;
A cooling device , wherein the first induction radiator group is formed of a plurality of pin-shaped members . 4. The cooling device according to claim 3 , wherein at least some of the plurality of pin-shaped members are formed such that the cross-sectional area gradually decreases from the base to the tip. a base with which the heating element contacts;
a plurality of radiators erected from the base;
A cooling device comprising a boss disposed on the opening side of the radiator and a fan unit having a blade member connected to the boss,
the plurality of radiators are a first induction radiator group that guides the air blown from the fan unit from a region that opens to the blade member to a region that opens to the boss;
a second group of induction radiators for guiding the air blown from the fan unit from the area opening to the boss to the area opening to the blade member ;
A cooling device, wherein at least part of a boundary between the first group of induction radiators and the second group of induction radiators is formed in a region opening to the boss. 6. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said second group of induction heat radiators is provided along a direction of air blown by rotation of said fan unit. 7. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein the second induction radiator group is formed of a plurality of plate-like members.

Images