Compact power electronic system

Abstract

A compact power electronic system is presented, comprising a stacked arrangement of a capacitor device, a cooling device, a power switching device and a control switching device, wherein the cooling device has a first cooling contact surface which is in thermal contact with the capacitor device and a second cooling contact surface opposite the first, which is in thermal contact with the power switching device.

Description

[0001] The invention describes a compact power electronic system with a stacked arrangement of a capacitor device, a cooling device, a power switching device and a control switching device.

[0002] DE 10 2019 134 650 A1 discloses a power electronic system with a housing, with a cooling device, with a power semiconductor module and with a capacitor device, wherein a cooling section of a capacitor connection device is in thermally conductive contact with a cooling surface of the cooling device.

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the object of the invention is to optimize the arrangement and connection of the components.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by a compact power electronic system with a stacked arrangement of at least four components, namely a capacitor device, a cooling device, a power switching device and a control switching device, wherein the cooling device has a first cooling contact surface which is in thermal contact with the capacitor device and a second cooling contact surface opposite the first, which is in thermal contact with the power switching device.

[0005] It is preferred if the capacitor device comprises a plurality of capacitor elements and an element connecting device, wherein the latter is arranged between the first cooling contact surface and the capacitor elements and wherein the capacitor elements are preferably in thermal contact with the first cooling contact surface by means of the element connecting device.

[0006] It may also be preferred if each component is force-locked exclusively with the component following in a normal direction of the stacked arrangement.

[0007] It may be advantageous if the height ratio, viewed in the normal direction, between the height of the condenser device and the total height of the cooling device, the power switching device and the control switching device is between 2:1 and 1:1.

[0008] It may also be preferred if the power electronic system and in particular its housing has a cuboid basic shape, wherein the capacitor device is preferably arranged on a base surface of a cuboid.

[0009] It may be advantageous if a section of a DC voltage connection device is arranged laterally between the capacitor device and the power switching device, preferably on a first longitudinal side of the cuboid.

[0010] It may also be advantageous if a DC voltage connection device is arranged on the first longitudinal side or on a second longitudinal side of the cuboid opposite the first.

[0011] It may also be preferred if an AC voltage connection device is arranged on the first or second longitudinal side of the cuboid.

[0012] Furthermore, it may be advantageous if a cooling liquid connection device of the cooling device is arranged on the first or second narrow side of the cuboid.

[0013] It may also be advantageous if the ratio of the length of a narrow side of the cuboid to the length of the long side of the cuboid is between 1:1.2 and 1:3, preferably between 1:1.3 and 1:2. It may also be advantageous if the ratio of the height of the cuboid to the length of the long side of the cuboid is between 1:1.2 and 1:3, preferably between 1:1.3 and 1:2. Individual protruding components, such as connection elements, parts thereof, or connectors, are preferably not taken into account. The respective lengths are determined orthogonally to the normal direction.

[0014] It may be preferred if a resistance device, preferably designed as a discharge resistor of the capacitor device, is arranged laterally next to the power switching device and preferably in thermal contact with the second cooling contact surface.

[0015] It is also preferred if the power switching device is formed from a plurality of partial switching devices.

[0016] It may be advantageous if the power switching device forms a multi-phase, preferably a three-phase bridge circuit, and each phase is assigned a partial switching device.

[0017] It may also be advantageous if the power switching device forms a half-bridge circuit and the partial switching devices are connected in parallel.

[0018] It may be preferred if the capacitor device forms a first sub-housing of the system or is arranged in a first sub-housing of the system. It may also be preferred if a second sub-housing jointly covers the cooling device, the power switching device, the control switching device, and, if present, also the resistance device and interacts with the first sub-housing.

[0019] The term power switching device should be understood as an example of a power semiconductor module with or without a module housing or module sub-housing.

[0020] Of course, unless this is explicitly or per se excluded or contradicts the idea of ​​the invention, the features or groups of features mentioned in the singular, for example the power switching device or the control switching device, can be present multiple times in the system according to the invention.

[0021] It is understood that the various embodiments of the invention can be implemented individually or in any combination to achieve improvements. In particular, the features mentioned and explained above and below can be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0022] Further explanations of the invention, advantageous details and features, emerge from the following description of the Fig. 1 to 4 schematically illustrated embodiments of the invention, or of respective parts thereof. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a power electronic system according to the invention in an exploded view. Fig. 2 to 4 show different three-dimensional views of a power electronic system according to the invention. Fig. 4 shows a linear arrangement of a plurality of power electronic systems according to the invention.

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a schematic exploded view of a power electronics system according to the invention. This compact system comprises, viewed from bottom to top, an arrangement stacked in the normal direction N, comprising a capacitor device 1, a cooling device 2, a power switching device 3, and a control switching device 4. The cooling device 2 has a first cooling contact surface 20 that is in thermal contact with the capacitor device 1. The thermal contact here, without limiting the generality, is made directly with an element connection device 12, which forms a first part of a DC voltage connection device 6 between the capacitor device 1 and the power switching device 3.The individual capacitor elements 10 of the capacitor device 1 are then in indirect thermal contact with the first cooling contact surface 20 via the element connecting device 12, again without restriction of generality.

[0024] The entire capacitor device 1 is arranged here in a first sub-housing 51 of the system.

[0025] A second cooling contact surface 22 of the cooling device 2, opposite the first, is in direct thermal contact with the power switching device 3. For this purpose, the power switching device 3, which is designed here as an unhoused power semiconductor module, is arranged directly on the second cooling contact surface 22. As is customary in the art, a thermally conductive paste can also be arranged between the power switching device 3 and the second cooling contact surface 22.

[0026] The power switching device 3 is connected to the control switching device 4 by means of internal contact elements 30. This control switching device 4 is designed as a standard printed circuit board and serves to control the power switching device 3 and receives the associated control signals via a plug connection (not shown) to a higher-level controller, in particular a vehicle controller, if the power electronics system is part of a drive train of an electric vehicle.

[0027] A second sub-housing 52, which cooperates with the first sub-housing 51, covers the cooling device 2, the power switching device 3 and the control switching device 4. This second sub-housing 52 has cooling liquid connections (not shown), as well as bushings 510 for load connection elements 32 and plug connections for control signals (also not shown).

[0028] Fig. 2 to 4 show various three-dimensional views of a power electronic system according to the invention with a first, but without the second partial housing 51, 52, which together form an overall housing. In Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 shows a stacked arrangement of a capacitor device 1, a cooling device 2, a power switching device 3, and a control switching device 4, wherein the capacitor device 1 is enclosed by the first partial housing 51 and is not visible. This stacked structure corresponds to that in Fig. 1, schematically shown.

[0029] The embodiment of the power switching device 3 shown here has a plurality of sub-switching devices, here three, each of which forms a phase of the three-phase load output of the power electronic system. The power switching device 3 thus forms a three-phase bridge circuit.

[0030] Also shown is a resistance device 5 located laterally next to the power switching device 3 and in thermal contact with the second cooling contact surface 22. This resistance device 5 is designed here as a discharge resistor of the capacitor device 1, which is required in the event of a fault.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows schematically the cuboidal basic shape of the compact power electronic system as cuboid 8. Here, the capacitor device, cf. Fig. 1, arranged on a base surface 80 of the cuboid 8. This base surface 80 essentially also forms the base surface of the first sub-housing 51. The ratio of a length of a narrow side 84, 85 of the cuboid 8 to a length of the long side 82, 83 of the cuboid 8 is 1:1.5 in this embodiment.

[0032] A section 60 of a DC voltage connection device 6 is arranged between the capacitor device 1 and the power switching device 3 laterally on a first longitudinal side 82 of the cuboid 8. A DC voltage connection device 62 for externally supplying the system is arranged on the second longitudinal side 83 of the cuboid 8, opposite the first longitudinal side 82. An AC voltage connection device 62 for connecting to an electrical machine is also arranged on the second longitudinal side 83 of the cuboid 8.

[0033] Fig. Figure 5 shows a linear arrangement of a plurality of power electronic systems according to the invention, wherein the narrow sides 84, 85 of the respective cuboids 8, the basic shape of the respective systems, face each other. Here, the DC voltage connection devices 62, see Figure 5, are each arranged. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, arranged on a second longitudinal side 83 of the cuboid 8. The AC voltage connection devices 62, cf. Fig. 4, are arranged on the same second longitudinal side 83 of the cuboid 8.

[0034] The respective coolant connection devices of the cooling device 2, see Fig. 2, of the individual cuboids 8 are arranged on a narrow side 84, 85 of the cuboid 8. The cooling fluid connection devices of adjacent cuboids 8 can be connected to each other to form a chain of cooling devices 2.

[0035] Alternatively, it may be preferred if no electrical connection elements and also no cooling liquid connection device are arranged on the narrow sides 84, 85 of the respective cuboid 8 in order to be able to arrange the individual cuboids 8 as closely adjacent to one another as possible. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2019 134 650 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Compact power electronic system with a stacked arrangement of a capacitor device (1), a cooling device (2), a power switching device (3) and a control switching device (4), wherein the cooling device (2) has a first cooling contact surface (20) which is in thermal contact with the capacitor device (1) and a second cooling contact surface (22) opposite the first, which is in thermal contact with the power switching device (3). [2] Power electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the capacitor device (1) comprises a plurality of capacitor elements (10) and an element connecting device (12), which is arranged between the first cooling contact surface (20) and the capacitor elements (10), and wherein the capacitor elements (10) are preferably in thermal contact with the first cooling contact surface (20) by means of the element connecting device (12). [3] Power electronic system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each component is force-locked exclusively with the component following in a normal direction (N) of the stacked arrangement. [4] Power electronic system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the height ratio, viewed in the normal direction (N), between the height of the capacitor device (1) and the total height of the cooling device (2), the power switching device (3) and the control switching device (4) is between 2:1 and 1:

1. [5] Power electronic system according to one of the preceding claims, with a cuboid basic shape, wherein the capacitor device (1) is preferably arranged on a base surface (80) of a cuboid (8). [6] Power electronic system according to claim 5, wherein a portion of a DC voltage connection device (6) between the capacitor device (1) and the power switching device (3) is arranged laterally, preferably on a first longitudinal side (82, 83) of the cuboid (8). [7] Power electronic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a DC voltage connection device (62) is arranged on the first longitudinal side (82) or a second longitudinal side (82, 83) of the cuboid (8) opposite the first. [8] Power electronic system according to claim 5 to 7, wherein an AC voltage connection device (32) is arranged on the first or second longitudinal side 82, 83 of the cuboid (8). [9] Power electronic system according to claim 5 to 8, wherein a cooling liquid connection device of the cooling device (2) is arranged on the first or the second narrow side (84, 85) of the cuboid (8). [10] Power electronic system according to claim 5 to 9, wherein the ratio of a length of a narrow side (84, 85) of the cuboid (8) to a length of the long side (82, 83) of the cuboid (8) is between 1:1.2 and 1:3, preferably between 1:1.3 and 1:

2. [11] Power electronic system according to claim 5 to 10, wherein the ratio of a height of the cuboid (8) to the length of the longitudinal side (82,83) of the cuboid (8) is between 1:1.2 and 1:3, preferably between 1:1.3 and 1:

2. [12] Power electronic system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a resistance device (5), preferably designed as a discharge resistor of the capacitor device (1), is arranged laterally next to the power switching device (3) and preferably in thermal contact with the second cooling contact surface (22). [13] Power electronic system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the power switching device (3) is formed from a plurality of sub-switching devices. [14] Power electronic system according to claim 13, wherein the power switching device (3) forms a multi-phase, preferably a three-phase bridge circuit and each phase is assigned a partial switching device. [15] Power electronic system according to claim 13, wherein the power switching device (3) forms a half-bridge circuit and the partial switching devices are connected in parallel. [16] Power electronic system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the capacitor device (1) forms a first sub-housing (51) of the system or is arranged in a first sub-housing (51) of the system. [17] Power electronic system according to claim 16, wherein a second sub-housing (52) jointly covers the cooling device (2), the power switching device (3), the control switching device (4) and, if present, also the resistance device (5) and interacts with the first sub-housing (51).