Cooler and electric control unit

Abstract

The utility model discloses a cooler and an electric control unit comprising the cooler. The cooler comprises a shell, the shell comprises a cover plate and a bottom plate combined with the cover plate, the shell is provided with an inlet and an outlet, and a coolant passes through the shell from the inlet to the outlet; the first type of fin group comprises a plurality of combined first fins, and the first fins have a first volume shape; the second type of fin group comprises a plurality of combined second fins, and the second fins have a second volume shape different from the first volume shape; wherein the first type of fin group and the second type of fin group are arranged side by side along the direction in which a coolant passes through the shell, or the first type of fin group and the second type of fin group are arranged between the cover plate and the bottom plate. By combining more than one type of fin group in the cooler, the cooler can have improved heat dissipation performance.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a cooler for providing cooling for a power module. The present application also relates to an electric control unit comprising said cooler. BACKGROUND

[0002] When a power module is in operation, a large amount of heat is generated by the chips inside the power module. If this heat is not dissipated in time, there is a risk that the temperature of the chips inside the power module exceeds the maximum allowed temperature, which can seriously affect the performance of the chips and thus the performance and reliability of the entire power module. Therefore, the power module needs to be provided with a corresponding heat dissipation structure for heat dissipation of the power module.

[0003] The heat dissipation structure can be a cooler through which the coolant flows in one direction. The cooler is provided with a plurality of fins arranged in a certain manner, for example, in the form of an array, to form a fin group. The power module is arranged above the cooler, and the heat transferred from the chips to the fins is carried away by the coolant flowing through the cooler.

[0004] When the cooler provides heat dissipation for a plurality of power modules, it is found that the temperature of the coolant in the cooler is not uniform. The temperature of the coolant close to the inlet is the lowest compared to the coolant far from the inlet, in other words, the heat dissipation effect of the plurality of power modules is different, which leads to the problem of defects in thermal management. In addition, the coolant generates pressure loss when passing through the fin group. SUMMARY

[0005] An aspect of the present application is to provide a cooler to improve the problem of non-uniform temperature of the coolant inside the cooler during the passage of the coolant therein.

[0006] The cooler comprises:

[0007] a housing comprising a cover plate and a bottom plate combined with the cover plate, the housing having an inlet and an outlet through which the coolant passes from the inlet to the outlet;

[0008] a first type of fin group comprising a plurality of first fins combined, the first fins having a first volume shape;

[0009] a second type of fin group comprising a plurality of second fins combined, the second fins having a second volume shape different from the first volume shape;

[0010] wherein the first type of fin group and the second type of fin group are arranged side by side in the direction of the passage of the coolant through the housing, and / or the first type of fin group and the second type of fin group are arranged between the cover plate and the bottom plate.

[0011] In one embodiment of the cooler, the first type of fin set is arranged between the cover plate and the bottom plate overlapping the second type of fin set in a manner that first fins of the first type of fin set are inserted into gaps between adjacent second fins of the second type of fin set.

[0012] In one embodiment of the cooler, the first type of fin set is a needle type fin; and the second type of fin set is a staggered type fin.

[0013] In one embodiment of the cooler, the first type of fin set is integrally formed with the cover plate; and the second type of fin set is separately formed as a fin plate and fixed to the bottom plate.

[0014] In one embodiment of the cooler, when the first type of fin set and the second type of fin set are arranged side by side along a direction of coolant passing through the housing, the second type of fin set is arranged closer to the inlet than the first type of fin set.

[0015] When the first type of fin set and the second type of fin set are arranged between the cover plate and the bottom plate, the first type of fin set and the second type of fin set are collectively arranged away from the inlet.

[0016] In one embodiment of the cooler, a first fin of the first type of fin set has a cross section along the direction of coolant passing through, the cross section including a first end point and a second end point in a length, a third end point and a fourth end point in a width, and a first line between the first end point and the third end point, a second line between the first end point and the fourth end point, a third line between the second end point and the third end point, and a fourth line between the second end point and the fourth end point, wherein the first line and the second line respectively converge from the third end point and the fourth end point toward the first end point, and the third line and the fourth line respectively converge from the third end point and the fourth end point toward the second end point; and the length is greater than the width.

[0017] In one embodiment of the cooler, the first line includes a first arc segment and a second arc segment smoothly connected with the first arc segment, the first arc segment extends to the first end point, the second arc segment extends to the third end point, a center of the first arc segment is outside a contour defined by the cross section, and a center of the second arc segment is oriented opposite to the first arc segment; and

[0018] The first line is centrally symmetric to the fourth line, and the second line is centrally symmetric to the third line.

[0019] In one embodiment of the cooler, the ratio of the length to the width is between 1 and 2.2; and the bending angle of the first arc-shaped section at the first end point is between 0 and 45°, wherein the bending angle is defined as the included angle between the tangent of the first arc-shaped section at the first end point and the direction in which the length lies.

[0020] By combining more than one type of fin set inside the cooler, the cooler according to the present application can have improved heat dissipation performance. Here, different types of fins mean that individual fins are different in volume shape. Since individual fins are different in volume shape, the flow resistance and the passage area of the coolant during passage through the fins will be affected differently. In addition, the fin set composed of multiple individual fins can also present different arrangements, and such differences will also affect the flow effect of the coolant.

[0021] By utilizing the different working characteristics of various fins, and combining their advantages in terms of heat dissipation area, pressure drop, etc., the present application provides a cooler with combined fins. Since the internal arrangement of the cooler takes into account the heat dissipation capacity and pressure drop effect of different types of fins, the efficiency of the coolant passing through the fins can be adjusted. When different fins are arranged in the direction of coolant passage, the cooler with combined fins according to the present application can also avoid the generation of a temperature gradient between the inlet and the outlet.

[0022] The present application also provides a new fin with a defined shape, which presents a streamlined shape in the direction of coolant passage to reduce the resistance of the coolant passage, and which provides a larger passage area to fully contact the coolant to achieve good heat exchange effect. Compared with conventional fins of traditional shape, the fin according to the present application can produce smaller passage pressure drop under the condition of the same heat dissipation capacity.

[0023] Another aspect of the present application is to provide an electronic control unit, which comprises a housing, and the housing is provided with the cooler according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

[0024] In one embodiment of the electronic control unit, the cover plate of the cooler is provided with a first power module, a second power module, and a third power module; and the housing of the cooler is provided with

[0025] a first second-type fin set corresponding to the first power module;

[0026] a first first-type fin set corresponding to the second power module; and

[0027] a combination of a second first-type fin set and a second second-type fin set corresponding to the third power module;

[0028] wherein the first second-type fin set is proximate to the inlet, and the combination of the second first-type fin set and the second second-type fin set is proximate to the outlet.

[0029] By configuring different cooling fins for the plurality of power modules, the electronic control unit related to the present application provides balanced heat dissipation effects for the plurality of power modules inside the electronic control unit. The power module that is cooled by the coolant first and the other power modules that are cooled by the coolant later can be kept at a close level, so the electronic control unit related to the present application has better thermal management effects, ensures the working temperature of the chips of the power modules, and prolongs the service life of the power modules.

[0030] Other aspects and features of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the application. It should be understood, however, that the drawings solely are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the application as described by the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] The present application will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the present application. Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 a schematic view of an embodiment of the cooler related to the present application;

[0033] Figure 2 a schematic view of the inside of the cooler in Figure 1 from a top view;

[0034] Figure 3 a schematic view of the inside of the cooler in another embodiment of the cooler related to the present application from a top view;

[0035] Figure 4 a schematic view of the cooler in Figure 1 from a side view;

[0036] Figure 5 a schematic view of an embodiment of the first-type fin set in the cooler related to the present application;

[0037] Figure 6 a schematic view of an embodiment of the second-type fin set in the cooler related to the present application;

[0038] Figures 7-8 a sectional view of an embodiment of a single first fin in the first-type fin set related to the present application;

[0039] Figure 9 schematic diagram of one embodiment of an electronic control unit to which the present application relates;

[0040] Figure 10 partial schematic diagram of the interior of an electronic control unit of another embodiment of an electronic control unit to which the present application relates;

[0041] Figure 11 schematic diagram of yet another embodiment of an electronic control unit to which the present application relates; and

[0042] Figure 12 Figure 11 exploded view of a cooler in an electronic control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] To enable a person skilled in the art to exactly understand the subject matter claimed in the present application, a specific embodiment of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 schematic diagram of one embodiment of a cooler to which the present application relates. As shown in Figure 1 the cooler comprises a housing 10, which comprises a cover plate 12 and a bottom plate 14, and an inlet 16 and an outlet 18. The cover plate 12 and the bottom plate 14 are connected to each other, thereby being joined together to form the housing 10. A coolant enters the housing 10 from the inlet 16 and exits the housing 10 via the outlet 18, thereby passing through the interior of the housing 10. The inlet 16 and the outlet 18 can be provided on the cover plate 12 and / or the bottom plate 14. In the illustrated embodiment, both the inlet 16 and the outlet 18 are provided on the bottom plate 14. The coolant is a fluid, including but not limited to water or air.

[0045] The cooler further comprises fin groups consisting of individual fins arranged in a certain arrangement, such as an array. In the illustrated embodiment, the cooler comprises a first type of fin group 22 and a second type of fin group 26. The coolant passes through these fin groups within the housing 10 and exchanges heat with them, thereby taking away heat. The first type of fin group 22 comprises a plurality of combined first fins 24 and the second type of fin group 26 comprises a plurality of combined second fins 28. Each first fin 24 has a first volume shape and each second fin 28 has a second volume shape, wherein the second volume shape is different from the first volume shape, so that the second fins 28 are different from the first fins 24 and the second type of fin group 26 is different from the first type of fin group 22. This means that the first type of fin group 22 and the second type of fin group 26 have different heat dissipation characteristics, and the coolant passing through them will have different heat dissipation effects.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the first type of fin group 22 and the second type of fin group 26 are arranged between the cover plate 12 and the bottom plate 14.​Figure 2 From another perspective, i.e. showing the interior of the cooler from a top view, it can be seen that the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 overlap each other.

[0047] In another embodiment, the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 are arranged side by side. As shown, Figure 3 The second type fin group 26 and the first type fin group 22 are arranged along the direction of coolant flow as indicated by the arrow. In other embodiments, the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 can be arranged either along the direction of coolant flow or between the cover plate 12 and the bottom plate 14, e.g. along a direction perpendicular to the direction of coolant flow.

[0048] Figure 4 An embodiment of the fin group arrangement in a cooler is shown. The first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 are arranged overlapping each other between the cover plate 12 and the bottom plate (not shown). In the embodiment shown, the first fin 24 of the first type fin group 22 is inserted into the gap 30 between two adjacent second fins 28 of the second type fin group 26. Coolant passing through this arrangement has the combined heat dissipation effect provided by the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26. Figure 1 An embodiment of the fin group arrangement in a cooler is shown. The first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 are arranged overlapping each other between the cover plate 12 and the bottom plate (not shown). In the embodiment shown, the first fin 24 of the first type fin group 22 is inserted into the gap 30 between two adjacent second fins 28 of the second type fin group 26. Coolant passing through this arrangement has the combined heat dissipation effect provided by the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26.

[0049] The first type fin group 22 can be formed to be integrated with the cover plate 12 and the second type fin group 26 can be formed as a separate fin plate which is then fixed to the bottom plate in a certain manner. During assembly and integration of the cover plate and the bottom plate, the first fin 24 of the first type fin group 22 is inserted into the gap 30 between two adjacent second fins 28, 28 of the second type fin group 26, 26, achieving the combined fin group form in the interior of the cooler.

[0050] In one embodiment, the first type fin group 22 is a pin fin. A pin fin is a type of fin tube shape with a thin pin shape, Figure 5 An embodiment of a pin fin is shown from a top view. A plurality of fin tubes 32 are combined into a fin group in a certain arrangement. The fin tubes 32 can have a circular, oval or "spindle" shape as shown in the figure and will be described below. The pin fin is able to increase the contact area between the fin and the coolant and also to increase the flow speed of the coolant, thus enhancing the heat transfer effect.

[0051] In another embodiment, the second type fin group 26 is an offset fin. The offset fin is also known as a zigzag fin, which is a type of fin very different from the pin fin in terms of the volume shape of the individual fin and in terms of the arrangement. Figure 6An embodiment of staggered fins is shown. It can be seen that the fin rows 34, which are formed of a series of fins, are in a wavy or pulsating form in volume shape, and the staggered arrangement between the rows of fins forms a large area of fin plate 33. The staggered fins can enhance the disturbance of the refrigerant when passing through, thereby improving the heat exchange performance.

[0052] In yet another embodiment, when the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 are arranged side by side along the refrigerant passing direction, the second type fin group 26 can be arranged close to the inlet 16 of the cooler, that is, the second type fin group 26 is arranged upstream relative to the first type fin group 22 on the refrigerant flow path.

[0053] In yet another embodiment, when the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 are arranged between the cover plate 12 and the bottom plate 14, for example, the two types of fin groups are arranged in overlapping manner, the combined fin groups can be arranged collectively near the outlet 18, that is, arranged away from the inlet 16, and the refrigerant flows through the first type fin group 22 and the second type fin group 26 at the same time.

[0054] Figures 7-8 A schematic view of an embodiment of a single spindle fin, where the arrow shows the passing path of the refrigerant, the view can also be considered as a cross-sectional view of the single spindle fin along the refrigerant flow direction. The spindle fin presents a shape that is small at both ends along the refrigerant flow path, and large in the middle.

[0055] In the illustrated embodiment, the cross-section has a length L in the transverse direction and a width R in the longitudinal direction. The cross-section includes a first end point 38 and a second end point 40 on the length L, a third end point 42 and a fourth end point 44 on the width R, and a first line 46 between the first end point 38 and the third end point 42, a second line 48 between the first end point 38 and the fourth end point 44, a third line 50 between the second end point 40 and the third end point 42, and a fourth line 52 between the second end point 40 and the fourth end point 44, wherein the first line 46 and the second line 48 extend convergingly from the third end point 42 and the fourth end point 44 to the first end point 38, respectively, and the third line 50 and the fourth line 52 extend convergingly from the third end point 42 and the fourth end point 44 to the second end point 40, respectively, thereby presenting the characteristics that the refrigerant suffers less resistance when passing through and leaving the spindle fin at the beginning, and exchanges heat with a large fin surface area during the passing of the refrigerant through the spindle fin. In contrast, when the refrigerant passes through other shaped fins, such as circular fins, the refrigerant can suffer greater resistance at the beginning of passing through the circular fins. The spindle fin involved in the present application can improve this defect due to its streamlined shape. In addition, the length L dimension of the spindle fin is greater than its width R dimension.

[0056] In a further embodiment of the fin, the first line 46 comprises a first arc segment 54 and a second arc segment 56 smoothly connected to the first arc segment 54, wherein the first arc segment 54 extends to the first end point 38 and the second arc segment 56 extends to the third end point 42, and the first arc segment 54 and the second arc segment 56 can be smoothly connected in a tangential manner to each other. The center of the first arc segment 54 is outside the profile defined by the cross section, while the center (not shown) of the second arc segment 56 is oriented opposite to the first arc segment 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the center of the first arc segment 54 is o'. In addition, the spindle-shaped fin has a symmetrical shape, the first line 46 is symmetrical to the fourth line 52 about the center o, and the second line 48 is symmetrical to the third line 50 about the center o. Here, the position point of the center o can be the intersection of the center lines of the spindle-shaped length L and width R. The first line 46 and the third line 50 can be arranged to be smoothly connected, and the second line 48 and the fourth line 52 can be arranged to be smoothly connected, for which the first line 46 and the third line 50 are tangential at the third end point 42, and the second line 48 and the fourth line 52 are tangential at the fourth end point 44.

[0057] In an embodiment, the ratio of the length L to the width R is between 1 and 2.2, i.e. 1 < L / R < 2.2. In another embodiment, the bending angle Θ of the first arc segment 54 at the first end point 38 is between 0 and 45°, wherein the bending angle Θ is defined as the angle between the tangent of the first arc segment 54 at the first end point 38 and the direction in which the length L lies, i.e. 0° < Θ < 45°.

[0058] The application also relates to an electronic control unit comprising a cooler according to any one of the embodiments described above. Figure 9 A simplified schematic view of an embodiment of an electronic control unit is shown in the figure, wherein the electronic control unit 60 has a housing 62, and a cooler 64 is arranged inside the housing 62.

[0059] Figure 10 A perspective view of another embodiment of an electronic control unit according to the application is shown in the figure. As shown, the cooler 64 is arranged inside the housing 62 of the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit 60 is provided with channels 66, 68 in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet (both not shown) of the cooler 64 to introduce and discharge coolant from outside the electronic control unit.

[0060] Figure 11Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the electronic control unit according to the present application, wherein a first power module 70, a second power module 72, and a third power module 74 are also arranged in the electronic control unit 60. The three power modules are arranged above the cover plate 12 of the cooler 64. The housing of the cooler 64 is provided with a first second-type fin set 26' corresponding to the first power module 70, a first first-type fin set 22' corresponding to the second power module 72, and a combination of a second first-type fin set 26" and a second second-type fin set 22" corresponding to the third power module 74, wherein the first second-type fin set 26' is close to the inlet 16, and the combination of the second first-type fin set 26" and the second second-type fin set 22" is close to the outlet 18. Figure 12 Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the fin sets inside the cooler in a way of disassembling the cooler,

[0061] The two second-type fin sets 26', 26" can be staggered fins, which have a lower heat dissipation capacity and a low pressure loss. The first second-type fin set 26' can be arranged upstream of the coolant flow path, i.e. close to the inlet 16, to dissipate heat for the corresponding first power module 70. The two first-type fin sets 22', 22" can be needle-type fins, which have a relatively high heat dissipation capacity, and thus the first first-type fin set 22' can be arranged in the middle of the cooler 64 to dissipate heat for the corresponding second power module 72. Here, the needle-type fins involved in the first-type fin set 22' can be round fins, oval fins or spindle fins. Downstream of the coolant flow path, the combination of the second first-type fin set 26" and the second second-type fin set 22" is arranged to dissipate heat for the corresponding third power module 74, and the two different types of fin sets on the one hand have a large area of thermal contact between the coolant and the fins to take away heat, and on the other hand take into account the through efficiency of the coolant. The combination of the second first-type fin set 26" and the second second-type fin set 22" can be a combination of spindle fins and staggered fins. In such an arrangement, the heat dissipation efficiency of the last fin set can be ensured, and the phenomenon of gradually increasing temperature of the coolant after passing under the first power module 70 compared with the temperature of the coolant after passing under the third power module 74 can be avoided.

[0062] Under the concept of the present application, when multiple power modules are arranged in the electronic control unit, different types of fin sets can be flexibly configured for the cooler according to the heat dissipation requirement to dissipate heat for the corresponding power modules.

[0063] Although specific embodiments of the present application have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the principles of the present application, it should be understood that the present application can be embodied in other forms without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A chiller characterized by Comprising: a housing (10) comprising a cover plate (12) and a bottom plate (14) combined with the cover plate (12), the housing (10) having an inlet (16) and an outlet (18) through which a coolant passes from the inlet (16) to the outlet (18); a first type fin group (22) comprising a plurality of first fins (24) combined, the first fins (24) having a first volume shape; a second type fin group (26) comprising a plurality of second fins (28) combined, the second fins (28) having a second volume shape different from the first volume shape; wherein the first type fin group (22) and the second type fin group (26) are arranged side by side in a direction of coolant passing through the housing (10), or the first type fin group (22) and the second type fin group (26) are arranged between the cover plate (12) and the bottom plate (14).

2. The cooler of claim 1, wherein: the first type fin group (22) is arranged between the cover plate (12) and the bottom plate (14) overlapping the second type fin group (26) in a manner that first fins (24) of the first type fin group (22) are inserted into gaps (30) between adjacent second fins (28) of the second type fin group (26).

3. The cooler of claim 1, wherein: the first type fin group (22) is a needle type fin; the second type fin group (26) is a staggered type fin.

4. The cooler of claim 2, wherein: the first type fin group (22) is formed integrated with the cover plate (12); the second type fin group (26) is formed separately as a fin plate and fixed to the bottom plate (14).

5. The cooler of claim 3, wherein: when the first type fin group (22) and the second type fin group (26) are arranged side by side in a direction of coolant passing through the housing (10), the second type fin group (26) is arranged closer to the inlet (16) than the first type fin group (22); when the first type fin group (22) and the second type fin group (26) are arranged between the cover plate (12) and the bottom plate (14), the first type fin group (22) and the second type fin group (26) are collectively arranged away from the inlet (16).

6. The cooler of claim 1, wherein: The first fin (24) of the first type fin group (22) has a cross section along the coolant passing direction, the cross section comprising a first end point (38) and a second end point (40) along a length (L), a third end point (42) and a fourth end point (44) along a width (R), and a first line (46) between the first end point (38) and the third end point (42), a second line (48) between the first end point (38) and the fourth end point (44), a third line (50) between the second end point (40) and the third end point (42), and a fourth line (52) between the second end point (40) and the fourth end point (44), wherein the first line (46) and the second line (48) respectively converge from the third end point (42) and the fourth end point (44) towards the first end point (38), and the third line (50) and the fourth line (52) respectively converge from the third end point (42) and the fourth end point (44) towards the second end point (40); the length (L) is greater than the width (R).

7. The cooler of claim 6, wherein: The first line (46) comprises a first arc segment (54) and a second arc segment (56) smoothly connected with the first arc segment (54), the first arc segment (54) extends to the first end point (38), and the second arc segment (56) extends to the third end point (42), a center (o') of the first arc segment (54) is outside a contour defined by the cross section, and a center of the second arc segment (56) is oriented opposite to the first arc segment (54); and The first line (46) is centrosymmetric to the fourth line (52), and the second line (48) is centrosymmetric to the third line (50).

8. The cooler of claim 7, wherein: A ratio of the length (L) to the width (R) is between 1 and 2.2, and a bending angle (θ) of the first arc segment (54) at the first end point (38) is between 0 and 45°, wherein the bending angle (θ) is defined as an included angle between a tangent of the first arc segment (54) at the first end point (38) and a direction in which the length (L) is located.

9. An electronic control unit comprising a housing (62), characterized in that The housing (62) is provided with the cooler according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. The electronic control unit of claim 9, wherein A cover plate (12) of the cooler is provided with a first power module (70), a second power module (72), and a third power module (74); and a shell (10) of the cooler is provided with A first second type fin group (26') corresponding to the first power module (70); A first first type fin group (22') corresponding to the second power module (72); and A combination of a second first type fin group (22'') and a second second type fin group (26'') corresponding to the third power module (74); A cover plate (12) of the cooler is provided with a first power module (70), a second power module (72), and a third power module (74); and a shell (10) of the cooler is provided with wherein said first second-type fin group (26') is proximate said inlet (16) and said combination of said second first-type fin group (22") and said second second-type fin group (26") is proximate said outlet (18). wherein said first second-type fin group (26') is proximate said inlet (16) and said combination of said second first-type fin group (22") and said second second-type fin group (26") is proximate said outlet (18).

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