CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A ROTATING ELECTRICAL MACHINE

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the temperature management of a control system for a rotating electrical machine, in particular a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention relates in particular to a control system for a rotating electrical machine. State of the prior art

[0002] A rotating electrical machine is an electromechanical device, preferably polyphase, that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, or vice versa. A well-known application of rotating electrical machines in the automotive industry is the alternator-starter: a device for automatically stopping and restarting a motor vehicle's combustion engine that reduces fuel consumption and pollution, for example during a short stop at a red light.

[0003] When restarting the motor vehicle, following its temporary stop during which the thermal engine had been switched off, the rotating electrical machine is used as a motor in order to produce mechanical energy from the electrical energy and to rotate the thermal engine in order to restart it.

[0004] In a known manner, the rotating electrical machine is controlled by a control system. More particularly, the control system comprises a housing housing a power module making it possible to define a value of an electric current flowing in each of the electrical phases of a stator of said rotating electrical machine, and a control module making it possible to control the power module as a function of certain environmental parameters and data measured on the motor vehicle.

[0005] Due to the presence of numerous electronic components, and in particular power components and filtering capacities, the control system produces numerous calories, mainly by Joule effect, during its operation. In order to guarantee optimal operation on the one hand and to avoid malfunction and / or premature failures of the control module or the rotating electrical machine, it is known to associate with the control system one or more heat sinks in order to dissipate the calories generated during its operation as described in patent applications US2012 / 098361 and US3176918.

[0006] Thus, we know control systems whose housing also houses several heat sinks in order to promote heat exchanges between, on the one hand, the air set in motion by the rotating electrical machine, and on the other hand, the control module and the power module. In particular, the cooling of the filtering capacitors associated with the power module is difficult to implement; and it is known to associate with these filtering capacitors a specific heat sink located at the level of a closing cover of the control system, in thermal contact with one end of said filtering capacitors. Unfortunately, the thermal performance of the heat sink associated with the filtering capacitors remains insufficient. This results in a rise in temperature at the level of the filtering capacitors which contributes to reducing the efficiency and availability of the control system.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to propose a new control system for a rotating electrical machine in order to address at least a large part of the above problems and to further lead to other advantages.

[0008] In particular, another object of the present invention is to more efficiently cool the filtering capabilities of the control system. Statement of the invention

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, at least one of the aforementioned objectives is achieved with a control system comprising: a power module electrically connected to a rotating electrical machine; a control module configured to generate at least one control signal for controlling the power module, said control module being housed in a housing; a first heat sink associated with the power module, said first heat sink being configured to perform a thermal transfer of the calories generated by the power module during its operation with ambient air; a second heat sink associated with the control module, said second heat sink being configured to perform a thermal transfer of the calories generated by the control module during its operation with ambient air; at least one filtering capacitor electrically connected to the power module, and inserted between said first heat sink and said second heat sink;also comprising at least one spacer extending between the first heat sink and the second heat sink, and the power module is located above the first heat sink, such that said power module is in an axially intermediate position between the first heat sink and the second heat sink, relative to an axis of rotation O, and the second heat sink comprises at least one housing configured to partially house at least one filtering capacity and which makes it possible to thermally couple the second heat sink and the filtering capacity in order to carry out a thermal transfer of the calories generated by said at least one filtering capacity with the ambient air. ;

[0010] The control system is electrically connected to the rotating electrical machine in order to be able to generate at least one electrical power signal intended to supply an electrical phase of a stator of a rotating electrical machine.

[0011] In one embodiment of the invention, the control system is also connected to an electrical network, in particular an on-board network of a motor vehicle. An on-board network is used to power various electrical equipment fitted to said motor vehicle. An electrical power supply to the on-board network is provided by at least one battery which can be recharged, when the motor vehicle is in motion, by the rotating electrical machine which then converts mechanical rotational energy from the heat engine into electrical energy which is supplied to the network and / or to the at least one battery.

[0012] Advantageously, the control module may take the form of an electronic card formed by a substrate on which electronic components are securely fixed, electrically connected to each other by electrical tracks, thus forming an electrical circuit for generating one or more control signals which in turn enable the power module to be controlled. The control module makes it possible to interpret a plurality of electrical signals originating from an electrical network of the motor vehicle and / or from sensors. The electrical network and / or the sensors make it possible to report on the operation of the motor vehicle and / or an environment in which it operates.Among its electronic components, the control module advantageously comprises at least one integrated circuit or a microprocessor or a controller in order to carry out complex operations and to generate one or more electrical control signals which make it possible to control an electrical state of the power module. By way of non-limiting example, the substrate of the control module advantageously takes the form of a PCB card (acronym for "Printed Circuit Board").

[0013] According to the invention according to its first aspect, the second heat sink is thermally coupled with the filtering capacitor(s) in order to carry out a heat exchange essentially by thermal conduction between said filtering capacitor(s) and said second heat sink.

[0014] Furthermore, in a particular embodiment of the invention, the second heat sink is thermally coupled with the control module in order to carry out a heat exchange essentially by thermal conduction between said control module and said second heat sink.

[0015] In a comparable manner, the power module advantageously takes the form of at least one power member, each power member being formed by a substrate on which electronic components are fixedly attached and electrically connected to each other, thus forming an electrical circuit for controlling the rotating electrical machine. The power module is electrically connected to the rotating electrical machine via a bus bar enabling electrical power signals to be transferred between the electronic components and the rotating electrical machine.

[0016] When the rotating electrical machine is used as an electrical generator, the power module, depending on the electrical control signals generated by the control module, makes it possible to generate the electrical power signal(s) intended to power each of the electrical phases of the stator of the rotating electrical machine, in order to drive it in rotation. For this purpose, the power module comprises power components, such as power transistors, for example of the MOSFET type (acronym for "Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor") and which are advantageously controlled in switching. In particular, the power module advantageously forms a bridge formed by a plurality of pairs of power transistors, each pair of power transistors being electrically connected to one of the electrical phases of the rotating electrical machine.By way of non-limiting example, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in accordance with its first aspect, the power module takes the form of a plurality of power members, and preferably three power members, each power member being associated with two electrical phases of the rotating electrical machine.

[0017] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, each power member takes the form of at least one metal substrate, such as for example a copper bar, on which the electronic components are fixed integrally, for example by welding. Each metal substrate is overmolded by an electrically insulating material which surrounds all the electronic components.

[0018] According to the invention according to its first aspect, the first heat sink is thermally coupled with the power module in order to allow a heat exchange essentially by thermal conduction between said power module and said first heat sink. More particularly, each power member is associated with at least a part of the first heat sink, so that each power member is thermally coupled with the first heat sink.

[0019] In the control system according to the first aspect of the invention, the filtering capacitor(s) extend at least partly between the control module and the power module. In other words, the filtering capacitor(s) are located in an intermediate position between the power module and the control module, relative to a direction substantially perpendicular to a bearing surface of the control module against the second heat sink.

[0020] The filtering capacitor(s) are electrically connected to the power module, and in particular to the power transistors of said power module. In particular, each power component is electrically connected to at least one filtering capacitor.

[0021] Advantageously, in a particular embodiment of the invention, the control system according to the first aspect of the invention comprises five filtering capacities.

[0022] According to its first aspect, the invention makes it possible to improve the efficiency of heat transfers between the filtering capacitor(s) and the second heat sink because said second heat sink is thermally coupled with the control module and the filtering capacitor(s), simultaneously. This advantageous arrangement is particularly interesting and effective when the control system is associated with the rotating electrical machine with which it is intended to be used, as will be described later with reference to the second aspect of the invention.

[0023] The control system in accordance with the first aspect of the invention may advantageously comprise at least one of the improvements below, the technical characteristics forming these improvements being able to be taken alone or in combination: the power module is connected to an electrical network, for example to an on-board network; said at least one filtering capacitor makes it possible to filter the current exchanged between said power module and the on-board network; a pi filter is placed between the power module and the on-board network, said pi filter comprising said at least one filtering capacitor; the first heat sink and / or the second heat sink are advantageously made of a material having a high thermal conduction coefficient in order to promote thermal transfers by conduction and to improve the efficiency of the first and / or the second heat sink.Preferably, the material is metallic, and comprises for example aluminum or an aluminum alloy; each at least one filtering capacitor comprises a dissipation face in thermal contact with a thermal coupling face of the second heat sink and located opposite said dissipation face. Optionally, only some of the filtering capacitors each comprise a dissipation face in thermal contact with a thermal coupling face of the second heat sink located opposite said dissipation face. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to improve the transfer of calories between the corresponding filtering capacitor and the heat sink.Advantageously, the dissipation face of the filtering capacitors is a closing flange of said filtering capacitors; the dissipation face of each at least one filtering capacitor is in thermal contact with the second heat sink via a thermally conductive element. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to improve the transfer of calories between the corresponding filtering capacitor and the heat sink.By way of non-limiting example, the thermal conductive element is of the thermal glue type; the second heat sink comprises a base plate of which a first heat exchange face is in thermal contact with at least a portion of the electronic components of the control module, and a second heat exchange face comprises a plurality of fins which extend projecting relative to said second heat exchange face and in a direction opposite to the first exchange face relative to the second heat exchange face. The thermal contact of the first heat exchange face of the base plate with the control module makes it possible to achieve thermal coupling between a portion of the electronic components and the second heat sink and to dissipate the calories produced by the electronic components during their operation towards the second heat sink.The presence of the fins on the second heat exchange face of the base plate makes it possible to increase the heat exchange surface between the second heat sink and the ambient air. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to improve the heat exchanges between the control module and the ambient air; in a plane parallel to the second heat exchange face, each fin of the second heat sink extends longitudinally in a radial direction relative to a central axis of the control system, said central axis extending perpendicular to the second heat exchange face.This advantageous configuration makes it possible in particular to generate a plurality of channels making it possible to guide the ambient air from the outside of the second heat sink towards the central axis of the control system, further promoting heat exchanges by creating a radial air flow; the second heat sink comprises at least one housing configured to partially house at least one filtering capacity, the second heat exchange face of the second heat sink comprising said bottom wall of said at least one housing. In other words, the filtering capacities are housed in one or more housings.Optionally, only part of the filtering capacities are housed in housings, each housing housing at least one filtering capacity, and preferably only one or two filtering capacities; the at least one housing of the second heat sink extends projecting relative to the first heat exchange face and in a direction opposite to the plurality of fins relative to said first heat exchange face. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to reduce a dimension of the control system along an axis substantially perpendicular to the control module, by allowing a distance separating the control module from the power module along said axis to be less than a longitudinal dimension of the filtering capacity(s). For this purpose, the control module comprises at least one complementary opening in order to allow the housings of the second heat sink to extend in their center; . each filtering capacitor is housed in a sheath making it possible to thermally isolate the corresponding filtering capacitor from the first heat sink, each sheath being open at a longitudinal end located on the side of the dissipation face of the corresponding filtering capacitor. For this purpose, a longitudinal dimension of each sheath is slightly less than a longitudinal dimension of the corresponding filtering capacitor, the longitudinal dimension being preferably taken along an axis substantially perpendicular to the control module.Each sheath houses at least one filtering capacitor, and preferably only one or two filtering capacitors; in a plane parallel to the second heat exchange face of the second heat sink, a lateral dimension of the at least one housing of said second heat sink is greater than a lateral dimension of the sheaths of the corresponding filtering capacitor, so that each sheath is inserted at least partially into one of the at least one corresponding housing; a seal, for example an adhesive seal, is located between a side wall delimiting each housing and the corresponding sheath of the filtering capacitor. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to maintain the sheath housing the filtering capacitor inside the corresponding housing of the second heat sink.Additionally, the seal makes it possible on the one hand to maintain the filtering capacity in position inside its housing, and / or on the other hand to hermetically close the corresponding housing in order to prevent water and / or humidity from infiltrating inside said housing; the side wall of the at least one housing or the sheath of the corresponding filtering capacity comprises a peripheral groove configured to partially house the seal; the control system according to the first aspect of the invention comprises at least one spacer extending between the first heat sink and the second heat sink in order to remotely secure said first heat sink to said second heat sink. Each spacer is alternately attached to the first heat sink or made of a single material with said first heat sink.This advantageous configuration makes it possible on the one hand to have the filtering capacity(s) between the control module and the power module, and on the other hand to allow the circulation of an air flow between said control module and said power module; the first heat sink comprises a first heat transfer face in thermal contact with at least a portion of the electronic components of the power module. The thermal coupling between the first heat transfer face of the first heat sink and the electronic components of the power module is preferably carried out at a thermal coupling face of the metal substrate of each power member forming the power module, said metal substrates supporting the corresponding electronic components.Additionally, the first heat sink also comprises a second heat transfer face comprising a plurality of fins which extend projecting relative to said second heat transfer face and in a direction opposite to the second heat sink relative to the first heat transfer face. The thermal contact of the first heat transfer face of the first heat sink with the power module makes it possible to achieve thermal coupling between the part of the electronic components and the first heat sink and to dissipate the calories produced by said electronic components during their operation towards said first heat sink. The presence of the fins on the second heat transfer face of the first heat sink makes it possible to increase the heat exchange surface between said first heat sink and the ambient air.This advantageous configuration makes it possible to improve the heat exchanges between the power module and the ambient air; the power module is housed in a space delimited, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first heat transfer face of the first heat sink, by said first heat transfer face of the first heat sink and the second heat exchange face of the second heat sink. In other words, the control system according to the first aspect of the invention makes it possible to define a ventilation space between the first and second heat sinks in order to promote heat exchanges with the ambient air, and consequently to improve the cooling of the control module and the power module; the control system according to the first aspect of the invention comprises a central opening which extends between the control module and the first heat sink.This advantageous configuration makes it possible to improve circulation of ambient air between the various components of the control system and, ultimately, to improve, on the one hand, heat exchanges with the ambient air and, on the other hand, the efficiency of the first and second heat sinks. In particular, depending on the configuration of the control system, the control module comprises a central opening, and / or the power module comprises a central opening, and / or the first heat sink comprises a central opening, and / or the second heat sink comprises a central opening and / or the housing comprises a central opening. The control system according to the first aspect of the invention comprises a closing cover fixed integrally to the housing. Advantageously, the closing cover extends beyond the housings of the second heat sink relative to the control module.In other words, the housings of the second heat sink are located in a space delimited in particular by the control module on the one hand and the closing cover on the other hand. There is a non-zero clearance between the closing cover and a distal end of the housings of the second heat sink relative to the control module; advantageously, the closing cover takes the form of a plate. In particular, and unlike the prior art known until now, the closing cover does not comprise structural elements making it possible to increase its exchange surface with the ambient air: the closing cover is here simplified and no longer plays a role of heat sink as before.

[0024] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an electrical assembly comprising a rotating electrical machine and a control system in accordance with the first aspect of the invention or according to any of its improvements in order to control the rotating electrical machine.

[0025] Advantageously, the electrical machine of the electrical assembly according to the second aspect of the invention extends beyond the first heat sink of the control system relative to said control system, said first heat sink being located in an intermediate position between the rotating electrical machine and the second heat sink of the control system.

[0026] This advantageous configuration makes it possible to cool the power module, the control module and, above all, the filtering capacities of the control system more efficiently. Indeed, the particularly advantageous arrangement of the second heat sink makes it exposed to a radial air flow circulating in the space delimited by the two heat sinks of the control system, as explained previously. This air flow is notably generated by the rotation of the rotating electrical machine which drives the ambient air through the central opening and through the space delimited by the two heat sinks. Consequently, the cooling efficiency is increased and the service life of the at least one filtering capacity is increased, thus reducing the risks of failure of the electrical assembly according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0027] Various embodiments of the invention are provided, incorporating, in all their possible combinations, the various optional features set out herein. Description of figures

[0028] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several examples of embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which: there FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the invention; FIGURE 2A illustrates a truncated perspective view along a transverse plane of a control system of the electrical assembly illustrated in the FIGURE 1 ; there FIGURE 2B illustrates a detailed view of the power module of the control system of the electrical assembly illustrated in the FIGURE 1 ; there FIGURE 3 illustrates a cropped perspective view of an upper portion of the control system and highlighting the second heat sink at the electrical assembly control module housing shown in the FIGURE 1 ; there FIGURE 4 illustrates a perspective view of an upper face of the second heat sink illustrated in the FIGURE 3 ; and the FIGURE 5 illustrates a bottom view of the second heat sink shown in the FIGURE 4 .

[0029] Of course, the features, variants and different embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other, in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be imagined comprising only a selection of features described below in isolation from the other features described, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0030] In particular, all the variants and embodiments described can be combined with each other if there is no technical obstacle to this combination.

[0031] In the figures, elements common to several figures retain the same reference. Description détaillée de l'invention

[0032] In reference to the FIGURES 1 And 2 , an exemplary embodiment of an electrical assembly 1 in accordance with the second aspect of the invention is described.

[0033] The electrical assembly 1 comprises a rotating electrical machine 20 and a control system 10 in accordance with the first aspect of the invention in order to control the rotating electrical machine 20. The electrical assembly 1 is for example intended to be powered by an on-board network of a motor vehicle.

[0034] In the example illustrated on the FIGURE 1 , the rotating electrical machine 20 is shown schematically and will not be described in detail in the following paragraphs. Along an axis of rotation O located at the center of the electrical assembly 1 and extending substantially vertically in the FIGURES, the rotating electrical machine 20 is fixedly attached to the control system 10 by fixing means not shown; and it is located below said control system 10.

[0035] The FIGURES illustrate a particular example of the control system 10 according to the first aspect of the invention. Such a control system comprises: a power module 160 electrically connected to a rotating electrical machine, for example to generate at least one electrical power signal intended to supply an electrical phase of a stator of the rotating electrical machine 20 when said rotating electrical machine 20 is used as a motor; a control module 130 making it possible to generate at least one control signal in order to control the power module 160. The control module 130 is housed in a housing 120; at least one filtering capacitor 150 making it possible to filter the current exchanged between the power module 160 and the on-board network.In the example illustrated in the FIGURES, the control system 10 comprises five filtering capacities 150; in this exemplary embodiment, a pi filter containing two of the five filtering capacities 150 is placed between the power module and the on-board network; a first heat sink 170 associated with the power module 160 and making it possible to carry out a thermal transfer of the calories generated by the power module 160 during its operation to ambient air surrounding the control system 10; a second heat sink 140 associated with the control module 130 and making it possible to carry out a thermal transfer of the calories generated by the control module 130 during its operation with the ambient air surrounding the control system 10.In accordance with the invention, the second heat sink is also thermally coupled with each filtering capacity 150 in order to achieve thermal transfer of the calories generated by each filtering capacity 150 with the ambient air surrounding the control system 10.

[0036] More particularly, the control system 10 has a generally cylindrical shape and a generally circular closed contour. At its upper end, the control system is closed by a closing cover 110 closing the control module. Advantageously, the cover 110 takes the form of a circular plate fixed securely to the housing 120, in particular at an outer peripheral circumference forming a rim 121.

[0037] In reference to the FIGURE 3 , the housing 120 is delimited at the periphery by the rim 121 of generally circular shape and which extends projecting beyond a bottom plate 122 of said housing 120. Thus, the bottom plate 122 and the rim 121 collectively form a volume inside which it is possible to house the control module 130, visible only on the FIGURE 1 . More particularly, the housing 120 comprises a plurality of spacers 123 making it possible to place said control module 130 in an axially intermediate position between the bottom plate 122 and the closing cover 110, taken along the axis of rotation O. The housing 120 also comprises a plurality of first openings 124 inside which partly extend housings 145 of the second heat sink which will be described in more detail with reference to FIGURES 4 And 5 .

[0038] Finally, the housing 120 also comprises a second opening 125 which makes it possible to achieve direct thermal coupling between the second heat sink 140 and the control module 130. More particularly, the second opening 125 of the housing 120 advantageously extends around a portion of the control module 130 which is predominantly heat-generating during its operation. By way of non-limiting example, this may for example be active electronic components, such as for example transistors. Additionally, the second opening 125 of the housing 120 also extends around a pad 1411 of the second heat sink 140, said pad 1411 extending in projection from a first heat exchange face 141 of the second heat sink 140. The pad 1411 is part of the first heat exchange face 141 of the second heat sink 140.The pad 1411 is advantageously located directly above the part of the control module 130 which is mainly generating heat during its operation and described previously. Thus, an upper face of the pad 1411 is in abutment against a lower face of the control module 130, thus achieving a direct thermal coupling in order to extract calories generated by the electronic components of said control module 130 and to avoid a rise in temperature which would be detrimental to the proper operation of the control module 130.

[0039] By way of non-limiting example, the housing 120 may be made of a metallic material or a plastic material. In the latter case, it is preferable for the heat sinks to be at least partially overmolded by the housing 120.

[0040] In order to guarantee optimal operation of the power module 160, and in particular of the switches used to form a power bridge as described previously, the control system 10 described in the FIGURE 2A includes a plurality of filtering capacities 150.

[0041] Depending on the electrical powers generated by the power module 160, the filtering capacities 150 have dimensions which make them bulky and / or difficult to integrate into the control system 10. By way of non-limiting example, a longitudinal dimension of one of the filtering capacities is greater than or equal to 15 mm, or even greater than 30 mm.

[0042] 150 filter capacities generally have a cylindrical shape with a circular base. The longitudinal dimension corresponds to the distance separating two circular flanges closing the filter capacity.

[0043] Each 150 filter capacity has a diameter that is generally between 5 and 21 mm.

[0044] The filtering capacities 150 of the control system 10 may be identical or different depending on the desired filtering needs. In particular, each filtering capacity generally has a value which is generally greater than 500 µF.

[0045] As a non-limiting example, the filtering capacitors 150 are of the chemical capacitor type.

[0046] As described previously, the filtering capacities 150 are closed at each longitudinal end by a circular flange: a first circular flange makes it possible to establish an electrical connection with the power module 160, via a plurality of electrical pins; and a second circular flange forms a dissipation face 151 by which the calories are dissipated during the operation of said filtering capacity 150. For example, at least half, or even at least three-quarters of the calories produced by the filtering capacity 150 during its operation are dissipated at the dissipation face.

[0047] The 160 power module shown on the FIGUREs 2A et 2B takes the form of a plurality of power members 161, each power member comprising electronic components electrically coupled with a metal substrate, preferably of the type of a bus bar 190 making it possible to electrically connect each power member of the power module 160 to the rotating electrical machine 20. In particular, each power member forming the power module 160 is powered by two low-voltage bus bars making it possible to electrically connect the power module 160 to the electrical network. Preferably, each low-voltage bus bar makes it possible to transport a first voltage of +48V and a second voltage of -48V respectively.

[0048] Additionally, each power member is electrically connected to the electrical phases of the rotating electrical machine 20 by the bus bar 190 in order to transport high voltage signals, called power signals, to or from the rotating electrical machine 20.

[0049] In other words, each power member of the power module 160 is equipped (i) with a metal substrate formed by a copper bar or a bus bar for example, said metal substrate supporting in particular power transistors (ii) with two power connections, electrically connected to the rotating electrical machine 20, and by means of which the electrical phases are transported between the corresponding power member and said rotating electrical machine 20, and (iii) with two low-voltage bus bars making it possible to interface the power module with the electrical network.

[0050] Each power member of the power module 160 advantageously comprises a power bridge formed by at least one pair of power transistors controlled as switches between a conduction state on and a conduction state off, the bus bar 190 of each power member being electrically connected to an intermediate point located between the two power transistors.

[0051] Advantageously, the power transistors of the power module 160 are of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) type. Metal Oxyde Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor ”) .

[0052] Advantageously, one face of the power module 160 is thermally coupled with the first heat sink 170 in order to extract the calories generated by the power transistors during its operation. More particularly, each metal substrate of each power member forming the power module 160 is located above the first heat sink 170, so that said power module 160 is in an axially intermediate position between the first heat sink 170 and the second heat sink 140, relative to the axis of rotation O. Advantageously, the first heat sink 170 is thermally coupled to the power module 160 via a thermal tab or thermal glue.

[0053] To this end, the control system 10 illustrated in the FIGURES comprises at least one spacer extending between the first heat sink 170 and the second heat sink 140 in order to remotely secure said first heat sink 170 to said second heat sink 140 and to allow on the one hand to house the power module 160, and on the other hand to insert the filtering capacitors 150 between said first heat sink 170 and said second heat sink 140. This advantageous configuration also makes it possible to improve the circulation of an air flow inside the control system 10 when the rotating electrical machine 20 is in operation and, consequently, to improve the efficiency of the first heat sink 170 and the second heat sink 140, as will be described later.

[0054] The first heat sink 170 comprises a first heat transfer face 171 in thermal contact with a face of the power module 160, and a second heat transfer face 172 comprising a plurality of fins 173 which extend projecting relative to said second heat transfer face and in a direction opposite to the second heat sink 140 relative to the first heat transfer face 171. In other words, the fins 173 of the first heat sink 170 extend downwards, that is to say in the direction of the rotating electrical machine 20.

[0055] The first heat sink 170 advantageously comprises a central opening 175 in order to improve the circulation of an air flow inside the control system 10 when the rotating electrical machine 20 is in operation and, consequently, to improve the cooling efficiency of the power module 160 in collaboration with the first heat sink 170, as will be described later.

[0056] The first heat sink 170 is advantageously formed from a material with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity in order to promote heat transfer by conduction with the power module 160. By way of non-limiting example, the first heat sink 170 may be formed from a metallic material, such as comprising aluminum and / or an aluminum alloy and / or copper and / or magnesium.

[0057] As visible on the FIGURE 2A , the second heat sink 140 is located near the control module 130 in order to dissipate the calories produced by said control module 130 during its operation. As described previously, the second heat sink 140 comprises a base plate of which a first heat exchange face 141 is in thermal contact with at least a portion of the electronic components of the control module 130. According to a first variant embodiment, the thermal coupling between the first heat exchange face 141 and at least a portion of the electronic components of the control module 130 is direct, in particular via the pad described previously.According to a second embodiment, the thermal coupling between the first heat exchange face 141 and at least one part of the electronic components of the control module 130 is indirect, said thermal coupling being achieved by means of a thermal tab arranged between said first heat exchange face 141 and at least one part of the electronic components of the control module 130. Additionally, the second heat sink 140 also comprises a second heat exchange face 142 formed by a plurality of fins 143 which extend projecting relative to said second heat exchange face 142 and in a direction opposite to the first exchange face 141 relative to the second heat exchange face 142. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to increase the exchange surface with the ambient air and, consequently, to improve the cooling efficiency of the control module 130.

[0058] As visible on the FIGURE 5 , each fin 143 of the second heat sink 140 extends longitudinally in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation O of the rotating electrical machine 20. The axis of rotation O of the rotating electrical machine 20 also corresponds to a central axis of the control system 10. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to promote the flow of an air flow from the outer periphery of the control system 10 and towards a central region located close to the axis of rotation O.

[0059] According to the invention according to its first aspect, the second heat sink 140 is in thermal coupling with each filtering capacity 150 in order to carry out a thermal transfer of the calories generated by said at least one filtering capacity 150 with the ambient air. More particularly, the dissipation face 151 of each filtering capacity 150 is in thermal contact with a thermal coupling face of the second heat sink 140 and located opposite said dissipation face 151. According to a first variant embodiment, the thermal coupling between the dissipation face 151 of each filtering capacity 150 and the thermal coupling face of the second heat sink 140 located opposite said dissipation face 151 is direct.According to a second variant embodiment, the thermal coupling between the dissipation face 151 of each filtering capacitor 150 and the thermal coupling face of the second heat sink 140 located opposite said dissipation face 151 is indirect, said thermal coupling being achieved by means of a thermal tab or thermal glue arranged between said dissipation face 151 of each filtering capacitor 150 and said thermal coupling face of the second heat sink 140. Taking into account the integration of the filtering capacitors 150 in the control system 10, the thermal coupling face of the second heat sink 140 corresponds to the second heat exchange face 142 of its base plate.

[0060] Given the significant longitudinal dimensions of the filtering capacities, and in order to limit the axial dimensions of the control system 10 according to the first aspect of the invention, the second heat sink 140 also comprises a plurality of housings 145 in order to partially house each filtering capacity 150, the thermal coupling face of the second heat sink 140 being formed by a bottom wall 1451 of said at least one housing 145, as visible in the FIGURES 2 , 4 And 5 Each housing accommodates a single 150 filter capacity or two 150 filter capacities.

[0061] In order to prevent the infiltration of water or moisture near the filtering capacities 150 and / or to thermally and / or electrically insulate the side walls of each filtering capacity 150, in particular with respect to the first heat sink 170, each filtering capacity 150 is placed in a sheath 180. The sheath has a generally cylindrical shape, a first longitudinal end of which is closed on the side of the first heat sink 170 - while allowing the electrical connections to be established with the power module 160 as described previously - and a second longitudinal end of which is open on the side of the dissipation face 151 of the corresponding filtering capacity 150.Starting from the first longitudinal end of the sheath 180, a side wall of the sheath 180 extends towards the dissipation face 151 of the filtering capacity, but the dissipation face 151 of the filtering capacity remains beyond the second end of the sheath 180 when said filtering capacity 150 is housed in said sheath 180. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to establish thermal contact between the dissipation face 151 of the filtering capacity 150 with the bottom wall 1451 of the corresponding housing 145, without prejudice to the presence of the sheath 180.

[0062] The sheaths 180 of each filtering capacity 150 are advantageously made of plastic. Alternatively, the sheaths 180 can also be made of metal, in particular when these sheaths are extensions of the first dissipator 170.

[0063] In order to allow thermal coupling between the second heat sink 140 and the filtering capacitors 150, each housing 145 of said second heat sink 140 is configured to house an upper longitudinal end of the corresponding filtering capacitor 150, i.e. the longitudinal end located on the side of the second heat sink 140 and comprising the dissipation face 151. Thus, each housing 145 is delimited by a closed contour of generally circular shape when the housing 145 accommodates a single capacitor 150. The lateral dimensions of each housing 145 are greater than the diameter of the filtering capacitor 150 accommodated and of its sheath 180.

[0064] In order to improve the maintenance of the filtering capacity 150 and its sheath 180 in the housing 145 of the second heat sink 140, an adhesive seal may be placed between the sheath 180 and its housing 145. Optionally, a peripheral groove is made on the side wall of the housing 145 and / or on the outer wall of the sheath 180 in order to house the adhesive seal.

[0065] In operation, a rotor of the rotating electrical machine 20 is driven in rotation by a magnetic field generated at its stator, due to the electrical power signals generated by the power module 160. The rotor of the rotating electrical machine 20 carries in particular a fan, the orientation of the blades of which makes it possible to suck in ambient air when the fan rotates around the axis of rotation O.

[0066] More particularly, the ambient air is drawn in by the free volume located between the first heat sink 170 and the second heat sink 140, and represented by the arrow F1 on the FIGURE 2A . This air suction F1 generates a concentric air flow from the outer peripheral zones of the control system F1 to an area located near the axis of rotation O: the drawn-in air flow F1 follows radiating and converging ducts towards the axis of rotation, delimited by the fins 143 of the second heat sink 140. This convergent air movement makes it possible to promote the thermal exchanges of the second heat sink 140 with the drawn-in air flow F1. Consequently, the cooling of the filtering capacities 150 is improved.

[0067] When the sucked air flow F1 arrives at the central region located near the rotation axis O, it is sucked towards the rotating electrical machine 20 located below. This air flow redirected towards the rotating electrical machine 20 is referenced F2 on the FIGURE 2A .

[0068] For this purpose, the control system 10 according to the first aspect of the invention comprises a central opening 175 which extends axially between the control module 130 and the first heat sink 170. More particularly, the various components of the control system have, if they extend close to the axis of rotation O, such a central opening 175 in order to allow the flow of sucked air F1 to be redirected towards the rotating electrical machine 20. Thus, in the example illustrated in the FIGURES, the power module 160, the first heat sink 170 and the second heat sink 140 comprise such a central opening 175.

[0069] Similarly, when the fan is driven in rotation by the rotating electrical machine 20, the ambient air located at the periphery of the control system 10 is also sucked in by the free volume located between the first heat sink 170 and the upper part of the rotating electrical machine 20, and represented by the arrow F3 on the FIGURE 1 . This second air intake F3 generates a concentric air flow from the outer peripheral zones of the control system to an area located near the rotation axis O: the second intake air flow F3 follows radiating and converging ducts towards the rotation axis O, delimited by the fins 173 of the first heat sink 170. This convergent air movement makes it possible to promote the thermal exchanges of the first heat sink 170 with the second intake air flow F3. Consequently, the cooling of the power module 160 is improved.

[0070] When the second flow of sucked air F3 arrives at the central region located near the axis of rotation O, it is redirected towards the rotating electrical machine 20 located below.

[0071] In summary, the invention relates in particular to a clever configuration for a control system for controlling a rotating electrical machine 20, said control system 10 comprising a power module 160 and a control module 130, each power module 160 and control module 130 being thermally regulated by a first 170 and a second 140 heat sink respectively. The second heat sink 140 comprises housings 145 which make it possible to thermally couple the filtering capacities 150 of the control system 10 and to improve their cooling, by subjecting the second heat sink 140 to a concentric and convergent air flow F1 towards the central region close to the axis of rotation O of the rotating electrical machine 20.

[0072] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the different characteristics, forms, variants and embodiments of the invention can be associated with each other in various combinations insofar as they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, all the variants and embodiments described above can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A control system (10) comprising: - a power module (160) electrically connectable to a rotating electrical machine (20); - a control module (130) configured to generate at least one control signal for controlling the power module (160), said control module (130) being housed in a casing (120); - a first heat sink (170) associated with the power module (160), said first heat sink (170) being configured to perform a thermal transfer of calories generated by the power module (160) during its operation with ambient air; - a second heat sink (140) associated with the control module (130), said second heat sink (140) being configured to perform a thermal transfer of calories generated by the control module (130) during its operation with ambient air; - at least one filtering capacitor (150) electrically connected to the power module (160), and inserted between said first heat sink (170) and said second heat sink (140); characterized in that it also comprises at least one spacer extending between the first heat sink (170) and the second heat sink (140) to rigidly connect said first heat sink (170) to said second heat sink (140) at a distance, and in that the power module (160) is located above the first heat sink (170), so that said power module (160) is in an axially intermediate position between the first heat sink (170) and the second heat sink (140), relative to an axis of rotation O, and the second heat sink (140) comprises at least one housing (145) configured to partially house said at least one filtering capacitor and which allows for thermal coupling of the second heat sink (140) and the filtering capacitor (150) in order to perform a thermal transfer of calories generated by said at least one filtering capacitor (150) with ambient air.

2. A control system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein each at least one filtering capacitor (150) comprises a dissipation face (151) in thermal contact with a thermal coupling face of the second heat sink (140) and located opposite said dissipation face (151).

3. A control system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the second heat sink (140) comprises a base plate of which: - a first heat exchange face (141) is in thermal contact with at least a part of the electronic components of the control module (130); - a second heat exchange face (142) comprises a plurality of fins (143) which extend in protrusion from said second heat exchange face (142) and in a direction opposite to the first heat exchange face (141) relative to the second heat exchange face (142).

4. A control system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein, in a plane parallel to the second heat exchange face (142), each fin (143) of the second heat sink (140) extends longitudinally in a radial direction relative to a central axis (O) of the control system (10), said central axis (O) extending perpendicularly to the second heat exchange face (142).

5. A control system (10) according to any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the second heat exchange face (142) of the second heat sink (140) comprises the bottom wall (1451) of said at least one housing (145).

6. A control system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one housing (145) of the second heat sink (140) extends in protrusion from the first heat exchange face (141) and in a direction opposite to the plurality of fins (143) relative to said first heat exchange face (141).

7. A control system (10) according to any one of claims 5 or 6, wherein each filtering capacitor (150) is housed in a sleeve (180) allowing to thermally isolate the corresponding filtering capacitor (150) from the first heat sink (170), each sleeve (180) being open at a longitudinal end located on the side of the dissipation face (151) of the corresponding filtering capacitor (150).

8. A control system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein, in a plane parallel to the second heat exchange face (142) of the second heat sink (140), a lateral dimension of the at least one housing (145) of said second heat sink (140) is greater than a lateral dimension of the sleeves (180) of the corresponding filtering capacitor (150), so that each sleeve (180) is at least partially inserted into one of the at least one corresponding housing (145).

9. A control system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first heat sink (170) comprises: - a first thermal transfer face (171), in thermal contact with at least a part of the electronic components of the power module (160); - a second thermal transfer face (172) comprising a plurality of fins (173) which extend in protrusion from said second thermal transfer face (172) and in a direction opposite to the second heat sink (140) relative to the first thermal transfer face (171).

10. A control system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power module (160) is housed in a space delimited, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first thermal transfer face (171) of the first heat sink (170), by said first thermal transfer face (171) of the first heat sink (170) and the second heat exchange face (142) of the second heat sink (140).

11. An electrical assembly comprising: - a rotating electrical machine (20); - a control system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims for controlling the rotating electrical machine (20).