Cooling component

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling component for dissipating heat from objects to be cooled, comprising one or more cooling zones (16), each of which comprises a cooling body structure (15) as part of a cooling body of the cooling component, in particular a rib or pin structure which comprises ribs or pins, in particular ribs or pins which are identically spaced, and cooling body flow channels (20), each of which is delimited by adjacent ribs or pins and through which a cooling medium that can be supplied to the cooling component via an inlet of the cooling component can flow in parallel in particular and can be discharged from the cooling component via an outlet of the cooling component after flowing through the cooling component. The invention is characterized in that, in addition to the cooling body flow channels (20), one, a plurality, or each cooling zone (16) also has at least one auxiliary flow channel (21) which is connected in parallel to said cooling body flow channels (20), in particular in order to reduce the flow resistance of the respective cooling zone (16) in comparison to such a cooling zone (16) without such an auxiliary flow channel (21) and / or in order to conduct particles which are contained in the cooling medium as the case may be and which do not fit through the cooling body flow channels (20).

Description

[0001] Cooling component

[0002] The present invention relates to a cooling component for dissipating heat from objects to be cooled, having one or more cooling zones, each having a heat sink structure as part of a heat sink of the cooling component, in particular a rib or pin structure, wherein the heat sink structure comprises, in particular, ribs or pins spaced at equal intervals and heat sink flow channels delimited by adjacent ribs or pins, through which cooling medium can flow, in particular in parallel, which cooling medium can be supplied to the cooling component via an inlet of the cooling component and which, after flowing through the cooling component, can be discharged from the latter via an outlet of the cooling component.

[0003] Such cooling components, through which a cooling medium flows or through which a cooling medium can flow, are used, for example, for power electronics components, such as power electronics semiconductor modules. They must be particularly efficient and powerful and usually have a metallic heat sink, i.e. a heat sink made of metal or a metal alloy (coated if necessary) with a preferably flat or planar heat absorption side formed by a cooling surface. To optimize heat transfer, the heat absorption side of the cooling component should be positioned as close as possible – possibly directly in contact with it or with an intermediate layer of thermally conductive material, in particular thermal paste – to a (also planar, for example) heat dissipation side of the object to be cooled. The heat sink then absorbs the waste heat from the object to be cooled, which is then dissipated by the cooling medium.The cooling medium flows inside the cooling component through the heat sink structures of the cooling zones.

[0004] Typically, the individual fins or (fin) pins of such heat sinks are very thin, and the heat sink flow channels they define are very narrow. However, very narrow heat sink flow channels generate high pressure loss. This leads to an unfavorably high flow resistance, particularly given the series connection of the individual cooling zones in the cooling component, which negatively impacts the performance of the cooling component. Furthermore, the narrow heat sink flow channels can quickly become clogged or blocked with dirt particles or other material particles that may be present in the cooling medium, which negatively impacts their performance.

[0005] Based on this, it is the object of the present invention to further develop a cooling component of the type mentioned at the beginning.

[0006] This object is achieved by a cooling component having the features of claim 1.

[0007] A cooling component according to the invention is accordingly characterized in that one, several or each cooling zone, in addition to its heat sink flow channels delimited by respective adjacent ribs or pins, has at least one secondary flow channel connected in parallel to these heat sink flow channels, in particular for reducing the flow resistance of the respective cooling zone compared to such a cooling zone without such a secondary flow channel and / or for passing through particles possibly contained in the cooling medium which do not fit through the heat sink flow channels.

[0008] It has been shown that by using (at least) one such parallel secondary flow channel, the flow resistance of the respective cooling zone can be significantly reduced compared to a cooling zone without such a secondary flow channel. In practice, several such secondary flow channels can advantageously be provided per cooling zone to optimize the effect of reducing flow resistance.

[0009] Depending on the design of the dimensions of the secondary flow channel, it is also possible, alternatively or additionally, to prevent the flow channels from becoming clogged with the aforementioned particles, since these can then flow along the secondary flow channel and subsequently be guided out of the cooling component.

[0010] As with the heat sink flow channels, the cooling medium can be supplied to the respective secondary flow channel via the inlet of the cooling component, and after flowing through the latter, the cooling medium can then be discharged from the latter later via the outlet of the cooling component. Preferably, several of the cooling zones having such a secondary flow channel can be connected in series, so that the cooling medium supplied via the inlet would flow through them one after the other. The cooling zones connected in series can then each have, in addition to the heat sink flow channels of their respective heat sink structure, at least one secondary flow channel, in particular a common one, connected in parallel to the heat sink flow channels. In particular, such a secondary flow channel can therefore be connected in parallel to a group of such series-connected cooling zones.

[0011] Preferably, the or each secondary flow channel can have an open longitudinal side along its longitudinal extent running in the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel, at least over a large part of its length, at which it adjoins open longitudinal sides of the heat sink flow channels, so that cooling medium can flow via these open longitudinal sides between the heat sink flow channels and the secondary flow channel.

[0012] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the secondary flow channel is circumferentially closed along its longitudinal extent running in the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel, at least over a large part of its length, so that cooling medium cannot flow there between the heat sink flow channels and the secondary flow channel.

[0013] The secondary flow channel of one or each cooling zone or each of the series-connected cooling zones can further extend along the entire length of the heat sink flow channels of the heat sink structure of the respective cooling zone, in particular parallel to the heat sink flow channels.

[0014] The secondary flow channel of one or each cooling zone or of each of the series-connected cooling zones can, on one side, in particular on an open longitudinal side of the secondary flow channel, border on free ends of the ribs or pins of the corresponding heat sink structure of this cooling zone as well as on open sides (in particular longitudinal sides) of the heat sink flow channels of this heat sink structure, preferably with a fluid-conducting connection of the secondary flow channel to the heat sink flow channels. In this embodiment, the ribs or pins of the heat sink structure of the respective cooling zone would accordingly have free ends in the region of which the heat sink flow channels arranged between them or formed by them are correspondingly open (for example, on the (open) top side of the heat sink flow channels opposite the bottom side of the heat sink flow channels) and there each directly merge into the secondary flow channel.connect to this.

[0015] Furthermore, it can be provided that the main flow direction of the secondary flow channel of one or each cooling zone or of each of the series-connected cooling zones runs parallel to the respective main flow direction in the heat sink flow channels of the heat sink structure. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the secondary flow channel runs at least predominantly parallel to the heat sink flow channels of one or each cooling zone or of each of the series-connected cooling zones.

[0016] Furthermore, the secondary flow channel of one or each cooling zone or each of the series-connected cooling zones can cover, transversely to the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel or transversely to the longitudinal extent thereof, several heat sink flow channels of the heat sink structure of the respective cooling zone, in particular all heat sink flow channels of this heat sink structure or at least 80% of the heat sink flow channels thereof.

[0017] Furthermore, the respective secondary flow channel of one or each of the series-connected cooling zones can extend along the entire length of the heat sink flow channels of the heat sink structure of the respective cooling zone, in particular parallel to the heat sink flow channels.

[0018] The main flow direction of the respective secondary flow channel and / or its longitudinal axis of one or each of the series-connected cooling zones can preferably run parallel to the respective main flow direction in the heat sink flow channels of the heat sink structure and / or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heat sink flow channels. Regarding the flow cross-section in the secondary flow channel of one or each of the series-connected cooling zones, this can be larger than the flow cross-section of one or each heat sink flow channel of the heat sink structure of the respective cooling zone.

[0019] Preferably, the shape and / or size of the flow cross-section of the secondary flow channel of one or each cooling zone or each of the series-connected cooling zones can be selected such that any particles present in the cooling medium, which do not fit through the cooling body flow channels of the respective cooling zone, can flow through the secondary flow channel without blocking it, in particular particles whose size is > 0.3 mm 2 is, in particular > 0.3 mm 2 and < 1.2 mm 2 .

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the size of the flow cross section of the secondary flow channel of one or each cooling zone or of each of the series-connected cooling zones is selected to be significantly larger than the flow cross section of one or each heat sink flow channel of the respective cooling zone, in particular at least twice, preferably at least five times as large.

[0021] Particularly preferably, two cooling zones, or two cooling zones directly following one another in the series, can be spatially spaced from each other by the series-connected cooling zones, in particular forming a mixing zone arranged between these spatially spaced cooling zones for the cooling zone arranged upstream in the series. In this mixing zone, the cooling medium flowing through the secondary flow channel of the upstream cooling zone can then mix with the cooling medium flowing through the cooling body flow channels of its cooling body structure.

[0022] Such mixing increases the efficiency of the cooling component. This is especially true when the secondary flow channel is further away from the heat sink of the cooling component than the heat sink flow channels of the respective heat sink structure, the cooling medium in the heat sink flow channels is heated significantly more by the waste heat from the object to be cooled than the cooling medium in the secondary flow. The aforementioned (vertical) mixing then ensures that the cooling medium of the secondary flow can also be used effectively for cooling.

[0023] In the context of the concrete implementation, the mixing zone can have a mixing channel that is fluidically connected both to the secondary flow channel of the upstream cooling zone and to the cooling body flow channels of the upstream cooling zone.

[0024] Several, preferably at least two cooling zones of the cooling component, in particular two cooling zones, each of which is connected in series with another cooling zone, can also be connected in parallel, so that they would be flowed through in parallel by the cooling medium supplied via the inlet of the cooling component.

[0025] The cooling component can then have a mixing zone for these parallel cooling zones downstream of one of the parallel cooling zones, in which the cooling medium flowing through the two cooling zones or having already flowed through them (having exited them) can mix (horizontally), in particular the cooling medium flowing or having flowed through the heat sink flow channels of their heat sink structures and / or the cooling medium flowing or having flowed through their respective secondary flow channels. This has the advantage, among other things, that the cooling medium of one of the parallel cooling zones, which may not have heated up as much, for example because this cooling zone is located at the edge of the cooling component, can mix with the more heated cooling medium that has exited one, several, or all of the other parallel cooling zones.

[0026] In a further embodiment of the present invention, one of the cooling zones connected in parallel can also form or be the downstream cooling zone of the two cooling zones directly following one another in a row.

[0027] The mixing zone for the parallel cooling zones can have a fluid channel arranged downstream of these cooling zones, in particular running transversely to the heat sink flow channels of these cooling zones, connecting the two cooling zones in a fluid-conducting manner. This fluid channel can then be used for cooling medium exchange between the parallel cooling zones, and mixing can also take place in the fluid channel.

[0028] As far as the aforementioned mixing is concerned, this preferably takes place in particular in angular directions, in particular transverse to the main flow direction of the secondary flow channel and / or angular or transverse to the longitudinal direction of the same.

[0029] It can be provided that at least one element for mixing the cooling medium emerging from the parallel cooling zones is assigned to the fluid channel. In particular, the element can be a guide element, in particular a guide element that is arranged in the fluid channel and is guided with the cooling medium that has emerged from one of the parallel cooling zones after flowing through it, in the direction of the cooling medium that has emerged from this other cooling zone after flowing through another of the parallel cooling zones.

[0030] The cooling component may also have one or more guide elements that guide any particles in the cooling medium that could block the heat sink flow channels due to their size toward the secondary flow channel so that they flow through the secondary flow channel.

[0031] This effectively prevents such dirt or material particles from adversely clogging the heat sink structure with its narrow heat sink flow channels. Instead, they would be deflected into the secondary flow channel, which can then advantageously have a larger cross-section and / or width than the individual heat sink flow channels.

[0032] The heat sink structure can have, as a guide element, a flank at its upstream end that is inclined or slanted relative to the main flow direction and / or the longitudinal direction of the heat sink flow channels. In particular, an inclined flank designed in such a way that any dirt particles or other material particles present in the cooling medium are deflected toward the secondary flow channel when the cooling medium impacts the inclined flank, causing them to flow through the secondary flow channel.

[0033] The inclined flank can then, for example, if it has ribs, be formed by correspondingly inclined narrow sides of the ribs of the heat sink structure, and / or if it has pins, by groups of pins of the heat sink structure, wherein the height of the individual pins then differs accordingly from group to group to form this flank.

[0034] As far as the heat sink of the cooling component is concerned, this can comprise a component made of (possibly coated) metal or a (possibly coated) metal alloy or can be formed by such a component which has, on the side, the heat sink structure of one, several or each cooling zone which is facing away from a particularly flat cooling surface of the cooling component, against which an object to be cooled can be brought into contact in order to absorb heat from it.

[0035] Preferably, the cooling surface of the cooling component is then an (outer) side of the heat sink.

[0036] Finally, the secondary flow channel and / or the heat sink flow channels can be covered on the side facing away from the cooling surface by a wall of the cooling component which delimits the secondary flow channel and / or the heat sink flow channels on this side, in particular by a bottom part of the cooling component which forms this wall and adjoins the external environment.

[0037] Further features of the present invention emerge from the attached patent claims, the following description of preferred embodiments and from the attached drawings.

[0038] It shows:

[0039] Fig. 1: a cooling component according to the invention in an oblique view from above, Fig. 2: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in an oblique view from below,

[0040] Fig. 3: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in exploded view,

[0041] Fig. 4: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in a horizontal section,

[0042] Fig. 5: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in a first longitudinal section along the

[0043] Section line VV in Fig. 4,

[0044] Fig. 6: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in a second longitudinal section along the section line VI-VI in Fig. 4,

[0045] Fig. 7: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in a first cross section along the section line VII-VI in Fig. 4,

[0046] Fig. 8: the cooling component according to the invention from Fig. 1 in a second cross section along the section line VIII-VIII in Fig. 4.

[0047] The cooling component 10 shown in the figures, on the underside 13 of which objects to be cooled (not shown) can be arranged in order to dissipate heat from these to the cooling component 10, is in the present case part of a higher-level cooling device which is otherwise not shown in detail.

[0048] The cooling device and its cooling component 10 can be used, for example, to cool power electronics units, such as power electronics semiconductor modules. Such power electronics components are used, among other things, in connection with batteries or accumulators in electric vehicles. It is understood, however, that the type of components to be cooled is irrelevant.

[0049] The higher-level cooling device can, among other things, have or be filled with a cooling medium that is pumped through the cooling component 10 so that it flows through the cooling component 10 and, on its way through the cooling component 10, absorbs and dissipates heat from the object to be cooled. For this purpose, the pump can be connected to an inlet via medium lines, for example hoses.

[0050] 11 and a drain 12 of the cooling component 10.

[0051] Typically, the cooling medium will be a cooling liquid. However, it is understood that it is also within the scope of the invention to use a gaseous medium as the cooling medium.

[0052] The cooling component 10 comprises a metallic heat sink 14.

[0053] The heat sink 14 is constructed in two parts, namely comprising an upper cooling component body 14 a and a lower, plate-shaped cooling component body 14 b, which is thermally conductively connected to the underside of the upper heat sink part 14 a (adjacent to it directly or by means of a thermal paste).

[0054] The cooling component body 14 a is made of a first (metallic) material with somewhat lower thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, which has certain manufacturing advantages, and the cooling component body 14 b, which comes into direct contact with the objects to be cooled, is made of a second (metallic) material with a higher thermal conductivity than aluminum, such as copper.

[0055] The heat sink 14, in this case its cooling component body 14a, has - in the present case 20 materially or uniformly connected to it - a plurality of heat sink structures or fin structures with individual thin-walled (material) fins 19 as well as narrow heat sink flow channels 20 delimited by these fins, through which the cooling medium flows during operation of the cooling device, specifically from the direction of the inlet 11 towards the outlet 12.

[0056] In other words, the heat sink 14 or the cooling component body 14a comprises the aforementioned heat sink structures 15; they are, for example, milled into the heat sink or otherwise formed therein. In the transverse direction of the cooling component 10, the individual heat sink structures 15 are separated from one another by partition walls 18.

[0057] At the top, the heat sink 14 is covered and closed by a housing part 17, for example made of metal or plastic.

[0058] In the present case, the underside of the heat sink 14 or the lower cooling component body 14 b also forms the lower or heat absorption side 13 of the cooling component 10, to which the components to be cooled are applied during cooling operation.

[0059] Each heat sink structure 15 is part of a single, associated cooling zone 16, through which the cooling medium flows. As can be seen, the heat sink 14 in the present case comprises three essentially identical segments A, B, C, each with a plurality of cooling zones 16, which are arranged one behind the other with respect to the medium flow resulting from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12.

[0060] The heat sink 14 has four rows of cooling zones 16 arranged one behind the other in the transverse direction of the cooling component 10, namely two middle rows and two outer rows. The middle rows comprise three cooling zones 16a, 16b, and 16c, respectively, in each segment A, B, and C, and the outer rows comprise one cooling zone 16d, respectively, in each segment A, B, and C.

[0061] In each segment AC, but also across segments, different cooling zones 16 are connected in series in terms of flow technology, so that the medium flow flows through them one after the other.

[0062] Within the respective segment A, B, C, the individual cooling zones 16 a, 16 b, 16 c are connected in series one after the other.

[0063] Furthermore, the cooling zones 16c and 16a are connected in series across segments, as are the individual cooling zones 16d. The individual fins 19 of the heat sink structures 15 of the cooling zones 16 are typically very thin, and the heat sink flow channels 20 defined by them are very narrow. However, very narrow heat sink flow channels 20 generate a high pressure drop. This leads to an unfavorably high flow resistance, especially given the series connection of the individual cooling zones 16 in the cooling component.

[0064] The cooling component 10, namely in the present case each cooling zone 16 thereof, therefore comprises a secondary flow channel 21 extending parallel to the heat sink flow channels 20, which is also connected in parallel to the respective heat sink flow channels 20 of the respective cooling zone 16 and whose purpose, among other things, is to reduce the flow resistance.

[0065] As can be seen in particular in Figures 7 and 8, these secondary flow channels 21, which also extend parallel to the main flow direction within the heat sink flow channels 20, in the present case each run above the respective heat sink structure 15.

[0066] The secondary flow channels 21 are adjacent, on an open (lower) side thereof, to free ends of the ribs 19 of the corresponding heat sink structure 15, as well as to the corresponding open bottom sides of the heat sink flow channels 20 opposite sides of the heat sink flow channels 20 of this heat sink structure 15, in this case with a fluid-conducting connection to the heat sink flow channels 20.

[0067] Each secondary flow channel 21 of the cooling zones 16 covers, transversely to the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel 21, several heat sink flow channels 20 of the heat sink structure 15 of the respective cooling zone 16 (or 16 a - d), in the present case at least 80% of the respective total number of heat sink flow channels 20 of the respective cooling zone 16 thereof.

[0068] The secondary flow channels 21 and ultimately also the heat sink flow channels 20 connected to them in a fluid-conducting manner (via the open longitudinal sides) are delimited upwardly and laterally by corresponding walls of the housing part 17 adjacent to the external environment.

[0069] It has been shown that the secondary flow channels 21 connected parallel to the heat sink flow channels 20 of the respective cooling zone 16 can significantly reduce the flow resistance of the respective cooling zone 16 compared to a cooling zone 16 without such a secondary flow channel 21. This is particularly true when, as in the present case, the cross-section of the respective secondary flow channel 21 is significantly larger than the cross-section of each individual flow channel 20 of the respective heat sink structure 15 of the respective cooling zone 16 or, at best, even larger than the sum of the cross-sections of the individual heat sink flow channels 20 thereof.

[0070] As already indicated above, two of a series of immediately consecutive cooling zones 16 are spatially spaced from each other.

[0071] Within a segment A, B, C, for example, the cooling zones 16 a and 16 b are separated from each other and the cooling zones 16 b and 16 c are separated from each other.

[0072] Across segments, however, for example, the cooling zones 16 d of the preceding segments A or B relative to the cooling zones 16 d of the respective subsequent segment B or C. Furthermore, the cooling zone 16 c of the upstream or preceding segment A or B relative to the cooling zone 16 a of the subsequent or downstream segment B or C.

[0073] Mixing zones 23 are formed between or in the free spaces of the cooling zones 16 a and 16 b or 16 b and 16 c, which are spatially spaced from one another in this way, within a segment A, B, C.

[0074] Mixing zones 22 are formed between or in the free spaces of the respective spatially spaced cooling zones 16 c and 16 a, or 16 d and 16 d of successive segments A and B, or B and C. The mixing zones 22 comprise mixing channels 22 a, which connect the secondary flow channel 21 to the heat sink flow channels 20 of the respective cooling zone 16 in a medium- or fluid-conducting manner.

[0075] In the mixing zones 23 or via their mixing channels 23a, the cooling medium of the respective cooling zone 16a or 16b or 16c flowing through the secondary flow channel 21 is then advantageously mixed, particularly in the present case in the vertical direction (transverse to the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel 21) or from top to bottom (and vice versa), with the cooling medium of the respective cooling zone 16a or 16b or 16c flowing through the heat sink flow channels 20 of their heat sink structure 15. The vertical mixing of the cooling medium flowing through the secondary flow channel 21 with the cooling medium in the respective cooling zones 16a or 16b or 16c is achieved by reducing the flow velocity in the mixing channels 23a due to the absence of heat sink structures 15 there, in conjunction with a higher flow velocity in the secondary flow channel 21.This causes the cooling medium to rotate, resulting in mixing from bottom to top and vice versa. Furthermore, the cooling medium from the secondary flow channel 21 impinges on the heat sink structures 15, particularly on their flanks 15a, which are preferably beveled, as described below, so that the cooling medium is deflected, resulting in further mixing, particularly in the vertical direction, but also partially in the horizontal direction.

[0076] Such mixing increases the efficiency of the cooling component 10. This is because the secondary flow channel 21 is spaced further from the heat absorption side or underside 13 of the heat sink 14 or the cooling component 10 than the heat sink flow channels 20 of the respective heat sink structure 15, so that the cooling medium in the heat sink flow channels 20 is heated significantly more by the waste heat of the object to be cooled than the cooling medium in the secondary flow channel 21. The aforementioned mixing then ensures that the cooling medium in the secondary flow channel 21 still participates effectively in the cooling. The mixing zones 22 arranged between the respective segments A and B or B and C each comprise a mixing channel 22a, via which a (in this case horizontal) mixing of the cooling medium emerging from the parallel cooling zones 16c and 16d of the respective segment A or B can take place.

[0077] This has the advantage, among other things, that, for example, cooling medium that has flowed through the two edge cooling zones 16d and may not have been heated as much by the object to be cooled can mix with the more heated cooling medium of the adjacent cooling zone(s) 16c. This also visibly increases the efficiency of the cooling component 10.

[0078] In the mixing channel 22 a, individual guide elements 24 of the heat sink 14 are arranged with guide channels 24 a running at an angle to the main flow direction in the heat sink flow channels 20 or in the secondary flow channels 21, which promote the desired (horizontal) mixing by directing the cooling medium emerging from the cooling zones 16 c or 16 d - in the present case (horizontally) towards the center - in the desired direction.

[0079] In the present case, these are uniform components of the heat sink part 14 a or are formed / shaped from it.

[0080] It is understood, however, that the guide elements 24 can also be formed by separate components and / or can be designed differently than described here. For example, they can also be designed such that they primarily deflect or redirect the (warm) cooling medium from the cooling zones 16c arranged further inside toward the edge-side cooling zones 16d.

[0081] It is further understood that such (horizontal) mixing does not exclusively occur in the mixing zone 22 or the mixing channel 22a. As in the mixing zones 23, vertical mixing also occurs there between the cooling medium exiting the secondary flow channels 21 and the cooling medium leaving the heat sink flow channels 20. In addition to reducing flow resistance, the secondary flow channels 21 serve another purpose. They prevent any particles contained in the cooling fluid from clogging the flow channels 21, which are very narrow due to their size. These particles can then flow along the significantly larger secondary flow channel 21 and thus be guided out of the cooling component 10.

[0082] In order to ensure that the particles are also guided to the secondary flow channel 21, guide elements 25 are provided with which they can be guided to the respective secondary flow channel 21.

[0083] In the present case, the guide elements 25 are formed by flanks 15a of the heat sink structures 15 of the individual cooling zones 16, which each have at their respective upstream end such a flank 15a that is inclined or obliquely running with respect to the main flow direction in their heat sink flow channels 20.

[0084] An inclined flank 15 a designed in this way then ensures that dirt particles or other material particles located in the cooling medium, which would otherwise clog the heat sink flow channels 20, are deflected in the direction of the secondary flow channel 21 when the cooling medium hits the inclined flank 15 a and can then flow through it without any problems.

[0085] The inclined flank of the heat sink structure 15 is formed by correspondingly inclined narrow sides 19 a of the individual ribs 19 of the heat sink structure 15.

[0086] As already indicated, the secondary flow channels 21 must be sufficiently large so that particles that do not fit through the heat sink flow channels 20 can flow through them (together with the cooling medium). In the present case, the dimensions of the heat sink flow channels 20 in the spatial direction in which they are arranged next to one another (in Figs. 8 and 9, in a horizontal spatial direction) are at least ten times smaller than the dimensions of the secondary flow channel 21 in the same spatial direction. It is understood that in practice, the shape and / or size of the flow cross-section of the respective secondary flow channel 21 is selected such that any particles that may be expected in the cooling medium that do not fit through the heat sink flow channels 20, in particular (only by way of example) particles whose size is > 0.3 mm 2 is, in particular > 0.3 mm 2 and < 1.2 mm 2, can flow through the respective secondary flow channel 21 without blocking it. The respective design of the (transverse) dimensions of the respective secondary flow channel 21 thus also depends on the size of the particles that are presumably contained in the cooling medium as dirt particles, etc.

[0087] Accordingly, the size or area of ​​the flow cross section of the secondary flow channel 21 is selected to be sufficiently larger than the flow cross section of one or each flow channel 20 of the heat sink flow channels 20, in particular at least twice, preferably at least five times as large, depending on the particle size of the largest particles to be expected in the cooling medium.

[0088] All described features of the embodiments explained above with reference to the drawings are to be understood as examples only and do not represent a limitation of the subject matter of the invention.

[0089] List of reference symbols

[0090] AC segments

[0091] 10 Cooling component

[0092] 11 Inlet

[0093] 12 Procedure

[0094] 13 Subpage

[0095] 14 heat sinks

[0096] 14 a heat sink part

[0097] 14 b Heat sink part

[0098] 15 heat sink structures

[0099] 15 a flank heat sink structure

[0100] 16 cooling zones

[0101] 17 Housing part

[0102] 18 partition walls

[0103] 19 thin-walled ribs

[0104] 19 a narrow side ribs

[0105] 20 structural flow channels

[0106] 21 secondary flow channels

[0107] 22 horizontal mixing zone

[0108] 22 a Mixing channels

[0109] 23 vertical mixing zone

[0110] 23 a Mixing channels

[0111] 24 leading organs

[0112] 24 a guide channels

[0113] 25 guide organs for particles

Claims

Patent claims 1. A cooling component for dissipating heat from objects to be cooled, comprising one or more cooling zones (16), each with a heat sink structure (15) forming a component of a heat sink of the cooling component, in particular a rib or pin structure comprising spaced ribs or pins, in particular at equal intervals, as well as heat sink flow channels (20) defined by adjacent ribs or pins, through which cooling medium can flow, in particular in parallel, which can be supplied to the cooling component via an inlet of the cooling component and which, after flowing through the cooling component, can be discharged therefrom via an outlet of the cooling component, characterized in that one, several or each cooling zone (16), in addition to its heat sink flow channels (20) defined by adjacent ribs or pins, has at least one secondary flow channel (21) connected in parallel to these heat sink flow channels (20).in particular for reducing the flow resistance of the respective cooling zone (16) compared to such a cooling zone (16) without such a secondary flow channel (21) and / or for passing through particles possibly contained in the cooling medium which do not fit through these cooling body flow channels (20).

2. Cooling component according to claim 1, characterized in that several of the cooling zones (16) are connected in series so that they would be successively flowed through by the cooling medium supplied via the inlet.

3. Cooling component according to claim 2, characterized in that the series-connected cooling zones (16) each have, in addition to the heat sink flow channels (20) of their respective heat sink structure, at least one secondary flow channel (21), in particular a common one, connected in parallel to the heat sink flow channels (20).

4. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary flow channel (21) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) is connected on one side, in particular on an open longitudinal side, to free ends of the ribs or pins of the corresponding heat sink structure (15) this cooling zone (16) and adjoins open sides, in particular longitudinal sides, of the heat sink flow channels (20) of this heat sink structure (15), in particular with a fluid-conducting connection to the heat sink flow channels (20).

5. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary flow channel (21) has an open longitudinal side along its longitudinal extent running in the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel (21) at least over a large part of its length, at which side it adjoins an open longitudinal side of the heat sink flow channels (20), so that cooling medium can flow via these open longitudinal sides between the heat sink flow channels (20) and the secondary flow channel (21), or that the secondary flow channel (21) is circumferentially closed at least over a large part of its length along its longitudinal extent running in the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel (21), so that cooling medium cannot flow there between the heat sink flow channels (20) and the secondary flow channel (21).

6. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary flow channel (21) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) extends along the entire length of the heat sink flow channels (20) of the heat sink structure (15) of the respective cooling zone (16), in particular parallel to the heat sink flow channels (20).

7. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main flow direction of the secondary flow channel (21) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) runs parallel to the respective main flow direction in the heat sink flow channels (20) of the heat sink structure (15), and / or that the secondary flow channel (21) runs at least predominantly parallel to the heat sink flow channels (20) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16).

8. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shape and / or size of the flow cross-section of the secondary flow channel (21) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) is selected such that particles that may be present in the cooling medium, without blocking it, can flow through the secondary flow channel (21) that do not fit through the cooling body flow channels (20) of the respective cooling zone (16), in particular particles whose size is > 0.3 mm 2 is, in particular > 0.3 mm 2 and < 1.2 mm 2 , and / or that the size of the flow cross-section of the secondary flow channel (21) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) is selected to be significantly larger than the flow cross-section of one or each cooling body flow channel (20) of the respective cooling zone (16), in particular at least twice, preferably at least five times as large.

9. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary flow channel (21) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) covers, transversely to the main flow direction in the secondary flow channel (21), a plurality of heat sink flow channels (20) of the heat sink structure (15) of the respective cooling zone (16), preferably all heat sink flow channels (20) or at least 80% of the heat sink flow channels (20).

10. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that two or in each case two cooling zones (16) immediately following one another in the series are spatially spaced from one another from the cooling zones (16) connected in series, in particular to form a mixing zone arranged between these spatially spaced cooling zones (16) for the cooling zone (16) arranged upstream in the series, in which mixing zone cooling medium flowing through the secondary flow channel (21) of the upstream cooling zone (16) can mix with cooling medium flowing through the heat sink flow channels (20) of its heat sink structure (15), in particular in directions at an angle, preferably transversely to the main flow direction of the secondary flow channel (21).

11. Cooling component according to claim 10, characterized in that the mixing zone has a mixing channel which is fluidically connected both to the secondary flow channel (21) of the upstream cooling zone (16) and to the cooling body flow channels (20) of the upstream cooling zone (16).

12. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that several, preferably at least two of the cooling zones (16) of the cooling component, in particular two cooling zones (16), which are each connected in series with another cooling zone (16), are connected in parallel, so that they would be flowed through in parallel by the cooling medium supplied via the inlet of the cooling component, and in that the cooling component downstream of these parallel-connected cooling zones (16) has a mixing zone for these parallel-connected cooling zones (16), in which the cooling medium flowing through these cooling zones (16) can mix, in particular the cooling medium flowing through the heat sink flow channels (20) of their heat sink structures (15) and / or the cooling medium flowing through their respective secondary flow channel (21).

13. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claims 10 and 12, characterized in that one of the parallel-connected cooling zones (16) forms the downstream cooling zone (16) of the two cooling zones (16) directly following one another in a row.

14. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, at least according to claim 12, characterized in that the mixing zone for the parallel-connected cooling zones (16) has a fluid channel arranged downstream of these, in particular running transversely to the cooling body flow channels (20) of these cooling zones (16), fluidically connecting the cooling zones (16) to one another, in particular a fluid channel in which at least one guide element is assigned - in particular by this being arranged in the fluid channel -, wherein with the guide element, cooling medium which has exited from a first of the parallel-connected cooling zones (16) after flowing through this, in particular from a cooling zone (16) arranged further outwards, is guided in the direction of the cooling medium which, after flowing through another, second of the parallel-connected cooling zones (16) has emerged from this second cooling zone (16), in particular from a cooling zone (16) arranged further inside.

15. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling component has one or more guide elements which guide any particles present in the cooling medium, which could block the cooling body flow channels (20) due to their size, in the direction of the secondary flow channel (21) so that they flow through the secondary flow channel (21).

16. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink structure (15) of one or each cooling zone (16) or of each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) has, at its upstream end, a flank which is inclined relative to the main flow direction in the heat sink flow channels (20) of the heat sink structure (15), in particular an inclined flank designed in such a way that any dirt particles or other material particles which may be present in the cooling medium are deflected in the direction of the secondary flow channel (21) when the cooling medium strikes the inclined flank, so that they flow through the secondary flow channel (21).

17. Cooling component according to claim 16, characterized in that the inclined flank is formed by correspondingly inclined narrow sides of the ribs of the heat sink structure (15), and / or that the inclined flank is formed by groups of pins of the heat sink structure (15), wherein the height of the individual pins forming this flank differs from group to group.

18. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink comprises a component made of (optionally coated) metal or a (optionally coated) metal alloy or is formed by such a component, which integrally comprises the heat sink structure of one or each cooling zone (16) or each of the series-connected cooling zones (16) on the side facing away from a particular flat cooling surface of the cooling component to which an object to be cooled can be brought in order to absorb heat from it.

19. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling surface of the cooling component is an (outer) side of the heat sink.

20. Cooling component according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary flow channel (21) and / or the heat sink flow channels (20) are covered on the side facing away from the cooling surface by a wall of the cooling component which delimits the secondary flow channel (21) and / or the heat sink flow channels (20) towards this side, in particular by a bottom part of the cooling component which forms this wall and adjoins the external environment.

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