Chiller, housing, and rotary electric machine

Abstract

To provide a better chiller, a better housing, and a better rotary electric machine.SOLUTION: A chiller comprises: a base material 40; and a plurality of ribs 174 protruding from a main surface 40ms of the base material 40. A distance Lb1, in a second direction, between an upstream end 188a of a first rib 174a and an upstream end 188b of a second rib 174b is larger than a distance Lb2, in the second direction, between a downstream end 190a of the first rib 174a and a downstream end 190b of the second rib 174b. A distance Lb3, in the second direction, between the upstream end 188b of the second rib 174b and an upstream end 188c of a third rib 174c is smaller than a distance Lb4, in the second direction, between the downstream end 190b of the second rib 174b and a downstream end 190c of the third rib 174c.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooler, a housing, and a rotating electric machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 shows an induction motor in which a number of fins (also called ribs) extending in the axial direction are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the housing. In this induction motor, each fin is cooled by an airflow generated by a fan. Each fin is arranged along the direction of the airflow. The multiple fins form a cooler. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-93865 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Better coolers, housings and rotating electrical machines are needed.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A cooler of a first invention comprises a base material and a plurality of ribs protruding from a main surface of the base material, a first end of the base material being located at an inflow end through which a refrigerant flows in and a second end of the base material being located at an outflow end through which the refrigerant flows out, the plurality of ribs including a first rib group consisting of the plurality of ribs arranged in a second direction intersecting a first direction which is a direction from the first end of the base material toward the second end of the base material, the first rib group including a first rib of the plurality of ribs, a second rib of the plurality of ribs, and a third rib of the plurality of ribs, the second rib being located between the first rib and the third rib, a distance in the second direction between an upstream end of the first rib and an upstream end of the second rib is greater than a distance in the second direction between a downstream end of the first rib and a downstream end of the second rib, and a distance in the second direction between the upstream end of the second rib and the upstream end of the third rib is smaller than a distance in the second direction between the downstream end of the second rib and the downstream end of the third rib.

[0007] The housing of the second invention includes the cooler of the first invention.

[0008] A rotating electric machine according to a third aspect of the present invention includes the housing according to the second aspect of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a better cooler, housing, and rotating electric machine can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a rotating electric machine. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the housing. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the outer cylinder part and the cooler. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inner cylinder part and the cooler. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inner cylinder part, the cooler, and the outer cylinder part. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the cooler of the first example. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the cooler of the first example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the cooler of the first example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the flow of the refrigerant in the first example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a pair of ribs (a rib in a first position and a rib in a second position). [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the cooler of the second example. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the cooler of the second example. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the flow of the refrigerant in the second example. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a pair of ribs (a rib in a third position and a rib in a fourth position). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] [1 Rotating Electric Machines 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a rotating electric machine 10. Examples of the rotating electric machine 10 include an electric motor and a generator. The rotating electric machine 10 includes a rotor and a stator (electrical equipment) (not shown), and a housing 12. At least one of the rotor and the stator has a coil and an iron core. As the rotating electric machine 10 operates, the coil and the iron core generate heat. In other words, the rotor and the stator are heating elements. The housing 12 accommodates the rotor and the stator therein. The housing 12 has a function of cooling the rotor and the stator.

[0012] The housing 12 has a cylindrical side wall. A refrigerant passage 44 (FIG. 2) through which a refrigerant flows is formed inside the side wall. The refrigerant passage 44 constitutes a part of a circulation passage (not shown) that circulates the refrigerant inside and outside the housing 12. The circulation passage outside the housing 12 is provided with, for example, a heat radiator (not shown). The refrigerant absorbs heat generated by the rotor and the stator in the refrigerant passage 44, and dissipates the heat absorbed in the refrigerant passage 44 by the radiator.

[0013] The rotating electric machine 10 is mounted on various machines. For example, a rotating electric machine 10 mounted on a moving object such as an aircraft is required to have high output (motive power or electricity) and compact size (lightweight). A high-output, small-sized rotating electric machine 10 becomes hotter. For this reason, the housing 12 in which the refrigerant passage 44 is formed needs to have high cooling capacity. At the same time, the housing 12 also needs to be strong enough to withstand external forces.

[0014] It is known that high cooling capacity can be obtained by arranging a plurality of ribs 74 (FIG. 6, etc.) inside the refrigerant passage 44. One method for further improving the cooling capacity is to make the ribs 74 finer. This makes it possible to increase the surface area inside the refrigerant passage 44. Furthermore, when the flow of the refrigerant becomes complicated, the refrigerant is agitated, which makes it possible to reduce temperature bias of the refrigerant. In general, the housing 12 is manufactured by casting, forging, or the like. However, it is difficult to form fine ribs 74 inside the refrigerant passage 44 of the housing 12 by casting or forging.

[0015] In recent years, it has become possible to manufacture metal parts by additive manufacturing, which involves repeatedly melting and solidifying metal powder to build up metal. In this specification, this method of manufacturing metal parts by additive manufacturing is referred to as the AM method. With the AM method, it is possible to manufacture fine ribs 74. However, metal parts having fine parts may be relatively inferior in strength compared to metal parts that do not include fine parts. In particular, when an external force acts on the fine ribs 74, the ribs 74 may be damaged.

[0016] In the housing 12 according to the present disclosure, as described below, the portion requiring strength and the portion requiring miniaturization are formed by separate parts, which allows the housing 12 to have both high cooling capacity and high strength.

[0017] [2 Structure of Housing 12] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 12. In this specification, one end of the housing 12 in the axial direction is referred to as a first housing end 14, and the other end of the housing 12 in the axial direction is referred to as a second housing end 16. An opening is formed in each of the first housing end 14 and the second housing end 16. Each opening is closed by another member (not shown).

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 12 includes an inner cylinder part 18, a cooler 20, and an outer cylinder part 22. Each of the inner cylinder part 18, the cooler 20, and the outer cylinder part 22 is tubular (e.g., cylindrical). The axes A of the inner cylinder part 18, the cooler 20, and the outer cylinder part 22 coincide with each other. In other words, the inner cylinder part 18, the cooler 20, and the outer cylinder part 22 are concentric. A portion of the side wall of the housing 12 has a three-layer structure in which the side walls of the inner cylinder part 18, the cooler 20, and the outer cylinder part 22 are stacked in the radial direction.

[0019] [2-1 Inner cylinder parts 18] Of the three cylindrical parts that form the housing 12, the inner cylinder part 18 is disposed closest to the axis A. The inner cylinder part 18 is a metal processed part formed by forging, for example. The inner cylinder part 18 is capable of housing a rotor and a stator in a space (housing space 24) inside the cylinder.

[0020] The inner cylindrical part 18 includes a large diameter cylindrical portion 26 and a small diameter cylindrical portion 28. The large diameter cylindrical portion 26 is located relatively closer to the second housing end portion 16. The small diameter cylindrical portion 28 is located relatively closer to the first housing end portion 14. The outer diameter of the outer peripheral surface 26os of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 is relatively large. The outer diameter of the outer peripheral surface 28os of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 is relatively small. An annular step surface 30 exists between the outer peripheral surface 26os of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 and the outer peripheral surface 28os of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28. The step surface 30 extends in the radial direction of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 from the outer peripheral surface 28os of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 to the outer peripheral surface 26os of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26.

[0021] An inner cylinder flange 32 is formed on the large diameter cylindrical portion 26. The inner cylinder flange 32 extends from the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 in the radial direction of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26. The inner cylinder flange 32 has an inner cylinder seal surface 32ss. An O-ring 34 is attached to the inner cylinder seal surface 32ss with the axis A as the center.

[0022] The outer peripheral surface 28os of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 includes a partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 and a partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2. The partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 is disposed closer to the second housing end portion 16. The partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2 is disposed closer to the first housing end portion 14. An O-ring 36 is attached to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2 with the axis A as its center.

[0023] A plurality of harness insertion holes 38 are formed in the small diameter cylindrical portion 28. The harness insertion holes 38 are disposed closer to the first housing end portion 14. The harness insertion holes 38 penetrate the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 in the radial direction. The plurality of harness insertion holes 38 are formed at the position of the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2 and are arranged along the circumferential direction of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28. A harness (not shown) is inserted into the harness insertion holes 38. The harness connects a coil wound around a rotor or a stator housed in the housing portion 24 of the inner cylindrical part 18 to a terminal of the rotating electric machine 10 housed in the casing 58 of the outer cylindrical part 22.

[0024] [2-2 Cooler 20] The cooler 20 is disposed on the outside of the inner cylinder part 18. The cooler 20 surrounds a partial outer circumferential surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18. The cooler 20 is a metal processed product formed by, for example, an AM method.

[0025] The cooler 20 includes a cylindrical inner cylindrical portion 40 and a cylindrical outer cylindrical portion 42. The inner cylindrical portion 40 is disposed closer to the axis A than the outer cylindrical portion 42. The inner cylindrical portion 40 forms an inner peripheral surface 20is of the cooler 20. The outer cylindrical portion 42 surrounds the inner cylindrical portion 40. The outer cylindrical portion 42 forms an outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20. The cooler 20 has a double cylindrical structure including the inner cylindrical portion 40 and the outer cylindrical portion 42. The outer diameter of the cooler 20 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 of the inner cylindrical part 18.

[0026] A refrigerant passage 44 that circulates a refrigerant along the partial outer circumferential surface 28os-1 of the inner cylindrical part 18 is defined by the inner peripheral cylindrical part 40 and the outer peripheral cylindrical part 42. The refrigerant passage 44 has a cylindrical shape centered on the axis A. An inflow end 46, which is one end of the refrigerant passage 44, is disposed near the first housing end 14. An outflow end 48, which is the other end of the refrigerant passage 44, is disposed near the second housing end 16. A first end 20a of the cooler 20 is located at the inflow end 46. A refrigerant inlet of the refrigerant passage 44 is formed at the first end 20a of the cooler 20. A second end 20b of the cooler 20 is located at the outflow end 48. A refrigerant outlet of the refrigerant passage 44 is formed at the second end 20b of the cooler 20. Each of the refrigerant inlet and outlet is an annular opening centered on the axis A.

[0027] As described later, a plurality of ribs 74 (FIG. 6, etc.) are arranged in the refrigerant passage 44 between the inner cylindrical portion 40 and the outer cylindrical portion 42. The inner cylindrical portion 40, the outer cylindrical portion 42, and the plurality of ribs 74 are integrally formed by the AM method. The internal structure of the cooler 20 will be described later in detail.

[0028] The inner peripheral surface 20is of the cooler 20 is fitted to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18. As described later, before fitting the cooler 20 and the inner cylinder part 18, the thermal conductive grease 72 (FIG. 4) is applied to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18. Therefore, the thermal conductive grease 72 is filled in the minute gap between the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18 and the inner peripheral surface 20is of the cooler 20. By bringing the inner cylinder part 18 and the cooler 20 into close contact without the presence of an air layer, the thermal resistance between the inner cylinder part 18 and the cooler 20 can be reduced. Therefore, the thermal conductivity from the inner cylinder part 18 to the cooler 20 can be improved.

[0029] The thickness from the inner peripheral surface 20is of the cooler 20 to the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20 is slightly smaller than the radial length of the step surface 30 of the inner cylinder part 18. As a result, the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20 and the inner peripheral surface 50is of the outer cylinder part 22 are separated from each other. A gap G (FIG. 3) is formed between the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20 and the inner peripheral surface 49is of the large diameter cylinder part 49 of the outer cylinder part 22. In addition, the second end part 20b of the cooler 20 is separated from the step surface 30 of the inner cylinder part 18. As a result, a refrigerant discharge passage 70, which is a passage through which the refrigerant is discharged, can be formed inside the outer cylinder part 22.

[0030] [2-3 External cylinder part 22] The outer cylinder part 22 is disposed on the outside of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28 of the inner cylinder part 18, the outside of the cooler 20, and the outside of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 of the inner cylinder part 18. The outer cylinder part 22 surrounds a partial outer circumferential surface 28os-2 of the small diameter cylindrical portion 28, the outer circumferential surface 20os of the cooler 20, and the outer circumferential surface 26os of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26. The outer cylinder part 22 is a metal processed product formed by, for example, casting.

[0031] The outer cylinder part 22 has a large diameter cylindrical portion 49 and a small diameter cylindrical portion 50. The large diameter cylindrical portion 49 is disposed relatively closer to the second housing end portion 16. The small diameter cylindrical portion 50 is disposed relatively closer to the first housing end portion 14. The inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 is relatively large. The inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface 50is of the small diameter cylindrical portion 50 is relatively small. The inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cooler 20 and is equal to the outer diameter of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 of the inner cylinder part 18.

[0032] An annular groove 52 is formed on the inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 and is centered on the axis A. An annular groove 54 is formed on the boundary between the inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 and the inner circumferential surface 50is of the small diameter cylindrical portion 50 and is centered on the axis A.

[0033] The outer cylinder part 22 is formed with an outer cylinder flange 56. The outer cylinder flange 56 is disposed toward the second housing end part 16. The outer cylinder flange 56 extends from the outer cylinder part 22 in the radial direction of the outer cylinder part 22. The outer cylinder flange 56 includes an outer cylinder seal surface 56ss. The outer cylinder seal surface 56ss faces the inner cylinder seal surface 32ss described above.

[0034] A casing 58 is formed in the outer tubular part 22. The casing 58 is disposed closer to the first housing end part 14. The casing 58 protrudes from the outer tubular part 22 to the outside of the outer tubular part 22. A harness insertion passage 60 and a terminal accommodating portion 62 are formed in the casing 58. The harness insertion passage 60 communicates with the harness insertion hole 38 formed in the inner tubular part 18 and the terminal accommodating portion 62. A harness is inserted into the harness insertion passage 60. A terminal of the rotating electric machine 10 is accommodated in the terminal accommodating portion 62.

[0035] The outer cylinder part 22 has a refrigerant inlet 64 and a refrigerant outlet 66. The refrigerant inlet 64 is disposed relatively closer to the first housing end 14. The refrigerant inlet 64 is connected to one end of the above-mentioned refrigerant circulation passage. The refrigerant inlet 64 communicates with the groove 54. The refrigerant outlet 66 is disposed relatively closer to the second housing end 16. The refrigerant outlet 66 is connected to the other end of the above-mentioned refrigerant circulation passage. The refrigerant outlet 66 communicates with the groove 52.

[0036] The inner peripheral surface 50is of the small diameter cylindrical portion 50 of the outer cylinder part 22 is fitted to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2 of the inner cylinder part 18. The inner peripheral surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 of the outer cylinder part 22, which is located between the groove 52 and the groove 54, faces the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20. The inner peripheral surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 of the outer cylinder part 22 and the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20 are spaced apart from each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, a gap G is formed around the entire circumference between the inner peripheral surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 of the outer cylinder part 22 and the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20. The dimension of the gap G in the radial direction of the housing 12 is appropriately set.

[0037] 2, a portion of the inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 of the outer cylindrical part 22, which is closer to the second housing end portion 16 than the groove 52, is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface 26os of the large diameter cylindrical portion 26 of the inner cylindrical part 18. The outer cylindrical flange 56 provided with the outer cylindrical seal surface 56ss and the inner cylindrical flange 32 provided with the inner cylindrical seal surface 32ss are fastened together by fastening members such as bolts, as will be described later.

[0038] [2-4 Refrigerant passage inside the housing 12] A refrigerant supply passage 68 is formed along the circumferential direction of the housing 12 by the wall surface of the groove 54 of the outer cylinder part 22 and the partial outer circumferential surface 28os-2 of the inner cylinder part 18. The shape of the refrigerant supply passage 68 is annular, centered on the axis A. The refrigerant supply passage 68 is located at the inlet end 46 of the refrigerant passage 44. That is, the refrigerant supply passage 68 is disposed at the first end 20a of the cooler 20. The refrigerant supply passage 68 communicates with the refrigerant inlet 64. As a result, the refrigerant passage 44 of the cooler 20 communicates with the refrigerant inlet 64 via the refrigerant supply passage 68.

[0039] A refrigerant discharge passage 70 is formed along the circumferential direction of the housing 12 by the wall surface of the groove 52 of the outer cylinder part 22, the partial outer circumferential surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18, and the step surface 30 of the inner cylinder part 18. The shape of the refrigerant discharge passage 70 is annular about the axis A. The refrigerant discharge passage 70 is located at the outflow end 48 of the refrigerant passage 44. That is, the refrigerant discharge passage 70 is disposed at the second end 20b of the cooler 20. The refrigerant discharge passage 70 communicates with the refrigerant outlet 66. As a result, the refrigerant passage 44 of the cooler 20 communicates with the refrigerant outlet 66 via the refrigerant discharge passage 70.

[0040] The refrigerant passages (the refrigerant supply passage 68, the refrigerant passage 44 of the cooler 20, and the refrigerant discharge passage 70) formed inside the housing 12 are sealed by O-rings 34 and 36.

[0041] [3 Manufacturing method of housing 12] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner cylinder part 18 and the cooler 20. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner cylinder part 18, the cooler 20, and the outer cylinder part 22. The housing 12 is generally manufactured through the following steps. First, each part is formed. That is, the inner cylinder part 18 is formed by forging. The cooler 20 is formed by the AM method. The outer cylinder part 22 is formed by casting.

[0042] 4, heat conductive grease 72 is applied to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18. The inner peripheral surface 20is of the cooler 20 is shrink-fitted to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-1 of the inner cylinder part 18 to which the heat conductive grease 72 is applied. An O-ring 34 is attached to the inner cylinder seal surface 32ss of the inner cylinder part 18. An O-ring 36 is attached to the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2 of the inner cylinder part 18.

[0043] 5, the integrated inner cylinder part 18 and cooler 20 are inserted into the outer cylinder part 22. The inner peripheral surface 50is of the small diameter cylinder portion 50 of the outer cylinder part 22 is shrink-fitted onto the partial outer peripheral surface 28os-2 of the inner cylinder part 18. The outer cylinder flange 56 is overlapped with the inner cylinder flange 32.

[0044] The opening formed in the first housing end 14 of the housing 12 is closed by a cover member (not shown). The outer tube flange 56 and the inner tube flange 32 are overlapped with each other. Furthermore, the outer tube flange 56 and the inner tube flange 32 are fastened to an object to be attached (not shown) by fastening members such as bolts. This closes the opening formed in the second housing end 16 of the housing 12.

[0045] [4. Flow of refrigerant in housing 12] The flow of refrigerant in the housing 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The refrigerant flows into the housing 12 from the refrigerant inlet 64. The refrigerant flows from the refrigerant inlet 64 to the refrigerant supply passage 68. The refrigerant flows into the refrigerant passage 44 of the cooler 20 from the inlet end 46 of the refrigerant passage 44 arranged in the refrigerant supply passage 68. The refrigerant flows through the refrigerant passage 44 from the inlet end 46 to the outlet end 48. The refrigerant flows out from the outlet end 48 arranged in the refrigerant discharge passage 70 to the refrigerant discharge passage 70. The refrigerant flows through the refrigerant discharge passage 70 and flows out of the housing 12 from the refrigerant outlet 66.

[0046] [5. Effects Obtained by the Housing 12 of the Present Disclosure] In the above-mentioned housing 12, the cooler 20 that defines the refrigerant passage 44 of the housing 12, the outer cylinder part 22 that constitutes the outer periphery of the housing 12, and the inner cylinder part 18 that constitutes the inner periphery of the housing 12 are each composed of separate parts. Therefore, the cooler 20, the outer cylinder part 22, and the inner cylinder part 18 can be manufactured separately. For example, the outer cylinder part 22 and the inner cylinder part 18 can be manufactured by casting or forging that can obtain strength, and the cooling part (rib 74) can be manufactured by an AM method that can process fine and complex shapes. Therefore, it is possible to provide a housing 12 that has high strength and high cooling function. In other words, according to the above disclosure, it is possible to provide a suitable housing 12.

[0047] In the above-described housing 12, the cooler 20 is disposed between the outer cylinder part 22 and the inner cylinder part 18. As a result, the cooler 20 is protected by the outer cylinder part 22 and the inner cylinder part 18.

[0048] In the housing 12 described above, a gap G is formed between the inner peripheral surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 of the outer tubular part 22 and the outer peripheral surface 20os of the cooler 20. In other words, the cooler 20 does not come into contact with the outer tubular part 22. Therefore, an external force acting on the outer tubular part 22 is less likely to be transmitted to the cooler 20 housed in the outer tubular part 22. Therefore, the cooler 20 is less likely to be damaged.

[0049] [6 Internal structure of cooler 20] The internal structure of the cooler 20 provided in the housing 12 will be described below. As described above, the cooler 20 includes an inner cylindrical portion 40 (base material) and an outer cylindrical portion 42. A refrigerant passage 44 is provided between the inner cylindrical portion 40 and the outer cylindrical portion 42. A plurality of ribs 74 are arranged in the refrigerant passage 44, as described below. The plurality of ribs 74 improve the cooling performance of the cooler 20 by generating turbulence in the refrigerant in the refrigerant passage 44, as described below. In addition, the plurality of ribs 74 improve the cooling performance of the cooler 20 by increasing the surface area of ​​the cooler 20 that can come into contact with the refrigerant, as described below. There are several possible arrangements and orientations of the ribs 74 in the refrigerant passage 44. Several examples of the cooler 20 having different arrangements and orientations of the ribs 74 are shown below.

[0050] [6-1 First Example Cooler 20] 6 to 8 are schematic diagrams of the inside of the cooler 20 of the first example. In the following, the axial direction of the cooler 20 is defined as a first direction (D1). The circumferential direction of the cooler 20 is defined as a second direction (D2). The second direction (D2) intersects with the first direction (D1). The radial direction of the cooler 20 is defined as a third direction (D3). In addition, the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 42 is not shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8. In FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 40 and the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 42 are shown flat, but in reality, the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 40 and the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 42 are curved along the circumferential direction of the cooler 20.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 6, the rib 74 protrudes from the main surface 40ms of the inner cylindrical portion 40 toward the outer cylindrical portion 42, and is connected to the main surface 42ms (see FIG. 7) of the outer cylindrical portion 42 (see FIG. 7). In other words, the rib 74 protrudes from the main surface 42ms of the outer cylindrical portion 42 toward the inner cylindrical portion 40, and is connected to the main surface 40ms of the inner cylindrical portion 40. Various shapes of the rib 74 are possible. In the first example, a rectangular, flat rib 74 is exemplified. The rib 74 is also called a fin.

[0052] A portion of the rib 74 connected to the main surface 40ms of the inner cylindrical portion 40 is referred to as a base end 76. A portion of the rib 74 connected to the main surface 42ms of the outer cylindrical portion 42 is referred to as a protruding end 78.

[0053] The multiple ribs 74 are formed around the entire circumference of the cooler 20. The multiple ribs 74 are divided into multiple rib groups 80. Each rib group 80 includes many ribs 74 arranged in the second direction (D2). The multiple rib groups 80 are adjacent to each other in the first direction (D1). A gap is formed between two adjacent rib groups 80.

[0054] (Rib group 80a) In one rib group 80, the ribs 74 in the first position and the ribs 74 in the second position are alternately arranged in the second direction (D2). For the sake of simplicity, the following description will focus on three ribs 74 included in the rib group 80a. The three ribs 74 shown as examples are rib 74a, rib 74b, and rib 74c. Rib 74b is located between rib 74a and rib 74c. Rib 74b is adjacent to rib 74a and rib 74c. Rib 74a and 74c are ribs 74 in the first position. Rib 74b is rib 74 in the second position.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7, the rib 74a, the rib 74b, the inner cylindrical portion 40, and the outer cylindrical portion 42 define a partial passage 82a that is a part of the refrigerant passage 44. A distance La1 between a base end 76a of the rib 74a and a base end 76b of the rib 74b in the second direction (D2) is greater than a distance La2 between a protruding end 78a of the rib 74a and a protruding end 78b of the rib 74b in the second direction (D2). In this specification, the distance between the rib 74a and the rib 74b in the second direction (D2) is defined as the width of the partial passage 82a. The width of the partial passage 82a becomes narrower as it moves away from the inner cylindrical portion 40. Therefore, in the partial passage 82a, a difference occurs between the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the inner cylindrical portion 40 and the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the outer cylindrical portion 42.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 7, the rib 74b, the rib 74c, the inner cylindrical portion 40, and the outer cylindrical portion 42 define a partial passage 82b, which is a part of the refrigerant passage 44. A distance La3 between a base end 76b of the rib 74b and a base end 76c of the rib 74c in the second direction (D2) is smaller than a distance La4 between a protruding end 78b of the rib 74b and a protruding end 78c of the rib 74c in the second direction (D2). In this specification, the distance between the rib 74b and the rib 74c in the second direction (D2) is defined as the width of the partial passage 82b. The width of the partial passage 82b becomes wider as it moves away from the inner cylindrical portion 40. Therefore, in the partial passage 82b, a difference occurs between the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the inner cylindrical portion 40 and the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the outer cylindrical portion 42.

[0057] 6, at the position of each rib group 80, partial passages 82a whose width near the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 42 is narrower than that near the inner circumferential cylindrical portion 40 and partial passages 82b whose width near the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 42 is wider than that near the inner circumferential cylindrical portion 40 are alternately arranged in the second direction (D2). A rib 74 is interposed between the partial passages 82a and 82b adjacent to each other.

[0058] (Rib group 80b) As shown in FIG. 6, the multiple ribs 74 included in the other rib groups 80 other than the rib group 80a are also arranged in the same manner as the multiple ribs 74 included in the rib group 80a. For example, the multiple ribs 74 included in the rib group 80b adjacent to the rib group 80a are also arranged in the same manner as the multiple ribs 74 included in the rib group 80a. Note that the partial passages 82a, 82b at the position of the rib group 80b are eccentric with respect to the partial passages 82a, 82b at the position of the rib group 80a. Here, the arrangement and posture of the multiple ribs 74 included in the two rib groups 80 will be described using the three ribs 74 included in the rib group 80a and the two ribs 74 included in the rib group 80b as examples. The two ribs 74 included in the rib group 80b are rib 74d and rib 74e. The rib 74d is adjacent to the rib 74e. The rib 74d is the rib 74 in the second posture. The rib 74e is the rib 74 in the first posture.

[0059] 8, a space obtained by virtually extending the partial passage 82a toward the downstream of the refrigerant is referred to as a first extension space 84a. A space obtained by virtually extending the partial passage 82b toward the downstream of the refrigerant is referred to as a second extension space 84b. At least a portion of the rib 74d is located within the first extension space 84a. At least a portion of the rib 74e is located within the second extension space 84b.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 7, a distance La5 between a base end 76d of the rib 74d and a base end 76e of the rib 74e in the second direction (D2) is different from a distance La6 between a protruding end 78d of the rib 74d and a protruding end 78e of the rib 74e in the second direction (D2).

[0061] 6 to 8, the entire rib 74d is located within the first extension space 84a. In FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the posture of the rib 74d is the same as the posture of the rib 74b. In FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the entire rib 74e is located within the second extension space 84b. In FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the posture of the rib 74e is the same as the postures of the ribs 74a and 74c. In FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the distance La5 is smaller than the distance La6.

[0062] Alternatively, a first portion of the rib 74d may be located in the first extension space 84a, and a second portion of the rib 74d may be located in the second extension space 84b. Alternatively, a first portion of the rib 74e may be located in the first extension space 84a, and a second portion of the rib 74e may be located in the second extension space 84b. Alternatively, the orientation of the rib 74d may be the same as the orientation of the ribs 74a and 74c, and the orientation of the rib 74e may be the same as the orientation of the rib 74b. In this case, the distance La5 is greater than the distance La6.

[0063] 8, the partial passage 82b at the position of the rib group 80b is disposed across the first extension space 84a and the second extension space 84b. Similarly, the partial passage 82a at the position of the rib group 80b is disposed across the first extension space 84a and the second extension space 84b.

[0064] 9, the rib 74d divides the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage 82a at the position of the rib group 80a into two partial passages 82a, 82b at the position of the rib group 80b. The rib 74e divides the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage 82b at the position of the rib group 80a into two partial passages 82a, 82b at the position of the rib group 80b.

[0065] (Specific examples of values ​​related to rib 74) FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a pair of ribs 74 (ribs 74a, 74c, 74e in a first position, and ribs 74b, 74d in a second position). The ribs 74a, 74c, 74e in the first position and the ribs 74b, 74d in the second position have different inclination directions (projection directions from the main surface 40ms) with respect to the main surface 40ms. On the other hand, the inclination angle θ1 of the ribs 74a, 74c, 74e with respect to the main surface 40ms of the inner cylindrical portion 40 is the same as the inclination angle θ1 of the ribs 74b, 74d with respect to the main surface 40ms of the inner cylindrical portion 40. By setting the inclination angle θ1 of the ribs 74 to 3 degrees or more, an appropriate flow speed difference can be generated between the refrigerant flowing near the inner cylindrical portion 40 and the refrigerant flowing near the outer cylindrical portion 42 in the partial passages 82a, 82b. On the other hand, if the inclination angle θ1 of the rib 74 exceeds 45 degrees, the cooling performance of the cooler 20 significantly decreases. From the above, it is considered that the inclination angle θ1 of the rib 74 with respect to the main surface 40ms of the inner circumferential cylindrical portion 40 is preferably about 3 to 45 degrees.

[0066] From the viewpoint of increasing the surface area of ​​the cooler 20 that can come into contact with the refrigerant, it is preferable that the thickness T1 of the rib 74 is thin. As the thickness T1 of the rib 74 becomes thinner, the number of ribs 74 that can be formed on the cooler 20 increases. As the number of ribs 74 increases, the surface area of ​​the cooler 20 that can come into contact with the refrigerant increases. This improves the cooling performance of the cooler 20. If the thickness T1 of the rib 74 exceeds 5 mm, the cooling performance of the cooler 20 decreases significantly. Note that, according to the current AM method, the minimum thickness that can be formed is about 0.2 mm. From the above, it is considered that the thickness T1 of the rib 74 is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

[0067] From the viewpoint of increasing the surface area of ​​the cooler 20 that can come into contact with the refrigerant, it is preferable that the separation distance Di1 between a pair of adjacent ribs 74 is narrow. The separation distance Di1 is the narrower of the distance between the base ends 76 of the pair of ribs 74 and the distance between the protruding ends 78 of the pair of ribs 74. Note that, according to the current AM method, the minimum moldable gap is about 0.1 mm. Therefore, the lower limit of the separation distance Di1 between a pair of adjacent ribs 74 is about 0.1 mm.

[0068] (Effects Obtained by the Cooler 20 of the First Example) According to the first example, a flow velocity difference can be generated in the refrigerant in one passage (partial passage 82a, 82b) sandwiched between a pair of ribs 74 adjacent in the second direction (D2). Specifically, in one partial passage 82a, 82b, the flow velocity of the refrigerant can be changed for each position arranged in the third direction (D3). In addition, in one rib group 80, the flow velocity of the refrigerant can be changed between the partial passage 82a and the partial passage 82b adjacent to each other. By generating a flow velocity difference in the refrigerant flowing in the same direction, turbulent flow of the refrigerant is easily generated. When turbulent flow is generated, the refrigerant is agitated. Then, the temperature deviation of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage 44 is reduced. As a result, the cooling performance of the cooler 20 is improved. In other words, according to the first example, a suitable cooler 20 can be provided.

[0069] According to the first example, the partial passages 82a and the partial passages 82b are arranged alternately in the second direction (D2). This makes the flow of the refrigerant more complicated, and turbulence of the refrigerant is more likely to occur. This causes the refrigerant to be agitated, and the temperature deviation of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage 44 is reduced.

[0070] According to the first example, at the position of the rib group 80a, the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage 82a is divided into two partial passages 82a and 82b by the rib 74d at the position of the rib group 80b. Similarly, at the position of the rib group 80a, the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage 82b is divided into two partial passages 82a and 82b by the rib 74e at the position of the rib group 80b. This makes the flow of the refrigerant more complicated, and makes it easier for turbulence to occur in the refrigerant. Therefore, the refrigerant is agitated, and the temperature deviation of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage 44 is reduced.

[0071] [6-2 Second Example Cooler 20] 11 and 12 are schematic diagrams of the inside of the cooler 20 of the second example. The following mainly describes the differences between the cooler 20 of the second example and the cooler 20 of the first example. The cooler 20 of the first example and the cooler 20 of the second example have different attitudes of the ribs 174.

[0072] Of the portions of the ribs 174, the portion disposed closer to the inlet ends 46 of the refrigerant passages 44 is referred to as an upstream end 188. Of the portions of the ribs 174, the portion disposed closer to the outlet ends 48 of the refrigerant passages 44 is referred to as a downstream end 190.

[0073] (Rib group 180a) As shown in FIG. 11, in one rib group 180, ribs 174 in the third position and ribs 174 in the fourth position are alternately arranged in the second direction (D2). Here, for the sake of simplicity, the arrangement and position of the multiple ribs 174 included in one rib group 180 will be described using three ribs 174 included in rib group 180a as an example. The three ribs 174 shown as an example are rib 174a (first rib), rib 174b (second rib), and rib 174c (third rib). Rib 174b is located between rib 174a and rib 174c. Furthermore, rib 174b is adjacent to rib 174a and rib 174c. Ribs 174a and 174c are ribs 174 in the third position. Rib 174b is rib 174 in the fourth position.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 12, a partial passage 182a (first partial passage) which is a part of the refrigerant passage 44 is defined by the rib 174a, the rib 174b, the inner cylindrical portion 40 (FIG. 2, etc.), and the outer cylindrical portion 42 (FIG. 2, etc.). A distance Lb1 between an upstream end 188a of the rib 174a and an upstream end 188b of the rib 174b in the second direction (D2) is greater than a distance Lb2 between a downstream end 190a of the rib 174a and a downstream end 190b of the rib 174b in the second direction (D2). The width of the partial passage 182a becomes narrower as it moves away from the inlet end 46. Therefore, in the partial passage 182a, a difference occurs between the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the inlet end 46 and the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the outlet end 48.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 12, the rib 174b, the rib 174c, the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 40, and the outer peripheral cylindrical portion 42 define a partial passage 182b (second partial passage) which is a part of the refrigerant passage 44. A distance Lb3 between an upstream end 188b of the rib 174b and an upstream end 188c of the rib 174c in the second direction (D2) is smaller than a distance Lb4 between a downstream end 190b of the rib 174b and a downstream end 190c of the rib 174c in the second direction (D2). The width of the partial passage 182b increases with increasing distance from the inlet end 46. For this reason, in the partial passage 182b, a difference occurs between the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the inlet end 46 and the flow speed of the refrigerant flowing near the outlet end 48.

[0076] 11, at the position of each rib group 180, partial passages 182a whose width closer to the inflow end 46 is wider than that closer to the outflow end 48 and partial passages 182b whose width closer to the inflow end 46 is narrower than that closer to the outflow end 48 are alternately arranged in the second direction (D2). A rib 174 is interposed between the partial passages 182a and 182b adjacent to each other.

[0077] (Rib group 180b) As shown in FIG. 11, the multiple ribs 174 included in the other rib groups 180 other than the rib group 180a are also arranged in the same manner as the multiple ribs 174 included in the rib group 180a. For example, the multiple ribs 174 included in the rib group 180b adjacent to the rib group 180a are also arranged in the same manner as the multiple ribs 174 included in the rib group 180a. Note that the partial passages 182a, 182b at the position of the rib group 180b are eccentric with respect to the partial passages 182a, 182b at the position of the rib group 180a. Here, the arrangement and posture of the multiple ribs 174 included in the two rib groups 180 will be described using the three ribs 174 included in the rib group 180a and the two ribs 174 included in the rib group 180b as examples. The two ribs 174 included in the rib group 180b are rib 174d (fourth rib) and rib 174e (fifth rib). The rib 174d is adjacent to the rib 174e. The rib 174d is the rib 174 in a third position. The rib 174e is the rib 174 in a fourth position.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 12, a space obtained by virtually extending the partial passage 182a toward the downstream of the refrigerant is called a first extension space 184a. A space obtained by virtually extending the partial passage 182b toward the downstream of the refrigerant is called a second extension space 184b. At least a part of the rib 174d is located in the first extension space 184a. At least a part of the rib 174e is located in the second extension space 184b. A distance Lb5 between an upstream end 188d of the rib 174d and an upstream end 188e of the rib 174e in the second direction (D2) is different from a distance Lb6 between a downstream end 190d of the rib 174d and a downstream end 190e of the rib 174e in the second direction (D2).

[0079] At least a portion of the rib 174d may be located within the second extension space 184b, and at least a portion of the rib 174e may be located within the first extension space 184a.

[0080] 12, the partial passage 182a at the position of the rib group 180b is disposed across the first extension space 184a and the second extension space 184b. Similarly, the partial passage 182b at the position of the rib group 180b is disposed across the first extension space 184a and the second extension space 184b.

[0081] 13, the rib 174d divides the refrigerant flowing through partial passage 182a at the position of rib group 180a into two partial passages 182a, 182b at the position of rib group 180b. The rib 174e divides the refrigerant flowing through partial passage 182b at the position of rib group 180a into two partial passages 182a, 182b at the position of rib group 180b.

[0082] (Specific examples of values ​​related to rib 174) 14 is an enlarged view of a pair of ribs 174 (ribs 174a, 174c, 174d in the third position, and ribs 174b, 174e in the fourth position). The ribs 174a, 174c, 174d in the third position and the ribs 174b, 174e in the fourth position extend in different directions from the inflow end 46 toward the outflow end 48. On the other hand, the inclination angle θ2 of the ribs 174a, 174c, 174d with respect to a virtual line B parallel to the axis A is the same as the inclination angle θ2 of the ribs 174b, 174e with respect to the virtual line B. That is, the inclination angle θ2 of each of the ribs 174a to 174e with respect to the first direction (D1) is the same. By setting the inclination angle θ2 of the rib 174 to 3 degrees or more, an appropriate flow speed difference can be generated between the refrigerant flowing near the inlet end 46 and the refrigerant flowing near the outlet end 48 in the partial passages 182a, 182b. Furthermore, the flow speed of the refrigerant can be made appropriate. On the other hand, if the inclination angle θ2 of the rib 174 exceeds 45 degrees, separation of the refrigerant from the rib 174 occurs, and the cooling performance of the cooler 20 decreases. From the above, it is considered that the inclination angle θ2 of the rib 174 with respect to the first direction (D1) is preferably about 3 to 45 degrees.

[0083] From the viewpoint of increasing the surface area of ​​the cooler 20 that can come into contact with the refrigerant, it is preferable that the thickness T2 of the rib 174 is thin. As the thickness T2 of the rib 174 becomes thinner, the number of ribs 174 that can be formed on the cooler 20 increases. As the number of ribs 174 increases, the surface area of ​​the cooler 20 that can come into contact with the refrigerant increases. This improves the cooling performance of the cooler 20. If the thickness T2 of the rib 174 exceeds 5 mm, the cooling performance of the cooler 20 decreases significantly. Note that, according to the current AM method, the minimum thickness that can be molded is about 0.2 mm. From the above, it is considered that the thickness T2 of the rib 174 is preferably 0.2 mm or more and 5 mm or less.

[0084] (Effects Obtained by the Cooler 20 of the Second Example) According to the second example, a flow velocity difference can be generated in the refrigerant in one passage (partial passage 182a, 182b) sandwiched between a pair of ribs 174 adjacent in the second direction (D2). Specifically, in one partial passage 182a, 182b, the flow velocity of the refrigerant can be changed for each position arranged in the first direction (D1). In addition, in one rib group 180, the flow velocity of the refrigerant can be changed between the partial passage 182a and the partial passage 182b adjacent to each other. By generating a flow velocity difference in the refrigerant flowing in the same direction, turbulence of the refrigerant is easily generated. When turbulence is generated, the refrigerant is agitated. Then, the temperature deviation of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage 44 is reduced. As a result, the cooling performance of the cooler 20 is improved. In other words, according to the second example, a suitable cooler 20 can be provided.

[0085] According to the second example, the partial passages 182a and the partial passages 182b are arranged alternately in the second direction (D2). This makes the flow of the refrigerant more complicated, and makes it easier for turbulent flow of the refrigerant to occur. This causes the refrigerant to be agitated, and the temperature deviation of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage 44 is reduced.

[0086] According to the second example, at the position of the rib group 180a, the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage 182a is divided into two partial passages 182a and 182b by the rib 174d at the position of the rib group 180b. Similarly, at the position of the rib group 180a, the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage 182b is divided into two partial passages 182a and 182b by the rib 174e at the position of the rib group 180b. This makes the flow of the refrigerant more complicated, and makes it easier for turbulence to occur in the refrigerant. Therefore, the refrigerant is agitated, and the temperature deviation of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage 44 is reduced.

[0087] According to the second example, each rib 174 is inclined with respect to an imaginary line B parallel to the axis A of the housing 12. As a result, each rib 174 functions as an obstacle to the refrigerant. This makes the flow of the refrigerant more complex, and the refrigerant flows at an appropriate flow rate inside the refrigerant passage 44. This can increase the amount of heat absorbed by the refrigerant.

[0088] [7 Variations] Each of the first example cooler 20 and the second example cooler 20 includes an inner cylindrical portion 40, an outer cylindrical portion 42, and a plurality of ribs 74, 174. However, the cooler 20 does not necessarily have to include the outer cylindrical portion 42. In this case, the refrigerant flows between the inner cylindrical portion 40 and an inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49. A gap G is formed between the inner circumferential surface 49is of the large diameter cylindrical portion 49 of the outer cylinder part 22 and the protruding ends 78 of the ribs 74 and the protruding ends (without reference numerals) of the ribs 174.

[0089] The cooler 20 of the first example and the cooler 20 of the second example may be combined. That is, each of the ribs 74, 174 provided on the cooler 20 may be inclined with respect to the main surface 40ms of the inner cylindrical portion 40 and also inclined with respect to the imaginary line B parallel to the axis A.

[0090] In the description of the first and second examples, the rectangular, flat ribs 74, 174 are exemplified. However, the shape of the ribs 74, 174 is not limited to this. For example, the ribs 74, 174 may be curved in any direction. The ribs 74, 174 may be wavy. The thickness of the ribs 74, 174 closer to the inner cylindrical portion 40 may be different from the thickness of the ribs 74, 174 closer to the outer cylindrical portion 42. The thickness of the ribs 74, 174 closer to the inflow end 46 may be different from the thickness of the ribs 74, 174 closer to the outflow end 48.

[0091] [8 Notes] In addition to the above disclosure, the following notes are also disclosed.

[0092] (Appendix 1) The cooler (20) of the present disclosure comprises a substrate (40) and a plurality of ribs (174) protruding from a main surface (40ms) of the substrate, a first end (20a) of the substrate is located at an inlet end (46) through which a refrigerant flows in, and a second end (20b) of the substrate is located at an outlet end (48) through which the refrigerant flows out, the plurality of ribs including a first rib group (180a) consisting of the plurality of ribs arranged in a second direction (D2) intersecting a first direction (D1) that is a direction from the first end of the substrate toward the second end of the substrate, the first rib group including a first rib (174a) of the plurality of ribs, a second rib (174b) of the plurality of ribs, and a plurality of front ribs (174c) of the plurality of ribs. The second rib is located between the first rib and the third rib, and the distance (Lb1) in the second direction between the upstream end (188a) of the first rib and the upstream end (188b) of the second rib is greater than the distance (Lb2) in the second direction between the downstream end (190a) of the first rib and the downstream end (190b) of the second rib, and the distance (Lb3) in the second direction between the upstream end of the second rib and the upstream end (188c) of the third rib is smaller than the distance (Lb4) in the second direction between the downstream end of the second rib and the downstream end (190c) of the third rib.

[0093] According to the above configuration, a flow speed difference can be generated in the refrigerant in one passage sandwiched between a pair of ribs adjacent in the second direction. By generating a flow speed difference in the refrigerant flowing in the same direction, turbulent flow of the refrigerant is more likely to occur. When turbulent flow occurs, the refrigerant is stirred. This reduces temperature bias of the refrigerant inside the refrigerant passage. As a result, the cooling performance of the cooler is improved. In other words, according to the above configuration, a suitable cooler can be provided.

[0094] (Appendix 2) In the cooler described in Supplementary Note 1, the plurality of ribs further include a second rib group (180b) positioned in the first direction relative to the first rib group, the second rib group includes a fourth rib (174d) of the plurality of ribs and a fifth rib (174e) of the plurality of ribs, at least a portion of the fourth rib is positioned within a first extension space (184a) obtained by virtually extending a first partial passage (182a) defined by the first rib and the second rib, At least a portion of the fifth rib is located within a second extension space (184b) obtained by virtually extending a second partial passage (182b) defined by the second rib and the third rib, and a distance (Lb5) in the second direction between the upstream end (188d) of the fourth rib and the upstream end (188e) of the fifth rib may be different from a distance (Lb6) in the second direction between the downstream end (190d) of the fourth rib and the downstream end (190e) of the fifth rib.

[0095] According to the above configuration, the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage at the position of the first rib group is divided into two partial passages by the fourth rib at the position of the rib group. Similarly, the refrigerant flowing through the partial passage at the position of the first rib group is divided into two partial passages by the fifth rib at the position of the second rib group. This makes the refrigerant flow more complex, making it more likely that turbulent refrigerant will occur. This causes the refrigerant to be agitated, reducing temperature bias inside the refrigerant passage.

[0096] (Appendix 3) In the cooler according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, the rib may be inclined at an angle of 3 to 45 degrees with respect to the first direction.

[0097] According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the cooling performance of the cooler.

[0098] (Appendix 4) The housing (12) of the present disclosure includes the cooler described in any one of appendices 1 to 3.

[0099] (Appendix 5) The rotating electric machine (10) of the present disclosure includes the housing described in appendix 4.

[0100] The present invention is not limited to the above disclosure, and various configurations can be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 10... rotating electric machine 12... housing 20...Cooler 20a...First end 20b...Second end part 40...Inner circumferential cylinder part (base material) 42ms…Main surface 46…Inflow end 48…Outlet end 174…Rib 174a...Rib (first rib) 174b...Rib (second rib) 174c…Rib (3rd rib) 174d…Rib (4th rib) 174e... rib (fifth rib) 180a... rib group (first rib group) 180b...Rib group (second rib group) 182a...Partial passage (first partial passage) 182b…Partial passage (second partial passage) 184a…First extension space 184b…Second extension space 188a, 188b, 188c, 188d, 188e...upstream end 190a, 190b, 190c, 190d, 190e...downstream end

Claims

1. A substrate; A plurality of ribs protruding from a main surface of the substrate; Equipped with The first end of the substrate is located at an inlet end into which a coolant flows, the second end of the substrate is located at an outflow end from which the coolant flows out; the plurality of ribs includes a first rib group consisting of a plurality of the ribs arranged in a second direction intersecting a first direction that is a direction from the first end of the base material toward the second end of the base material, the first rib group includes a first rib of the plurality of ribs, a second rib of the plurality of ribs, and a third rib of the plurality of ribs, the second rib is located between the first rib and the third rib, a distance in the second direction between an upstream end of the first rib and an upstream end of the second rib is greater than a distance in the second direction between a downstream end of the first rib and a downstream end of the second rib, A cooler, wherein the distance in the second direction between the upstream end of the second rib and the upstream end of the third rib is smaller than the distance in the second direction between the downstream end of the second rib and the downstream end of the third rib.

2. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, The plurality of ribs further includes a second rib group positioned in the first direction relative to the first rib group, the second rib group includes a fourth rib of the plurality of ribs and a fifth rib of the plurality of ribs, At least a portion of the fourth rib is located within a first extension space obtained by virtually extending a first partial passage defined by the first rib and the second rib; At least a portion of the fifth rib is located within a second extension space obtained by virtually extending a second partial passage defined by the second rib and the third rib; A cooler, wherein the distance in the second direction between the upstream end of the fourth rib and the upstream end of the fifth rib is different from the distance in the second direction between the downstream end of the fourth rib and the downstream end of the fifth rib.

3. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, The ribs are inclined at an angle of 3 to 45 degrees with respect to the first direction.

4. A housing comprising the cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A rotating electric machine comprising the housing according to claim 4.

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