Integrated type cooling plate

The integrated cooling plate with a high nickel equivalent metal alloy, manufactured via advanced methods, addresses the issues of corrosion resistance and strength, ensuring efficient refrigerant flow and uniform cooling.

JP2025104659APending Publication Date: 2025-07-10MITSUCHI CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023222610
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-12-28
Publication Date
2025-07-10

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing cooling plates with metal and resin parts lack sufficient corrosion resistance and strength, necessitating improved integration and material composition for enhanced performance.

Method used

An integrated cooling plate composed of a specific metal alloy with a high nickel equivalent, manufactured through three-dimensional laminating and forming using a laser or electron beam, followed by solution heat treatment and aging treatment, to achieve high strength and corrosion resistance.

Benefits of technology

The cooling plate exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and high strength, allowing for efficient refrigerant flow and uniform temperature reduction across the cooling surface, facilitating easy handling and improved cooling performance.

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Abstract

To provide a new cooling plate which is excellent in corrosion resistance, and has high strength.SOLUTION: An integrated type cooling plate comprises: an inflow port of a coolant; an outflow port of the coolant; and an internal flow channel connecting the inflow port and the outflow port. In a plan view, a ratio of an area occupied by an internal channel of the cooling plate is 10% or more and is 60% or less. The cooling plate contains 0.010 wt. % or more and 0.025 wt. % or less of C, 0.15 wt. % or less of Si, 0.15 wt.% or less of Mn, 0.01 wt.% or less of P, 0.01 wt.% or less of S, 24 wt.% or more and 27 wt.% or less of Ni, 13.5 wt.% or more and 16 wt.% or less of Cr, 1 wt.% or more and 1.5 wt.% or less of Mo, 0.10 wt.% or more and 0.50 wt. % or less of V, 0.35 wt.% or less of Al, 1.90 wt. % or more and 2.35 wt.% or less of Ti, and 0.0006 wt.% or more and 0.0020 wt. % or less of B, the balance being constituted of metal having a component composition formed by Fe and an inevitable impurity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to an integrated cooling plate that has excellent cooling performance and corrosion resistance and high strength.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling plate. This cooling plate has a housing in which a metal part and a resin part are joined, and a flow path through which a refrigerant flows is formed inside the housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the cooling plate of Patent Document 1, since the housing has a metal part and a resin part, excellent airtightness can be achieved, but it is still not sufficient in terms of corrosion resistance and strength. This specification provides a novel cooling plate that has excellent corrosion resistance and high strength.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A first aspect disclosed by this specification is an integrated cooling plate. The integrated cooling plate includes a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet, and an internal flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet. In a plan view, the ratio of the area occupied by the internal flow path in the cooling plate is 10% or more and 60% or less. The cooling plate is composed of a metal having a component composition of C: 0.010% or more and 0.025% or less, Si: 0.15% or less, Mn: 0.15% or less, P: 0.01% or less, S: 0.01% or less, Ni: 24% or more and 27% or less, Cr: 13.5% or more and 16% or less, Mo: 1% or more and 1.5% or less, V: 0.10% or more and 0.50% or less, Al: 0.35% or less, Ti: 1.90% or more and 2.35% or less, B: 0.0006% or more and 0.0020% or less by weight, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities.

[0006] The above-mentioned metal has a high nickel equivalent, and the cooling plate made of this metal has excellent corrosion resistance and high strength. In addition, since this cooling plate is integrated, it does not need to be assembled during use and can be easily handled.

[0007] In a second aspect disclosed by this specification, in the above first aspect, the integrated cooling plate may have a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. The inlet may be provided on the first side of the rectangular shape. The outlet may be provided on the second side opposite to the first side.

[0008] In a third aspect disclosed by this specification, in the above first aspect, the integrated cooling plate may have a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. The inlet may be provided at a first corner of the rectangular shape. The outlet may be provided at a second corner opposite to the first corner.

[0009] In a fourth aspect disclosed by this specification, in the above first aspect, the integrated cooling plate may have a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. The inlet and the outlet may be both provided on the first side of the rectangular shape.

[0010] In a fifth aspect disclosed by this specification, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the internal flow path may branch into a plurality and curve to connect the inlet and the outlet.

[0011] In a sixth aspect disclosed by this specification, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the internal flow path may curve without branching to connect the inlet and the outlet.

[0012] A seventh aspect disclosed by this specification is a method for manufacturing the integrated cooling plate described in any of the first to sixth aspects. The manufacturing method includes a step of forming the integrated cooling plate having a bulk density of 99.9% or more by a three-dimensional laminating and forming method using a laser or an electron beam with an energy density of 60 J / mm 3 or more.

[0013] In the three-dimensional laminating and forming method, depending on the components of the metal powder used, pores remaining inside and microcracks (hereinafter referred to as microcracks) occurring at grain boundaries are likely to occur during forming, and there is a problem that the corrosion resistance and strength are lower compared with conventional steel materials (for example, melted bar materials) containing the same components. According to the above configuration, by using a metal powder having a specific component composition, excellent corrosion resistance and high strength can be imparted to the formed cooling plate. Further, in the above manufacturing method, by laminating the metal powder while being completely melted by a laser or an electron beam with an energy density of 60 J / mm 3 or more, the bulk density of the formed body can be made 99.9% or more. Thus, in the above manufacturing method, since pores remaining inside and microcracks occurring at grain boundaries can be reduced to an extremely low level during forming, a cooling plate having high strength and excellent corrosion resistance can be obtained.

[0014] In the eighth aspect disclosed by this specification, in the above seventh aspect, the manufacturing method includes a solution heat treatment step of holding the formed integral cooling plate at 885 - 915 °C or 965 - 995 °C for 10 minutes to 2 hours and then rapidly cooling it to room temperature, and after the solution heat treatment step, an aging treatment step of holding the integral cooling plate at 680 - 700 °C for 16 hours or more and then air-cooling it to room temperature. The integral cooling plate after performing the aging treatment step may have a tensile strength of 950 MPa or more, a yield stress of 700 MPa or more, an elongation at break of 23% or more, and a reduction of area of 50% or more.

[0015] With such a configuration, by solution heat treatment and aging treatment, the Vickers hardness of the cooling plate can be made 300 HV or more. Thereby, the strength of the manufactured cooling plate can be ensured. As a result, the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing inside can be increased, and the object can be cooled rapidly. Also, with such a configuration, a cooling plate having the same strength and corrosion resistance as conventional steel materials (for example, melted bar materials) can be obtained.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] (Example 1) With reference to the drawings, the cooling plate 10 of Example 1 will be described. The cooling plate 10 is used, for example, to cool a mold used for injection molding of resin or the like by bringing it into contact with the mold. However, the cooling plate 10 may be used for other applications, for example, to cool an electronic device that generates heat such as a PC.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooling plate 10 has a housing 12, an inlet 14, and an outlet 16. The cooling plate 10 has a flat plate shape. The cooling plate 10 has a substantially rectangular shape defined by four sides 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d in plan view, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0019] The inlet 14 is provided to allow a refrigerant (for example, water) to flow into the interior of the housing 12. The inlet 14 is provided on the side surface 12a on the side of the side 10a of the cooling plate 10. The inlet 14 is connected to, for example, a refrigerant supply pipe (not shown) to allow the refrigerant to flow into the housing 12. The inlet 14 is integrally formed with the housing 12. The outlet 16 is provided to allow the refrigerant to flow out from the housing 12 to the outside. The outlet 16 is provided on the side surface 12c on the side of the side 10c of the cooling plate 10. That is, the inlet 14 and the outlet 16 are provided on the opposing side surfaces (side surface 12a and side surface 12c) of the cooling plate 10, respectively. The outlet 16 is connected to, for example, a refrigerant discharge pipe (not shown) to allow the refrigerant to flow out from the housing 12 to the outside. The outlet 16 is integrally formed with the housing 12.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an internal flow path 18 is formed inside the housing 12. The internal flow path 18 branches into a plurality of paths and connects the inlet 14 and the outlet 16 while curving. The refrigerant that has flowed into the housing 12 from the inlet 14 is discharged to the outside from the outlet 16 through the internal flow path 18.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the internal flow path 18 has a plurality of inflow-side main flow paths 20, a plurality of outflow-side main flow paths 22, and a plurality of sub-flow paths 24.

[0022] In this embodiment, four inflow-side main flow paths 20 are provided. The inflow-side main flow paths 20 are the flow paths in the hatched area in FIG. 3 among the internal flow path 18. Each inflow-side main flow path 20 branches from the inlet 14 in the vicinity of the inlet 14 and curves and extends into the housing 12. In this embodiment, among the four, two inflow-side main flow paths 20 extend along the sides 10b and 10d, respectively, and the remaining two inflow-side main flow paths 20 extend toward the center of the cooling plate 10.

[0023] Also, in this embodiment, five outflow-side main flow paths 22 are provided. The outflow-side main flow paths 22 are the flow paths in the hatched area in FIG. 3 among the internal flow path 18. Each outflow-side main flow path 22 branches from the outlet 16 in the vicinity of the outlet 16 and curves and extends into the housing 12. In this embodiment, among the five, two outflow-side main flow paths 22 extend along the side 10c, and the remaining three outflow-side main flow paths 22 extend toward the center of the cooling plate 10.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the four inflow-side main flow paths 20 and the three outflow-side main flow paths 22 extending toward the center of the cooling plate 10 extend so as to be alternately arranged along the x direction in the vicinity of the center in the y direction of the cooling plate 10 (near the midpoints of the sides 10b and 10d).

[0025] Each inflow-side main flow path 20 and each outflow-side main flow path 22 are connected by a plurality of sub-flow paths 24. The sub-flow paths 24 are flow paths in the region of the internal flow path 18 that is not hatched in FIG. 3. Each sub-flow path 24 is arranged in a mesh pattern and connects each inflow-side main flow path 20 and each outflow-side main flow path 22. The cross-sectional areas of each inflow-side main flow path 20 and each outflow-side main flow path 22 are larger than the cross-sectional area of each sub-flow path 24.

[0026] In this embodiment, in a plan view (the cross-section shown in FIG. 3), the proportion of the area occupied by the internal flow path 18 in the cooling plate 10 is approximately 44%. The lower limit of this proportion is, for example, 10% or more, and for example, 20% or more, and for example, 30% or more. The upper limit of this proportion is, for example, 60% or less, and for example, 50% or less. If this proportion is 10% or more, sufficient cooling performance of the cooling plate 10 can be obtained, and if this proportion is 60% or less, sufficient strength of the cooling plate 10 can be ensured. The lower limit and upper limit of this proportion are the same in other embodiments described later. Note that this proportion can be appropriately changed, for example, by adjusting the number, shape, cross-sectional area, etc. of each main flow path 20, 22 and sub-flow path 24.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of through-holes 26 are provided in the cooling plate 10. Each through-hole 26 is provided at each corner 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d of the cooling plate 10. These through-holes 26 are provided to allow insertion of bolts (not shown) for fixing the cooling plate 10 to an object.

[0028] The cooling plate 10 is made of a metal having a component composition containing, by weight%, C: 0.010% or more and 0.025% or less, Si: 0.15% or less, Mn: 0.15% or less, P: 0.01% or less, S: 0.01% or less, Ni: 24% or more and 27% or less, Cr: 13.5% or more and 16% or less, Mo: 1% or more and 1.5% or less, V: 0.1% or more and 0.5% or less, Al: 0.35% or less, Ti: 1.90% or more and 2.35% or less, B: 0.0006% or more and 0.0020% or less, and the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities. The metal having the above component composition has a nickel equivalent Ni eq defined by the following formula (Hirayama formula) is 28.5 or more. Ni eq = 12.6×[C%] + 0.35×[Si%] + 1.05[Mn%] + [Ni%] + 0.65[Cr%] + 0.98[Mo%]

[0029] As described above, the cooling plate 10 of the present embodiment is made of a metal having a high nickel equivalent (28.5 or more). Therefore, this cooling plate 10 is excellent in corrosion resistance and has high strength. Since the cooling plate 10 (housing 12) has high strength, the volume ratio of the internal flow path 18 to the housing 12 can be increased as compared with the conventional case. That is, more refrigerant can be circulated inside the cooling plate 10 than in the conventional case. Further, since this cooling plate 10 is of an integral type, it does not need to be assembled during use and can be easily handled.

[0030] Further, in the cooling plate 10 of the present embodiment, the inlet 14 and the outlet 16 are respectively provided opposite to the side 10a side and the side 10c side in the rectangular housing 12. The inlet 14 and the outlet 16 are connected by internal flow paths 18 (main flow paths 20, 22 and sub-flow paths 24) that branch into a plurality and extend in a curved manner. With such a configuration, when the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling plate 10, the temperature of the entire cooling plate 10 can be reduced substantially uniformly.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows the simulation results of the temperature distribution on the surface of the cooling plate 10 when refrigerant flows through the internal flow path 18 of the cooling plate 10. In FIG. 4, the brighter the part, the higher the temperature of the surface, and the darker the part, the lower the temperature of the surface. As shown in FIG. 4, in the cooling plate 10 of this embodiment, it can be seen that the surface temperature of the cooling plate 10 decreases evenly as the refrigerant flows. Therefore, by using the cooling plate 10, the article to be cooled can be cooled substantially uniformly.

[0032] Next, a method for manufacturing the cooling plate 10 of Example 1 will be described. In this manufacturing method, after forming the cooling plate 10 shown in FIG. 1 and the like by three-dimensional additive manufacturing, solution heat treatment and aging treatment are performed on the cooling plate 10. Hereinafter, this manufacturing method will be specifically described.

[0033] (Laminated body forming step) First, the cooling plate 10 (laminated body) is formed from metal powder using three-dimensional additive manufacturing with a metal 3D printer. The metal powder used for forming has, as described above, a component composition containing, by weight%, C: 0.010% or more and 0.025% or less, Si: 0.15% or less, Mn: 0.15% or less, P: 0.01% or less, S: 0.01% or less, Ni: 24% or more and 27% or less, Cr: 13.5% or more and 16% or less, Mo: 1% or more and 1.5% or less, V: 0.1% or more and 0.5% or less, Al: 0.35% or less, Ti: 1.90% or more and 2.35% or less, B: 0.0006% or more and 0.0020% or less, with the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities. Hereinafter, each component will be described.

[0034] C: 0.010% or more and 0.025% or less When C exceeds 0.025%, in three-dimensional additive manufacturing, when the molten layer solidifies and when the layer laminated below the molten layer is reheated by the molten layer, it segregates at the grain boundaries of the additive manufactured body, resulting in a decrease in the ductility and toughness of the additive manufactured body, or an increased tendency for microcracks to occur along the grain boundaries. On the other hand, when C is reduced to zero, it leads to grain coarsening during solution heat treatment and aging treatment, resulting in a decrease in elongation at break and drawing. Considering these reasons and generally industrially reducible values including refining costs, the lower limit was set at 0.010%. When C is within the above range of content, it preferentially precipitates as TiC on the high-temperature side during the solidification of the molten layer and also functions as a pinning for grain growth.

[0035] Si: 0.15% or less Si is an element that is used as a deoxidizer and improves the strength of the additive manufactured body by solid solution strengthening. On the other hand, in three-dimensional additive manufacturing, when the molten layer solidifies and when the layer laminated below the molten layer is reheated by the molten layer, Si combines with Fe, Ni, Ti, and Mo to precipitate a low-melting eutectic compound (Laves phase) at the grain boundaries, causing liquation cracking or ductility-reducing cracking, i.e., microcracks, along the grain boundaries. Therefore, the content of Si was reduced within a generally industrially reducible range including refining costs, and the upper limit was set at 0.15%.

[0036] Mn: 0.15% or less Mn is an element that is used as a deoxidizer, dissolves in austenite, stabilizes it, and is used to ensure mechanical strength and toughness. On the other hand, when Mn exceeds 0.15%, there is a tendency to promote microcracks at the grain boundaries in three-dimensional additive manufacturing. Therefore, it was reduced within a generally industrially possible range including refining costs, and the upper limit was set at 0.15%.

[0037] P: 0.01% or less P is a low-melting-point inclusion. Even with a very small content, it promotes microcracks at grain boundaries in three-dimensional laminated forming. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce it as much as possible. On the other hand, excessive refining leads to an increase in cost. Thus, it is reduced within the range possible in general industry, and the content of P is set to 0.01% or less.

[0038] S: 0.01% or less S is a low-melting-point inclusion. Even with a very small content, it promotes microcracks at grain boundaries in three-dimensional laminated forming. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce it as much as possible. On the other hand, excessive refining leads to an increase in cost. Thus, it is reduced within the range possible in general industry, and the content of S is set to 0.01% or less.

[0039] Ni: 24% or more and 27% or less Ni is a major element for stabilizing austenite and imparting excellent corrosion resistance. It is necessary to add a sufficient amount to ensure a nickel equivalent (Hirayama method) of 28.5 or more, which is an austenite stabilization index. On the other hand, an excessive content leads to an increase in cost. In view of these, the content of Ni is set to 24% or more and 27% or less.

[0040] Cr: 13.5% or more and 16% or less Cr is a major element for improving corrosion resistance. On the other hand, excessive inclusion leads to an increase in cost. Therefore, the content of Cr is set to 13.5% or more and 16% or less.

[0041] Mo: 1% or more and 1.5% or less Mo is an element for solid-solution strengthening of austenite and imparting excellent corrosion resistance. On the other hand, excessive inclusion leads to an increase in cost. Therefore, the content of Mo is set to 1% or more and 1.5% or less.

[0042] V: 0.10% or more and 0.50% or less V is an element that preferentially precipitates as carbide at a high temperature stage during solidification and contributes to preventing grain coarsening. On the other hand, excessive inclusion leads to an increase in cost. Therefore, the content of V is set to 0.10% or more and 0.50% or less.

[0043] Al: below 0.35% Al is used as a deoxidizer and is an element that precipitates γ' phase (gamma prime phase, Ni3(Al,Ti)) during aging treatment, resulting in age hardening and increased strength. The lower the Ti / Al ratio, that is, the higher the Al content, the more stable the γ' phase is. However, at the same time, the heat treatment time required for age hardening becomes longer. Therefore, the Al content is set to be below 0.35% so that peak hardness can be achieved industrially within 3 to 20 hours.

[0044] Ti: 1.90% or more and 2.35% or less Ti is an element that precipitates γ' phase (gamma prime phase, Ni3(Al,Ti)) during aging treatment, resulting in age hardening and increased strength. In addition, it preferentially precipitates as carbides at the high-temperature stage during solidification and contributes to preventing grain coarsening. On the other hand, if it is contained in excess, it will lead to an increase in cost. Therefore, the Ti content is set to be 1.90% or more and 2.35% or less.

[0045] B: 0.0006% or more and 0.0020% or less B is an element that increases the strength of grain boundaries, improves the elongation at break at room temperature, the drawing value, and the creep strength in the high-temperature range in conventional melted materials, that is, materials that have undergone casting and hot rolling. On the other hand, in three-dimensional additive manufacturing, when the molten layer solidifies and when the layer laminated below the molten layer is reheated by the molten layer, it combines with other alloy elements to precipitate low-melting-point eutectic compounds at grain boundaries, resulting in liquation cracking along the grain boundaries, that is, microcracks. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce it as much as possible within the range that does not sacrifice the elongation at break and the drawing value at room temperature. The B content is set to be 0.0006% or more and 0.0020% or less.

[0046] As described above, this metal powder has a composition with a nickel equivalent of 28.5 or more. By using the metal powder having the above-described nickel equivalent, it is possible to impart high strength and excellent corrosion resistance to the manufactured cooling plate 10. Further, the particle size of the metal powder is not particularly limited. For example, the particle size is 10 μm to 100 μm. By using the metal powder having such a particle size, it is possible to contribute to an improvement in the volume density of the cooling plate 10 formed by three-dimensional layer forming.

[0047] In this manufacturing method, the three-dimensional layer forming method is selected from either the powder bed fusion method (Powder Bed Fusion, PBF) or the directed energy deposition method (Directed Energy Deposition, DED). In PBF, a laser or an electron beam is irradiated onto the metal powder spread on the forming support. As a result, the metal powder melts, and the range where the melted metal powders solidify and bond becomes the formed body. When the forming of one layer is completed, the metal powder for forming the next layer is spread again on the forming support. By repeating this process in the stacking direction, the cooling plate 10 shown in FIG. 1 etc. is formed.

[0048] In DED, a laser is irradiated onto the forming support, and at the same time, metal powder is jetted onto the irradiated portion of the laser. As a result, the metal powder melts at the irradiated portion. In DED, by jetting the metal powder while moving the irradiated portion of the laser on the forming support, the melting and solidification of the metal powder are repeatedly advanced. By repeating this process in the stacking direction, the cooling plate 10 shown in FIG. 1 is formed.

[0049] In addition, in any of the above-described methods, the stacking pitch (the thickness of one layer) can be, for example, 10 to 100 μm. However, the stacking pitch is not limited to this and may be appropriately adjusted according to the particle size of the metal powder used. Further, in this manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 5, the cooling plate 10 is formed on the surface of the forming support 50 inclined at about 45° with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0050] (Solution heat treatment process) Next, a solution heat treatment process is performed on the cooling plate 10. The solution heat treatment process is mainly carried out to remove the residual stress of the cooling plate 10 generated by shaping and to dissolve the compounds precipitated during shaping. In the solution heat treatment process, the cooling plate 10 is held at 885 - 915 °C or 965 - 995 °C for 10 minutes to 2 hours and then rapidly cooled to room temperature. Note that the holding time within the above temperature range can be appropriately adjusted according to the required purpose, such as when it is desired to refine the crystal grains or completely solutionize the shaped body.

[0051] (Aging treatment process) Next, an aging treatment process is performed on the cooling plate 10. The aging treatment process is mainly carried out to precipitate an intermetallic compound called the γ' phase (gamma prime phase, Ni3(Al,Ti)) to improve the hardness of the cooling plate 10. In the aging treatment process, the cooling plate 10 is held at 680 - 700 °C for 16 hours or more and then air-cooled to room temperature. Through the above processes, the cooling plate 10 is completed.

[0052] In this manufacturing method, the cooling plate 10 is manufactured by a three-dimensional laminated manufacturing method. Therefore, compared with the case of manufacturing a cooling plate from a steel material (for example, a melted bar material) as in the conventional method, the cooling plate 10 can be easily manufactured without requiring processes such as cutting.

[0053] Also, in this manufacturing method, even when a high nickel equivalent material that is difficult to process is used, the impact on the workability of the material is reduced. Therefore, the impact on processes such as cutting, which largely depends on the skills of the operator, can be minimized, and the manufactured cooling plate 10 can exhibit the desired performance.

[0054] Moreover, in this manufacturing method, since the cooling plate 10 is manufactured by a three-dimensional laminated manufacturing method, even an internal flow path 18 having a complex shape such as branching and bending can be easily formed.

[0055] Furthermore, a step of performing finishing on the laminated formed body (cooling plate 10) formed by the three-dimensional lamination forming method may be further implemented. Examples of the finishing include removal processes such as cutting and grinding, and surface treatments for modifying the surface of the article.

[0056] The finishing may be performed after solution heat treatment and aging treatment. When performing the finishing in the final step, it is easy to control the shape and the like of the manufactured cooling plate 10. Also, the finishing may be performed before solution heat treatment and aging treatment. In this case, since the finishing is first performed on the laminated formed body, the quality of the reference surface for the finishing can be controlled according to the conditions of the lamination forming. Further, the finishing may be performed after solution heat treatment and before aging treatment. In this case, since the finishing (cutting, surface treatment, etc.) is performed on the relatively soft laminated formed body after solution heat treatment, the workability of the finishing can be improved.

[0057] (Example 2) Next, the cooling plate 100 of Example 2 will be described. In the cooling plate 100 of Example 2, the positions of the inlet 114 and the outlet 116 and the shape of the internal flow path 118 are different from those in Example 1. The material constituting the cooling plate 100 is the same as that in Example 1.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 6, in the cooling plate 100 of Example 2, the inlet 114 is provided at a corner 111a defined by the side surface 112a and the side surface 112d. Also, the outlet 116 is provided at a corner 111c defined by the side surface 112b and the side surface 112c. That is, in the cooling plate 100, in a plan view, the inlet 114 and the outlet 116 are respectively provided at the diagonals of the rectangular housing 112. The inlet 114 and the outlet 116 are integrally formed with the housing 112.

[0059] Inside the housing 112, an internal flow path 118 is formed. The internal flow path 118 branches into a plurality of paths and connects the inlet 114 and the outlet 116 while curving. The refrigerant that has flowed into the housing 112 from the inlet 114 is discharged to the outside from the outlet 116 through the internal flow path 118. The internal flow path 118 has a plurality of inlet-side main flow paths 120, a plurality of outlet-side main flow paths 122, and a plurality of sub-flow paths 124.

[0060] In this embodiment, three inlet-side main flow paths 120 are provided. Each inlet-side main flow path 120 branches from the inlet 114 in the vicinity of the inlet 114 and curves and extends into the housing 112. In this embodiment, out of the three, two inlet-side main flow paths 120 extend along the side surfaces 112a and 112d, respectively, and the remaining one inlet-side main flow path 120 extends toward the center of the cooling plate 100.

[0061] Also, in this embodiment, four outlet-side main flow paths 122 are provided. Each outlet-side main flow path 122 branches from the outlet 116 in the vicinity of the outlet 116 and curves and extends into the housing 112. In this embodiment, out of the four, two outlet-side main flow paths 122 extend along the side surfaces 112b and 112c, respectively, and the remaining two outlet-side main flow paths 122 extend toward the center of the cooling plate 100.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 6, each inlet-side main flow path 120 and each outlet-side main flow path 122 extend so as to be alternately arranged along a line connecting the corner 111b and the corner 111d of the cooling plate 100 in the vicinity of the line.

[0063] Each inlet-side main flow path 120 and each outlet-side main flow path 122 are connected by a plurality of sub-flow paths 124. Each sub-flow path 124 is arranged in a mesh pattern, similar to Embodiment 1, and connects each inlet-side main flow path 120 and each outlet-side main flow path 122. The cross-sectional areas of each inlet-side main flow path 120 and each outlet-side main flow path 122 are larger than the cross-sectional area of each sub-flow path 124. In this embodiment, in a plan view, the ratio of the area occupied by the internal flow path 118 in the cooling plate 100 is approximately 58%.

[0064] The cooling plate 100 of Example 2 is made of a metal having a high nickel equivalent (28.5 or more), similar to Example 1. Therefore, this cooling plate 100 is excellent in corrosion resistance and has high strength. Since the cooling plate 100 (housing 112) has high strength, the volume ratio of the internal flow path 118 to the housing 112 can be increased as compared with the conventional case. Further, since this cooling plate 100 is an integral type, it does not need to be assembled during use and can be easily handled.

[0065] Also, in the cooling plate 100 of the present embodiment, the inlet 114 and the outlet 116 are provided at the diagonals (corners 111a and 111c) of the rectangular housing 112. The inlet 114 and the outlet 116 are connected by internal flow paths 118 (main flow paths 120, 122 and sub-flow path 124) that branch into a plurality and extend in a curved manner. In such a configuration, when the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling plate 100, the temperature on the side of the inflow-side main flow path 120 in the cooling plate 100 can be lowered.

[0066] FIG. 7 shows the simulation result of the temperature distribution on the surface of the cooling plate 100 when the refrigerant is circulated in the internal flow path 118 of the cooling plate 100. In FIG. 7, the brighter the portion, the higher the temperature of the surface, and the darker the portion, the lower the temperature of the surface. As shown in FIG. 7, in the cooling plate 100 of the present embodiment, it can be seen that the temperature in the vicinity of the inflow-side main flow path 120 on the surface of the cooling plate 100 has decreased due to the circulation of the refrigerant. Therefore, the cooling plate 100 is useful when it is required to partially cool the article to be cooled.

[0067] (Example 3) Next, the cooling plate 200 of Example 3 will be described. In the cooling plate 200 of Example 3, the positions of the inlet 214 and the outlet 216 and the shape of the internal flow path 218 are different from those of Example 1. The material constituting the cooling plate 200 is the same as that of Example 1.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 8, in the cooling plate 200 of the third embodiment, the inlet 214 and the outlet 216 are both provided on the side surface 212a. The inlet 214 is provided on the side surface 212d side of the side surface 212a. The outlet 216 is provided on the side surface 212b side of the side surface 212a. The inlet 214 and the outlet 216 are integrally formed with the housing 212.

[0069] An internal flow path 218 is formed inside the housing 212. The internal flow path 218 branches into a plurality of paths and connects the inlet 214 and the outlet 216 while curving. The refrigerant flowing into the housing 212 from the inlet 214 is discharged to the outside from the outlet 216 through the internal flow path 218. The internal flow path 218 has an inlet-side main flow path 220, an outlet-side main flow path 222, and a plurality of sub-flow paths 224.

[0070] The inlet-side main flow path 220 extends along the side surface 212d from the inlet 214. The outlet-side main flow path 222 extends along the side surface 212b from the outlet 216. The inlet-side main flow path 220 and the outlet-side main flow path 222 are connected by a plurality of sub-flow paths 224. Each sub-flow path 224 branches into a plurality of paths and curves to connect the inlet-side main flow path 220 and the outlet-side main flow path 222. The cross-sectional areas of the inlet-side main flow path 220 and the outlet-side main flow path 222 are larger than the cross-sectional area of each sub-flow path 224. In this embodiment, in a plan view, the ratio of the area occupied by the internal flow path 218 in the cooling plate 100 is about 40%.

[0071] Similar to the first embodiment, the cooling plate 200 of the third embodiment is made of a metal having a high nickel equivalent (28.5 or more). Therefore, this cooling plate 200 has excellent corrosion resistance and high strength. Since the cooling plate 200 (housing 212) has high strength, the volume ratio of the internal flow path 218 to the housing 212 can be increased as compared with the conventional case. Further, since this cooling plate 200 is of an integral type, it does not need to be assembled during use and can be easily handled.

[0072] Further, in the cooling plate 200 of the present embodiment, the inlet 114 and the outlet 116 are both provided on the side surface 212a. The inlet 214 and the outlet 216 are connected by internal flow paths 218 (main flow paths 120, 122 and sub-flow path 124) that branch into a plurality and extend in a curved manner. In such a configuration, when the refrigerant is circulated in the cooling plate 200, the temperature on the side of the inflow-side main flow path 220 of the cooling plate 200 can be lowered.

[0073] FIG. 9 shows the simulation results of the temperature distribution on the surface of the cooling plate 200 when the refrigerant is circulated through the internal flow path 218 of the cooling plate 200. In FIG. 9, the brighter the part, the higher the temperature of the surface, and the darker the part, the lower the temperature of the surface. As shown in FIG. 9, in the cooling plate 200 of the present embodiment, it can be seen that the temperature in the vicinity of the inflow-side main flow path 220 on the surface of the cooling plate 200 has decreased due to the circulation of the refrigerant. Therefore, the cooling plate 200 is useful when it is required to cool the article to be cooled more locally.

[0074] (Example 4) Next, the cooling plate 300 of Example 4 will be described. In the cooling plate 300 of Example 4, the positions where the inlet 314 and the outlet 316 are provided are the same as those in Example 3 (that is, they are both provided on the same side surface of the housing 312), but the shape of the internal flow path 318 is different from that in Example 3. The material constituting the cooling plate 300 is the same as that in each of the above-described embodiments.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 10, in the cooling plate 300 of Example 4, the internal flow path 318 curves without branching to connect the inlet 314 and the outlet 316. The internal flow path 318 extends in a bellows shape inside the housing 312. The internal flow path 318 extends with a substantially uniform cross-sectional area from the inlet 314 toward the outlet 316. The refrigerant that has flowed into the housing 312 from the inlet 314 is discharged to the outside from the outlet 316 through the internal flow path 318. In the present embodiment, in a plan view, the ratio of the area occupied by the internal flow path 318 in the cooling plate 300 is about 14%.

[0076] The cooling plate 300 is provided with a plurality of through holes 326. Each through hole 326 is provided at each of the corner portions 311a, 311b, 311c, and 311d of the cooling plate 300. These through holes 326 are provided for inserting bolts (not shown) for fixing the cooling plate 300 to an object. Further, the cooling plate 300 is provided with a through hole 327 at the central portion. The through hole 327 is provided for weight reduction of the cooling plate 300.

[0077] Similar to other embodiments, the cooling plate 300 of Example 4 is made of a metal having a high nickel equivalent (28.5 or more). Therefore, this cooling plate 300 is excellent in corrosion resistance and has high strength. Since the cooling plate 300 (housing 312) has high strength, the volume ratio of the internal flow path 318 to the housing 312 can be increased as compared with the conventional case. Further, since this cooling plate 300 is an integral type, it does not need to be assembled during use and can be easily handled.

[0078] Note that the cooling plates of Examples 2 to 4 described above can be manufactured by the same method as in Example 1.

[0079] As described above, specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above.

[0080] In the above-described Example 1, the inlet 14 does not necessarily have to be provided at the center of the side surface 12a. Further, the outlet 16 does not necessarily have to be provided at the center of the side surface 12c. That is, the inlet 14 and the outlet 16 may be provided on the opposing side surfaces of the cooling plate 10.

[0081] In each of the above-described embodiments, the number, shape, etc. of the internal flow paths are not particularly limited. The number, shape, etc. of the internal flow paths can be appropriately changed according to the desired cooling performance of the cooling plate.

[0082] In the above-described Examples 2 and 3, similar to Example 1 and Example 4, through-holes for inserting bolts or through-holes for weight reduction may be provided. The number, size, and position of the through-holes are not particularly limited.

[0083] In the above-described Example 4, the inlet 314 and the outlet 316 do not have to be provided on the same side surface. They may be provided on opposite side surfaces or diagonally, as in Example 1 and Example 2.

[0084] The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Also, the technology illustrated in this specification or the drawings achieves multiple purposes simultaneously, and achieving one of those purposes itself has technical utility.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0085] 10: Cooling plate, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d: Sides, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d: Corners, 12: Housing, 14: Inlet, 16: Outlet, 18: Internal flow path, 20: Inlet-side main flow path, 22: Outlet-side main flow path, 24: Sub-flow path, 26: Through-hole, 50: Shaping support

Claims

1. An integrated cooling plate, comprising: a refrigerant inlet; a refrigerant outlet; an internal flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet; wherein, in a plan view, the ratio of the area occupied by the internal flow path in the cooling plate is 10% or more and 60% or less; the cooling plate has, by weight percentage: C: 0.010% or more and 0.025% or less; Si: 0.15% or less; Mn: 0.15% or less; P: 0.01% or less; S: 0.01% or less; Ni: 24% or more and 27% or less; Cr: 13.5% or more and 16% or less; Mo: 1% or more and 1.5% or less; V: 0.10% or more and 0.50% or less; Al: 0.35% or less; Ti: 1.90% or more and 2.35% or less; B: 0.0006% or more and 0.0020% or less; and is composed of a metal having a component composition in which the balance consists of Fe and unavoidable impurities. Integrated cooling plate.

2. The integrated cooling plate has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, the inlet is provided on a first side of the rectangular shape, the outlet is provided on a second side opposite to the first side. The integrated cooling plate according to claim 1.

3. The integrated cooling plate has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, the inlet is provided at a first corner of the rectangular shape, the outlet is provided at a second corner opposite to the first corner. The integrated cooling plate according to claim 1.

4. The integrated cooling plate has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, the inlet and the outlet are both provided on a first side of the rectangular shape. The integrated cooling plate according to claim 1.

5. The internal flow path branches into a plurality of paths and curves to connect the inlet and the outlet. The integrated cooling plate according to claim 1.

6. The internal flow path curves without branching to connect the inlet and the outlet. The integrated cooling plate according to claim 1.

7. A method for manufacturing the integrated cooling plate according to claim 1,

8. Using the powder of the metal, a step of forming the integrated cooling plate having a volume density of 99.9% or more by a three-dimensional laminating and forming method using a laser or an electron beam with an energy density of 60 J / mm 3 or more is provided. The manufacturing method includes the step of forming the integrated cooling plate having a volume density of 99.9% or more by a three-dimensional laminating and forming method using a laser or an electron beam with an energy density of 60 J / mm or more. wherein the three-dimensional additive manufacturing method is either a powder bed fusion method or a directed energy deposition method, the manufacturing method includes: a solution heat treatment step of holding the formed integrated cooling plate at 885 - 915 °C or 965 - 995 °C for 10 minutes to 2 hours and then rapidly cooling it to room temperature, ​ After the solution heat treatment step, the integrated cooling plate is further provided with an aging treatment step of holding at 680 to 700 ° C for 16 hours or more and then air-cooling to room temperature. The integrated cooling plate after performing the aging treatment step has a tensile strength of 950 MPa or more, a yield stress of 700 MPa or more, an elongation at break of 23% or more, and a reduction of area of 50% or more. The manufacturing method according to claim 7.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Cooling device and method for manufacturing cooling device

    WO2020241314A1