Turbo compressor that can cool the motor's power conversion device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a turbo compressor including: a motor having a rotating shaft connected at one end to an impeller to rotate the impeller; a cooling air passage provided to allow a cooling gas contained therein to flow; a power conversion device for controlling the motor and having a heat-generating component therein; and a thermally conductive member for cooling the heat-generating component of the power conversion device, the cooling member having one end in contact with the heat-generating component and the other end exposed to a motor-accommodating space; a compressed gas inlet located at the front end of a housing, the impeller located at the rear end of the housing, the motor located between the compressed gas inlet and the impeller, and a fourth cooling air passage starting from the compressed gas inlet, passing through the other end of the cooling member, and ending at the impeller; and the gas drawn through the compressed gas inlet by the suction force of the impeller passes through the fourth cooling air passage to cool the heat-generating component of the power conversion device. This invention has the advantage of being able to quickly cool the heat-generating component of the power conversion device using the relatively low-temperature cooling gas drawn through the compressed gas inlet.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a turbo compressor, and more particularly to a turbo compressor that can quickly cool heat-generating components of a power conversion device using a relatively low-temperature cooling gas drawn in through a compressed gas inlet. [Background technology]

[0002] A turbo compressor or turbo blower is a centrifugal pump that draws in external air or gas by rotating an impeller at high speed, compresses it, and then blows it out. It is widely used for powder transportation and aeration in sewage treatment plants, and more recently it has also been used in industrial processes and on automobiles.

[0003] In such turbo compressors, high-speed rotation of the impeller generates high heat due to friction between the motor and bearings, and high heat is inevitably generated in the power conversion device that supplies power to the motor. Therefore, cooling is required for the motor, bearings, and power conversion device, which are the main heat sources.

[0004] An example of a conventional turbo compressor is disclosed in FIG. 7. This turbo compressor 1 relates to an air blower for a vehicle, and includes a volute housing 200, an impeller 240 mounted inside the volute housing to compress air, a motor 300 to drive the impeller, and an inverter control module 400 attached to one side of the volute housing with the motor mounted inside, and a coolant cover 600 attached to one side of a motor housing 500 through which coolant can swirl and flow.

[0005] However, the conventional turbo compressor 1 uses cooling water to cool the inverter control module 400 and the motor 300, which requires a separate cooling water supply system. In addition, the module housing 520 that houses the inverter control module 400 and the motor housing 510 that houses the motor require a sealed design to prevent water leakage.

[0006] Furthermore, in the conventional turbo compressor 1, the cooling water passage 611 having a complex shape must be formed in the cooling water cover 600, which makes the manufacturing process more difficult and increases the overall manufacturing cost. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a turbo compressor having an improved structure that is capable of quickly cooling heat-generating components of a power conversion device by using a relatively low-temperature cooling gas drawn in through a compressed gas inlet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a turbo compressor according to the present invention is a turbo compressor capable of compressing gas and supplying it to the outside, and includes: a compressed gas inlet port through which the gas is drawn; an impeller that compresses the gas that has flowed in through the compressed gas inlet port; a compressed gas outlet port through which the gas compressed by the impeller is discharged to the outside; a compression unit having a compressed gas flow path connecting the compressed gas inlet port to the compressed gas outlet port; a motor having a rotating shaft that is connected at one end to the impeller to rotate the impeller; a housing having a motor accommodating space for accommodating the motor; a cooling air passage through which a cooling gas accommodated therein can flow; and a device for controlling the motor, the device having a heat-generating component therein. a cooling member that is a thermally conductive member for cooling heat-generating components of the power conversion device, one end of which is in contact with the heat-generating components and the other end of which is exposed to the motor accommodating space; wherein the compressed gas inlet is disposed at the front end of the housing, the impeller is disposed at the rear end of the housing, the motor is disposed between the compressed gas inlet and the impeller, and the cooling air path includes a fourth cooling air path that starts from the compressed gas inlet, passes through the other end of the cooling member, and reaches the impeller; and wherein gas that is drawn in from the compressed gas inlet by the suction force of the impeller passes through the fourth cooling air path, thereby cooling the heat-generating components of the power conversion device.

[0009] Here, it is preferable that the power conversion device includes a case capable of accommodating heat-generating components in its internal space, and the cooling air passage includes a fifth cooling air passage that starts from the compressed gas inlet, passes through the internal space of the case, and reaches the impeller; and that gas drawn in from the compressed gas inlet by the suction force of the impeller passes through the fifth cooling air passage to cool the heat-generating components of the power conversion device.

[0010] Here, it is desirable that the front end of the housing has at least one or more first through holes formed therein, through which gas sucked in from the compressed gas inlet port flows into the motor accommodating space, and the rear end of the housing has at least one or more second through holes formed therein, through which gas accommodated in the motor accommodating space flows into the impeller.

[0011] Preferably, at least one of the first through holes and the second through holes is arranged in a plurality at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotary shaft.

[0012] Preferably, the fourth cooling air passage starts from the compressed gas inlet, passes through the first through-hole, the other end of the cooling member, and the second through-hole in sequence, and reaches the impeller.

[0013] Preferably, the fifth cooling air passage starts from the compressed gas inlet, passes through the first through-hole, the inner space of the case, and the second through-hole in this order, and reaches the impeller.

[0014] Here, it is desirable that the other end of the cooling member is provided with a number of cooling fins.

[0015] Here, it is preferable that the cooling fins extend along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft while protruding toward the rotating shaft, and are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft while being spaced apart from each other.

[0016] Preferably, at least a portion of the end of the cooling fin is in contact with the outer surface of the stator of the motor or is disposed closely within a predetermined distance therefrom.

[0017] Here, it is preferable that the power conversion device includes a case capable of accommodating internal heat-generating components, the case including a metal material, and the case being connected to one end of the cooling member so as to be able to exchange heat with the cooling member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, there is provided a power conversion device having a heat-generating component therein, the power conversion device comprising: a compressed gas inlet through which the gas is drawn; an impeller that compresses the gas that has flowed in through the compressed gas inlet; a compressed gas outlet through which the gas compressed by the impeller is discharged to the outside; a compression unit having a compressed gas flow path connecting the compressed gas inlet to the compressed gas outlet; a motor having a rotating shaft one end of which is connected to the impeller to rotate the impeller; a housing having a motor accommodating space for accommodating the motor; a cooling air passage through which a cooling gas accommodated therein can flow; the cooling member having an end in contact with the components and another end exposed to the motor accommodating space, the compressed gas inlet being disposed at the front end of the housing, the impeller being disposed at the rear end of the housing, the motor being disposed between the compressed gas inlet and the impeller, and the cooling air passage including a fourth cooling air passage starting from the compressed gas inlet, passing through the other end of the cooling member, and reaching the impeller; and since gas drawn in from the compressed gas inlet by the suction force of the impeller cools the heat-generating components of the power conversion device while passing through the fourth cooling air passage, there is an effect that the heat-generating components of the power conversion device can be quickly cooled by utilizing the relatively low-temperature cooling gas drawn in from the compressed gas inlet. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a turbo compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the turbo compressor shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the front end portion of the turbo compressor shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the rear end portion of the turbo compressor shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5]2 is a cross-sectional view of the rotation shaft and its surroundings shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional turbo compressor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a turbo compressor according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the turbo compressor shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the front end portion of the turbo compressor shown in Fig. 2.

[0022] 1 to 3, a turbo compressor 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a centrifugal pump that draws in and compresses external gas by rotating an impeller at high speed, and then blows the gas to the outside. The turbo compressor 100 includes a housing 10, a compression unit 20, a motor 30, a cooling air passage, a cooling member 50, and a power converter 60. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the gas to be compressed is air.

[0023] The housing 10 is a housing made of a metal material, and is a cylindrical member with a motor accommodating space 13 inside. It has a cross section with the first central axis C1 as the center of a circle and extends along the first central axis C1.

[0024] The motor accommodating space 13 is a space having a shape corresponding to that of the motor 30 so as to accommodate the motor 30, which will be described later.

[0025] At the rear end of the housing 10, an impeller 21 of the compression unit 20 is disposed, as shown in FIG.

[0026] The housing 10 is manufactured into multiple components for mounting the motor 30, and in this embodiment includes a first housing 10a, a second housing 10b, a third housing 10c, and a fourth housing 10d.

[0027] The first housing 10a is a cylindrical member having a cross section whose center is on the first central axis C1.

[0028] At least one second through-hole 12 is formed in the rear end of the first housing 10a so that the gas accommodated in the motor accommodating space 13 can flow into the impeller 21.

[0029] In this embodiment, a plurality of second through holes 12 are provided and are arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of a rotary shaft 31, which will be described later.

[0030] The second through-hole 12 may be formed in various shapes, such as a circular hole, a slit hole extending along the radial direction of the rotary shaft 31, or a fan-shaped hole formed to become narrower as it approaches the rotary shaft 31.

[0031] In this embodiment, the second through-hole 12 communicates with the interior of a gas guide member 22, which will be described later.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, an opening 16 is formed at the upper end of the first housing 10a, through which a cooling fin 52 of a cooling member 50 (described later) can pass.

[0033] The second housing 10b is a disk-shaped member that is detachably attached to the front end of the first housing 10a, and is shaped so that a journal bearing 34, a thrust bearing 35, and a rotating shaft 31, which will be described later, can be mounted thereon, as shown in FIG.

[0034] The second housing 10b is shaped so as to be able to close the front end of the first housing 10a.

[0035] The third housing 10c is a disk-shaped member that is removably attached to the front end of the second housing 10b, and is shaped so that a thrust bearing 35 and a rotating shaft 31, which will be described later, can be attached thereto, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0036] The third housing 10c is provided so as to be able to restrain a thrust bearing runner 311 and a thrust bearing 35, which will be described later, so as not to come off forward.

[0037] A circular hole 14 having a diameter large enough to allow the rotary shaft 31 to be inserted therethrough is formed in the center of the third housing 10c.

[0038] The second housing 10b and the third housing 10c are formed with at least one first through hole 11, as shown in FIG. 2, through which gas drawn in from the compressed gas intake port 24 flows into the motor accommodating space 13.

[0039] In this embodiment, a plurality of first through holes 11 are provided and arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotary shaft 31 at predetermined intervals.

[0040] The first through hole 11 can be formed in various shapes, such as a circular hole, a slit hole extending along the radial direction of the rotary shaft 31, or a fan-shaped hole formed to become narrower as it approaches the rotary shaft 31.

[0041] The third housing 10c is formed with at least one or more third through holes 15 that allow the gas drawn in from the compressed gas intake port 24 to flow into the thrust bearing 35.

[0042] In this embodiment, the third through hole 15 includes a circular hole 14 formed in the third housing 10c as shown in FIG. 3 and an annular hole 15 formed by the cooperation of the front end of the rotating shaft 31 (described later) disposed in the circular hole 14.

[0043] The fourth housing 10d is a disk-shaped member as shown in FIG. 1, and is a member that closes the rear end of a gas guide member 22, which will be described later.

[0044] The compression unit 20 is a device that takes in and compresses external air, and includes an impeller 21 and a gas guide member 22.

[0045] The impeller 21 is a main component of the centrifugal pump, and is a wheel equipped with a plurality of blades having curved surfaces, and is mounted so as to be capable of rotating at high speed.

[0046] The gas guide member 22 is a metal member disposed in front of the impeller 21 and serves to guide the air that flows into the impeller 21 to be compressed and the air that has been compressed by the impeller 21 .

[0047] The gas guide member 22 is provided to close the rear end of the first housing 10a.

[0048] In this embodiment, the gas guide member 22 is provided in the form of a scroll casing having a flow path formed so that the air passing through the impeller 21 flows in a vortex shape, as shown in FIG.

[0049] The impeller 21 compresses the air that flows in through a compressed gas intake port 24 (described later), and the air compressed by the impeller 21 is discharged to the outside through a compressed gas discharge port 25 .

[0050] The compressed gas intake port 24 is a member that draws in the external air to be compressed, and is located at the front end of the housing 10, but in this embodiment, it is detachably connected to the front end of the second housing 10b.

[0051] The air drawn into the compressed gas inlet 24 is compressed while moving along a compressed gas flow path 26 that connects the compressed gas inlet 24 to a compressed gas outlet 25 .

[0052] The motor 30 is an electric motor that generates rotational force and is a device for supplying high-speed rotational force to the impeller 21. The motor 30 includes a rotating shaft 31, a stator 32, a rotor 33, a journal bearing 34, and a thrust bearing 35.

[0053] The rotary shaft 31 is a rod member extending along the first central axis C1, and has a rear end portion connected to the impeller 21 so as to be non-rotatable relative to the impeller 21 in order to rotate the impeller 21.

[0054] The rotary shaft 31 includes a hollow portion H extending along a first central axis C1 which is the longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft 31.

[0055] A thrust bearing runner 311 having a position and shape corresponding to that of the thrust bearing 35 is provided at the front end of the rotary shaft 31 .

[0056] In this embodiment, the thrust bearing runner 311 is a general disk-shaped runner.

[0057] A gas inlet hole 312 communicating with the hollow portion H of the rotary shaft 31 is formed at the front end of the rotary shaft 31 .

[0058] The gas inlet hole 312 is a hole that guides the air flowing into the compressed gas inlet 24 so that it flows into the hollow portion H.

[0059] In this embodiment, the gas inlet hole 312 is located inside the circular hole 14 of the third housing 10c.

[0060] A gas outflow hole 313 that communicates with the hollow portion H of the rotary shaft 31 is formed at the rear end of the rotary shaft 31 .

[0061] The gas outlet hole 313 is a hole that guides the air that has flowed into the hollow portion H of the rotary shaft 31 to reach the impeller 21 .

[0062] In this embodiment, a plurality of gas outflow holes 313 are provided and arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotary shaft 31 .

[0063] In this embodiment, the gas outflow hole 313 is located between the stator 32 and the impeller 21 of the motor 30, as shown in FIG.

[0064] The stator 32 is a stator around which a field coil is wound, and is mounted in a fixed state in the motor accommodating space 13 .

[0065] The rotor 33 is a rotor including a permanent magnet, and is connected to the middle part of the rotating shaft 31 .

[0066] The journal bearings 34 are journal foil air bearings that rotatably support the rotating shaft 31 in order to reduce the frictional force generated by high-speed rotation, and are provided at the front and rear ends of the rotating shaft 31.

[0067] Of the journal bearings 34 , the journal bearing 34 arranged at the front end of the rotary shaft 31 is arranged behind the thrust bearing 35 .

[0068] The thrust bearings 35 are thrust foil air bearings, and a pair of them are provided, one on each side of the thrust bearing runner 311 .

[0069] In this embodiment, the thrust bearing 35 is disposed at the frontmost position of the housing 10 as shown in FIG.

[0070] There are predetermined gaps between the stator 32 and the rotor 33, between the rotating shaft 31 and the stator 32, between the rotating shaft 31 and the journal bearing 34, and between the thrust bearing 35 and the thrust bearing runner 311.

[0071] Consequently, in this embodiment, the motor 30 is disposed between the compressed gas inlet 24 and the impeller 21 .

[0072] The cooling air passage is an air passage formed so that the cooling gas contained therein can flow, and includes a first cooling air passage 41, a second cooling air passage 42, a third cooling air passage 43, a fourth cooling air passage 44, and a fifth cooling air passage 45.

[0073] Here, the cooling gas is air as the gas to be compressed, which is drawn in from the compressed gas inlet 24 by the suction force of the impeller 21 .

[0074] As shown in FIG. 2, the first cooling air passage 41 is a cooling air passage that starts from the compressed gas inlet 24, passes through the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft 31, and reaches the impeller 21.

[0075] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the first cooling air passage 41 starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the first through-hole 11, the front end of the motor accommodating space 13, the space between the stator 32 and the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 31, and the second through-hole 12, and reaches the impeller 21.

[0076] Therefore, the first cooling air passage 41 can quickly cool the stator 32 of the motor 30.

[0077] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the first cooling air passage 41 is configured to be able to cool the thrust bearing 35 by passing through the space that houses the thrust bearing runner 311 while passing through the first through hole 11.

[0078] The second cooling air passage 42 is a cooling air passage that starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the hollow portion H of the rotary shaft 31, and reaches the impeller 21, as shown in FIG.

[0079] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the second cooling air passage 42 starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the gas inlet hole 312, the hollow portion H of the rotating shaft 31, and the gas outlet hole 313 in sequence, and reaches the impeller 21.

[0080] Therefore, the second cooling air passage 42 can quickly cool the rotor 33 of the motor 30.

[0081] The third cooling air passage 43 is a cooling air passage that starts from the compressed gas intake port 24 , passes through the thrust bearing 35 , and reaches the impeller 21 .

[0082] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the third cooling air passage 43 starts from the compressed gas inlet 24 and passes through the thrust bearing 35, the journal bearing 34, the front end of the motor accommodating space 13, the space between the stator 32 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 31, and the second through-hole 12, in that order, to reach the impeller 21.

[0083] Therefore, the third cooling air passage 43 can quickly cool the thrust bearing 35 and the journal bearing 34.

[0084] In this embodiment, the third cooling air passage 43 joins with the first cooling air passage 41 at the rear end of the motor accommodating space 13 as shown in FIG.

[0085] The fourth cooling air passage 44 is a cooling air passage that starts from the compressed gas inlet 24 , passes through the other end of the cooling member 50 , and reaches the impeller 21 .

[0086] In this embodiment, the fourth cooling air passage 44 starts from the compressed gas inlet 24 and passes through the first through-hole 11, the cooling fins 52 of the cooling member 50, and the second through-hole 12 in this order to reach the impeller 21.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 6, the fourth cooling air passage 44 includes a number of cooling air passages that are generated by the surfaces of the cooling fins 52, the outer surface of the stator 32, and the inner surface of the opening 16 cooperating with one another.

[0088] Therefore, the fourth cooling air passage 44 can cool the cooling fins 52, thereby quickly cooling the power converter 60.

[0089] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the fourth cooling air passage 44 merges with the first cooling air passage 41 and the third cooling air passage 43 at the rear end of the motor accommodating space 13.

[0090] The fifth cooling air passage 45 is a cooling air passage that starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the internal space of a case 61 of the power converter 60 (described later), and reaches the impeller 21.

[0091] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the fifth cooling air passage 45 starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the first through hole 11, the internal space of the case 61, and the second through hole 12 in that order, and reaches the impeller 21.

[0092] Therefore, the fifth cooling air passage 45 has a structure in which the air flowing in through the compressed gas intake port 24 directly enters the internal space of the case 61, thereby enabling the heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60 to be quickly cooled.

[0093] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the fifth cooling air passage 45 joins the first cooling air passage 41, the third cooling air passage 43 and the fourth cooling air passage 44 at the rear end of the motor accommodating space 13.

[0094] As a result, the cooling air passages 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 are arranged at the front end of the compressed gas flow path 26, and the air to be compressed that flows along the compressed gas flow path 26 from upstream of the impeller 21 toward the impeller 21 functions as a cooling gas.

[0095] The cooling member 50 is a heat conductive cooling member (heat sink) for cooling heat generating components of the power conversion device 60, and includes a main body 51 and cooling fins 52.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 51 is a rectangular plate-shaped metal member, and is provided at one end of the cooling member 50.

[0097] The main body 51 is disposed in the internal space of the case 61 in contact with heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60 .

[0098] The cooling fin 52 is a member for increasing the efficiency of heat exchange with the cooling gas flowing through the fourth cooling air passage 44, and is disposed at the other end of the cooling member 50.

[0099] A large number of cooling fins 52 are provided, and as shown in FIG. 2, they are arranged in a state where they are inserted into the motor accommodating space 13 through the opening 16 of the first housing 10a.

[0100] In this embodiment, the cooling fins 52 extend along the longitudinal direction C1 of the rotating shaft 31, protruding toward the rotating shaft 31, as shown in FIG. 2, and are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 31 while being spaced apart from each other, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0101] It is desirable that at least a portion of the end portions of the cooling fins 52 be in contact with the outer surface of the stator 32 of the motor 30 or be arranged closely within a predetermined distance.

[0102] In this embodiment, the ends of the cooling fins 52 are all in contact with the outer surface of the stator 32 of the motor 30, as shown in FIG.

[0103] The power conversion device 60 is a device that converts electricity to control the motor 30, and converts direct current (DC) components into alternating current (AC) components, or conversely, converts AC components into direct current (DC) to supply it to the motor 30. The power conversion device 60 includes a case 61, a switching module 62, a cover 63, and a through hole 64.

[0104] The case 61 is a container made of metal that can accommodate various heat-generating components in its internal space, and it is desirable that it has an airtight structure so that even if the various heat-generating components inside are burned and a flame occurs, the flame will not escape to the outside.

[0105] In this embodiment, the case 61 is disposed at the upper end of the first housing 10a and is maintained in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the first housing 10a, as shown in FIG. 1, so as to be able to exchange heat with the housing 10.

[0106] In this embodiment, the case 61 is coupled to the main body 51 of the cooling member 50 in a state of contact with the main body 51 so as to be able to exchange heat with the main body 51 .

[0107] At least one or more air holes (not shown) are formed in the bottom surface of the case 61 so that air flowing along the fifth cooling air path 45 can flow in and then out. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, one or more air holes (not shown) are provided in front and one or more air holes in the rear of the cooling member 50, and connect the opening 16 of the first housing 10a and the internal space of the case 61 to each other.

[0108] The switching module 62 is a major heat generating component of the power converter 60 and includes an insulated / isolated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

[0109] In addition to the switching module 62, which is the main heat-generating component, the power conversion device 60 also includes various other heat-generating components, such as a controller that controls the overall operation of the motor 30, such as adjusting the rotation speed of the motor 30.

[0110] In this embodiment, the switching module 62 is disposed near the bottom surface of the case 61 and is joined in close contact with the top surface of the main body 51 of the cooling member 50 .

[0111] The switching module 62 is the core component of an inverter that converts direct current (DC) components into alternating current (AC) components.

[0112] The inverter, also called a power inverter, obtains the desired voltage and frequency output value through an appropriate conversion method, switching elements, and control circuit.

[0113] The lid 63 is a metal plate member, and is a member for detachably closing the open upper end of the case 61, as shown in FIG.

[0114] The through-hole 64 is a square hole formed in the bottom surface of the case 61, and is shaped so that the cooling member 50 can have the cooling fins 52 pass through.

[0115] In this embodiment, the through-hole 64 has a size and shape that prevents the main body 51 of the cooling member 50 from passing through.

[0116] An example of how the turbo compressor 100 configured as described above operates will now be described.

[0117] When the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 rotates, the impeller 21 rotates, and the air drawn in from the compressed gas intake port 24 by the suction force of the impeller 21 flows through the first cooling air passage 41, the second cooling air passage 42, the third cooling air passage 43, the fourth cooling air passage 44, and the fifth cooling air passage 45, thereby cooling the motor 30.

[0118] The air that has cooled the motor 30 in this manner flows into the gas guide member 22, is compressed by the impeller 21, and is then discharged to the outside through the compressed gas discharge port 25.

[0119] At this time, the air flowing through the first cooling air passage 41, the second cooling air passage 42, the third cooling air passage 43, the fourth cooling air passage 44, and the fifth cooling air passage 45 flows in one direction from the compressed gas intake port 24 to the impeller 21, and is not recirculated to the compressed gas intake port 24 side.

[0120] As shown in FIG. 2, the air flowing along the first cooling air path 41 starts from the compressed gas inlet 24, passes through the first through-hole 11, the front end of the motor accommodating space 13, the space between the stator 32 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 31, and the second through-hole 12, and then reaches the impeller 21, thereby quickly cooling the outer circumferential surfaces of the stator 32 and the rotating shaft 31.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 2, the air flowing along the second cooling air passage 42 starts from the compressed gas inlet 24, passes through the gas inlet 312, the hollow portion H of the rotating shaft 31, and the gas outlet 313 in sequence, and reaches the impeller 21, thereby quickly cooling the rotor 33 and the hollow portion H of the rotating shaft 31.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 3, the air flowing along the third cooling air path 43 starts from the compressed gas inlet 24 and passes through the thrust bearing 35, the journal bearing 34, the front end of the motor accommodating space 13, the space between the stator 32 and the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 31, the second through-hole 12, and finally reaches the impeller 21, thereby quickly cooling the thrust bearing 35, the journal bearing 34, etc.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 2, the air flowing along the fourth cooling air passage 44 starts from the compressed gas inlet 24, passes through the first through-holes 11, the cooling fins 52 of the cooling member 50, and the second through-holes 12 in sequence, and reaches the impeller 21, thereby quickly cooling the cooling fins 52 of the cooling member 50.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 2, the air flowing along the fifth cooling air path 45 starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the first through-hole 11, the internal space of the case 61, and the second through-hole 12 in sequence, and reaches the impeller 21, thereby directly and quickly cooling the heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60.

[0125] The turbo compressor 100 having the above-described configuration is a turbo compressor capable of compressing gas and supplying it to the outside, and includes a compressed gas inlet 24 through which gas is drawn; an impeller 21 that compresses the gas flowing in through the compressed gas inlet 24; a compressed gas outlet 25 through which the gas compressed by the impeller 21 is discharged to the outside; a compression unit 20 having a compressed gas flow path 26 connecting the compressed gas inlet 24 to the compressed gas outlet 25; a motor 30 having a rotating shaft 31 one end of which is connected to the impeller 21 to rotate the impeller 21; a housing 10 having a motor accommodating space 13 that accommodates the motor 30; a cooling air passage through which a cooling gas accommodated therein can flow; and a power conversion device 60 having heat-generating components therein, which is a device for controlling the motor 30; and a heat-generating component of the power conversion device 60. a cooling member 50; which has one end in contact with the heat-generating components and the other end exposed to the motor accommodating space 13; a compressed gas inlet 24 is disposed at the front end of the housing 10, the impeller 21 is disposed at the rear end of the housing 10, the motor 30 is disposed between the compressed gas inlet 24 and the impeller 21, and the cooling air passage includes a fourth cooling air passage 44; which starts from the compressed gas inlet 24, passes through the other end of the cooling member 50, and reaches the impeller 21; gas drawn from the compressed gas inlet 24 by the suction force of the impeller 21 cools the heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60 while passing through the fourth cooling air passage 44, so that there is an advantage that the heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60 can be quickly cooled using the relatively low-temperature cooling gas drawn from the compressed gas inlet 24.

[0126] The turbo compressor 100 has a power conversion device 60 that includes a case 61 in the internal space of which heat-generating components can be housed, and the cooling air passage includes a fifth cooling air passage 45 that starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the internal space of the case 61, and reaches the impeller 21. The gas drawn in from the compressed gas intake port 24 by the suction force of the impeller 21 passes through the fifth cooling air passage 45, thereby cooling the heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60. This has the advantage that the air flowing in through the compressed gas intake port 24 can directly enter the internal space of the case 61 and cool the heat-generating components of the power conversion device 60.

[0127] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has at least one or more first through holes 11 formed at the front end of the housing 10, through which gas drawn in from the compressed gas intake port 24 flows into the motor accommodating space 13, and at least one or more second through holes 12 formed at the rear end of the housing 10, through which gas accommodated in the motor accommodating space 13 flows into the impeller 21. This has the advantage of making it easy to provide a structure through which cooling gas flows into the motor accommodating space 13 and then flows out.

[0128] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has an advantage in that at least one of the first through holes 11 and the second through holes 12 is arranged in a plurality of positions spaced apart at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 31, making it possible to easily adjust the flow rate and wiring form of air entering the motor accommodating space 13.

[0129] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has an advantage in that the fourth cooling air passage 44 starts from the compressed gas intake port 24, passes through the first through-hole 11, the other end of the cooling member 50, and the second through-hole 12 in that order, and reaches the impeller 21, thereby enabling the motor 30 and the power conversion device 60 to be cooled simultaneously.

[0130] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has an advantage in that the fifth cooling air passage 45 starts from the compressed gas intake port 24 and passes sequentially through the first through hole 11, the internal space of the case 61, and the second through hole 12 to the impeller 21, thereby making it possible to simultaneously achieve indirect cooling via the cooling member 50 and direct cooling via entry into the interior of the case 61.

[0131] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has a large number of cooling fins 52 provided at the other end of the cooling member 50, which has the advantage of greatly increasing the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling gas and the cooling member 50.

[0132] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the turbo compressor 100 has cooling fins 52 that extend along the longitudinal direction C1 of the rotating shaft 31, protruding toward the rotating shaft 31, and are arranged spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 31, which has the advantage of increasing heat exchange efficiency without interfering with the flow of air flowing along the fourth cooling air passage 44.

[0133] Furthermore, in the turbo compressor 100, as shown in FIG. 6, at least a portion of the end portions of the cooling fins 52 are arranged to contact the outer surface of the stator 32 of the motor 30 or to be positioned closely within a predetermined distance, which has the advantage that the protrusion length of the cooling fins 52 can be maximized and some of the heat generated by the stator 32 can be directed to the cooling member 50.

[0134] In addition, the turbo compressor 100 has a power conversion device 60 that includes a case 61 that can accommodate internal heat-generating components, and the case 61 includes a metal material and is connected to one end of the cooling member 50 so as to be able to exchange heat with the cooling member 50. This has the advantage that the case 61 functions as a second heat-conductive cooling member (heat sink) through heat transfer from the cooling member 50 to the case 61.

[0135] Meanwhile, the turbo compressor 100 has cooling air passages 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 formed so that the cooling gas flows in one direction from the compressed gas inlet 24 to the impeller 21 and is not recirculated. This means that there is no "vortex flow" in which the air used for cooling is heated and then flows back into the upstream side of the impeller to be recompressed, which is an advantage in that the compression efficiency of the impeller 21 is excellent.

[0136] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has an advantage in that the first cooling air passage 41 is formed to cool the stator 32 of the motor 30, and therefore the stator 32 can be quickly cooled using a relatively low-temperature cooling gas. Here, the amount of air flowing through the first cooling air passage 41 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the size and number of the first through holes 11 and the second through holes 12.

[0137] Furthermore, in the turbo compressor 100, the second cooling air passage 42 is formed to cool the rotor 33 of the motor 30, which has the advantage that the rotor 33 can be quickly cooled using a relatively low-temperature cooling gas. Here, the amount of air flowing through the second cooling air passage 42 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the size and number of the gas inlet holes 312, the hollow portion H, and the gas outlet holes 313.

[0138] The turbo compressor 100 includes the thrust bearing 35 disposed at the front end of the rotating shaft 31, and the third cooling air passage 43 that starts from the compressed gas inlet 24, passes through the thrust bearing 35, and reaches the impeller 21. This has the advantage that the thrust bearing 35 can be quickly cooled using a cooling gas that is relatively low in temperature.

[0139] In addition, the turbo compressor 100 has at least one third through hole 15 formed at the front end of the housing 10, which allows gas drawn in from the compressed gas inlet 24 to flow into the thrust bearing 35. This has the advantage that the flow rate and wiring shape of the air flowing along the third cooling air path 43 can be easily adjusted.

[0140] Furthermore, the turbo compressor 100 has an advantage in that the third through hole 15 includes an annular hole 15 formed by the cooperation of the circular hole 14 formed in the front end of the housing 10 and the front end of the rotating shaft 31 arranged in the circular hole 14, making it possible to easily form the third through hole 15 without complex cutting work.

[0141] Furthermore, in the turbo compressor 100, the rotating shaft 31 includes a gas inlet hole 312 that is communicated with the hollow portion H of the rotating shaft 31 and is formed at the front end of the rotating shaft 31; and a gas outlet hole 313 that is communicated with the hollow portion H of the rotating shaft 31 and is formed at the rear end of the rotating shaft 31; and the gas outlet hole 313 is disposed between the stator 32 of the motor 30 and the impeller 21, which has the advantage that the air flowing along the second cooling air path 42 can immediately reach the impeller 21 without being mixed with the air flowing along the other cooling air paths 41, 43. This makes it very easy to individually adjust the flow rate of air flowing along the second cooling air path 42.

[0142] In this embodiment, no separate cooling fins are provided inside the cooling air passages 41, 42, 43, and 45, but it goes without saying that separate cooling fins may be provided inside the cooling air passages. In this case, the cooling fins may be integrally formed with the housing 10, processed as separate members, and then joined by a method such as press-fitting.

[0143] In this embodiment, the bearings 34, 35 are provided as foil air bearings, but it goes without saying that other types of air bearings or various other bearings may be used.

[0144] Although a separate sealing means for airtightness is not described in this embodiment, it goes without saying that various types of sealing means can be used.

[0145] Although the present invention has been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents described in the above-described embodiments, and it is clear that equivalent configurations modified or changed by a person having ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field do not deviate from the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

Claims

1. A turbo compressor that can compress gas and supply it to the outside, a compressed gas inlet for drawing in gas; an impeller that compresses the gas introduced through the compressed gas inlet; a compressed gas outlet for discharging the gas compressed by the impeller to the outside; a compression unit including a compressed gas flow path connected from the compressed gas inlet to the compressed gas outlet; a motor having a rotating shaft, one end of which is coupled to the impeller, for rotating the impeller; a housing having a motor accommodating space for accommodating the motor; a cooling air passage provided to allow a cooling gas accommodated therein to flow; a power conversion device provided as a device for controlling the motor and having a heat-generating component therein; a cooling member provided as a thermally conductive member for cooling the heat-generating component of the power conversion device, one end of which is in contact with the heat-generating component and the other end of which is exposed to the motor accommodating space, the compressed gas inlet is located at a front end of the housing, and the impeller is located at a rear end of the housing; the motor is disposed between the compressed gas inlet and the impeller; The cooling air passage is a fourth cooling air passage starting from the compressed gas inlet, passing through the other end of the cooling member, and reaching the impeller; a turbo compressor, characterized in that gas drawn in from the compressed gas inlet by a suction force of the impeller passes through the fourth cooling air passage to cool the heat-generating components of the power conversion device.

2. the power conversion device includes a case capable of accommodating the heat-generating component in an internal space; The cooling air passage is a fifth cooling air passage starting from the compressed gas inlet, passing through an internal space of the case, and reaching the impeller; 2. The turbo compressor according to claim 1, wherein gas drawn in through the compressed gas inlet by the suction force of the impeller passes through the fifth cooling air passage to cool the heat-generating components of the power conversion device.

3. At least one first through hole is formed in the front end of the housing so that the gas drawn in through the compressed gas suction port flows into the motor accommodating space, 3. The turbo compressor according to claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one second through hole formed in a rear end portion thereof so that the gas accommodated in the motor accommodating space can flow into the impeller.

4. 4. The turbo compressor according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first through hole and the second through hole includes a plurality of through holes arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotary shaft.

5. The fourth cooling air passage is 4. The turbo compressor according to claim 3, wherein the compressed gas inlet is connected to the impeller via the first through-hole, the other end of the cooling member, and the second through-hole in this order.

6. The fifth cooling air passage is 4. The turbo compressor according to claim 3, wherein the compressed gas inlet is connected to the impeller through the first through-hole, the inner space of the case, and the second through-hole in this order.

7. 2. The turbo compressor according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the cooling member is provided with a number of cooling fins.

8. 8. The turbo compressor according to claim 7, wherein the cooling fins extend along the longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft in a state where they protrude toward the rotary shaft and are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction of the rotary shaft.

9. 8. The turbocompressor of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the end portions of the cooling fins contact an outer surface of the stator of the motor or are positioned proximate to the outer surface of the stator of the motor within a predetermined distance.

10. the power conversion device includes a case capable of accommodating internal heat-generating components; 2. The turbo compressor according to claim 1, wherein the case is made of a metal material and is coupled to one end of the cooling member for heat exchange with the cooling member.

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