Cooling plate

Abstract

To provide a cooling plate that enables efficient cooling without increasing the size of the device. [Solution] The device comprises a pair of plate members 10, 11 having plate surfaces in which electronic components come into contact. At least one of the pair of plate members 10, 11 has a cooling channel formed therein. The cooling channel has a first cooling channel section 21, a second cooling channel section S located below the first cooling channel section 21 and downstream in the direction of coolant flow, and a supply channel section 23 that is inclined downward to connect the first cooling channel section 21 and the second cooling channel section S. The second cooling channel section S houses a plurality of fins 16 formed on the plate members 10, 11, and the electronic components come into contact with the portion of the plate surface that is close to the second cooling channel section S.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling plate.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an inverter that houses a power module having a switching element in a housing chamber of a case and cools the power module by a cooling unit provided on the lower side of the case.

[0003] This inverter realizes cooling of the inverter by exposing the heat radiating fins of the power module downward from an opening formed in the bottom wall of the case and bringing a cooling medium into contact with the heat radiating fins by supplying the cooling medium to the cooling unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Taking as examples a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that can run by power, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a battery electric vehicle (BEV), etc., these vehicles include a power control system that enables power control such as controlling the power supplied to a driving motor and charging the vehicle body battery.

[0006] The power control systems installed in vehicles include inverters, DC-DC converters, and chargers (OBCs). These inverters, DC-DC converters, and chargers (OBCs) are heat sources that cause the system temperature to rise, so a configuration that allows for good cooling of these heat sources is required. In particular, for devices that generate a lot of heat during operation, such as high-capacity inverters, efficient heat dissipation is necessary.

[0007] Therefore, it is also conceivable to adopt a configuration in which a cooling medium is brought into contact with the heat dissipation fins to dissipate heat, as described in Patent Document 1. In Patent Document 1, the heat dissipation fins are arranged to fit inside the opening of the case, so the cooling unit has a duct attached to the bottom wall of the case, and cooling water from the outside is sent diagonally upward by the duct to come into contact with the heat dissipation fins inside the opening, and the cooling water that has come into contact with the heat dissipation fins is then sent diagonally downward by the duct.

[0008] In systems that control the flow of coolant using ducts, the need for components (ducts) to determine the direction of coolant flow increases the number of parts, raising concerns that it will lead to an overall increase in the size of the device.

[0009] For these reasons, there is a need for a cooling plate that enables efficient cooling without increasing the size of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The characteristic configuration of the cooling plate according to the present invention is a cooling plate capable of cooling an electronic component to be cooled by the flow of a coolant in a cooling channel, comprising a pair of plate members having a plate surface in contact with the electronic component, wherein a cooling channel is formed in at least one of the pair of plate members, and the cooling channel has a first cooling channel section, a second cooling channel section located below the first cooling channel section and downstream in the direction of coolant flow, and a supply channel section inclined downward to connect the first cooling channel section and the second cooling channel section, wherein a plurality of fins formed on the plate member are housed in the second cooling channel section, and the electronic component is in contact with a portion of the plate surface that is close to the second cooling channel section.

[0011] This configuration eliminates the need for ducts or pipes to form the cooling channels, thus reducing the number of components, as cooling channels are formed in at least one of the pair of plate members. Furthermore, this configuration includes a second cooling channel located below the first cooling channel and downstream in the direction of coolant flow, with electronic components in contact with the portion of the plate surface adjacent to the second cooling channel. In this configuration, the coolant from the first cooling channel flows downward through an inclined supply channel to the second cooling channel, promoting flow through the weight of the coolant. This facilitates contact between the coolant and the multiple fins of the second cooling channel, easily removing heat from the electronic components and reducing their temperature. Therefore, a cooling plate is constructed that enables efficient cooling without increasing size. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a power control unit, including a cooling plate. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the lower plate component from below. [Figure 3] This is a plan view of the cooling space. [Figure 4] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the first upper channel, the supply channel section, and the cooling space. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing the positional relationship between multiple supply holes and multiple pin fins. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments of the cooling plate according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In these embodiments, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, and the invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Basic configuration] Figure 1 shows a power control unit B, including a cooling plate A, which is installed in vehicles (not shown) such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that can run on electric power.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the power control unit B according to this embodiment includes a cooling plate A, and as electronic components to be cooled by the cooling plate A, a pair of primary power modules 1 and 2, a transformer coil 3, a first FET 4, a PFC coil 5, a second FET 6, a secondary coil 7, and an inverter 8 (an example of electronic components). Note that each of the pair of primary power modules 1 and 2, the transformer coil 3, the first FET 4, the PFC coil 5, the second FET 6, and the secondary coil 7 is formed to a predetermined size in the vertical direction, but in the figure, these electronic components are depicted as plate-like.

[0016] Cooling plate A is composed of plate members 10 and 11. As will be described in detail later, the plate members are formed by joining the outer circumferences of a pair of upper plate members 10 (an example of a second plate member) and lower plate member 11 (an example of a first plate member) by welding or the like. This cooling plate A has a cooling channel P through which the coolant F shown in Figures 3 and 4 flows in order to cool the heat generated by the multiple electronic components that make up the power control unit B. The lower plate member 11 has a supply port Pa at one end of the cooling channel P and an outlet Pb at the other end of the cooling channel P. The coolant F is assumed to be water, but in addition to water, it may include antifreeze mainly composed of ethylene glycol, long-life coolant (LLC) containing propylene glycol, or cooling oil composed of insulating oil such as paraffin. In other words, coolant F is a general term for cooling water and cooling oil.

[0017] Cooling plate A is installed on the vehicle in the position shown in Figure 1. Therefore, the vertical relationship of each part of cooling plate A will be explained in accordance with this position. Hereinafter, the vertical direction will be referred to as the Z direction, the side and direction in which the upper plate member 10 is positioned relative to the lower plate member 11 will be referred to as the Z1 side and Z1 direction, and the side and direction in which the lower plate member 11 is positioned relative to the upper plate member 10 will be referred to as the Z2 side and Z2 direction. In this case, the Z2 direction is the direction of gravity.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper plate member 10 has a plate surface 10b that contacts (or may be in proximity to) each of the primary power module 1, secondary power module 2, transformer coil 3, first FET 4, PFC coil 5, second FET 6, and secondary coil 7. The plate surface 10b is part of the first cooling portion C1 where the primary power module 1 contacts, the second cooling portion C2 where the secondary power module 2 contacts, the third cooling portion C3 where the transformer coil 3 contacts, the fourth cooling portion C4 where the first FET contacts, the fifth cooling portion C5 where the PFC coil contacts, the sixth cooling portion C6 where the second FET contacts, and the seventh cooling portion C7 where the secondary coil 7 contacts. The lower plate member 11 is part of the eighth cooling portion C8 where the lower surface 15a (an example of a plate surface) of the plate-like body 15 integrated on the Z2 side contacts the inverter 8. These first cooling portion C1 to eighth cooling portion C8 may be collectively referred to as the cooling portion C.

[0019] The cooling flow path P includes a first flow path portion P1, a second flow path portion P2, a third flow path portion P3, a fourth flow path portion P4, a fifth flow path portion P5, a sixth flow path portion P6, a seventh flow path portion P7, and an eighth flow path portion P8 for supplying the coolant F in the vicinity of the plurality of cooling portions C. These first flow path portion P1 to eighth flow path portion P8 may be collectively referred to as the cooling flow path P.

[0020] That is, among the plurality of cooling flow paths P, for the first flow path portion P1 to seventh flow path portion P7, the coolant F flows in the vicinity of the plate surface 10b for heat exchange of the upper plate member 10, enabling the cooling of the electronic components that contact (or are in proximity to) the cooling portion C. Specifically, the first flow path portion P1 to seventh flow path portion P7 are formed directly below (on the Z2 side) the plate surface 10b of the upper plate member 10 in each of the first cooling portion C1 to seventh cooling portion C7. The thickness of the wall (distance between the plate surface 10b and the cooling flow path P) between the plate surface 10b of the upper plate member 10 and the cooling flow path P is preferably as thin as possible within the range where the required strength of the upper plate member 10 can be ensured. Thereby, the coolant F flowing through the cooling flow path P can effectively cool the electronic components. The configuration of the eighth cooling portion C8 will be described later.

[0021] With this configuration, the cooling plate A supplies the coolant F to the supply port Pa. As a result, the coolant F flows through the first to eighth flow path portions P1 to P8, extracts the heat of the electronic components in the corresponding first to eighth cooling portions C1 to C8, cools a plurality of electronic components, and is then discharged from the discharge port Pb.

[0022] In particular, each of the electronic components of the primary power module 1, the secondary power module 2, the transformer coil 3, the first FET 4, the PFC coil 5, the second FET 6, and the secondary coil 7 is supported by a single substrate or a plurality of substrates.

[0023] From this configuration, for the cooling plate A, the positions of the substrate and the upper plate member 10 are set such that each of the primary power module 1, the secondary power module 2, the transformer coil 3, the first FET 4, the PFC coil 5, the second FET 6, and the secondary coil 7 is arranged in a contact state or a proximity state with the corresponding first cooling portion C1, second cooling portion C2, third cooling portion C3, fourth cooling portion C4, fifth cooling portion C5, sixth cooling portion C6, and seventh cooling portion C7.

[0024] Incidentally, the cooling plate A may be configured to sandwich a heat conduction sheet or a gap filler between the cooling portion C for heat exchange to extract the heat of the electronic components and the substrate, the electronic components, etc.

[0025] 〔Plate member〕 As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the plate members consist of a lower plate member 11 (an example of a first plate member) made of a metal material such as aluminum, and an upper plate member 10 (a second plate member) placed on top of the lower plate member 11. The interface where the first opposing surface 11a of the lower plate member 11 and the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10 come into contact is called the mating surface, and a cooling channel P is formed on this mating surface. The lower plate member 11 has a plate-shaped base portion 11b and a rectangular projection portion 11c that protrudes rectangularly from the surface of the base portion 11b facing the upper plate member 10 (Z2 side). In this embodiment, the lower plate member 11 has a first opposing surface 11a on both the base portion 11b and the rectangular projection portion 11c.

[0026] As shown in Figure 4, the cooling channel P is formed by a concave space on at least one of the mating surfaces of the first opposing surface 11a of the lower plate member 11 and the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10. The concave space is a depression formed on at least one of the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a, and this depression includes grooves, notches, and holes.

[0027] Cooling plate A is constructed by overlapping the first opposing surface 11a formed on the lower plate member 11 with the second opposing surface 10a formed on the upper plate member 10 so that they are in close contact. Furthermore, the outer circumference of the joining surface (the outer circumference of cooling plate A in plan view) is welded by a laser beam to the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a, with a seal in between.

[0028] This welding process integrates the lower plate member 11 and the upper plate member 10 of the cooling plate A, fixing the position of the cooling channel P formed at the boundary between the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a. Furthermore, because the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a are in close contact, the phenomenon of a portion of the coolant F flowing through the cooling channel P leaking out along the mating surface is suppressed. Even if a portion of the coolant F leaks along the mating surface, the amount of leakage is minimal, and the welded portion prevents the coolant F from leaking to the outside. For this reason, a configuration that does not require seals on the mating surface is possible.

[0029] The two plate members 10 and 11 are not limited to those in which the mating surface between the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a is formed as a single plane. For example, in order to make the positions of the cooling flow path P different in the vertical direction, the cooling plate A may be constructed using multiple plate members with opposing surfaces in different positions in the vertical direction.

[0030] Furthermore, the cooling plate A may be constructed using multiple plate members 10, 11, each having opposing surfaces such that multiple mating surfaces at different positions in the vertical direction are connected by a mating surface in an oblique position.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the cooling plate A has a second flow channel P2 formed in a groove shape on the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10, and a first upper flow channel 21 (eighth flow channel P8) and a second upper flow channel 22 (eighth flow channel P8) formed in a groove shape. In addition, a cooling space S is formed in the portion of the lower plate member 11 corresponding to the rectangular protrusion 11c, with an opening that is open to the lower surface (Z2 side surface) of the lower plate member 11. As will be described in detail later, the opening of the cooling space S is blocked by a plate-like body 15.

[0032] The second flow channel section P2 is the upstream cooling channel section of the cooling channel P, located upstream of the first upper flow channel 21 and the second upper flow channel 22, while the first upper flow channel 21 and the second upper flow channel 22 are the downstream cooling channel sections. These upstream and downstream cooling channel sections are in a positional relationship that does not overlap in a plan view (view in the Z direction), and the phenomenon of coolant F flowing between these flow channels is suppressed. In particular, the temperature of the coolant F in the second flow channel section P2 (upstream cooling channel section) is lower than the temperature of the coolant F in the first upper flow channel 21 (downstream cooling channel section) and the second upper flow channel 22 (downstream cooling channel section). Furthermore, the second flow channel section P2 is located above the mating surface, while the first upper flow channel 21 and the second upper flow channel 22 are located below the mating surface. In other words, the second flow channel section P2 is located above the first upper flow channel 21 and the second upper flow channel 22.

[0033] Even if the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a of the cooling plate A are formed within a predetermined tolerance range during manufacturing, a gap may be formed between these contact surfaces, and it is possible that a small amount of coolant F may leak into this gap.

[0034] For example, as shown in Figure 4, coolant F may leak between the second flow channel P2 and the first upper flow channel 21 at the joint surface between the first opposing surface 11a of the rectangular protrusion 11c on the lower plate member 11 and the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10. When such leakage occurs, the coolant F tends to flow from the upper second flow channel P2 to the lower first upper flow channel 21 due to its own weight. As described above, in this embodiment, the coolant F flowing through the second flow channel P2 is at a lower temperature than the coolant F flowing through the first upper flow channel 21. Therefore, even if leakage occurs, the coolant F flowing through the first upper flow channel 21 is supplied to the cooling space S with its temperature rise suppressed, and thus does not lead to a decrease in cooling performance.

[0035] Similarly, even if, for example, the cooling liquid F flows from the upstream section of the cooling channel P to the downstream section, this does not reduce the cooling performance. In other words, even if a portion of the first opposing surface 11a of the lower plate member 11 and the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10 are not properly in contact, the flow rate of the cooling liquid F flowing throughout the cooling plate A does not change due to leakage of the cooling liquid F, and the cooling performance does not decrease. Thus, it is not necessary to excessively increase the tolerance between the first opposing surface 11a and the second opposing surface 10a during manufacturing, and it is possible to manufacture the product in a simple process with a configuration that does not require sealing of the mating surfaces.

[0036] The cooling plate A may also have a recovery channel that collects the coolant F leaked onto the mating surface and guides it to the outlet Pb.

[0037] Because this cooling plate A does not use internal pipe material, it can be constructed compactly overall without increasing the number of parts. Furthermore, this cooling plate A is configured to form a cooling channel P by creating a concave space at the mating surface. Therefore, even if the flow rate of the coolant F per unit time is increased according to the specifications, for example, only a design change of enlarging the cross-sectional shape of the concave space is required, and it does not lead to the inconvenience of using large-diameter pipe material, as would be the case with configurations that use pipe material.

[0038] [Inverter cooling structure] As shown in Figure 4, the inverter 8 generates three-phase alternating current from power supplied from a power source (not shown) and controls the supply to the traction motor. During control, it becomes a heat-generating part that generates a large amount of heat.

[0039] The eighth flow path section P8 for cooling the inverter 8 consists of a first upper flow path 21 (an example of a first cooling flow path section), a cooling space S (an example of a second cooling flow path section) located below the first cooling flow path section and downstream in the flow direction of the coolant F, and a supply flow path section 23 that is inclined downward to connect these.

[0040] Figure 2 shows the structure of the eighth flow path section P8 as viewed from below (Z2 side) of the lower plate member 11. Specifically, it shows the five supply holes 23a that constitute the supply flow path section 23, the side wall 25 that forms the cooling space S (see Figure 3), the inverter 8, the plate-like body 15, and the five discharge holes 24a that constitute the discharge flow path section 24. These wall portions are extracted and drawn as perspective views. Therefore, Figure 2 differs from the actual shape of the lower plate member 11 as viewed from below.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inverter 8 has a flat plate-like body 15 connected to its upper surface to transmit heat from the electronic components. This plate-like body 15 has a plurality of pin fins 16 formed on its surface. The plate-like body 15 and the plurality of pin fins 16 are made of a metal material such as aluminum, which has high thermal conductivity.

[0042] The details of the flow of the coolant F will be described later, but the cooling plate A is cooled when the coolant F flowing through the eighth flow path P8 comes into contact with the plate-shaped body 15 and then with the multiple pin fins 16, thereby removing heat generated by the inverter 8. The eighth cooling section C8 is formed in such a way that the inverter 8 is cooled by the supply of coolant F.

[0043] Furthermore, the multiple pin fins 16 are made of needle-shaped material with a circular cross-section and are formed on the plate-like body 15 in a position perpendicular to the plate surface of the plate-like body 15.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4, the plate-like body 15 is provided on the lower surface side of the lower plate member 11. Specifically, the plate-like body 15 is attached so as to close the opening of the cooling space S formed in the lower plate member 11. The plate-like body 15 is sized to close the opening of the cooling space S. In this way, since the plate-like body 15 forms the cooling space S as a second cooling channel together with the lower plate member 11, it can also be considered as part of the lower plate member 11.

[0045] The plate-like body 15 is fixed to the lower plate member 11 from the bottom side with bolts or the like (not shown), thereby closing the opening of the cooling space S. With the plate-like body 15 fixed in this manner, its surface becomes horizontal, and multiple pin fins 16 are housed vertically inside the cooling space S. An annular seal 17 is fitted into the area surrounding the opening of the cooling space S on the lower surface of the lower plate member 11.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, the eighth flow path section P8 has a cooling space S, a first upper flow path 21 on the upstream side in the flow direction of the coolant F, and a second upper flow path 22 on the downstream side, with the cooling space S in the middle in a plan view. The eighth flow path section P8 has a supply flow path section 23 arranged in an inclined position between the first upper flow path 21 and the cooling space S, and a discharge flow path section 24 arranged in an inclined position between the cooling space S and the second upper flow path 22. In this embodiment, the cooling space S corresponds to "another cooling flow path section located downstream in the flow direction of the coolant from the downstream cooling flow path section."

[0047] The first upper flow channel 21 and the second upper flow channel 22 are formed as a concave space on the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10 and as a groove-shaped concave space on the first opposing surface 11a of the lower plate member 11, respectively. These first upper flow channel 21 and second upper flow channel 22 are positioned higher than the cooling space S.

[0048] In other words, the supply channel section 23 communicates with the first upper channel section 21, which is formed as a groove-shaped concave space in the second opposing surface 10a, on its upstream side, and with the downstream end communicating with the cooling space S. Similarly, the discharge channel section 24 communicates with the cooling space S on its upstream end, and with the downstream end communicating with the second upper channel section 22, which is formed as a groove-shaped concave space in the second opposing surface 10a.

[0049] Furthermore, the second flow channel P2 is formed as a groove-shaped recessed space between the first opposing surface 11a of the lower plate member 11 and the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10, above the cooling space S. This second flow channel P2 is positioned so as not to communicate with the first upper flow channel 21 and the second upper flow channel 22.

[0050] In cooling plate A, the temperature of the coolant F flowing through the first upper channel 21 is lower than the temperature of the coolant F flowing through the cooling space S, the discharge channel 24, and the second upper channel 22.

[0051] As described above, the supply channel section 23 is composed of a plurality (five) of supply holes 23a formed linearly in an inclined position to supply coolant F from the first upper channel 21 to the cooling space S. The plurality (five) of supply holes 23a are each formed with the same inner diameter. The discharge channel section 24 is composed of a plurality (five) of discharge holes 24a formed linearly in an inclined position to discharge the coolant F that has flowed into the cooling space S to the second upper channel 22.

[0052] In particular, the multiple discharge holes 24a and the multiple supply holes 23a that constitute the discharge channel section 24 are formed in a common number and have a common shape in which the multiple holes are arranged coaxially in a plan view.

[0053] The five supply holes 23a and discharge holes 24a are arranged in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the coolant F flows, and are drilled in the lower plate member 11 so that each is parallel to the others.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, when the center of the flow path in the supply hole 23a is defined as the supply-side centerline L1 and the center of the flow path in the discharge hole 24a is defined as the discharge-side centerline L2, in a side view, the supply-side inclination angle θ1 of the supply-side centerline L1 with respect to the plate surface of the plate-like body 15 and the discharge-side inclination angle θ2 of the discharge-side centerline L2 with respect to the plate surface of the plate-like body 15 are set to equal values.

[0055] Furthermore, the supply-side inclination angle θ1 and the discharge-side inclination angle θ2 do not need to be set to the same value; they may be different values. The discharge channel section 24 does not need to be composed of multiple discharge holes 24a; for example, it can be formed as a single simple hole with the same width as the cooling space S. Also, even when the cooling plate A is configured with multiple discharge holes 24a to form the discharge channel section 24, the number of discharge holes may be different from that of the supply holes 23a.

[0056] The inverter 8 has a configuration in which multiple power control elements (electronic components) such as MOSFETs are supported on the underside of the plate-like body 15 while mounted on a substrate or the like. As a result, when power is controlled by the inverter 8, heat from the multiple power control elements is transferred to the plate-like body 15 by thermal conduction. In addition, a thermal conductive sheet may be interposed between the plate-like body 15 and the electronic components (which may also be a substrate) to ensure good thermal conduction.

[0057] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the first upper channel 21 supplies coolant F to the supply channel 23 after passing through a curved channel section in a plan view. Furthermore, this cooling plate A makes the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the multiple (five) supply holes 23a smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first upper channel 21 located upstream near the supply channel 23. This slightly increases the pressure of the coolant F in the supply holes 23a, thereby increasing the flow velocity, and at the same time, it averages the flow rate of the coolant F flowing through each of the multiple (five) supply holes 23a.

[0058] In other words, the first upper flow path 21 located upstream of the supply flow path section 23 is curved in plan view, so the flow velocity of the coolant F differs between the center of curvature of the curved flow path and the area outside of it, resulting in a different flow rate of coolant F per unit time in the width direction of the flow path. To address this, by setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path, the pressure acting on the upstream ends of the multiple (five) supply holes 23a is slightly increased, thereby achieving uniformity of the flow rate of coolant F per unit time in each of the multiple (five) supply holes 23a.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4, the cooling space S is rectangular in side view when the lower opening is closed by the plate-like body 15. In addition, the downstream ends of the multiple supply holes 23a are in communication with the corner portions of the upper end of the cooling space S.

[0060] As shown in Figure 4, in a side view, the point where the supply-side center line L1 intersects the upper surface of the plate-like body 15 (the intersection point) is referred to as the high-temperature region H. This high-temperature region H is located on the plate surface of the plate-like body 15, where the temperature is more likely to rise than other plate surfaces due to the heat from the inverter 8.

[0061] By setting the orientation of the supply hole portion 23a in this manner, efficient cooling becomes possible by directly supplying the coolant F to the high-temperature region H of the plate-like body 15. Furthermore, since the supply hole portion 23a connects to the cooling space S in this orientation, the downstream end of the supply hole portion 23a is located at a set distance above the lower surface of the cooling space S.

[0062] As mentioned above, since the orientation of the discharge hole 24a is the same as that of the supply hole 23a (symmetrical orientation in side view), the downstream end of the discharge hole 24a is located at a set distance above the bottom wall of the cooling space S (the surface on which the pin fins 16 are formed).

[0063] Furthermore, the connection of the supply hole 23a and the discharge hole 24a at these positions avoids interference with the seal 17. Note that the region of the plate-like body 15 where the temperature rises due to the heat of the inverter 8 is not limited to one location; if there are multiple such regions, one of them is designated as the high-temperature region H at its intersection with the supply-side centerline L1.

[0064] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the multiple pin fins 16 are arranged in parallel at set intervals in the width direction perpendicular to the direction in which the coolant F flows, in a plan view (view in the Z direction), and are also arranged in a staggered pattern with a positional relationship that is set interval in the direction in which the coolant F flows. Of the multiple pin fins 16, those located at the outer end in the width direction are spaced a set distance apart on the inside of the side wall 25 in the width direction of the cooling space S.

[0065] As shown in Figure 5, among the multiple supply holes 23a, the opening of the supply hole 23a located at the center of the width direction of the cooling space S (located in the central region) is positioned opposite the center midway between adjacent pin fins 16 in the width direction, among the multiple pin fins 16 located at the upstream end of the multiple pin fins 16.

[0066] In other words, the supply channel section 23 is configured such that the central channel center Xc of the supply channel section 23 located in the center in the width direction is in the central region of a pair of adjacent pin fins 16 in the width direction (at a position half the distance between the pair of pin fins 16). This relative positional relationship between the opening of this supply channel section 23a and the pin fins 16 is set. As a result, the coolant F supplied from the opening of this supply channel section 23a flows between the pair of pin fins 16 corresponding to this opening.

[0067] Furthermore, among the multiple supply holes 23a, the openings of the supply holes 23a located at both ends in the width direction of the cooling space S are positioned opposite the multiple pin fins 16 located at the upstream end of the multiple pin fins 16. This sets the relative positional relationship so that the coolant F is directly supplied to those pin fins 16.

[0068] In other words, the relative positional relationship between the supply holes 23a and the pin fins 16 is set such that the end flow path centers Xs of the supply holes 23a located at both ends in the width direction intersect with the centers of the needle-shaped materials constituting the pin fins 16 in a plan view. As a result, the coolant F supplied from the opening of the supply hole 23a flows so as to collide with the corresponding pin fins 16.

[0069] In this way, the positional relationship between the multiple supply holes 23a and the multiple pin fins 16 is set, so that the coolant F supplied from the supply hole 23a located in the central region in the width direction of the cooling space S along the central flow path center Xc passes between the pin fins 16 located at the upstream end of the multiple pin fins 16, flows smoothly without stagnation at the upper end of the cooling space S in the supply direction of the coolant F, and allows for an increase in the area in contact between the coolant F and the pin fins 16.

[0070] In contrast, the coolant F supplied from the supply holes 23a located at both ends in the width direction of the cooling space S, along the center Xs of the end flow path, comes into contact with the pin fins 16 located at the upstream end of the multiple pin fins 16, separating into outer and inner portions in the width direction of the cooling space S, with a portion flowing in contact with the side wall 25 of the cooling space S.

[0071] The coolant F that flows into the cooling space S in this manner passes through multiple discharge holes 24a of the discharge channel section 24 and is discharged from the discharge port Pb.

[0072] [Effects of the Embodiment] Cooling plate A cools electronic components by supplying coolant F to its internal cooling channel P, thereby removing heat from the electronic components at the heat exchange plate surfaces 10b and 15a and achieving cooling of each electronic component.

[0073] Cooling plate A is configured by overlapping a lower plate member 11 and an upper plate member 10, and forming a cooling channel P at the joint surface between them. For example, by forming grooves or holes along the joint surface between the lower plate member 11 and the upper plate member 10, it is possible to create a cooling channel P by overlapping the lower plate member 11 and the upper plate member 10.

[0074] For example, compared to a configuration in which a flow path is created inside by processing such as drilling holes in a metal block, the cooling plate A, which consists of a lower plate member 11 and an upper plate member 10 stacked on top of each other, can form a cooling flow path P of a complex shape with relatively easy processing.

[0075] In the cooling plate A, in the eighth flow path section P8 that cools the inverter 8, the sum of the flow path cross-sectional areas of the multiple supply holes 23a that constitute the supply flow path section 23 is set to be smaller than the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the first upper flow path 21 located upstream of the supply flow path section 23.

[0076] As a result, when the coolant F is supplied from the first upper flow path 21 to the supply flow path section 23, the flow velocity of the coolant F in the supply hole section 23a is increased, and at the same time, the flow rate of the coolant F per unit time flowing through each of the multiple (five) supply hole sections 23a is averaged. Consequently, if we consider the widthwise space of the cooling space S, an equal amount of coolant F is supplied to each space, eliminating any bias in cooling performance in the widthwise direction.

[0077] Furthermore, since the supply channel section 23 is composed of multiple supply holes 23a in an inclined position that are lower towards the downstream side, the flow velocity of the coolant F increases due to its own weight, suppressing the reduction in flow velocity when it comes into contact with the multiple pin fins 16 in the cooling space S.

[0078] The eighth flow channel P8 allows the coolant F, which is sent out from the supply hole 23a located in the central region in the width direction of the supply flow channel 23 among the multiple supply holes 23a, to flow through the multiple pin fins 16 without causing a decrease in flow velocity, thereby suppressing the stagnation of the coolant F inside the cooling space S.

[0079] Furthermore, the eighth flow channel P8 actively brings the coolant F, which is sent out from the supply holes 23a located at both ends in the width direction of the supply flow channel 23, into contact with the pin fins 16 located at the upstream end of the multiple pin fins 16. This diverts the coolant F, and by bringing a portion of the diverted coolant F into contact with the inner surface of the side wall 25 of the cooling space S, the cooling efficiency of the inverter 8 is increased.

[0080] In the plate-shaped body 15, the inverter 8 can be efficiently cooled by linearly supplying the coolant F along the supply-side center line L1 shown in Figure 4 to the high-temperature region H on the plate surface where the temperature of the plate surface is higher than the temperature of other plate surfaces due to heat transmitted from the electronic components.

[0081] [Another embodiment] The present invention may also be configured as follows, in addition to the embodiments described above (parts having the same functions as the embodiments are given the same numbers and reference numerals as the embodiments).

[0082] (a) The cooling plate A may be made by stacking three or more plate members. The plate members may also be made of resin material. The cooling channel P formed in the cooling plate A is not limited to the shape described in the embodiment, and can be set to a shape corresponding to the specifications, for example.

[0083] (b) Instead of the configuration in which the opening formed on the lower surface of the lower plate member 11 is closed with the plate-like body 15 as in the embodiment, the cooling plate A is configured such that, for example, a cooling space S as a second cooling channel is formed inside the plate member by processing the block-shaped plate member, for example, from the side.

[0084] In this alternative embodiment (b), a first cooling channel section (first upper channel 21) is formed as a cooling channel P on the second opposing surface 10a of the upper plate member 10, a second cooling channel section (cooling space S) is formed on the lower plate member 11 by the aforementioned processing, and the cooling liquid F from the first cooling channel section (first upper channel 21) is supplied to the second cooling channel section (cooling space S) by the inclined supply channel section 23.

[0085] In this alternative embodiment (b), the heat-generating component such as the inverter 8 is placed on the lower surface side of the cooling space S of the lower plate member 11, and a plurality of fins (for example, pin fins 16) are housed inside the cooling space S.

[0086] (c) In a side view, the supply-side inclination angle θ1 of the supply channel section 23 and the discharge-side inclination angle θ2 of the discharge channel section 24 are set to different values.

[0087] (d) The number of supply holes 23a is not limited to 5, but can be any number. Alternatively, the supply flow path 23 can be formed as a wide space, and this space can be partitioned by multiple partition walls positioned along the flow direction of the coolant F, thereby forming multiple supply holes 23a in an independent linear arrangement.

[0088] (e) Instead of setting all of the multiple supply holes 23a to be in a parallel position so that the direction in which the coolant F flows is parallel, the angles are set so that the centerlines of each of the multiple supply holes 23a are at different inclination angles in the vertical direction when viewed from the side. Similarly, the angles are set so that the centerlines of each of the multiple supply holes 23a are at different angles in the horizontal direction when viewed from above.

[0089] By setting the vertical angle or the horizontal angle to different values ​​in this way, even when there are multiple high-temperature regions H on the plate-like body 15, it becomes possible to directly supply the coolant F to each high-temperature region H individually for effective cooling.

[0090] (f) Instead of the pin fins 16, it is also possible to use multiple strip-shaped fins or corrugated plate material as fins. When multiple fins are formed on the plate-like body 15, the relative positional relationship between the position of each fin and the multiple supply holes 23a can be set arbitrarily.

[0091] Thus, while the fins are not limited to a specific shape, it is desirable that they be arranged at intervals set in the width direction within the cooling space S. Furthermore, the arrangement of multiple fins is not limited to a staggered arrangement; they may be arranged at intervals set in the width direction and the flow direction of the coolant F, or multiple fins may be arranged randomly in a plan view.

[0092] (g) The multiple supply holes 23a constituting the supply channel section 23 are not limited to being arranged in a single row in the width direction, but may also be arranged in multiple stages vertically, for example. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​each of the multiple supply holes 23a may be different.

[0093] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, provided that no inconsistencies arise. Moreover, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention.

[0094] In the embodiment described above, the following configuration can be envisioned. (1) A cooling plate A capable of cooling an electronic component (inverter 8) by allowing a coolant to flow through a cooling channel P, comprising a pair of plate members 10, 11 having a plate surface 15a in contact with the electronic component (inverter 8), wherein a cooling channel P is formed in at least one of the pair of plate members 10, 11, and the cooling channel P has a first cooling channel section (first upper channel 21), a second cooling channel section (cooling space S) located below the first cooling channel section (first upper channel 21) and downstream in the flow direction of the coolant F, and a supply channel section 23 that is inclined downward to connect the first cooling channel section (first upper channel 21) and the second cooling channel section (cooling space S), wherein a plurality of fins (pin fins 16) formed on the plate members 10, 11 are housed in the second cooling channel section (cooling space S), and the electronic component (inverter 8) is in contact with a portion of the plate surface 15a that is close to the second cooling channel section (cooling space S).

[0095] According to this design, a cooling channel P is formed in at least one of the pair of plate members 10 and 11, eliminating the need for ducts or pipes to form the channel and thus reducing the number of parts. Furthermore, the coolant F from the first cooling channel (first upper channel 21) flows downward through the inclined supply channel section 23 to supply it to the second cooling channel (cooling space S). The weight of the coolant F promotes the flow, facilitating contact between the coolant F and the multiple fins (pin fins 16) of the second cooling channel (cooling space S), thereby facilitating a decrease in the temperature of the heat-generating part.

[0096] (2) In the cooling plate A of (1), the supply channel section 23 has a plurality of supply holes 23a that linearly send the coolant F toward the second cooling channel section (cooling space S), and it is preferable that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the flow paths of the plurality of supply holes 23a is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the first cooling channel section (first upper channel 21) located upstream of the supply channel section 23.

[0097] According to this, in order to increase the pressure acting on the upstream end of the multiple supply holes 23a, the flow velocity of the coolant F in the multiple supply holes 23a is increased, and at the same time, the flow rate of the coolant F flowing through each of the multiple supply holes 23a is averaged.

[0098] In the cooling plate A of (3)(2), when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plate surfaces 10b and 15a of the plate members 10 and 11, it is preferable that a plurality of fins (pin fins 16) are arranged in parallel in the width direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the coolant F, and that the opening of a supply hole 23a located in the central region in the width direction of the plurality of supply holes 23a faces the space between a pair of fins (pin fins 16) that are adjacent in the width direction, and that the opening of a supply hole 23a located at the end in the width direction of the plurality of supply holes 23a faces the fins (pin fins 16) at the end in the width direction.

[0099] According to this, among the multiple supply holes 23a, in a view perpendicular to the plate surfaces 10b and 15a of the plate members 10 and 11, the supply hole 23a located in the central region in the width direction among the multiple fins (pin fins 16) arranged in parallel in the width direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the coolant F has its opening facing between a pair of fins (pin fins 16) that are adjacent in the width direction. Therefore, the coolant F sent out from its opening flows smoothly between the pair of fins (pin fins 16), and the area in contact with the fins (pin fins 16) is also increased. Furthermore, the supply holes 23a located at the ends in the width direction have openings that face the fins (pin fins 16) at the ends in the width direction. As a result, the coolant F sent out from these openings comes into contact with the fins (pin fins 16) and, due to this contact, the coolant F separates and flows to the outside and inside of the cooling space S in the width direction. Some of the coolant F flows in contact with the side walls 25 of the cooling space S, achieving good cooling.

[0100] (4) In the cooling plate A of (1), the plate surface 15a has a high-temperature region H that is hotter than other regions due to the heat transmitted from the electronic components, and it is preferable that the inclination angle of the supply channel section 23 (supply side inclination angle θ1) is set to an angle that supplies the coolant F toward the high-temperature region H.

[0101] According to this, by setting the orientation of the supply hole portion 23a, the coolant F can be directly supplied to the high-temperature region H of the plate-shaped body 15, enabling efficient cooling. [Industrial applicability]

[0102] This invention can be used in cooling plates. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 10: Upper plate member (plate member), 11: Lower plate member (plate member), 15: Plate-shaped body (plate member), 16: Pin fin (fin), 21: First upper flow path (first cooling flow path section), 23: Supply flow path section, 23a: Supply hole section, A: Cooling plate, F: Coolant, H: High temperature region, P: Cooling flow path, S: Cooling space (second cooling flow path section), θ1: Supply side inclination angle (inclination angle)

Claims

1. A cooling plate capable of cooling an electronic component to be cooled by the flow of a cooling liquid through a cooling channel, The system comprises a pair of plate members having plate surfaces in contact with the aforementioned electronic components, The cooling channel is formed in at least one of the pair of plate members. The cooling channel comprises a first cooling channel section, a second cooling channel section located below the first cooling channel section and downstream in the direction of coolant flow, and a supply channel section inclined downward to connect the first cooling channel section and the second cooling channel section. The second cooling channel section houses a plurality of fins formed on the plate member. A cooling plate in which the electronic component is in contact with a portion of the plate surface that is close to the second cooling channel.

2. The supply channel section has a plurality of supply holes that linearly send the coolant toward the second cooling channel section. The cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein the sum of the flow path cross-sectional areas of the multiple supply holes is smaller than the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the first cooling flow path located upstream of the supply flow path.

3. In a view of the plate member in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface, the plurality of fins are arranged in parallel in a width direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the coolant. Of the multiple supply holes, the supply hole located in the central region in the width direction has an opening that faces the space between a pair of fins that are adjacent to each other in the width direction. The cooling plate according to claim 2, wherein the supply hole portion located at the end in the width direction of the plurality of supply holes has an opening that faces the fin at the end in the width direction.

4. The plate surface has a high-temperature region that becomes hotter than other regions due to the heat transmitted from the electronic components. The cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the supply channel is set to an angle at which the coolant is supplied toward the high-temperature region.

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