Electrical conductor cooling device, power conversion device and rotating electrical machine

Abstract

To improve the cooling performance by suppressing complication of a structure.SOLUTION: An electrical conductor cooling device includes a cooling device main body having a flow path through which a coolant flows and an opening communicating with the flow path and formed on an outer surface thereof, a conductor fixing portion capable of fixing an electrical conductor, and an insulating base portion that is sandwiched between the conductor fixing portion and the cooling device main body, and is fixed to the cooling device main body so as to close the opening, and electrically insulates the cooling device main body and the coolant from the conductor fixing portion, and transfers the heat of the conductor fixing portion to the cooling device main body and the coolant, and the insulating base portion includes an insulating base portion main body that holds the conductor fixing portion, and a flow path forming portion formed of the same material as the insulating base portion main body, exposed in the flow path, and defining the flow path together with the cooling device main body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to cooling devices for electrical conductors, power conversion devices and rotating electrical machines. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a terminal block that electrically connects conductive members of a motor. The terminal block described in Patent Document 1 includes a heat sink that comes into contact with a refrigerant passing through a refrigerant flow path in a motor case. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5672074 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The terminal block described in Patent Document 1 cools the terminals by transferring heat from the metal terminals to a heat sink via a molded resin part that is an insulating material. However, there are problems in that the structure of the terminal block becomes complicated and the heat transfer path from the terminals to the refrigerant flow path becomes long, making it difficult to further improve the cooling performance.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides an electrical conductor cooling device, a power conversion device, and a rotating electric machine that can improve cooling performance while preventing the structure from becoming complicated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the following configuration is adopted. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a cooling device for an electric conductor includes a cooling device main body that forms a flow path through which a refrigerant flows and has an opening on an outer surface that communicates with the flow path, a conductor fixing part capable of fixing an electric conductor, and an insulating base part that is sandwiched between the conductor fixing part and the cooling device main body and fixed to the cooling device main body so as to close the opening, electrically insulating the cooling device main body and the refrigerant from the conductor fixing part and transferring heat from the conductor fixing part to the cooling device main body and the refrigerant, The opening is a long hole formed in the input side outer surface of the cooling device main body, and the cooling device main body includes a first flow path and a second flow path extending in a depth direction perpendicular to the input side outer surface on both sides of the longitudinal direction of the opening, and a first turning flow path surface provided between the first flow path and the second flow path and offset from the input side outer surface in the depth direction, The insulating base includes an insulating base main body that holds the conductor fixing portion, and a flow path forming portion that is formed of the same material as the insulating base main body, is exposed in the flow path, and defines the flow path together with the cooling device main body. The flow path forming portion is provided with a recess that is recessed toward the conductor fixing portion and has a shape elongated in the longitudinal direction of the opening. do.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a power conversion device includes a cooling device for the above-mentioned electrical conductor, an input conductor as the electrical conductor, a power conversion unit that converts power input from the input conductor, and an output conductor that outputs the power converted by the power conversion unit.

[0008] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a rotating electric machine includes a cooling device for the above-mentioned electric conductor and an input conductor as an electric conductor, and generates a rotating magnetic field by electric power input from the input conductor to convert electrical energy into rotational energy. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the above-described electrical conductor cooling device, power conversion device, and rotating electrical machine, it is possible to improve the cooling performance while preventing the structure from becoming complicated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a power conversion device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device for an electrical conductor according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cooling device for an electrical conductor according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cooling device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 in a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 11 is a perspective view of an insulating stand portion in a first modified example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from the flow path forming portion side. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a cooling device for an electrical conductor in a second modified example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Next, the electrical conductor cooling device and the power conversion device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a power conversion device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 1, a power conversion device 100 in the first embodiment includes a casing 11, an input conductor 12, a rectification section 13, a power conversion section 14, an output conductor 15, and a cooling device 16. In this embodiment, an inverter for controlling an electric motor (not shown) will be described as an example of the power conversion device 100.

[0012] The casing 11 forms an outer shell of the power conversion device 100. The casing 11 illustrated in this embodiment is made of synthetic resin or the like, has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has an input conductor 12 and an output conductor 15 extending from two side surfaces (hereinafter referred to as an input side surface 17 and an output side surface 18) arranged back-to-back.

[0013] The input conductor 12 is, for example, an electric conductor that supplies DC power to the rectifier unit 13. The input conductor 12 of this embodiment is a bus bar formed of a metal including copper, and includes a first input conductor portion 12a extending in a direction intersecting with the input side surface (outer surface) 17 of the casing 11, and a second input conductor portion 12b extending from the outer end of the first input conductor portion 12a along the input side surface 17. The first input conductor portion 12a penetrates the input side surface 17 of the casing 11. The second input conductor portion 12b of this embodiment extends from the first input conductor portion 12a toward the lower side of the paper surface of FIG. 1 (in other words, toward the side closer to the cooling device 16) so as to be bent vertically. An end portion of the input conductor 12 (in other words, the lower end portion of the second input conductor portion 12b) is fixed to a conductor fixing portion 20 of the cooling device 16, which will be described later, by a fixing device (not shown) such as a bolt. In this embodiment, for example, two input conductors 12 are provided: an input conductor 12 connected to a P-type semiconductor region of the power conversion unit 14, and an input conductor 12 connected to an N-type semiconductor region.

[0014] The rectifier 13 rectifies the power input from the input conductor 12. The rectifier 13 in this embodiment includes a plurality of capacitors (not shown) that remove high-frequency components superimposed on the power input from the input conductor 12. The power that has passed through the rectifier 13 is supplied to the power conversion unit 14. The rectifier 13 may be provided as necessary, and for example, the rectifier 13 may be omitted.

[0015] The power conversion unit 14 converts the power input from the input conductor 12. More specifically, the power conversion unit 14 includes switching elements such as MOSFETs and IGBTs, and converts the DC power input from the input conductor 12 via the rectifier unit 13 into AC power in accordance with a control signal input from a control unit (not shown). In this embodiment, three power conversion units 14 are integrally formed to output three-phase AC. The above-mentioned input conductor 12 is branched and connected to these three power conversion units 14.

[0016] The output conductor 15 outputs the power converted by the power conversion unit 14. More specifically, the output conductor 15 is a bus bar made of a metal containing copper, similar to the input conductor 12, and, for example, penetrates the output side surface 18 of the casing 11 and extends linearly in a direction intersecting the output side surface 18. In this embodiment, for example, a through hole (not shown) is formed at the end of the output conductor 15, making it possible to fix another electric conductor (not shown) with a fastener such as a bolt.

[0017] The cooling device 16 is configured to be capable of cooling an electric conductor. In this embodiment, the input conductor 12 is cooled as the electric conductor. Furthermore, the cooling device 16 of this embodiment is capable of simultaneously cooling not only the input conductor 12 but also other components (e.g., the power conversion unit 14) that generate heat in the power conversion device 100. For example, when viewed from above in FIG. 1 (in other words, in a plan view), the contour of the cooling device 16 in this embodiment is formed to be the same as the contour of the casing 11, and the cooling device 16 is provided so as to be stacked below the casing 11 in FIG. 1. The cooling device 16 in this embodiment is fixed to and integrated with the casing 11.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cooling device for an electrical conductor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the cooling device for an electrical conductor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cooling device 16 includes a cooling device main body 19, a conductor fixing portion 20, and an insulating base portion . The cooling device body 19 forms a flow path R (see FIG. 3) through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigerant is supplied to this cooling device body 19 from a refrigerant supply device (not shown) disposed outside. The refrigerant supplied to the cooling device body 19 flows through the flow path of the cooling device body 19, and is then discharged outside the cooling device body 19 and returned to, for example, the refrigerant supply device (not shown).

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the cooling device main body 19 has an opening 22 communicating with the flow path R. The opening 22 in this embodiment is formed on the input side outer surface 23 of the cooling device main body 19, which faces the same direction as the input side side surface 17 of the casing 11 described above. Furthermore, the opening 22 in this embodiment is an elongated hole that is long in the input side side surface 17 in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction Dh (see FIG. 1) in which the cooling device 16 and the casing 11 are stacked (hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction Da of the opening 22). The opening 22 is communicated with a first flow path Ra and a second flow path Rb that extend in a direction perpendicular to the input side outer surface 23 (hereinafter simply referred to as the depth direction Dd) on both sides of the longitudinal direction Da of the opening 22. In addition, a first return flow path surface 24 is formed between the first flow path Ra and the second flow path Rb so as to be offset from the input side outer surface 23 in the depth direction Dd. In addition, in the longitudinal direction Da of the opening 22, screw holes 25 for attaching the insulating stand portion 21 are formed in the input side outer surface 23 on both outer sides of the opening 22.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the conductor fixing part 20 is formed so as to be able to fix the input conductor 12, which is an electric conductor. The conductor fixing part 20 in this embodiment includes a fixing hole part 26 for detachably fixing a fixing tool (not shown) such as a bolt, and a fixing plate part 27 extending from the opening periphery of the fixing hole part 26 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fixing hole part 26 extends (in other words, the depth direction Dd). The fixing hole part 26 and the fixing plate part 27 are integrally formed of a metal such as copper or aluminum. The fixing plate part 27 in this embodiment has a flat surface exposed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the direction in which the fixing hole part 26 extends. Note that the structure for fixing the input conductor 12 to the conductor fixing part 20 is not limited to bolt fastening. In addition, if sufficient strength is obtained when fixing the input conductor 12, the fixing plate part 27 may be omitted.

[0021] Here, an end of an external conductor C connected to, for example, a DC power source is fixed to the conductor fixing part 20 of the first embodiment by a fixing device so as to overlap the end of the input conductor 12. That is, the conductor fixing part 20 functions as a relay terminal that relays the external conductor C and the input conductor 12. The electrical resistance value of the contact part between the end of the external conductor C fixed to the conductor fixing part 20 and the end of the input conductor 12 becomes large due to the contact resistance. Therefore, a voltage drop and a temperature rise are likely to occur in this contact part when a current is passed through it.

[0022] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the insulating base 21 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the conductor fixing part 20 and the cooling device main body 19. The insulating base 21 is fixed to the cooling device main body 19 so as to close the opening 22. This insulating base 21 electrically insulates the conductor fixing part 20 from the cooling device main body 19 and the refrigerant flowing through the flow path R. Furthermore, the insulating base 21 is formed so as to be capable of transferring heat from the conductor fixing part 20 to the cooling device main body 19 and the refrigerant. As a material for forming the insulating base 21, for example, a material in which a filler capable of increasing thermal conductivity is added to a synthetic resin having high electrical insulation performance can be used.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cooling device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the insulating stand 21 includes an insulating stand main body 28 and a flow path forming portion 29. The insulating stand main body 28 and the flow path forming portion 29 are formed of the same material. The insulating stand main body 28 holds the conductor fixing portion 20. The insulating stand main body 28 of this embodiment includes two insulating stand fixing portions 31 fixed to the input side outer surface 23 of the cooling device main body 19 on both outer sides in the longitudinal direction. The insulating stand fixing portion 31 of this embodiment has a through hole 31h for inserting a male thread portion S of a fixing tool B such as a bolt.

[0024] The flow path forming portion 29 is exposed in the flow path R and defines the flow path R together with the cooling device main body 19. In other words, the flow path forming portion 29 is disposed so as to face the opening 22 of the cooling device main body 19 and closes the opening 22. The flow path forming portion 29 in this embodiment includes a recess 32, a protrusion 33, and a seal member 34. The recess 32 is formed so as to be recessed from the end face of the insulating base main body 28 on the cooling device main body 19 side toward the conductor fixing portion 20. The recess 32 in this embodiment has an elongated shape in the longitudinal direction Da, and has curved surfaces 32r curved in a concave shape at both ends in the longitudinal direction Da in FIG. 4. The protrusion 33 is formed so as to protrude in the depth direction Dd along the periphery of the opening 22 and be able to fit into the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22. The protrusion 33 is formed in a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22. The seal member 34 is provided between the protrusion 33 and the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22 to seal between the flow path forming portion 29 and the insulating stand portion 21. The seal member 34 in this embodiment is formed in a ring shape and attached to the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 33. When the protrusion 33 is fitted into the opening 22, the seal member 34 is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 33 and the inner peripheral surface of the opening 22 and is crushed. A ring-shaped groove for positioning the seal member 34 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 33.

[0025] <Action and Effect> The cooling device 16 for an electric conductor of the first embodiment includes a cooling device body 19 having an opening 22 on its outer surface that forms a flow path R through which a refrigerant flows and communicates with the flow path, a conductor fixing part 20 capable of fixing an input conductor 12 as an electric conductor, and an insulating base part 21 that is sandwiched between the conductor fixing part 20 and the cooling device body 19 and fixed to the cooling device body 19 so as to close the opening 22, electrically insulating the cooling device body 19 and the refrigerant from the conductor fixing part 20 and transferring heat from the conductor fixing part 20 to the cooling device body 19 and the refrigerant. The insulating base part 21 further includes an insulating base part body 28 that holds the conductor fixing part 20, and a flow path forming part 29 that is formed of the same material as the insulating base part body 28, is exposed in the flow path, and defines the flow path together with the cooling device body. With this configuration, even if a current flows through the input conductor 12 fixed to the conductor fixing part 20, causing a temperature rise in the input conductor 12, the heat of the input conductor 12 is transferred from the conductor fixing part 20 to the insulating base part 21, and is exchanged with the refrigerant flowing through the flow path via the flow path forming part 29 made of the same material as the insulating base main body 28 of the insulating base part 21. Therefore, the heat transfer path of the insulating base part 21 can be shortened, and as a result, it is possible to improve the cooling performance without complicating the structure of the electric conductor cooling device 16.

[0026] The flow passage forming portion 29 in the electric conductor cooling device 16 of the first embodiment further includes a recess 32 recessed in a direction approaching the conductor fixing portion 20 . With this configuration, it is possible to shorten the distance between the conductor fixing part 20 and the refrigerant flowing through the flow path while ensuring the insulation distance between the input conductor 12 and the cooling device main body 19. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the conductor fixing part 20.

[0027] The flow path forming portion 29 in the electric conductor cooling device 16 of the first embodiment further includes a protrusion 33 that protrudes along the inner circumferential surface of the opening 22 and can be fitted into the opening 22. Furthermore, a seal member 34 is provided between the protrusion 33 and the opening 22 to seal between the flow path forming portion 29 and the insulating base portion 21. With this configuration, the seal member 34 can be easily attached. This reduces the burden on the assembly worker. Furthermore, the direction in which the seal member 34 is crushed between the opening 22 and the protrusion 33 can be made different from the direction in which the seal member 34 is pressed by the refrigerant pressure. This makes it possible to prevent the seal performance from decreasing even when the refrigerant pressure increases, for example, and to make the seal between the insulating stand 21 and the cooling device main body 19 more reliable.

[0028] The power conversion device 100 of the first embodiment includes the electric conductor cooling device 16, an input conductor 12 as an electric conductor, a power conversion unit 14 that converts the power input from the input conductor 12, and an output conductor 15 that outputs the power converted by the power conversion unit 14. The electric conductor cooling device 16 also serves as the power converter cooling device 16. With this configuration, it is possible to cool the input conductor 12, which is an electric conductor used in the power conversion device 100, without providing a dedicated cooling device 16 for cooling the electric conductor. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the input conductor 12 while suppressing an increase in size of the power conversion device 100.

[0029] Second Embodiment Next, a cooling device for an electric conductor according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The cooling device for an electric conductor according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above only in the configuration of the conductor fixing part. Therefore, the same parts as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and overlapping descriptions will be omitted. Figure 5 is a perspective view corresponding to Figure 2 in the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] 5, a cooling device 216 in the second embodiment includes a cooling device body 19, a conductor fixing part 220, and an insulating base part 221, similar to the cooling device 16 in the first embodiment. The cooling device body 19 in the second embodiment has the same configuration as that in the first embodiment.

[0031] The conductor fixing portion 220 is formed so as to be capable of fixing the input conductor 12 of the power conversion device 100, which is an electric conductor. The conductor fixing portion 220 in this second embodiment extends in a stacking direction Dh perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Da. The conductor fixing portion 220 in this second embodiment is formed of a metal such as copper or aluminum. The conductor fixing portion 220 has a dimension in the stacking direction Dh longer than the dimension in the longitudinal direction Da, and is in the shape of a flat plate with a constant dimension in the longitudinal direction Da. In other words, the conductor fixing portion 220 is formed in a band shape with a constant width. As in the first embodiment, two conductor fixing portions 220 are provided, the same number as the number of input conductors 12, and each extends parallel to each other with a gap in the longitudinal direction Da of the opening 22. A through hole 41 is formed in the upper portion of each of these conductor fixing portions 220 for fixing the input conductor 12 using a fastener (not shown) such as a bolt or nut. Meanwhile, a through hole 42 for fixing an external conductor C extending from a DC power source or the like is formed in the lower part of the conductor fixing part 220 using a fixing tool (not shown) such as a bolt and nut.

[0032] The insulating stand 221 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the conductor fixing part 20 and the cooling device main body 19. The insulating stand 221 is fixed to the cooling device main body 19 so as to close the opening 22. The insulating stand 221 electrically insulates the cooling device main body 19 and the refrigerant from the conductor fixing part 220. Furthermore, the insulating stand 221 is formed so as to be capable of transferring heat of the conductor fixing part 220 to the cooling device main body 19 and the refrigerant. The insulating stand 221 of the second embodiment is fixed to the conductor fixing part 220 in a state in which it penetrates the conductor fixing part 220 from top to bottom. The insulating stand 221 and the conductor fixing part 220 can be fixed, for example, by an adhesive or by integrally molding and fixing them by injection molding, as in the first embodiment. As a material for forming the insulating stand 221, for example, a material in which a filler for increasing thermal conductivity is added to a synthetic resin with high electrical insulation performance can be used.

[0033] The insulating stand 221 includes an insulating stand main body 228 and a flow path forming portion 29 (not shown in FIG. 5) as in the first embodiment. The insulating stand main body 228 and the flow path forming portion 29 are formed of the same material. The insulating stand main body 228 holds the conductor fixing portion 220. The insulating stand main body 228 also includes two insulating stand fixing portions 31 fixed to the input side outer surface 23 of the cooling device main body 19 on both outer sides in the longitudinal direction Da. These insulating stand fixing portions 31 are fixed to the input side outer surface 23 of the cooling device main body 19 by fasteners such as bolts.

[0034] <Action and Effect> Therefore, according to the electric conductor cooling device 216 of the second embodiment, the number of points fixed by the fixing devices in the conductor fixing part 220 can be increased compared to the first embodiment, so that even when it is necessary to merge or branch an electric conductor other than the input conductor 12 or the external conductor C with the conductor fixing part 220, it is possible to easily connect them. Therefore, the versatility as a relay terminal can be improved.

[0035] First Variation FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the insulating stand portion 21 in the first modified example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure, as viewed from the flow path forming portion 29 side. 6, cooling fins 45 made of the same material as the insulating stand main body 28 may be provided inside the recess 32 of the flow path forming portion 29. The cooling fins 45 in this first modification extend in the longitudinal direction Da of the recess 32 which is an elongated hole. Moreover, a plurality of cooling fins 45 (e.g., two) are provided inside the recess 32 at intervals in the up-down direction of the recess 32 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Da (in other words, the stacking direction Dh). By configuring it as in this first modified example, the cooling fins 45 can increase the contact area between the refrigerant and the insulating base portion 21, making it possible to efficiently exchange heat between the refrigerant and the insulating base portion 21.

[0036] Second Variation FIG. 7 is a plan view of a cooling device for an electrical conductor in a second modification of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In the first embodiment, the electric conductor cooling device 16 is integrally provided with the power converter 100. However, the electric conductor cooling device 16 is not limited to being integral with the power converter 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the electric conductor cooling device 16 may be integrally provided with a rotating electric machine M such as a motor. The rotating electric machine M in this embodiment generates a rotating magnetic field by electric power input from an input conductor (not shown) of the rotating electric machine M to convert electric energy into rotational energy. The rotating electric machine M has a rotating electric machine body MA and a cylindrical casing MC that houses the rotating electric machine body MA. A cooling device 316 that cools the rotating electric machine body MA is provided on the outer circumferential edge of the casing MC. The cooling device 316 is formed in an annular shape so as to cover the entire outer surface of the rotating electric machine body MA.

[0037] The cooling device body 319 of this cooling device 316 has an annular flow path R through which the refrigerant flows. Similarly to the cooling device body 19 of the first embodiment, the cooling device body 319 has an opening 22 (not shown) communicating with the flow path R on the outer surface 317, and an insulating base part 21 is fixed to the cooling device body 319 so as to close the opening 22 (not shown). An input conductor (not shown) of the rotating electric machine body MA and another electric conductor (not shown) electrically connected to an output conductor 15 of a power conversion device 100 such as an inverter that controls the rotating electric machine body MA are fixed to the conductor fixing part 20 by fasteners such as bolts. Note that the configurations of the insulating base part 21 and the conductor fixing part 20, the opening 22 on the cooling device body 319 side, the first flow path Ra, the second flow path Rb, and the first return flow path surface 24 are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0038] Therefore, by configuring as in the second modified example, it becomes possible to cool the input conductor 12 of the rotating electric machine body MA and another electric conductor (not shown) connected to the output conductor 15 of a power conversion device 100 such as an inverter that controls the rotating electric machine body MA, as electric conductors. Furthermore, it becomes possible to cool at least the input conductor used in the rotating electric machine body MA as an electric conductor without providing a dedicated cooling device for cooling the electric conductor. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently cool at least the input conductor of the rotating electric machine M while suppressing an increase in size of the rotating electric machine M.

[0039] Other Embodiments The present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments and modified examples, and design changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, in the above first and second embodiments, an inverter has been described as an example of the power conversion device 100, but the power conversion device 100 is not limited to an inverter. For example, the power conversion device 100 may be a device that performs power conversion using power semiconductor elements that are heat-generating components, such as a converter or a combination of an inverter and a converter. Also, the power conversion device may be a power device that includes a heat-generating component other than the power semiconductor elements.

[0040] In addition, in each embodiment and each modified example, a bus bar is exemplified as an electric conductor, but the electric conductor is not limited to a bus bar. The electric conductor may be, for example, a coated electric wire. Furthermore, in each embodiment and each modified example, the cooling device 16, 216, 316 is described as having two conductor fixing parts 20, 220, but only one conductor fixing part 20, 220 may be provided, or three or more conductor fixing parts 20, 220 may be provided.

[0041] Furthermore, in each embodiment and each modified example, the electric conductor cooling device 16, 216, 316 is described as being provided integrally with the power conversion device 100 or the rotating electric machine M, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the electric conductor cooling device 16, 216, 316 may be provided separately from the power conversion device 100 or the rotating electric machine M. Furthermore, the electric conductor to be cooled is not limited to the electric conductor to be used in the power conversion device 100 or the rotating electric machine M. Any electric conductor that may have a possibility of temperature rise may be the target to be cooled by the electric conductor cooling device 16, 216, 316 of the present disclosure.

[0042] <Additional Notes> The housing and the power conversion device described in the embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0043] (1) According to the first aspect, the cooling device 16, 216, 316 for an electric conductor includes a cooling device main body 19, 319 that forms a flow path R through which a refrigerant flows and has an opening 22 in an outer surface 17 that communicates with the flow path R, a conductor fixing part 20, 220 capable of fixing an electric conductor 12, and a conductor fixing part 20, 220 that is sandwiched between the conductor fixing part 20, 220 and the cooling device main body 19, 319 and is fixed to the cooling device main body 19, 319 so as to close the opening 22, and the cooling device main body 19, 319 and the refrigerant and an insulating base portion 21, 221 that electrically insulates the conductor fixing portion 20, 220 from the cooling device main body 19, 319 and transfers heat from the conductor fixing portion 20, 220 to the cooling device main body 19, 319 and the refrigerant, and the insulating base portion 21, 221 comprises an insulating base portion main body 28, 228 that holds the conductor fixing portion 20, 220, and a flow path forming portion 29 that is formed from the same material as the insulating base portion main body 28, 228, is exposed in the flow path R, and defines the flow path R together with the cooling device main body 19, 319. With this configuration, even if a current flows through the electric conductor 12 fixed to the conductor fixing part 20, 220, causing a temperature rise in the electric conductor 12, the heat of the electric conductor 12 is transferred from the conductor fixing part 20, 220 to the insulating base part 21, 221, and is heat exchanged with the refrigerant flowing through the flow path R via the flow path forming part 29 made of the same material as the insulating base main body 28, 228 of the insulating base part 21, 221. Therefore, the heat transfer path of the insulating base part 21, 221 can be shortened, and as a result, it is possible to improve the cooling performance without complicating the structure of the electric conductor cooling device 16, 216, 316. An example of an electrical conductor 12 is an input conductor.

[0044] (2) According to the second aspect, the flow path forming portion 29 of (1) has a recess 32 recessed in a direction approaching the conductor fixing portion 20,220. With this configuration, it is possible to shorten the distance between the conductor fixing part 20 and the refrigerant flowing through the flow path R while ensuring the insulation distance between the input conductor 12 and the cooling device main body 19. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the conductor fixing part 20.

[0045] (3) According to the third aspect, the flow passage forming portion 29 of (2) includes a cooling fin 45 formed on the inside of the recess 32 from the same material as the insulating base body 28, 228. With this configuration, the contact area between the refrigerant and the insulating base portion 21 can be increased by the cooling fins 45, thereby making it possible to efficiently exchange heat between the refrigerant and the insulating base portion 21.

[0046] (4) According to a fourth aspect, in the cooling device 16, 216, 316 for an electrical conductor of any one of (1) to (3), a convex portion 33 protruding along the inner surface of the opening 22 and capable of being fitted into the opening 22 is further provided, and a sealing member 34 is provided between the convex portion 33 and the opening 22 to seal between the flow path forming portion 29 and the insulating base portion 21, 221. With this configuration, the seal member 34 can be easily attached. This reduces the burden on the assembly worker. Furthermore, the direction in which the seal member 34 is crushed between the opening 22 and the protrusion 33 can be made different from the direction in which the seal member 34 is pressed by the refrigerant pressure. This makes it possible to prevent the seal performance from decreasing even when the refrigerant pressure increases, for example, and to make the seal between the insulating stand 21 and the cooling device main body 19 more reliable.

[0047] (5) According to a fifth aspect, the power conversion device 100 includes a cooling device 16, 216 for an electrical conductor of any one of (1) to (4), an input conductor 12 as the electrical conductor, a power conversion unit 14 that converts the power input from the input conductor 12, and an output conductor 15 that outputs the power converted by the power conversion unit 14. With this configuration, it is possible to cool the input conductor 12, which is an electric conductor used in the power conversion device 100, without providing a dedicated cooling device 16 for cooling the electric conductor. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the input conductor 12 while suppressing an increase in size of the power conversion device 100.

[0048] (6) According to a sixth aspect, a rotating electric machine M includes a cooling device 316 for an electric conductor of any one of (1) to (4) and an input conductor as the electric conductor, and generates a rotating magnetic field by electric power input from the input conductor to convert electric energy into rotational energy. Examples of rotating electrical machines M include electric motors and generators. With this configuration, it becomes possible to cool the input conductor of the rotating electric machine M and another electric conductor (not shown) connected to the output conductor 15 of a power conversion device 100 such as an inverter that controls the rotating electric machine M, as electric conductors. Furthermore, it becomes possible to cool at least the input conductor used in the rotating electric machine M as an electric conductor, without providing a dedicated cooling device for cooling the electric conductor. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently cool at least the input conductor of the rotating electric machine M, while suppressing an increase in size of the rotating electric machine M. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 11... casing 12... input conductor 12a... first input conductor portion 12b... second input conductor portion 13... rectification portion 14... power conversion portion 15... output conductor 16,216,316... cooling device 17... input side surface 18... output side surface 19,319... cooling device main body 20,220... conductor fixing portion 21,221... insulating base portion 22... opening 23... input side outer surface 24... first folded flow path surface 25... screw hole 26... fixing hole portion 27... fixing plate portion 28,228... insulating base portion main body 29... flow path forming portion 31... insulating base fixing portion 31h... through hole 32... recess 32r... curved surface 33... convex portion 34... sealing member 41,42... through hole 45... cooling fin 100... power conversion device B... fixing device C... outer conductor R... flow path Ra…First flow passage Rb…Second flow passage M…Rotating electric machine MA…Rotating electric machine body MC…Casing

Claims

1. a cooling device body that defines a flow path through which a refrigerant flows and has an opening on an outer surface thereof that communicates with the flow path; A conductor fixing portion capable of fixing an electric conductor; an insulating base portion that is sandwiched between the conductor fixing portion and the cooling device main body and fixed to the cooling device main body so as to close the opening, electrically insulating the cooling device main body and the refrigerant from the conductor fixing portion and transferring heat from the conductor fixing portion to the cooling device main body and the refrigerant; The opening is a slot formed in an input side outer surface of the cooling device body, The cooling device body includes: a first flow path and a second flow path extending in a depth direction perpendicular to the input side outer surface on both sides of the longitudinal direction of the opening, and a first turning flow path surface provided between the first flow path and the second flow path and offset from the input side outer surface in the depth direction, The insulating stand portion is an insulating base body for holding the conductor fixing portion; a flow passage forming portion formed of the same material as the insulating base body, exposed within the flow passage and defining the flow passage together with the cooling device body; The flow passage forming portion is provided with a recess that is recessed toward the conductor fixing portion and has a shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the opening portion. A cooling device for electrical conductors.

2. The flow passage forming portion is provided with a cooling fin formed of the same material as the insulating base body on the inside of the recess.

2. An apparatus for cooling an electrical conductor according to claim 1.

3. The flow path forming portion further includes a protrusion that protrudes along an inner circumferential surface of the opening and can be fitted into the opening, a seal member provided between the protrusion and the opening for sealing between the flow passage forming portion and the insulating base portion; 3. An apparatus for cooling an electrical conductor according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A cooling device for an electrical conductor according to any one of claims 1 to 3; an input conductor as the electrical conductor; a power conversion unit that converts the power input from the input conductor; an output conductor that outputs the power converted by the power conversion unit.

5. A cooling device for an electrical conductor according to any one of claims 1 to 3; an input conductor as the electrical conductor; A rotating electric machine that generates a rotating magnetic field using the power input from the input conductor to convert electrical energy into rotational energy.

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