Cooler arrangement

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooler arrangement, in particular for cooling power electronics of a converter, comprising an aluminium cooler (2) having a trough-shaped cross-section with a first wall region (21), a second wall region (22), a third wall region (23), and a bottom region (30) connecting the first and second wall regions, wherein the cooler (2) comprises a hollow extruded component which forms the first, second, and third wall regions and which has a cavity (20) that, in the direction of flow through the cavity, comprises at least one intermediate wall (26) that subdivides the cavity into at least two sub-chambers (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e), and wherein the third wall region connects the first wall region (21) to the second wall region (22) in order to enable continuous flow through the cooler from an inlet (4) at the first wall region (21) to an outlet (5) at the second wall region (22), such that a receiving space (25) for accommodating components to be cooled is formed between the first, second, and third wall regions.

Description

[0001] R.413127

[0002] - 1 -

[0003] Description

[0004] title

[0005] Cooler arrangement

[0006] State of the art

[0007] The present invention relates to a cooling arrangement, in particular for cooling the power electronics of a charger, converter or a combined device, with significantly improved cooling performance, simplified design, reduced weight and lower material costs.

[0008] To cool electronic components such as converters, coolant flows are typically routed through a channel between an aluminum casting housing and another aluminum casting joined by friction stir welding. While the use of castings is generally efficient, it necessitates thick walls, draft angles, and geometries that require demolding. In addition to these geometric limitations, the increased wall thickness of the castings necessitates additional installation space and material, resulting in added weight. Furthermore, heat transfer for heat dissipation can be hampered. A major problem with cast components, however, is their potentially porous structure, which can lead to leaks. Therefore, quality tests, which are time-consuming and expensive, must be performed before installing such coolers.

[0009] Disclosure of the invention

[0010] The cooling arrangement according to the invention, particularly for cooling electronic components of converters, with the features of claim 1, has the advantage that simple and cost-effective manufacturing of a cooling channel is possible. In particular, the manufacturing can be carried out using R.413127.

[0011] - 2 -

[0012] The cooler assembly can be manufactured using proven methods. Furthermore, the cooler assembly according to the invention has significantly thinner walls than cast components, resulting in advantages in terms of installation space, reduced weight, and reduced costs. In particular, components of the cooler assembly can be supplied as extruded aluminum profiles, which further reduces manufacturing costs.

[0013] According to the invention, this is achieved by the cooler arrangement comprising an aluminum cooler with a trough-shaped cross-section, comprising a first wall section, a second wall section, a third wall section, and a bottom section connecting at least the first wall section to the second wall section. This results in a trough-shaped form, which is preferably open at one end, where an inlet and an outlet section are located. A relatively large receiving space for electronic components requiring heat dissipation is thus created between the wall sections. The first wall section is connected to the second wall section by means of the third wall section, wherein the first, second, and third wall sections are formed from a single, hollow extruded component. This can be achieved, for example, by forming the extruded component twice at 90°.The extrusion component thus has an internal cavity which, in the direction of flow through the cavity, has at least one first intermediate layer, so that the cavity is divided into a first and a second sub-chamber. Preferably, several intermediate layers are provided. This allows continuous flow, starting from a first free end of the first wall section, through the first wall section into the third wall section with a 90° bend, and from the third wall section with a further 90° bend into the second wall section up to the free end of the second wall section. Due to this essentially U-shaped design of the wall sections when viewed from above, components inside the cooler as well as on the outside of the cooler can be cooled.

[0014] The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0015] To enable particularly cost-effective manufacturing, the base area is preferably a sheet metal component, especially made of aluminum. R.413127

[0016] - 3 -

[0017] The floor area is preferably connected to the wall areas on the underside of the first, second and third wall areas, preferably by means of a plumb line or welded connection.

[0018] The aluminum sheet metal component is particularly preferred in a U-shaped cross-section, so that both the first inner side of the first wall section and the second inner side of the second wall section are covered by the sheet metal component. This has the particular advantage that components to be cooled can be securely positioned and fixed within the cooler on the side panels and the bottom of the sheet metal component, preferably by means of centering pins and potting compound.

[0019] The sheet metal component preferably has a first wing on the first side panel and a second wing on the second side panel. The wings preferably extend at an angle of approximately 90° to the side panels. This allows additional components requiring cooling to be attached to the wings on the outside of the cooler and cooled by the cooler. It also enables the entire cooler to be attached to an electronic assembly.

[0020] For easy connection of inlet and outlet aids, the cooler assembly preferably has a flange at each inlet and / or outlet. The flange has a fixing surface for securing the inlet and / or outlet aids. This fixing surface is preferably a rim extending completely around the inlet and / or outlet at a 90° angle to the flow direction. This allows the inlet and / or outlet aids to be attached to the fixing surface of the flange, for example, by means of a screw connection inside the cooler. It is also possible for the inlet or outlet aids to be manufactured from a different material, such as plastic, so that even complex geometries can be produced using lightweight plastic parts.

[0021] The inlet aid and the outlet aid are preferably inlet funnels.

[0022] The cooler preferably has a recess on an outer side of the first wall area and / or the second wall area. R.413127

[0023] - 4 -

[0024] A recess is a depression designed to accommodate a thermal interface material (TIM) and / or a printed circuit board.

[0025] For improved electromagnetic compatibility, the cooler preferably has a shielding device on an inner and / or an outer surface.

[0026] To provide an additional mounting option for components requiring cooling, the inlet and / or outlet area features an additional flat contact surface. This contact surface is designed for the direct placement of components requiring cooling, which are preferably mounted directly onto the contact surface. The flat contact surface is preferably parallel to the base area and is located on the inlet and / or outlet area on the opposite side of the cooler's outer wall areas from the base area; that is, the base area is at the bottom and the flat contact surface is at the top of the wall areas.

[0027] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooler has a fourth wall area, so that the cooler has a closed trough shape.

[0028] Preferably, components located in the cooler's receiving chamber between the wall sections are potted using a potting compound. Particularly preferably, partitions are arranged within the receiving chamber so that only partial areas of the chamber can be filled with potting compound.

[0029] To allow for better inflow and outflow, the cooler preferably has enlarged inlet areas and / or outlet areas.

[0030] Preferably, the cooler has fins protruding into the cavity of the cooler as additional cooling fins.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention relates to an electronic arrangement with a cooler arrangement according to the invention. R.413127

[0032] - 5 -

[0033] drawing

[0034] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows:

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a

[0036] Cooler arrangement according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention,

[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic, perspective partial view of the

[0038] Cooler arrangement of Figure 1 ,

[0039] Figure 3 is a schematic, partially cutaway view of the

[0040] Cooler arrangement of Figure 1 ,

[0041] Figure 4 shows a schematic side view of a wall area of ​​the

[0042] Cooler arrangement of Figure 1 ,

[0043] Figure 5 shows a schematic partial sectional view of a cooler arrangement from Figure 1.

[0044] Figures 6 and 7 are schematic partial sectional views of a cooler arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0045] Figures 8 and 9 are schematic views of a cooler arrangement according to a third embodiment of the invention.

[0046] Figure 10 shows a schematic, perspective view of a cooler arrangement according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

[0047] Figure 11 shows a schematic, perspective view of a

[0048] Cooler arrangement according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, and R.413127

[0049] - 6 -

[0050] Figures 12 and 13 show schematic views of a cooler arrangement according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

[0051] Preferred embodiments of the invention

[0052] A cooler arrangement 1 of an electronic arrangement according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0053] As can be seen in Figure 1, the cooler arrangement 1 has a trough-shaped form, with one side open and no lid. An inlet 4 and an outlet 5 are arranged on the open side.

[0054] The cooler arrangement 1 comprises a cooler 2, which includes three wall areas, namely a first wall area 21, a second wall area 22 and a third wall area 23. The third wall area 23 connects the first wall area 21 with the second wall area 22 at the closed long end of the cooler.

[0055] The cooler 2 has a continuous cavity 20, which is shown in detail in Figure 5. The cavity 20 is continuous, allowing a cooling fluid to flow from the inlet 4 through the first wall section 21, the third wall section 23, and the second wall section 22 to the outlet 5. As shown in detail in Figure 5, four intermediate floors 26 are provided, which divide the cavity 20 into five sub-chambers 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, and 20e.

[0056] The cooler 2 is manufactured from an extruded profile, whereby a straight extruded profile is bent twice by 90° to form the third wall section 23, which connects the first and second wall sections. A radius is chosen such that no constriction is created in the hollow profile of the cooler 2. As the cooling medium flows through, it thus undergoes two 90° bends.

[0057] The cooler 2 is made of aluminium and forms a receiving space 25 for electrical and / or R.413127 between its three wall areas 21, 22, 23.

[0058] - 7 - electronic components 13 (see Figure 3). Transformers in recording chamber 25 are shown here as an example.

[0059] Since the cooler 2 is an extruded profile, the intermediate floors are also present continuously from the inlet 4 to the outlet 5.

[0060] The cooler assembly 1 further comprises a sheet metal component 3, which is particularly evident from Figures 1 and 3. The sheet metal component 3 has a base 30, a first side wall 34, a second side wall 35, a first wing 31, and a second wing 32. The sheet metal component 3 can be manufactured from a flat sheet by forming. In this embodiment, the sheet metal component 3 is inserted into the receiving chamber 25 of the cooler 2, such that the first wing 31 and the second wing 32 are supported against an upper edge of the cooler 2. The sheet metal component 3 can be manufactured by forming at four areas, each of which provides a 90° bend.

[0061] In particular, recesses for fastening further components are provided in the wings 31, 32 of the sheet metal component 3.

[0062] The receiving chamber 25 of the cooler 2 is further subdivided into several separate areas by several partitions 14. For example, the separated areas can be potted separately, or the partitions 14 can form shielding walls between electronic components that are arranged in different separated areas.

[0063] By using the aluminum profile as the cooler 2, a particularly cost-effective cooler arrangement 1 can be provided. Further components of the cooler 2, such as the sheet metal component 3 or the partitions 14, can be joined together in a single step, preferably by soldering, using solder materials pre-applied to the components.

[0064] Furthermore, a flange 7 extending around the outer shell of the cooler is arranged at the inlet 4 and the outlet 5, with a fixing surface 70 that is perpendicular to the flow direction (arrows in Figure 1). The flange 7 with the fixing surface 70 serves to fix an inlet area 40 and an outlet area 50. R.413127

[0065] - 8 -

[0066] In this embodiment, the components are fixed in place by means of screw connections 16. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, each flange 7 has four screw connections 16 at the inlet and outlet. This allows the inlet section 40 and / or the outlet section 50 to be manufactured from a single plastic material, thus making them particularly cost-effective to screw into place. This also allows for a specifically adapted inlet and outlet geometry to be achieved through the plastic inlet sections 14 and outlet sections 50.

[0067] Furthermore, a seal can also be provided on the flange 7 at the fixing surface 70, enabling a full-surface seal between the cooler 2 and the inlet area 40 and the outlet area 50. This eliminates the need for soldered connections at the open areas of the cooler to fix the inlet and outlet. The inlet area 40 and the outlet area 50 can thus be designed as funnels with an attached cylindrical connection for the coolant (see Figure 1).

[0068] In the following embodiments, identical components are designated with the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment.

[0069] Figures 6 and 7 schematically show a cooler arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention. The cooler arrangement of the second embodiment is fundamentally constructed like that of the first embodiment; however, unlike the first embodiment, the cooler arrangement of the second embodiment has a recess 21a on an outer wall of the first wall section 21. As schematically shown in Figure 7, the recess 21a serves to receive a thermal interface material (TIM) onto which a printed circuit board 8 or another substrate can be fixed. As shown in Figure 7, the printed circuit board 8 is connected to the cooler 2 by means of solder connections 10. As can also be seen in Figures 6 and 7, fins 15 are provided in the cavity 20 of the cooler 2, which run parallel to the intermediate layers 26.The fins form a turbulator to achieve the most turbulent flow possible in the cavity 20 of the cooler 2. As further shown in Figure 7 R.413127.

[0070] - 9 - as can be seen, a shielding plate 11 is arranged on an inside of the first wall area 20 to improve electromagnetic compatibility.

[0071] Figures 8 and 9 show a third embodiment of the invention. This third embodiment essentially corresponds to the first embodiment, except that in the third embodiment a flat contact surface 12 is arranged at the outlet 5. The flat contact surface 12 is designed to allow direct attachment of a component to be cooled to a cooling path. As can be seen in Figure 9, the flat contact surface 12 is rectangular and arranged in front of an outlet funnel of the outlet area 50. Furthermore, four fixing areas 17 are provided for attaching the cooler assembly 1 to other components of an electronic assembly, with bores for screw connections being formed here.

[0072] Figure 10 shows a fourth embodiment of a cooler arrangement, which essentially corresponds to the first embodiment, except that the fourth embodiment includes a fourth wall section 24. This results in a closed, trough-shaped cooler 2, with the inlet section 40 and the outlet section 50 located on the fourth wall section 24. The fourth wall section 24 is fixed in place, as in the first embodiment, by means of a flange 7 and a fixing surface extending perpendicular to the flow direction, which is not shown in Figure 10.

[0073] Figure 11 shows a fifth embodiment, wherein an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 are formed with an inlet funnel and an outlet funnel, respectively, which are geometrically identical. A cuboid, hollow box 18 is arranged at the outlet 5 and is pushed onto the free end region of the cooler 2 at the outlet. This allows for a simple and secure soldered connection between the hollow box 18 and the second wall region 22. Thus, the fifth embodiment shows another preferred method for fixing an outlet. This is, of course, also possible for the inlet 4.

[0074] Figures 12 and 13 show a cooler arrangement 1 according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. Here, R.413127 is located at the inlet 4 and the outlet 5.

[0075] - 10 - an enlarged area 19 is arranged. This allows for inflow and outflow with reduced resistance and thus reduced pressure loss. As can be seen from the description of the exemplary embodiments, a cooler assembly 1 can thus be manufactured from aluminum, wherein the cooler 2 is a particularly cost-effective extruded hollow profile, which can be formed into a cooler in a simple and quick manner by forming. Furthermore, the connection of the sheet metal component 3 allows for particularly simple mounting of components to be cooled both inside and outside the cooler.

[0076] 2 in a receiving area as well as outside the cooler 2, in particular on the wings 31, 32. Furthermore, all connections of the cooler arrangement 1 can be realized by soldered connections, so that all necessary material-bonded connections can be produced in preferably one soldering step.

Claims

R.413127 - 11 - Claims 1. Cooling arrangement, in particular for cooling power electronics of a converter, comprising: a cooler (2) made of aluminium with a trough-shaped cross-section, having a first wall region (21), a second wall region (22), a third wall region (23), and a bottom region (30) connecting the first and second wall regions, wherein the cooler (2) comprises a hollow extruded component forming the first, second, and third wall regions and having a cavity (20) which, in the direction of flow through the cavity, has at least one intermediate floor (26) dividing the cavity into at least two sub-chambers (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e), and wherein the third wall region connects the first wall region (21) with the second wall region (22) to allow continuous flow through the cooler from an inlet (4) at the first wall region (21) to an outlet (5) at the second wall region (22), such that between the first,The second and third wall area forms a receiving space (25) for receiving components to be cooled.

2. Cooler arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bottom area (30) is a sheet metal component (3).

3. Cooler arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the sheet metal component (3) is U-shaped in section and has the bottom area (30), a first side wall (34) and a second side wall (35), wherein the bottom area (30) connects the side walls together and the first side wall covers the first wall area (21) on an inside side and the second side wall covers the second wall area (22) on an inside side.

4. Cooler arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the sheet metal component further comprises a first wing (31) on the first side wall (34) and a second wing (32) on the second side wall (35). R.413127 - 12 - 5. Cooler arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a flange (7) with a fixing surface (70) for fixing an inlet aid and / or an outlet aid is arranged at the inlet (4) and / or at the outlet (5), wherein the fixing surface (70) in particular surrounds a free end at the first wall region (21) of the cooler and surrounds a free end at the second wall region (22) of the cooler.

6. Cooler arrangement according to claim 5, wherein an inlet funnel is fixed to the flange (7) and / or an outlet funnel is fixed to the flange (7), in particular by means of screw connections.

7. Cooler arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the inlet funnel and / or the outlet funnel is made of plastic.

8. Cooler arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooler (2) has a recess (21a) on an outside of the first wall region (21) and / or an outside of the second wall region (22), configured to receive a thermal intermediate material (9) and / or a printed circuit board (8).

9. Cooler arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooler (2) has a shielding plate (11) on an inner side and / or an outer side for electromagnetic shielding.

10. Cooler arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a flat contact surface (12) is arranged at the inlet (4) and / or at the outlet (5), designed for the direct reception of a component to be cooled.

11. Cooler arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fourth wall area (24) which connects the first wall area (21) with the second wall area (22).

12. Cooler arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a potting compound is received in the receiving space (25). R.413127 - 13 - 13. Cooler arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooler has an enlarged flow area (19) at the inlet (4) and / or an enlarged flow area (19) at the outlet (5).

14. Cooler arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the The cooler (2) in the cavity (20) has a plurality of fins (15) projecting into the cavity.

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