Improved cooling device and on-board charging device comprising such a cooling device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for cooling electronic components, the device comprising a housing (11) that extends around a cavity (12) and comprises: - a coolant circulation chamber (20) forming a coolant circulation channel; - at least one circulation passageway (61, 62) fluidically connected to the circulation channel, each circulation passageway (61, 62) extending across the cavity, so as to form a bifurcation (60) in the circulation channel and separate the cavity (12) into sub-cavities (12-1, 12-2, 12-3) on either side of the circulation passageway.

Description

DESCRIPTION Title of the invention: Improved cooling device and on-board charging device comprising such a cooling device

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of on-board chargers for electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles and more specifically to an improved cooling device for electronic components.

[0002] Onboard chargers include various electronic components such as power modules, coils, and capacitors, though this list is not exhaustive. These electronic components generate heat when the onboard charger is in use.

[0003] However, electric vehicles require ever-increasing charging power, particularly to reduce charging times. This increase in charging power is accompanied by a growing heat output during charger operation, necessitating solutions to mitigate thermal stress on charger components.

[0004] For example, power modules can have an operating temperature of 150°C. Power modules are increasingly used in electronic systems because they allow multiple electronic chips to be packed into a small space on a printed circuit board.

[0005] It is known to cool a power module by placing this power module in contact with a wall of a cooling circuit in which a coolant circulates.

[0006] Traditionally, an onboard charging system includes a cooling unit consisting of a receptacle and a sealing plate that define a coolant circuit. This circuit is supplied by a coolant that recovers, through the sealing plate, the heat generated during the operation of the power module mounted on the plate. The shape of the coolant circuit is defined by a circulation channel formed by grooves in the receptacle, designed to channel the coolant beneath each power module. The circulation channel thus extends between two opposite ends of the cooling unit.It is known to place the power modules along the circulation conduit, with these power modules arranged parallel to the direction of fluid flow in the area where the power module in question is fixed.

[0007] This cooling principle has been improved in an existing solution that features a circulation channel extending not longitudinally between the two opposite ends of the cooling device, but in an annular fashion. This solution offers two advantages: it is compact and provides enhanced cooling. Indeed, due to the annular configuration of the circulation channel, it is possible to place the electronic components in the central part of the cooling device. These components benefit from a large heat exchange surface with a vertical wall of the circulation channel to dissipate the generated heat. Furthermore, because the circulation channel is annular, the coolant inlet and outlet ports are located on the same side.Bringing the coolant inlet and outlet areas together on the same side of the cooling system can facilitate the integration of the cooling system into a vehicle.

[0008] Although already satisfactory, it is desirable to improve existing solutions. Indeed, certain electronic components, such as insulated-gate field-effect transistors (or MOSFETs, for Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors), generate a significant amount of heat that must be dissipated to prevent degrading the power module's operation. Other components, particularly magnetic components such as power factor correction chokes (PFCs), DC-DC transformers (DC being the abbreviation for Direct Current), or OBCs (short for On-Board Chargers), also have increased cooling requirements. However, not all electronic components require the same level of cooling.

[0009] The invention falls within this context and proposes an improved cooling device allowing targeted cooling and which can be easily adapted at the time of design according to the final configuration of the on-board charger with which it is associated.

[0010] To this end, the invention relates to a cooling device for electronic components capable of generating heat, comprising a housing extending around a cavity between an upper wall and a lower wall connected by an external side wall and an internal side wall of the housing, the cavity being formed at least between two opposing portions of the internal side wall and capable of receiving first electronic components, at least one of the walls being intended to perform heat exchange with second electronic components, the cooling device being characterized in that the housing comprises: an inlet for introducing coolant into the housing, an outlet for removing coolant from the housing, a circulation chamber fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet, so as to form a circulation channel through which the coolant is intended to flow from the inlet to the outlet, at least one circulation walkway fluidly connected to the circulation channel, each circulation walkway extending between two opposing portions of internal side wall, so as to form a bifurcation in the circulation channel and separate the cavity into sub-cavities on either side of the circulation walkway.

[0011] The cooling system is physically defined by the generally annular housing. The housing extends around the cavity in which the initial electronic components can be placed. These initial electronic components might be, for example, magnetic components. The housing includes an internal side wall that delimits the cavity and through which the initial electronic components can transfer their thermal energy to the coolant. The housing defines a circulation channel for the coolant. The coolant could be, by way of example, water or a mixture of water and glycol. The circulation channel originates at the housing's inlet and terminates at its outlet.The coolant circulates within the circulation chamber, which is defined by the top and bottom walls and the outer and inner side walls. At least one of the housing walls—that is, at least one of the top, bottom, outer, or inner side walls—may be in contact with secondary electronic components, such as MOSFETs. It should be noted that these secondary electronic components do not necessarily cover the entire surface of the wall with which they are in contact. A secondary electronic component may be in contact with a portion of one or more walls.

[0012] The coolant is intended to circulate in the cooling channel. The housing inlet is the point of entry for the coolant into the cooling system, and the housing outlet is the point of exit for the coolant from the cooling system. After passing through the inlet, the coolant flows within the housing between the outer and inner side walls in the circulation channel until it reaches a bifurcation formed by a circulation bridge. The circulation bridge is formed by a hollow wall with two open ends, each end connecting to a portion of the inner side wall. The circulation bridge is thus fluidly connected to the circulation channel on both sides of the cavity.The circulation bridge divides the cavity into two sub-cavities. The first sub-cavity is located on one side of the circulation bridge, and the second sub-cavity is located on the opposite side. The coolant is split into two flows. The first flow continues through the circulation channel until it reaches the housing outlet. The second flow travels through the circulation bridge to rejoin the circulation channel on the opposite side of the housing and subsequently exits the housing through the outlet. Each circulation bridge can be considered a bifurcation, where the coolant flow is separated into two streams: one directed towards the circulation channel and the other towards the circulation bridge.And we can talk about a junction, where the first flow and the second flow meet and pass through the circulation channel towards the exit.

[0013] The same principle applies with a plurality of walkways extending across the cavity. Each walkway divides the cavity into sub-cavities on one side and on the other side. With two walkways, three sub-cavities are thus formed. With three walkways, four sub-cavities are formed, and so on.

[0014] Thanks to the features of the invention, the first magnetic components are arranged within subcavities, and each subcavity is delimited on each side by the circulation channel or a circulation bridge. As a result, each side of the magnetic component arranged in a subcavity is in contact with a wall through which heat exchange can occur. The cooling device of the invention allows for heat exchange between the coolant and the first magnetic components on each of their faces. The cooling of the first magnetic components is thereby improved.

[0015] According to an optional feature of the invention, the cooling device comprises at least two circulation bridges, the first of which has a larger cross-section than the second. Since the first circulation bridge has a larger cross-section than the second, the quantity of coolant flowing through it is greater than that flowing through it. The heat exchange occurring through the walls of the first circulation bridge is also greater than that occurring through the walls of the second. Therefore, the first electronic components generating the most heat should be placed in contact with the walls of the first circulation bridge to allow for faster and more efficient heat dissipation.

[0016] It appears from this configuration that by adapting the sections of each of the traffic walkways according to the type of first electronic components intended to be placed in the sub-cavities, we can meet the need for thermal transfer required for the proper functioning of the first electronic components.

[0017] According to an optional feature of the invention, the circulation chamber comprises: a first circulation chamber fluidly connected to the inlet, a second circulation chamber fluidly connected to the outlet, one of the first and second circulation chambers being an upper chamber superimposed, according to a superposition plan, on the other of the first and second circulation chambers being the lower chamber, a fluidic connection zone between the first circulation chamber and the second circulation chamber, so that the circulation channel extends from the inlet to the outlet through the first circulation chamber and then the second circulation chamber.

[0018] In this configuration, after passing through the inlet, the coolant passes through the first circulation chamber, crosses the fluidic connection zone and passes through the second circulation chamber to reach the outlet.

[0019] The first circulation chamber is located above the second circulation chamber, or alternatively, the second circulation chamber is located above the first circulation chamber. The circulation chamber located above the other is called the upper chamber. The circulation chamber located below the upper chamber is called the lower chamber. It follows from the above that if the first circulation chamber is the upper chamber, the inlet is located above the superposition plane and the outlet below. Conversely, if the second circulation chamber is the upper chamber, the outlet is located above the superposition plane and the inlet below. According to an optional feature, the first chamber is the lower chamber and the second chamber is the upper chamber.The coolant first circulates in the lower chamber, then enters the upper chamber via the fluid connection zone, and finally exits the cooling system through the case outlet. The upper wall and / or the internal and / or external side wall of the case are designed to facilitate heat exchange with secondary electronic components, such as MOSFETs. MOSFETs generate a significant amount of heat, so substantial heat exchange occurs through the case wall(s). The side wall can be defined as the wall adjacent to the upper wall. This can be the internal side wall, facing the cavity, or the external side wall, opposite the internal side wall with respect to the flow channel.In addition to the circulation of the coolant through the first circulation chamber and the second circulation chamber, there is also the circulation of the coolant through the circulation bridge(s).

[0020] Thanks to these features, the cooling device of the invention operates by cooling the electronic components as close as possible to them. The first electronic components, located in the central cavity of the cooling device, benefit from a large heat exchange surface formed by the inner wall and the circulation channels of the housing. Each first electronic component can, depending on its shape and positioning, be in contact with four walls through which it can transfer its thermal energy to the coolant. The second electronic components, for their part, are located in contact with one of the walls of the upper and / or lower chamber. The heat generated by the second electronic components is dissipated through said wall of the housing.This results in an improved cooling device with a larger heat exchange surface compared to prior art solutions.

[0021] According to an optional feature of the invention, the second circulation chamber is fluidically connected to the first circulation chamber in parallel. This is referred to as parallel cooling, and it is independent of whether the first circulation chamber is the lower or upper chamber. In this configuration, the inlet and outlet are located on the same face of the housing, and the fluid connection zone is situated in the circulation channel opposite the inlet and outlet. The coolant is introduced through the inlet and circulates through the first circulation chamber on both sides of the cavity. In other words, the coolant flow splits into two streams, each passing on one side or the other of the cavity. The two streams rejoin at the connection zone.The coolant enters the second circulation chamber and splits again into two streams, each flowing along one side of the cavity and then converging at the outlet through which the coolant is discharged from the housing. The coolant circulates from the first chamber to the second chamber in parallel. Within each circulation chamber, the coolant also splits at the bifurcation(s) to further enhance the cooling of the first magnetic components.

[0022] According to an optional feature of the invention, at least one circulation gateway is fluidly connected to one of the first and second circulation chambers. Put another way, a circulation gateway, or one of the circulation gateways, is fluidly connected to only one of the two circulation chambers. In the configuration with two superimposed circulation chambers, a circulation gateway can form a bifurcation of the circulation channel for only one of the two circulation chambers. In one example, the lower chamber is fluidly connected to a circulation gateway, while the upper chamber is not. This means that at the lower chamber, the coolant flows from the inlet into the circulation channel.At the bifurcation, the flow splits into two streams: one continues its circulation in the flow channel, and the other flows through the flow bridge and then rejoins the flow channel on the opposite side of the housing from the cavity. The coolant passes through the fluid connection and reaches the upper chamber, where it flows through the flow channel directly to the outlet. The same principle applies when only the upper chamber is fluidically connected to one or more flow bridges. Having a flow bridge fluidly connected to only one of the two flow chambers allows for adjusting the cooling level of the first magnetic components.

[0023] According to an optional feature of the invention, at least one circulation gateway comprises a first circulation gateway fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber and a second circulation gateway fluidly connected to the second circulation chamber. In this configuration, a bifurcation of the circulation channel is formed for each of the two circulation chambers. The invention also covers the case with multiple circulation gateways for each of the two circulation chambers. The number of first circulation gateways may be equal to or different from the number of second circulation gateways. The presence of one or more first circulation gateways and one or more second circulation gateways allows for control of the cooling of the first magnetic components.The first and second traffic walkways form the sub-cavities designed to house the first electromagnetic components. This allows the first magnetic components to be cooled on all four sides, resulting in better heat dissipation. In the preceding text, the term "traffic walkway" should be understood as a main traffic walkway, and the terms "first traffic walkway" and "second traffic walkway" can be understood as a first and second sub-traffic walkway, respectively.

[0024] According to an optional feature of the invention, in a plane perpendicular to the superposition plane, a section of the upper chamber is smaller than a section of the lower chamber. Reducing the cross-section of the upper chamber increases the velocity of the coolant circulating within it. This results in improved cooling of the secondary electronic components in contact with the upper wall and the internal and external side walls near the upper wall.

[0025] According to an optional feature of the invention, the cooling device further comprises a separating plate extending in the superposition plane separating the first circulation chamber from the second circulation chamber.

[0026] The separating plate is a flat, open plate with at least one opening in its center. This opening corresponds to the cavity. The discontinuous area of ​​the separating plate represents the fluid connection zone. In other words, the separating plate is positioned within the housing and divides the internal volume of the housing into two chambers. Thus, the separating plate separates the first and second circulation chambers, and its discontinuous area forms the fluid connection zone. The separating plate's shape is therefore complementary to the internal volume of the housing in the plane of superposition.In the configuration where a first circulation bridge is fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber and a second circulation bridge is fluidly connected to the second circulation chamber, the separation plate can have two openings (in the case of one circulation bridge) or three openings (in the case of two circulation bridges). It is thus understood that, in addition to separating the first and second circulation chambers, the separation plate can also separate the first and second circulation bridges.

[0027] In one variant, the separating plate can be attached to the housing using any suitable fastening device, such as rivets or by local material deformation. In another variant, the internal walls of the lower chamber may include, in their upper part, studs oriented towards the interior of the chamber, so that the separating plate rests against these studs to be held in position within the overlapping plane.

[0028] The invention also relates to an onboard charging device comprising first electronic components and a cooling device as described above, the first electronic components being arranged in subcavities. As explained previously, such an onboard charging device provides optimized cooling of the first electronic components. More specifically, it enables efficient cooling of the first electronic components, which are in contact with four walls through which heat exchange can occur. These four walls are formed by the walls of the circulation channel and a circulation bridge. By adapting the cross-section of the circulation bridge(s), it is possible to adjust the flow of the coolant according to the cooling requirements of the first electronic components in the subcavities.

[0029] According to an optional feature of the invention, the onboard charging device includes secondary electronic components arranged on at least one of the housing walls. These secondary electronic components may be MOSFETs requiring a high level of cooling. They are advantageously placed in contact with the upper and / or lower wall and / or the internal and external side walls of the housing, so as to benefit from the circulation of the coolant in the upper and / or lower chamber, according to the various embodiments of the invention described above.

[0030] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0031] [Fig. 1] represents an example of a cooling device according to the invention,

[0032] [Fig. 2] represents, in perspective, a cross-sectional view of the cooling device of figure 1 along a plane passing through the cavity perpendicularly to the circulation walkways,

[0033] [Fig. 3] shows, in perspective, a cross-sectional view of another example of a cooling device of the invention along a plane passing through the cavity perpendicularly to the walkways,

[0034] [Fig. 4] represents a cross-sectional view along the separation plane of the cooling device in Figure 3, top view,

[0035] [Fig. 5] shows, in perspective, a cross-sectional view of another example of a cooling device of the invention along a plane passing through the cavity perpendicularly to the walkways,

[0036] [Fig. 6] represents, in perspective, a cross-sectional view along a plane parallel to a circulation walkway of the two levels of the cooling device according to the invention,

[0037] [Fig. 7] represents an on-board charger device according to the invention.

[0038] The features, variations, and different embodiments of the invention, as described or as they will be presented in the detailed description that follows, can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variations of the invention may include only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0039] For the sake of clarity, the same elements are designated by the same references in the different figures.

[0040] Figure 1 shows an example of a cooling device 10 according to the invention. The cooling device 10 is intended to cool electronic components that generate heat during operation. Electronic components can be divided into two categories: first-order electronic components, for example, magnetic components, and second-order electronic components, for example, MOSFETs. Each of these components is characterized by its ability to generate a certain amount of heat, which must therefore be dissipated. The amount of heat generated by these components differs depending on the type of component (MOSFETs or magnetic components) and also varies for a given component type. The cooling device 10 of the invention provides a solution to address these constraints and ensure cooling adapted to the different electronic components.

[0041] The cooling device 10 includes a housing 11 that defines an internal volume through which a coolant circulates to cool the first and second electronic components. The housing 11 extends at least partially around a cavity 12. As illustrated, the housing 11 is annular in shape. It thus forms an internal volume that completely surrounds the cavity 12. Alternatively, the housing may form an internal volume that partially surrounds the cavity 12. The cavity 12 is suitable for housing the first electronic components.

[0042] The housing 11 has an upper wall 13 and a lower wall 130 connected by an external side wall 131 and an internal side wall 131. At least one of these walls is suitable for heat exchange with the second electronic components. In other words, one or more second components are intended to be in direct or indirect contact with one or more of the walls 13, 130, 131, 132.

[0043] According to the invention, the housing 11 includes an inlet 14 for introducing coolant into the housing 11, and an outlet 15 for removing the coolant from the housing 11. The housing 11 also includes a circulation chamber 20 for the coolant. The circulation chamber 20 is fluidly connected to the inlet 14 and the outlet 15, thus forming a circulation channel for the coolant extending between the inlet 14 and the outlet 15 and circulating at least partially around the cavity 12. In the illustrated example, the housing 11 includes two circulation gateways 61, 62 fluidly connected to the circulation channel. Each of the two circulation gateways 61, 62 originates at a first portion 132-1 of the inner side wall 132.A first portion of the internal side wall 132-1 is defined here as one face of the internal side wall, and a second portion of the internal side wall 132-2 is defined as another face of the internal side wall opposite the first portion 132-1, that is, opposite the first portion 132-1 with respect to cavity 12. Each of the two circulation walkways 61, 62 extends from the first portion 132-1 of the internal side wall 132 to the second portion 132-2 of the internal side wall 132. Each circulation walkway 61, 62 extends between the two opposing portions 132-1, 132-2 of the internal side wall 132. Each circulation walkway forms a bifurcation 60 in the circulation channel and divides cavity 12 into sub-cavities on either side of the walkway.The circulation bridge 61 separates the cavity 12 into two sub-cavities 12-1, 12-2, and the circulation bridge 62 separates the cavity 12 into two sub-cavities 12-2, 12-3. This arrangement means that the two circulation bridges 61, 62 form three sub-cavities 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 intended to house initial magnetic components. Since the circulation bridges 61, 62 are fluidly connected to the circulation channel, the coolant flowing within the circulation channel also flows within the circulation bridges 61, 62. The three sub-cavities 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 are three housings for initial electronic components, for example, three initial electronic components, one per sub-cavity. In addition to helping form a physical support for early electronic components, the circulation gateways form an increased heat exchange area for early electronic components.Each sub-cavity has four walls through which the first electronic component can transfer heat to the coolant flowing in the circulation gateway and the circulation channel. Implementing one or more circulation gateways 61, 62 within the housing 11 increases the heat exchange surface area between the electronic components and the coolant. It is understood that the circulation channel and the circulation gateway(s) 61, 62 constitute the path that the coolant takes through the cooling device 10.

[0044] Such a cooling system thus provides improved cooling of the electronic components. Furthermore, it allows for temperature uniformity within the assembly formed by the cooling system and the first and second electronic components, since the cooling system directs the coolant as close as possible to the electronic components, and between the first electronic components.

[0045] Figure 2 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the cooling device 10 of Figure 1 along a plane P2 passing through the cavity 12 perpendicularly to the circulation bridges 61 and 62. The interior of the circulation bridges 61 and 62, hollow to allow the passage of the coolant, is thus visible. A flow F1 of coolant is intended to enter the housing 11 through the inlet 14. Its path through the housing is shown by means of the dashed arrows. The flow F1 of coolant circulates in the circulation chamber, i.e., in the circulation channel, until a bifurcation 60, i.e., a branch with the circulation bridge 61. The flow F1 splits into two flows, F1' and F2. The flow F2 circulates in the circulation channel, i.e., between the outer and inner side walls. The FT coolant flow circulates in the circulation gateway 61.Between portion 132-1 of the internal side wall 132 and portion 132-2 of the internal side wall 132, it is the flow F that is diverted from the circulation channel to flow in the circulation bridge 61. During its passage in the circulation bridge 61, the coolant can absorb heat from the first components arranged on either side of the circulation bridge 61 in the subcavities 12-1 and 12-2. Upon reaching portion 132-2 of the internal side wall 132 (not visible), the flow F1' of coolant rejoins the circulation channel.

[0046] After the circulation bridge 61, that is, after the first bifurcation 60, the coolant flow F2 circulates in the circulation channel to a second bifurcation 60, that is, to another branch, this time with the circulation bridge 62. The flow F2 splits into two flows, F2' and F3. The flow F3 circulates in the circulation channel, that is, between the outer and inner side walls. The coolant flow F2' circulates in the circulation bridge 62. Between the inner side wall 132-1 and the inner side wall 132-2, the flow F2' is diverted from the circulation channel to circulate in the circulation bridge 62.During its passage through the circulation bridge 62, the coolant can absorb heat from the first components located on either side of the circulation bridge 62 in sub-cavities 12-2 and 12-3. Upon reaching the section 132-2 of the internal side wall 132 (not visible), the coolant flow F2' joins the circulation channel. The flow F3, meanwhile, continues its circulation within the circulation channel.

[0047] Subsequently, the F2' flow joins the circulation channel. The F2 flow of coolant is reformed by the convergence of the F2' and F3 flows within the circulation channel. The FT flow also joins the circulation channel. The F1 flow of coolant is then reformed by the convergence of the FT and F2 flows. The F1 flow then exits the housing through outlet 15. The thermal energy of the coolant is higher at the outlet than at the inlet. Indeed, during its passage within the housing 11, in the circulation channel and the circulation bridges, the coolant has received thermal energy from the components in contact with the walls of the circulation channel and the walls of the circulation bridges.

[0048] According to an optional feature of the invention, one circulation bridge may have a larger cross-section than another circulation bridge. This difference in cross-section allows the flow rate of coolant circulating in each bridge to be adjusted. For example, the cross-section of circulation bridge 62 may be larger than that of circulation bridge 61. In this case, the flow F2' has a greater flow rate than the flow FT. This means that more coolant flows through circulation bridge 62 than through circulation bridge 61. The heat exchange occurring through circulation bridge 62 is greater than that occurring through circulation bridge 61. By adapting the cross-sections of the circulation bridges, the level of cooling within the cooling system can be adjusted.The first electronic components generating the most heat are judiciously positioned in contact with the traffic walkway 62, on one side and / or the other of the traffic walkway 62.

[0049] Figure 3 shows, in perspective, a cross-sectional view of another example of a cooling device 10 of the invention along the plane P2 passing through the cavity 12 perpendicularly to the circulation walkways 61, 62. In this example, the circulation chamber 20 comprises a first circulation chamber 21 fluidly connected to the inlet 14, and a second circulation chamber 22 fluidly connected to the outlet 15. In other words, the circulation chamber 20 is split into two circulation chambers 21, 22. One of the first circulation chamber 21 and the second circulation chamber 22 is an upper chamber superimposed, along a superposition plane P1, on the other of the first circulation chamber 21 and the second circulation chamber 22 being the lower chamber.

[0050] These two circulation chambers are arranged one above the other to form a two-level circulation system for the cooling device 10. Of these two circulation chambers, a first circulation chamber 21 is fluidly connected to the inlet 14, and a second circulation chamber 22 is fluidly connected to the outlet 15. One of the two circulation chambers 21 or 22 is designated the upper chamber. The upper chamber is superimposed, according to a superposition plane P1, on the other of the first and second circulation chambers, which is then the lower chamber. It follows that, with respect to the superposition plane P1, the lower chamber is below the superposition plane, while the upper chamber is above the superposition plane. In a variant illustrated in Figure 3, the first circulation chamber 21 is the lower chamber and the second circulation chamber 22 is the upper chamber.It follows that, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the superposition plane, the inlet 14 is located below the outlet 15.

[0051] The housing 11 further includes a fluid connection zone 23 between the first circulation chamber 21 and the second circulation chamber 22, so as to form a circulation channel in which the coolant is intended to flow from the inlet 14 to the outlet 15 through the first circulation chamber 21 and then the second circulation chamber 22. The fluid connection zone 23 is an opening between the first circulation chamber 21 and the second circulation chamber 22. In other words, the fluid connection zone 23 allows the passage of the coolant from the first circulation chamber 21 to the second circulation chamber 22. The cooling device 10 operates as follows: the cooling device 10 is intended to be connected to a coolant circuit.For this purpose, two hydraulic connectors 16 and 17, visible in Figure 7, can be used to connect the inlet 14 to the cooling circuit and the outlet to the cooling circuit, respectively. The coolant enters the housing 11 through the inlet 14 and flows into the first circulation chamber 21. The coolant then passes through the fluid connection zone 23 to enter the second circulation chamber 22. The coolant flows through the second circulation chamber 22 to the outlet 14, where it rejoins the cooling circuit.

[0052] As illustrated in Figure 3, the first circulation chamber 21 is the lower chamber and the second circulation chamber 22 is the upper chamber. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to this configuration, and the reverse configuration, i.e., the first circulation chamber 21 being the upper chamber and the second circulation chamber 22 being the lower chamber, is also conceivable within the scope of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the coolant enters the housing at the level of the lower chamber. Since the first electronic components can be arranged in the cavity 12 located in the center of the housing 11, the thermal energy from the first electronic components can be transferred to the coolant through the wall of the first circulation chamber 21, which delimits the cavity 12.This transfer of thermal energy between the first electronic components and the coolant can also occur similarly in the upper chamber. As it circulates through the upper chamber, the coolant also undergoes heat exchange in the circulation channel of housing 11. Since the upper wall and / or the internal and / or external side wall of housing 11 may be in contact with second electronic components, the coolant circulating in the upper chamber absorbs heat from these second electronic components.

[0053] In one embodiment of the invention, the upper chamber may locally include one or more sectional restrictions 18. Such a sectional restriction is defined in a plane perpendicular to the superposition plane P1. This plane is perpendicular to the streamlines of the coolant. By implementing such sectional restrictions, the fluid velocity is locally increased. This results in a local increase in the coolant velocity, thus facilitating the dissipation of thermal energy generated by the electronic components. The upper chamber may include a plurality of successive sectional restrictions 18. As the coolant passes through the plurality of sectional restrictions, it encounters a succession of convergent and divergent sections.This configuration optimizes the contact time between the coolant and the hot walls of the upper chamber, allowing for improved cooling of the electronic components.

[0054] According to this optional feature, the cooling system is based on a housing 11 that provides coolant circulation in two circulation chambers on two levels, or two stages. Thanks to the overlapping of the two circulation chambers, it is possible to apply targeted cooling according to the position of the electronic components and their respective cooling requirements, without any unnecessary excess material.

[0055] In addition to the circulation within two two-level circulation chambers, the circulation bridge 61 includes a first circulation bridge 611 fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber 21 and a second circulation bridge 612 fluidly connected to the second circulation chamber 22. Similarly, the circulation bridge 62 includes a first circulation bridge 621 fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber 21 and a second circulation bridge 622 fluidly connected to the second circulation chamber 22. The first and second circulation bridges 611 and 621 form circulation bridges for the first circulation chamber 21, and the first and second circulation bridges 612 and 622 form circulation bridges for the second circulation chamber 22.Each gateway 61, 62 is thus composed of sub-gateways allowing the coolant to circulate in a predefined direction around the sub-cavities.

[0056] According to an optional feature of the invention, the cooling device 10 includes a separating plate 24 extending in the superposition plane P1. The separating plate 24 physically separates the first circulation chamber 21 from the second circulation chamber 22. Thanks to the separating plate 24, the coolant is directed first into the first circulation chamber 21 and then into the second circulation chamber 22. The separating plate 24 has a shape complementary to the cross-section of the internal volume of the housing along the superposition plane P1. The separating plate 24 is therefore delimited by the contour of the walls of the housing 11. It is understood that the separating plate is flat. It includes a central opening corresponding to the location of the cavity 12. It also includes a lateral opening corresponding to the fluid connection zone 23.The separation plate 24 physically separates the first from the second circulation chamber, except at its lateral opening to allow the passage of the coolant at the fluid connection zone 23.

[0057] The separation plane between the two levels of the cooling device can be considered equivalent to the superposition plane P1. Physical separation can be achieved during the manufacturing of the housing, for example, by stamping. Alternatively, physical separation between the two chambers can be achieved by means of the separation plate 24, inserted and fixed between the two chambers. Hereafter, although the invention is by no means limited to this, the housing 11 will be described in the variant with the separation plate 24.

[0058] Based on the example in Figure 3, an example of coolant circulation within such a cooling device will now be described. The coolant enters the housing 11, flows through the first circulation chamber 21, passes through the fluid connection zone 23, and flows into the second circulation chamber 22. The lateral opening of the separating plate 24 is located opposite the inlet 14 of the housing 11. The coolant circulation within the housing is schematically represented by arrows. The coolant, corresponding to a flow F, passes through the inlet 14 and is divided into two flows, F1 and G1, on either side of the cavity 12. As illustrated, flow F1 flows clockwise and flow G1 flows counterclockwise in the first circulation chamber 21. At the circulation gateway 61, flow F1 is divided into two flows: F1 and F2.Flow F2 continues its path in the circulation channel of the first chamber 21. Flow FT crosses the first circulation bridge 611 of bridge 61 and joins the circulation channel on the other side of sub-cavity 12-1. It meets flow GT. Flows G1 and FT together form flow G2. At circulation bridge 62, flow F2 is split into two flows: F2' and F3. Flow F3 continues its path in the circulation channel of the first chamber 21. Flow F2' crosses the first circulation bridge 621 of the second bridge 62 and joins the circulation channel on the other side of sub-cavity 12-2. It meets flow G2. Flows G2 and F2' together form flow G3.

[0059] The two flows F3 and G3 converge at the fluid connection zone 23 and pass through the lateral opening of the separating plate 24 to enter the second circulation chamber 22. Similar to what occurs after passing through the inlet 14, the coolant flow formed by F3 and G3 splits into two flows H1 and H11 on either side of the cavity 12. A first flow H1 passes on one side of the second circulation chamber 22 while a second flow H1 passes on the other side of the second circulation chamber 22. At the circulation gateway 62, the flow H1 is split into two flows: HT and H2. The H2 flow continues its path in the circulation channel of the second chamber 22, the HT flow passes through the second circulation gateway 62 and joins the circulation channel on the other side of the sub-cavity 12-3. It encounters flow 11. Flows 11 and HT form flow I2.At the circulation bridge 61, the H2 flow is split into two flows: H2' and H3. The H3 flow continues its path in the circulation channel of the second chamber 22, while the H2' flow crosses the second circulation bridge 612 of the bridge 61 and joins the circulation channel on the other side of the sub-cavity 12-2. It meets the I2 flow. The I2 and H2' flows form the I3 flow. The two flows, I3 and H3, converge at the outlet 15 of the housing where the coolant leaves the cooling device 10.

[0060] As already mentioned, the section of each traffic bridge 611, 612, 621, 622 can be adapted to the cooling requirement.

[0061] Such a cooling system increases the heat exchange surface area between the electronic components and the coolant, resulting in enhanced cooling. Furthermore, the circulation channels dividing cavity 12 into sub-cavities 12-1, 12-2, and 12-3 introduce coolant circulation through cavity 12. This results in more uniform cooling of the initial electronic components. By locally adjusting the cross-section of the circulation channel and the circulation channel, it is possible to achieve heat exchange sized to meet the required heat dissipation needs.

[0062] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view along the separation plane P1 of the cooling device in Figure 3, viewed from above. This cross-sectional view shows the separation plate 24, which physically separates the first circulation chamber (here below the separation plate) from the second circulation chamber (here above the separation plate). The separation plate has a lateral opening on the side of the housing opposite to the inlet 14 and outlet 15. This lateral opening corresponds to the fluid connection zone 23, which allows the coolant to flow from the first circulation chamber 21 to the second circulation chamber 22.

[0063] Figure 5 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of another example of the cooling device of the invention along a plane P2 passing through the cavity 12 perpendicularly to the circulation bridges 61, 62. The cooling device shown in Figure 5 is identical to the cooling device shown in Figure 3 except for the two circulation bridges 61, 62. In the example shown in Figure 5, each circulation bridge 61, 62 is fluidically connected only to the first circulation chamber 21. In this example, this is the lower chamber. In other words, there is a bifurcation from the circulation channel to the first bridge 61 and then to the second bridge 62 only in the first circulation chamber 21.This means that when the coolant flow passes through the fluidic connection zone 23 and enters the second circulation chamber 22, there is no bifurcation of the coolant intended to cool the first electronic components in the second circulation chamber 22. In other words, all the coolant that circulates in the second circulation chamber is dedicated to cooling the second components.

[0064] This is an example of an implementation, and the same principle applies to the second circulation chamber 22. In this case, each circulation gateway 61, 62 is fluidically connected only to the second circulation chamber 22. In the first circulation chamber 21, there is therefore no branching of the coolant intended to cool the first electronic components.

[0065] Based on the same principle of adapting the circulation of the coolant through the cavity, it is also possible to consider a gateway, for example gateway 61, fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber 21 only, and another gateway, for example gateway 62, fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber 21 and to the second circulation chamber 22.

[0066] It is clear from the foregoing that the cooling device according to the invention is fully modular, adapting to the cooling requirements of the components and their placement on the cooling device. The cooling device directs a flow of coolant to each electronic component to ensure targeted cooling.

[0067] Figure 6 shows, in perspective, a cross-sectional view, along a plane P3 Parallel to a circulation bridge, the two levels of the cooling device are shown according to an optional feature of the invention. In this view, the subcavities 12-2 and 12-3, which can house the first electronic components, are visible. The two subcavities are separated by the circulation bridge 62, which allows both the first electronic components to be held in position within the subcavities and heat exchange between the first electronic components and the coolant circulating in the circulation bridge 62.

[0068] In the plane P3 perpendicular to the superposition plane P1, a section S1 of the upper chamber is smaller than a section S2 of the lower chamber. The difference in cross-section between the upper and lower chambers results in a higher velocity for the coolant circulating in the upper chamber. This higher circulation velocity leads to improved cooling, particularly of the second electronic components 50 located on the upper wall 13 and / or the side wall 131 of the housing 11.

[0069] Figure 7 shows an on-board charger device 500 according to the invention, the on-board charger device comprising at least some first electronic components and a cooling device 10 as described in this document. The on-board charger device 500 includes a housing 510 on which the cooling device 10 is disposed. A cavity 12, divided into sub-cavities 12-1, 12-2, 12-3 by the circulation walkways 61, 62, is defined by the cooling device 10 within which first electronic components 51 are disposed. The first electronic component(s) are disposed in the sub-cavities 12-1, 12-2, 12-3. Although not shown, one or more second electronic components may be disposed on the upper wall, the lower wall, and / or the external or internal side walls of the housing 11.Thanks to the innovative structure of the cooling system, the onboard charging system benefits from optimized cooling tailored to its operating requirements. Coolant is introduced into the cooling unit 10 and discharged from it via hydraulic connectors 16 and 17. The circulation of coolant through the circulation chamber 20, or the circulation chambers 21 and 22, guides the coolant within the housing 11 and enhances heat exchange where cooling is most critical, particularly in the upper chamber which supports MOSFET-type electronic components and through the cavity 12 which houses the first electronic components 51.The circulation of the coolant through the circulation channels guides the coolant through cavity 12 and enhances heat exchange within cavity 12 itself. The invention thus enables improved and targeted cooling. Furthermore, the cooling level can be adjusted during the design phase according to the final configuration of the onboard charger.

[0070] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples just described, and many modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the features of different embodiments of the invention can be combined to carry out the invention, provided that these embodiments are not incompatible with each other.

Claims

DEMANDS 1- Cooling device (10) for electronic components capable of generating heat, comprising a housing (11) extending around a cavity (12) between an upper wall (13) and a lower wall (130) connected to each other by an external side wall (131) and an internal side wall (132) of the housing (11), the cavity (12) being formed at least between two opposing portions (132-1, 132-2) of the internal side wall (132) and capable of receiving first electronic components (51), at least one of the walls (13, 130, 131, 132) being intended to perform heat exchange with second electronic components (50), the cooling device (10) being characterized in that the housing (11) comprises: an inlet (14) for introducing coolant into the housing (11), an outlet (15) intended to drain the coolant from the housing (11), a circulation chamber (20) fluidly connected to the inlet (14) and outlet (15), so as to form a circulation channel in which the coolant is intended to circulate from the inlet (14) to the outlet (15), at least one circulation gateway (61, 62) fluidly connected to the circulation channel, each circulation gateway (61, 62) extending between two portions (132-1, 132-2) of the internal side wall (132) opposite each other, so as to form a bifurcation (60) in the circulation channel and separate the cavity (12) into sub-cavities (12-1, 12-2, 12-3) on either side of the circulation gateway. 2- Cooling device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising at least two traffic walkways (61, 62), a first (61) of the at least two traffic walkways having a cross-section greater than a second (62) of the at least two traffic walkways. 3- Cooling device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the circulation chamber (20) comprises: a first circulation chamber (21) fluidly connected to the inlet a second circulation chamber (22) fluidly connected to the outlet (15), one of the first and second circulation chambers (21, 22) being a superimposed upper chamber, according to a superposition plane (P1), to the other of the first and second circulation chambers being the lower chamber, a fluidic connection zone (23) between the first circulation chamber (21) and the second circulation chamber (22), so that the circulation channel extends from the inlet (14) to the outlet (15) through the first circulation chamber (21) and then the second circulation chamber (22). 4- Cooling device (10) according to claim 3, in which one of at least one circulation gateway (61, 62) is fluidly connected to one of the first circulation chamber (21) and the second circulation chamber (22). 5- Cooling device (10) according to claim 3, in which one of at least one circulation gateway (61, 62) comprises a first circulation gateway (611, 621) fluidly connected to the first circulation chamber (21) and a second circulation gateway (612, 622) fluidly connected to the second circulation chamber (22). 6- Cooling device (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, in a plane (P3) perpendicular to the superposition plane (P1), a section (S1) of the upper chamber is less than a section (S2) of the lower chamber. 7- Cooling device (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, further comprising a separation plate (24) extending in the superposition plane (P1) separating the first circulation chamber (21) from the second circulation chamber (22). 8- On-board charging device (500) comprising first electronic components and a cooling device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the first electronic components (51) being arranged in the subcavities (12-1, 12-2, 12-3). 9- On-board charging device (500) according to claim 8, comprising second electronic components arranged on at least one of the walls of the housing (11).

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