DE102020107173A1 - Cooling arrangement for at least one current-carrying component of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling arrangement for at least one current-carrying component of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one component carrier on which the at least one current-carrying component is arranged, and at least one heat pipe for dissipating heat loss produced by means of the current-carrying component to a heat sink of the cooling arrangement, the at least a heat pipe is passed through at least one component carrier opening and is at least indirectly connected to the component carrier in a thermally conductive manner in the region of the component carrier opening, a section of the heat pipe being arranged in the heat sink for dissipating the heat loss. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle with such a cooling arrangement.

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling arrangement for at least one current-carrying component of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle with at least one such cooling arrangement.

Power electronics for automotive applications are predominantly liquid-cooled. Heat from electronic components or circuit boards is dissipated directly or via heat conduction through a housing to a coolant. If necessary, additional cooling paths can be implemented using struts or plates. Especially in charging units of electrically powered motor vehicles, stacks of blanks are used, of which only the outer blanks can usually be thermally connected directly to a housing. A thermal interface material (TIM), for example in the form of thermal paste, is usually used for the thermal connection.

The amount of heat that can be dissipated is limited by the thermal conductivity of the housing and the thermal interface material. In most cases, relatively large distances between the component to be cooled and the heat sink, for example in the form of a cooling circuit, have to be overcome. Heat is dissipated at connection points between circuit boards and housing, for example in the form of screw-on points, electrical connections and the like. An example of this is the ground connection of a circuit board via a screw-on point: Here, thermal energy is conducted to the screw-on point via conductor tracks on the circuit boards and diverted to a housing via the screw connection and a contact surface at the screw-on point. Such boards are usually centered using centering pins in the associated housing.

Cooling components via a housing is usually relatively inefficient due to the limited thermal conductivity of the housing materials commonly used, for example aluminum. Therefore, additional processing surfaces are often required at connection points with the thermal interface material. If stacks of blanks are used, only the external components can be cooled. In the worst case, this can lead to thermal operating restrictions. If components located inside the device are to be cooled, additional struts or webs are often required. This increases weight and costs. The heat dissipation (for example by a thermal interface material), the mechanical fastening (for example by screws, clips and the like), the positioning (for example with the help of centering pins) and electrical contacting (for example by means of cable lugs, on-board connectors and the like ) are usually represented separately from individual components in a function-based manner.

the EP 1 054 583 A2 shows a cooling arrangement for electronic components. The electronic components are placed on carriers arranged one above the other, the carriers being connected to respective side walls of a housing via respective brackets. Heat pipes run in a meandering shape in the side walls, which serve to dissipate heat loss from the electronic components through the intermediary of the carrier. The side walls are L-shaped in a lower area and bear against a cooling plate through which a cooling medium flows and which serves as a heat sink.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a particularly simple and effective solution by means of which heat loss can be dissipated from current-carrying components.

This object is achieved by a cooling arrangement with the features of claim 1. Further possible embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

The cooling arrangement according to the invention for at least one current-carrying component of a motor vehicle comprises at least one component carrier on which the at least one current-carrying component is arranged, and at least one heat pipe for dissipating heat loss produced by means of the current-carrying component to a heat sink of the cooling arrangement. The at least one heat pipe is passed through at least one component carrier opening and is at least indirectly connected to the component carrier in a thermally conductive manner in the area of the component carrier opening, a section of the heat pipe being arranged in the heat sink for dissipating the heat loss.

The component carrier can be, for example, a circuit board, a shield plate or, for example, a web-shaped component carrier. In principle, the component carrier can be any carrier that can be designed to accommodate current-carrying components and also to contact them. The at least one current-carrying component can be, for example, a resistor, a semiconductor, a busbar, a coil and the like. In particular, the current-carrying component can be a component for power electronics of a motor vehicle.

The at least one heat pipe is used to dissipate heat loss from the at least one current-carrying component, whereby the heat loss can be transferred from the component carrier to the heat pipe via heat conduction, and the heat loss absorbed by the heat pipe can then be released to the heat sink. In addition, the at least one heat pipe is used to mechanically hold the at least one component carrier. The heat pipe can also be used for electrical contact, in particular for ground connection, of the at least one current-carrying component. In addition, the at least one heat pipe can also serve to center the component carrier. The heat sink can be, for example, a cooling body through which a cooling medium flows, or it can also be a housing.

The at least one heat pipe can allow a very high heat flux density using the evaporation heat of a medium contained in the heat pipe. In this way, very large amounts of heat can be transported over the smallest cross-sectional area. In addition, the thermal resistance of a heat pipe at working temperature is significantly lower than that of metals. In addition, there is an almost constant temperature over the length of the heat pipe. With the same transmission capacity, significantly lighter designs are therefore possible than with conventional heat exchangers under the same operating conditions.

In the case of the cooling arrangement according to the invention, a very high degree of functional combination or functional integration is achieved. Heat dissipation, mechanical fastening, positioning and electrical contacting can be implemented via the at least one heat pipe, which is passed through the at least one component carrier opening and is at least indirectly connected to the component carrier in a thermally conductive manner in the area of the component carrier opening. This results in a particularly compact design of the cooling arrangement, which enables particularly good heat dissipation from the at least one current-carrying component, even when the installation space is limited.

In addition, it is also possible, for example, to achieve very good cooling of the current-carrying component in the case of, for example, a central arrangement of the at least one current-carrying component on the component carrier. Of course, with the cooling arrangement it is also possible that several different or the same current-carrying components are arranged on the at least one component carrier, the at least one heat pipe serving to dissipate lost heat produced by means of the current-carrying components to the heat sink of the cooling arrangement.

One possible embodiment of the invention provides that the at least one heat pipe is a heat pipe. Heat pipes use the wick principle to lead a condensed fluid back to the evaporator in the heat pipe. This process is therefore independent of the position. Heat pipes also work under weightlessness. Compared to thermosiphons, which are also a certain type of heat pipe, they hardly tend to dry out, since the flow of liquid through the capillary is significantly improved, which leads to a higher transferable heat flow. The capillary structure of heat pipes also ensures that, unlike the thermosiphon, the heat can be supplied anywhere and at any height. By means of the heat pipe, it is therefore possible, regardless of the relative arrangement of the current-carrying component to the heat sink, to reliably dissipate lost heat from the current-carrying component at any time. Alternatively, it is also possible that the at least one heat pipe is a gravity-driven heat pipe, for example a 2-phase thermosiphon or a gravitational heat pipe.

Another possible embodiment of the invention provides that the component carrier is held on the heat sink exclusively by means of the at least one heat pipe. No further measures or elements are therefore necessary in order to keep the component carrier arranged on the heat sink. As a result, corresponding components and corresponding weight can be saved in the cooling arrangement.

According to a further possible embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the at least one heat pipe is U-shaped, with respective legs of the heat pipe being passed through respective component carrier openings and at least indirectly connected to the component carrier in the region of the component carrier openings in a thermally conductive manner, with the in the heat sink arranged section is located between the legs. Due to the U-shaped design of the heat pipe, the component carrier can be held at two different points by means of the heat pipe, with heat loss being able to be dissipated at these different points, that is to say in the area of the component carrier openings. In particular, the u-shape of the heat pipe can be selected so that the section arranged between the legs is relatively long and a particularly large area of the heat pipe is arranged in the heat sink in order to dissipate heat particularly effectively to the heat sink.

Another possible embodiment of the invention provides that the section of the heat pipe is pressed into a groove in the heat sink or is immersed in a cooling medium flowing through the heat sink. In the first case, the heat pipe can be fastened in the heat sink in a particularly simple manner and contacted with it in a thermally conductive manner. In the second case, it is possible to thermally connect the heat pipe directly to the cooling medium that flows through the heat sink.

According to a further possible embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the heat sink is a housing and / or a heat sink through which a cooling medium can flow. Depending on the boundary conditions, it can be sufficient if the heat sink is a housing which can be air-cooled, for example, so that the heat loss given off to the heat sink can be given off particularly easily, for example, to the environment. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible that the heat sink is a heat sink that is connected to a cooling circuit, so that the heat sink can be flown through by means of a cooling medium, to which the heat loss absorbed by the heat pipe can be given off particularly efficiently.

In a further possible embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a clamping ring, in particular with the intermediary of a thermal interface material, for example in the form of a heat-conducting paste or the like, is connected in a thermally conductive manner to one side of the at least one component carrier, an opening of the clamping ring being arranged and aligned with the component carrier opening the heat pipe is passed through both openings. As an alternative or in addition, it is also possible for the component carrier to be pressed onto the heat pipe with its component carrier opening. The clamping ring can, for example, be pressed onto the heat pipe and / or screwed onto the component carrier. The clamping ring serves as a type of assembly stop and for thermal contacting of the component carrier with the at least one heat pipe. During assembly, the component carrier can, for example, initially be placed on the clamping ring and thermally connected to the at least one heat pipe over a large area by means of the thermal interface material, that is to say a so-called thermal interface material. It is also possible to omit the clamping ring, in which case the component carrier can be pressed onto the heat pipe with its component carrier opening. In the area of the component carrier opening, for example, a sheet metal collar or another collar can be provided to enlarge the contact area between the component carrier opening and the heat pipe. As a result, the heat transfer performance from the component carrier to the heat pipe can be improved.

A further possible embodiment of the invention provides that further heat pipes are passed through respective further component carrier openings and are at least indirectly connected to the at least one component carrier in a thermally conductive manner in the area of the component carrier openings, with respective sections of the further heat pipes being arranged in the heat sink to dissipate the heat loss. It is thus possible to provide a thermal connection to the large number of heat pipes at a wide variety of points on the component carrier, so that a particularly large amount of heat loss can be transferred from the component carrier to the heat pipes. In particular, if a large number of current-carrying components are arranged at various points on the component carrier, this can ensure that all current-carrying components can be cooled particularly well by dissipating heat loss through them to the various heat pipes.

Another possible embodiment of the invention provides that the cooling arrangement has further component carriers on each of which at least one current-carrying component is arranged, the component carriers being arranged one above the other and the at least one heat pipe being passed through at least one respective component carrier opening in the further component carriers and at least indirectly is connected to the respective component carriers in a thermally conductive manner in the region of the respective component carrier openings. Thus, several component carriers, on each of which at least one current-carrying component is arranged, can be arranged very compactly one above the other, with the at least one heat pipe making it possible in a particularly efficient manner to dissipate heat loss from the current-carrying components to the heat sink.

The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises at least one cooling arrangement according to the invention or a possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement according to the invention.

Further features of the invention can emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features and combinations of features shown on their own in the description of the figures and / or in the figures are not only in the specified combination, but also in other combinations or on their own can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

• 1 eine Perspektivansicht einer Kühlungsanordnung für mehrere stromführende Komponenten eines Kraftfahrzeugs, die an jeweiligen übereinander angeordneten Komponententrägern befestigt sind, wobei die Kühlungsanordnung mehrere u-förmig ausgebildete Wärmerohre aufweist, welche dazu dienen, durch die stromführenden Komponenten erzeugte Verlustwärme an eine Wärmsenke der Kühlungsanordnung abzuführen;
• 2 eine Seitenschnittansicht einer möglichen Ausführungsform der Kühlungsanordnung, wobei diese nur teilweise dargestellt ist;
• 3 eine Seitenschnittansicht einer weiteren möglichen Ausführungsform der Kühlungsanordnung, wobei diese ebenfalls nur teilweise dargestellt ist;
• 4 eine Seitenschnittansicht einer weiteren möglichen Ausführungsform der Kühlungsanordnung, wobei diese ebenfalls nur teilweise dargestellt ist.

The drawing shows in:

• 1 a perspective view of a cooling arrangement for several current-carrying components of a motor vehicle, which are fastened to respective component carriers arranged one above the other, the cooling arrangement having several U-shaped heat pipes which serve to dissipate heat losses generated by the current-carrying components to a heat sink of the cooling arrangement;
• 2 a side sectional view of a possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement, this is only partially shown;
• 3 a side sectional view of a further possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement, which is also only partially shown;
• 4th a side sectional view of a further possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement, which is also only partially shown.

Identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

A cooling arrangement 10 for multiple live components 12th of a motor vehicle, of which only one can be seen here, is shown in a perspective view in FIG 1 shown. The cooling arrangement 10 comprises several component carriers arranged one above the other 14th to which the respective live components 12th are arranged. With the component carriers 14th it can be, for example, circuit boards, shielding plates or, for example, also - deviating from the present illustration - web-shaped component carriers that contain a wide variety of current-carrying components 12th be able to record. With the live components 12th it can be, for example, resistors, semiconductors, busbars, coils and the like. In particular, it can be with the current-carrying components 12th be components for power electronics of the motor vehicle in question.

The cooling arrangement 10 furthermore comprises a plurality of U-shaped heat pipes 16 that are used to dissipate by means of the current-carrying components 12th produced heat loss to a heat sink 18th the cooling arrangement 10 to serve. With the heat pipes 16 it can in particular be heat pipes. The heat pipes 16 serve as a mechanical holder for the component carriers that are arranged one above the other 14th . In addition, the heat pipes 16 for example also for electrical contacting, in particular for ground connection, of the current-carrying components 12th and / or the component carrier 14th to serve. At the heat sink 18th it can be, for example, a housing and / or a cooling body through which a cooling medium can flow.

The u-shaped heat pipes 16 are passed through respective component carrier openings, which are not designated in any more detail here, and are at least indirectly thermally conductive in the area of the component carrier openings with the component carriers 14th connected, with a respective middle section 20th the heat pipes 16 in the heat sink 18th is arranged. Respective legs 22nd the heat pipes 16 are passed through the respective component carrier openings and at least indirectly conduct heat in the area of the component carrier openings with the respective component carriers 14th tied together. The respective middle section 20th is located between the respective legs 22nd the heat pipes 16 . In the case shown here are the middle sections 20th the heat pipes 16 in respective grooves 24 the heat sink 18th arranged, for example, by the sections 20th in the grooves 24 are pressed in.

In 2 is a possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement 10 partially shown in a side sectional view. The cooling arrangement 10 includes each leg 22nd the heating pipes 16 for each of the component carriers 14th a respective clamping ring 26th . The clamping rings 26th are mediated by a thermal interface material 28 , for example in the form of a thermal paste, thermally conductive with respective undersides 30th the component carrier 14th tied together. The openings of the clamping rings cannot be seen here 26th are in alignment with the respective component carrier openings of the component carriers, which cannot be seen here 14th arranged, the respective legs 22nd the u-shaped heat pipes 16 through both openings, i.e. through the respective openings of the clamping rings 26th and the component carrier 14th , are passed through. The clamping rings 26th can for example on the respective leg 22nd the heat pipes 16 pressed on and / or on the component carriers 14th be screwed on. The clamping rings 26th can in particular serve as a type of assembly stop and also serve for thermal contacting of the respective component carriers 14th to the heat pipes 16 .

In 3 is another possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement 10 partially shown in a side sectional view. In the embodiment of the cooling arrangement shown here 10 are the component carriers 14th with their respective Component carrier openings not marked here on the respective heat pipes 16 pressed on. In the area of the component carrier openings of the component carriers, which are not identified here 14th For example, sheet metal collars can be provided around respective contact surfaces between the component carriers 14th and the heat pipes 16 to enlarge.

In 4th is a further possible embodiment of the cooling arrangement 10 partially shown in a side sectional view. The embodiment shown here differs from that in FIG 2 embodiment shown in that the heat pipes 16 directly into a cooling medium 32 inside the heat sink 18th protrude. The cooling medium 32 can through an inflow and outflow, not shown here, into the heat sink 18th flow in and flow out of it again. The cooling medium 32 belongs to a coolant circuit, thus the heat pipes 16 that is, directly into the coolant circuit or into the coolant 32 of the coolant circuit protrude. This results in a direct thermal connection to the heat pipes 16 to the cooling medium 32 , as a result of this by means of the heat pipes 16 from the live components 12th absorbed or dissipated heat loss particularly efficiently to the cooling medium 32 and the associated coolant circuit can be delivered.

List of reference symbols

10

Cooling arrangement

12th

live component

14th

Component carrier

16

Heat pipe

18th

Heat sink

20th

Section of the heat pipe arranged in the heat sink

22nd

Leg of the heat pipe

24

Grooves in the heat sink

26th

Clamping rings

28

thermal interface material

30th

Underside of the component carrier

32

Cooling medium in the heat sink

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• EP 1054583 A2 [0005]

Claims (10)

Cooling arrangement (10) for at least one current-carrying component (12) of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one component carrier (14) on which the at least one current-carrying component (12) is arranged, and at least one heat pipe (16) for dissipating by means of the current-carrying component (12) produced heat loss to a heat sink (18) of the cooling arrangement (10), characterized in that the at least one heat pipe (16) is passed through at least one component carrier opening and is at least indirectly connected to the component carrier (14) in a thermally conductive manner in the area of the component carrier opening, wherein a section (20) of the heat pipe (16) for dissipating the heat loss is arranged in the heat sink (18). Cooling arrangement (10) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one heat pipe (16) is a heat pipe. Cooling arrangement (10) after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the component carrier (14) is held on the heat sink (18) exclusively by means of the at least one heat pipe (16). Cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one heat pipe (16) is U-shaped, with respective legs (22) of the heat pipe (16) being passed through respective component carrier openings and at least indirectly heat-conducting in the area of the component carrier openings the component carrier (14) are connected, the section (20) arranged in the heat sink (18) being located between the legs (22). Cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the section (20) of the heat pipe (16) is pressed into a groove (24) in the heat sink (18) or into a cooling medium (32) flowing through the heat sink (18) ) dives. Cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink (18) is a housing and / or a cooling body through which a cooling medium (32) can flow. Cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a clamping ring (26), in particular with the mediation of a thermal interface material (28), is connected in a thermally conductive manner to one side (30) of the at least one component carrier (14), wherein one The opening of the clamping ring (26) is arranged in alignment with the component carrier opening and the heat pipe (16) is passed through both openings; - And / or the component carrier (14) is pressed onto the heat pipe (16) with its component carrier opening. Cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that further heat pipes (16) are passed through respective further component carrier openings and are at least indirectly connected to the at least one component carrier (14) in the region of the component carrier openings, with respective sections (20) of the further heat pipes (16) for dissipating the heat loss are arranged in the heat sink (18). Cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling arrangement (10) has further component carriers (14), on each of which at least one current-carrying component (12) is arranged, the component carriers (14) being arranged one above the other and the at least one heat pipe (16) is passed through at least one component carrier opening in each of the further component carriers (14) and is at least indirectly connected to the respective component carriers (14) in a thermally conductive manner in the area of the respective component carrier openings. Motor vehicle with a cooling arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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