US 12,108,580 B2
Direct cooling of a power converter by using a stamped plate
Thomas Gradinger, Aarau Rohr (CH); Andreas Apelsmeier, Pollenfeld (DE); Benjamin Söhnle, Ingolstadt (DE); and Daniele Torresin, Baden (CH)
Assigned to AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE); and Hitachi Energy Ltd, Zurich (CH)
Appl. No. 17/435,489
Filed by AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE); and Hitachi Energy Ltd, Zurich (CH)
PCT Filed Feb. 27, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/055139
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/178131, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 202 902.7 (DE), filed on Mar. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0142016 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. H05K 7/20 (2006.01); H01L 23/473 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 7/20927 (2013.01) [H01L 23/473 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power converter, comprising:
at least one semiconductor module, each having a base plate with a cooling structure, and
a cooling housing,
wherein the cooling housing comprises a receptacle plate and a cover, which is formed independent of the receptacle plate and which is welded to the receptacle plate around at least one opening provided in the receptacle plate,
wherein each base plate is arranged in a corresponding one of the at least one opening of the receptacle plate and is thereby connected to the receptacle plate, so that each cooling structure extends into a cooling duct of the cooling housing,
wherein a cooling fluid flows through the cooling duct, and the cooling duct is delimited by the receptacle plate, the cover, and each base plate,
wherein a flow blocker configured as an insert is placed inside the cooling duct, inboard of all seams between the receptacle plate and the cover, and is shaped to guide the cooling fluid through each cooling structure and to reduce an amount of cooling fluid that would otherwise bypass each cooling structure, and
wherein one or more of the base plate, the receptacle plate, and the cover are bent in a curved shape in a connecting region at which the base plate, the receptacle plate, and the cover are welded to one another.