Heat sink for power module

Abstract

A power module includes a power device and a heat sink. The heat sink includes a refrigerant passage in which a cooling medium flows and a corrugated fin body arranged in the refrigerant passage. The refrigerant passage is defined by a surface and a backside, and the power device is disposed in proximity to the surface. The corrugated fin body has crests and troughs that extend in the flow direction of the cooling medium and side walls each of which connects the corresponding one of the crests with the adjacent one of the troughs. Each adjacent pair of the side walls and the corresponding one of the crests or the corresponding one of the troughs arranged between the adjacent side walls form a fin. A guide that extends in the flow direction of the cooling medium and operates to stir the cooling medium is arranged in each of the fins.

1 . A power module comprising:
 a power device; and   a heat sink to which heat generated by the power device is transmitted, the heat sink including:   a refrigerant passage in which a cooling medium that dissipates the heat generated by the power device flows, the refrigerant passage is defined by a surface and a backside, and the power device is disposed in proximity to said surface; and   a corrugated fin body arranged in the refrigerant passage,   wherein the corrugated fin body has crests and troughs that extend in a flow direction of the cooling medium and side walls each of which connects the corresponding one of the crests with the adjacent one of the troughs, wherein each adjacent pair of the side walls and the corresponding one of the crests or the corresponding one of the troughs arranged between the adjacent side walls form a fin, and wherein a guide that extends in the flow direction of the cooling medium and operates to stir the cooling medium is arranged in each of the fins.   
     
     
         2 . The power module according to  claim 1 , wherein a wave formed by the corrugated fin body has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         3 . A power module comprising:
 a power device; and   a heat sink to which heat generated by the power device is transmitted, the heat sink including:   a refrigerant passage in which a cooling medium that dissipates the heat generated by the power device flows, the refrigerant passage is defined by a surface and a backside, and the power device is disposed in proximity to said surface; and   a guide member arranged in the refrigerant passage,   wherein the guide member has a first guide plate and a second guide plate,   wherein the first guide plate is formed by a corrugated fin body including crests and troughs that are alternately arranged, and side walls each of which connects the corresponding one of the crests with the adjacent one of the troughs, wherein each adjacent pair of the side walls and the corresponding one of the crests or the corresponding one of the troughs arranged between the adjacent side walls form a first fin, the first fin operating to guide the cooling medium in a direction inclined at a first angle with respect to a flow direction of the cooling medium, and   wherein the second guide plate is formed by a corrugated fin body including crests and troughs that are alternately arranged, and side walls each of which connects the corresponding one of the crests with the adjacent one of the troughs, wherein each adjacent pair of the side walls and the corresponding one of the crests or the corresponding one of the troughs arranged between the adjacent side walls form a second fin, the second fin operating to guide the cooling medium in a direction inclined at a second angle, which is different from the first angle, with respect to the flow direction of the cooling medium.   
     
     
         4 . The power module according to  claim 3 , wherein a partition wall is arranged between the first guide plate and the second guide plate, the partition wall allowing connection between an inner side of a portion of the first fin and an inner side of a portion of the second fin that are located at each of two ends of the partition wall in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling medium, and prohibiting connection between an inner side of a portion of the first fin and an inner side of a portion of the second fin that are arranged at the positions other than the ends. 
     
     
         5 . The power module according to  claim 3 , wherein a wave formed by the first guide plate and a wave formed by the second guide plate each have a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         6 . A power module comprising:
 a power device; and   a heat sink to which heat generated by the power device is transmitted, the heat sink including:   a refrigerant passage in which a cooling medium that dissipates the heat generated by the power device flows; and   a comb tooth member arranged in the refrigerant passage,   wherein the comb tooth member has a substrate extending parallel with the surface on which the power device is arranged and a plurality of upright walls that project from the substrate in a direction crossing the surface on which the power device is arranged, each of the upright walls extending along a flow direction of the cooling medium in the refrigerant passage, wherein each upright wall has a guide portion that operates to stir the cooling medium flowing between the upright wall and the adjacent one of the upright walls.   
     
     
         7 . The power module according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide portion provided in one of two opposing surfaces of each adjacent pair of the upright walls and the guide portion provided in the other of the opposing surfaces are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the flow direction of the cooling medium. 
     
     
         8 . The power module according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the guide portions includes a projection projecting from the corresponding one of the upright walls. 
     
     
         9 . The power module according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the guide portions includes a recess formed in the corresponding one of the upright walls. 
     
     
         10 . The power module according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the guide portions includes a through hole formed in the corresponding one of the upright walls. 
     
     
         11 . A power module comprising:
 a power device; and   a heat sink to which heat generated by the power device is transmitted, the heat sink including:   a laminated body including a plurality of passage plates that are joined together; and   a plurality of parallel grooves that are arranged between each adjacent pair of the passage plates,   wherein each of the grooves functions as a refrigerant passage in which a cooling medium that dissipates the heat generated by the power device flows, and wherein each of the passage plates includes a guide portion operating to stir the cooling medium flowing in the corresponding groove.   
     
     
         12 . The power module according to  claim 11 , wherein the guide portions include a first set of guide portions and a second set of guide portions that are provided in correspondence with each of the grooves, and wherein the first set of guide portions and the second set of guide portions are inclined in opposite directions with respect to a flow direction of the cooling medium. 
     
     
         13 . The power module according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the guide portions includes a projection projecting from the corresponding one of the passage plates. 
     
     
         14 . The power module according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the guide portions includes a recess formed in the corresponding one of the passage plates. 
     
     
         15 . The power module according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the guide portions includes a through hole formed in the corresponding one of the passage plates. 
     
     
         16 . A power module comprising:
 a power device; and   a heat sink to which heat generated by the power device is transmitted, the heat sink including:   a refrigerant passage in which a cooling medium that dissipates the heat generated by the power device flows, the refrigerant passage is defined by a surface and a backside, and the power device is disposed in proximity to said surface; and   an exchange device arranged in the refrigerant passage,   wherein the exchange device moves the cooling medium from an area of the refrigerant passage close to the surface on which the power device is provided to an area of the refrigerant passage far from the surface on which the power device is provided, and from the area of the refrigerant passage far from the surface on which the power device is provided to the area of the refrigerant passage close to the surface on which the power device is provided.   
     
     
         17 . The power module according to  claim 16 , wherein the exchange device has a first passage and a second passage, wherein the first passage moves the cooling medium from the area of the refrigerant passage close to the surface on which the power device is provided to the area of the refrigerant passage far from the surface on which the power device is provided, and the second passage moves the cooling medium from the area of the refrigerant passage far from the surface on which the power device is provided to the area of the refrigerant passage close to the surface on which the power device is provided, and wherein the first passage and the second passage are arranged alternately in a direction along a width of the refrigerant passage. 
     
     
         18 . The power module according to  claim 17 , wherein in the exchange device, a first plate in which the first passage is provided and a second plate in which the second passage is provided are laminated in the direction along the width of the refrigerant passage.