Inverter with a housing having a cooling unit

Abstract

The subject matter of the invention is an inverter with a housing (1) having a cooling unit (2) for cooling the electronic and/or electric components (4, 5, 5a) of the inverter, the housing (1) of the inverter comprising at least two chambers, said two chambers (7, 8) being separated by a wall (6) for receiving the lossy components (4, 5, 5a), said components (5), if they comprise cooling bodies (4), being located on the one side of the wall in the one chamber (7) with the cooling bodies (4) being located on the other side of the wall (6) in the other chamber (5) and, if the very electric or electronic component to be cooled (5a) has a high protection grade, said component (5a) being located in the other chamber (8), preferably on the wall side of the wall (6) of the other chamber (8), said other chamber (8) comprising the cooling unit (2).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims Priority from German Application No. DE 10 2004 030 457.2-32 filed on Jun. 24, 2004 and DE 20 2004 009 926.8 filed on Jun. 24, 2004

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an inverter with a housing having a cooling unit for cooling the electronic and/or electric components of the inverter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRiOR ART

Inverters are well known. They include a housing for accommodating the electric and/or electronic components. Such an inverter housing often has ventilation means, more specifically in the form of an electric fan, with the electric or electronic components being cooled by the outside air drawn into the housing. Since inverters are not only installed in buildings but also outside buildings, the fan not only draws air but also dirt, dust and moisture into the housing. Accordingly, the electric and/or electronic components within the housing of the inverter will soon get very dirty. This contamination causes the known failures. The utilization of filters disposed upstream of the fan is also a problem because the cooling performance is very moderate if the filter is clogged.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an inverter of the type mentioned herein above in which the cooling performance is provided substantially without restriction over a long period of time, even under adverse outside conditions.

This object is solved, in accordance with the invention, in that the housing of the inverter comprises at least two chambers, with the two chambers being separated by a wall for receiving the lossy components, with the components, if they comprise cooling bodies, being located on the one side of the wall in the one chamber and the cooling bodies, on the other side of the wall in the other chamber and with the component to be cooled, a transformer for example, if it has a high protection grade, being located on the wall side in the other chamber, with the other chamber comprising the cooling unit and being cooled as a result thereof. Meaning, only that chamber of the inverter housing is cooled that accommodates the cooling bodies or components to be cooled having a high protection grade. It is well known that the cooling bodies or the heat exchangers are very insensitive against dirt and moisture, at least however much more insensitive than the electric and/or electronic components of the inverter that are not particularly protected. Inasmuch, the cooling bodies and the components having a high protection grade may lie directly in the cooling stream, with the contamination of the cooling bodies and the contamination on the components having a high protection grade (e.g. IP65) having but little influence on the cooling performance. However, a corresponding filter may be mounted downstream or upstream the cooling unit such as a fan.

Further advantageous features are recited in the subordinate claims. There is for example provided that the other chamber comprises vent slots, said vent slots being advantageously disposed at the end opposite the cooling unit in the other chamber so that the cooling air is allowed to flow from one end to the other through the chamber.

Further, the one chamber advantageously comprises a higher protection grade than the other chamber, that is to say that the one chamber, which comprises the electronic and/or electric components, is in particular also sealed dust tight and protected against splash water, whereas the other chamber is easy to aerate and needs therefore be protected against dust and moisture to a moderate extent only.

The invention is explained in further detail herein after with reference to the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inverter has the housing 1 with the partition wall 6 dividing the housing into two chambers 7 and 8 being disposed centrally within the housing. The partition wall 6 itself receives the lossy electronic and electric components 5. The components 5 themselves project into the chamber 7; by contrast, the cooling bodies 4 in the form of heat exchangers, which are disposed on the components 5, are located at the opposite side of this partition wall 6 and hence project into the other chamber 8. This means that the electric and/or electronic components are connected to their cooling bodies through the partition wall 6. That is, there is provided a thermal connection between the cooling body 4 and the component 5 to allow the heat to be carried from the component to the cooling body.

Other lossy components 5a, such as a transformer with a high protection grade, may be disposed directly in the other cooled chamber 8 as the high protection grade makes them insensitive to contamination.

This other chamber 8 comprises a fan 10 and corresponding vent slots 3 that are disposed in the chamber 8 of the housing at the end opposite the fan in the housing. The important point thereby is that the one chamber has a higher protection grade than the other chamber in order to make certain that the electric or electronic components are protected against dirt and moisture. This applies to all the components except for those themselves having a high protection grade, e.g., cast windings such as transformers or chokes that are disposed directly in the other chamber 8. Other electric and electronic components that only have, if at all, low power dissipation are housed in the one chamber 7, which is not cooled, at any location in said chamber 7, meaning not necessarily on the wall 6.

Claims

1. An inverter with a housing (1) having a cooling unit (2) for cooling the electronic and/or electric components (4, 5, 5a) of the inverter, characterized in that the housing (1) of the inverter comprises at least two chambers, said two chambers (7, 8) being separated by a wall (6) for receiving the lossy components (4, 5, 5a), said components (5), if they comprise cooling bodies (4), being located on the one side of the wall in the one chamber (7) with the cooling bodies (4) being located on the other side of the wall (6) in the other chamber (5) and, if the very electric or electronic component to be cooled (5a) has a high protection grade, said component (5a) being located in the other chamber (8), preferably on the wall side of the wall (6) of the other chamber (8), said other chamber (8) comprising the cooling unit (2).

2. The inverter as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the other chamber (8) comprises vent slots (3).

3. The inverter as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the vent slots (3) are disposed in the other chamber (8) on the side opposite the cooling unit (2).

4. The inverter as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the one chamber (7) has a higher protection grade than the other chamber (8).

5. The inverter as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the cooling unit is configured to be a fan (2).