System and method for cooling power electronics using heat sinks

摘要

A system and method for cooling power electronics using heat sinks, and including a heat pump. The heat pump includes a main refrigerant circuit having a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor heat exchanger, and a reversing valve. A biflow expansion valve is configured to receive condensed liquid refrigerant and to expand the refrigerant. A cooling circuit in fluid communication with the main refrigerant line includes an expansion device configured to receive a portion of condensed liquid refrigerant from the main refrigerant circuit and to expand the portion of condensed liquid refrigerant. A heat sink is configured to receive the expanded portion of refrigerant from the expansion device. Power electronics are coupled to the heat sink such that the portion of expanded refrigerant from the expansion device passes through the heat sink and cools the power electronics.

主权项

1. A heat pump comprising:
a main refrigerant circuit including
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant,an indoor heat exchanger,an outdoor heat exchanger,a biflow expansion valve configured to receive condensed liquid refrigerant and to expand the refrigerant, anda reversing valve movable between a first position that directs refrigerant from the compressor sequentially to the outdoor heat exchanger, the biflow expansion valve, and the indoor heat exchanger in a cooling mode, and a second position that directs compressed refrigerant from the compressor sequentially to the indoor heat exchanger, the biflow expansion valve, and the outdoor heat exchanger in a heating mode; and a cooling circuit in fluid communication with the main refrigerant circuit, the cooling circuit including
a cooling line having a first end and a second end, the first end is at a first branch point on the main refrigerant circuit, the first branch point is between the indoor heat exchanger and the biflow expansion valve, the second end is at a second branch point on the main refrigerant circuit, the second branch point is between the outdoor heat exchanger and the biflow expansion valve,the cooling line further includes a first leg fluidly connected with the first branch point, and a second leg fluidly connected with the second branch point,a first expansion device on the first leg,a second expansion device on the second leg,a heat sink fluidly connected with the first leg and the second leg,the first expansion device, in a heating mode, receives a portion of condensed liquid refrigerant from the main refrigerant circuit, the first expansion device including a first orifice check valve having a first orifice, the first orifice check valve is disposed between the heat sink and the first branch point, the first orifice expands the portion of condensed refrigerant in the heating mode,the second expansion device, in a cooling mode, receives a portion of condensed refrigerant from the main refrigerant circuit, the second expansion device including a second orifice check valve having a second orifice, the second orifice check valve is disposed between the heat sink and the second branch point, the second orifice expands the portion of condensed refrigerant in the cooling mode,the heat sink receives the expanded portion of refrigerant from the first or second expansion device, respectively in the heating or cooling mode, andpower electronics coupled to the heat sink, the portion of expanded refrigerant passing through the heat sink and cooling the power electronics.