Power conversion apparatus
View Patent ↗A power conversion apparatus includes an electrical circuit including a heat source, a heat pipe cooler in which a refrigerant is enclosed, the heat pipe cooler configured to cool the heat source, a freeze determiner configured to determine whether the refrigerant is frozen, and an output limiter configured to limit output when the freeze determiner determines that the refrigerant is frozen.
1. A power conversion apparatus comprising:
a power conversion circuit including a heat source;
a heat pipe cooler in which a refrigerant is enclosed, the heat pipe cooler being provided within the power conversion apparatus and configured to cool the heat source;
a freeze determiner configured to determine whether the refrigerant is frozen; and
an output limiter configured to limit output of the power conversion circuit when the freeze determiner determines that the refrigerant is frozen.
2. The power conversion apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
at least one device including the power conversion circuit is allocated so as to heat the heat pipe cooler.
3. The power conversion apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
the at least one device is allocated windward of air convection relative to the heat pipe cooler.
4. The power conversion apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising
an open/close unit which blocks an exhaust outlet discharging heat to outside the power conversion apparatus at a temperature at which the refrigerant is frozen.
5. The power conversion apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the open/close unit is a bimetal shutter.
6. The power conversion apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising
an open/close unit which blocks an exhaust outlet discharging heat to outside the power conversion apparatus at a temperature at which the refrigerant is frozen.
7. The power conversion apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the open/close unit is a bimetal shutter.
8. The power conversion apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising
an open/close unit which blocks an exhaust outlet discharging heat to outside the power conversion apparatus at a temperature at which the refrigerant is frozen.
9. The power conversion apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the open/close unit is a bimetal shutter.
10. A controller for a power conversion apparatus which comprises a power conversion circuit including a heat source and cools the heat source by a heat pipe cooler in which a refrigerant is enclosed, the controller controlling the power conversion apparatus and comprising:
a freeze determiner configured to determine whether the refrigerant is frozen; and
an output limiter configured to limit output of the power conversion circuit when the freeze determiner determines that the refrigerant is frozen.
11. A method for controlling a power conversion apparatus which comprises a power conversion circuit including a heat source and cools the heat source by a heat pipe cooler in which a refrigerant is enclosed, the method comprising:
determining whether the refrigerant is frozen; and
limiting output of the power conversion circuit when the refrigerant is determined as frozen.