Systems and methods for lower commutated loop inductance bulk capacitors

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for a lower commutated loop inductance bulk capacitor, in particular to a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter, comprising: a stacked bus comprising a first direct current (DC) bus and a second DC bus; one or more first capacitors on a first side of the stacked bus bar, the one or more first capacitors electrically connected to the first DC bus bar and the second DC bus bar; and one or more second capacitors on a second side of the stacked bus, the first side being opposite the second side, the one or more second capacitors electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for lower commutation loop inductance bulk capacitors, and more particularly to bulk capacitor assemblies including stacked busbars for inverters. Background Art

[0002] For traction inverters, the power module is considered an important element of the power conversion system. The efficiency of the system may be proportional to the switching losses occurring in the power module. However, the inductance of the commutation unit of the power conversion system may prevent mitigation of the switching losses.

[0003] The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of these aforementioned challenges. Summary of the invention

[0004] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter, the bulk capacitor assembly comprising: a stacked bus, the stacked bus comprising a first direct current (DC) bus and a second DC bus; one or more first capacitors on a first side of the stacked bus, the one or more first capacitors electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus; and one or more second capacitors on a second side of the stacked bus, the first side being opposite to the second side, the one or more second capacitors electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus.

[0005] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly, wherein the first DC bus includes one or more first apertures, and wherein the one or more first capacitors are electrically connected to the second DC bus through the one or more first apertures.

[0006] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly wherein the second DC bus includes one or more second apertures corresponding to the one or more first apertures.

[0007] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly, wherein the first DC bus includes one or more first holes, wherein the one or more first capacitors are electrically connected to the first DC bus at the one or more first holes, and wherein the second DC bus includes one or more second holes, the one or more second holes corresponding to the one or more first holes.

[0008] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly, wherein the one or more first capacitors include: a first capacitor electrically connected to the first DC bus, a second capacitor electrically connected to the second DC bus, and a conductive plate electrically coupling the first capacitor to the second capacitor in a series configuration, wherein current is configured to flow from the first DC bus through the first capacitor, through the conductive plate, through the second capacitor, and to the second DC bus.

[0009] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly, which also includes: a power module electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus, wherein the power module is located between a first side of the stacked bus and a second side of the stacked bus.

[0010] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly, which also includes: a heat sink assembly, wherein the heat sink assembly is positioned together with the power module between a first side of the stacked busbar and a second side of the stacked busbar, and wherein the heat sink assembly is configured to cool the one or more first capacitors, the one or more second capacitors, the stacked busbar, and the power module.

[0011] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly that also includes a printed circuit board extending across a first side of the stacked busbar and a second side of the stacked busbar.

[0012] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a bulk capacitor assembly, wherein a cross-section of the bulk capacitor assembly includes: the one or more first capacitors on the first side of the stacked bus; the one or more second capacitors on the second side of the stacked bus; a power module between the first side of the stacked bus and the second side of the stacked bus; and a heat sink assembly between the first side of the stacked bus and the second side of the stacked bus.

[0013] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to an inverter comprising: the bulk capacitor assembly; a power module configured to switch DC power to AC; and a heat sink assembly, wherein the heat sink assembly is configured to cool the power module and the bulk capacitor assembly.

[0014] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a vehicle including the inverter.

[0015] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a system comprising: an inverter configured to convert DC power from a battery into AC power to drive a motor, wherein the inverter comprises: a power module; and a large-capacity capacitor assembly, the large-capacity capacitor assembly comprising: a stacked bus, the stacked bus comprising a first direct current (DC) bus and a second DC bus; one or more first capacitors on a first side of the stacked bus, the one or more first capacitors being electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus; and one or more second capacitors on a second side of the stacked bus, the first side being opposite to the second side, the one or more second capacitors being electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus.

[0016] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a system, the system further comprising: a heat sink assembly, wherein the heat sink assembly is positioned together with the power module between a first side of the stacked busbar and a second side of the stacked busbar, and wherein the heat sink assembly is configured to cool the one or more first capacitors, the one or more second capacitors, the stacked busbar, and the power module; and a printed circuit board extending across the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar.

[0017] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a system, wherein the heat sink assembly includes: a first cooling channel; and a second cooling channel, wherein the power module is disposed between the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel.

[0018] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a system wherein the one or more first capacitors include: a first capacitor electrically connected to the first DC bus, a second capacitor electrically connected to the second DC bus, and a conductive plate electrically coupling the first capacitor to the second capacitor in a series configuration, wherein current is configured to flow from the first DC bus through the first capacitor, through the conductive plate, through the second capacitor, and to the second DC bus.

[0019] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a system wherein a number of the one or more first capacitors is the same as a number of the one or more second capacitors.

[0020] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a stacked bus assembly for a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter, the stacked bus assembly comprising: a first direct current (DC) bus; and a second DC bus, wherein the first DC bus and the second DC bus are arranged such that one or more first capacitors are disposed on a first side of the stacked bus assembly and one or more second capacitors are disposed on a second side of the stacked bus assembly, wherein the first side is opposite to the second side.

[0021] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a stacked bus assembly, wherein the first DC bus includes one or more first holes, wherein the one or more first capacitors are to be electrically connected to the second DC bus through the one or more first holes, and wherein the second DC bus includes one or more second holes, the one or more second holes corresponding to the one or more first holes.

[0022] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a stacked bus assembly, wherein the first DC bus includes one or more first holes, wherein the one or more first capacitors are to be electrically connected to the first DC bus at the one or more first holes, and wherein the second DC bus includes one or more second holes, the one or more second holes corresponding to the one or more first holes.

[0023] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a stacked busbar assembly, wherein the first DC busbar includes a first connection hole and a through hole, wherein the second DC busbar includes a second connection hole corresponding to the through hole, and an isolation hole corresponding to the first connection hole, wherein the first connection hole is configured to electrically connect the first DC busbar to a first capacitor of the one or more first capacitors, and wherein the second connection hole is configured to electrically connect the second DC busbar to a second capacitor of the one or more first capacitors through the first through hole.

[0024] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments, as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments.

[0026] Figure 1 An exemplary system infrastructure for a vehicle including a combined inverter and converter is shown according to one or more embodiments.

[0027] Figure 2 An electrical schematic diagram of an inverter in a connected system according to one or more embodiments is shown.

[0028] Figure 3 A power module and heat sink assembly for a combined inverter and converter is shown according to one or more embodiments.

[0029] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0030] Figure 5 A side view of a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0031] Figure 6 An exploded view of a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter having a heat sink, a power module, and a printed circuit board is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0032] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B A top view and a bottom view are respectively shown of one or more first capacitors disposed on a stacked busbar according to one or more embodiments.

[0033] Figure 8 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly is shown for a first installation stage in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0034] Fig. 9 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly is shown for a second installation stage in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0035] Fig.10 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly is shown for use in a laser welding phase in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0036] Fig.11 A final bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and illustrative only and are not limitations on the claimed features. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "having," "including," or other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions such that a process, method, article, or device that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements, but may also include other elements that are not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, articles, or devices. In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, relative terms such as "about," "substantially," and "approximately" are used to indicate a possible variation of ±10% of the value being described. In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, any numerical value may include a possible variation of ±10% of the value being described.

[0038] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for lower commutation loop inductance bulk capacitors, and more particularly to bulk capacitor assemblies including stacked busbars for inverters.

[0039] The terms used below may be interpreted in their broadest reasonable manner, even if they are used in conjunction with the detailed description of certain specific examples of the present disclosure. In fact, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any term intended to be interpreted in any limited manner will be clearly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.

[0040] As mentioned previously, the power module is an important element in the operation of the traction inverter and related systems. The switching losses in the power module can be affected by the switching speed. In systems including traction inverters, the commutation unit inductance can be the main limiting factor in achieving higher switching speeds, which can result in higher power losses because the overshoot voltage can approach the voltage breakdown of the switching transistors.

[0041] To mitigate the commutation unit inductance present in the system, some designs attempt to improve the internal structure of the power module or control the parasitic inductance of the busbars connected to the power module by using different interconnection methods. In other cases, some designs attempt to improve the DC link connection of the capacitor bobbin in the system.

[0042] In order to solve the above problems, one or more embodiments may include a stacked bus, one or more first capacitors are arranged on the first side of the stacked bus, and one or more second capacitors are arranged on the second side of the stacked bus, and the first side is opposite to the second side. One or more first capacitors can be electrically connected to the power switch via the first side of the stacked bus. One or more second capacitors can be electrically connected to the power switch via the second side of the stacked bus. One or more first capacitors and one or more second capacitors may include a direct current (DC) link capacitor for an inverter. The arrangement of one or more first capacitors and one or more second capacitors on the opposite sides of the stacked bus can distribute the generated high-speed transient current to two capacitor elements, which can result in a lower overshoot voltage on the connectable power switch during operation. The stacked bus may include laminated stacked bus and other types of stacked bus.

[0043] One or more embodiments may enable high speed switching of a connectable power switch. One or more embodiments may connect one or more first capacitors to one or more second capacitors in a parallel configuration. Connecting one or more first capacitors in parallel to one or more second capacitors may reduce parasitic inductance in the connectable power switch by half compared to a configuration using a single DC link capacitor.

[0044] One or more embodiments may include a heat sink assembly located between the one or more first capacitors and the one or more second capacitors for actively cooling the one or more first capacitors and the one or more second capacitors. In one or more embodiments, for each of the one or more first capacitors and the one or more second capacitors, the first capacitor may be connected to a first DC bus and the second capacitor may be connected to a second DC bus. The first capacitor may be connected to the second capacitor in a series configuration using a conductive plate. In one or more embodiments, current may be configured to flow from the first DC bus through the first capacitor, through the conductive plate, through the second capacitor, and to the second DC bus. The first DC bus may be connected to a positive charge of a DC battery and the second DC bus may be connected to a negative charge of the DC battery, or vice versa. In one or more embodiments, the one or more first capacitors and the one or more second capacitors may include metallized polypropylene capacitors, ceramic capacitors, NanoLam based TM capacitors and other types of capacitors.

[0045] One or more embodiments can reduce the parasitic inductance of the switch loop for the connectable power module, which can result in reduced switching power losses. In this way, the semiconductor area of ​​the connectable power switch can be reduced while maintaining similar performance to a power switch with a larger semiconductor area. In addition, the reduction in parasitic inductance can achieve EMC compliance with minimal effort. Due to active cooling on both sides of the connectable power module, one or more embodiments can provide a robust DC link capacitor.

[0046] Figure 1 An exemplary system infrastructure for a vehicle including a combined inverter and converter according to one or more embodiments is shown. In the context of this disclosure, the combined inverter and converter may be referred to as an inverter. Figure 1 As shown, the electric vehicle 100 may include an inverter 110, a motor 190, and a battery 195. The inverter 110 may include an element that receives electric power from an external source and outputs electric power to charge the battery 195 of the electric vehicle 100. For example, the inverter 110 may convert DC power from the battery 195 in the electric vehicle 100 into AC power to drive the motor 190 of the electric vehicle 100, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. The inverter 110 may be bidirectional and may convert DC power into AC power, or convert AC power into DC power, such as during regenerative braking. The inverter 110 may be a three-phase inverter, a single-phase inverter, or a multi-phase inverter.

[0047] As described below, the inverter 110 may include a bulk capacitor assembly and a power module that can be connected to the bulk capacitor assembly. The bulk capacitor assembly may include a stacked bus that may include a first direct current (DC) bus and a second DC bus. The first DC bus may be connected to the positive DC charge of a battery (e.g., battery 195), and the second DC bus may be connected to the negative DC charge of the battery, or vice versa. The stacked bus may be used to transfer electrical power from the battery 195 to the connectable power module and one or more DC link capacitors connected to the stacked bus.

[0048] The first DC bus and the second DC bus can be stacked closely together to reduce the parasitic inductance of the switching loop of the power module. One or more first capacitors can be arranged on the first side of the stacked bus. One or more second capacitors can be arranged on the second side of the stacked bus. More details about the specific arrangement and configuration of the power module, one or more first capacitors, one or more second capacitors and the stacked bus will be combined in the following paragraphs. Figures 4 to 11 Have a discussion.

[0049] Figure 2An electrical schematic diagram of an inverter in a connection system according to one or more embodiments is shown. The inverter can be used to convert DC power from a battery in an electric vehicle into AC power, for example, for driving an electric motor of the electric vehicle, but embodiments are not limited thereto. In addition, the inverter can be bidirectional and used to convert DC power into AC power, or convert AC power into DC power.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the inverter 110 may be connected to a battery 195 (DC power source) and a motor 190. The inverter 110 may include an upper phase switch 144 and a lower phase switch 148 as components of a power module. The first phase (ΦA) may include switches Q1 and Q4, the second phase (ΦB) may include switches Q3 and Q6, and the third phase (ΦC) may include switches Q5 and Q2. Figure 2 As shown. The upper phase switch 144 may include a first phase switch Q1, a second phase switch Q3, and a third phase switch Q5. The lower phase switch 148 may include a first phase switch Q4, a second phase switch Q6, and a third phase switch Q2. For example, the switches Q1-Q6 may be metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), but are not limited thereto. Although Figure 2 A three-phase inverter is illustrated, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include a single-phase or multi-phase or multi-level inverter.

[0051] The upper phase switch 144 and the lower phase switch 148 can be driven by PWM signals generated by one or more controllers to convert DC power delivered via the input terminal set 285 at the bulk capacitor 201 to three-phase AC power delivered to the motor 190 via the output terminal set 295 at the output terminals U, V and W (associated with phases A, B and C, respectively). In the present disclosure, the bulk capacitor 201 may be referred to as a capacitor element of a bulk capacitor assembly, various embodiments of which are disclosed. In addition, although Figure 2 A three-phase inverter is illustrated, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include a single-phase or multi-phase or multi-level inverter.

[0052] Figure 3 2 shows an exploded view of a power module and heat sink assembly for an inverter according to one or more embodiments. For example, the power module 330 may be connected to Figure 1 and Figure 2The inverter 110 shown in FIG. 3 is compatible with and can be used for switching operations of the inverter 110. As shown, the power module 330 is located between the first cooling channel 323 and the second cooling channel 326 of the heat sink assembly 320. The power module 330 may include one or more silicon carbide (SiC)-based power modules that provide relatively high power density and efficiency required to extend battery life and performance, although other semiconductor switches may also be relied upon. The power module 330 may include circuits and components that are configured to convert direct current (DC) from an electric vehicle battery into alternating current (AC) current (or vice versa), for example, the motor 190 driving the propulsion system may utilize the AC current. The power module 330 may be mounted on one or more power board assemblies. The power module 330 may include a combination of transistors, diodes, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), and silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs). The power module 330 may include a combination of transistors configured in both half-bridge and H-bridge configurations, which may allow the ability to switch the direction of current through the motor from a single voltage supply. The power module 330 may also include three or more transistors for inverter applications, such as switching direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power.

[0053] During operation, the first cooling channel 323 and the second cooling channel 326 can be connected to the power module 330, the bulk capacitor 201, and the stacked busbars (see Figure 4 ) provides cooling. The stacked busbar may include a first side and a second side, the first side including one or more first capacitors, and the second side including one or more second capacitors. The one or more first capacitors may be electrically connected to the power module 330 via the first side of the stacked busbar. The one or more second capacitors may be electrically connected to the power module 330 via the second side of the stacked busbar.

[0054] The first cooling channel 323 can provide cooling for the first side of the stacked busbar and one or more first capacitors disposed on the first side of the stacked busbar. The second cooling channel 326 can provide cooling for the second side of the stacked busbar and one or more second capacitors disposed on the second side of the stacked busbar. In some cases, the first cooling channel 323 can be physically coupled to the first side of the stacked busbar, and the second cooling channel 326 can be physically coupled to the second side of the stacked busbar to provide adequate cooling to the above elements.

[0055] Figure 4A cross-sectional view of a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter according to one or more embodiments is shown. As shown, the bulk capacitor assembly 400 includes one or more first capacitors 403, one or more second capacitors 406, a stacked busbar 435 including a first DC busbar 440 and a second DC busbar 443, a heat sink assembly 420 including a first cooling channel 423 and a second cooling channel 426, and a power module 430 located between the first cooling channel 423 and the second cooling channel 426. The bulk capacitor assembly 400 may include a bulk capacitor 201. For example, the bulk capacitor assembly 400 may be used in the inverter 110. The heat sink assembly 420 may be similar to or interchangeable with the heat sink assembly 320. In addition, the power module 430 may be similar to or interchangeable with the power module 330. The stacked busbar 435 may include a laminated busbar assembly.

[0056] The one or more first capacitors 403 may include one or more capacitor bobbins arranged on a first side of the stacked busbar 435. The one or more second capacitors 406 may include one or more capacitor bobbins arranged on a second side of the stacked busbar 435, wherein the second side is opposite to the first side. The one or more first capacitors 403 and the one or more second capacitors 406 may include various types of capacitors, such as metallized polypropylene capacitors, ceramic capacitors, NanoLam based TM capacitors and other types of capacitors.

[0057] As shown, the first DC bus 440 and the second DC bus 443 are stacked closely together to support the arrangement of one or more first capacitors 403 and one or more second capacitors 406 on the first side of the stacked bus 435 and the second side of the stacked bus 435, respectively. Although shown as being arranged on the first side and the second side, the one or more first capacitors 403 and the one or more second capacitors 406 can be configured to be electrically connected to both the first DC bus 440 and the second DC bus 443, the details of which will be discussed with reference to the following figures. In addition, the first DC bus 440 and the second DC bus 443 can receive electrical power from a DC power source (e.g., battery 195) to transmit power to the connected elements, such as the power module 430, the one or more first capacitors 403 and the one or more second capacitors 406. The first DC bus 440 can be connected to the positive pole of the DC battery, and the second DC bus 443 can be connected to the negative pole of the DC battery, and vice versa.

[0058] The first cooling channel 423 and the second cooling channel 426 of the heat sink assembly 420 can provide cooling for the stacked busbar 435, the one or more first capacitors 403, the one or more second capacitors 406, and the power module 430. The first cooling channel 423 can provide cooling for a first side of the stacked busbar 435, a first side of the power module 430, and the one or more first capacitors 403. The second cooling channel 426 can provide cooling for a second side of the stacked busbar 435, a second side of the power module 430, and the one or more second capacitors 406.

[0059] The power module 430 may include similar elements to the power module 330, and may include one or more silicon carbide (SiC) based power modules that provide relatively high power density and efficiency required to extend battery life and performance, although other semiconductor switches may also be relied upon. The power module 430 may include circuits and components configured to convert direct current (DC) from the electric vehicle battery into alternating current (AC) current (or vice versa), for example, the motor 190 driving the propulsion system may utilize the AC current. The power module 430 may be mounted on one or more power board assemblies. The power module 430 may include a combination of transistors, diodes, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), and silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs). The power module 430 may include a combination of transistors configured as both half-bridge and H-bridge configurations, which may allow the ability to switch the direction of current from a single voltage power supply through the motor. The power module 430 may also include three or more transistors for inverter applications, such as switching direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power. During operation of the bulk capacitor assembly 400, current can be configured to flow in the loop 480 shown, wherein one or more first capacitors 403 can be connected in a parallel configuration to one or more second capacitors 406. The power module 430 can be located between a first side of the stacked busbar 435 and a second side of the stacked busbar 435.

[0060] Figure 5A side view of a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter according to one or more embodiments is shown. As shown, the bulk capacitor assembly 500 may include many of the same elements as the bulk capacitor assembly 400 and may be interchangeable with the bulk capacitor assembly 400. The bulk capacitor assembly 500 includes a stacked bus 535, which includes a first DC bus 540 and a second DC bus 543. The stacked bus 535 may include a laminated bus assembly. The first DC bus 540 may be connected to the positive pole of a DC battery (e.g., battery 195), and the second DC bus may be connected to the negative pole of the DC battery, and vice versa. The stacked bus 535 may be used to transmit electrical power from the battery 195 to a connectable power module and one or more DC link capacitors connected to the stacked bus 535.

[0061] Figure 5 One or more first capacitors 503 are shown disposed on a first side of a stacked busbar 535. Similar to the bulk capacitor assembly 400, the bulk capacitor assembly 500 may include one or more second capacitors disposed on a second side of the stacked busbar 535, although Figure 5 . One or more first capacitors 503 may include one or more first and second capacitors connected in series. For example, one or more first capacitors 503 may include a first capacitor 506 connected in series to a second capacitor 509 using a first conductive plate 507, a first capacitor 512 connected in series to a second capacitor 515 using a second conductive plate 513, a first capacitor 518 connected in series to a second capacitor 521 using a third conductive plate 520, and a first capacitor 524 connected in series to a second capacitor 527 using a fourth conductive plate 525. Although Figure 5 Four first and second capacitors connected in series are shown, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Fewer or more than four first and second capacitors may be implemented depending on the application in which the bulk capacitor assembly 500 is used.

[0062] As shown, the first DC bus 540 and the second DC bus 543 are stacked closely together to support the arrangement of one or more first capacitors 503 on the first side of the stacked bus 535. Although shown as being arranged on the first side, the one or more first capacitors 503 can be electrically connected to both the first DC bus 540 and the second DC bus 543, the details of which will be discussed with reference to the following figures. In addition, the first DC bus 540 and the second DC bus 543 can receive electrical power from a DC power source (e.g., battery 195) to transmit power to the connected elements, such as power modules, one or more first capacitors 503. The first DC bus 540 can be connected to the positive pole of the DC battery, and the second DC bus 543 can be connected to the negative pole of the DC battery, and vice versa.

[0063] During operation, the bulk capacitor assembly 500 can facilitate the flow 531 of current between the stacked busbar 535 and the one or more first capacitors 503. In particular, the elements of the bulk capacitor assembly 500 can be arranged and electrically connected such that for the first capacitors (e.g., the first capacitor 506, the first capacitor 512, the first capacitor 518, and the first capacitor 524) and the second capacitors (e.g., the second capacitor 509, the second capacitor 515, the second capacitor 521, and the second capacitor 527) connected in series, the current can follow the flow 531. For example, as Figure 5 As shown, current may follow flow 531 from first DC bus 540 through second capacitor 527, through fourth conductive plate 525, through first capacitor 524, and to second DC bus 543. Current may be configured to follow flow 531, flowing through four first and second capacitors connected in series in a parallel current loop.

[0064] Figure 6 An exploded view of a bulk capacitor assembly for an inverter having a heat sink, a power module, and a printed circuit board according to one or more embodiments is shown. Figure 6 As shown, bulk capacitor assembly 600 can be similar to bulk capacitor assembly 400 and bulk capacitor assembly 500, and can include many of the same elements as bulk capacitor assembly 400 and bulk capacitor assembly 500. In addition, many of the elements of bulk capacitor assembly 400 and bulk capacitor assembly 500 can be interchangeable with the elements of bulk capacitor assembly 600. Bulk capacitor assembly 600 includes stacked busbars 635, which include a first DC busbar 640 and a second DC busbar 643. Although Figure 6 An exploded view is illustrated, but the first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643 may be electrically connected as a final assembly.

[0065] The bulk capacitor assembly 600 also includes one or more first capacitors 603 disposed on a first side of the stacked busbar 635, one or more second capacitors 606 disposed on a second side of the stacked busbar 635, a heat sink assembly 653 located between the one or more first capacitors 603 and the one or more second capacitors 606, and a printed circuit board (PCB) 650 extending across the first side of the stacked busbar 635 and the second side of the stacked busbar 635. The first side of the stacked busbar 635 and the second side of the stacked busbar 635 can be separable components that can be coupled together via, for example, a welding process.

[0066] One or more first capacitors 603 and one or more second capacitors 606 may be contained within a protective housing 693. The power module 630 may be located between the first cooling channel 623 and the second cooling channel 626 of the heat sink assembly 653, similar to the manner in which the power module 330 is located between the first cooling channel 323 and the second cooling channel 326 (e.g., Figure 3 ). The power module 630 may be located between a first side of the stacked bus bar 635 and a second side of the stacked bus bar 635. One or more first capacitors 603 disposed on the first side of the stacked bus bar 635 may be electrically connected to the power module 330 via the first side of the stacked bus bar 635. One or more second capacitors 606 disposed on the second side of the stacked bus bar 635 may be electrically connected to the power module 330 via the second side of the stacked bus bar 635.

[0067] As shown, the first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643 are stacked closely together to support the arrangement of one or more first capacitors 603 and one or more second capacitors 606 on the first side of the stacked bus 635 and the second side of the stacked bus 635, respectively. In some cases, the insulating material 627 can separate the first DC bus 640 from the second DC bus 643. Although shown as being provided on the first side and the second side, the one or more first capacitors 603 and the one or more second capacitors 606 can be configured to be electrically connected to both the first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643, which will be discussed in the following paragraphs. In addition, the first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643 can receive electrical power from a DC power source (e.g., a battery 195) to transmit power to the connected elements, such as the power module 630, the one or more first capacitors 603 and the one or more second capacitors 606. The first DC bus 640 can be connected to the positive pole of the DC battery, and the second DC bus 643 can be connected to the negative pole of the DC battery, and vice versa.

[0068] One or more holes may be provided in the first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643. For example, the one or more first holes in the first DC bus 640 on the first side of the stacked bus 635 may include a first hole 680, a second hole 682, a third hole 684, a fourth hole 686, a fifth hole 688, and a sixth hole 690. The second DC bus 643 may include one or more second holes corresponding to the one or more first holes. The one or more second holes may be similar in size to the size of the one or more first holes. In some cases, the one or more second holes may be smaller in size than the size of the one or more first holes. Each of the above holes may facilitate electrical connection between a capacitor in the one or more first capacitors 603 and the first DC bus 640 or the second DC bus 643. For example, the first hole 680 may be an isolation hole in the first DC bus 640 corresponding to a connection hole in the second DC bus 643, and the second hole 682 may be a connection hole in the first DC bus 640 corresponding to a through hole in the second DC bus 643. The first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643 at the second side of the stacked bus 635 may include the same number of holes as the number of holes on the first side, in a mirrored configuration, to facilitate electrical connection of capacitors in one or more second capacitors 606 to the first DC bus 640 or the second DC bus 643.

[0069] The first cooling channel 623 and the second cooling channel 626 can be coupled together to provide cooling to the power module 630, the one or more first capacitors 603, the one or more second capacitors 606, and the stacked bus 635. The first cooling channel 623 can provide cooling to the first side of the stacked bus 635 and the one or more first capacitors 603. The second cooling channel 626 can provide cooling to the second side of the stacked bus 635 and the one or more second capacitors 606. In some cases, the first cooling channel 623 can be physically coupled to the first side of the stacked bus 635, and the second cooling channel 626 can be physically coupled to the second side of the stacked bus 635 to provide adequate cooling to the above elements.

[0070] One or more holes 673, 676, and 679 may be provided on the PCB 650 for receiving the connector of the power module 630. In this way, the PCB 650 may facilitate connecting the power module 630 to a motor (e.g., the motor 190) and one or more controllers or circuits that may control the switching operation of the power module 630.

[0071] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B 1 and 2 respectively show a top view and a bottom view of one or more first capacitors provided on a stacked busbar according to one or more embodiments. As shown in the figure, Fig. 7AA top view of one or more first capacitors 603 on a first side of a stacked busbar 635 is shown without a protective housing 693. The one or more first capacitors 603 may include one or more first and second capacitors connected in series. For example, the one or more first capacitors 603 may include a first capacitor 608 connected in series to a second capacitor 609 using a first conductive plate 607, and a first capacitor 612 connected in series to a second capacitor 615 using a second conductive plate 613. Although Fig. 7A Two first and second capacitors connected in series are shown, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Depending on the application in which the bulk capacitor assembly 600 is used, fewer or more than two first and second capacitors may be implemented.

[0072] For each first and second capacitor connected in series among one or more first capacitors 603, the first capacitor can be electrically connected to the first DC bus 640 and the second capacitor can be electrically connected to the second DC bus 643 through corresponding holes or windows in one or more first holes set for the first DC bus 640 on the first side of the stacked bus 635, and vice versa.

[0073] For example, the first capacitor 608 can be electrically connected to the second DC bus 643 at the first hole 680, and the second capacitor 609 can be electrically connected to the first DC bus 640 through the second hole 682. The first capacitor 608 and the second capacitor 609 can be electrically connected to the first conductive plate 607. Based on these connections, current can be configured to flow from the second DC bus 643 through the first capacitor 608, through the first conductive plate 607, through the second capacitor 609, and to the first DC bus 640. In some cases, current can be configured to flow from the first DC bus 640 through the second capacitor 609, through the first conductive plate 607, through the first capacitor 608, and to the second DC bus 643. The flow of current described above can result in a smaller current loop between the interconnected elements.

[0074] Figure 7B A bottom view of one or more first capacitors 603 on a first side of a stacked bus bar 635 is shown without the protective housing 693. Figure 7B As shown, the first capacitor 608 is electrically connected to the second capacitor 609 in a series configuration through the first conductive plate 607 , and the first capacitor 612 is connected to the second capacitor 615 in a series configuration through the second conductive plate 613 .

[0075] For each first and second capacitor connected in series among one or more first capacitors 603, the first capacitor can be electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second capacitor can be electrically connected to the second DC bus through corresponding holes in one or more first holes set for the first DC bus 640 on the first side of the stacked bus 635, and vice versa.

[0076] Figure 8 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly for a first installation stage according to one or more embodiments is shown. For example, Figure 8 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly 600 is shown, including a heat sink assembly 653, a power module 630, and one or more first capacitors 603. To assemble the bulk capacitor assembly 600, one or more first capacitors 603 may first be placed on a mounting fixture. Next, the heat sink assembly 653 may be aligned with the power module 630 and placed on the one or more first capacitors 603, as shown. For example, each of the connector pairs 818, 821, and 824 of the power module 630 may be connected to the first DC bus 640 and / or the second DC bus 643, respectively. The connectors 809, 812, and 815 of the power module 630 may be connected to corresponding phases of a motor (e.g., motor 190).

[0077] Fig. 9 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly for a second installation phase is shown according to one or more embodiments. For example, Fig. 9 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly 600 is shown, including a heat sink assembly 653, a power module 630, one or more first capacitors 603, and one or more second capacitors 606. To continue assembling the bulk capacitor assembly 600, the one or more second capacitors 606 can be connected to the heat sink assembly 653, the power module 630, and the one or more first capacitors 603. In particular, a first cooling channel 623 can be mounted or coupled to one or more first capacitors 603. A second cooling channel 626 can be mounted or coupled to one or more second capacitors 606.

[0078] Fig.10 A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly is shown for use in a laser welding phase according to one or more embodiments. For example, Fig.10A portion of a bulk capacitor assembly 600 is shown, including one or more first capacitors 603 and one or more second capacitors 606. Terminals 1003 of the first DC bus 640 and the second DC bus 643 on the first and second sides of the stacked bus 635 can be laser welded together to electrically connect the first and second sides of the stacked bus 635 and the power module 630. Once the two sides are connected, the one or more first capacitors 603 can be connected to the one or more second capacitors 606 in a parallel configuration.

[0079] Fig.11 The final bulk capacitor assembly for the inverter according to one or more embodiments is shown. For example, the bulk capacitor assembly 600 may include one or more first capacitors 603, one or more second capacitors 606, a stacked bus 635 (which includes a first DC bus 640 and a second DC bus 643), a heat sink assembly 653, a power module 630, and a PCB 650. The PCB 650 may extend across a first side and a second side of the stacked bus 635. The PCB 650 may facilitate connecting the connectors 809, 812, and 815 of the power module 630 to a motor (e.g., motor 190). The PCB 650 may facilitate connecting one or more controllers or circuits that may control the switching operation of the power module 630.

[0080] One or more embodiments described in the present disclosure can reduce the parasitic inductance of the switching loop involving the power module, thereby reducing the switching power loss. A power module with a reduced semiconductor area can have the same performance as other power modules with a larger semiconductor area. One or more embodiments can reduce the parasitic inductance of the power module and achieve EMC compliance with minimal effort. Since active cooling can be obtained on both sides of the power module, one or more embodiments can provide a robust DC link capacitor.

[0081] Other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art through consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A large-capacity capacitor assembly for an inverter, the large-capacity capacitor assembly comprising: A stacked bus, the stacked bus comprising a first direct current, i.e., a first DC bus and a second DC bus; one or more first capacitors on a first side of the stacked bus, the one or more first capacitors electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus; as well as One or more second capacitors on a second side of the stacked bus, the first side being opposite the second side, the one or more second capacitors being electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus.

2. The large-capacity capacitor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The first DC bus includes one or more first apertures, and wherein the one or more first capacitors are electrically connected to the second DC bus through the one or more first apertures.

3. The bulk capacitor assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The second DC bus includes one or more second holes corresponding to the one or more first holes.

4. The bulk capacitor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The first DC bus includes one or more first holes, wherein the one or more first capacitors are electrically connected to the first DC bus at the one or more first holes, and The second DC bus includes one or more second holes, and the one or more second holes correspond to the one or more first holes.

5. The bulk capacitor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more first capacitors include: a first capacitor electrically connected to the first DC bus, a second capacitor electrically connected to the second DC bus, and electrically coupling the first capacitor to a conductive plate of the second capacitor in a series configuration, Wherein, current is configured to flow from the first DC bus through the first capacitor, through the conductive plate, through the second capacitor, and to the second DC bus.

6. The bulk capacitor assembly of claim 1, further comprising: A power module is electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus, wherein the power module is located between the first side of the stacked bus and the second side of the stacked bus.

7. The bulk capacitor assembly of claim 6, further comprising: A heat sink assembly, wherein the heat sink assembly is positioned together with the power module between the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar, and wherein the heat sink assembly is configured to cool the one or more first capacitors, the one or more second capacitors, the stacked busbar, and the power module.

8. The bulk capacitor assembly of claim 7, further comprising: A printed circuit board extends across the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar.

9. The bulk capacitor assembly of claim 1, wherein: A cross section of the bulk capacitor assembly includes: the one or more first capacitors on the first side of the stacked busbar; the one or more second capacitors on the second side of the stacked busbar; a power module between the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar; and A heat sink assembly is provided between the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar.

10. An inverter, comprising: The large-capacity capacitor assembly according to claim 1; a power module configured to switch DC power to AC; as well as Radiator assembly, Wherein, the heat sink assembly is configured to cool the power module and the large-capacity capacitor assembly.

11. A vehicle comprising the inverter according to claim 10.

12. A system, comprising: An inverter configured to convert DC power from a battery into AC power to drive a motor, wherein the inverter comprises: Power modules; and A large-capacity capacitor assembly, the large-capacity capacitor assembly comprising: A stacked bus, the stacked bus comprising a first direct current, i.e., a first DC bus and a second DC bus; one or more first capacitors on a first side of the stacked bus, the one or more first capacitors electrically connected to the first DC bus and the second DC bus; and one or more second capacitors on a second side of the stacked bus, the first side being opposite to the second side, the one or more second capacitors being electrically connected to the first DC bus and The second DC bus.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising: a heat sink assembly, wherein the heat sink assembly is positioned with the power module between the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar, and wherein the heat sink assembly is configured to cool the one or more first capacitors, the one or more second capacitors, the stacked busbar, and the power module; and A printed circuit board extends across the first side of the stacked busbar and the second side of the stacked busbar.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein: The radiator assembly comprises: a first cooling channel; and The second cooling channel, Wherein, the power module is arranged between the first cooling channel and the second cooling channel.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein: The one or more first capacitors include: a first capacitor electrically connected to the first DC bus, a second capacitor electrically connected to the second DC bus, and electrically coupling the first capacitor to a conductive plate of the second capacitor in a series configuration, Wherein, current is configured to flow from the first DC bus through the first capacitor, through the conductive plate, through the second capacitor, and to the second DC bus.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein: The number of the one or more first capacitors is the same as the number of the one or more second capacitors.

17. A stacked busbar assembly for a large-capacity capacitor assembly of an inverter, the stacked busbar assembly comprising: A first direct current, i.e., a first DC bus; as well as The second DC bus, wherein the first DC bus and the second DC bus are arranged such that one or more first capacitors are provided on a first side of the stacked bus assembly and one or more second capacitors are provided on a second side of the stacked bus assembly, The first side is opposite to the second side.

18. The stacked busbar assembly according to claim 17, in, The first DC bus comprises one or more first holes, wherein the one or more first capacitors are to be electrically connected to the second DC bus through the one or more first holes, and The second DC busbar includes one or more second holes, and the one or more second holes correspond to the one or more first holes.

19. The stacked busbar assembly according to claim 17, in, The first DC bus comprises one or more first holes, wherein the one or more first capacitors are to be electrically connected to the first DC bus at the one or more first holes, and The second DC busbar includes one or more second holes, and the one or more second holes correspond to the one or more first holes.

20. The stacked busbar assembly of claim 17, wherein: The first DC busbar includes a first connection hole and a through hole, The second DC busbar includes a second connection hole corresponding to the through hole, and an isolation hole corresponding to the first connection hole. wherein the first connection hole is configured to electrically connect the first DC bus to a first capacitor of the one or more first capacitors, and The second connecting hole is configured to electrically connect the second DC bus to a second capacitor among the one or more first capacitors through a first through hole.

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