Electrolytic Capacitor Bore Mounting for Uniform Heat Sink Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrolytic capacitors in power electronic devices experience overheating due to parasitic resistance, leading to reduced lifespan and inefficient cooling, with existing cooling methods resulting in uneven thermal attachment and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A system where cylindrical electrolytic capacitors are mounted in bores within a heat sink, using a thermally conductive adhesive to ensure uniform thermal and mechanical attachment, with the adhesive applied to the capacitor's lateral surfaces and pulled into a blind hole during installation, providing improved thermal conductivity and mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electrolytic capacitors are mounted on the outer surface using retaining clamps, then installation is simple, but they are inadequately secured against vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolytic capacitor is inserted into a bore (cavity) in the heat sink, nesting the capacitor within the heat sink structure. This provides mechanical support and vibration resistance while maintaining simple installation through the insertion process
2Temperature
If flexible thermopads or thermally conductive adhesive are used to attach capacitors to the cooling surface, then thermal attachment is improved, but adhesive consumption increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The bore provides localized thermal contact areas at specific positions (entry end and lateral surfaces) rather than requiring adhesive across the entire capacitor surface. This concentrates the thermal attachment function in specific regions, reducing overall adhesive consumption while maintaining effective heat transfer
3Temperature
If electrolytic capacitors are cooled using conventional methods, then cooling is provided, but uneven cooling occurs with temperature differences among individual capacitors
Solution Approach 1:
Each electrolytic capacitor is individually inserted into its own bore in the heat sink, providing localized and consistent thermal contact for each capacitor. This individual bore configuration ensures uniform cooling across all capacitors by standardizing the thermal attachment geometry for each unit
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the thermal cooling and mechanical attachment of electrolytic capacitors, extending their lifespan and improving vibration resistance while reducing adhesive consumption and thermal impedance.
Implementation Method 1
the lateral surfaces of the cylindrical electrolytic capacitor being mechanically and thermally connected to surfaces of the bore
Implementation Method 2
the housing of the electric refrigeration compressor... having a thermal conductivity of typically 235 W/mK
Data Source
AI summary
A system for mounting at least one cylindrical electrolytic capacitor on a heat sink, the heat sink having at least one bore for at least partially receiving a cylindrical electrolytic capacitor, and the bore partially or fully encompassing the cylindrical electrolytic capacitor once it has been received, wherein lateral surfaces of the cylindrical electrolytic capacitor are mechanically and thermally connected to surfaces forming the bore. The system providing thermal cooling of the electrolytic capacitor and enabling substantially uniform thermal cooling of the capacitor. A method for producing a connection between the at least one cylindrical electrolytic capacitor and the heat sink, and to a connection, obtainable by the method, between the at least one electrolytic capacitor and the heat sink.