Power Module Thermal Layout Using Cold Plate and Air-Liquid Exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat dissipation systems for power conversion apparatuses fail to simultaneously meet the heat dissipation requirements of various components, leading to high energy consumption, large volume, and difficulty in miniaturization, while existing systems that do meet these requirements are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A power module design incorporating a cold plate and air-liquid heat exchanger, arranged sequentially within a housing, where the cold plate dissipates heat for high-heat-generating components and the air-liquid heat exchanger dissipates heat for medium- and low-heat-generating components, utilizing a composite heat dissipation manner to reduce costs and volume, and optimizing internal component layout for improved reliability and space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heat dissipation system is designed to meet the heat dissipation requirements of various components simultaneously, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation system is segmented into two distinct subsystems: a cold plate subsystem for high-heat-generating components and an air-liquid heat exchanger subsystem for medium- and low-heat-generating components. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized independently, preventing the need to over-engineer the entire system for the highest heat dissipation requirements, thereby reducing overall energy consumption and costs while maintaining effective heat dissipation for all components.
2Reliability
If a heat dissipation system is designed to meet the heat dissipation requirements of various components simultaneously, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but volume of the heat dissipation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the heat dissipation system into specialized segments (cold plate for high-heat components, air-liquid heat exchanger for medium- and low-heat components), each segment can be compactly designed for its specific function rather than creating a single large system that must handle all heat dissipation scenarios, thus reducing total volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plate and air-liquid heat exchanger are integrated into a unified heat dissipation system that shares common structural support and control mechanisms. This merging allows the two subsystems to occupy space more efficiently than if they were separate systems, reducing the overall volume while maintaining the heat dissipation effectiveness of both components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple connectors are used for cold plate and air-liquid heat exchanger, then connection flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single connector is designed to serve multiple functions: it connects both the cold plate and the air-liquid heat exchanger to the heat dissipation system. This universal connector maintains connection flexibility by accommodating both components while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for separate connectors for each component.
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
The design achieves efficient heat dissipation for all components with reduced costs and volume, enhancing reliability and facilitating miniaturization by optimizing component arrangement and utilizing a composite heat dissipation system.
Implementation Method 1
the cold plate in the power module is configured to dissipate heat for a high-heat-generating component
Implementation Method 2
the cold plate and the air-liquid heat exchanger are both connected to the connector, so that a quantity of connectors is reduced
Implementation Method 3
The air-liquid heat exchanger in the power module is configured to dissipate heat for medium- and low-heat-generating components
Data Source
AI summary
A power module is provided. The power module includes a housing, a connector, an inductor, a cold plate, and an air-liquid heat exchanger. The connector, the air-liquid heat exchanger, the cold plate, and the inductor are sequentially arranged inside the housing along a first direction. The housing includes a front plate and a rear plate. The front plate and the rear plate are oppositely arranged along the first direction. The connector is arranged between the air-liquid heat exchanger and the front plate along the first direction. The power module has a small size, and has good heat dissipation effect for various heat-generating components, and can reduce heat dissipation costs.