Cold Plate Cooling Layout for Aircraft Power Converter Heat Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid electric propulsion systems face challenges in managing the high temperature of electrical components, particularly in converting alternating current to direct current and back, which results in a high heat load that is difficult to dissipate efficiently within a small space, and also deals with condensation that needs to be evacuated to protect electrical components.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system is introduced, featuring a cold plate with an array of parallel flow channels and flow distributors to efficiently transfer heat from the converter to the cooling fluid while minimizing pressure drop, and a drain system to remove condensation, ensuring effective cooling and protection of electrical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a high power density converter is used in the hybrid electric propulsion system, then the electrical energy conversion efficiency is improved, but the heat load generated per unit volume increases significantly making thermal management difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional air-cooled heat sinks to a liquid cooling system with cold plates, effectively adding a fluid medium dimension for heat transfer. The cold plates are positioned in thermal communication with power electronic components, creating a dedicated thermal pathway that separates heat removal from the electrical conversion process, thereby enabling high power density operation without excessive temperature rise.
2Temperature
If the cooling fluid flow rate is increased to remove more heat, then the heat dissipation capability is improved, but the pressure drop across the cooling passageway increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling passageway is divided into multiple parallel channels within the cold plates, creating segmented flow paths. This segmentation reduces the hydraulic diameter of individual channels while increasing the total surface area for heat transfer, allowing higher overall heat dissipation capacity with reduced pressure drop compared to a single large channel. The flow is distributed across multiple pathways, preventing excessive pressure buildup.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the geometric parameters of the cooling passageways, including channel width, depth, and length, to achieve an optimal balance between heat transfer efficiency and pressure drop. By carefully controlling the dimensions and arrangement of the cooling channels, the system achieves effective heat removal at manageable pressure levels, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation capability and pressure drop.
3Productivity
If the converter components are densely packed to reduce space, then the power density is improved, but the thermal management complexity and condensation risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the cooling function directly into the structural support components by incorporating cold plates that serve both as thermal management devices and as mounting structures for power electronic components. This merging of structural and thermal management functions reduces the number of separate components, simplifies the overall system architecture, and enables dense packing without proportionally increasing thermal management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plates act as intermediary components between the heat-generating power electronic components and the cooling fluid. These intermediaries provide dedicated thermal pathways that simplify the thermal management architecture, allowing dense component packing while maintaining manageable thermal control through standardized cold plate interfaces rather than complex direct cooling arrangements.
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 thermal management system effectively dissipates a high heat load in a small area with minimal pressure drop, maintaining component safety and efficiency, and the drain system prevents condensation from contacting sensitive electronics, enhancing overall system performance and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The cold plate may be in thermal communication with the converter
Implementation Method 2
The pump may be configured to move a flow of cooling fluid through the cold plate to transfer heat from the converter to the cooling fluid
Implementation Method 3
deals with condensation that needs to be evacuated to protect electrical components
Implementation Method 4
a drain system to remove condensation
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid propulsion system for use with an aircraft includes a gas turbine engine, at least one propulsor, and an electric power system. The electric power system is coupled to the gas turbine engine to generate electrical energy and the propulsor to provide electrical energy to drive the propulsor. The electric power system includes a thermal management system configured to cool a heat load generated by the electric power system.