Cooled Inlet Cold Plate Structure for Electrical Isolation and Heat Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-power electrical connector assemblies in vehicles experience power losses due to electrical contact resistance, leading to thermal energy conversion and potential damage from overheating, necessitating upsizing of conductive components to compensate for resistive heating, which compromises thermal performance and increases weight and cost.

Innovation Solution

An electrical connector assembly with a dielectric isolator ring surrounding a cooling plate, allowing thermal communication through openings while preventing electrical contact, using insulative materials like 15% glass-filled polybutylene terephthalate to maintain robust electrical isolation and efficient heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dielectric conformal coating is applied between electrical terminals and cooling plate to ensure electrical isolation, then electrical isolation is improved, but thermal performance deteriorates due to reduced heat transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidthermal performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is segmented into a metallic portion for thermal contact and an electrically insulative portion for electrical isolation. This segmentation allows the cooling plate to simultaneously provide thermal management and electrical isolation functions without requiring a dielectric conformal coating, thereby resolving the contradiction between electrical isolation and thermal performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the cooling plate have different material properties: the first portion is metallic for optimal thermal conduction, while the second portion is electrically insulative for electrical isolation. This local differentiation of material quality allows the single cooling plate to satisfy both thermal and electrical requirements without compromising either function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If conductive components are upsized to carry additional current and compensate for resistive heating, then reliability is improved, but weight and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverheating protectionVSAvoidconnector assembly weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal management function is extracted from the conductive components and transferred to a dedicated cooling plate system. By removing heat through the cooling plate, the conductive components do not need to be oversized for overheating protection, thereby reducing weight while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling plate acts as an intermediary thermal management system between the conductive components and the environment. It provides a dedicated heat dissipation path that allows smaller conductive components to be used, reducing overall assembly weight while maintaining reliable overheating protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a dielectric conformal coating and dielectric thermal interface material are used to isolate high voltage terminals from cooling plate, then electrical isolation is improved, but thermal transfer efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidheat transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling plate is divided into metallic and electrically insulative portions, eliminating the need for dielectric thermal interface materials and conformal coatings. This segmentation provides inherent electrical isolation while maintaining direct thermal contact through the metallic portion, thereby resolving the contradiction between electrical isolation and heat transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling plate uses composite construction with metallic and electrically insulative portions integrated into a single component. This composite structure provides both thermal conduction and electrical isolation functions without requiring additional dielectric layers, maintaining high heat transfer efficiency while ensuring electrical isolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 solution reduces the need for derating components, minimizing material and weight while maintaining thermal management, thus optimizing electrical performance and reducing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a metallic cooling plate in that is in thermal communication with major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a dielectric structure that is configured to prevent electrical contact between the pair of electrically conductive busbars and the cooling plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical insulation: Dielectric

Data Source

PatentUS12355201B2Cooled inlet cold plate design for robust electrical isolation

Publication Date: 2025.07.08 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

An electrical connector assembly includes a connector housing in which a pair of electrically conductive busbars are disposed, a metallic cooling plate in thermal communication with major surfaces of the pair of electrically conductive busbars, and a dielectric structure that is configured to prevent electrical contact between the pair of electrically conductive busbars and the cooling plate.