Cold Plate Power Module Assembly With Graphite S-Cells for Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power electronic devices face challenges in heat dissipation and assembly alignment, leading to insufficient cooling and misalignment issues, which limit their power output and compactness.
Innovation Solution
The use of a cold plate assembly with a heat sink and S-cells made of graphite or graphite-composite materials, which enhance heat spreading and precision alignment, allowing for improved cooling and reduced assembly misalignment by positioning power devices within substrate cavities and enabling direct bonding to a conductive layer for efficient thermal and electrical coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling methods are used for power electronic devices, then the device structure is simple, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient and the device cannot handle high power output
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function and power device housing into a single integrated cold plate assembly. The cold plate serves both as the cooling structure and as the housing that contains the power devices, eliminating the need for separate cooling channels and housing components. This merging approach improves cooling efficiency while avoiding proportional increases in structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plate assembly performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as the cooling structure for heat dissipation, as the housing for mounting power devices, and as the structural support for the entire power module. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve superior cooling efficiency without adding dedicated cooling components that would increase overall device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If power devices are mounted using conventional methods, then the assembly process is simple, but assembly misalignment occurs and precision is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The power devices are pre-mounted onto the cold plate assembly in a controlled manufacturing process, with precise positioning features built into the cold plate structure. This preliminary action ensures that when the complete power module is assembled, the power devices are already precisely aligned, eliminating misalignment issues that would occur with conventional post-assembly mounting methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical mounting methods with direct bonding technology, where power devices are bonded directly to the cold plate substrate. This substitution eliminates the need for separate mounting hardware and alignment mechanisms, achieving high precision assembly while simplifying the overall assembly process through a single bonding operation.
3Volume of moving object
If compact package size is reduced, then the device is more compact, but heat dissipation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The power devices are nested within cavities in the cold plate assembly, with the cold plate itself nested within the overall power module housing. This nested arrangement allows the power devices to be embedded within the cooling structure rather than mounted on the exterior, significantly reducing the overall package volume while maintaining effective heat dissipation pathways through the cold plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional mounting of power devices on a surface to three-dimensional embedding within the cold plate structure. Power devices are positioned within cavities at different depths and locations throughout the cold plate volume, utilizing the third dimension to reduce the device footprint while maintaining thermal management effectiveness through direct thermal coupling with the cold plate.
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 results in increased power output, improved thermal management, and precise assembly tolerances, enabling higher power density while maintaining a compact package size, and allowing for direct PCB printing on the cold plate assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The S-cell includes a base layer constructed at least of graphite or a graphite-composite... enhance heat spreading
Implementation Method 2
a direct bonded metal (DBM) substrate bonded to the S-Cell
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly that includes a cold plate assembly and one or more power device assemblies. The cold plate assembly has a manifold having a heat sink cavity in a first surface and a heat sink that includes one or more substrate cavities. The heat sink is positioned in the heat sink cavity. The one or more power device assemblies are positioned within the one or more substrate cavities. Each power device assembly includes an S-cell, a power device, and a direct bonded metal substrate bonded to the S-Cell. The S-cell includes a base layer constructed at least of graphite or a graphite-composite, a conductive layer at least partially surrounding the base layer, and a power device cavity. The power device is positioned in the power device cavity and is electrically coupled to the conductive layer.