Thermally Conductive Mount With Closed Cooling Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic mounts used for electrical components in converters have low thermal conductivity, limiting their ability to contribute to heat dissipation and manage thermal behavior effectively while maintaining electrical insulation.
Innovation Solution
A mount design featuring a body made of plastic, glass, or ceramic with metal elements forming a closed cooling channel through openings and grooves, utilizing principles similar to heat pipes for enhanced thermal conductivity, including pulsating heat pipe behavior and capillary action, and incorporating a barrier layer for oxygen diffusion prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mount is made of plastic for electrical insulation, then electrical insulation properties are improved, but thermal conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mount combines plastic material with metal elements (aluminum or copper) to create a composite structure. The plastic body provides electrical insulation while the metal elements embedded in through-openings provide thermal conduction pathways, resolving the contradiction between electrical insulation and thermal conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount uses different materials in different regions: the main body is made of electrically insulating plastic, while specific localized regions (the metal elements in through-openings) are made of thermally conductive metal. This local differentiation allows the mount to simultaneously achieve electrical insulation overall while providing thermal conduction at critical heat transfer points.
2Temperature
If metal elements are added to improve thermal conductivity, then thermal behavior is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mount merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: the plastic body provides mechanical support and electrical insulation, while the metal elements in the through-openings provide thermal conduction. This combination allows the mount to simultaneously fulfill structural, insulating, and heat-dissipating functions without requiring separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount is designed as a multi-functional component that performs electrical insulation, mechanical support, and thermal conduction simultaneously. The plastic body handles insulation and support functions, while the metal elements handle thermal conduction, allowing a single component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate parts.
3Temperature
If through-openings are created for metal elements, then thermal conductivity is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The through-openings are strategically positioned and sized to provide adequate thermal conduction pathways while minimizing impact on the overall structural integrity. The metal elements are inserted only in specific regions where thermal conduction is most needed, leaving the majority of the plastic body intact to maintain mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of plastic and metal materials creates a composite structure where the metal elements reinforce the plastic body at critical points. The metal inserts not only provide thermal conduction but also add local structural strength to the regions where they are positioned, partially compensating for the material removed by the through-openings.
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 effectively enhances thermal conductivity while maintaining electrical insulation, enabling efficient heat dissipation and extending the service life of components in converters, allowing for smaller and more efficient converter designs.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid evaporates due to the heat input of a heat source in a closed pipe of the heat pipe heat sink
Implementation Method 2
the liquid condenses at another point on the pipe, from which the heat can then be released into the ambient air
Implementation Method 3
The capillary action is used to return the liquid to the pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A mount includes a first metal element having a first surface for connection to a heat source, and a second metal element having a second surface for connection to a heat sink. A body made of plastic, glass or ceramic is arranged so as to abut against the first and second metal elements. The body includes through-openings which extend from a region of the first surface to a region of the second surface. The mount includes grooves in the region of the first surface and in the region of the second surface. The grooves extend over two of the through-openings. The first and second metal elements are arranged on the body such that a closed cooling channel is formed by the through-openings, the grooves and the first and second metal elements.