Power Converter Separate Interior Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power converters with high degrees of protection face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat loss, as existing cooling methods are either limited in effectiveness or require complex and energy-intensive systems.
Innovation Solution
A power converter design with separate interior spaces, where a gaseous heat flow circuit in one space flows through a heat exchanger channel and is cooled by a gaseous cooling flow in another space, allowing for efficient heat transfer without mixing of mediums, and optionally utilizing forced convection to enhance heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic components are enclosed in a sealed housing to protect against environmental influences, then protection against dust and water ingress is improved, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two separate interior spaces: a first sealed space for electronic components and a second space for heat dissipation. This segmentation allows the electronic components to be protected from environmental influences while enabling effective heat removal through the separate second space, resolving the contradiction between sealing and cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary component between the sealed first interior space and the external environment. The heat exchanger enables thermal energy transfer from the electronic components without requiring direct access of cooling air to the sealed space, thus maintaining both protection and heat dissipation effectiveness.
2Temperature
If traditional cooling systems with filters are used for sealed housings, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering function is extracted from the cooling system and relocated to the heat exchanger component itself. The heat exchanger handles all air filtration and heat dissipation functions in its external environment, allowing the sealed first interior space to remain simple without requiring internal filters or complex airflow management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger combines multiple functions into a single component: heat transfer from the sealed space, air filtration, and heat dissipation to the environment. This merging eliminates the need for separate filters, fans, and cooling channels within the sealed housing, significantly reducing device complexity and maintenance requirements.
3Temperature
If internal air circulation is used for cooling sealed spaces, then heat removal is enabled, but cooling effectiveness is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling approach transitions from internal three-dimensional air circulation within the sealed space to external heat exchange through the heat exchanger surfaces. By moving the heat dissipation process to another dimension (external to the sealed space), the system achieves superior cooling efficiency without compromising the seal integrity or requiring complex internal airflow paths.
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 design effectively dissipates heat loss with reduced effort, maintaining efficiency and protecting electronic components from environmental influences while avoiding the limitations of prior art cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger channel (5), wherein the power converter (1) can be operated in such a way that a gaseous heat flow circuit (6) forms within the first interior space (3), which flows in through a first inlet opening (15) of the heat exchanger channel (5) and flows out through a first outlet opening (16) of the heat exchanger channel (5)
Implementation Method 2
the second interior space (4) forms a cooling channel (7), wherein the power converter (1) can be operated in such a way that a gaseous cooling flow (8) forms through the cooling channel (7), which flows around the heat exchanger channel (5)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a converter (1), which comprises a converter housing (2) having a first interior (3) and a second interior (4), the first interior (3) being arranged separately from the second interior (4), and part of the first interior (3) protruding into the second interior (4) and forming a heat-exchange channel (5). The converter (1) can be operated in such a way that a gaseous heat flow circuit (6) is established within the first interior (3) and flows in through a first inlet opening (15) of the heat-exchange channel (5) and flows out through a first outlet opening (16) of the heat-exchange channel (5), the second interior (4) forming a cooling channel (7). The converter (7) can be operated in such a way that a gaseous cooling flow (8) flowing through the cooling channel (7) is established and flows around the heat-exchange channel (5), the cooling channel (7) being arranged in a region of overlap with the heat-exchanger channel (5) in such a way that a first flow direction (9) of the gaseous heat flow circuit (6) runs substantially perpendicularly or parallel to a second flow direction (10) of the gaseous cooling flow (8).