Cooling Device with Opposing Flow Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electrical converters face challenges in efficiently utilizing installation space and enhancing cooling surfaces, leading to increased volume, reduced efficiency, and loss of integration density due to the design of heat sinks and air-cooled systems.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a heat sink featuring a tubular cooling element and impeller with blades, which directs the cooling flow through first and second cooling channels in opposite directions, allowing for a single inlet and outlet on the outer surface, and includes cooling fins for enhanced heat dissipation, while the impeller compresses the cooling medium to overcome pressure losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling surface of the heat sink is increased to improve heat dissipation, then the heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but the pressure loss of the cooling medium increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink is divided into multiple cooling channels (first cooling channel and second cooling channel) with opposite flow directions. This segmentation allows the cooling medium to flow through different paths, distributing the pressure loss across multiple channels while maintaining large total cooling surface area through the cooling fins.
2Temperature
If air-cooled heat sink with two openings is used to allow unhindered air flow, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the installation space in front of and behind the heat sink is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet and outlet openings are merged into a single location on the outer surface of the heat sink. The cooling medium enters through one opening, flows through the first cooling channel in one direction, then through the second cooling channel in the opposite direction, and exits through the same opening. This eliminates the need for separate inlet and outlet openings on opposite sides, preserving installation space while maintaining effective cooling.
3Temperature
If the cooling medium flows through the interior of the heat sink to cool electronic components, then the cooling effectiveness is improved, but the cooling surface is lost for heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular cooling element with internal cooling channels is nested within the heat sink structure. The cooling medium flows through the interior of the tubular element, while the exterior surface of the tubular element and the surrounding heat sink fins provide additional cooling surface area for heat dissipation. This nested configuration allows simultaneous internal cooling and external heat dissipation.
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 configuration improves the use of installation space, increases the cooling surface area, and enhances the compactness, robustness, and performance of electrical devices by efficiently guiding the cooling flow and overcoming pressure losses, thus improving the overall efficiency of the cooling system.
Implementation Method 1
the blade wheel (11) with blades (21) for generating a cooling flow (14) of a cooling medium (12) is arranged on the cover surface opening (6) in the interior of the cooling device (1)
Implementation Method 2
The surface structure of the heat sink should be as large as possible so that sufficient heat can be dissipated from the electronic or electrical components mechanically connected to the heat sink
Implementation Method 3
a cooling flow (14) of a cooling medium (12) is generated, wherein the cooling flow (14) is guided through cooling channels (13, 16) in the heat sink (3)
Implementation Method 4
the impeller compresses the cooling medium to overcome pressure losses
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling device (1) for cooling at least one electronic component (2), comprising: a cooling body (3) having an outer surface (4), a base surface opening (5), an opposing cover surface opening (6) and an inner surface (8) with cooling ribs (9); a cooling body cover (10); a tubular cooling element (17); and a blade wheel (11) for generating a cooling flow (14) of a cooling medium (12); in which the cover surface opening (6) is closed by the cooling body cover (10); the tubular cooling element (17) is arranged in the inner space (7) of the cooling body (3) in such a way that at least some of the cooling ribs (9) are mechanically in contact with the outer side of the tubular cooling element (17); the tubular cooling element (17) forms a first cooling channel (13) in the inner space thereof, through which the cooling flow (14) is guided in a first cooling flow direction (18) during the operation of the cooling device (1); a second cooling channel (16) is formed between the inner surface (8) of the cooling body (3) and the outer side of the tubular cooling element (17), through which the cooling flow (14) is guided in a second cooling flow direction (19); a diverting means diverts the cooling flow (14) from the first cooling channel to the second cooling channel (13, 16) or from the second cooling channel to the first cooling channel (16, 13); and the first cooling channel is arranged in relation to the second cooling channel (13, 16) in such a way that the first cooling flow direction (18) extends in the opposite direction to the second cooling flow direction (19). The invention also relates to an electrical converter (40) comprising the cooling device (1) according to the invention.