Integrated Cooling Module Walls for Low-Pressure Power Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for power electronics components in electric and hybrid vehicles face challenges in achieving efficient, homogeneous cooling without significant pressure losses, particularly in enclosures with right-angle connections and tubular connections that add bulk and pressure drop.
Innovation Solution
A cooling module with a sealed envelope and nested structure forming a heat transfer fluid circuit that runs through multiple lateral walls, allowing complex designs with minimal pressure loss, using a combination of machined or molded metallic and polymer components to cover a large cooling surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If tubular connections are used to link heat transfer fluid circuits, then cooling coverage is extended, but pressure loss increases and bulk is added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat transfer fluid circuit directly into the enclosure structure by forming channels within the wall thickness of the enclosure. This integration eliminates the need for separate tubular connections, thereby extending cooling coverage throughout the enclosure while minimizing pressure loss and avoiding additional bulk.
2Volume of moving object
If enclosure side walls are connected at right angles for compact design, then space is optimized, but homogeneous cooling becomes difficult to achieve without significant pressure losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by varying the cooling circuit geometry within different regions of the enclosure. The circuit includes straight sections and curved sections with different radii, allowing optimized cooling flow distribution in each local area. This ensures homogeneous cooling throughout the enclosure while maintaining compact right-angle connections.
3Area of stationary object
If complex heat transfer fluid circuits are designed to cover large cooling surfaces, then cooling efficiency improves, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses curved sections with optimized radii of curvature in the heat transfer fluid circuit to reduce flow resistance and pressure loss. The curved transitions allow smooth flow direction changes while maintaining cooling coverage, enabling complex circuit geometries that cover large surfaces without excessive pressure drop.
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
Enables efficient, cost-effective cooling of power electronics components by minimizing pressure loss and covering a significant portion of the cooling surface, eliminating the need for additional cold plates and tubular connections.
Implementation Method 1
the choke coils or transformer coils of these power electronic devices are placed, via thermal paste, on a cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
a heat transfer fluid circuit containing a heat exchanger through which glycol water circulates
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooling module for power electronics components, comprising: - a support plate, - side walls (34, 36) adapted to surround at least in part power electronics components, the side walls (34, 36) delimiting a receiving area for the power electronics components on the support plate, - a heat transfer fluid circuit (6) extending in the side walls (34, 36), from a first end (61) of the heat transfer fluid circuit (6) to a second end of the heat transfer fluid circuit (6), the cooling module being characterized in that the side walls (34, 36) are formed of a sealed envelope (5) and a structure (4) nested in the sealed envelope (5), the heat transfer fluid circuit (6) being delimited in part by the structure (4) and in part by the sealed envelope (5).