Power Conversion Device Cooling Pipe Protrusion Inductance Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical power conversion devices with semiconductor modules and cooling pipes face challenges in reducing parasitic inductance, mechanical strength, and size, as the intermediate plate protrusions often result in insufficient inductance reduction and increased size due to mechanical weakness and misalignment.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates outer shell protrusions on the cooling pipes that overlap power and control terminals, creating eddy currents to cancel magnetic flux and reduce inductance, while ensuring mechanical strength through thicker outer shell plates and strategically positioned protrusions to maintain device size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the intermediate plate protrusion is used to reduce inductance, then the inductance reduction is achieved, but the mechanical strength is insufficient and the protrusion may be deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling pipe is divided into multiple sections along the coolant flow direction, with each section having its own intermediate plate. This segmentation allows each intermediate plate to be thinner individually while collectively providing sufficient inductance reduction, and the modular structure improves mechanical strength and assembly flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate plate is integrated with the cooling pipe structure, forming a unified component where the intermediate plate serves both as a structural element of the cooling pipe and as the inductance-reducing protrusion. This merging eliminates separate parts and improves overall mechanical strength
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the intermediate plate protrusion extends beyond outer shell plates to reduce inductance, then inductance reduction is achieved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate plate protrusion extends in the width direction rather than the height direction, utilizing unused spatial dimensions. This allows inductance reduction without increasing the overall height of the cooling pipe, effectively reducing device size while maintaining inductance reduction performance
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate plate protrusion is positioned locally at specific sections where inductance reduction is most needed, rather than extending uniformly throughout. This localized approach reduces inductance effectively while minimizing the overall volume increase of the device
3Volume of stationary object
If the intermediate plate is made thin to fit inside cooling pipe, then the cooling pipe structure is compact, but the protrusion lacks mechanical strength and may be deformed during production or maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the cooling pipe into multiple sections with individual intermediate plates allows each plate to be optimally designed for its specific position, maintaining compact overall volume while ensuring each protrusion has sufficient local mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
Integrating the intermediate plate with the cooling pipe structure creates a unified component where the intermediate plate benefits from the structural support of the cooling pipe, enhancing mechanical strength without increasing overall volume
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 decreases inductance, enhances mechanical strength, and reduces the size of the power conversion device, improving productivity and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a current loop through which an electrical current flows through the power terminals creates a magnetic flux which passes through the protrusion and changes with time, thereby developing an eddy current flowing in the protrusion. The eddy current is directed to cancel the magnetic flux, thereby reducing the inductance of the power terminals
Implementation Method 2
a current loop through which an electrical current flows through the power terminals creates a magnetic flux which passes through the protrusion and changes with time, thereby developing an eddy current flowing in the protrusion
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical power conversion device is provided which includes a stack of semiconductor modules and a plurality of cooling pipes. Each of the cooling pipes includes a first and a second outer shell plate which are electrically conductive. Each of the outer shell plates includes a flow-path defining portion which defines a coolant flow path between the outer shell plates and a flow-path outer periphery forming a circumference of the flow-path defining portion. The flow-path outer periphery of at least one of the outer shell plates has formed thereon an outer shell protrusion which is laid to overlap power terminals or control terminals extending from the semiconductor module to cancel a magnetic flux, as developed around the power terminals or the control terminals, thereby decreasing the inductance of the power terminals or the control terminals.