Dual-Sided Cooling Power Module With Thermal Fuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power converters face challenges in handling large electrical current flows while maintaining a small size, leading to heat emission issues and reduced reliability due to the limitations of existing cooling technologies.
Innovation Solution
A power module design that includes a semiconductor chip with dual-sided cooling, using coupling conductors and a metal material that melts at a specified temperature to enhance cooling efficiency and reliability, along with a resin material that seals the semiconductor chip and a flow passage for cooling medium, improving heat dissipation and module reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a large electrical current flow is passed through the power converter, then the power handling capability is improved, but large heat emission occurs from the semiconductor devices
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling paths: a first cooling path for the first main surface and a second cooling path for the second main surface. This allows heat to be dissipated through separate channels, improving overall heat management efficiency while maintaining high power handling capability
Solution Approach 2:
A resin member acts as an intermediary thermal management component between the semiconductor device and the cooling system. The resin member includes a first cooling portion and a second cooling portion that thermally couple to the first and second main surfaces respectively, facilitating efficient heat transfer while providing electrical insulation
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the heat capacity of the power converter is greatly improved, then the heat dissipation is improved, but the power converter size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system utilizes both upper and lower surfaces of the semiconductor device for heat dissipation, effectively adding a dimensional aspect to the cooling architecture. By cooling from both sides simultaneously, the heat dissipation capacity is doubled without proportionally increasing the overall device volume
Solution Approach 2:
The resin member integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides thermal coupling for heat dissipation, electrical insulation between high-voltage regions, and structural support. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate cooling plates, insulators, and mounting structures, thereby reducing overall device size
3Reliability
If a fuse is mounted in each and every one of the power modules, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resin member is molded to integrally form the fuse holder as part of its structure. The fuse is inserted into a pre-formed cavity or groove in the resin member, eliminating the need for separate fuse holder components and simplifying the assembly process while maintaining reliable fuse protection in each power module
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 the reliability and cooling efficiency of power modules by efficiently managing heat dissipation and preventing overheating, even under high electrical current conditions, thus improving the overall performance and longevity of power converters.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first or second coupling conductors is coupled to a coupling terminal by way of a metal material that melts at a specified temperature
Implementation Method 2
a cooling medium thermally couples and cools the side facing the main surface of the semiconductor device, and the lead frame surface on the opposite side
Data Source
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AI summary
A power module includes a semiconductor chip; a first coupling conductor with one main surface coupled to one main surface of the semiconductor chip, a second coupling conductor with one main surface coupled to the other main surface of the semiconductor chip, a coupling terminal supplied with electrical power from the direct current power source, and resin material to seal the semiconductor chip, and in which the resin member has a protruding section that protrudes from the space where the first and second coupling conductors are formed opposite each other, and the coupling terminal is clamped on the protruding section, and at least one of the first or second coupling conductors is coupled to a coupling terminal by way of a metallic material that melts at a specified temperature.