Finned Coolant Chamber Layout for Low-Pressure Electronics Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for high-power electronics in electric vehicles face inefficiencies due to high pressure drops and inadequate coolant mixing, leading to uneven temperature distribution and reduced cooling capacity.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with an inner coolant chamber featuring arrays of fins that create turbulence and mixing by allowing coolant to flow laterally through compartments, utilizing recesses and undulating shapes to enhance coolant interaction with chamber walls, thereby increasing thermal uptake and uniform temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the number of fins is increased to improve cooling surface area, then cooling capacity is improved, but pressure drop increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device is divided into multiple cooling channels separated by fins, allowing the coolant flow to be segmented into parallel paths. This segmentation reduces the pressure drop in each individual channel while maintaining a large total cooling surface area through the combined effect of multiple fins and channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The fins are arranged in a three-dimensional configuration extending between opposite walls, creating a multi-dimensional heat transfer surface. This spatial arrangement maximizes the cooling surface area within the available volume without proportionally increasing the pressure drop, as the coolant flows through optimized pathways between the fins.
2Productivity
If smooth canal-forming fins are used to reduce turbulence, then pressure drop is reduced and flow speed increases, but coolant mixing is reduced and thermal uptake capacity is not fully exploited
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the cooling device have different flow characteristics optimized for their specific function. The main coolant channels have smoother sections for efficient flow and low pressure drop, while specific regions incorporate turbulence-promoting features such as fin configurations and recesses that enhance mixing and thermal uptake where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of turbulence (which increases pressure drop) into a benefit by strategically locating turbulence-generating features only where they enhance coolant mixing and thermal uptake, while maintaining smooth flow paths in other regions to minimize overall pressure loss.
3Temperature
If coolant flow path is extended to improve cooling coverage, then cooling uniformity is improved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extended cooling path is segmented into multiple parallel channels created by the fin array. This allows the coolant to traverse a long total distance for comprehensive cooling coverage while maintaining relatively low pressure drop in each individual channel, as the flow is distributed across multiple pathways rather than forced through a single long path.
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 achieves improved cooling efficiency by promoting vigorous coolant mixing and uniform temperature distribution, enhancing the cooling capacity of electronic components.
Implementation Method 1
a first array of multiple side-by-side placed, thermally conductive first fins, each of which is connected to an inner side of the first coolant chamber wall
Implementation Method 2
The undulating first fins and the straight, parallel second fins form flow compartments... the coolant crosses the undulating fins, which creates turbulence in the compartments for better mixing of the coolant and increased thermal uptake
Data Source
AI summary
For efficient cooling of electronic components (3), in particular power electronics in an electric vehicle, the electronic components (3) are provided on an outer side of a first coolant chamber wall (2A) of a cooling device (1). The cooling device (1) has an inner coolant chamber (10) with an array of compartments (14) formed by first and second fins (13A, 13B) lateral to the flow direction (5). For flow through the compartments (14), the coolant flows between a pair of two fins (13A, 13B) that form compartment walls (20).