Hybrid Power Control Apparatus Dual-Surface Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hybrid power control units for green vehicles face challenges in cooling efficiency, size reduction, and assembly performance due to separate housings for inverters and converters, limited cooling of power and capacitor modules, and complex wiring connections.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid power control apparatus is designed with an inverter and low DC-DC converter module packed in one closed space, utilizing a cooler that contacts both surfaces of power modules for efficient heat conduction, and a component mounting part for modular assembly, which includes a capacitor module stacked on the cooler for enhanced cooling and simplified connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate housings are used for inverter and converter, then each component can be independently installed and maintained, but the overall size of the power control apparatus increases and assembly performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the inverter and converter into a single integrated housing structure. The inverter module and converter module share the same housing space, with the inverter disposed at one side and the converter at the other side within the same housing, eliminating the need for separate housings and reducing overall apparatus size.
Solution Approach 2:
The single housing serves multiple functions: it encloses both the inverter module and converter module, provides a common mounting structure for both components, and facilitates integrated cooling through a shared cooler assembly, thereby reducing the number of separate components needed.
2Device complexity
If only one surface of power module is cooled, then the cooling structure is simple, but the cooling efficiency of the power module is low
Solution Approach 1:
The cooler is designed to contact both the upper and lower surfaces of the power module simultaneously. The cooler assembly includes cooling plates positioned on opposite sides of the power module, with cooling fluid flow paths configured to remove heat from both surfaces, effectively doubling the heat dissipation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling approach transitions from single-surface (one-dimensional) cooling to dual-surface (two-dimensional) cooling by adding cooling capability in the opposite direction, allowing heat to be extracted from both the top and bottom surfaces of the power module simultaneously.
3Reliability
If gate board and controller are disposed with capacitor module interposed therebetween and connected through wiring, then electrical connections are established, but space for wiring is required and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor module is extracted from its traditional position between the gate board and controller and relocated to the lower side of the cooler. This repositioning eliminates the need for complex wiring through the capacitor module, as the gate board and controller can now be directly connected without the capacitor module interposed between them.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the capacitor module between the gate board and controller for electrical connection purposes, the design inverts this arrangement by positioning the capacitor module on the opposite side (lower side of cooler) and establishing direct connections between the gate board and controller, thereby simplifying the wiring structure.
4Volume of moving object
If inverter, converter and controller are packed in one closed space with modular assembly, then the size of the hybrid power control apparatus is reduced and assembly performance is improved, but cooling efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is designed with three-dimensional cooling plates positioned on both the upper and lower sides of the power module, creating a dual-sided cooling structure that efficiently removes heat from the compact integrated arrangement of inverter, converter, and controller within the single housing.
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 cooling efficiency, reduces the size of the power control apparatus, and enhances assembly performance by using a single cooler for all modules and eliminating complex wiring, while maintaining durability against external impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler that contacts both surfaces of each power module so as to carry out heat conduction
Implementation Method 2
a capacitor module assembled at the one of the upper and lower sides in a form where the capacitor module is stacked on one side of the cooler so as to carry out heat conduction
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid power control apparatus for a vehicle includes an inverter module disposed in a housing; a low DC-DC converter (LDC) module disposed in the housing; and a component mounting part attachably/detachably assembled in the housing. In the hybrid power control apparatus, the inverter module includes a plurality of power modules; a cooler contacts both surfaces of each power module so as to carry out heat conduction, the cooler assembled to the component mounting part; and a capacitor module assembled in a form where the capacitor module is stacked on one side of the cooler so as to carry out heat conduction. As a result of this structure, cooling efficiency can be improved, and the inverter module, the converter module, and a controller are packed in one closed space, thereby reducing the size of the hybrid power control apparatus.