Thermally Conductive Adhesive for Inductive Element Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical components, particularly inductive components like coils and transformers, face heating issues due to ohmic and magnetic losses, which can be mitigated by cooling measures, but complete encapsulation increases manufacturing costs and hinders recycling, and oversizing the component is inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating thermally conductive materials such as pastes, foils, or pads that can be positioned locally to facilitate heat dissipation directly between inductive elements and heat sinks, eliminating the need for complete encapsulation and reducing thermal resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If complete encapsulation with thermally conductive potting compound is used for cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing costs increase and recycling is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidmanufacturing costs

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential cooling function from the complete encapsulation concept. Instead of enclosing the entire electrical component in potting compound, only the critical heat-generating parts (inductive elements) are cooled using localized thermally conductive materials, eliminating unnecessary material and manufacturing steps while maintaining effective heat dissipation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by using thermally conductive materials (pastes, foils, or pads) only at specific locations where heat dissipation is most needed - directly between inductive elements and heat sinks. This localized approach provides effective cooling without the need for complete encapsulation, reducing material costs and simplifying manufacturing while preserving recyclability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If complete encapsulation is used for cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but component dismantling and recycling become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoiddismantling and recycling

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the encapsulation step entirely, extracting only the essential heat transfer function. By using localized thermally conductive interfaces instead of complete encapsulation, the component remains accessible and dismantlable, enabling easy recycling of valuable materials like copper windings and magnetic cores without requiring destruction of encapsulating material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention facilitates discarding and recovering by eliminating encapsulation that would trap valuable materials. The localized thermally conductive materials used are thin, removable layers that do not prevent access to or recovery of inductive elements, magnetic cores, and other valuable components at the end of the product lifecycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Temperature

If oversizing the electrical component is done to improve thermal behavior, then cooling performance is improved, but component size and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal behaviorVSAvoidcomponent size

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the thermal parameters at critical interfaces by introducing high-performance thermally conductive materials between inductive elements and heat sinks. This increases the thermal conductivity parameter at the heat transfer interface, enabling effective cooling without increasing the overall component volume or requiring oversized design margins

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach reduces thermal resistance, saves material and manufacturing costs, allows for smaller component sizes, and simplifies recycling by avoiding the need for encapsulation, while providing effective cooling through localized thermally conductive interfaces.

Implementation Method 1

the thermally conductive material being between the heat sink and the inductive element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2711942B1Cooling of an electrical component

Publication Date: 2016.12.28 SIEMENS AG

AI summary

The invention relates to an electrical component (1) comprising an inductive element (2) and a thermally conductive material (3), wherein the thermally conductive material (3) can be positioned within a limited area. The inductive element (2) is, in particular, a winding. Furthermore, the electrical component (1) comprises an element (4) for guiding a magnetic flux, e.g., a ferrite core. The elements of the electrical component can be cooled via the thermally conductive material (3). The thermally conductive material (3) is, in particular, an adhesive thermal pad.