Fluid-Cooled Electrical Housing With Inner-Wall Coolant Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for high-power circuit components are inadequate in efficiently managing heat dissipation, particularly for components like capacitors that are temperature-sensitive and limit the use of materials due to reliance on air cooling.
Innovation Solution
Integrating multiple electrical circuit components into a single fluid-cooled housing with fluid channels and a transfer plate for enhanced heat transfer, allowing for a more compact design and improved cooling capacity by utilizing a cooling fluid to dissipate heat from both components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air cooling is used for high-power circuit components, then the structure is simple, but the heat dissipation efficiency is insufficient and temperature control is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic cooling by circulating liquid coolant through channels formed directly in the housing to remove heat from electrical components. The fluid channels are integrated into the housing structure, allowing efficient heat transfer from components like capacitors and inductors to the moving coolant, solving the inadequate heat dissipation of air cooling methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed to combine multiple functions: structural support, heat dissipation through integrated fluid channels, and component mounting. The housing merges the cooling system with the structural enclosure, eliminating separate cooling apparatus and achieving both mechanical support and thermal management in a single integrated structure.
2Volume of moving object
If multiple electrical components are integrated into a single housing, then the device compactness is improved, but the heat management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrical components (capacitors, inductors, resistors) are integrated into a single housing that also contains the cooling system. The housing merges structural support, component mounting, and fluid cooling functions, reducing overall device volume while managing heat from multiple components through a unified coolant circulation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for components, acts as a heat sink through integrated fluid channels, and serves as the cooling system enclosure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate cooling apparatus and simplifies the overall system despite integrating multiple heat-generating components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional cooling methods are used for temperature-sensitive components, then the material selection is limited, but the cooling effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Liquid coolant circulation provides superior heat removal compared to air cooling, enabling temperature-sensitive components to operate reliably. The efficient thermal management allows use of materials that would otherwise be unsuitable for high-temperature environments, expanding material selection while maintaining component reliability.
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 effectively maintains components within a safe operating temperature range, enables the use of a wider range of materials, and enhances cooling performance compared to air cooling, particularly benefiting capacitors by allowing for lower-cost, high-capacitance dielectric materials that are less tolerant of high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
both the first and second electrical components being adapted and configured to expel heat through the housing, into the cooling fluid
Implementation Method 2
one or more fluid channels formed in the inner wall of the housing, adapted and configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
A fluid-cooled electrical component includes a housing (130) having a bottom wall (132), an outer wall (134) extending from a first surface of the bottom wall (132), an inner wall (136) extending from the first surface of the bottom wall (132), the outer and inner walls (134, 136) forming a first cavity (135) therebetween, and the inner wall (136) forming a second cavity (137) therewithin, and one or more fluid channels (138) formed in the inner wall (136) of the housing, adapted and configured to pass a cooling fluid therethrough. The fluid-cooled electrical component also includes a first electrical component (110) disposed in the first cavity (135), and a second electrical component (120) disposed in the second cavity (137), both the first and second electrical components (110, 120) being adapted and configured to expel heat through the housing (130), into the cooling fluid.