Insulated Heat Sink for Electrical Controller Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical controllers face challenges in heat dissipation and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) due to high switching speeds and the need for large Cy capacitors, which lead to thermal overloading and increased earth conductor current, complicating fault current safety and increasing production costs.
Innovation Solution
The electrical controller integrates a heat sink within the housing, insulated from protective earth, to prevent external contact and reduce the size of Cy capacitors, while keeping interfering currents within the device, and separates the EMC filter from the heat sink for efficient cooling and reduced capacitive coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heat sink is connected to protective earth for safety, then electrical safety is improved, but interfering currents increase and thermal overloading occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electrically insulating holding element as an intermediary between the heat sink and the housing. This holding element mechanically secures the heat sink while electrically isolating it from protective earth, thereby preventing interfering currents from flowing through the protective earth connection while maintaining electrical safety through other means
2Reliability
If large Cy capacitors are used for EMC filtering, then electromagnetic compatibility is improved, but thermal overloading and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat sink from the protective earth connection by using an electrically insulating holding element. This separation allows the EMC filter to be thermally decoupled from the heat sink, enabling more efficient heat dissipation paths and reducing thermal overloading of capacitors while maintaining EMC performance with smaller capacitor sizes
3Temperature
If the heat sink is exposed for heat dissipation, then cooling efficiency is improved, but contact protection and EMC performance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the heat sink within the housing structure, using the housing as a protective enclosure. The heat sink is positioned inside the housing with cooling air channels that allow heat dissipation while the housing provides contact protection. The electrically insulating holding element further enhances this protection while maintaining thermal management through dedicated cooling paths
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 solution enhances heat dissipation and EMC performance with reduced costs by minimizing the size of Cy capacitors and avoiding thermal overloading, allowing for more cost-effective production of power electronics with improved reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The components to be cooled are thermally conductively connected to the heat sink
Implementation Method 2
Cooling air is able to enter the housing interior through a cooling air opening on one housing side and be channeled through the cooling air channel to the other housing side
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical controller includes a housing, wherein the housing has cooling air openings on two different housing sides. A heat sink is arranged inside the housing, in particular so as to be protected against contact, and forms a cooling air channel, wherein the cooling air channel runs between the cooling air openings of the different housing sides. An electrically insulating holding element is designed to mechanically fix the heat sink inside the housing in a manner electrically insulated from the housing. A number of components to be cooled are provided, wherein the components are thermally conductively coupled to the heat sink and are held by the heat sink.