Integrated Busbar Cooling in High-Current Electric Drives
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling systems for electric drives in electric vehicles require multiple cooling connections, leading to complex constructions, increased production time and costs, weight, and susceptibility to defects, while also limiting the power density and efficiency due to excessive heat generation from high traction power requirements.
Innovation Solution
A highly integrated electric drive design where the electric machine and converter are integrated, allowing for self-contained heat dissipation through optimized structural components, eliminating the need for separate cooling elements and circuits, and utilizing thermal couplings within the drive to dissipate heat efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate cooling circuit is used to cool the busbar system and converter components, then the heat dissipation performance is improved, but the device complexity and number of cooling connections increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function into the existing structural components of the electric drive system. The housing and structural members that provide mechanical support are designed to also serve as heat dissipation pathways, eliminating the need for separate cooling circuits and reducing construction complexity while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing and structural components are designed with multi-functionality, serving both mechanical support and thermal management functions. This allows the same components to perform multiple roles, reducing the overall number of components needed and simplifying the system construction.
2Temperature
If multiple cooling connections are provided for the busbar system and converter components, then the cooling effectiveness is improved, but the production time and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is combined with the existing structural assembly process. By designing the housing and structural members to inherently provide heat dissipation pathways, the cooling system is integrated into the standard manufacturing process rather than requiring separate assembly steps, thereby reducing production time and manufacturing costs.
3Temperature
If a separate cooling circuit with multiple connections is used, then the heat dissipation capacity is improved, but the susceptibility to defects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged into the structural components themselves, eliminating multiple separate cooling connections. This integration reduces the number of potential failure points and improves system reliability by removing vulnerable connection interfaces while maintaining adequate heat dissipation capacity through the structural design.
4Power
If the electric machine and converter are integrated in a compact design, then the power density is improved, but the heat generation per unit volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and structural members are designed with multi-functionality, serving both mechanical support and thermal management functions. This allows the same components to perform multiple roles, reducing the overall number of components needed and simplifying the system construction.
5Temperature
If the busbar system is thermally coupled to the electric machine for heat dissipation, then the cooling of power system components is improved, but the thermal coupling design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal coupling is achieved by merging the busbar system mounting structure with the heat dissipation pathway. The housing and structural members that provide mechanical support are designed to simultaneously serve as thermal conduction pathways, eliminating the need for separate thermal coupling components and reducing design complexity.
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 design reduces weight, material usage, and production time, while enhancing power density, torque density, and efficiency by integrating heat dissipation within the electric drive components, thus simplifying construction and reducing the risk of defects.
Implementation Method 1
The busbar system is coupled in a thermally conducting manner to a portion of the electric machine in order to dissipate heat from the at least one portion of the at least one power system
Implementation Method 2
at least one capacitor, which is coupled in an electrically conducting manner to the busbar system... to dissipate heat from the at least one portion of the at least one power system
Implementation Method 3
at least one semiconductor switch, which is coupled in an electrically conducting manner to the busbar system... to dissipate heat from the at least one portion of the at least one power system
Data Source
AI summary
An electric drive may include at least one electric machine and at least one inverter having at least one power system adapted to supply power to the at least one electric machine. The power system may include a busbar system coupled in an electrically conducting manner to a DC power source, at least one capacitor coupled in an electrically conducting manner to the busbar system, at least one semiconductor switch coupled in an electrically conducting manner to the busbar system, and at least one phase terminal coupled in an electrically conducting manner to the at least one semiconductor switch. The at least one part of the at least one power system is coupled in a thermally conducting manner to at least one part of the electrical machine in order to dissipate heat from the at least one part of the at least one power system.