Inverter Assembly Cooling Channels Flat Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inverter assemblies in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles face challenges in providing optimal cooling, consuming valuable space and weight, and are costly to manufacture due to the need for specialized tools.
Innovation Solution
The design of an inverter assembly with a housing that incorporates multiple inverters and connectors within a common housing, featuring a cooling fluid channel for efficient cooling and flat walls that reduce manufacturing complexity and tool requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple inverters are placed in a common housing with cooling channels, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple inverters are integrated into a single common housing structure, merging what would traditionally be separate cooling systems into one unified design. The housing contains cooling channels that serve all inverters simultaneously, reducing overall system complexity while improving cooling efficiency through shared thermal management infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The common housing structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for multiple inverters, contains the cooling fluid channels, and acts as a thermal management system for all inverters. This multi-functional design improves cooling efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If inverters are housed in a common housing with cooling channels, then space and weight are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple inverters are combined into one common housing, significantly reducing the total volume and weight compared to separate housings for each inverter. The integrated design consolidates space requirements while the cooling channels are designed to accommodate all inverters within this reduced footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing design incorporates localized cooling channels positioned at specific locations to optimize heat dissipation for each inverter's thermal characteristics. This allows the housing to meet precision requirements only where critical for cooling, rather than requiring uniform high precision throughout the entire structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If flat walls are used in the housing design, then ease of manufacture is improved, but cooling channel integration becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing features flat walls for the majority of its structure, providing ease of manufacture through simple fabrication processes. Cooling channels are integrated only in the specific local regions where thermal management is required, allowing the bulk of the housing to maintain simple flat geometry while still achieving effective cooling where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with segmented cooling channels that are integrated into specific sections rather than requiring complex three-dimensional cooling structures throughout. This segmentation allows flat wall construction for ease of manufacture while incorporating cooling functionality in discrete locations where inverters are mounted.
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 enhances cooling efficiency, reduces space and weight consumption, and lowers production costs by eliminating the need for specialized tools during assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The first inverter is disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel
Data Source
AI summary
An inverter assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, a first inverter, and a second inverter. The housing comprises a plurality of walls. The plurality of walls form an inlet for cooling fluid to enter the housing, an outlet for the cooling fluid to exit the housing, and a channel, and a channel for the cooling fluid to flow therebetween. The first inverter is disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel. The second inverter is also disposed within the housing proximate the channel, and is also configured to be cooled by the cooling fluid flowing through the channel.