EV Inverter Cooling Plate Layout for Thermal Board Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reduction in packaging space of vehicle components leads to thermal challenges, as waste heat from hotter components can flow to cooler components, affecting the efficiency and longevity of inverter systems, necessitating an improved cooling system arrangement.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system for the inverter that includes a plate with tabs mounted between the power board and the control board, where the plate is in contact with coolant, actively cooling the gate resistors and reducing thermal transfer, while also supporting the power board and control board to minimize packaging size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the packaging space of vehicle components is decreased to meet customer demands for increased vehicle range and storage space, then the vehicle range and storage space are improved, but waste heat from hotter components flows to other components causing thermal management issues
Solution Approach 1:
The inverter is segmented into distinct thermal zones using thermal barriers and insulating materials. The power board assembly is separated from the control board assembly through physical spacing and thermal management structures, allowing independent thermal control of each segment while maintaining compact overall packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal barriers and insulating materials are introduced as intermediary elements between the power board and control board. These intermediaries block heat flow from the hotter power components to the cooler control components, enabling closer packaging without thermal interference.
2Weight of stationary object
If the inverter size is reduced to decrease weight and cost, then weight and cost are reduced, but thermal separation between gate resistors and control board becomes compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Thermal management features are applied locally at critical heat generation points rather than throughout the entire inverter. Thermal barriers are positioned specifically between the gate resistors and control board, and cooling channels are located at hot spots, maintaining thermal separation while minimizing overall inverter size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes the z-dimension (vertical spacing) to achieve thermal separation rather than requiring large lateral distances. By stacking components vertically with appropriate thermal barriers and spacing in the z-direction, the inverter maintains compact footprint while ensuring thermal isolation between power and control sections.
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 configuration effectively reduces the thermal transfer between the power board and control board, maintaining inverter efficiency and longevity while minimizing size and weight, thus addressing the thermal challenges and packaging constraints.
Implementation Method 1
the plate is in contact with coolant, actively cooling the gate resistors and reducing thermal transfer
Implementation Method 2
Natural convection cooling and isolation between hotter and cooler components may be desired to maintain inverter efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Systems are provided for a cooling system for an electric vehicle. In one example, a system includes a plate arranged between separate circuit boards. The plate directly cools one of the circuit boards and block thermal communication between the circuit boards.