Laser-Welded Copper Insert Cooler Unit for Leak-Safe Power Module Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooler units for power modules in automotive inverters face challenges in achieving stable coupling and reliable heat dissipation, often requiring complex clamping mechanisms and additional sealing elements that can lead to reliability issues due to thermal cycling and coolant leakage.
Innovation Solution
A cooler unit design featuring a copper insert laser-welded to an aluminum housing, with a recessed structure and precise welding to ensure secure coupling and effective heat dissipation, eliminating the need for additional sealing elements and minimizing thermal impact on adjacent components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional cooler units use mechanical clamping mechanisms and additional sealing elements, then coupling stability is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability deteriorates due to thermal cycling and coolant leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coupling function and sealing function into a single integrated structure. The recess in the housing directly receives and secures the insert through geometric coordination, eliminating the need for separate clamping mechanisms and sealing elements. This integration reduces structural complexity while maintaining coupling stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary components (clamping mechanisms and additional sealing elements) from the conventional cooler unit design. By using the recess-insert geometric coordination system, the coupling is achieved without these extra parts, simplifying the overall structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional cooler units use mechanical clamping mechanisms, then coupling stability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to thermal cycling and coolant leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling and sealing functions are merged into the geometric coordination between the recess and insert. This integrated approach eliminates interfaces between separate components, reducing potential failure points from thermal cycling and coolant leakage, thereby improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
By removing additional sealing elements and clamping mechanisms, the patent eliminates the reliability issues associated with these components under thermal cycling conditions. The simple geometric fit between recess and insert provides both coupling stability and sealing without the failure modes of complex mechanical systems.
3Temperature
If copper insert is laser welded to aluminum housing, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure with copper insert and aluminum housing, joining materials with different thermal properties. The copper provides superior heat dissipation at the insert location, while the aluminum housing offers good overall thermal management. The laser welding process enables reliable joining of these dissimilar metals to achieve the desired thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The copper insert is strategically placed in the recess where heat dissipation is most critical. The laser welding is applied locally at the welding areas (edges or peripheral regions) rather than across the entire component, concentrating manufacturing precision requirements only where needed for secure attachment while maintaining overall assembly feasibility.
4Ease of manufacture
If welding areas are formed at edge or peripheral regions, then manufacturing ease is improved, but structural strength may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The welding process is segmented to occur at specific edge or peripheral regions rather than across the entire insert-housing interface. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing by concentrating welding operations at accessible locations while the geometric coordination of the recess and insert provides distributed mechanical support throughout the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of copper insert and aluminum housing with edge-based laser welding creates a composite structure where the welding provides localized strong attachment at the periphery, while the geometric fit and material properties of both components contribute to overall joint strength and structural integrity.
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
The design provides a stable, reliable, and efficient heat dissipation system with reduced thermal resistance and improved mechanical stability, allowing for thinner baseplates and cost-effective assembly without compromising thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one insert is arranged inside the recess and laser welded to the housing
Implementation Method 2
The at least one insert comprises copper and is arranged inside the recess and laser welded to the housing such that during operation the coolant flows through the flow channel and around the lower part of the at least one insert
Implementation Method 3
the coolant flows through the flow channel and around the lower part of the at least one insert
Data Source
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AI summary
A cooler unit (1) for liquid cooling of a power module (30) comprises at least one insert (10) that includes an upper part (15) and a lower part (16) and that is configured to be coupled to the power module (30) with the upper part (15). The cooler unit (1) further comprises a housing (20) that limits an internal flow channel (27) for a coolant and that comprises at least one recess (21) which penetrates a wall (25) of the housing (20) up to the flow channel (27) and which is configured in coordination with the at least one insert (10) geometrically, wherein the at least one insert (10) comprises copper and is arranged inside the recess (21) and laser welded to the housing (20) such that during operation the coolant flows through the flow channel (27) and around the lower part (16) of the at least one insert (10).