Microstructured Cooling Plate for Power Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling plates for power electronics struggle to achieve a balance between low cost and maximum cooling effect with minimal size, particularly in high-performance electronic applications, as they often rely on conventional designs that do not effectively enhance heat dissipation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The cooling plate features a microstructured surface with defined microregions, such as indentations, which increase the surface area and induce turbulence in the cooling medium, enhancing heat dissipation through both conduction and convection, while maintaining a cost-effective and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional cooling plate designs are used, then manufacturing cost is low, but cooling efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies surface micro-structuring to the cooling plate, transforming the surface from smooth to micro-textured with specific geometric patterns. This parameter change in surface topology increases the effective heat transfer area and induces turbulence in the cooling medium flow, thereby significantly improving cooling efficiency without fundamentally changing the manufacturing process or material composition
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional smooth surface to a three-dimensional micro-structured surface by adding vertical dimensionality through micro-protrusions and indentations. This dimensional enhancement creates additional heat transfer pathways and increases the effective surface area contact with the cooling medium, resolving the contradiction between simple manufacturing and high cooling performance
2Loss of energy
If cooling plate size is minimized, then space consumption is reduced, but cooling effect decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing micro-structures that extend in the vertical dimension from the base cooling plate surface, the invention effectively increases the heat transfer area without proportionally increasing the overall volume. The micro-protrusions and indentations create additional cooling surfaces within the existing footprint, allowing high cooling effect in a compact size
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-structured features are nested within the overall cooling plate structure, with micro-scale protrusions and indentations embedded in the surface of the macro-scale cooling plate. This nested arrangement allows the small-scale features to provide enhanced cooling functionality without significantly increasing the external dimensions of the cooling plate
3Loss of energy
If smooth surface is used, then manufacturing is simple, but heat dissipation efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface parameter from smooth to micro-structured by introducing controlled geometric patterns. While this increases manufacturing complexity, the use of standardized micro-structure patterns and conventional surface treatment techniques keeps the manufacturing process feasible, achieving a balance between enhanced heat dissipation and manufacturability
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 approach significantly improves cooling efficiency by optimizing the temperature of power electronics, enabling higher power densities and cost-effective manufacturing using materials like aluminum with high thermal conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
The microstructured region of the surface leads on the one hand to an enlargement of the surface area of the cooling plate and thus also to contact of the cooling plate with a cooling medium
Implementation Method 2
the microstructured region leads to a change in the flow properties of the cooling medium and, in particular, to the generation or amplification of turbulence
Implementation Method 3
the heat is first transferred to the cooling plate and then from it to a cooling medium
Implementation Method 4
a turbulent flow transports heat by both conduction and convection, which significantly increases cooling efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooling plate (1) of a cooler (10), through which fluid can flow, for cooling power electronics (200). The cooling plate (1) comprises a main body (2) and a plurality of cooling fins (3), which protrude from the main body (2). A surface (20) of the main body (2) and/or surface (30) of at least one cooling fin (3) has at least one defined microstructured region (4). Another aspect of the invention relates to a cooler (10) of this type and to a power electronics assembly (100).