Modular Electric Panel Layout for Compact Cooling and Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric panels are often oversized due to the need for additional driver boards and heat dissipation components, which complicates their design and maintenance, especially when replacing or swapping out components.
Innovation Solution
A modular electric panel system with a core body, housing, gate drivers, and connectors that allows for easy replacement of switching devices and thermal management through internal conduits, along with busbars that provide efficient voltage and current conduction while minimizing space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional electric panel design is used with multiple driver boards and heat dissipation components, then the panel can handle high voltages and provide adequate cooling, but the panel size becomes larger than desirable and design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple driver boards into a single integrated driver board that controls multiple switching devices. This consolidation reduces the overall panel area while maintaining the necessary driving capability for all switching devices, directly addressing the contradiction between adequate cooling/driver functionality and compact panel size.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated driver board performs multiple functions: it controls multiple switching devices, provides thermal management through integrated cooling structures, and maintains electrical isolation between high-voltage and low-voltage circuits. This multi-functionality allows the panel to achieve adequate heat dissipation and driver control in a compact form factor.
2Reliability
If traditional electric panel design is used with multiple driver boards, then adequate control of switching devices is achieved, but the design and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple driver boards are merged into a single integrated driver board that contains all necessary control circuits for multiple switching devices. This reduces the number of separate components, simplifying both the initial design process and ongoing maintenance activities while maintaining reliable control of all switching devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated driver board is designed with separate isolated control circuits for each switching device, allowing independent control and fault isolation. This segmentation within integration maintains reliability by ensuring that failures in one control circuit do not affect others, while still reducing overall complexity compared to multiple separate driver boards.
3Area of stationary object
If switching devices are mounted on both sides of the core body, then space usage is optimized, but assembly and replacement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching devices are segmented into two groups mounted on opposite sides of the core body, with each side independently accessible. This segmentation allows optimally utilizing both sides of the core body for mounting devices while maintaining simple assembly procedures through standardized mounting interfaces and independent access from each side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the mounting structure design to allow switching devices to be removed and replaced from either side of the core body independently. This extraction of the mounting concept enables flexible maintenance procedures where devices can be accessed from the most convenient side without disassembling the entire panel.
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 modular design optimizes space usage, facilitates easy assembly and maintenance, and maintains component temperatures within acceptable ranges, improving the overall efficiency and flexibility of the panel system.
Implementation Method 1
The core body may include internal conduits for flow of a fluid used to thermally manage the switching devices
Implementation Method 2
The connectors may receive and conduct a voltage to collector terminals of the switching devices
Implementation Method 3
The gate drivers may conduct a gate voltage to gate terminals of the switching devices
Implementation Method 4
The switching devices may control conduction of the voltage out of the housing via the connectors as an alternating current
Data Source
AI summary
A panel system may include a core body having opposite sides and switching devices mounted to at least one of the opposite sides of the core body, a housing in which the core body and the switching devices are disposed, gate drivers coupled to a first side of the housing and to the switching devices, and connectors coupled to one or more other sides of the housing and to the switching devices. The connectors may receive and conduct a voltage to collector terminals of the switching devices. The gate drivers may conduct a gate voltage to gate terminals of the switching devices. The switching devices may control conduction of the voltage out of the housing via the connectors as an alternating current.