Modular Motor Drive Cooling Assembly for Shared Coolant Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for electric and hybrid vehicles face challenges in efficiently managing the varying thermal demands of power electronics devices and vehicle motors, leading to complex and costly designs with limited effectiveness in heat removal.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system is designed to simultaneously cool both power modules and vehicle motors using a combination of manifolds, heat sink features, and modular assemblies that direct a flow of coolant fluid through inlet and outlet branch channels, providing efficient heat transfer and distribution across multiple heat generating devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a unified cooling system is designed to accommodate both power electronics devices and vehicle motor, then both components can be cooled simultaneously, but the system design becomes complicated and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling of power electronics devices and vehicle motor into a single unified cooling system. The cooling system includes a cooling fluid inlet, a manifold with distribution channels, and cooling fluid outlets positioned to simultaneously cool both components. This merging approach allows one cooling system to serve multiple thermal management needs, reducing the number of separate cooling systems required while maintaining effective heat removal from both power electronics and motor components
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with universal applicability to handle varying thermal demands of different components. The manifold structure with multiple distribution channels enables the same cooling system to adapt to different heat flux requirements of power electronics devices and vehicle motor simultaneously, making the system multi-functional rather than requiring separate specialized cooling systems for each component
2Reliability
If separate cooling systems are used for power electronics devices and vehicle motor, then each component receives dedicated cooling, but the overall system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using separate cooling systems for power electronics devices and vehicle motor, the patent merges them into a single integrated cooling system. The manifold distributes cooling fluid through multiple channels to simultaneously reach both components, reducing the total number of cooling systems from two to one while maintaining dedicated cooling paths for each component through the distribution channel design
3Productivity
If cooling fluid flow is increased to improve heat removal, then heat transfer effectiveness improves, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system employs local quality optimization by positioning cooling fluid outlets at specific locations and orienting them toward high heat flux areas of both power electronics devices and vehicle motor. The manifold distribution channels are configured to direct cooling fluid precisely where heat removal is most needed, ensuring effective heat transfer without requiring excessive cooling fluid flow rates throughout the entire system
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 system effectively removes heat from both power modules and vehicle motors, enhancing thermal management and reducing the complexity and cost of cooling systems by providing a unified and efficient cooling solution.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling fluid is introduced to the heat management device, where it receives heat from the heat management device, primarily through convective and/or conductive heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
The cooling fluid is introduced to the heat management device, where it receives heat from the heat management device, primarily through convective and/or conductive heat transfer
Implementation Method 3
A first heat sink feature disposed between the power module and the manifold fluid insert
Data Source
AI summary
Modular cooling assemblies are provided for simultaneously cooling both a power module and a vehicle motor. Each cooling assembly may include a first cooling structure defining at least one major surface in thermal communication with the vehicle motor. A second cooling structure may be provided, defining at least one major surface in thermal communication with a power module. An interlayer structure may be provided, configured to couple the first cooling structure to the second cooling structure. The first cooling structure, the second cooling structure, and the interlayer structure are positioned in a stacked arrangement and configured to provide a flow of coolant fluid from a fluid inlet defined in first cooling structure, through the interlayer structure, and to at least one heat sink feature of the second cooling structure. The coolant fluid is then directed through a fluid outlet defined in the second cooling structure.