Parallel Cooling Units for Power Electronics Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for high-power electrical and electronic devices face challenges in effectively dissipating heat due to high thermal resistance and inefficient airflow, leading to thermal runaway and reduced power output, especially with bulky magnetic components and high-power components.
Innovation Solution
A cooling arrangement featuring low-thermal-resistance heat exchange surfaces and fluid transfer means, combined with magnetic devices, to efficiently collect and dissipate heat through hollow elongate bodies with optimized geometry and fluid navigation, minimizing thermal resistance and optimizing space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional heat sinks are used for cooling, then surface area for heat dissipation is increased, but thermal resistance remains high and cooling effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple cooling units, each with hollow elongate bodies containing internal fluid passages. This segmentation allows direct fluid-to-component thermal contact while maintaining a compact footprint, resolving the contradiction between surface area and thermal resistance by creating distributed thermal exchange zones throughout the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow elongate bodies of the cooling units are nested within or around the magnetic devices and power electronics components. This nesting arrangement enables the cooling fluid to flow directly through channels adjacent to heat-generating components, achieving high cooling effectiveness without requiring large external surface area, thus resolving the thermal resistance issue.
2Loss of energy
If forced air cooling is implemented, then heat transfer from components to air is facilitated, but clear path for driving out warm air is absent and cooling efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces forced air cooling with liquid or gas fluid circulation through hollow elongate bodies. The fluid acts as a controlled thermal transport medium, flowing through defined internal passages to extract heat directly from components. This hydraulic approach eliminates the need for complex airflow paths and external fans, achieving superior heat transfer efficiency with simplified system architecture.
3Power
If bulky magnetic components are used, then power handling capability is increased, but space utilization is reduced and power output is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling units with hollow elongate bodies are nested within the magnetic device structures, with fluid passages positioned adjacent to windings and core components. This nesting enables effective cooling of high-power magnetic components without increasing their external dimensions, maintaining compact space utilization while handling high power levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system transitions from external surface cooling to internal volumetric cooling by placing fluid passages within the magnetic device structures. This dimensional shift allows heat extraction from the interior of bulky magnetic components, achieving effective cooling without increasing external volume, thus maintaining high power density.
4Reliability
If conventional cooling systems are used, then basic cooling function is provided, but thermal runaway risk increases due to inadequate heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fluid is circulated through the hollow elongate bodies before and during operation to pre-cool and continuously remove heat from power electronics and magnetic devices. This preliminary and continuous cooling action prevents heat accumulation that could lead to thermal runaway, enhancing operational reliability by maintaining components within safe temperature ranges throughout operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The closed-loop fluid circulation system continuously monitors and removes heat from heat-generating components, creating a negative feedback mechanism that prevents temperature excursions. The fluid flow rate and thermal exchange are designed to automatically balance heat generation, ensuring stable operating temperatures and preventing thermal runaway conditions.
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 cooling arrangement achieves efficient heat dissipation with reduced thermal resistance, enhances cooling efficiency, and allows for modular maintenance and component swapping, while minimizing resistive, inductive, and capacitive losses.
Implementation Method 1
facilitates collection of heat, which may be generated by the electrical or electronic components of the power electronics assembly mounted on the cooling arrangement, via the one or more heat exchange surfaces of the cooling units
Implementation Method 2
heat exchange surfaces with low thermal resistance
Implementation Method 3
fluid transfer means allows dissipation of the collected heat by enabling passage of fluids through the cooling units
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling arrangement, includes: a first cooling unit having a first hollow elongated body that provides a passage for a fluid to flow through the first cooling unit; a second cooling unit, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first cooling unit, having a second hollow elongated body that provides a passage for a fluid to flow through the second cooling unit; one or more magnetic devices arranged between the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit; and one or more fluid transfer means that enable transfer of fluid through the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit.