Penetrating Power Component Layout for Motor Control Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control devices face challenges in heat dissipation and thermal stress management, particularly due to the size and arrangement of power components, which can damage adjacent heat-sensitive components and require significant installation space.
Innovation Solution
The power components are arranged to penetrate a flat plate plane, allowing for a lateral connection to the housing, reducing the overall height and installation space, and enhancing thermal connection and heat dissipation through a metal housing with heat sink properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power components are arranged on the plate surface, then electrical functionality is achieved, but installation space increases and heat dissipation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The power component transitions from a surface-mounted arrangement (2D on plate surface) to a penetrating arrangement (3D through the plate), with its longitudinal central axis running parallel to the plate plane. This dimensional change allows the component to extend laterally beyond the plate edges while maintaining a compact footprint, thereby improving heat dissipation surface area without significantly increasing the installation space envelope.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is segmented into functional zones: a first region containing the plate with power components, and a second region providing cooling structure. The cooling structure is further divided into multiple cooling elements that can be independently arranged and configured. This segmentation allows optimized thermal management without compromising the compact electrical assembly.
2Temperature
If power components are made larger for better heat dissipation, then thermal management improves, but installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power component utilizes the lateral dimension by extending beyond the plate edges, rather than increasing its footprint on the plate surface. The longitudinal central axis parallel to the plate plane enables heat dissipation surfaces to be positioned in the lateral direction, achieving improved thermal management within the same horizontal envelope.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves dual functions: it provides mechanical support and containment for the electrical components, and simultaneously acts as a cooling structure through integrated cooling elements. This merging of structural and thermal management functions eliminates the need for separate cooling components that would increase installation space.
3Reliability
If heat-resistant components are used to withstand high temperatures, then thermal resistance improves, but heat-sensitive adjacent components may still be damaged by emitted heat
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful heat emitted by power components is extracted and directed away from heat-sensitive areas through dedicated cooling channels and cooling elements. The cooling structure intercepts and removes heat before it can propagate to adjacent components, isolating the thermal impact to specific zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing acts as an intermediary thermal management system between the heat-generating power components and the surrounding environment. The integrated cooling elements serve as intermediate heat transfer pathways, facilitating controlled heat removal and preventing uncontrolled thermal propagation to sensitive components.
4Temperature
If cooling structure is added to the housing, then heat dissipation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling structure is merged with the housing, making the housing serve dual purposes: mechanical support and thermal management. The cooling elements are integrated into the housing structure rather than being separate add-on components, thereby improving cooling efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with multi-functionality, simultaneously providing structural support, component mounting, and active cooling functions. This universal design approach consolidates multiple functions into a single component, improving thermal management while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
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 arrangement simplifies heat dissipation, reduces thermal stress, and minimizes the required installation space, while improving the thermal connection and cooling efficiency of power components, thereby protecting adjacent components and optimizing the design of the control device.
Implementation Method 1
the power components are coupled to said cooling structure so as to transfer heat
Implementation Method 2
A portion of the housing of the electric motor is moreover designed as cooling structure
Data Source
AI summary
A control device for controlling an electric motor of an electrical device may include a flat plate and a power electronics. The plate may extend in a plate plane. The power electronics may include a plurality of electronic components arranged and interconnected on the plate. The power electronics may have at least one electronic power component that produces waste heat during operation. The at least one electronic power component may be arranged such that a body of the at least one electronic power component penetrates the plate plane. A plurality of power connections, via which the at least one electronic power component may be interconnected to the plurality of electronic components, may be arranged at an edge of the plate.