Power Module Cooling Fin Bonding for Stable High-Temperature Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current power module units face challenges in achieving efficient heat dissipation, particularly at high temperatures, due to the complexity of thermally conductive structures and the need for precise pre-bending of base plates to secure heat sinks effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method involving thermal spraying to create a material bond between cooling fins and a metal frame, using copper and/or aluminum materials for enhanced thermal conductivity, allowing for a form-fitting connection that maintains stability across a wide temperature range without noticeable distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex pre-bending of the base plate is used to secure the heat sink, then the heat sink can be fixedly connected to the heat sink even at high temperatures, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex pre-bending requirement from the base plate by introducing a separate thermally conductive structure that performs the thermal compensation function. This allows the base plate to remain simple while the dedicated thermally conductive structure handles the high-temperature compensation, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally conductive structure acts as an intermediary between the base plate and heat sink, providing both thermal conduction and mechanical compensation for thermal expansion. This mediator absorbs the complexity of thermal management, allowing the base plate to remain simple while ensuring reliable fixed connection at high temperatures.
2Ease of manufacture
If cooling fins are inserted into recesses of the frame, then assembly is simplified, but thermal coupling efficiency may be reduced due to gaps between components
Solution Approach 1:
The thermally conductive structure serves as a mediator that fills the gaps between the cooling fins and frame recesses. It provides both mechanical retention (allowing easy assembly) and thermal conduction (maintaining thermal coupling efficiency), thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and thermal coupling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally conductive structure uses composite material properties to simultaneously provide mechanical retention and thermal conduction. By combining these functions in a single component made of thermally conductive material, the invention achieves both easy assembly and efficient thermal coupling without compromising either aspect.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional casting or extrusion methods are used to produce heat sinks, then manufacturing is simple, but thermal conductivity and heat dissipation efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs composite material construction with thermally conductive materials (such as copper or aluminum alloys) for the thermally conductive structure and heat sink. This composite approach enables superior thermal conductivity and heat dissipation efficiency compared to conventional single-material casting or extrusion, while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat dissipation system is segmented into distinct functional components: the base plate, thermally conductive structure with cooling fins, and heat sink. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function (structural support, thermal conduction, and heat dissipation respectively), improving overall heat dissipation efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular production.
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 enables optimal thermal coupling and cost-effective heat dissipation with flexible rib geometries and alloys, ensuring reliable retention of cooling fins and maintaining mechanical stability for power module units.
Implementation Method 1
a first metallic material is applied to the cooling fins and the frame by means of a thermal spraying process, wherein a material bond is produced between the cooling fins and the auxiliary frame by means of the applied first metallic material
Implementation Method 2
The substrate has a metal structure on both sides, wherein the metal structure is designed to be connected to the power semiconductor on one side and can be fixed to a base plate on the other side. In order to compensate for thermal effects
Data Source
AI summary
In a method of manufacturing a power module unit, cooling fins are positioned in recesses of a frame, in particular a metal frame. A first metallic material is applied to the cooling fins and the frame by a thermal spraying process, causing the applied first metallic material to produce a material bond between the cooling fins and the frame.