Power Module Substrate Cooling With Embedded Fluid Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern high-power devices generate excessive heat due to increasing power demands in applications like electric vehicles, necessitating more effective thermal management solutions beyond traditional single-side or dual-side cooling methods.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a power device module with at least one power device disposed between direct bonded metal substrates and a conductive strip, featuring pipes thermally coupled to the top side of the substrates or strips, filled with cooling fluids to enhance heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional single-side or dual-side cooling methods are used, then the structure is simple, but the heat dissipation capability is insufficient for modern high-power devices
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling channels (first cooling channel and second cooling channel) that can be configured in parallel or series. Each channel has its own inlet and outlet, allowing independent flow rate control and optimized thermal management for different regions of the power device module.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system transitions from traditional single-side or dual-side cooling to three-dimensional cooling by embedding cooling channels within the substrate structure itself. The channels are formed by creating cavities and filling them with thermal conductive material, enabling heat dissipation from multiple directions simultaneously (top surface, bottom surface, and lateral surfaces).
2Ease of manufacture
If power devices are disposed on a single DBC substrate in single-side cooling, then the device structure is simple, but the thermal management is insufficient for increasing power demands
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cooling functions are merged into a single integrated substrate structure. The substrate combines the power device mounting function with the heat dissipation function by embedding cooling channels directly within it. The thermal conductive material fills the channels and creates thermal coupling between the power devices and the cooling fluid, merging thermal management with structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal conductive material is introduced as an intermediary between the power devices and the cooling fluid in the channels. This material fills the space between the devices and the cooling channels, ensuring efficient heat transfer from the devices to the cooling fluid while maintaining structural integrity.
3Temperature
If device die are attached to spacer blocks between a pair of DBC substrates in dual-side cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer blocks and complex multi-substrate structure are extracted and replaced with a simplified single-substrate design. The cooling channels are directly formed within the substrate, eliminating the need for external spacer blocks and reducing the number of components while maintaining effective heat dissipation capability.
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 configuration effectively removes heat from power device modules through both top and bottom sides, improving thermal management and addressing the heat dissipation challenges in high-power applications.
Implementation Method 1
at least one pipe thermally coupled to a top side of the first DBM substrate
Implementation Method 2
The at least one pipe is configured to include a cooling fluid therein
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes disposing at least one power device between a first direct bonded metal (DBM) substrate and a second DMB substrate and thermally coupling a plurality of pipes to a top side of the first DBM substrate opposite a side of the first DBM substrate with the at least one power device. The plurality of pipes is configured to carry cooling fluids in thermal contact with the first DBM substrate.