Power Module Pack Cooling Plate Assembly for Low-Defect Soldering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing power module designs for inverters face challenges in heat dissipation and manufacturing efficiency due to high thermal resistance and complex soldering processes, leading to increased defective rates and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A power module pack design that utilizes preform solder with an engraved pattern on the cooling plate for improved thermal conductivity, combined with a metal clip structure for heat dissipation and simplified soldering using a pressure jig, integrating primary and secondary soldering processes for enhanced manufacturing yield and reduced defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional soldering processes are used for power modules, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but heat dissipation performance deteriorates due to high thermal resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the solder into a preform solder with a predetermined shape and size that matches the power module's circuit board. This preform solder includes an engraved pattern that facilitates proper positioning and alignment before the actual soldering process, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during manufacturing while ensuring optimal thermal contact between the power module and cooling plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and geometric parameters of the solder material by creating a preform solder with specific dimensional parameters. The engraved pattern on the preform solder modifies its surface geometry to improve alignment accuracy and thermal contact area. This parameter optimization reduces thermal resistance without requiring complex soldering processes, as the preform's geometry itself guides proper positioning and ensures adequate heat transfer pathways.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex soldering processes are used, then manufacturing precision may improve, but manufacturing cost and defective rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The preform solder is prepared in advance with a precisely controlled engraved pattern that corresponds to the power module's circuit board layout. This preliminary preparation ensures high positioning accuracy and alignment precision during assembly, eliminating the need for complex real-time adjustment processes. The engraved pattern acts as a built-in alignment guide, reducing manufacturing complexity and defect rates while maintaining high precision soldering results.
Solution Approach 2:
The preform solder's engraved pattern enables the soldering process to be self-aligning. The geometry of the preform automatically guides proper positioning relative to the power module's circuit board during placement, reducing the need for external alignment tools or complex positioning mechanisms. This self-service alignment capability improves manufacturing precision while simplifying the overall manufacturing process and reducing costs.
3Temperature
If traditional cooling plate designs are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but thermal conductivity and heat dissipation efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate incorporates an engraved pattern that creates localized variations in surface geometry at specific positions corresponding to the power module's heat-generating areas. This local quality enhancement concentrates thermal pathways where heat dissipation is most critical, improving thermal conductivity at key locations without requiring a complete redesign of the entire cooling plate structure. The engraved regions provide enhanced thermal contact and heat transfer efficiency precisely where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The engraved pattern on the cooling plate is pre-formed to match the predetermined shape of the preform solder. This preliminary structuring ensures optimal thermal contact between the power module, preform solder, and cooling plate before the soldering process occurs. The pre-configured engraved regions on the cooling plate work in conjunction with the preform solder's geometry to establish efficient thermal pathways, enhancing heat dissipation without adding structural complexity.
4Productivity
If multiple soldering processes are separated, then process control is simplified, but manufacturing efficiency and yield are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the primary and secondary soldering processes into a single integrated operation using the preform solder. The preform's predetermined shape and engraved pattern enable both positioning and soldering functions to be accomplished in one step, eliminating the need for separate alignment and soldering procedures. This consolidation improves manufacturing efficiency and yield by reducing the number of process steps, handling operations, and potential defect opportunities while maintaining adequate process control through the preform's built-in geometric features.
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 solution provides effective heat dissipation, reduces manufacturing costs, and improves the yield of power modules by preventing solder overflow and misalignment, while simplifying the manufacturing process and enhancing thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the power modules has a lower surface soldered to an upper surface of the first cooling plate. A preform solder may be disposed between the lower surface of each of the power modules and the upper surface of the first cooling plate
Implementation Method 2
Embossed projections protruding outward may be formed, respectively, at positions each corresponding to the one or more engraved grooves of each of the power modules on a lower surface of the second cooling plate, and each embossed projection of the second cooling plate may be inserted into each engraved groove of each of the power modules, such that a position of the power module is fixed
Implementation Method 3
a first coolant flow channel through which a coolant flows between the first cooling plate and the first cover, and a second coolant flow channel through which a coolant flows between the second cooling plate and the second cover
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a power module pack including a first cooling plate, a second cooling plate stacked on and coupled to the first cooling plate, and power modules interposed between the first cooling plate and the second cooling plate. Each of the power modules has a lower surface soldered to an upper surface of the first cooling plate.