Predictive Cooling Control for Semiconductor Power Supply Heat Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control methods for devices with semiconductor components face challenges in efficiently managing heat without increasing size, weight, or power consumption, and are affected by individual device differences and time delays in control responses.
Innovation Solution
A power supply control apparatus and temperature control method that uses a calibration process to determine device-specific thermal resistances and capacities, allowing for precise control of cooling units based on current values, reducing the need for large heat radiators and fans, and minimizing the impact of device individual differences and time delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat radiator and cooling fan are increased in size to provide sufficient cooling capacity, then cooling performance is improved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calibration to determine device-specific thermal resistance and heat capacity values before actual operation. This advance preparation enables precise temperature prediction and control without requiring oversized cooling components, thereby maintaining effective cooling while reducing device size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control approach from using fixed, conservative cooling parameters to using dynamically adjusted parameters based on measured thermal characteristics. By calibrating actual thermal resistance and heat capacity values, the system optimizes cooling fan operation and heat radiator utilization, achieving sufficient cooling with smaller components.
2Measurement precision
If thermal resistance model calculation is used for temperature control, then temperature control accuracy is improved, but time delay occurs from control amount change to reflected output temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where actual temperature measurements are continuously monitored and used to adjust control decisions. The control amount is determined based on the difference between actual temperature and target temperature, combined with predicted temperature change from thermal parameters, enabling real-time compensation for time delays and maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from static thermal resistance models to dynamic temperature control that adapts to real-time conditions. By continuously updating control amounts based on current temperature deviations and measured thermal characteristics, the system responds dynamically to changing thermal states, reducing the impact of inherent time delays.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional temperature control methods are used, then general applicability is maintained, but performance varies due to individual device differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining specific thermal characteristics for each individual device through calibration. Instead of using generic thermal parameters that apply to all devices, the system measures and stores device-specific thermal resistance and heat capacity values, enabling optimized temperature control tailored to each device's unique thermal properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables each device to self-calibrate by automatically measuring its own thermal characteristics during operation. The device performs self-testing to determine its specific thermal parameters, eliminating the need for manual calibration or factory programming, and thereby achieving both individualized performance optimization and broad applicability.
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 method effectively maintains temperature within an appropriate range, reducing unnecessary temperature changes and power consumption while accounting for device-specific characteristics, thus enhancing cooling performance without increasing size, weight, or power usage.
Implementation Method 1
a first temperature rise value based on the electric power loss, the thermal resistance, and the thermal capacity is calculated
Implementation Method 2
a first temperature rise value based on the electric power loss, the thermal resistance, and the thermal capacity is calculated
Implementation Method 3
a temperature control apparatus... maintaining a temperature in a heat source within an appropriate range
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A power supply control apparatus controls a temperature of a device having a cooling mechanism and a heat generating component. The power supply control apparatus includes a nonvolatile storage unit that stores information indicating a specific characteristic including a thermal resistance and a thermal capacity of the device for each current of the heat generating component, a current measurement unit configured to measure a current flowing through the heat generating component, a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a current temperature of the heat generating component, and a control unit configured to perform cooling control on the device. The control unit estimates a temperature rise value after a certain delay time based on the current, the temperature, and the information on the specific characteristic, and performs the cooling control on the device based on an estimated temperature after the delay time.