Electric Fluid Pump Heat-Transfer Wall for Sealed Electronics Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric fluid pumps face challenges in effectively dissipating heat from power electronic components within the pump housing without the need for additional sealing elements, which complicates manufacturing and reduces sealing reliability.

Innovation Solution

An electric fluid pump design featuring a metal heat-transfer center wall in direct contact with the fluid, integrated with a plastic separating ring wall, allows for convective heat transfer directly to the fluid, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements and simplifying manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a separate sealing element is used at the contacting surfaces of the metallic separating wall and the plastic pump housing, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is merged with the metal heat-transfer center wall by integrating a sealing ring directly onto the metal wall. This eliminates the need for separate sealing elements while maintaining effective sealing between the electronics chamber and motor chamber, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving sealing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a separate sealing element is used at the contacting surfaces of the metallic separating wall and the plastic pump housing, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing ring is integrated directly onto the metal heat-transfer center wall, combining the sealing function with the heat transfer component. This integration eliminates the need for separate assembly steps for installing sealing elements, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining effective sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If a metal separating wall is used for heat transfer, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sealing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation effectivenessVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is merged with the metal heat-transfer center wall by integrating a sealing ring directly onto the metal wall. This eliminates the need for separate sealing elements while maintaining effective sealing between the electronics chamber and motor chamber, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving sealing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of manufacture

If power electronic components are arranged away from the heat transfer wall, then ease of component placement is improved, but heat dissipation effectiveness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent placement easeVSAvoidheat dissipation effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting plate is designed with locally optimized thermal conductivity, featuring a metal core layer with high thermal conductivity positioned directly beneath the power electronic components. This local quality enhancement ensures efficient heat transfer from the components to the cooling fluid while allowing flexible component placement on the surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design provides effective heat dissipation, prevents overheating of the pump housing and components, enhances sealing reliability, and reduces manufacturing complexity by integrating the metal heat-transfer center wall with the plastic separating ring wall.

Implementation Method 1

the heat is convectively transferred from the metal heat-transfer center wall to the fluid flowing through the motor chamber and is thereby transported out of the motor chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

the metal heat-transfer center wall is preferably made of a relatively heat conductive metal which allows an extremely effective heat transfer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4536969B1Electric fluid pump
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 PIERBURG PUMP TECH
  • EP4536969B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention is directed to an electric fluid pump (10) comprising a pump housing (12) defining a pumping chamber (15), a motor chamber (17), and an electronics chamber (19), wherein the pumping chamber (15) and the motor chamber (17) are fluidically connected to each other, and wherein the pump housing (12) defines a plastic separating ring wall (21) between the motor chamber (17) and the electronics chamber (19). The electric fluid pump (10) further comprises an electric drive motor (30) comprising a motor stator (31) and a motor rotor (32), the electric drive motor (30) being arranged within the motor chamber (17). Furthermore, the electric fluid pump (10) comprises a metal heat-transfer center wall (25) being supported by the plastic separating ring wall (21). The metal heat-transfer center wall (25) improves the heat transfer from the power electronic components (35) within the electronics chamber (19) to the fluid within the motor chamber (17).