Reactor Cooling Layout for Power Converters With Wrapped Winding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power converters with reactors suffer from inadequate cooling of both the core and winding, leading to reliability issues due to heat generation and potential burnout, as the existing cooling mechanisms do not effectively address the iron and copper losses across the entire core and winding.
Innovation Solution
A power converter design featuring a reactor with a rectangular parallelepiped core and a winding wound around both the core and a cooling member with a larger cooling surface area, enhancing heat dissipation through improved contact and airflow, thereby cooling both the core and winding efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cooling member is inserted into a gap between an EI-shaped core and a winding wound around a central leg, then the central leg and part of the winding are cooled, but the entire core and winding are not sufficiently cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from localized cooling (inserting cooling member into gap at central leg) to surface-based cooling (disposing core on cooling surface). The cooling surface extends in plan view to provide thermal contact across the entire core perimeter, moving the cooling approach to a two-dimensional surface interaction rather than one-dimensional gap insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling member is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the entire core through extended thermal contact and also cools the winding through direct contact with portions of the winding. This multi-functional approach replaces the previous single-location cooling method.
2Temperature
If only the core is in contact with the radiator, then the core is cooled directly, but the winding is cooled through the core and not sufficiently cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling member acts as an intermediary thermal pathway between the core and the radiator. By extending the cooling surface to contact both the core and the winding directly, it creates multiple thermal pathways, preventing the winding from being solely dependent on core-mediated cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from one-dimensional heat transfer (through core only) to two-dimensional heat transfer (core surface contact plus winding contact). The cooling surface in plan view provides extended thermal interaction areas for both core and winding simultaneously.
3Temperature
If the cooling surface area is increased to cool the entire core and winding, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the cooling functions for both core and winding into a single integrated cooling member. The cooling surface simultaneously contacts the core and the winding, combining multiple cooling tasks into one component rather than requiring separate cooling systems for each element.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling member is designed as a universal cooling solution that handles thermal management for both the core and the winding. By making the cooling surface larger in area than the core in plan view, it universally addresses the cooling needs of all heat-generating components without adding multiple separate cooling systems.
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 improves the cooling effectiveness of the core and winding, enhancing the reliability of the power converter, allowing for a smaller, more cost-effective, and flexible power converter with reduced surge voltage and increased design freedom for inductance values.
Implementation Method 1
the core portion is disposed on the first cooling surface... the winding portion is wound around the core portion and the cooling member
Implementation Method 2
enhancing heat dissipation through improved contact and airflow
Implementation Method 3
the reactor generates heat due to an iron loss occurring in the core
Implementation Method 4
a copper loss occurring in the winding
Data Source
AI summary
A power converter is provided that includes a reactor that is improved in effect of cooling a core and a winding. The power converter includes: a cooling member having a first cooling surface; and a reactor including a core portion and a winding portion. The core portion is a rectangular parallelepiped and disposed on the first cooling surface that is larger in area than the core portion in a plan view. The winding is wound around the core portion and the cooling member. The power converter further includes a power conversion module connected to one end of the winding portion.