Removable Interface Plate for Power Electronics Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance of power electronics circuits in speed variators is complicated due to the need to drain and risk of liquid leakage when replacing the circuits, which increases intervention time and requires multiple trades, posing safety and availability risks.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a removably mounted interface plate that allows power electronics circuits to be detached from the heatsink without draining the liquid, facilitating maintenance and enabling flexible circuit placement for improved heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the power electronics circuit is fixed directly to the heatsink, then the heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the maintenance complexity increases due to the need to drain liquid and risk of leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into three main segments: the heatsink (with liquid cooling circuit), the interface plate (thermal interface component), and the power electronics circuit. This segmentation allows the interface plate to be removed and replaced independently without affecting the heatsink or requiring liquid drainage, thus maintaining heat transfer efficiency while simplifying maintenance procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The interface plate serves as an intermediary component between the heatsink and the power electronics circuit. It provides a removable thermal interface that maintains good thermal contact when assembled, but can be detached without draining the liquid from the heatsink, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining thermal efficiency and enabling easy maintenance
2Temperature
If the circuit is fixed directly to the heatsink, then the thermal contact is improved, but the intervention time increases due to draining and safety precautions
Solution Approach 1:
The interface plate is pre-assembled with the power electronics circuit before installation on the heatsink. This preliminary assembly allows the circuit to be tested and prepared outside the cooling system, so that during maintenance only the interface plate needs to be removed and replaced, significantly reducing intervention time while maintaining good thermal contact
3Reliability
If the circuit is fixed directly to the heatsink, then the sealing is improved, but the safety risk increases due to liquid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The interface plate acts as a protective intermediary that separates the liquid-cooled heatsink from the power electronics circuit. It includes integrated sealing elements that maintain liquid containment when assembled, but its removable nature allows it to be detached without draining liquid, eliminating the risk of liquid leakage onto the circuit during maintenance while maintaining sealing reliability during operation
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 solution simplifies maintenance by eliminating the need to drain liquids, reducing safety risks, and allowing for efficient heat transfer through a metallic interface plate that can be easily detached and reattached, thereby enhancing maintenance efficiency and reducing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
an interface plate in thermal contact with the heatsink and on which the power electronics circuit or circuits is or are fixed
Implementation Method 2
a liquid-cooled heatsink; and an interface plate in thermal contact with the heatsink so that the electronics circuit or circuits can be detached from the heatsink without draining same
Data Source
AI summary
Device (1) for cooling at least one power electronics circuit (4), including: a liquid-cooled heatsink (2); and an interface plate (3) that is in thermal contact with the heatsink (2) and to which the one or more power electronics circuits (4) are attached, the interface plate (3), including at least one thermosiphon (6), being removably mounted on the heatsink (2) so as to be capable of being separated therefrom with the one or more electronic circuits (4) attached thereto.