Sealed Coolant Passage Design for Electronic Control Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling methods for electronic units in motor vehicles face a significant risk of coolant leakage, which can lead to short circuits, component damage, or fires, especially in compact designs with high electrical voltages, due to the pressure difference between the coolant and ambient pressure within a closed housing structure.
Innovation Solution
A sealed coolant passage design featuring a recess and web structure with a multi-stage ring-shaped sealing arrangement and a pressure-relieving leakage passage, ensuring that any leaked coolant is directed away from the electronics compartment, reducing pressure on subsequent seals and preventing coolant from reaching sensitive components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cooler is welded or soldered to electronic modules to ensure reliable sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but production cost increases and dismantling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cooler is divided into a cooler body and a separate sealing flange connected via a sealing arrangement. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be independently optimized and replaced without affecting the entire cooler structure, reducing production complexity while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing flange acts as an intermediary component between the cooler body and the electronics housing. This mediator provides a dedicated sealing interface that can be optimized for sealing performance without compromising the modular assembly and disassembly requirements.
2Reliability
If a sealed coolant passage design is used to prevent coolant leakage, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple independent sealing elements (first seal and second seal) positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows each seal to be optimized for its specific function and enables localized replacement or maintenance without affecting the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates a leakage passage that provides a controlled escape route for coolant before it can reach electronic components. This beforehand cushioning measure ensures that even if seals fail, coolant leakage is directed away from sensitive areas, maintaining safety while using simpler seal designs.
3Temperature
If direct cooling with coolant contact is implemented, then cooling efficiency is improved, but risk of coolant penetration to electronics increases
Solution Approach 1:
The space around the coolant passage is divided into sealed zones using the sealing flange and multiple seals. This segmentation creates distinct pressure zones that contain coolant leakage locally, allowing direct cooling contact while preventing coolant migration to electronic components even under pressure differential.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing flange serves as an intermediary barrier between the coolant passage and the electronics housing. This mediator provides a controlled interface that allows thermal management while blocking coolant penetration pathways to sensitive electronic components.
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 effectively seals the coolant passage, reducing the risk of coolant exposure to electronic components in the event of a leak, enhancing safety and reliability, particularly in high-temperature environments like engine compartments, and allowing for efficient cooling of power electronics with voltages over 100 V.
Implementation Method 1
The base plate is connected to the cooler part in a coolant-sealing manner via a sealing arrangement running on the web, which comprises two seals each running closed in the form of a ring at the upper end of the web
Implementation Method 2
the heat generated during operation of the electrical or electronic components (power loss) can be dissipated to a cooling medium (e.g. cooling liquid such as water) flowing through the coolant passage
Implementation Method 3
coolant passage for a cooling liquid to flow through
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
An electronic unit, especially a control appliance, has electric and/or electronic components arranged on and coupled to a heat-conducting electronic base/floor plate (16) which is thermally coupled to a coolant duct (20) and on its lower face (18), the base-plate is integrally formed with a downward extending annular closed web (24), the inner face (22) of which, together with the lower face (18) of the base-plate (16) and an upper-face (26) of a cooler part (28), defines the coolant duct (20).