Sheet-Metal Liquid Cooling Plate for High-Power Electrical Hot Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for high-powered electrical systems, such as those in electric vehicles and construction equipment, face challenges with high production costs and inflexibility in low volume production, as well as the need for rapid design and implementation of liquid cooling systems that can handle higher power demands than passenger vehicle applications.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using thin stainless steel sheets to form a liquid cooling system with a non-uniform cooling channel, allowing for flexible design and rapid production, where the sheets are welded or glued together to create a robust and efficient cooling apparatus that can be adapted to various layouts and power requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If die-casted aluminum or machined liquid cold plates are used, then cooling performance is improved, but manufacturing cost and tooling investment increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple separate metal plates (first metal plate, intermediate metal plate, bottom metal plate) that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows each plate to be produced using simple stamping or bending processes rather than expensive die-casting, while maintaining effective thermal contact with the electrical components through the assembly configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameters from die-casting to stamping or bending processes. By altering the production method parameters, the system achieves comparable cooling performance without requiring expensive tooling investments, making the solution economically viable for low-volume production.
2Temperature
If die-casted aluminum cooling systems are used, then cooling efficiency is improved, but design flexibility and adaptability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented plate structure allows independent design and modification of each component. The first metal plate can be configured with different layouts for electrical components, while the bottom metal plate can be designed with various channel configurations, enabling easy adaptation to different power requirements and packaging constraints without retooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic adaptability through modular plate designs that can be reconfigured for different applications. The channels in the bottom metal plate can be adjusted to match different thermal load distributions, and the assembly structure allows for flexible packaging arrangements suitable for various electrified equipment applications.
3Power
If traditional liquid cooling systems are designed for high power applications, then power handling capacity is improved, but design and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The metal plates are pre-formed with integrated cooling channels and component mounting areas during the stamping or bending process. This preliminary action embeds the cooling functionality directly into the structural components, eliminating the need for separate cooling system design and integration steps, thereby reducing overall development time while maintaining high power handling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the structural enclosure function with the cooling function by integrating channels directly into the bottom metal plate and mounting surfaces into the first metal plate. This consolidation of functions reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps, enabling rapid production of high-power cooling systems without extending design timelines.
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 enables cost-effective, flexible, and high-performance cooling systems that can efficiently manage high power loads, with the ability to quickly adapt to different designs and internal layouts, reducing tooling costs and enabling efficient cooling near hot spots.
Implementation Method 1
a bottom metal plate affixed to the first entirely solid metal plate, the bottom metal plate defining a channel system configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough
Implementation Method 2
the one or more inlet openings are configured to allow coolant to enter or exit the channel system
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments included herein are directed towards an apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrical cooling apparatus. The method may include forming a first entirely solid metal plate to generate an enclosure. The method may also include affixing a bottom metal plate to the first entirely solid metal plate, the bottom metal plate may define a channel system. The bottom metal plate may include one or more inlet openings into the channel system, where the one or more inlet openings are configured to allow coolant to enter or exit the channel system.