Stacked Inverter Cooler Layout for Compact EV Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inverter apparatuses for electric vehicles face challenges in size reduction and efficient cooling due to the stacking of power modules and coolers, leading to increased weight and size, and inadequate heat transfer between the cooling flow path and power modules.
Innovation Solution
The inverter apparatus features a stacked structure with a power module and cooler, where the cooler is pressed by a cover to ensure close contact and enhanced heat transfer, utilizing multiple coolers and a partitioned housing to optimize cooling performance and reduce overall size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the power module and cooler are stacked to reduce overall size, then the volume of the inverter apparatus is reduced, but the heat transfer performance between the cooler and power module deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A separate structure made of metal material is introduced as an intermediary between the cooler and power module. This intermediary ensures close contact between the cooling flow path and power module while maintaining the stacked configuration, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and effective heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooler is positioned within the housing and pressed against the power module through the cover, creating a nested arrangement where the cooling system is integrated into the power module assembly. This nesting allows efficient heat transfer while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Temperature
If a separate structure is used to ensure close contact between cooling flow path and power module, then heat transfer performance is improved, but the weight and size of the inverter apparatus increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cover serves multiple functions: it shields the internal space, presses the cooler against the power module to ensure heat transfer, and eliminates the need for a separate metal structure. This multi-functionality maintains cooling performance while avoiding the weight penalty of additional metal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of shielding and pressing are merged into a single cover component. By combining these functions, the design avoids adding separate metal structures for pressing, thus maintaining cooling effectiveness while preventing weight and size increases.
3Temperature
If multiple coolers are used to improve cooling performance, then the heat transfer efficiency is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple coolers (first cooler and second cooler) that can be independently positioned and pressed against the power module. This segmentation allows enhanced cooling coverage while maintaining modular simplicity in the overall assembly process.
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 configuration reduces the overall size of the inverter apparatus while significantly improving cooling performance, effectively managing heat generation and vibration, thus addressing the limitations of conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler (30) provided to be in contact with the power module (20) and configured to cool the power module (20) by a heat transfer with the power module (20)
Data Source
AI summary
An inverter apparatus of a mobility has a structure in which a power module and a cooler are stacked so that an overall size of the inverter apparatus is reduced, and the cooler is pressed by a cover so that the cooler and the power module are in contact with each other, increasing the cooling performance of the cooler.