Undulating Sub-Branch Cooling Network for Power Converter Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electrical power converters fail to achieve balanced temperature distribution among modules and sub-modules, leading to detrimental effects on electrical properties and conversion quality.
Innovation Solution
A cooling module with a network of heat-transfer liquid channels arranged in a lattice pattern, featuring individual branches with undulating sub-channels that connect in a spiral configuration, ensuring uniform temperature distribution across the modules and sub-modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single continuous channel winds beneath the entire surface of the module to be cooled, then the cooling coverage is comprehensive, but the temperature distribution becomes unbalanced among modules and sub-modules
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling network is divided into multiple individual branches, each serving a specific module or sub-module. Each branch contains serpentine channels that are segmented and distributed across different zones, allowing independent temperature control and balanced heat removal from each module, thus resolving the temperature distribution uniformity issue while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system implements local quality by assigning dedicated cooling branches to specific modules and sub-modules. Each branch is optimized with serpentine channels configured to match the local heat generation patterns of the targeted module, ensuring uniform temperature distribution locally while maintaining overall system cooling effectiveness.
2Power
If impact jets are used to cool the components, then the cooling efficiency is enhanced, but the uniformity of the cooling effect is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are designed with serpentine (curved) configurations instead of straight lines. This curvature allows the heat transfer fluid to follow a longer, more distributed path across the module surface, enhancing heat removal efficiency while maintaining uniform temperature distribution by avoiding concentrated cooling zones that would result from impact jets.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a heat transfer fluid circulating through closed-loop hydraulic channels embedded in the cooling plate. This hydraulic approach provides continuous, distributed cooling throughout the module surface, achieving both high cooling efficiency and uniform temperature distribution, unlike impact jet methods that create localized cooling zones.
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 provides effective and uniform cooling, reducing temperature differences among modules and sub-modules, thereby enhancing the electrical properties and conversion efficiency of power converters.
Implementation Method 1
a heat transfer fluid network, the network comprising individual heat transfer fluid branches, in parallel with each other... each sub-branch... forming a single heat transfer fluid channel which connects the inlet end to the outlet end
Implementation Method 2
The cooling network of this known converter comprises several cooling branches in parallel with each other. Each cooling branch comprises a single continuous channel, which winds beneath the entire surface of the module to be cooled
Data Source
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AI summary
This cooling module comprises a housing, which has an external support face including means (55) for attaching power conversion modules, and a heat transfer fluid network (68) comprising branches (82) extending within the housing in a network plane, each occupying an individual area (83). Each branch includes a supply manifold (90), a discharge manifold (91), and several individual sub-branches (92). Each sub-branch is connected to the supply manifold (90) via an inlet end (93) of the relevant sub-branch, is connected to the discharge manifold via an outlet end (94) of the relevant sub-branch, occupies an individual sub-area (98) within the area of the relevant branch, and is in bypass with respect to the other sub-branches between the supply manifold and the discharge manifold.Each sub-branch forms a single channel which exhibits an undulation with a regular pitch.