Vapour Chamber Cooling Layout for Power Module Heat Spreading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling technologies for power semiconductor modules are not efficient enough to utilize the full operating range of the components, leading to limitations in current and voltage handling due to inadequate heat removal.
Innovation Solution
The use of multiple vapour chambers to effectively transfer and spread heat generated in power electronic modules, allowing for even temperature distribution and improved heat transfer to a cooling medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional cooling elements are attached to the baseplate, then heat can be removed from the power electronic module, but the heat transfer efficiency is insufficient to enable full operating range utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vapour chambers that utilize phase transition of working fluid (liquid to vapour and back) to transfer heat from the baseplate to cooling elements. The vapour chamber contains a working fluid that evaporates at the heated surface and condenses at the cooler surface, providing highly efficient heat transfer that enables full utilization of power electronic component operating ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The vapour chamber acts as an intermediary thermal management component between the baseplate and external cooling elements. It receives heat from the baseplate and efficiently transfers it to cooling elements, serving as a thermal mediator that overcomes the insufficient heat transfer efficiency of direct attachment methods.
2Volume of moving object
If the device size is reduced while maintaining power ratings, then compactness is improved, but heat removal capability becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The vapour chamber utilizes phase change of working fluid to achieve high heat transfer efficiency in a compact volume. The latent heat of vaporization and condensation enables large amounts of heat to be transferred through a small temperature difference, allowing compact device design while maintaining adequate heat removal capability for full power ratings.
3Reliability
If cooling efficiency is improved, then the operating range of power electronic modules can be increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vapour chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as a heat spreader from the baseplate, provides efficient thermal coupling to cooling elements, and enables compact design. This multi-functionality allows improved operating range without proportionally increasing device complexity, as a single component achieves multiple thermal management objectives.
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 approach enhances the operating range of power electronic components, reduces the physical size of the device while maintaining power ratings, and improves heat transfer efficiency, enabling more effective cooling of power semiconductor modules.
Implementation Method 1
multiple of vapour chambers arranged to transfer the heat generated by the multiple of power electronic components
Implementation Method 2
The vapour chambers are arranged such that the heat is transferred from one vapour chamber to another vapour chamber
Implementation Method 3
The cooling element is attached to a surface of the power electronic module and is arranged to transfer heat from the power electronic assembly to a cooling medium
Data Source
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AI summary
A power electronic assembly comprising a power electronic module having multiple of power electronic components and a cooling element. The cooling element is attached to a surface of the power electronic module and is arranged to transfer heat from the power electronic assembly to a cooling medium, wherein the assembly comprises multiple of vapour chambers arranged to transfer the heat generated by the multiple of power electronic components.