Stacked power module with integrated thermal management

• US 10,178,813 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Boteler, Lauren M., Urciuoli, Damian P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinclair, David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Robert D
• Application Number:
  US15/416,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20180213676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20909 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A power module including a plurality of power die layers including power electronic components; a plurality of heat sink components operatively connected to multiple sides of each power electronic component; a plurality of electrically conductive layers contacting the plurality of heat sink components, wherein a power die layer and an electrically conductive layer sequentially alternate to form a stacked structure such that both ends of the stacked structure includes an end electrically conductive layer. A cooling path is integrated with each layer in the stacked structure. A housing unit houses the stacked structure. The power electronic components may include heat-producing electronic devices. The cooling path may accommodate any of a fluid and solid to liquid phase change materials. The fluid comes into direct contact with the power die layers, heat sink components, and electrically conductive layers.

Claims

1. A power module comprises:

a stack of power electronic components arranged in layers;

an electrically conductive material separating each layer from one another;

a heat sink operatively connected to multiple sides of each power electronic component in said stack; and

a cooling path integrated with each layer in said stack,

wherein said cooling path accommodates a cooling fluid or a solid to liquid phase change material.

2. The power module of claim 1, wherein the power electronic components comprise a plurality of diodes.

3. The power module of claim 1, wherein the power electronic components comprise a plurality of switching devices.

4. The power module of claim 3, further comprising a housing unit that houses said power module, wherein said housing unit comprises a plurality of electrical contacts that operatively connect to said plurality of switching devices.

5. The power module of claim 1, further comprising electrically conductive layers positioned on opposite ends of said stack, wherein said electrically conductive layers comprise a first end electrically conductive layer and a second end electrically conductive layer.

6. The power module of claim 5, wherein said first end electrically conductive layer and said second end electrically conductive layer comprise copper.

7. The power module of claim 5, wherein said first side faces towards said first end electrically conductive layer, wherein said second side faces towards said second end electrically conductive layer, and wherein the first end and second electrically conductive layers comprise busbars.

8. The power module of claim 1, wherein said each power electronic component comprises a first side and an oppositely positioned second side.

9. The power module of claim 8, wherein said heat sink comprises at least one pillar structure extending from each of said first side and said second side of said each power electronic component.

10. The power module of claim 1, further comprising a housing unit that houses said power module.

11. The power module of claim 10, wherein said housing unit comprises a plurality of holes aligned with said cooling path to create an inlet and outlet for the cooling fluid or the solid to liquid phase change material to traverse along said cooling path.

12. The power module of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive material is configured as a structured layer comprising a base portion and an external electrical contact extending from said base portion.

13. The power module of claim 1, further comprising multiple power modules adjacent to one another.

14. The power module of claim 1, wherein said stack of power electronic components arranged in layers comprises a half-bridge configuration.

15. The power module of claim 1 wherein said cooling fluid or said solid to liquid phase change material comes into direct contact with said power electronic components.

16. A power module comprising:

a plurality of power die layers comprising power electronic components;

a plurality of heat sink components operatively connected to multiple sides of each power electronic component;

a plurality of electrically conductive layers contacting said plurality of heat sink components, wherein a power die layer and an electrically conductive layer sequentially alternate to form a stacked structure such that both ends of said stacked structure comprises an end electrically conductive layer;

a cooling path integrated with each layer in said stacked structure; and

a housing unit that houses said stacked structure,

wherein said housing unit comprises a plurality of holes aligned with said cooling path to create an inlet and outlet for a cooling fluid to traverse along said cooling path.

17. The power module of claim 16, wherein said power electronic components comprise heat-producing electronic devices.

18. The power module of claim 16, wherein said cooling path accommodates a cooling fluid or a solid to liquid phase change material.

19. The power module of claim 18, wherein said fluid comes into direct contact with said plurality of power die layers, said plurality of heat sink components, and said plurality of electrically conductive layers.