System and method for power electronics with a high and low temperature zone cooling system

• US 10,276,512 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: de Bock, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus, Smolenski, Joseph Lucian
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matey, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/614,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20180348831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/38 Cooling arrangements using the Peltier effect
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4006 with bolts or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/556 against alpha rays
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20518 Unevenly distributed heat load, e.g. different sectors at different temperatures, localised cooling, hot spots
• 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 9/0037 Housings with compartments containing a PCB, e.g. partitioning walls

Abstract

A power electronics system is provided. The system includes at least one outer wall defining an outer zone including a plurality of first electronic components having a first normal operating maximum temperature and capable of generating electromagnetic fields. The system further includes at least one inner wall defining an inner zone disposed within the outer zone and including a plurality of second electronic components having a second normal operating maximum temperature, the first normal operating maximum temperature higher than the second normal operating maximum temperature, the inner zone substantially electromagnetically sealed against electromagnetic interference generated by the plurality of first electronic components. The system further includes a heat transfer assembly coupled to the at least one inner wall and configured to facilitate operating the plurality of second electronic components below the second normal operating maximum temperature by transferring heat from the inner zone to the outer zone.

Claims

1. A power electronics system comprising:

at least one outer wall defining an outer zone, said outer zone comprising a plurality of first electronic components, said plurality of first electronic components having a first normal operating maximum temperature and capable of generating electromagnetic fields;

at least one inner wall defining an inner zone, said inner zone disposed within said outer zone, said inner zone comprising a plurality of second electronic components, said plurality of second electronic components having a second normal operating maximum temperature, the first normal operating maximum temperature higher than the second normal operating maximum temperature, said inner zone substantially electromagnetically sealed against electromagnetic interference generated by said plurality of first electronic components; and

a heat transfer assembly coupled to said at least one inner wall, wherein said heat transfer assembly is configured to facilitate operating said plurality of second electronic components below the second normal operating maximum temperature by transferring heat from said inner zone to said outer zone.

2. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heat transfer assembly comprises a heat pump.

3. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said heat pump comprises a thermoelectric cooler.

4. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said heat pump comprises a refrigeration system.

5. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said heat pump comprises a thermoionic system.

6. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of first electronic components comprise at least one of silicon carbide components, silicon components, and gallium nitride components.

7. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of second electronic components comprise a plurality of silicon components.

8. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer that extends about said at least one inner wall to insulate said inner zone.

9. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to:

monitor a temperature within said inner zone; and

activate said heat transfer assembly when the monitored temperature reaches a threshold temperature.

10. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1 comprising a plurality of inner walls that are rectangular and are substantially orthogonal to each other.

11. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inner zone is a rectangular cuboid.

12. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 1, wherein heat is transferred out of outer zone using a heat sink and the heat transfer assembly transfers heat from said inner zone to the heat sink.

13. A power electronics system comprising:

at least one outer wall defining an outer zone, said outer zone comprising a plurality of first electronic components, said plurality of first electronic components having a first no operating maximum temperature and capable of generating electromagnetic fields;

a plurality of inner walls defining a plurality of inner zones, each inner zone of said plurality of inner zones disposed within said outer zone, each inner zone of said plurality of inner zones comprising a plurality of second electronic components, said plurality of second electronic components having a second normal operating maximum temperature, the first normal operating maximum temperature higher than the second normal operating maximum temperature, each inner zone substantially electromagnetically sealed against electromagnetic interference generated by said plurality of first electronic components; and

a plurality of heat transfer assemblies coupled to said plurality of inner walls, each heat transfer assembly of said plurality of heat transfer assemblies configured to cool an inner zone of said plurality of inner zones, wherein said plurality of heat transfer assemblies are configured to facilitate operating said plurality of second electronic components below the second normal operating maximum temperature by transferring heat from said plurality of inner zones to said outer zone.

14. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said plurality of heat transfer assemblies comprise a plurality of heat pumps.

15. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said plurality of heat pumps comprise a plurality of thermoelectric coolers.

16. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said plurality of first electronic components comprise at least one of silicon carbide components, silicon components, and gallium nitride components.

17. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said plurality of second electronic components comprise a plurality of silicon components.

18. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a plurality of insulation layers that extend about said plurality of inner walls, said plurality of insulation layers configured to insulate said plurality of inner zones.

19. The power electronics system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising at least one sensor configured to:

monitor a temperature within at least one of the plurality of inner zones; and

activate a corresponding heat transfer assembly of the plurality of heat transfer assemblies when the monitored temperature reaches a threshold temperature.

20. A method of manufacturing a power electronics system, said method comprising:

providing an outer casing, the outer casing including a plurality of outer walls defining an outer zone;

placing at least one first electronic component within the outer zone, the at least one first electronic component having a first normal operating maximum temperature;

placing an inner casing within the outer zone, the inner casing including a plurality of inner walls defining an inner zone;

placing at least one second electronic component within the inner zone, the at least one second electronic component having a second normal operating maximum temperature less than the first normal operating maximum temperature; and

coupling at least one heat transfer assembly to at least one inner wall of the plurality of inner walls, the at least one heat transfer assembly configured to transfer heat from the inner zone to the outer zone.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein placing at least one first electronic component within the outer zone comprises placing at least one of a silicon carbide component, a silicon component, and a gallium nitride component within the outer zone.

22. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein coupling at least one heat transfer assembly to at least one inner wall of the plurality of inner walls comprises coupling at least one heat pump to at least one inner wall of the plurality of inner walls.

23. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein coupling at least one heat transfer assembly to at least one inner wall of the plurality of inner walls comprises coupling at least one thermoelectric cooler to at least one inner wall of the plurality of inner walls.

24. The method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising coupling an insulation layer to the inner casing, the insulation layer configured to insulate the inner zone.