Power inverter with liquid cooled busbars

• US 10,523,094 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaogang, Nie, Zhong, Liu, Yu, Gu, Lei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lian, Mang Tin Bik
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Alexander A
• Application Number:
  US15/460,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20180270994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 310 68 R, 310 89, 310 51, 310 52, 310 53, 310 54, 310 55, 310 57, 310 58, 310 59, 310 60 R, 310 61, 310 62, 310 63, 310 60 A, 310 64, 310 71
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20981 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A power inverter with liquid cooled busbars includes multiple AC power outlets. The power inverter also includes a busbar having a busbar arm connected to one of the AC power outlets, and a busbar leg having a first end connected to the busbar arm. The busbar leg is at least partially situated in a cooling channel of the power inverter, which may be a built-in cooling channel or a detachable cooling channel. A second end of the busbar leg extends beyond the cooling channel and is exposed for electrical connection.

Claims

1. A power inverter comprising:

a plurality of AC power outlets;

a busbar including a busbar arm connected to one of said plurality of AC power outlets;

said busbar including a busbar leg having a first end connected to said busbar arm, said busbar leg being at least partially situated in a built-in cooling channel, and a second end of said busbar leg extending beyond said built-in cooling channel, and being exposed for electrical connection;

said built-in cooling channel configured to share coolant provided by a primary coolant inlet of said power inverter, wherein the primary coolant inlet provides coolant in a primary flow path through the inverter to cool the inverter, and a secondary flow path through the built-in cooling channel to cool the busbar, wherein coolant flows through only one of the primary flow path and the secondary flow path.

2. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein said busbar leg is within a chamber in said built-in cooling channel.

3. The power inverter of claim 1, further comprising a power switching module for converting DC power to AC power.

4. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein said power inverter is part of an electrical machine, said electrical machine including an electric motor configured to receive AC power from said power inverter.

5. The power inverter of claim 1, wherein said power inverter is part of an electrical machine, said electrical machine further comprising:

an electric motor;

said second end of said busbar leg being coupled to an end winding of said electric motor;

said built-in cooling channel reducing a high temperature at said end winding to a low temperature at said one of said plurality of AC power outlets.

6. An electrical machine comprising:

an electric motor;

a power inverter configured to deliver AC power to said electric motor, the power inverter having a primary coolant inlet and a primary coolant outlet, said power inverter comprising;

a plurality of AC power outlets;

a busbar including a busbar arm connected to one of said plurality of AC power outlets, and a busbar leg having a first end connected to said busbar arm;

said busbar leg being at least partially situated in a built-in cooling channel, and a second end of said busbar leg extending beyond said built-in cooling channel and being coupled to an end winding of said electric motor;

said built-in cooling channel configured to share coolant provided by a primary coolant inlet of said power inverter, wherein the primary coolant inlet provides coolant in a primary flow path through the inverter to cool the inverter, and a secondary flow path through the built-in cooling channel to cool the busbar.

7. The electrical machine of claim 6, wherein said busbar leg is within a chamber in said built-in cooling channel.

8. The electrical machine of claim 6, wherein said power inverter further comprises a power switching module for converting DC power to said AC power.

9. The electrical machine of claim 6, wherein said power inverter is situated over said electric motor.

10. The electrical machine of claim 6, wherein said built-in cooling channel reduces a high temperature at said end winding to a low temperature at said one of said plurality of AC power outlets.

11. A power inverter comprising:

a plurality of AC power outlets;

a primary coolant inlet and a primary coolant outlet and a primary coolant path through the inverter to cool the inverter;

a busbar including a busbar arm connected to one of said plurality of AC power outlets;

said busbar including a busbar leg having a first end connected to said busbar arm, said busbar leg being at least partially situated in a detachable cooling channel for receiving coolant, and a second end of said busbar leg extending beyond said detachable cooling channel and being exposed for electrical connection, wherein the detacheable cooling channel provides a secondary flow path to cool the busbar, and wherein coolant only flows through one of the primary coolant path and the secondary flow path.

12. The power inverter of claim 11, wherein said busbar leg is within a chamber in said detachable cooling channel.

13. The power inverter of claim 11, further comprising a power switching module for converting DC power to AC power.

14. The power inverter of claim 11, wherein said power inverter is part of an electrical machine, said electrical machine including an electric motor configured to receive AC power from said power inverter.

15. The power inverter of claim 11, wherein said power inverter is part of an electrical machine, said electrical machine further comprising:

an electric motor;

said second end of said busbar leg being coupled to an end winding of said electric motor;

said detachable cooling channel reducing a high temperature at said end winding to a low temperature at said one of said plurality of AC power outlets.

16. An electrical machine comprising:

an electric motor;

a power inverter configured to deliver AC power to said electric motor, said power inverter comprising;

a plurality of AC power outlets;

a primary coolant inlet and a primary coolant outlet and a primary coolant path through the inverter to cool the inverter;

a busbar including a busbar arm connected to one of said plurality of AC power outlets, and a busbar leg having a first end connected to said busbar arm;

said busbar leg being at least partially situated in a detachable cooling channel, and a second end of said busbar leg extending beyond said detachable cooling channel and being coupled to an end winding of said electric motor, wherein the detacheable cooling channel provides a secondary flow path of coolant to cool the busbar.

17. The electrical machine of claim 16, wherein said busbar leg is within a chamber in said detachable cooling channel.

18. The electrical machine of claim 16, further comprising a power switching module for converting DC power to said AC power.

19. The electrical machine of claim 16, wherein said power inverter is situated over said electric motor.

20. The electrical machine of claim 16, wherein said detachable cooling channel reduces a high temperature at said end winding to a low temperature at said one of said plurality of AC power outlets.