THERMOELECTRIC APPLICATION FOR WASTE HEAT RECOVERY FROM SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES IN POWER ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS

• US 20110168223A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Robert, Brian Joseph, DEDE, Ercan Mehmet
• Granted Patent: US 8,552,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/205
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05611 Tin [Sn] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45014 Ribbon connectors, e.g. rectangular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45111 Tin (Sn) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45139 Silver (Ag) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4903 Connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/78 Apparatus for connecting with wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8384 Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8584 Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/38 : Cooling arrangements using the Peltier effect
• 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 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 : of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 : using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01032 : Germanium [Ge]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01051 : Antimony [Sb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/013 : Alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12032 : Schottky diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 : Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 : Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/206 : Length ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 : characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction

Abstract

In a power electronics system of a next generation vehicle, a power module is provided including a thermoelectric device which is provided in a thermally conductive path between a power device and a cooling plate such that the thermoelectric device creates useful electric power from the waste heat of the power device.

Claims

1. A power module of a power electronics system of a hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a power device that switches electric power;

a thermoelectric device that produces a harvested electric power; and

a plate that dissipates heat produced by the power device,

wherein the thermoelectric device is provided in a first thermal path between the power device and the plate such that a temperature differential across the thermoelectric device is formed between a respective top and bottom portions of the thermoelectric device, and

wherein the harvested electric power is produced by the thermoelectric device based on the temperature differential.

2. The power module of claim 1 further comprising:

a heat pipe that communicates with the top portion of the thermoelectric device and communicates with the plate;

a thermoelectric device terminal that communicates with the bottom portion of the thermoelectric device; and

a first insulation layer disposed between the thermoelectric device terminal and a top portion of the power device, such that the first insulation layer is an electrical insulator and a thermal conductor,

wherein the plate is a metal base plate,

wherein the bottom portion of the thermoelectric device communicates with the power device via the thermoelectric device terminal and the first insulation layer, and

wherein the temperature differential is formed in the thermoelectric device when the power device produces heat.

3. The power module of claim 2 further comprising:

a substrate on which a power device bottom side terminal is disposed;

a bonding layer which is disposed between the bottom portion of the thermoelectric device and a top portion of the substrate; and

a second insulation layer which is disposed between a bottom portion of the substrate and a top portion of the metal base plate, such that the first insulation layer is an electrical insulator and a thermal conductor,

wherein a second thermal path is a path between the bottom side of the power device and the solid base plate via the bonding layer, the substrate, and the second insulation layer.

4. The power module of claim 3 further comprising:

a top side power device terminal that is disposed between the top portion of the power device and the first insulation layer,

wherein the first thermal path is a path between the top side of the power device and the solid base plate via the top side power device terminal, the first insulation layer, the thermoelectric device terminal, the thermoelectric device, and the heat pipe.

5. The power module of claim 1 further comprising:

a substrate that communicates with a bottom portion of the power device;

a thermoelectric device terminal that communicates with the top portion of the thermoelectric device and communicates with the substrate; and

a thermal interface disposed between the substrate and the plate,

wherein the plate is a liquid cooling plate that permits a cooling liquid to circulate, and

wherein the thermoelectric device is embedded in the thermal interface.

6. The power module of claim 5

wherein the substrate is a thermally conductive layered substrate that includes at least one electrically insulating layer, and

wherein the first heat path is a path between the power device and the liquid cooling plate via the substrate, the thermoelectric device terminal, the thermoelectric device, and the liquid cooling plate.

7. The power module of claim 6 further comprising:

a wire which is bonded to a top portion of the power device;

an electric lead that communicates with the substrate; and

an electric connection disposed between the wire and the electric lead,

wherein the thermoelectric device communicates with the wire via the thermoelectric device terminal, the substrate, the electric lead, and the electric connection.

8. The power module of claim 7 wherein, the wire is a wire tape that includes a plurality of conductors.

9. The power module of claim 7

wherein the substrate is a direct bonded aluminum substrate that includes a bottom layer which is electrically conductive, and

wherein the thermoelectric device terminal and the electric lead each contacts the bottom layer of the direct bonded aluminum substrate.

10. The power module of claim 6 further comprising:

a lead frame that communicates with a top portion of the power device; and

an electric lead provided between the substrate and the lead frame,

wherein the thermoelectric device communicates with the lead frame via the thermoelectric device terminal, the substrate, and the electric lead.

11. The power module of claim 10

wherein the substrate is a direct bonded aluminum substrate that includes a bottom layer which is electrically conductive, and

wherein the thermoelectric device terminal and the electric lead each contacts the bottom layer of the direct bonded aluminum substrate.

12. A power module of a power electronics system of a hybrid vehicle comprising:

a power device that switches electric power;

a thermoelectric device that produces a harvested electric power;

a cooling means for dissipating heat produced by the power device; and

a first thermal path means for transferring the heat from the power device to the cooling means,

wherein a temperature differential is formed between respective top and bottom portions of the thermoelectric device by the first thermal path means, and

wherein the harvested electric power is produced by the thermoelectric device based on the temperature differential.