System and Methods for Improving Power Handling of an Electronic Device

• US 20120218710A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ioannidis, Dimitrios
• Granted Patent: US 8,625,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/697
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

There is provided an electronic device that includes a heatsink, a first dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and configured to provide electrical power to a field exciter, a second dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and configured to provide electrical power to a battery, a third dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and common to the field exciter and the battery. The electronic device also includes a temperature sensor disposed in the heatsink, a cooling unit comprising a plenum and a variable source of air flow, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a temperature reading from the temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a desired level of cooling for at least one of the dual IGBTs, wherein an air flow rate provided by the cooling unit is determined based on the desired level of cooling.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a heatsink;

a first dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and configured to provide electrical power to a field exciter;

a second dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and configured to provide electrical power to a battery;

a third dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and common to the field exciter and the battery;

a temperature sensor disposed in the heatsink;

a cooling unit comprising a plenum and a variable source of air flow; and

a controller configured to;

receive a temperature reading from the temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a desired level of cooling for at least one of the dual IGBTs, wherein an air flow rate provided by the cooling unit is determined based on the desired level of cooling.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a junction temperature of at least one of the dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on the temperature reading and the desired level of cooling is determined based, at least in part, on the junction temperature.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed between the first and second dual IGBT in the heatsink, and the controller is configured to estimate a junction temperature of at least the first and second dual IGBTs based on the temperature reading.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a power level of at least one of the dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on the desired load current and a time that the dual IGBT is commanded to switch on;

and the desired level of cooling is based, at least in part, on the power level.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a first desired level of cooling for the second dual IGBT and a second desired level of cooling for the third dual IGBT and sends signals corresponding to the first desired level of cooling and the second desired level of cooling to a system controller that controls the air flow rate based, at least in part, on the signals.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the system controller computes a first desired air flow rate corresponding to the first desired level of cooling and a second desired air flow rate corresponding to the second desired level of cooling, and bases the air flow rate on the greater of the first desired air flow rate and the second desired air flow rate.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a first desired level of cooling and a first power level for the second dual IGBT;

determine a second desired level of cooling and a second power level for the third dual IGBT; and

if the first power level is greater than the second power level, send signals corresponding to the first power level and the first desired level of cooling to the syststem controller, otherwise send signals corresponding to the second power level and the second desired level of cooling to a system controller, wherein the system controller controls the air flow rate based, at least in part, on the signals.

8. A power system for a vehicle comprising:

a double H-bridge comprising a heatsink, a first dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and configured to provide electrical power to a field exciter, a second dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink configured to provide electrical power to a battery, and a third dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and common to the field exciter and the battery charger;

a temperature sensor disposed in the heatsink;

a cooling unit comprising a plenum and a variable source of air flow; and

a controller configured to;

receive a temperature reading from the temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a desired level of cooling for at least one of the dual IGBTs, wherein an air flow rate provided by the cooling unit is determined based on the desired level of cooling.

9. The power system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a junction temperature of at least one of the dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on the temperature reading and the desired level of cooling is determined based, at least in part, on the junction temperature.

10. The power system of claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed between the first and second dual IGBT in the heatsink, and the controller is configured to estimate a junction temperature of at least the first and second dual IGBTs based on the temperature reading.

11. The power system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a power level of at least one of the dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on the desired load current and a time that the dual IGBT is commanded to switch on;

and the desired level of cooling is based, at least in part, on the power level.

12. The power system of claim 8, wherein the controller determines a first desired level of cooling for the second dual IGBT and a second desired level of cooling for the third dual IGBT and sends signals corresponding to the first desired level of cooling and the second desired level of cooling to a system controller that controls the air flow rate based, at least in part, on the signals.

13. The power system of claim 12, wherein the system controller computes a first desired air flow rate corresponding to the first desired level of cooling and a second desired air flow rate corresponding to the second desired level of cooling, and bases the air flow rate on the greater of the first desired air flow rate and the second desired air flow rate.

14. The power system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a first desired level of cooling and a first power level for the second dual IGBT;

determine a second desired level of cooling and a second power level for the third dual IGBT; and

if the first power level is greater than the second power level, send signals corresponding to the first power level and the first desired level of cooling to the system controller, otherwise send signals corresponding to the second power level and the second desired level of cooling to the system controller, wherein the system controller controls the air flow rate based, at least in part, on the signals.

15. A method of cooling an electronic device comprising:

receiving a temperature reading from a temperature sensor disposed in a heatsink;

based on the temperature reading, determining a desired level of cooling for at least one of a first dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and configured to provide electrical power to a battery and a second dual IGBT coupled to the heatsink and common to a field exciter and the battery; and

controlling an air flow rate of a cooling unit disposed in relation to the heatsink based on the desired level of cooling.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising estimating a junction temperature of at least one of the dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on the temperature reading and determining the desired level of cooling based, at least in part, on the junction temperature.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed in the heatsink between the first and second dual IGBTs in the heatsink, and determining the desired level of cooling comprises estimating a junction temperature of the first and second dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on the temperature reading.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising estimating a power level of at least one of the dual IGBTs based, at least in part, on a desired load current and a time that the dual IGBT is commanded to switch on, and determining the desired level of cooling based, at least in part, on the power level.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising:

determining a first desired level of cooling for the first dual IGBT and a second desired level of cooling for the second dual IGBT;

determining a first desired air flow rate based on the first desired level of cooling and a second desired air flow rate based on the second desired level of cooling; and

controlling the air flow rate based, at least in part, the greater of the first desired air flow rate or the second desired air flow rate.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising:

determining a first desired level of cooling and a first power level for the first dual IGBT and a second desired level of cooling and a second power level for the second dual IGBT; and

if the first power level is greater than the second power level, determining a desired air flow rate based, at least in part, on the first desired level of cooling, otherwise determining the desired air flow rate based, at least in part, on the second desired level of cooling; and

controlling the air flow rate based, at least in part, on the desired air flow rate.