Coldplate for Use with an Inverter in an Electric Vehicle (EV) or a Hybrid-Electric Vehicle (HEV)

• US 20130258596A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Sharaf, Nadir, Pavlovic, Slobodan, Daftuar, Dilip, Lopez, Juan
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/702
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A coldplate for use with an inverter in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). The inverter includes a direct current (DC) link capacitor comprising multiple film capacitors configured in a stack. The coldplate includes a first portion configured for attachment to at least one electronic component, the first portion having a perimeter and for dissipating heat generated by the electronic component. The coldplate includes a second portion oriented along the perimeter of the first portion and forming a conduit, the conduit having a chamber extending from the perimeter of the first portion and between two of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor. The conduit has an inlet and an outlet to facilitate circulation of a coolant through the chamber of the conduit for dissipating heat generated by the DC link capacitor.

Claims

1. A coldplate for use with an inverter in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the inverter including a direct current (DC) link capacitor comprising a plurality of film capacitors configured in a stack, the coldplate comprising:

a first portion configured for attachment to at least one electronic component, the first portion having a perimeter and for dissipating heat generated by the at least one electronic component; and

a second portion oriented along the perimeter of the first portion and forming a conduit, the conduit having a chamber extending from the perimeter of the first portion and between two of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor, the conduit having an inlet and an outlet to facilitate circulation of a coolant through the chamber of the conduit for dissipating heat generated by the DC link capacitor.

2. The cold plate of claim 1 wherein the first portion has a substantially ring-like shape.

3. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the perimeter of the first portion comprises four sides, and the second portion extends along three sides of the perimeter of the first portion.

4. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the chamber of the conduit has a substantially plate-like shape.

5. The coldplate of claim 4 wherein the chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of one of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor.

6. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of one of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor.

7. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor comprise a plurality of packs of film capacitors, and the chamber of the second portion extends between two of the plurality of packs of film capacitors.

8. The coldplate of claim 7 wherein the chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of a film capacitor in a different one of the plurality of packs of film capacitors.

9. A heat sink for use with an inverter in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the inverter including a direct current (DC) link capacitor comprising a plurality of film capacitors configured in a stack to form a substantially polygonal prism, the heat sink comprising:

a first portion configured for attachment to a printed circuit board (PCB) having at least one electronic component attached thereto, the first portion having a perimeter and for dissipating heat generated by the at least one electronic component; and

a second portion oriented along the perimeter of the first portion and forming a conduit, the conduit having a plurality of chambers extending from the perimeter of the first portion and between two of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor, the conduit having an inlet and an outlet to facilitate circulation of a coolant through the plurality of chambers of the conduit for dissipating heat generated by the DC link capacitor.

10. The heat sink of claim 9 wherein the first portion has a substantially plate-like shape.

11. The heat sink of claim 9 wherein the first portion has a substantially ring-like shape.

12. The heat sink of claim 9 wherein the perimeter of the first portion comprises four sides, and the second portion extends along three sides of the perimeter of the first portion.

13. The heat sink of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of chambers of the conduit has a substantially plate-like shape.

14. The heat sink of claim 13 wherein each chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of one of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor.

15. The heat sink of claim 9 wherein each chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of one of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor.

16. The heat sink of claim 9 wherein the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor comprise a plurality of packs of film capacitors, and each chamber of the second portion extends between two of the plurality of packs of film capacitors.

17. The heat sink of claim 16 wherein each chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of a film capacitor in a different one of the plurality of packs of film capacitors.

18. An inverter for use in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the inverter comprising:

a direct current (DC) link capacitor comprising a plurality of film capacitors configured in a stack to form a substantially polygonal prism; and

a heat sink comprising

a first portion configured for attachment to at least one electronic component, the first portion having a perimeter and for dissipating heat generated by the at least one electronic component, and

a second portion oriented along the perimeter of the first portion and forming a conduit, the conduit having a chamber extending from the perimeter of the first portion and between two of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor, the conduit having an inlet and an outlet to facilitate circulation of a coolant through the chamber of the conduit for dissipating heat generated by the DC link capacitor.

19. The inverter of claim 18 wherein the chamber of the conduit has a substantially plate-like shape.

20. The inverter of claim 18 wherein the chamber is formed by a pair of substantially planar walls, each wall having an area configured for contact with a side of one of the plurality of film capacitors of the DC link capacitor.