Peristaltic Pump for Power Electronics Assembly

• US 20170303445A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 10/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Robert, Brian Joseph, Yonak, Serdar Hakki, Masias, Alvaro
• Granted Patent: US 9,901,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/637 characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/231 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20872 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power electronics assembly may include a power electronics device, a packaging assembly, a thermal management system, and an emitter. The packaging assembly supports power electronics device. The thermal management system supports the packaging assembly and includes a thermal plate to deliver coolant for thermally communicating with the device. The thermal plate defines a channel with a wall. The emitter is arranged with the wall to form a peristaltic pump to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of coolant therethrough. A membrane may be partially secured to the wall and include one of dielectric particles or magnetic particles. The emitter may selectively output one of a voltage, an electric field, or a magnetic field to impart a force on the particles to move the membrane and adjust the cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of coolant therethrough.

Claims

1. A power electronics assembly comprising:

a power electronics device;

a packaging assembly supporting the device;

a thermal management system supporting the packaging assembly and including a thermal plate to deliver coolant for thermally communicating with the device and defining a channel with a wall; and

at least two emitters subsequently arranged along the wall to influence wall movement to operate as a peristaltic pump to adjust a channel cross-sectional area to control coolant flow therethrough.

2. The power electronics assembly of claim 1, wherein the packaging assembly comprises a dielectric layer disposed between two metallic layers.

3. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 further comprising a membrane partially secured to the wall and including one of dielectric particles or magnetic particles, wherein each of the at least two emitters selectively outputs one of a voltage, an electric field, or a magnetic field to impart a force on the particles to move the membrane and adjust the channel cross-sectional area to control a flow of coolant therethrough.

4. The power electronics assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall includes dielectric particles and each of the at least two emitters selectively outputs a voltage or electric field to impart a dielectrically driven compression force on the particles to adjust the channel cross-sectional area.

5. The power electronics assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall includes magnetic particles and the emitter is an electromagnet to selectively output a magnetic field to impart a force on the particles to adjust the channel cross-sectional area.

6. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 further comprising another power electronics device supported by the packaging assembly and proximate the thermal management system, wherein the channel is U-shaped and aligned to span adjacent the power electronics devices for targeted coolant delivery.

7. The power electronics assembly of claim 1, wherein the peristaltic pump is located adjacent a bend in a conduit system including the channel.

8. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor to measure a flow rate of coolant flowing within the system; and

a controller in electrical communication with the sensor and the at least two emitters and programmed to activate the at least two emitters based on signals from the sensor indicating a flow condition outside of a predetermined flow rate range to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of the channel.

9. A power electronics assembly comprising:

first and second thermal plates each including inner walls and outer walls defining channels between the walls;

a power electronics device disposed between the inner walls; and

two pairs of emitters, each pair of emitters subsequently arranged along one of the outer walls of one of the thermal plates to form a pair of peristaltic pumps to impart a force to manipulate a cross-sectional area of the channels to control a rate of coolant flow therethrough.

10. The power electronics assembly of claim 9, further comprising a membrane partially secured to each of the outer walls and including one of magnetic or dielectric particles and wherein each emitter of the two pairs of emitters outputs one of a magnetic field, a voltage, or an electric field to move the particles to manipulate the cross-sectional area of the channels.

11. The power electronics assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the outer walls includes magnetic particles and wherein each emitter of the two pairs of emitters are electromagnets to selectively output a magnetic field to impart a force on the magnetic particles to adjust the cross-sectional area of the channels.

12. The power electronics assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the outer walls includes dielectric particles and wherein each emitter of the two pairs of emitters outputs a voltage or electric field to impart a dielectrically driven compression force on the particles to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channels to control a flow of the coolant therethrough.

13. The power electronics assembly of claim 12, wherein the dielectric particles have one of piezoelectric properties or electrostriction properties.

14. The power electronics assembly of claim 9, wherein each emitter of the two pairs of emitters is arranged with the first and second thermal plates such that the imparted forces from the emitters are induced in a direction toward one another.

15. A power electronics assembly comprising:

first and second thermal plates each including a channel defined by inner and outer walls;

a pair of power electronics devices each disposed adjacent one of the outer walls; and

a plurality of emitters subsequently arranged along the inner walls to form a peristaltic pump to selectively output a force to move the inner walls and adjust a cross-section of each of the channels to control coolant flow therethrough.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein each of the inner walls includes actionable particles susceptible to movement based on activation of the emitter.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the actionable particles are magnetic and wherein each of the plurality of emitters is an electromagnet.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the actionable particles are dielectric and wherein each of the plurality of emitters outputs a voltage or electric field.

19. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising:

a sensor to measure a temperature of one of the pair of power electronics devices; and

a controller in electrical communication with the sensor and each of the plurality of emitters and programmed to activate each of the plurality of emitters based on signals from the sensor indicating a temperature above a predetermined threshold to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of one of the channels located adjacent to one of the pair of the power electronics device.

20. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising:

a sensor to measure a flow rate of coolant flowing within one of the channels; and

a controller in electrical communication with the sensor and each of the plurality of emitters and programmed to activate each of the plurality of emitters based on signals from the sensor indicating a flow condition outside of a predetermined flow rate range to manipulate a coolant flow rate of at least a portion of one of the channels.