Vehicle drive module having improved cooling configuration

• US 7,177,153 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kannenberg, Daniel G., Kaishian, Steven C., Radosevich, Lawrence D., Meyer, Andreas A., Beihoff, Bruce C.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, GREGORY D
• Application Number:
  US10/252,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/50 using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/44 Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An electric vehicle drive includes a thermal support may receive one or more power electronic circuits. The support may aid in removing heat from the circuits through fluid circulating through the support. Power electronic circuits are thermally matched, such as between component layers and between the circuits and the support. The support may form a shield from both external EMI/RFI and from interference generated by operation of the power electronic circuits. Features may be provided to permit and enhance connection of the circuitry to external circuitry, such as improved terminal configurations. Modular units may be assembled that may be coupled to electronic circuitry via plug-in arrangements or through interface with a backplane or similar mounting and interconnecting structures.

Claims

1. An electric drive for a vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric motor, the drive comprising:

a vehicle drive train;

a power converter operatively coupled to the drive train and comprising;

a thermal support configured to receive and to circulate a coolant stream;

a control circuit;

a driver circuit supported by the thermal support and coupled to the control circuit to receive control signals from the control circuit;

a power converter circuit coupled to the driver circuit to receive drive signals for outputting a controlled frequency output power, the converter circuit including a plurality of power electronic device subassemblies bonded to at least one substrate for converting input power to AC power signals based upon the drive signals; and

a capacitor circuit coupled to the power converter circuit;

wherein at least the substrate of the converter circuit is supported on the thermal support for extracting heat from the power electronic device subassemblies during operation of the power converter circuit.

2. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the power converter circuit is configured to receive DC input power.

3. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the power converter is configured to receive AC input power.

4. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the device subassemblies are bonded to a single substrate.

5. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the device subassemblies are bonded to a plurality of substrates.

6. The electric vehicle drive of claim 5, wherein the substrates are disposed on different sides of the support.

7. The electric vehicle drive of claim 6, wherein the different sides are mutually opposed to one another.

8. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the support cools at least two of the circuits.

9. The electric vehicle drive of claim 8, wherein the support cools the capacitor circuit.

10. The electric vehicle drive of claim 9, wherein the capacitor circuit is supported on a side of the support opposite a side on which the substrate is supported.

11. An electric drive for a vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric motor, the drive comprising:

a vehicle drive train;

a power converter operatively coupled to the drive train and comprising;

a thermal support having first and second sides and configured to receive and to circulate a coolant stream;

a power converter circuit for outputting a controlled frequency output power, the converter circuit including a plurality of power electronic device subassemblies bonded to at least one substrate; and

an energy storage circuit coupled to the converter circuit;

wherein the substrate of the converter circuit is supported on the first side of the thermal support and the energy storage circuit is supported on the second side of the thermal support, whereby the coolant stream extracts heat from the substrate and the energy storage circuit during operation of the power converter circuit.

12. The electric vehicle drive of claim 11, wherein the thermal support is a single-piece support.

13. The electric vehicle drive of claim 11, wherein the thermal support is a multi-piece support.

14. The electric vehicle drive of claim 11, wherein the thermal support includes at least one extension for supporting and cooling the circuitry.

15. The electric vehicle drive of claim 11, wherein the device subassemblies are bonded to a single substrate.

16. The electric vehicle drive of claim 11, wherein the device subassemblies are bonded to a plurality of substrates.

17. The electric vehicle drive of claim 11, wherein at least one of the substrates are disposed on a side of the support other than the first side.

18. An electric drive for a vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric motor, the drive comprising:

a vehicle drive train;

a power converter operatively coupled to the drive train and comprising;

a thermal support having first and second sides and configured to receive and to circulate a coolant stream;

a first power converter circuit for outputting a controlled frequency output power, the converter circuit including a plurality of power electronic device subassemblies secured to at least one first substrate; and

a second power converter circuit for outputting a controlled frequency output power, the converter circuit including a plurality of power electronic device subassemblies secured to a second substrate;

wherein the at least one first substrate is supported on the first side of the thermal support and the at least one second substrate is supported on the second side of the thermal support, whereby the coolant stream extracts heat from the first and second substrates during operation of the converter.

19. The electric vehicle drive of claim 18, wherein the device subassemblies are bonded to their respective substrates.

20. The electric vehicle drive of claim 18, further comprising an energy storage circuit coupled to at least one of the first or second converter circuits, the energy storage circuit being cooled by the thermal support during operation.

21. The electric vehicle drive of claim 18, wherein the energy storage circuit is coupled to both the first and second converter circuits.

22. The electric vehicle drive of claim 18, wherein the device subassemblies of each converter circuit are bonded to a single substrate.

23. The electric vehicle drive of claim 18, wherein the device subassemblies of each converter circuit are bonded to a plurality of substrates.

24. The electric vehicle drive of claim 18, wherein the second side is mutually opposed to the first side.

25. An electric drive for a vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric motor, the drive comprising:

a vehicle drive train;

a power converter operatively coupled to the drive train and comprising;

a thermal support at least partially defining an electric reference plane and configured to receive and circulate a coolant stream for extraction of heat;

an interface plate secured to the thermal support and contacting the coolant stream during operation;

at least one power electronic device subassembly disposed on the interface plate and comprising a power electronic device and contact pads for transmitting signals to and from the power electronics device, the interface plate and the electronics device subassembly being at least partially thermally matched to create a desired thermal gradient to remove heat from the power electronics device during operation via the interface plate and the thermal support;

wherein the interface plate and the thermal support are made of different materials.

26. The electric vehicle drive of claim 25, wherein the thermal support is a single-piece support.

27. The electric vehicle drive of claim 25, wherein the thermal support is a multi-piece support.

28. The electric vehicle drive of claim 25, wherein the thermal support includes at least one extension for supporting and cooling additional circuitry.

29. An electric drive for a vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric motor, the drive comprising:

a vehicle drive train;

a power converter operatively coupled to the drive train and comprising;

a controlled power electronics circuit including solid state switches configured to convert incoming power to controlled outgoing power; and

a fluid cooled support on which the power electronics circuit is directly secured, the fluid cooled support including inlet and outlet ports for a cooling fluid and an internal fluid conduit for directing flow of cooling fluid adjacent to the power electronics circuit for removal of heat therefrom, the support further including an interface plate on which the power electronics circuit is secured and which contacts the cooling fluid during operation, interfaces between the power electronics circuit and the interface plate being thermally matched to limit differential thermal expansion during operation of the solid state switches.

30. The electric vehicle drive of claim 29, wherein the power electronics circuit is formed of a plurality overposed layers, interfaces between the layers being thermally matched so limit the differential expansion during operation of the solid state switches.

31. The electric vehicle drive of claim 29, wherein the overposed layers include a substrate on which the solid state switches are disposed.

32. The electric vehicle drive of claim 29, wherein the interface plate consists essentially of AlSiC.

33. The electric vehicle drive of claim 31, wherein the layers include a substrate layer bonded to the interface plate, the solid state switches being disposed on the substrate layer.

34. The electric vehicle drive of claim 33, wherein the substrate layer comprises ceramic layer direct bonded to an aluminum layer.

35. The electric vehicle drive of claim 33, wherein the substrate layer comprises a ceramic layer direct bonded to a copper layer.

36. The electric vehicle drive of claim 29, wherein the power electronics circuit is part of a subassembly joined to the support and interfacing directly with the internal fluid conduit.

37. The electric vehicle drive of claim 36, wherein the subassembly is joined to the support by welding.

38. The electric vehicle drive of claim 36, wherein the subassembly is removably joined to the support by mechanical fastening means and is sealed to the support.

39. The electric vehicle drive of claim 29, wherein the power electronics circuit includes a plurality of bonding layers thermally matched to adjacent device layers to reduce differential thermal expansion during operation.

41. The electric vehicle drive of claim 32, wherein the interface plate consists essentially of AlSiC.

42. The electric vehicle drive of claim 32, wherein the substrate comprises ceramic layer direct bonded to an aluminum layer.

43. The electric vehicle drive of claim 32, wherein the substrate comprises a ceramic layer direct bonded to a copper layer.

44. The electric vehicle drive of claim 32, wherein the power electronics circuits comprise at least one subassembly joined to the support and interfacing directly with the internal fluid conduit.

45. The electric vehicle drive of claim 44, wherein the subassembly is joined to the support by welding.

46. The electric vehicle drive of claim 44, wherein the subassembly is removably joined to the support by mechanical fastening means and is sealed to the support.

47. The electric vehicle drive of claim 44, wherein the power electronics circuits comprise a plurality of subassemblies.

48. The electric vehicle drive of claim 47, wherein the subassemblies are secured to at least two different sides of the support.

40. An electric drive for a vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric motor, the drive comprising:

a vehicle drive train;

a power converter operatively coupled to the drive train and comprising;

a plurality of controlled power electronics circuits including solid state switches configured to convert incoming power to controlled outgoing power, each circuit including a first bonding layer thermally matched to an underlying interface plate, a substrate disposed on the first bonding layer and thermally matched to the first bonding layer, a second bonding layer disposed on the substrate and thermally matched to the substrate, and a device layer disposed on the second bonding layer and thermally matched to the second bonding layer; and

a fluid cooled support on which the power electronics circuits are directly secured, the fluid cooled support including inlet and outlet ports for a cooling fluid and an internal fluid conduit for directing flow of cooling toward the interface plate for removal of heat therefrom during operation of the solid state switches.