Air-cooled power electronics service algorithm
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of determining a thermal efficiency of a heat sink for an electrical component, comprising:
- determining an average power of said electrical component during one of N time intervals, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1;
determining an average temperature of a cooling air during said one of N time intervals;
determining an average mass air flow of said cooling air during said one of N time intervals;
determining an estimated temperature of said heat sink at said one of N time intervals based on said average power of said electrical component, said average temperature of said cooling air, and said average mass air flow of said cooling air;
determining an actual temperature of said heat sink; and
determining said thermal efficiency of said heat sink based on a comparison of said estimated temperature and said actual temperature.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining the thermal efficiency of a heat sink for an electrical component includes determining an estimated temperature of the heat sink, determining an actual temperature of the heat sink, and determining a thermal efficiency of the heat sink based on a comparison of the estimated temperature of the heat sink to the actual temperature of the heat sink. A related diagnostic system is provided.
25 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A method of determining a thermal efficiency of a heat sink for an electrical component, comprising:
-
determining an average power of said electrical component during one of N time intervals, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 1; determining an average temperature of a cooling air during said one of N time intervals; determining an average mass air flow of said cooling air during said one of N time intervals; determining an estimated temperature of said heat sink at said one of N time intervals based on said average power of said electrical component, said average temperature of said cooling air, and said average mass air flow of said cooling air; determining an actual temperature of said heat sink; and determining said thermal efficiency of said heat sink based on a comparison of said estimated temperature and said actual temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method of determining a thermal efficiency of a heat sink for an electrical component, comprising:
-
determining an estimated temperature of said heat sink; determining an actual temperature of said heat sink; and determining said thermal efficiency of said heat sink based on a comparison of said estimated temperature and said actual temperature, wherein said determining said estimated temperature of said heat sink includes determining an average power of said electrical component, determining an average temperature of a cooling air flow associated with said heat sink, and determining an average mass air flow of said cooling air flow. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. A method of determining a thermal efficiency of a heat sink for an electrical component comprising:
-
determining an estimated temperature of said heat sink at N time intervals, wherein N is an integer that is greater than 1 and said estimated temperature at an ith of said N time intervals is based on said estimated temperature at an (i−
1)th of said N time intervals where 1<
i≦
N;measuring an actual temperature of said heat sink at said N time intervals; calculating a difference between said estimated temperature and said actual temperature at said N time intervals; and generating a status signal associated with said thermal efficiency of said heat sink based on a comparison of said difference to a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
Specification