EP-4741211-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHOD FOR COOLING MODULE FOR POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE

EP4741211A1EP 4741211 A1EP4741211 A1EP 4741211A1EP-4741211-A1

Abstract

A system includes a power conversion unit, wherein the power conversion unit includes: a power module; and a first cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, wherein the power module includes: a printed circuit board; a switching power device embedded within the printed circuit board; and a first external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, wherein the first cooling module directly contacts the first external isolation layer.

Inventors

MAYER, ANDREAS
ADIAMAN, Elanchetchenni
Domingues, Gabriel
LOUCO, LATHOM ALEXANDER

Assignees

Borgwarner Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20251013

Claims (15)

A system comprising a power conversion unit, wherein the power conversion unit includes: a power module; and a first cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, wherein the power module includes: a printed circuit board; a switching power device embedded within the printed circuit board; and a first external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, wherein the first cooling module directly contacts the first external isolation layer.
The system of claim 1, wherein the first external isolation layer includes a thermal interface material layer and a ceramic isolation layer.
The system of any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising: a second cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, and wherein the power module includes a second external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board.
The system of claim 3, wherein a first side of the first external isolation layer is in contact with the first cooling module and a second side of the first external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with a first end of the printed circuit board, and wherein a first side of the second external isolation layer is in contact with the second cooling module and a second side of the second external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with a second end of the printed circuit board.
The system of claim 4, wherein the power module includes a first solder mask layer in contact with the first end of the printed circuit board and a second solder mask layer in contact with the second end of the printed circuit board, and wherein the first external isolation layer is within and/or exterior to the first solder mask layer and the second external isolation layer is within and/or exterior to the second solder mask layer.
The system of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first cooling module cools the power module via air cooling; and/or wherein the first cooling module cools the power module via liquid cooling, wherein the liquid cooling preferably includes water-glycol.
The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers, and wherein each conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers is electrically connected to the switching power device; and, wherein, preferably, the power module is cooled via double-side cooling.
The system any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: a battery connected to the power conversion unit, and a motor configured to rotate based on power received from the power conversion unit, wherein the system is provided as a vehicle.
A system comprising a first cooling module configured to extract heat from a power module, wherein the power module includes a printed circuit board and a switching power device embedded within the printed circuit board, wherein the power module includes a first external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, and wherein the first cooling module directly contacts the first external isolation layer.
The system of claim 9, wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers, and wherein each conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers is electrically connected to the switching power device; and/or wherein the first cooling module cools the power module via liquid cooling.
The system of claim 10, further comprising a second cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, wherein the power module includes a second external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, wherein a first side of the first external isolation layer is in contact with the first cooling module and a second side of the first external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with a first end of the printed circuit board, and wherein a first side of the second external isolation layer is in contact with the second cooling module and a second side of the second external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with a second side of the printed circuit board.
A method comprising: embedding a switching power device within a printed circuit board of a power module; and extracting heat from the power module via a first cooling module, wherein the power module includes a first external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, and wherein the first cooling module directly contacts the first external isolation layer.
The method of claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers, and wherein each conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers is electrically connected to the switching power device.
The method of claim 13, further comprising: extracting heat from the power module via a second cooling module, wherein the first cooling module is provided at a first end of the power module and wherein the second cooling module is provided at a second end of the power module opposite to the first end, and wherein the power module includes a second external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board; and/or wherein the first cooling module cools the power module via air cooling.
The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein a first side of the first external isolation layer is in contact with the first cooling module and a second side of the first external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with the first end of the printed circuit board, and wherein a first side of the second external isolation layer is in contact with the second cooling module and a second side of the second external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with the second end of the printed circuit board.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a cooling module for an inverter, and more specifically, to systems and methods of a cooling module for embedded power devices in power conversion systems in electric vehicles. BACKGROUND Thermal management is considered a key technical aspect in an electric vehicle system. A cooling module may therefore be a critical component in an inverter system, which controls the performance and efficiency of an overall driving system of an electric vehicle. However, some PCB-based power modules with embedded semiconductor chips may require an isolation layer that interrupts an electrical path to an embedded chip built into a PCB, which may significantly reduce heat transfer from the power module to the cooling module. The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of these above referenced challenges. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including a power conversion unit, wherein the power conversion unit includes: a power module; and a first cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, wherein the power module includes: a printed circuit board; a switching power device embedded within the printed circuit board; and a first external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, wherein the first cooling module directly contacts the first external isolation layer. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the first external isolation layer includes a thermal interface material layer and a ceramic isolation layer. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, further including: a second cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, and wherein the power module includes a second external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein a first side of the first external isolation layer is in contact with the first cooling module and a second side of the first external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with a first end of the printed circuit board, and wherein a first side of the second external isolation layer is in contact with the second cooling module and a second side of the second external isolation layer opposite to the first side is in contact with a second end of the printed circuit board. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the power module includes a first solder mask layer in contact with the first end of the printed circuit board and a second solder mask layer in contact with the second end of the printed circuit board, and wherein the first external isolation layer is within and/or exterior to the first solder mask layer and the second external isolation layer is within and/or exterior to the second solder mask layer. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the first cooling module cools the power module via air cooling. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the first cooling module cools the power module via liquid cooling. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the liquid cooling includes water-glycol. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers, and wherein each conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers is electrically connected to the switching power device. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the power module is cooled via double-side cooling. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, further including: a battery connected to the power conversion unit, and a motor configured to rotate based on power received from the power conversion unit, wherein the system is provided as a vehicle. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including a first cooling module configured to extract heat from a power module, wherein the power module includes a printed circuit board and a switching power device embedded within the printed circuit board, wherein the power module includes a first external isolation layer external to the printed circuit board, and wherein the first cooling module directly contacts the first external isolation layer. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers, and wherein each conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers is electrically connected to the switching power device. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, further including a second cooling module configured to extract heat from the power module, wherein the power module includes a