US-12621969-B2 - Electronic power system and method for manufacturing the same

US12621969B2US 12621969 B2US12621969 B2US 12621969B2US-12621969-B2

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic power system ( 1 ) comprising at least one electronic power module ( 2 ). The electronic power module ( 2 ) comprises a base plate ( 3 ) and at least one heat generating component arranged on a first side of the base plate ( 3 ). The electronic power module ( 2 ) comprises a cooling structure ( 4 ) transporting heat away from the electronic power module ( 2 ) via a coolant that is guided by the cooling structure ( 4 ). The cooling structure ( 4 ) is arranged on a second side ( 5 ) of the base plate ( 3 ) opposite to the first side. Task of the invention is to provide an electronic power system ( 1 ) with an improved cooling. According to the present invention this task is solved in that the cooling structure ( 4 ) is integrally formed with the base plate ( 3 ).

Inventors

Georg Wecker
Ole Mühlfeld
Lars Paulsen
Henning Ströbel-Maier
Holger Beer
Christopher Klaehr
Klaus Olesen

Assignees

DANFOSS SILICON POWER GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210409
Priority Date: 20170120

Claims (19)

1 . An electronic power system comprising at least one electronic power module, wherein the electronic power module comprises a base plate and at least one heat generating component arranged on a first side of the base plate, wherein the electronic power module comprises a cooling structure for transporting heat away from the electronic power module via a coolant that is guided by the cooling structure, wherein the cooling structure is arranged on a second side of the base plate opposite to the first side, wherein the cooling structure is integrally formed with the base plate, wherein the cooling structure comprises at least two wall structures, wherein the wall structures are not contiguous, wherein at least one of the wall structures comprises two stabilizing wall elements, wherein the two stabilizing wall elements do not change direction for at least one third of the extension of the base plate along that direction, wherein the two wall structures are arranged such that portions of the coolant flows on opposite sides of the stabilizing wall elements of the at least two wall structures during operation; and wherein a first of the two stabilizing wall elements forms a first coolant path and a second of the two stabilizing wall elements forms a second coolant path such that a first portion of the portions of the coolant that flows on opposite sides of the first of the two stabilizing wall elements and is a different portion than a second portion of the portions of the coolant that flows on opposite sides of the second of the two stabilizing wall elements.
2 . The electronic power system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the wall structures is for stiffening the base plate and directing a coolant along the cooling structure.
3 . The electronic power system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic power module comprises at least two stabilizing wall elements that are arranged at a relative angle between 60° and 120°.
4 . The electronic power system according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling structure is limited in a transversal plane by at least three stabilizing wall elements.
5 . The electronic power system according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling structure further comprises transversally isolated pins, and wherein the transversally isolated pins are isolated from the wall structures.
6 . The electronic power system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic power system comprises at least two electronic power modules and a common coolant distributor, wherein the common coolant distributor comprises at least one distributor inlet and at least one distributor outlet connected to each electronic power module.
7 . The electronic power system according to claim 6 , wherein the common coolant distributor comprises individual depressions for receiving each electronic power module, wherein each depression comprises at least one distributor inlet and at least one distributor outlet.
8 . The electronic power system according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling structure is limited in a transversal plane by at least three stabilizing wall elements.
9 . The electronic power system according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling structure further comprises transversally isolated pins, and wherein the transversally isolated pins are isolated from the wall structures.
10 . The electronic power system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the wall structures is not contiguous with a limiting side wall of the base plate.
11 . An electronic power system comprising at least one electronic power module, wherein the electronic power module comprises a base plate and at least one heat generating component arranged on a first side of the base plate, wherein the electronic power module comprises a cooling structure for transporting heat away from the electronic power module via a coolant that is guided by the cooling structure, the cooling structure including wall structure that limits the cooling structure in a transverse plane and the coolant being guided by the cooling structure, wherein the cooling structure is arranged on a second side of the base plate opposite to the first side, wherein the cooling structure is integrally formed with the base plate, wherein the cooling structure comprises at least two wall structures that are not contiguous, and wherein the at least two wall structures form an interleaved comb pattern for guiding the flow of the coolant, the interleaved comb pattern being formed between two neighboring stabilizing wall elements of the at least two wall structures, the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements each do not change direction for at least one third of the extension of the base plate along that direction; wherein the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements each extend in a direction from an inlet side of the cooling structure to an outlet side of the cooling structure, the inlet side of the cooling structure being where the coolant is arranged to enter the cooling structure and the outlet side of the cooling structure being where the coolant is arranged to exit the cooling structure, the cooling structure including the wall structure that limits the cooling structure in the transverse plane.
12 . The electronic power system according to claim 11 , wherein the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements run parallel to each other.
13 . The electronic power system according to claim 11 , wherein the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements each do not change direction for at least one half of the extension of the base plate along that direction.
14 . The electronic power system according to claim 11 , wherein all wall elements are arranged either parallel or perpendicular to each other.
15 . The electronic power system according to claim 11 , wherein the electronic power system comprises at least two electronic power modules and a common coolant distributor, and wherein the common coolant distributor comprises at least one distributor inlet and at least one distributor outlet connected to each electronic power module.
16 . The electronic power system according to claim 15 , wherein the common coolant distributor comprises individual depressions for receiving each electronic power module, and wherein each depression comprises at least one distributor inlet and at least one distributor outlet.
17 . A method for manufacturing an electronic power system comprising at least one electronic power module, wherein the electronic power module comprises a base plate and at least one heat generating component arranged on a first side of the base plate, wherein the electronic power module comprises a cooling structure for transporting heat away from the electronic power module via a coolant that is guided by the cooling structure, and wherein the cooling structure is arranged on a second side of the base plate opposite to the first side, comprising the steps: providing a raw base plate, forming a cooling structure on the second side of the raw base plate such that the cooling structure is an integral part of the base plate, fixing the at least one heat generating component to the first side, wherein the cooling structure comprises at least two wall structures, wherein the at least two wall structures are not contiguous, and the cooling structure including wall structure that limits the cooling structure in a transverse plane and the coolant being guided by the cooling structure, wherein the at least two wall structures form an interleaved comb pattern for guiding the flow of the coolant, the interleaved comb pattern being formed between two neighboring stabilizing wall elements of the at least two wall structures, the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements each do not change direction for at least one third of the extension of the base plate along that direction, and wherein the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements each extend in a direction from an inlet side of the cooling structure to an outlet side of the cooling structure, the inlet side of the cooling structure being where the coolant is arranged to enter the cooling structure and the outlet side of the cooling structure being where the coolant is arranged to exit the cooling structure, the cooling structure including the wall structure that limits the cooling structure in the transverse plane.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the cooling structure is formed by cold forging the raw base plate.
19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the two neighboring stabilizing wall elements each do not change direction for at least one half of the extension of the base plate along that direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/477,321, filed Jul. 11, 2019, which is a National Stage application of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2017/084484 filed on Dec. 22, 2017, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2017 101 126.9 filed Jan. 20, 2017 each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to an electronic power system comprising at least one electronic power module, wherein the electronic power module comprises a base plate and at least one heat generating component arranged on a first side of the base plate, wherein the electronic power module comprises a cooling structure for transporting heat away from the electronic component via a coolant that is guided by the cooling structure, and wherein the cooling structure is arranged on a second side of the base plate opposite to the first side. BACKGROUND The coolant can be any of a number of different fluids known in the field. Typically, water, with or without minor additives to control corrosion or conductivity, may be used. Alternatively, a material which is designed to undergo a phase transition during the cooling cycle may be used, to form a phase-change or two-phase cooling system. Such a system is a very efficient method of cooling, and comprises some form of compressor to compress the coolant from a gas into a liquid. This liquid is led through a heat dissipation device, such as a condenser, which removes heat from the liquid, and then on to the cooling structure after it passes through an expansion device which vaporises the liquid. The evaporating liquid undergoes a phase change and absorbs heat from the cooling structure in the process. The gas is then led through the compressor and the cycle begins again. SUMMARY The invention furthermore relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic power module of the above kind. Traditionally electronic power modules in electronic power systems are assembled by having a heat generating component directly or indirectly mounted on a first side of the base plate. The heat generating component is then usually encapsulated to the outside in a molding compound which also covers the rest of the first side of the base plate. Separate members comprising cooling structures may then be attached to either or both sides of the electronic power modules to transport heat away from the electronic power module. However, this setup has several disadvantages in particular if a strong cooling is required. If a cooling structure using a coolant is attached to the second side of the base plate the coolant will be guided through the cooling structure to absorb excess heat and transport it away from the electronic power module. An efficient cooling however requires a high flow speed of the coolant which is achieved by providing the coolant at a high pressure via a pump. Due to this the electronic power module will be subject to high pressure forces that can vary due to pressure pulses caused by the pump. Consequently, the electronic power module needs to be stabilized to avoid micro fractures which is commonly achieved by using thicker base plates to prevent a premature mechanical failure of the electronic power module. This, on the other hand, increases the volume, thickness and weight of the electronic power module. Task of the invention is therefore to provide an electronic power system with an improved cooling. According to the present invention the above task is solved in that the cooling structure is integrally formed with the base plate. Consequently, the base plate and the cooling structure are not separate members that are only fixed to one another during assembly, but the cooling structure is an integral part of the base plate. This way, the cooling structure can add to the stiffness of the base plate more effectively and the overall height of the combination of base plate and cooling structure may be reduced compared to the state of the art without a loss of stability of the electronic power module. In an embodiment, the cooling structure comprises at least one wall structure for stiffening the base plate and directing a coolant along the cooling structure. Each wall structure may be a combination of wall elements connected to one another. The at least one wall structure can also guide the flow of coolant from at least one cooling structure inlet to at least one cooling structure outlet. Wall structures provide more stability and stiffening to the base plate than isolated pin-fins. In an embodiment, the at least one wall structure changes direction in the plane of the cooling structure parallel to the second surface. The change in direction may be gradually or abruptly or both at different locations of the wall structure. In other words, parts of the wall structure may be straight and other parts may, for example, be curved. In an embodiment, one of