Cooling assemblies and power electronics modules having multiple-porosity structures
View Patent ↗Cooling assemblies and power electronics modules having multiple-level porosity structures with both a micro- and macro-level porosity are disclosed. In one embodiment, a cooling assembly includes a jet impingement assembly including a fluid inlet channel fluidly coupled an array of orifices provided in a jet plate, and a heat transfer substrate having a surface. The heat transfer substrate is spaced apart from the jet plate. A first array of metal fibers is bonded to the surface of the heat transfer substrate in a first direction, and a second array of metal fibers is bonded to the first array of metal fibers in a second direction. Each metal fiber of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers includes a plurality of metal particles defining a micro-porosity. The first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers define a macro-porosity.
1. A cooling assembly comprising:
a heat transfer substrate having a surface;
a first array of metal fibers bonded to the surface of the heat transfer substrate in a first direction;
a second array of metal fibers bonded to the first array of metal fibers in a second direction, wherein:
each metal fiber of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers comprises a plurality of metal particles defining a micro-porosity; and
the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers define a macro-porosity.
2. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.
3. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein individual metal particles of the first array of metal fibers have a size that is smaller than a size of individual metal particles of the second array of metal fibers.
4. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein individual metal particles of the plurality of metal particles of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers have a size between about 10 μm and about 100 μm.
5. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , wherein individual metal particles of the plurality of metal particles of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers have a porosity between about 50% and about 70%.
6. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an additional array of metal fibers bonded to the second array of metal fibers, each metal fiber of the additional array of metal fibers comprising a plurality of metal particles.
7. The cooling assembly of claim 6 , wherein the additional array of metal fibers is arranged in the first direction.
8. The cooling assembly of claim 7 , wherein individual metal fibers of the additional array of metal fibers are offset from individual metal fibers of the first array of metal fibers in a direction parallel to the surface of the heat transfer substrate.
9. The cooling assembly of claim 6 , wherein the additional array of metal fibers is arranged transverse to the first direction and transverse to the second direction.
10. The cooling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first fin extending from the surface of the heat transfer substrate;
a second fin extending from the surface of the heat transfer substrate, the second fin being adjacent to the first fin, wherein the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers define a multiple-level porosity structure disposed between the first fin and the second fin.
11. A cooling assembly comprising:
a jet impingement assembly comprising a fluid inlet channel fluidly coupled an array of orifices provided in a jet plate;
a heat transfer substrate having a surface, the heat transfer substrate spaced apart from the jet plate;
a first array of metal fibers bonded to the surface of the heat transfer substrate in a first direction;
a second array of metal fibers bonded to the first array of metal fibers in a second direction, wherein:
each metal fiber of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers comprises a plurality of metal particles defining a micro-porosity; and
the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers define a macro-porosity.
12. The cooling assembly of claim 11 , further comprising an assembly body, wherein the jet impingement assembly, the heat transfer substrate, and the assembly body define an impingement chamber.
13. The cooling assembly of claim 12 , wherein the assembly body comprises at least one vapor outlet.
14. The cooling assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.
15. The cooling assembly of claim 11 , further comprising an additional array of metal fibers bonded to the second array of metal fibers, each metal fiber of the additional array of metal fibers comprising a plurality of metal particles.
16. The cooling assembly of claim 15 , wherein the additional array of metal fibers is arranged transverse to the first direction and transverse to the second direction.
17. The cooling assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first fin extending from the surface of the heat transfer substrate;
a second fin extending from the surface of the heat transfer substrate, the second fin being adjacent to the first fin, wherein the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers define a multiple-level porosity structure disposed between the first fin and the second fin.
18. A power electronics module comprising
a cooling assembly comprising:
a heat transfer substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a first array of metal fibers bonded to the first surface of the heat transfer substrate in a first direction;
a second array of metal fibers bonded to the first array of metal fibers in a second direction, wherein:
each metal fiber of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers comprises a plurality of metal particles defining a micro-porosity; and
the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers define a macro-porosity; and
a power semiconductor device thermally coupled to the second surface of the heat transfer substrate.
19. The power electronics module of claim 18 , wherein individual metal particles of the plurality of metal particles of the first array of metal fibers and the second array of metal fibers have a size between about 10 μm and about 100 μm.
20. The power electronics module of claim 18 , further comprising an additional array of metal fibers bonded to the second array of metal fibers, each metal fiber of the additional array of metal fibers comprising a plurality of metal particles.