Integrated coolant channels for component cooling in electric mobile applications
An integrated inverter assembly including a main cover and an opposing back cover, a coolant channel separating body interposed between an upper coolant channel and a lower coolant channel. The upper coolant channel may be thermally coupled to a first plurality of electronic components of the integrated inverter assembly. The lower coolant channel may be thermally coupled to a second plurality of electronic components of the integrated inverter assembly. The first plurality of electronic components include at least one gate driver.
1. An integrated inverter assembly, comprising:
a main cover and an opposing back cover;
a coolant channel separating body interposed between an upper coolant channel and a lower coolant channel;
wherein the upper coolant channel is thermally coupled to a first plurality of electronic components of the integrated inverter assembly;
wherein the lower coolant channel is thermally coupled to a second plurality of electronic components of the integrated inverter assembly; and
wherein the first plurality of electronic components comprise at least one gate driver.
2. An inverter power electronics, comprising:
an upper coolant channel and a lower coolant channel;
a coolant channel separating body interposed between the upper coolant channel and the lower coolant channel;
a first plurality of electronic components thermally coupled to the upper coolant channel, wherein the first plurality of electronic components comprise at least one gate driver; and
a second plurality of electronic components thermally coupled to the lower coolant channel.
3. A method, comprising:
passing a first coolant through an upper coolant channel;
passing a second coolant through a lower coolant channel;
exchanging heat between the lower coolant channel, the upper coolant channel, and a coolant channel separating body, wherein a coolant channel separating body is interposed between the upper coolant channel and the lower coolant channel; and
exchanging heat between the coolant channel separating body and a plurality of electronic components thermally coupled to the coolant channel separating body, wherein the plurality of electronic components comprise at least one gate driver.
4. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gate driver is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
5. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of electronic components or the second plurality of electronic components have a high heat transfer capacity to coolant to support high power density installations.
6. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a coolant inlet or a coolant outlet of at least one of the upper coolant channel or the lower coolant channel includes a quick connector without a locking element.
7. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gate driver is configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to a motor.
8. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , further comprising, a potted DC link capacitor operationally disposed between the at least one gate driver and a DC power source, and wherein the potted DC link capacitor includes a bus bar, a common-mode choke, and a capacitor disposed in a housing of the potted DC link capacitor.
9. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gate driver and at least one current sensor corresponding to each phase of the at least one gate driver are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB).
10. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coolant channel separating body is friction-stir welded to each of the main cover and at least one of the upper coolant channel or the lower coolant channel.
11. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the main cover is cast;
wherein the coolant channel separating body is forged; and
wherein at least one of a lower coolant channel cover or an upper coolant channel cover is stamped.
12. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main cover defines a plurality of coupling threaded bores, and wherein the opposing back cover defines a corresponding plurality of coupling threaded bores.
13. The integrated inverter assembly of claim 1 , further comprising, a cure-in-place-gasket positioned between the main cover and the opposing back cover.
14. The inverter power electronics of claim 2 , wherein the at least one gate driver is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
15. The inverter power electronics of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of electronic components or the second plurality of electronic components have a high heat transfer capacity to coolant to support high power density installations.
16. The inverter power electronics of claim 2 , wherein the at least one gate driver is configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to a motor.
17. The inverter power electronics of claim 2 , further comprising, a potted DC link capacitor operationally disposed between the at least one gate driver and a DC power source, and wherein the potted DC link capacitor includes a bus bar, a common-mode choke, and a capacitor disposed in a housing of the potted DC link capacitor.
18. The inverter power electronics of claim 2 , wherein the at least one gate driver and at least one current sensor corresponding to each phase of the at least one gate driver are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB).
19. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one gate driver is configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to a motor.
20. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one gate driver and at least one current sensor corresponding to each phase of the at least one gate driver are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB).