System and method of film capacitor cooling

1. A film capacitor assembly, comprising:

a plurality of film capacitive layers for storing an electric charge, said plurality of film capacitive layers having a first metal contact and a second metal contact;

a heat sink for removing heat from said plurality of film capacitive layers, said heat sink in thermal conductive communication with at least one of said first metal contact and said second metal contact; and

a dielectric material configured to prevent a transmission of electric current to said heat sink from said plurality of film capacitive layers, said dielectric material directly contacting at least one of said first metal contact and said second metal contact.

2. The film capacitor assembly of claim 1 wherein said dielectric material is in contact with said heat sink.

3. The film capacitor of claim 2 wherein said dielectric material is disposed between said heat sink and said at least one of said first metal contact and said second metal contact, said dielectric material configured both to electrically insulate said heat sink from said plurality of film capacitive layers and to thermally conduct heat from said plurality of film capacitive layers to said heat sink.

4. The film capacitor assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of film capacitive layers comprises a metalized plastic layer.

5. The film capacitor assembly of claim 1 wherein said dielectric material comprises a plastic.

6. The film capacitor assembly of claim 5 wherein said plastic comprises a polyamide.

7. The film capacitor assembly of claim 1 further comprising a housing for said plurality of film capacitive layers.

8. The film capacitor assembly of claim 7 wherein said heat sink extends out of said housing.

9. The film capacitor assembly of claim 7 wherein said dielectric material is disposed in said housing.

10. The film capacitor assembly of claim 1 including a housing for said plurality of film capacitive layers.

11. The film capacitor assembly of claim 10 wherein said heat sink extends out of said housing.

12. The film capacitor assembly of claim 10 wherein said dielectric material is disposed in said housing.

13. The film capacitor assembly of claim 1 wherein said dielectric material directly contacts said first metal contact and said second metal contact.

14. The film capacitor assembly of claim 8 wherein said heat sink is configured to communicate heat from said plurality of film capacitive layers to a cold plate.

15. The film capacitor assembly of claim 14 including a thermally conductive mounting boss configured to directly contact said heat sink and said cold plate.

16. A film capacitor assembly, comprising:

a plurality of film capacitive layers for storing an electric charge, said plurality of film capacitive layers comprising a metalized plastic layer and having a first metal contact and a second metal contact;

a heat sink for removing heat from said plurality of film capacitive layers, said heat sink in thermal conductive communication with at least one of said first metal contact and said second metal contact;

a dielectric material in contact with said heat sink and said first metal contact, said dielectric material configured to prevent transmission of electric current to said heat sink from said plurality of film capacitive layers; and

wherein said plurality of film capacitive layers are disposed along an axis and form an edge, said heat sink extending generally along said first axis proximate said edge.

17. The film capacitor of claim 16 wherein said dielectric material is disposed between said heat sink and said at least one of said first metal contact and said second metal contact, said dielectric material configured both to electrically insulate said heat sink from said plurality of film capacitive layers and to thermally conduct heat from said plurality of film capacitive layers to said heat sink.

18. The film capacitor assembly of claim 16 wherein said dielectric material comprises a plastic.

19. The film capacitor assembly of claim 18 wherein said plastic comprises a polyamide.

20. A method of manufacturing a film capacitor assembly, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of film capacitive layers for storing an electric charge, the plurality of film capacitive layers having a first metal contact and a second metal contact;

disposing a heat sink communicating heat from the plurality of film capacitive layers to a cold plate; and

placing a dielectric material between the heat sink and the at least one of the first metal contact and the second metal contact.