Power module assembly for a vehicle power inverter
A power-module assembly includes plates defining pockets and arranged in a stack such that the pockets cooperate to define coolant chambers interleaved with the plates. The assembly further includes cards having a power module encased in a frame. The frame has an outward projecting spacer, and each card is disposed in a corresponding one of the chambers with the spacer contacting a wall of the corresponding chamber to form a coolant passage between the wall and the card.
1. A power-module assembly comprising:
plates, each defining pockets, arranged in a stack such that the pockets cooperate to define coolant chambers interleaved with the plates; and
cards including a power module encased in a frame having an outward projecting spacer, wherein each card is disposed in a corresponding one of the chambers with the spacer contacting a wall of the corresponding chamber to form a coolant passage between the wall and the card.
2. The power-module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chambers are in fluid communication with each other.
3. The power-module assembly of claim 1 , wherein each plate includes a dividing wall having a first surface that defines a wall of one of the coolant chambers and a second surface that defines a wall of another of the coolant chambers.
4. The power-module assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the dividing walls defines an inlet opening and an outlet opening.
5. The power-module assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the spacers is attached to a corresponding one of the dividing walls.
6. The power-module assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the cards defines opposing major faces, and wherein the spacer is a portion of the frame that extends past the major face to attached to the wall of the corresponding chamber.
7. The power-module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spacer includes a pair of walls extending from a major face of the card.
8. The power-module assembly of claim 7 , wherein the coolant passage is between the pair of walls.
9. The power-module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plates are secured together by a connection feature that includes a projection portion extending from a first of the plates, and a receptacle portion defined in a second of the plates and configured to receive the projection portion.
10. A power-module assembly comprising:
plates each including first and second opposing major sides, a first pocket recessed into the first major side, a second pocket recessed into the second major side, and a dividing wall having a first surface that forms a floor of the first pocket and a second surface that forms a floor of the second pocket, wherein the plates are arranged in a linear stack such that adjacent ones of the first and second pockets cooperate to define coolant chambers interleaved with the dividing walls; and
cards, each having opposing first and second major faces and including a power module encased in a frame that has a spacer extending from the second major face, wherein each of the cards is disposed in one of the coolant chambers with the spacer attached to a corresponding one of the dividing walls to support the card within the coolant chamber such that a first coolant passage is formed between the second major face of the card and the corresponding dividing wall and a second coolant passage is formed between the first major face of the card and another corresponding one of the dividing walls.
11. The power-module assembly of claim 10 , wherein the spacer is a pair of walls.
12. The power-module assembly of claim 10 , wherein the power module includes at least one switching unit.
13. A power-module assembly comprising:
stacked plates including adjacent first and second plates defining a first pocket and a second pocket, respectively, cooperating to form a coolant chamber, wherein the first and second plates are secured together by a connection feature that includes a projection portion extending from the first plate and a receptacle portion defined in the second plate and configured to receive the projection portion; and
a first card positioned in the coolant chamber such that a first coolant passage is defined between the first plate and the first card and a second coolant passage is defined between the second plate and the first card.
14. The power-module assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first card has a spacer connected between a major face of the first card and the first plate.
15. The power-module assembly of claim 14 , wherein the spacer is a wall that extends outward from the major face and is attached to the first card.
16. The power-module assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first card includes a frame and a power module encased by the frame, the frame having a pair of spaced apart walls that extend past a major face of the first card to attach with the first plate.
17. The power-module assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first coolant passage is defined between the spaced apart walls.
18. The power-module assembly of claim 13 , wherein the projection portion is integrally formed with the first plate and the receptacle portion is integrally formed on the second plate.
19. The power-module assembly of claim 13 , wherein the stacked plates include adjacent third and fourth plates defining a third pocket and a fourth pocket, respectively, cooperating to form a second coolant chamber, and further comprising a second card positioned in the second coolant chamber such that a third coolant passage is defined between the third plate and the second card and a fourth coolant passage is defined between the fourth plate and the second card.