Method and apparatus for predicting degradation in power modules
View Patent ↗A system, computer readable medium, and a method for monitoring power module degradation in a vehicle are provided. The method includes determining a structure function of a power module, determining a change in the structure function based on a comparison between the structure function and an initial or baseline structure function associated with the power module, outputting a degradation determination result based on the change in the structure function, and generating an alert when the degradation determination result exceeds a predetermined or adaptively determined degradation criterion value.
1. A method for monitoring power module degradation in a vehicle, comprising:
determining, using processing circuitry, a structure function of a power module, the structure function being representative of, a thermal capacitance and a thermal resistance of the power module;
determining, using the processing circuitry, a change in the structure function based on a comparison between the structure function and an initial structure function associated with the power module;
outputting a degradation determination result based on the change in the structure function; and
generating an alert when the degradation determination result exceeds a degradation criterion value.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling one or more systems of the vehicle associated with the power module to maximize a life of the power module when the degradation determination result exceeds the degradation criterion value.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the initial structure function of the power module when the power module is initially put into service.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure function is determined when the vehicle has accumulated a predetermined mileage.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power module includes a plurality of layers and a change in a first section of the structure function is associated with degradation in a first layer of the power module.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein h structure function change is associated with a shift in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power module incorporates a planar cooling structure.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power module incorporates a double sided cooling structure.
9. A system for monitoring power module degradation in a vehicle, comprising
a power module; and
processing circuitry configured to
determine a structure function of a power module, the structure function being representative of a thermal capacitance and a thermal resistance of the power module,
determine a change in the structure function based on a comparison between the structure function and an initial structure function associated with the power module,
output a degradation determination result based on the change in the structure function, and
generate an alert when the degradation determination result exceeds a degradation criterion value.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
control one or more systems associated with the power module to maximize a life of the power module when the degradation determination result exceeds the degradation criterion value.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
determine the initial structure function of the power module when the power module is initially put into service.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the structure function is determined when the vehicle has accumulated a predetermined mileage.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the power module includes a plurality of bonded or attached layers and a change in a first section of the structure function is associated with degradation in a first layer of the power module.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the structure function change is associated with a shift in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the power module incorporates a planar cooling structure.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the power module incorporates a double sided cooling structure.
17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
prompt processing circuitry associated with the vehicle to upload structure function data to a server.
18. The system of claim 9 , wherein the degradation criterion value is 70%.
19. The system of claim 9 , wherein the degradation criterion value is adaptively determined.
20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-readable instructions therein which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for monitoring power module degradation, the method comprising:
determining a structure function of a power module, the structure function being representative of a thermal capacitance and a thermal resistance of the power module;
determining a change in the structure function based on a comparison between the structure function and an initial structure function associated with the power module;
outputting a degradation determination result based on the change in the structure function; and
generating an alert when the degradation determination result exceeds a predetermined degradation criterion value.