Integrated e-machine controller for turbomachine having thermal path for compactly packaged electronics
A controller for an e-machine of a turbomachine includes a coolant core with a first seat and a second seat thereon. The controller includes a semiconductor circuit component that is seated on the first seat and that is thermally coupled to the coolant core to be cooled thereby. The controller also includes a bus bar that is seated on the second seat and that is thermally coupled to the coolant core to be cooled thereby. The bus bar is thermally coupled to the semiconductor circuit component to receive heat from the semiconductor circuit component and to define a thermal path from the semiconductor circuit component, through the bus bar, and to the coolant core.
1 . A controller for an e-machine of a turbomachine having a rotating group that is supported for rotation about a rotation axis comprising:
a fluid-cooled coolant core that extends about the rotation axis and that includes a first seat and a second seat thereon, the first seat included on an outer radial area of the coolant core, the outer radial area facing outward radially from the rotation axis, the second seat included on an axial end of the coolant core and facing axially away from the rotating group;
a semiconductor circuit component that is seated on the first seat and that is thermally coupled to the coolant core to be cooled thereby;
a bus bar that is elongated to extend circumferentially along a curvilinear path about the rotation axis along the axial end of the coolant core and is seated on the second seat and that is thermally coupled to the coolant core to be cooled thereby; and
the bus bar being thermally coupled to the semiconductor circuit component by a direct conductive interface therebetween to receive heat from the semiconductor circuit component, through the direct conductive interface and the bus bar, and to direct heat to the coolant core.
2 . The controller of claim 1 , wherein the coolant core includes an internal liquid fluid passage configured to receive a flow of a liquid coolant for cooling the semiconductor circuit component and the bus bar.
3 . The controller of claim 2 , wherein the first seat is proximate an aperture into the internal liquid fluid passage, wherein the semiconductor circuit component is seated on the first seat to be partly received in the aperture.
4 . The controller of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar includes a projecting electrical terminal and the semiconductor circuit component includes a lead that overlaps the projecting electrical terminal for electrical and thermal connection therebetween.
5 . The controller of claim 4 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal and the lead project in an axial direction along the rotation axis.
6 . The controller of claim 5 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal is disposed radially between the lead and the rotation axis.
7 . The controller of claim 4 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal and the lead are substantially flat.
8 . A method of manufacturing a controller for an e-machine of a turbomachine having a rotating group that is supported for rotation about a rotation axis comprising:
providing a fluid-cooled coolant core that extends about the rotation axis and that has a first seat and a second seat thereon, the first seat included on an outer radial area of the coolant core, the outer radial area facing outward radially from the rotation axis, the second seat included on an axial end of the coolant core and facing away from the rotating group;
seating a semiconductor circuit component on the first seat including thermally coupling the semiconductor circuit component to the coolant core via the first seat to be cooled thereby;
providing a bus bar that is elongated to extend along a curvilinear path;
seating the bus bar on the second seat including extending the bus bar axis along the curvilinear path circumferentially about the rotation axis along the axial end of the coolant core and thermally coupling the bus bar to the coolant core via the second seat to be cooled thereby; and
thermally coupling the bus bar to the semiconductor circuit component by a direct conductive interface therebetween to define a thermal path for heat transfer from the semiconductor circuit component, through the direct conductive interface and the bus bar, and to the coolant core.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing a flow of a liquid coolant through an internal fluid passage of the coolant core.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first seat is proximate an aperture into the internal fluid passage, and wherein seating the semiconductor circuit component includes partly receiving the semiconductor circuit component in the aperture.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the bus bar includes a projecting electrical terminal and the semiconductor circuit component includes a lead; and further comprising overlapping the projecting electrical terminal and the lead for electrical and thermal connection therebetween.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal and the lead project in an axial direction along the rotation axis.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal is disposed radially between the lead and the rotation axis.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal and the lead are substantially flat.
15 . A compressor device comprising:
a compressor section;
a motor configured to drive a compressor wheel of the compressor section in rotation about a rotation axis; and
an integrated controller for the motor that includes:
a fluid-cooled coolant core that extends about the rotation axis and that includes a first seat and a second seat, the first seat included on an outer radial area of the coolant core facing outward radially from the rotation axis, the second seat included on an axial end of the coolant core and facing axially away from the motor, the coolant core including an internal liquid fluid passage configured to receive a flow of a liquid coolant;
a semiconductor circuit component that is seated on the first seat and that is thermally coupled to the coolant core via the first seat to be cooled thereby;
a bus bar that is elongated to extend along a curvilinear path that extends circumferentially about the rotation axis along the axial end of the coolant core, that is seated on the second seat, and that is thermally coupled to the coolant core via the second seat to be cooled thereby; and
the bus bar being thermally coupled to the semiconductor circuit component by a direct conductive interface therebetween to receive heat from the semiconductor circuit component and to define a thermal path from the semiconductor circuit component, through the direct conductive interface and the bus bar, and to the coolant core.
16 . The compressor device of claim 15 , wherein the first seat is proximate an aperture into the internal fluid passage, wherein the semiconductor circuit component is seated on the first seat to be partly received in the aperture.
17 . The compressor device of claim 15 , wherein the bus bar includes a projecting electrical terminal and the semiconductor circuit component includes a lead that overlaps the projecting electrical terminal for electrical and thermal connection therebetween.
18 . The compressor device of claim 17 , wherein the projecting electrical terminal and the lead project along the rotation axis.