Methodology for Design and Analysis of Liquid-Cooled Heat Sinks in High-Power Density Inverters
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18618/REP.e202537Keywords:
Semiconductor technologies, High-power inverters, Liquid cooled heat sink, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Lumped parameter modelingAbstract
Semiconductor switches in high-power density inverters face significant challenges related to temperature rise in their junctions, which can lead to operational failures. The design and analysis of liquid-cooled heat sinks for these inverters are complex due to their multiphysics nature, particularly under dynamic loads typical of power electronics applications. This paper presents a comprehensive methodology for the design, analysis, and evaluation of liquid-cooled heat sinks in high-power density inverters, integrating computational fluid dynamics (CFD), lumped parameter modeling, and experimental validation. The CFD method is used to determine lumped parameters, which are then incorporated into a PLECs model to simulate the thermal dynamics of semiconductor devices. Power losses calculated in PLECs are used as a reference for experimental validation, where an electronic load emulates the heat dissipation of a 30 kW traction inverter with 99\% efficiency. Two liquid-cooled heat sink geometries—machined channels and a U-shaped serpentine design—are analyzed under various operational scenarios, including normal operation and failure modes in the cooling system. The results illustrate the efficacy of the proposed methodology in evaluating thermal exchange and the impact of cooling system failures on power traction inverters. This work provides a streamlined approach for designing and testing liquid-cooled heat sinks, offering valuable insights for improving thermal management in high-power density inverters.
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