Integrated thermal packaging of high power motor controller

According to an example provided herein, a cold plate has a surface for mounting a component thereto, a first path to flow cooling fluid therethrough in a vicinity of the surface and a housing mounted on the surface that extends from the surface. The housing has a second path attaching to the first path to flow fluid to flow through the housing wherein the housing is designed to at least partially enclose the component and wherein the component is cooled by the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic modules used to provide electricity and controls to aircraft need cooling for efficient operation. Some electronic modules are cooled by fans or by liquids that circulate in close proximity to the modules by cooling plates in which the modules are mounted. Cooling tubes are also known to cool some electronics.

It is also well known that efficient operation of aircraft requires that the weight of the aircraft and the componentry, including electronic modules and cooling apparatus therefore be minimized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an example provided herein, a cold plate has a surface for mounting a component thereto, a first path to flow cooling fluid therethrough in a vicinity of the surface and a housing mounted on the surface that extends from the surface. The housing has a second path attaching to the first path to flow fluid to flow through the housing wherein the housing is designed to at least partially enclose the component and wherein the component is cooled by the housing.

According to a further example provided herein, a cold plate has a surface having a component requiring cooling mounted thereto, a first path to flow cooling fluid therethrough in a vicinity of the surface, and, a housing mounted on the surface and extending therefrom. The housing has a second path attaching to the first path to flow fluid through the housing wherein the housing at least partially encloses the component and wherein the component is cooled by the housing.

According to an example method provided herein, a method for minimizing a size of an electronics package requiring cooling includes the steps of determining a component in the electronics package that requires cooling, providing a cooling housing for that component that at least partially encloses the component and attaches to a cooling plate, wherein the housing removes heat from the component, and mounting a part needing cooling to the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now toFIG. 1, an electronics package5includes a cold plate10having a surface11upon which a plurality of electrical components15, such as power modules, DC link capacitors, insulator gate bipolar transistors, printed wiring assemblies, inductors, or the like, are mounted thereon or there under. At least some of the electrical components15, which may require additional cooling, are mounted to the surface11within a housing20that provides additional cooling to those components15as will be discussed herein. While cold plates10are generally planar, the cold plate described herein may have other shapes.

Each housing20may have one or more electrical parts25on its walls30that at least partially enclose each electrical component15. Parts25may include, for instance, an inverter power module that relates to a component15, such as an inductor, within walls30, but may also not relate to the functionality of the component15housed in the housing20. Parts, for instance may also include DC link capacitors and bus bars, etc. Though components15are indicated to be held within housings20and parts25are designated as those mounted on walls30of the housings20, there is no limitation contemplated herein as to what those particular electrical parts or components may be.

By placing components15within housings20and by placing parts25on the housings20, two functions are achieved: first, components15that need additional cooling receive that cooling; and second, the overall size of the cold plate10and/or the electronics package5may be reduced. By removing parts25from the cold plate10and utilizing the surface area of the walls30of the housing20, the use of space on the cold plate10may be maximized to minimize the area of the cold plate10. By utilizing the housing20as a mounting surface, cooling can be provided to both components15within the housing20and any part25placed on the walls30of the housing20. Similarly, because the cooling is provided to those modules that most need it, the cold plate10depth may also be minimized.

The cold plate10has a fluid inlet35, a fluid path40passing through the cold plate10and a fluid outlet,45. The fluid path40carries cooling fluid received at the fluid inlet35to the vicinity of the surface11and components15mounted on the cold plate10to carry fluid that is warmed by the components15through the fluid outlet45so that the components15are cooled. The cold plate10may have fin cores (depicted inFIGS. 3 and 4) attaching to the top and bottom plates within the cold plate10to maximize heat absorption from the components15. Heat dissipated by the component15is absorbed through the cold plate10and the fluid path40for rejection from the electronics package5. As will be seen herein, the fluid is also transported to and through the housings20.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, the housing20in relation to the cold plate10is shown. The housing20is circular mimicking the shape50of component15, in this case an examplar inductor55(seeFIG. 4). If the component15had a different shape, the housing20would at least partially enclose that shape. Note that inFIG. 1, the housing20is completely enclosing a component within and inFIGS. 2 and 4, the housing20has no top covering the inductor55. The housing20extends from and is attached to the cold plate10by conventional means such as brazing.

Cooling fluid passes through channels60that attach at a first end65to the fluid path40and a second end70to the fluid path40within the cold plate. Fluid as indicated by arrow A enters the first end65in the housing20and follows a path75, which may be tortuous, through an interior80of the housing20. Embedded fin cores85that absorb heat from the component15exchange the heat as the relatively cool fluid flows through the embedded fin cores85. The fin cores85are placed in the space between the inner and outer diameters of the housing20in interior80to allow the housing20to provide cooling to the exemplar inductor55and to any part25disposed upon the walls30of the housing20. The path75passing through the housing20may have routes that optimize cooling for components15within and mounted without of the housing20.

Referring now toFIG. 4, a component15such as an inductor55is shown integrally disposed within housing20. The inductor55has a magnetic core90, a plurality of windings95and is separated from the housing20by a potting compound100. Inverter power modules105that are connected to the inductor and convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) are disposed upon the walls30of the housing20. An electrical connection103passes through the housing20and connects to the windings95. The number of inverter power modules105correlate to the number of phases of AC power required. There is a DC input110and a DC link capacitor116(seeFIG. 4) to smooth the input to the inverter power modules105and AC output is indicated by arrow X connecting to the windings95and passing through the inductor housing20. The potting compound100conducts heat of the inductor55to the housing20.

By no longer mounting the inverter power modules105on the cold plate10and mounting the inverter power modules105on the walls30, space that was occupied by the inverter power modules105on the cold plate10may hold additional components15or may be eliminated thereby minimizing the size of the cold plate10.

Referring now toFIG. 5, a method of designing a smaller electronics package5that needs cooling is shown: components15that need more cooling are identified (step115); a housing20that at least partially enclosed that component15is provided for that component15(step120); and, parts25are attached to the walls30(step125). The parts25may be attached before or after the housing is attached to the cold plate10.