Modular jet impingement assemblies with passive and active flow control for electronics cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9445526-B2
Application number	US-201414578906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Power electronics modules having modular jet impingement assembly utilized to cool heat generating devices are disclosed. The modular jet impingement assemblies include a modular manifold having a distribution recess, one or more angled inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold that fluidly couple the inlet tube to the distribution recess and one or more outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold that fluidly coupling the outlet tube to the distribution recess. The modular jet impingement assemblies include a manifold insert removably positioned within the distribution recess and include one or more inlet branch channels each including an impinging slot and one or more outlet branch channels each including a collecting slot. Further a heat transfer plate coupled to the modular manifold, the heat transfer plate comprising an impingement surface including an array of fins that extend toward the manifold insert.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular jet impingement assembly comprising:
an inlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet;
an outlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid outlet;
a modular manifold comprising:
a distribution recess;
one or more angled inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold, wherein the one or more angled inlet connection tubes are angled with respect to a surface of the modular manifold and fluidly couple the inlet tube to the distribution recess; and
one or more outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold, fluidly coupling the outlet tube to the distribution recess;

a manifold insert removably positioned within the distribution recess of the modular manifold, the manifold insert comprising:
one or more inlet branch channels fluidly coupled to the one or more angled inlet connection tubes, each inlet branch channel including an impinging slot; and
one or more outlet branch channels fluidly coupled to the one or more inlet branch channels and the one or more outlet connection tubes, each outlet branch channel including a collecting slot; and

a heat transfer plate coupled to the modular manifold, the heat transfer plate comprising an impingement surface including an array of fins that extend toward the manifold insert.

2. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 wherein the impingement surface of the heat transfer plate fluidly couples the impinging slot of the one or more inlet branch channels to the collecting slot of the one or more outlet branch channels.

3. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more angled inlet connection tubes comprise a first angled inlet connection tube having a first angled inlet diameter and a second angled inlet connection tube having a second angled inlet diameter that is larger than the first angled inlet diameter.

4. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more angled inlet connection tubes are angled with respect to the surface of the modular manifold between about 5° and about 25°.

5. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one inlet branch channel comprises a tapered portion.

6. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more valves fluidly coupled to the one or more angled inlet connection tubes, wherein each of the one or more valves includes a valve inlet.

7. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 6 wherein the one or more valves comprise an electro active polymer.

8. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more valves are communicatively coupled to a feedback loop controller, wherein the feedback loop controller provides a signal to the electro active polymer of the one or more valves to adjust a rigidity of the electro active polymer.

9. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more porous media portions positioned within the inlet tube, the one or more angled inlet connection tubes, the outlet tube, or a combination thereof.

10. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of modular manifolds and a plurality of manifold inserts wherein an individual manifold insert is positioned within an individual distribution recess of the plurality of modular manifolds.

11. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 10 wherein a first modular manifold is removably coupled to a second modular manifold positioned adjacent the first modular manifold such that a fluid flow path through the first modular manifold and the second modular manifold comprises a parallel flow pattern.

12. The modular jet impingement assembly of claim 10 wherein a first modular manifold is removably coupled to a second modular manifold positioned adjacent the first modular manifold and one or more plugs are positioned between the first modular manifold and the second modular manifold such that a fluid flow path through the first modular manifold and the second modular manifold comprises a series flow pattern.

13. A power electronics module comprising:
a modular jet impingement assembly comprising:
an inlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet;
an outlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid outlet;
a modular manifold comprising:
a distribution recess;
one or more angled inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold, wherein the one or more angled inlet connection tubes are angled with respect to a surface of the modular manifold and fluidly couple the inlet tube to the distribution recess; and
one or more outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold, fluidly coupling the outlet tube to the distribution recess;

a manifold insert removably positioned within the distribution recess of the modular manifold, the manifold insert comprising:
one or more inlet branch channels fluidly coupled to the one or more angled inlet connection tubes, each inlet branch channel including an impinging slot; and
one or more outlet branch channels fluidly coupled to the one or more inlet branch channels and the one or more outlet connection tubes, each outlet branch channel including a collecting slot; and

a heat transfer plate coupled to the modular manifold, the heat transfer plate comprising an impingement surface including an array of fins that extend toward the manifold insert; and
an electronics device positioned in thermal contact with the heat transfer plate opposite the array of fins.

14. The power electronics module of claim 13 wherein the impingement surface of the heat transfer plate fluidly couples the impinging slot of the one or more inlet branch channels to the collecting slot of the one or more outlet branch channels.

15. The power electronics module of claim 13 wherein the one or more angled inlet connection tubes comprise a first angled inlet connection tube having a first angled inlet diameter and a second angled inlet connection tube having a second angled inlet diameter that is larger than the first angled inlet diameter.

16. The power electronics module of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of modular manifolds and a plurality of manifold inserts wherein an individual manifold insert is positioned within an individual distribution recess of the plurality of modular manifolds.

17. The power electronics module of claim 16 wherein a first modular manifold is removably coupled to a second modular manifold positioned adjacent the first modular manifold such that a fluid flow path through the first modular manifold and the second modular manifold comprises a parallel flow pattern or a series flow pattern.

18. A modular jet impingement assembly comprising:
an inlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet;
an outlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid outlet;
two or more modular manifolds, wherein each modular manifold comprises:
a distribution recess;
one or more angled inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold, wherein the one or more angled inlet connection tubes are angled with respect to a surface of the modular manifold and fluidly couple the inlet tube to the distribution recess; and
one or more outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold, fluidly coupling the outlet tube to the distribution recess;

one or more manifold inserts removably positioned within the distribution recess of each modular manifold, wherein each manifold insert comprises:
one or more inlet branch channels fluidly coupled to the

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc

Inventors

• Zhou Feng
• Dede Ercan Mehmet
• Joshi Shailesh

Classifications

• H10W40/226

  characterised by projecting parts, e.g. fins to increase surface area (leadframes for cooling H10W70/461) · CPC title

• H10W40/475 Primary

  using jet impingement (H10W40/776 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/20927

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title

• H05K7/20281 Primary

  Thermal management, e.g. liquid flow control · CPC title

• H05K7/20272

  Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title