Enhanced Thermal Management by Direct Water Spray of High-Voltage, High Power Devices in a Three-Phase, 18-HP AC Motor Drive Demonstration
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2002
Identifier/URL
43035836 (Pure)
Abstract
The combination of high power dissipation (e.g., >500 W) and high power densities required of power conversion devices, such as those utilized within variable-speed motor drives, necessitates thermal management systems with ever-increasing capabilities. Although device power densities on the order of 100 W/cm2 are relatively common in applications today, technology roadmaps project power densities in excess of 1 kW/cm2 within a few years. Unfortunately, conventional thermal management designs based on solid-state conduction become unworkable at such power densities. In the present DARPA-funded investigation we have approached this problem through implementation of direct low-pressure water spray-cooling of both switch and diode surfaces within a variable-speed motor drive. Problems that were addressed include the packaging of a nozzle array design in a high-power module (>650 W dissipation) that operates with high standoff voltages (Vrms∼325 VAC). Electrical isolation of the devices was achieved by a Parylene coating. An effective thermal resistance of ∼0.007 C/W was achieved through direct water spray-cooling of the electronic devices. In the presentation, we will compare the calculated and measured spray-cooling thermal resistances to those of more conventional thermal management schemes.
Repository Citation
Shaw, M. C.,
Waldrop, J. R.,
Chandrasekaran, S.,
Kagalwala, B.,
Jing, X.,
Brown, E. R.,
Dhir, V. J.,
& Fabbeo, M.
(2002). Enhanced Thermal Management by Direct Water Spray of High-Voltage, High Power Devices in a Three-Phase, 18-HP AC Motor Drive Demonstration. ITHERM 2002 - 8th Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems, 1007-1014.
https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/physics/1356
DOI
10.1109/ITHERM.2002.1012567
