Phase change assisted heat sink
US6239502A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 22, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 22, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T10/7072
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In an electric vehicle, the traction motor is driven from a battery by way of a controllable electric power switching arrangement. In normal operation of the switches of the switching arrangement, the power losses or heating of the switches depends upon the power being handled; during hard acceleration the power is high, and at constant speed on level ground the power is relatively small. Thus, the power "dissipated" by the switches varies with time. A cooling system transfers heat from the switching arrangement to ambient. During acceleration, the cooling system may not be able to limit the instantaneous temperature of the switches to the desired value. A phase-change heat "sink" coupled to the switches absorbs heat from the switches during hard acceleration, and returns the heat to the cooling system under more constant-speed conditions. In general, any electronic device which experiences transient power surges may use the same principle, thereby allowing the overall cooling system to be sized for average power, with the phase-change sink acting as an "integrator" to average the power by storing heat when the temperature tends to rise, and returning the heat when the temperature …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.