Date of Graduation

12-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

David Huitink

Committee Member

Yue Zhao

Second Committee Member

Han Hu

Keywords

Additive Manufacturing, Direct Cooling, Jet Impingement, Power Electronics, Thermal Management

Abstract

The increase in energy demanded by transportation and energy sectors has necessitated highly efficient thermal management for reliable power electronics operations. Conventional cooling techniques are limited by their inability to target switching location hot spot temperatures, leading to non-uniform thermal gradients. These devices, such as cold plates and heat sinks, also utilize heavy metallic structures that can accentuate electromagnetic interferences generated by high voltage switching processes. This work proposes a non-metallic jet impingement cooler for more customized thermal management, while simultaneously reducing the harmful effects of electromagnetic interferences. Additive manufacturing is utilized to enable jet impingement zones to target individual power module hot spots in a lightweight, electrically isolating framework. Simulated and experimental results with die-mimicking capabilities show the ability of reducing maximum junction temperatures by 30 °C and eliminating cross-module temperature gradients by 90%. Integrated testing with a 150kW silicon carbide MOSFET based inverter show a 25dB drop in common mode noise as a result of a 99% reduction in parasitic capacitance pathways through the thermal management system. Furthermore, multiple jet impingement devices integrated with a single-phase inverter setup is demonstrated as a method to thermally balance electrical devices through hydraulic circuit networks.

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