Evaluation of the thermal performance of a cold plate with different fin structures for IGBT cooling

Year 2025, Volume: 21 Issue: 3, 80 - 88, 26.09.2025

M. Bahattin Akgül , Furkan Sinan Erçel

https://doi.org/10.18466/cbayarfbe.1732854

Abstract

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) modules are a frequently used switching and power control element in power electronics. A significant amount of heat is released due to conduction and switching losses inside the module. To ensure the efficient and long-term operation of the IGBT, the heat generated must be cooled effectively. Forced liquid cooled cold plates are widely used for high power density modules. In this study, a cold plate is designed for liquid cooling of three PrimePack3 IGBTs used in an industrial motor drive. Straight, staggered pin and oblique fin structures are applied to the cooling channels of the cold plate with a parallel flow configuration. The numerical model of the cold plate is developed and analyzed using a CFD software. The effects of fin structures on liquid cooling performance are compared and discussed in detail. The thermal resistance values for the staggered pin and oblique fin structures exhibit reductions of 46.5% and 60.1%, respectively, compared to the straight fin configuration.

Keywords

Cold Plate , IGBT , Liquid Cooling , CFD , Pin Fin , Straight Fin , Oblique Fin

IGBT soğutması için farklı kanat yapılarına sahip bir soğuk plakanın termal performansının değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

IGBT modülleri güç elektroniğinde sıklıkla kullanılan bir anahtarlama ve güç kontrol elemanıdır. Modül içindeki iletim ve anahtarlama kayıpları nedeniyle önemli miktarda ısı açığa çıkar. IGBT'nin verimli ve uzun süreli çalışmasını sağlamak için, üretilen ısının etkili bir şekilde soğutulması gerekir. Zorlanmış sıvı soğutmalı soğuk plakalar, yüksek güç yoğunluklu modüller için yaygın olarak kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, endüstriyel bir motor sürücüsünde kullanılan üç PrimePack3 IGBT'nin sıvı soğutması için bir soğuk plaka tasarlanmıştır. Paralel akış konfigürasyonuna sahip soğuk plakanın soğutma kanallarına düz, kademeli pim ve eğik kanat yapıları uygulanmıştır. Soğuk plakanın sayısal modeli geliştirilmiş ve bir CFD yazılımı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Kanat yapılarının sıvı soğutma performansı üzerindeki etkileri karşılaştırılmış ve ayrıntılı olarak tartışılmıştır.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Keywords

Soğuk Plaka , IGBT , Sıvı Soğutma , CFD , Pin Fin , Düz Fin , Eğik Fin

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