Additive Manufactured, Low EMI, Non-Metallic Convective Heat Spreader Design and Optimization

Abstract

With the increase of electronic device power density, thermal management and reliability are becoming increasingly important. First, increased density challenges the capability of conventional heat sinks to adequately dissipate heat. Secondly, higher frequency switching in wide bandgap power modules is introducing new issues in electromagnetic interference (EMI) in which metallic heat removal systems will couple and create damaging current ringing. Lastly, lightweight heat removal is required to meet the increasing needs of mobile power systems. In this effort we introduce an additive manufacturing pathway to produce custom-tailored heat removal systems using non-metallic materials, which take advantage of convective heat transfer to enable efficient thermal management. Herein, we leverage the precision of AM techniques in the development of 3D optimized flow channels for achieving enhanced effective convective heat transfer coefficients. The experimental performance of convective heat removal due to liquid impingement is compared with conventional heat sinks, with the requirement of simulating the heat transfer needed by a high voltage inverter. The implementation of non-metallic materials manufacturing is aimed to reduce EMI in a low weight and reduced cost package, making it useful for mobile power electronics.