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U.S. Department of Energy
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Functionally graded thermal vias for inductor winding heat flow control

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1986997

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of an inductor assembly using functionally-graded thermal vias for heat flow control in the windings of the inductor. In one embodiment, a PCB for an inductor assembly includes a top surface and a bottom surface. Two or more electrically-conductive layers are embedded within the PCB and stacked vertically between the top surface and the bottom surface. The two or more electrically-conductive layers are electrically connected to form an inductor winding. A plurality of thermal vias thermally connects each of the two or more electrically-conductive layers to a cold plate thermally connected to the bottom surface. A number of thermal vias thermally connecting each electrically-conductive layer to the cold plate is directly proportional to a predetermined rate of heat dissipation from the electrically-conductive layer.

Research Organization:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
DOE Contract Number:
AR0000897
Assignee:
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (Plano, TX); University of Colorado Boulder (Boulder, CO)
Patent Number(s):
11,545,297
Application Number:
16/692,653
OSTI ID:
1986997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English