Thermal Management of E-Components in EV Using Passive Cooling Technique (an Overmould Concept)

Thermal management in electric vehicles plays a significant role, in keeping all the electronic components under the safe operating region for lower power dissipation, higher efficiency and this increases the component’s life. Based on the increase in range of e-vehicles, the power dissipation requirement had increased from OEMs. In addition, the compact size, weight, and limited cooling technique have increased the thermal management requirements in printed circuit boards (PCB). In a passive cooling technique, high thermally conductive metal with plastic overmould concept in PCB cover or housing will have a huge advantage in transferring the heat from e-components to keep within operating temperature conditions 1, 6. The advantage of alumina or mica metal insert is that it has higher thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity, which helps to dissipate the heat at a higher level when it is locally in contact with hot spot regions of the PCB. This concept also helps to reduce the mass of the products by having plastic overmould 3 housing instead of a die-cast housing. This passive cooling technique will boost thermal management in PCB e-components, irrespective of all vehicle applications 1, 4.