Enhanced Thermal Management Strategies for SiC MOSFETs in EV Fast Charging Systems Using Cold Plate and Copper Inlay Solution

High-power density fast chargers for electric vehicles (EV) face significant thermal stress and require effective thermal management to ensure highly efficient, and long-lived operation, as well as to address reliability issues. Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs are used in such EV fast chargers because of their efficient power conversion and inherent thermal stability during fast charging. However, addressing crucial concerns about heat dissipation in SiC MOSFETs is essential to guarantee enhanced power performance. An advanced thermal management strategy was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics to optimize the thermal performance of SiC MOSFETs. The design incorporates liquid cooling, high thermal conductivity thermal interface materials (TIM), and a multi-layer PCB with copper inlays to enhance heat dissipation and prevent thermal throttling. Stationary and parametric analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of TIM thermal conductivity, coolant flow rate, and system pressure on thermal performance, finding that the best results are achieved with optimized TIM thermal conductivity and at optimized coolant flow rate. COMSOL Multiphysics' accurate thermal modeling capabilities provide a roadmap for optimizing thermal performance through simulation to achieve improved thermal stability in high-power EV fast chargers.