Thermal design of a dual sided cooled power semiconductor module for hybrid and electric vehicles

Power semiconductor module is one of the critical components affecting the overall performance of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (HEV/EV). The design of high quality automotive power module is required by customers in the aspects of performance, temperature, reliability, weight, volume and cost etc. Thermal design is generally believed to address these issues by optimizing the thermal resistance (R
_th
), material combination and cooling solution. In this paper, thermal design of a Dual Sided Cooled (DSC) power module for HEV/EV is investigated. It is proposed that the DSC structure has substantial advantages in performance and volume/weight, but comprehensive design is essential to develop a qualified product. The concept and R
_th
optimization of the DSC module are investigated, and the thermal measurement on the module prototypes is reported.