Electro-Thermal-CFD Modeling for Joule Heating Analysis in Power Module

The conversion of electrical energy into heat is an undesired effect that can affect the efficiency and reliability of power electronics, such as busbars and plastic materials. The purpose of this work is to define the proper busbar ampacity of a power module and prevent the generated heat on the busbar from exceeding the highest temperature limit, thereby avoiding damage to the plastic material inside the capacitor. Two fully coupled modeling methods are developed in this work to observe the current distribution and evaluate the thermal performance of a power module assembly.