Evaluation of the thermal performance of a cold plate with different fin structures for IGBT cooling

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) modules are a frequently used switching and power control element in power electronics. A significant amount of heat is released due to conduction and switching losses inside the module. To ensure the efficient and long-term operation of the IGBT, the heat generated must be cooled effectively. Forced liquid cooled cold plates are widely used for high power density modules. In this study, a cold plate is designed for liquid cooling of three PrimePack3 IGBTs used in an industrial motor drive. Straight, staggered pin and oblique fin structures are applied to the cooling channels of the cold plate with a parallel flow configuration. The numerical model of the cold plate is developed and analyzed using a CFD software. The effects of fin structures on liquid cooling performance are compared and discussed in detail. The thermal resistance values for the staggered pin and oblique fin structures exhibit reductions of 46.5% and 60.1%, respectively, compared to the straight fin configuration.