Stabilizer With Included Pulsating Heat Pipe to Establish Mechanical Stability, Insulation and Thermal Control

Abstract:
In the field of power electronics, the management of heat dissipation has become an increasingly challenging task as the continuous reduction in size of electronic components leads to higher power densities. One approach to achieve further product miniaturization is to integrate new functions, such as cooling, into existing components. This study presents the development of a pulsating heat pipe (PHP) embedded within a polymer structure, which not only provides crucial mechanical stability and electrical insulation, but also serves as an effective heat dissipation unit. By integrating the PHP into the support structure, the system is able to dissipate up to 10 times more heat compared to the previous setup, without requiring additional space or negatively impacting the electrical insulation or mechanical stability. Through systematic experiments, the optimal filling ratio of the working fluid (Novec7000) was determined to be around 60% for this integrated PHP system. The transparent nature of the polycarbonate material also allowed for direct observation of the pulsating behavior within the PHP, confirming the functioning of the underlying heat transfer mechanism. This novel approach demonstrates the potential of combining structural and thermal management functions within a single component, enabling further miniaturization and performance improvements in power electronics applications.