Integral design of a high power density DC/DC converter for harsh environments

Power electronic systems are finding applications in increasingly demanding environments. This coupled together with demanding converter specifications requires an integral electrical, thermal and spatial design of these power electronic systems. This paper investigates and implements an integral design that identifies the interdependencies between the electrical, thermal and spatial designs of a power electronic converter and considers how the interdependencies can be manipulated to meet all the converter specifications simultaneously in a single volume. The integral design procedure is used to design a 2 kW power converter for implementation in the automotive environment. The power converter utilizes the automotive liquid coolant system where the coolant has a maximum temperature of 125degC for heat removal. Under these conditions, the design achieves a power density of 120 W/in³ (7.3 kW/liter). Practical results confirming the design are presented