Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronics assembly includes a cold plate assembly having a first surface, at least one power electronic device disposed within a recess on the first surface of the cold plate assembly, and a printed circuit board disposed on a surface of the at least one power electronic device. The printed circuit board includes a first insulation layer, a second insulation layer, an electrically conductive power layer between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer, a first set of thermal vias extending from the electrically conductive power layer and toward the first surface of the cold plate assembly, and a second set of thermal vias extending from the first surface of the cold plate assembly toward the electrically conductive power layer. The first set of thermal vias is electrically isolated from the second set of thermal vias.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly that includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and an electrical insulation portion. The PCB includes a plurality of embedded power devices and a substrate layer having a plurality of metal inverse opal (MIO) portions. The electrically insulating portion is positioned between each of the MIO portions. The plurality of MIO portions is thermally coupled to the plurality of embedded power devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are power electronics assemblies which include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of conductive layers and a cold plate contacting the PCB. The cold plate includes a manifold constructed from an electrically insulating material and including a first cavity and a second cavity. The cold plate further includes a first heat sink positioned in the first cavity and thermally coupled to the plurality of conductive layers. The cold plate further includes a second heat sink positioned in the second cavity and thermally coupled to the plurality of conductive layers.

Abstract: A power electronics module includes a glass layer with one or more vias extending through the glass layer and having an electrically and thermally conductive material disposed within the one or more vias, a power electronic device directly bonded to a first surface of the glass layer, and, a cooling structure thermally coupled to a second surface of the glass layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly that includes a cold plate assembly and one or more power device assemblies. The cold plate assembly has a manifold having a heat sink cavity in a first surface and a heat sink that includes one or more substrate cavities. The heat sink is positioned in the heat sink cavity. The one or more power device assemblies are positioned within the one or more substrate cavities. Each power device assembly includes an S-cell, a power device, and a direct bonded metal substrate bonded to the S-Cell. The S-cell includes a base layer constructed at least of graphite or a graphite-composite, a conductive layer at least partially surrounding the base layer, and a power device cavity. The power device is positioned in the power device cavity and is electrically coupled to the conductive layer.

Abstract: A method for predicting a failure of a power control unit of a vehicle is provided. The method includes obtaining data from a plurality of sensors of the power control unit of a vehicle subject to simulated multi-load conditions, implementing a machine learning algorithm on the data to obtain machine learning data, obtaining new data from the plurality of sensors of power control unit of the vehicle subject to real multi-load conditions, implementing the machine learning algorithm on the new data to obtain test data, predicting a failure of the power control unit based on a comparison between the test data and the machine learning data.

Abstract: A hybrid cooling system of an electric machine is contemplated. The hybrid cooling system comprises a propeller positioned on an exterior of an enclosure, at least one electronic component disposed within the enclosure, and a vapor chamber disposed within the enclosure, wherein the vapor chamber comprises an actuator configured to generate mist from a liquid coolant within the enclosure. In operation, in a first mode, the propeller rotates for generating air that is channeled into the enclosure via fins that are disposed on exterior portions of the enclosure, and in a second mode, the actuator generates mist within the vapor chamber, and the propeller rotates for generating air that is channeled into the enclosure via the fins disposed therein.

Abstract: An integrated power electronic package includes a cold plate having a microcontroller, driver circuit, and power module embedded within a top surface of the cold plate. A 3D-printed circuit board is printed on and/or around the microcontroller, driver circuit, and power module to create electrical connections between the components. Additional electrical components are mounted to the 3D-printed circuit board to form the integrated power electronics package. The cold plate further includes a hollow interior recess having a plurality of fins. The plurality of fins have varying densities to allow targeted cooling of the microcontroller, driver circuit, and power module embedded in the cold plate.

Abstract: An integrated power electronic assembly includes a power electronic device, a cooling assembly offset from and thermally coupled to a second edge of the power electronic device, and a thermal spreader offset from and thermally coupled to a first edge of the power electronic device. The first edge of the power electronic device is opposite the second edge of the power electronic device, and the thermal spreader is thermally coupled to the cooling assembly.

Abstract: Printed circuit board (PCB) substrates include at least one pre-preg layer interposed between one or more electrically conductive layers, power device stacks, each having a power device embedded within the PCB substrate in a vertical stack configuration, and a flat heat pipe positioned between the power device stacks within the at least one pre-preg layer, one surface of the flat heat pipe directly bonded to a first one of the power device stacks and an opposite surface of the flat heat pipe thermally coupled to a second one of the power device stacks.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly includes a cold plate assembly and one or more power device assemblies. The cold plate assembly includes a manifold including a heat sink cavity in a first surface and a heat sink. The heat sink includes one or more substrate cavities and the heat sink is positioned in the heat sink cavity. The one or more power device assemblies are positioned within the one or more substrate cavities. Each power device assembly of the one or more power assemblies includes a direct bonded metal (DBM) substrate including a first metal layer directly bonded to an insulator layer and a power device. The DBM substrate includes a power device cavity. The power device is positioned in the power device cavity and the power device is electronically coupled to the first metal layer.

Abstract: Systems, methods, computer-readable media, techniques, and methodologies are disclosed for performing fault detection and prediction for power electronics and switching devices for power electronics. Systems and methods can determine, using a machine learning model, a prediction for a value of a first switching parameter of a switching device, the prediction based on the present value of a second switching parameter of a switching device and a prior value of the first switching parameter. Systems and methods disclosed herein can further determine a residual comprising the difference between the prediction and an actual value of the switching parameter, generate a test statistic based on the residual, and compare the test statistic to a first threshold value. Systems and methods disclosed herein can determine the presence of a fault in the switching device based on a comparison of the test statistic to a threshold value.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for performing fault detection and prediction for power electronics and switching devices for power electronics, such as power inverters. Systems and methods disclosed herein can include determining, by a partial least squares model that evaluates values for one or more switching parameters for a switching device, the one or more switching parameters selected from a first set of switching parameters, a predicted value for the on-state current Ids of the switching device. The predicted value for the on-state current Ids can be based on the values of the one or more switching parameters for the switching device. Systems and methods disclosed herein can determine a residual comprising the difference between the predicted value for the another switching parameter of the switching device and an actual value of the predicted value for the another switching parameter, and generate a test statistic based on the residual.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, a fuel cell, and a method of designing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a hybrid flow field structure that includes a plurality of parallel feed flow channels fluidically connected to an inlet bipolar plate region, a plurality of parallel exit flow channels fluidically connected to an outlet bipolar plate region, and an interwoven pattern formed by a plurality of simplified periodic array flow field structure generated based on flow patterns generated by homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization. The flow field structure enhances fuel cell performance by facilitating lower pressure drop via minimized fluid flow resistance, and removal of accumulated water in the oxygen channel and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under the ribs of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: One or more methods of designing an FC bipolar plate that enhance the operational performance of FC. A first image analysis is conducted of image data of a fluid flow field structure having one or more dehomogenized microstructures to identify channels having a fluid flow blockage at a channel wall dead-end. The channel wall dead-end of each identified channel is selectively removed in a manner that fluidically connects each identified channel to an adjacent channel. Then, a second image analysis of the image data is conducted in response to selectively removing the channel wall dead-ends to measure a length of each channel wall. Channels walls having a length greater than a threshold channel wall length value are selectively cut, thereby providing reduced fluid flow resistance throughout the FC.

Abstract: A cold plate includes a first cooling surface comprising a first cooling structure bonded to an inner surface of the first cooling surface, a second cooling surface comprising a second cooling structure bonded to an inner surface of the second cooling surface, a manifold comprising an internal cavity defined by a first length, a first width, and a first height, and a flow divider defined by a second length, a second width, and a second height. The manifold is enclosed by the first cooling surface and the second cooling surface on opposing surfaces of the manifold separated by the first height. The flow divider is positioned within the internal cavity of the manifold. The flow divider supports and separates the first cooling structure and the second cooling structure by a portion of the second height of the flow divider.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to using a printed conductor and a rectifier in the same enclosure for transferring power. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a conductor, printed on a substrate housed in an enclosure, that generates alternating current caused by a magnetic field emitted by a transmitter, wherein the conductor is a trace spanning layers. The apparatus also includes a rectifier, on a device housed in the enclosure, that receives the alternating current through a terminal connected with the conductor and converts the alternating current to a direct current for powering a load, wherein an insulator between the conductor and the rectifier isolates the magnetic field.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell, a fuel cell, and a method of designing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a flow field structure that includes a plurality of Representative Elementary Volumes (REVs) generated based on flow patterns generated by homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization. The flow field structure enhances fuel cell performance by facilitating lower pressure drop via minimized fluid flow resistance, and removal of accumulated water in the oxygen channel and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) under the ribs of the bipolar plate.

Abstract: A cold plate having a manifold includes a recess extending from a first side to a second side of the manifold, where the recess includes openings to the recess positioned lengthwise along the first side and a single opening to the recess on the second side, an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the recess, a plurality of plates fastened to the first side enclosing the openings, a heat sink fastened to the second side enclosing the single opening on the second side, and a plurality of fluid cores one of each positioned between each of the plurality of plates and the heat sink. The plurality of fluid cores include a flow distribution insert, a first plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink fastened to the second side, and a second plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink.

Abstract: One or more methods of designing microchannel fluid flow networks in a fuel cell bipolar plate includes executing one or more programs on one or more computing devices having one or more processors to optimize the spatially varying orientations of homogenized anisotropic porous media by iteratively executing a gradient-based algorithm that incorporates objective functions of reaction uniformity and flow resistance, and then generate, in response to the homogenized anisotropic porous media optimization, one or more microchannel fluid flow networks by dehomogenizing the optimized anisotropic porous media.