Mass-specific thermal optimization of a heat sink for rotating 80kW SiC dual inverter exposed to extreme conditions

The scope of this study encompasses the design of a heat sink for rotating power electronics operating under conditions of significantly elevated temperature within a rotating actuator system which integrates two 40kW SiC inverters for fault-tolerant operation. The primary objective is to identify optimal parameters for designing the rotary heat sink, ensuring efficient heat dissipation while adhering to weight limits and considering space envelope and coolant air constraints. The thermal efficiency of the designed heat sinks is accessed in terms of mass-specific heat transfer coefficient through the computational fluid dynamic analysis. The findings demonstrate that the augmented fin height and thinner fin dimensions lead to enhanced performance. Notably, a larger gap between fins augments the thermal performance of the heat sink under rotation. Conversely, an opposing trend manifests when the heat sink is stationary.