Compact High-Power DC-to-DC Converters with Out-of-Phase Converter Units and Multiple Cooling Types

A DC-DC converter comprising:

• a converter unit comprising a power electronic module, an inductor, a front plate, a first inductor-cooling coupler, and a second inductor-cooling coupler, wherein:
• the power electronic module comprises a switching sub-module and a diode sub-module,
• the inductor comprises an inductor housing and an inductor coil assembly, positioned within the inductor housing and comprising an inductor coil assembly with coil fluid pathways extending through the inductor coil assembly,
• the inductor housing comprises a first inductor fluid connector and a second inductor fluid connector providing a fluidic pathway in and out of the inductor housing and through the coil fluid pathways of the inductor coil assembly,
• the first inductor-cooling coupler is positioned on the front plate and fluidically coupled with the first inductor fluid connector,
• the second inductor-cooling coupler is positioned on the front plate and fluidically coupled with the second inductor fluid connector, and
• the first inductor-cooling coupler, the coil fluid pathways, and the second inductor-cooling coupler collectively provide the fluidic pathway between the first inductor-cooling coupler and the second inductor-cooling coupler thereby immersible cooling the inductor coil assembly within the inductor housing.

A method of operating a DC-DC converter, the method comprising:

• providing the DC-DC converter comprising a converter unit comprising a power electronic module, an inductor, a front plate, a first inductor-cooling coupler, and a second inductor-cooling coupler, wherein:
• the power electronic module comprises a switching sub-module and a diode sub-module,
• the inductor comprises an inductor housing and an inductor coil assembly, positioned within the inductor housing and comprising an inductor coil assembly with coil fluid pathways extending through the inductor coil assembly,
• the inductor housing comprises a first inductor fluid connector and a second inductor fluid connector providing a fluidic pathway in and out of the inductor housing and through the coil fluid pathways of the inductor coil assembly,
• the first inductor-cooling coupler is positioned on the front plate and fluidically coupled with the first inductor fluid connector,
• the second inductor-cooling coupler is positioned on the front plate and fluidically coupled with the second inductor fluid connector, and
• the first inductor-cooling coupler, the coil fluid pathways, and the second inductor-cooling coupler collectively provide the fluidic pathway between the first inductor-cooling coupler and the second inductor-cooling coupler thereby immersible cooling the inductor coil assembly within the inductor housing;
• and
• flowing an inductor-cooling liquid into the first inductor-cooling coupler and out of the second inductor-cooling coupler resulting in the inductor-cooling liquid passing through the inductor and submersively cooling the inductor coil assembly.