Heat exchanger fluid distribution manifolds and power electronics modules incorporating the same

A heat exchanger fluid distribution manifold comprising:

• a manifold body, wherein the manifold body defines a coolant fluid chamber;
• a single fluid inlet for introducing a coolant fluid into the coolant fluid chamber of the manifold body;
• a plurality of fluid outlets for removing the coolant fluid from the coolant fluid chamber, wherein at least two of the plurality of fluid outlets are separated from the single fluid inlet by an unequal distance, and a coolant fluid flow rate at each fluid outlet is substantially uniform;
• and a plurality of serpentine walls along a perimeter of the coolant fluid chamber, wherein each serpentine wall comprises a spline feature located proximate to an individual fluid outlet, the spline features being geometrically optimized such that the coolant fluid flow rate at each fluid outlet is substantially uniform and a total pressure drop within the manifold body is less than about 2 kPa.

A power electronics module comprising:

• a heat exchanger fluid distribution manifold comprising:
• a manifold body, wherein the manifold body defines a coolant fluid chamber;
• a single fluid inlet for introducing a coolant fluid into the coolant fluid chamber of the manifold body;
• and a plurality of fluid outlets for removing the coolant fluid from the coolant fluid chamber, wherein at least two of the plurality of fluid outlets are separated from the single fluid inlet by an unequal distance;
• and a plurality of serpentine walls along a perimeter of the coolant fluid chamber, wherein each serpentine wall comprises a spline feature located proximate to an individual fluid outlet, and the spline features of the plurality of serpentine walls are geometrically optimized such that a coolant fluid flow rate at each fluid outlet is substantially uniform;
• a heat exchanger module comprising a heat exchanging surface, the heat exchanger module fluidly coupled to at least one fluid outlet of the heat exchanger fluid distribution manifold, wherein coolant fluid flows from the single fluid inlet and into the heat exchanger module through the fluid outlet;
• and a power electronics device thermally coupled to the heat exchanger module at the heat exchanging surface.