TIM Selection for an IGBT Cold Plate Using Experimental and Numerical Modeling

Experimental measurements were used in conjunction with a numerical model to perform an in situ analysis of an IGBT cooling solution with a cold plate utilizing an 85–90°C ethylene glycol-water mixture as the cooling fluid. This process was used to aid in the selection of an appropriate thermal interface material (TIM) for the application. The effects of elevated temperature and thermal cycling on the performance of the TIM were investigated during the selection procedure. Applying the thermal grease with the cold plate at 70°C rather than 30°C caused a reduction in the junction to case resistance of 74% and 78% for the two thermal greases tested.