Dana Holding Corporation introduces a new aluminum cooling technology for electric and hybrid vehicles. 

Specifically, the company is utilizing the efficiency of aluminum in its Long brand of integrated cooling plates that enhance heat transfer of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switches. This newest addition to Dana’s robust thermal-management portfolio provides customers with optimized, compact cooling components to address the high-heat, high-power demands of electric and hybrid vehicles, the company says.

This technology has been developed to limit the maximum temperature of the IGBT junction in a compact design, providing customers with a clean, lightweight, recyclable, and cost-effective solution that offers superior heat transfer and cooling abilities.

Furthermore, by utilizing the company’s proprietary fluxless brazing process, Dana says it is able to produce cooling solutions that are exceptionally clean and flux-free, minimizing coolant contamination to maintain low conductivity in the power electronics cooling circuit.  With their efficient attributes, Dana says its IGBT cooling solutions improve the ability of automotive electronics engineers to transfer high power between batteries and motors.

“Both OEMs and suppliers are constantly looking at different materials and technologies in order to meet the ever changing needs of the automotive industry,” says Dwayne Matthews, president of Dana’s Power Technologies Group. “By utilizing aluminum cooling solutions we are able to better reach the efficiencies our customers’ desire, while addressing issues associated with space and weight.”

By leveraging its expertise in the development of advanced thermal-management technologies, the company says it is able to provide its customers with custom-tailored aluminum cooling solutions that are engineered to meet specific performance requirements.

The high-quality IGBT cooling plates will be manufactured at Dana’s facility in Cambridge, Ontario, with production expected to begin in early 2015.