Method of manufacturing a porous metal heat sink

摘要

A method of manufacturing a heat sink (1) for an inverter that utilizes a housing (2) with a porous metallic interior formed from a large plurality of metal balls (3) bonded together to provide a plurality of fluid flow paths. The metal balls (3) serve as heat sinks to dissipate the heat in the fluid that flows through the heat sink (1). The metal balls (3) must therefore be in thermally conductive contact with each other, and the bond area between the balls must be as large as is feasible to provide a sufficient heat path for the heat from the fluid. The heat sink is intended to be sued with an inverter for an electric motor, so the heat sink housing must be formed from molybdenum to accommodate mounting of circuitry. In order to be susceptible to receiving soldered components the molybdenum surface is nickel plated. The porous metal medium for the heat sink is formed from small (approximately 3/32" diameter) copper balls. Metallurgical bonding between the balls is achieved by silver plating the balls before brazing so that a copper-silver eutectic brazing compound is formed during the brazing process.