{"id":{"repo_id":"uiuc","oai_identifier":"oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/106231"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uiuc/oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/106231","repository":{"repo_id":"uiuc","name":"University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign","base_url":"https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh"},"display":{"title":"Topology optimization methods for heat sink design applied to power electronics","abstract":"DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #14644 on 2020-02-28 at 17:14:41","abstract_html":"DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #14644 on 2020-02-28 at 17:14:41","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lohan, Danny John"],"institution":"University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign","degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Systems & Entrepreneurial Engr","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Allison, James T.","Tortorelli, Daniel","Miljkovic, Nenad","Wang, Pingfeng"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-03-02T21:58:20Z","date_published":"2020-03-02T21:58:20Z","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:24:45Z","subjects":["Topology Optimization","Heat Spreader Design","Power Electronics"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright 2019 Danny John Lohan"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106231","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Allison, James T.","Tortorelli, Daniel","Miljkovic, Nenad","Wang, Pingfeng"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lohan, Danny John"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2020-03-02T21:58:20Z","2019-12-04","2019-12"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Systems & Entrepreneurial Engr"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Topology Optimization","Heat Spreader Design","Power Electronics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2019 Danny John Lohan"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106231"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #14644 on 2020-02-28 at 17:14:41","Made available in DSpace on 2020-03-02T21:58:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 LOHAN-DISSERTATION-2019.pdf: 8835874 bytes, checksum: 9915e11ee1c07d49fb6e9895ca3e0a77 (MD5) LICENSE.txt: 4208 bytes, checksum: dac131416dfd97f09cad5f002cc85feb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-12-04","Topology is defined here to relate the geometric properties and spatial relations unaffected by the continuous change of shape or size of physical engineering artifacts. Researchers have used topology optimization methods to design next-generation structural components for a wide variety of applications (e.g., automotive, aerospace, industrial machines, etc.). This has enabled improved part performance, reduced component volume, and the elimination or reduction of subsystem assembly steps through the use of a free-form structural design representation for commercial products. The free-form capability of topology optimization methods has enabled realization of novel parts otherwise difficult to obtain through the optimization of parametric models. In this dissertation, topology optimization methods are applied to design heat spreading structures for next-generation power electronic systems. Wide band-gap semiconductor devices provide an opportunity to operate next-generation power electronics at higher temperature. The resulting increase in temperature capability is not shared by all components within a power electronic circuit, and careful consideration must be taken when routing heat throughout the system. Topology optimization methods provide a flexible and powerful solution to address challenges associated with these next generation electronic systems. First, a framework to classify general topology optimization problems is presented. This framework draws upon research from multiple application domains and defines a unifying language. Then, some practical heat conduction formulations for topology optimization are reviewed. This includes an analysis of common objective functions, in addition to some practical formulations for power electronics. Next, topology optimization methods are applied to design a heat spreader for a next-generation power inverter. The topologically-optimized design is fabricated and benchmarked against a baseline heat sink design. These studies motivated an investigation of reduced-order convection models for topology optimization, where experimental evaluation was used to assess heat spreader performance. The topology of the best-performing structure motivated a critical look at the structural representations used in topology optimization. For heat spreader design, it is common to use maximum approximation functions within a topology optimization. Several maximum approximation functions are analyzed in detail for use as optimization objectives and constraints. Advancing these topology optimization methods extends the envelope of design capabilities and therein lies the future of next generation power systems.","Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2020-02-28 without embargo terms","The student, Danny Lohan, accepted the attached license on 2019-12-01 at 18:57.","The student, Danny Lohan, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2019-12-01 at 19:02.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2019-12-04 at 08:49."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Topology optimization methods for heat sink design applied to power electronics"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Allison, James T.","Tortorelli, Daniel","Miljkovic, Nenad","Wang, Pingfeng"],"dc:creator":["Lohan, Danny John"],"dc:date":["2020-03-02T21:58:20Z","2019-12-04","2019-12"],"dc:description":["DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #14644 on 2020-02-28 at 17:14:41","Made available in DSpace on 2020-03-02T21:58:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 LOHAN-DISSERTATION-2019.pdf: 8835874 bytes, checksum: 9915e11ee1c07d49fb6e9895ca3e0a77 (MD5) LICENSE.txt: 4208 bytes, checksum: dac131416dfd97f09cad5f002cc85feb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-12-04","Topology is defined here to relate the geometric properties and spatial relations unaffected by the continuous change of shape or size of physical engineering artifacts. Researchers have used topology optimization methods to design next-generation structural components for a wide variety of applications (e.g., automotive, aerospace, industrial machines, etc.). This has enabled improved part performance, reduced component volume, and the elimination or reduction of subsystem assembly steps through the use of a free-form structural design representation for commercial products. The free-form capability of topology optimization methods has enabled realization of novel parts otherwise difficult to obtain through the optimization of parametric models. In this dissertation, topology optimization methods are applied to design heat spreading structures for next-generation power electronic systems. Wide band-gap semiconductor devices provide an opportunity to operate next-generation power electronics at higher temperature. The resulting increase in temperature capability is not shared by all components within a power electronic circuit, and careful consideration must be taken when routing heat throughout the system. Topology optimization methods provide a flexible and powerful solution to address challenges associated with these next generation electronic systems. First, a framework to classify general topology optimization problems is presented. This framework draws upon research from multiple application domains and defines a unifying language. Then, some practical heat conduction formulations for topology optimization are reviewed. This includes an analysis of common objective functions, in addition to some practical formulations for power electronics. Next, topology optimization methods are applied to design a heat spreader for a next-generation power inverter. The topologically-optimized design is fabricated and benchmarked against a baseline heat sink design. These studies motivated an investigation of reduced-order convection models for topology optimization, where experimental evaluation was used to assess heat spreader performance. The topology of the best-performing structure motivated a critical look at the structural representations used in topology optimization. For heat spreader design, it is common to use maximum approximation functions within a topology optimization. Several maximum approximation functions are analyzed in detail for use as optimization objectives and constraints. Advancing these topology optimization methods extends the envelope of design capabilities and therein lies the future of next generation power systems.","Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2020-02-28 without embargo terms","The student, Danny Lohan, accepted the attached license on 2019-12-01 at 18:57.","The student, Danny Lohan, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2019-12-01 at 19:02.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2019-12-04 at 08:49."],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106231"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2019 Danny John Lohan"],"dc:subject":["Topology Optimization","Heat Spreader Design","Power Electronics"],"dc:title":["Topology optimization methods for heat sink design applied to power electronics"],"dc:type":["text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Systems & Entrepreneurial Engr"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:24:45Z"}