Case Study: Robert Bosch improves electric vehicle inverter and capacitor design with COMSOL simulation

Robert Bosch boosts inverter power density 200% with Comsol

Robert Bosch, a leading automotive supplier, faced the challenge of designing reliable and high-performance DC link capacitors for electric vehicle inverters. These components are critical for drivetrain operation but are subject to complex thermal and electromagnetic constraints, making it difficult to identify potential failure-causing hot spots through physical prototyping alone. To address this, Bosch partnered with simulation vendor Comsol and utilized the COMSOL Multiphysics software with its AC/DC and Heat Transfer modules.

Comsol's solution enabled Bosch to perform coupled 3D electromagnetic and thermal simulations, moving beyond the limitations of simple 2D models and physical testing. This simulation-powered design process allowed Bosch to accurately predict loss distribution and locate hot spots early in development. The results were significant: Comsol helped Bosch achieve a 6% greater vehicle range and a 200% increase in power density in their latest inverter generation, while also improving the reliability and efficiency of their design process.

Robert Bosch