Fan

Abstract

The invention relates to a fan (10), comprising: a housing (12), on which an air intake opening (1232) and an air outlet opening (1212) are formed, and which forms a delivery chamber (14), a motor chamber (18) and an electronics chamber (22), the housing (12) being configured such that a fluid can be delivered from the air intake opening (1232) through the motor chamber (18) and the delivery chamber (14) to the air outlet opening (1212); an impeller (16) arranged within the delivery chamber (14), the delivery chamber (14) and the impeller (16) being configured such that a fluid is delivered through the delivery chamber (14) upon rotation of the impeller (16); an electric motor (20) disposed within the motor chamber (18) and configured to drive the impeller (16) in rotation; the housing (12) has a motor chamber (18), an electronics chamber (22), and motor electronics (24), which are arranged in the electronics chamber (22) and are designed to control the electric motor (20) in order to drive the impeller (16), the housing (12) having a pressure equalization opening (1235), through which the electronics chamber (22) is in fluid communication with the motor chamber (18), and the motor electronics (24) are arranged in the electronics chamber (22) and are designed to control the motor (20) in order to drive the impeller (16). According to the invention, a pressure-equalizing element (32) is arranged on the pressure-equalizing opening (1235), said element being designed in such a way that a gas exchange between the electronics chamber (22) and the motor chamber (18) can be carried out via the pressure-equalizing opening (1235) and a liquid is prevented from entering the electronics chamber (22) via the pressure-equalizing opening (1235).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a fan, in particular a fan for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a shell, on which an air intake port and an air exhaust port are constructed, and the shell forms a delivery chamber, a motor chamber and an electronic device chamber, wherein the shell is constructed so that a fluid can be delivered from the air intake port through the motor chamber and the delivery chamber to the exhaust port; an impeller, the impeller is arranged in the delivery chamber, wherein the delivery chamber and the impeller are constructed so that the fluid is delivered through the delivery chamber when the impeller rotates; an electric motor, the electric motor is arranged in the motor chamber and is constructed for driving the impeller to rotate; and motor electronics, the motor electronics are arranged in the electronics chamber and are constructed for controlling the electric motor to drive the impeller.

[0002] Unless otherwise defined, in the following text, an axial direction is parallel to the rotation axis of the impeller, a radial direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the impeller, and a transverse plane is transverse to the rotation axis of the impeller.

[0003] A fan of the aforementioned type is known from document US 2016 / 0238031 A1. When the fan is running, the fluid delivered flows around the motor arranged in the motor cavity, thereby achieving effective cooling of the motor. This allows the fan to remain on for a relatively long time. However, impurities and / or liquids that enter the electronics cavity through the sucked fluid flow can damage the motor electronics, thereby affecting the function of the fan or even causing the fan to completely fail.

[0004] Based on the above background, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a reliable fan which can achieve a relatively long opening time.

[0005] This object is achieved by a fan having the features of independent claim 1 .

[0006] The fan according to the present invention comprises a housing, on which an air intake port and an air exhaust port are constructed, and the housing forms a delivery chamber, a motor chamber and an electronic device chamber. The housing is constructed in this case so that the fluid can be delivered from the air intake port through the motor chamber and the delivery chamber to the exhaust port. In particular, when the fan is running, the fluid is input into the housing through the air intake port, then transported through the motor chamber and the delivery chamber, and finally discharged from the housing through the exhaust port. In principle, the motor chamber can be arranged upstream and downstream of the delivery chamber. Usually, the housing includes a plurality of housing parts, which are preferably adjacent to each other in the axial direction so that the fan can be assembled relatively simply. Usually, an air intake pipe forming an air intake port and an exhaust pipe forming an exhaust port are constructed on the housing.

[0007] The fan according to the invention comprises an impeller arranged in a conveying chamber. The impeller may be, for example, a side channel pump impeller or a radial pump impeller. In any case, however, the conveying chamber and the impeller are designed so that the fluid is conveyed through the conveying chamber when the impeller rotates. Usually, the conveying chamber and the impeller are particularly designed so that the fluid is sucked into the conveying chamber, conveyed through the conveying chamber and discharged from the conveying chamber when the impeller rotates. Here, the fluid can be sucked into the conveying chamber from the motor chamber, and can also be discharged from the conveying chamber into the motor chamber. In order to facilitate the installation of the impeller in the conveying chamber, the conveying chamber is preferably composed of two axially connected housing parts.

[0008] The fan according to the present invention comprises an electric motor arranged in a motor cavity, and the electric motor is designed to drive the impeller to rotate. The electric motor comprises a motor stator and a motor rotor, which cooperate in a known manner to drive the motor rotor to rotate. The motor stator preferably comprises at least one electromagnetic stator winding, and the motor rotor is permanently magnetized. Usually, the electric motor is designed as an inner rotor, wherein the motor stator radially surrounds the motor rotor, and the motor is electrically rectified. However, in principle, the electric motor can also be designed as an outer rotor, wherein the motor rotor radially surrounds the motor stator and / or is rectified by a mechanical rectifier. In general, the impeller is designed to rotate with the motor rotor. Usually, the impeller is connected to the motor rotor via a rotor shaft. However, it can also be provided that the impeller is constructed in one piece with the motor rotor.

[0009] The fan according to the invention comprises a motor electronics arranged in an electronics cavity, which is designed to control the electric motor in a known manner to drive the impeller. Generally, the motor electronics comprises a plurality of electronic components and at least one circuit board, on which the electronic components are arranged. The motor electronics preferably comprises a plurality of power semiconductor switches for electrically rectifying the drive current supplied to the electric motor.

[0010] The housing according to the present invention has a pressure balance port, through which the electronic device cavity is in fluid communication with the motor cavity, wherein a pressure balance element is arranged at the pressure balance port, and the pressure balance element is designed to achieve gas exchange between the electronic device cavity and the motor cavity through the pressure balance port, and to prevent liquid from entering the electronic device cavity through the pressure balance port from the motor cavity. Typically, the pressure balance element includes a film that allows gas to pass through, but does not allow liquid and solid to pass through. The film is arranged here so that fluid exchange can only be performed between the electronic device cavity and the motor cavity through the pressure balance port via the film.

[0011] The pressure equalization opening according to the invention allows gas exchange between the electronics chamber and the motor chamber, so that even if the fan is switched on for a relatively long time, despite the heating of the motor electronics, an overpressure in the electronics chamber that could damage the motor electronics can be reliably prevented. The pressure equalization element according to the invention reliably prevents liquids and / or impurities that could damage the motor electronics from entering the electronics chamber. According to the invention, the pressure equalization element is arranged inside the housing, so that the pressure equalization element, which is usually relatively sensitive, is reliably protected from environmental influences, such as splashing water or debris. As a result, the fan can operate reliably even if it is switched on for a relatively long time.

[0012] Preferably, the motor chamber is arranged in terms of flow between the air intake and the delivery chamber, so that the delivered fluid has a particularly low temperature when flowing through the motor chamber, which can effectively cool the motor arranged in the motor chamber.

[0013] Preferably, the flow inlet of the motor chamber and the flow outlet of the motor chamber are arranged at different axial heights, so that the conveyed fluid flows axially through the motor chamber. Particularly preferably, the flow inlet of the motor chamber and the flow outlet of the motor chamber are arranged on mutually opposite axial sides of the electric motor, so that the conveyed fluid flows completely around the electric motor. This allows the electric motor to be effectively cooled.

[0014] Preferably, a housing part is provided which forms a housing wall separating the electronics chamber from the motor chamber and is made of a material with a relatively high thermal conductivity, particularly preferably of metal. This allows for effective cooling of the motor electronics arranged in the electronics chamber.

[0015] Preferably, the electronics cavity at least partially radially surrounds the motor cavity. This forms a particularly large common housing wall surface between the electronics cavity and the motor cavity, so that a large amount of heat can be output from the electronics cavity to the motor cavity through the housing wall separating the electronics cavity from the motor cavity. As a result, the motor electronics arranged in the electronics cavity can be effectively cooled.

[0016] Preferably, the housing wall separates the electronic device cavity from the motor cavity, and at least one cooling protrusion protruding in the direction of the motor electronics is constructed on the side of the housing wall facing the electronic device cavity, and the cooling protrusion is in thermal contact with the electronic components and / or the circuit board of the motor electronics. Here, the thermal contact can be achieved by direct physical contact or by a heat conductor, such as a heat conductive pad or a heat conductive paste, arranged between the cooling protrusion and the electronic components or the circuit board, wherein the heat conductor is in direct physical contact with the cooling protrusion and in direct physical contact with the electronic components or the circuit board. Usually, at least one cooling protrusion is formed on a housing wall section extending substantially in a transverse plane and protrudes axially from the housing wall. Preferably, there are multiple types of cooling protrusions, which are in thermal contact with different electronic components and / or circuit board sections of the motor electronics. The power semiconductor components of the motor electronics usually generate a large amount of waste heat, so at least one cooling protrusion is preferably in thermal contact with the power semiconductor components of the motor electronics or in thermal contact with an area of ​​the circuit board, on which the power semiconductor components are arranged. The at least one cooling projection forms a material bond and a particularly good thermally conductive connection between the individual components of the motor electronics and the housing wall separating the electronics chamber from the motor chamber, around which the supplied fluid flows on the motor chamber side. This allows particularly effective cooling, in particular of components of the motor electronics that heat up significantly during operation.

[0017] Preferably, the housing forms an air intake channel surrounding the air intake opening, and the housing is configured so that the air intake channel and the electronics chamber have a common housing wall section. A fluid with a particularly low temperature flows around the common housing wall section on one side of the air intake channel, thereby effectively cooling the motor electronics arranged in the electronics chamber.

[0018] In order to achieve a particularly large delivery flow, the delivery chamber and the impeller are preferably configured such that they form a side channel delivery unit. Here, the delivery chamber comprises at least one side channel. The delivery chamber preferably comprises two axially opposite side channels, between which the impeller is arranged. The two side channels are preferably formed by two different housing parts.

[0019] According to the invention, the motor cavity is flowed through by the conveyed fluid and the electric motor arranged in the motor cavity is thereby effectively cooled, so that the fan can be equipped with a particularly powerful electric motor, wherein the motor stator of the electric motor includes at least one stator winding, preferably at least six stator windings.

[0020] The embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 A side view of a fan according to the invention is shown in section, and

[0022] Figure 2 The sectional view shows a top view of the conveying chamber of the fan.

[0023] The figure shows a fan 10 according to the present invention, which has a housing 12, which is composed of a first housing part 121, a second housing part 122, a third housing part 123 and a fourth housing part 124, which are arranged axially one above the other and are each composed of metal. The first housing part 121 and the second housing part 122 form a conveying chamber 14, in which an impeller 16 is arranged. The second housing part 122 and the third housing part 123 form a substantially cylindrical motor chamber 18, in which an electric motor 20 is arranged. The third housing part 123 and the fourth housing part 124 form an electronic device chamber 22, in which motor electronic devices 24 are arranged, and the electronic device chamber includes a substantially annular chamber area 221, which radially surrounds the first axial end area of ​​the motor chamber 18.

[0024] An air intake pipe 1231 is formed on the third housing part 123, which forms an air intake channel 1239 with an air intake opening 1232. The air intake channel 1239 is connected to the first axial end region of the motor chamber 18 facing the electronic component chamber. The third housing part 123 is configured in this case so that the air intake channel 1239 and the electronic component chamber 22 have a common housing wall section 1233.

[0025] An exhaust pipe 1211 is formed on the first housing part 121 , which forms an exhaust channel 1213 having an exhaust opening 1212 . The exhaust channel 1213 is connected to the conveying chamber 14 .

[0026] A passage 1221 is formed in the second housing part 122, which connects the conveying chamber 14 with the motor chamber 18 fluidly, so that the fluid can be conveyed from the air intake port 1232 to the air outlet 1212 through the air intake channel 1239, the motor chamber 18, the conveying chamber 14 and the air outlet channel 1213. Therefore, the inlet 181 of the motor chamber 18 formed by the air intake channel 1239 and the outlet 182 of the motor chamber 18 formed by the passage 1221 are arranged in mutually opposite axial end regions of the motor chamber 18, so that the motor chamber 18 is substantially completely flowed through by the conveyed fluid in the axial direction.

[0027] A pressure balance port 1235 is configured in the third housing component 123, in particular in a housing wall 1234 of the third housing component 123 that separates the electronic device chamber 22 from the motor chamber 18, and the pressure balance port connects the electronic device chamber 22 to the motor chamber 18 fluidically. The pressure balance element 32 is arranged at the pressure balance port 1235, and the pressure balance element is configured so that gas exchange between the electronic device chamber 22 and the motor chamber 18 can be achieved through the pressure balance port 1235, but liquid is prevented from entering the electronic device chamber 22 from the motor chamber 18 through the pressure balance port 1235. In the present embodiment, the pressure balance element 32 is a gas-permeable but liquid-impermeable film, which is directly arranged on the pressure balance port 1235 and completely covers the pressure balance port, so that the fluid exchange between the electronic device chamber 22 and the motor chamber 18 through the pressure balance port 1235 can be completely carried out through the film.

[0028] On the third housing part 123, specifically on the side of the housing wall 1234 that separates the electronics chamber 22 from the motor chamber 18 and that faces the electronics chamber 22, a plurality of cooling projections 1236 are formed, which extend in the direction of the motor electronics 24 arranged in the electronics chamber 22. In addition, cooling projections 1237 are also formed on the common housing wall section 1233 between the air intake channel 1239 and the electronics chamber 22.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the impeller 16 and the conveying chamber 14 are designed so that the impeller and the conveying chamber form a side channel conveying unit 26, which is configured in a known manner to convey the fluid through the conveying chamber 14 when the impeller 16 rotates. The impeller 16 includes a plurality of impeller blades 161 distributed along its circumference. The conveying chamber 14 includes a first side channel 141, which is arranged on a first axial side of the impeller 16 facing away from the motor 20 and is formed by a first housing component 121, and a second side channel 142, which is arranged on a second axial side of the impeller 16 facing the motor 20 and is formed by a second housing component 122. The impeller 16 is fixed to a drive shaft 28 rotatably supported in the housing 12.

[0030] The electric motor 20 includes a motor stator 201 fixed in the housing 12 and a motor rotor 202 fixed on the drive shaft 28. The motor stator 201 includes a laminated stator base 2011, on which six stator windings 2012 are arranged in this embodiment. The motor rotor 202 has permanent magnetism. The motor stator 201 and the motor rotor 202 interact with each other in a known manner so as to drive the motor rotor 202 to rotate by appropriately controlling the stator winding 2012, thereby driving the drive shaft 28 to rotate. The winding ends 2013 of the stator windings 2012 extend axially through the openings 1238 configured in the third housing component 123 and enter the electronic device cavity 22, wherein the gaps between the winding ends 2013 and the third housing component 123 are sealed by seals 30 respectively.

[0031] The motor electronics 24 comprises a circuit board 241 on which a plurality of electronic components (not shown) are arranged. The motor electronics 24 is electrically connected to the winding ends 2013 of the stator winding 2012 and is arranged to control the winding ends 2013 in a known manner to drive the motor rotor 202 and thus the impeller 16. The motor electronics 24 is arranged in the electronics cavity 22 so that the circuit board 241 and / or the electronic components arranged thereon are in direct thermal contact with the cooling protrusions 1236, 1237. Advantageously, the power semiconductor components of the motor electronics are arranged on the area of ​​the circuit board 241 that is in direct thermal contact with the cooling protrusions 1236, 1237 and / or the power semiconductor components are arranged in direct thermal contact with the cooling protrusions 1236, 1237.

[0032] Reference numerals list

[0033] 10 Fan

[0034] 12 Housing

[0035] 121 first housing component

[0036] 1211 Exhaust pipe

[0037] 1212 Exhaust port

[0038] 1213 Exhaust channel

[0039] 122 second housing component

[0040] 1221 access

[0041] 123 Third housing component

[0042] 1231 Suction pipe

[0043] 1232 Inlet

[0044] 1233 Common shell wall segment

[0045] 1234 Shell wall

[0046] 1235 Pressure balance port

[0047] 1236 Cooling bulge

[0048] 1237 Cooling bulge

[0049] 1238 Opening

[0050] 1239 Inhalation channel

[0051] 124 fourth housing component

[0052] 14 Delivery chamber

[0053] 141 First side channel

[0054] 142 Second side channel

[0055] 16 Impeller

[0056] 161 Impeller blades

[0057] 18 Motor cavity

[0058] 181 Mobile Technology Entrance

[0059] 182 Exports in mobile technology

[0060] 20 Electric Motor

[0061] 201 Motor stator

[0062] 2011 Stator Matrix

[0063] 2012 Stator Winding

[0064] 2013 Winding ends

[0065] 202 Motor rotor

[0066] 22 Electronic device cavity

[0067] 221 Annular chamber area

[0068] 24 Electrical and electronic devices

[0069] 241 Circuit Board

[0070] 26 Side channel conveyor unit

[0071] 28 Drive shaft

[0072] 30 Seals

[0073] 32 Pressure balancing element

Claims

1. A fan (10), comprising: - a housing (12), on which an air intake port (1232) and an air exhaust port (1212) are formed, and the housing forms a delivery chamber (14), a motor chamber (18) and an electronic device chamber (22), wherein the housing (12) is configured so that a fluid can be delivered from the air intake port (1232) through the motor chamber (18) and the delivery chamber (14) to the air exhaust port (1212), an impeller (16) arranged in the delivery chamber (14), wherein the delivery chamber (14) and the impeller (16) are designed such that the fluid is delivered through the delivery chamber (14) when the impeller (16) rotates, - an electric motor (20) disposed in the motor cavity (18) and configured to drive the impeller (16) to rotate, and - motor electronics (24) disposed in the electronics chamber (22) and configured to control the electric motor (20) to drive the impeller (16), It is characterized in that the housing (12) has a pressure balance port (1235), and the electronic device cavity (22) is fluidically connected to the motor cavity (18) through the pressure balance port, wherein a pressure balance element (32) is arranged at the pressure balance port (1235), and the pressure balance element is constructed to enable gas exchange between the electronic device cavity (22) and the motor cavity (18) through the pressure balance port (1235) and to prevent liquid from entering the electronic device cavity (22) through the pressure balance port (1235).

2. The fan (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The motor chamber (18) is arranged in terms of flow between the intake opening (1232) and the delivery chamber (14).

3. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: A fluidic inlet (181) of the motor chamber (18) and a fluidic outlet (182) of the motor chamber (18) are arranged at different axial heights.

4. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein A housing component (123) made of metal is provided, which forms a housing wall (1234) which separates the electronics cavity (22) from the motor cavity (18).

5. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The electronics cavity (22) at least partially radially surrounds the motor cavity (18).

6. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein A housing wall (1234) separates the electronics cavity (22) from the motor cavity (18), and at least one cooling protrusion (1236) protruding in the direction of the motor electronics (24) is constructed on the side of the housing wall facing the electronics cavity (22), and the cooling protrusion is in thermal contact with the electronic components and / or the circuit board (241) of the motor electronics (24).

7. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The housing (12) forms an air intake channel (1239) surrounding the air intake port (1232), so that the air intake channel (1239) and the electronic component cavity (22) have a common housing wall section (1233).

8. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The conveying chamber (14) and the impeller (16) are designed such that they form a side channel conveying unit (26).

9. The fan (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The motor stator (201) of the electric motor (20) includes at least six stator windings (2012).

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