3D Printed Ceramic Winding Assembly for High-Temperature Electrical Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical machine windings face temperature limitations due to insulation degradation and partial discharge issues, particularly at high temperatures and with high-frequency PWM applications, leading to reduced lifespan and potential short circuits.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printing method is used to create a winding assembly with a ceramic insulating body and controlled spatial separation between turns, filled with an electrically conducting material, which mitigates partial discharge and enhances heat transfer, allowing for higher temperature operation without cooling systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polymer-coated wire insulation is used, then flexibility and ease of manufacture are improved, but temperature capability is limited to 220 degrees Celsius maximum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining ceramic insulation with copper wire to create a winding assembly that achieves both high temperature capability (up to 1000°C) and functional performance. The ceramic material provides thermal stability and insulation properties that polymer coatings cannot achieve, while the copper provides electrical conductivity.
2Temperature
If ceramic insulated wires are used, then temperature capability is improved to above 220 degrees Celsius, but flexibility and reliability deteriorate due to cracking and thermal shock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing ceramic insulation specifically where thermal stability is needed (around the copper wire) while accepting that the ceramic itself has brittleness issues. The overall assembly design accounts for ceramic properties by controlling thermal gradients and avoiding rapid heating/cooling cycles that would cause cracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameter capability by using ceramic insulation with maximum operating temperature of 1000°C compared to polymer insulation limited to 220°C. This parameter change enables high-temperature operation while the patent manages the reliability concerns through controlled thermal management in the manufacturing and operating conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If PWM switching is used to control electrical machines, then power control flexibility is improved, but partial discharge and insulation degradation occur due to voltage overshoot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by using ceramic insulation that inherently withstands high voltage stress and partial discharge conditions before they occur. The ceramic material's high dielectric strength and thermal stability provide a buffer against the damaging effects of PWM-induced voltage overshoot and repeated electrical stress, preventing insulation degradation before it starts.
4Temperature
If active or passive cooling systems are added to maintain wire temperature below 220 degrees Celsius, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out by removing the need for complex active or passive cooling systems entirely. By extracting the temperature limitation constraint through the use of ceramic insulation capable of withstanding 1000°C, the design eliminates entire subsystems (cooling fans, heat sinks, thermal management electronics) that would otherwise be required to maintain polymer-insulated wires below 220°C.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces the probability of partial discharge and extends the operational temperature range of electrical machines, enabling high-temperature and high-voltage applications without the need for cooling systems, thus improving the power density and reliability of electrical machines.
Implementation Method 1
forming, by three-dimensional, 3D, printing, an electrically insulating body comprising a channel defining the winding path
Implementation Method 2
heating the electrically insulating body to a temperature above the melting point of an electrically conducting material; flowing the electrically conducting material through the inlet to the outlet
Implementation Method 3
the impedance of the cables leading to the electric motor and the winding itself can be considered as a RLC (resistance, inductance and capacitance) circuit... the overshoots affects the electrical insulation between adjacent turns of the winding
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
A winding assembly (200) for an electrical machine, the winding assembly comprising a monolithic electrically insulating body (202) having a first channel (204) defining a first winding path, the first channel being filled with an electrically conducting material (214), wherein an average spatial separation between first and second turns of the first winding path is larger than an average spatial separation between the second and subsequent turns of the first winding path.