Compact Two-Phase Heat Exchanger for High Power Density Motor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power-density aviation-class electric motors and drives face thermal limitations due to heat generation, which restricts their performance. Existing cooling technologies are often bulky, making them unsuitable for compact applications.
Innovation Solution
A compact two-phase heat exchanger is designed, comprising an inlet manifold, a reservoir, condenser arms, and an outlet pump. This configuration forms a continuous shape, allowing the cooling fluid to flow through the condenser arms and into the reservoir, where it is pumped back into the cooling circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling technologies are used, then heat generation is controlled, but the system becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold, condenser arms, and reservoir are merged into a single integrated component formed by additive manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate parts and reducing overall system volume while maintaining effective heat exchange functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The condenser arms are positioned to extend from the manifold and nest into the reservoir structure, creating a compact nested arrangement where components occupy overlapping spatial volumes, thereby reducing the total envelope size of the cooling system
2Power
If high-power-density motors are used, then performance is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes two-phase cooling where the cooling fluid undergoes phase transition (evaporation and condensation) within the integrated heat exchanger, enabling highly efficient heat removal from high-power-density motors without requiring large system volumes
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process enables complex internal geometries and surface structures that enhance heat transfer parameters, allowing effective thermal management of high-power-density motors in a compact form factor
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 compact heat exchanger effectively manages heat generation in high-power-density applications by efficiently circulating a cooling fluid through a continuous flow path, ensuring optimal performance without the bulk of larger cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
first and second condenser arms connected between and that respectively fluidly couple the inlet manifold to the reservoir, so that fluid received at the inlet manifold travels from the inlet manifold into the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
an outlet pump having a pump inlet port coupled to the reservoir and having a pump outlet port
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Disclosed is a heat exchanger having: an inlet manifold configured to receive a cooling fluid; a reservoir; first and second condenser arms connected between and that respectively fluidly couple the inlet manifold to the reservoir, so that fluid received at the inlet manifold travels from the inlet manifold into the reservoir; and an outlet pump having a pump inlet port coupled to the reservoir and having a pump outlet port, wherein the inlet manifold, the reservoir, the first and second condensers, in combination, form a continuous shape.