Electric Motor Cooling Jacket Axial Flow Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling jackets for dry liquid-cooled electric motors/generators are prone to leaks, have high manufacturing costs, and suffer from pressure losses and corrosion, making them unsuitable for aerospace applications and requiring complex sealing arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical cooling jacket design featuring a hermetically sealed, two-part structure with axially oriented passageways and integrated fins, manufactured from aluminum alloys to reduce corrosion and weight, eliminating the need for 'o'-rings and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prior art cooling jackets use 'o'-rings to seal the inner and outer pieces, then the cooling jacket can be assembled with simple components, but the sealing is not leak-proof and shows wear over time leading to high maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the sealing elements ('o'-rings) from the cooling jacket design entirely. The inner and outer pieces are joined through interference fit and friction welding, eliminating the need for separate sealing components that wear out and require maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is merged into the structural joint itself. The interference fit between the inner and outer cooling jacket pieces creates both mechanical connection and sealing simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate sealing components.
2Productivity
If prior art cooling jackets use helical channels with radial entry/exit, then the cooling liquid can flow through the jacket, but this causes high pressure losses and uneven distribution of cooling liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional radial entry/exit configuration by using axial entry/exit for the cooling liquid. This reversal of the flow direction eliminates the high pressure losses associated with radial flow through helical channels and improves cooling liquid distribution uniformity.
3Strength
If cooling jackets are manufactured from cast iron, then the structural strength is sufficient, but the weight is too high for aerospace applications and the material is prone to corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from cast iron to aluminum alloy, which reduces both weight and corrosion susceptibility while maintaining sufficient structural strength for the cooling jacket application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs aluminum alloy as a lightweight, corrosion-resistant material that provides adequate strength for the cooling jacket, representing a material substitution that balances strength, weight, and corrosion resistance requirements.
4Reliability
If prior art cooling jackets use complex sealing arrangements, then the structure can accommodate movement and thermal expansion, but the device complexity increases and assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes complex sealing arrangements entirely by using interference fit and friction welding to join the inner and outer cooling jacket pieces, simplifying the structure while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical connection and sealing functions are merged into a single interference fit joint, eliminating the need for separate sealing components and reducing overall device complexity.
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 design provides a leak-proof, pressure-tight, cost-effective cooling solution with reduced pressure losses and enhanced heat transfer efficiency, suitable for high-power density applications in aerospace and other industries.
Implementation Method 1
heat is transferred from the stator through direct contact of the stator with the cooling jacket
Implementation Method 2
A cooling liquid, which may be a conductive liquid such as water or a water-based cooling liquid, is typically circulated through channels within the cooling jacket and heat is transferred from the stator
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling jacket of an electric motor or generator includes a cylindrical inner sleeve, a cylindrical outer sleeve coaxially surrounding the inner sleeve and forming a circular space between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve, and a passageway extending within the circular space between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve. The passageway may be a continuous winding path that may extend axially back and forth along the circumference of said inner sleeve. An embodiment of the present invention provides a cooling jacket that is suitable for, but not limited to, applications in the aircraft and aerospace industries, for example in air-conditioning systems. The cooling jacket as in one embodiment of the present invention may be leak proof and water tight, has a compact design, and may be easily assembled and integrated into an electrically driven machine, such as an electrically driven compressor.