Electric Motor Cooling Jacket with Mass Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed electric motors experience ineffective heat transfer due to coolant being blown away from the end ring, leading to inefficient cooling of the rotor.
Innovation Solution
Integration of flow splitters and interconnected channels within the electric motor's shaft and rotor jacket to guide coolant flow from the shaft into the rotor and back, achieving coolant mass dynamic balance and increasing convective surface area for enhanced cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If coolant is injected onto the end ring, then cooling is attempted, but the coolant is blown away resulting in ineffective heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple components: shaft channels for coolant supply, rotor jacket channels for heat absorption, and interconnection channels for coolant return. This segmentation allows the coolant to be contained and directed through specific pathways, preventing it from being blown away while maintaining effective heat transfer from the rotor to the coolant.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor jacket acts as an intermediary structure between the rotor and the coolant. It provides a controlled interface where heat is transferred from the rotor to the coolant through defined channels, ensuring the coolant remains in contact with heat-generating surfaces without being dispersed by airflow.
2Reliability
If flow splitters and interconnected channels are integrated, then coolant mass dynamic balance is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system merges multiple functions into integrated components. The shaft channels, rotor jacket channels, and interconnection channels form a unified coolant circulation system. The flow splitters are integrated within the shaft channel structure, combining flow distribution and containment functions in a single integrated assembly, thereby achieving coolant mass balance without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If coolant is contained within shaft and rotor channels, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are segmented into distinct sections (shaft channels, rotor jacket channels, interconnection channels) that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific manufacturing process while maintaining the overall heat transfer efficiency of the integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor jacket channels are nested within the rotor structure, and the shaft channels are nested within the shaft. This nesting approach allows the cooling channels to be integrated into existing rotor and shaft manufacturing processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to adding external cooling components.
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
Significantly reduces rotor temperature and mass, improving heat transfer efficiency and maintaining coolant within the motor to minimize spin loss and maximize cooling effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
flowing coolant into the shaft, into the rotor, and then back into the shaft... greatly increasing the convective surface area... temperature of permanent magnet significantly reduces
Data Source
AI summary
A permanent magnet electric motor includes a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and a rotor mounted on the shaft. The rotor is rotatable concomitantly with the shaft about the longitudinal axis, the rotor defines an innermost rotor edge. The innermost rotor edge is sized to receive the shaft. The permanent magnet electric motor further includes a stator. The shaft defines a jacket configured to receive a coolant. The jacket is disposed about the longitudinal axis. The jacket is elongated in a first direction. The first direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The rotor defines a plurality of longitudinal channels. Each of the plurality of longitudinal channel is elongated along the first direction, and each of the plurality of longitudinal channels is in fluid communication with the jacket to allow fluid flow between the jacket and the plurality of the longitudinal channels.