Corrugated Stator Cooling Tubes for Compact Liquid-Cooled Motors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical machine cooling systems face challenges in achieving high power density, efficiency, and compactness while effectively managing heat dissipation and mechanical rigidity.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a liquid-cooled motor with a stator featuring corrugated cooling tube channels and laminations with varying hole diameters, allowing for hydraulic expansion of tubes to fit the corrugated channels, enhancing heat dissipation and mechanical integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional cooling systems are used in electrical machines, then the structure is simple, but the cooling performance and heat dissipation efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple corrugated channels formed by alternating lamination holes of different diameters in the stator laminations. This segmentation creates distributed cooling paths that enhance heat dissipation efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are designed with corrugated (curved/wavy) geometry instead of straight channels. The corrugated structure increases the surface area for heat transfer and creates turbulent flow patterns that improve cooling performance without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
2Strength
If cooling tubes are inserted into straight channels, then the assembly is simple, but the mechanical rigidity and cooling efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugated channel geometry provides mechanical interlocking between the cooling tubes and stator structure. The wavy profile creates contact points that enhance mechanical rigidity and structural stability while the tubes are hydraulically expanded into these channels.
Solution Approach 2:
Hydraulic expansion is used to expand the cooling tubes in-place within the corrugated channels. This process creates a secure mechanical connection and ensures intimate thermal contact between the tubes and stator laminations without requiring complex external fastening mechanisms.
3Power
If the stator structure is made compact, then the power density increases, but the cooling channel surface area and flow turbulence may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugated channel design packs more cooling surface area into a compact volume by creating wavy pathways. The increased surface area enhances heat transfer efficiency while the compact overall dimensions maintain high power density.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels extend through the axial dimension of the stator with alternating diameter holes in successive laminations. This three-dimensional arrangement maximizes cooling surface area within the available volume, improving heat dissipation without increasing the external footprint.
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
This configuration increases cooling performance by enhancing surface area and turbulent flow, achieving high power density, efficiency, and compactness, while reducing the need for additional anchor methods and simplifying assembly.
Implementation Method 1
hydraulic expansion expands the tubes to fit the corrugated internal feature of the corrugated channel
Implementation Method 2
hydraulic expansion expands the tubes to fit the corrugated internal feature
Implementation Method 3
The corrugated internal feature increases a surface area of the corrugated channel for heat dissipation
Implementation Method 4
The corrugated internal feature increases a surface area of the corrugated channel for heat dissipation and increases turbulent flow for fluid flowing through the corrugated channel
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to electrical machines, such as liquid-cooled motors. The liquid-cooled motors can include a stator with cooling tube channels (e.g., corrugated channels) having tubes inserted and expanded. Lamination holes for each lamination in the lamination stack of the stator can have varying diameter along the axial direction to achieve a corrugated internal feature. The tubes for cooling liquid can be fitted in the lamination holes of the stator. In some embodiments, hydraulic expansion expands and plastically deforms the tubes to the contour of the corrugated internal feature of the corrugated channel. In some embodiments, the tube can also be inserted in the corrugated channel and a stator head plate, thereby helping create a compact stator by removing the need for tube connections to connect the corrugated channels.