Cylindrical Resistor With Internal Cooling Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resistors are limited in their heat dissipation capacity, which restricts their ability to handle high currents generated by braking and power-generating systems, as they are typically manufactured as flat plates with limited surface area exposure for cooling.
Innovation Solution
The development of elongated cylindrical resistors with nodes and elongated members that form openings for cooling fluid flow, allowing for increased surface area exposure and efficient heat dissipation, manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques such as direct metal laser sintering or selective laser sintering, enabling connection in series or parallel arrangements for enhanced reliability and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If resistors are manufactured as flat plates to increase surface area exposure, then heat dissipation capacity is improved, but the surface area is still limited and heat dissipation capacity remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat plate resistors to three-dimensional cylindrical resistors with internal cooling channels. This dimensional change allows cooling fluid to flow through the interior of the resistor body, creating internal heat transfer surfaces that were impossible with flat plate designs. The cylindrical geometry with axial and radial cooling channels provides multiple dimensions for heat dissipation, significantly increasing effective surface area for heat transfer without increasing the external footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The resistor body is segmented into multiple functional zones with distributed cooling channels. The cooling fluid flow path is divided into multiple segments through axial channels and radial channels that distribute cooling throughout the resistor volume. This segmentation allows heat to be dissipated from multiple locations simultaneously, increasing overall heat dissipation capacity while maintaining a compact form factor.
2Temperature
If surface area of resistors is increased to dissipate more heat, then heat dissipation capacity is improved, but resistor weight and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By moving to a three-dimensional cylindrical design with internal cooling channels, the patent achieves high heat dissipation capacity without proportionally increasing weight. The internal channels utilize the existing resistor material volume for heat transfer, rather than requiring additional external surface area. This allows heat dissipation to scale with the volume of the resistor body rather than requiring proportional increases in external dimensions and associated weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The resistor body incorporates a network of internal cooling channels that create a porous-like structure for heat transfer. This allows cooling fluid to penetrate deep into the resistor material, creating extensive internal heat transfer surfaces within the existing material volume. The porous channel structure increases effective heat transfer area without requiring proportional increases in overall resistor size or weight.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional resistor designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but heat dissipation capacity is limited and current handling capability is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the resistor from flat plate to cylindrical form with internal channels. This parameter change enables significantly higher current handling capability because the internal cooling channels can remove heat more efficiently from the resistive elements. The cylindrical geometry with distributed cooling provides better thermal management, allowing higher currents to flow through the resistor without exceeding temperature limits, thereby increasing productivity and current handling capability.
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 new resistor design significantly increases heat dissipation capacity, allowing for higher current handling and extended lifespan with reduced weight and space requirements, while ensuring continued current passage even if individual resistors fail or break.
Implementation Method 1
The body is configured to receive electric current from a powered system and to conduct and provide electric resistance to the electric current to dissipate at least part of the electric current as heat from the body
Implementation Method 2
The elongated members interconnect the nodes to form openings between the nodes and the elongated members for the flow therethrough of a cooling fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A resistor includes an elongated cylindrical body having nodes and elongated members. The elongated members interconnect the nodes to form openings between the nodes and the elongated members for the flow therethrough of a cooling fluid. The body is configured to receive electric current from a powered system and to conduct and provide electric resistance to the electric current to dissipate at least part of the electric current as heat from the body. The body also is configured to be coupled with at least one other resistor of the powered system in one or more of a parallel or series arrangement in an electric circuit.