Electric Drive Fluid Jacket Structure for Stator and Gearbox Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric drive units face challenges in efficiently transferring heat from the stator and gearbox components to a cooling fluid, with existing water jackets being radially outboard and requiring additional seals, which can increase complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
The electric drive unit incorporates a housing and stator carrier design that defines a fluid jacket with distinct regions, utilizing an integrally formed stator carrier and bearing shield to create a fluid path with spiral ribs and annular collars for efficient heat transfer, and includes seals to prevent fluid leakage, reducing the need for additional parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a water jacket is disposed radially outboard of the stator for transferring heat, then heat transfer from the stator is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional seals and parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the water jacket function with the stator carrier and bearing shield structures. The stator carrier and bearing shield together define the fluid jacket, eliminating the need for separate water jacket components and reducing the number of seals required. This merging approach maintains effective heat transfer from both the stator and gearbox while simplifying the overall device structure.
2Temperature
If additional seals are added to the existing water jacket design, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the water jacket definition into the stator carrier and bearing shield assembly, the patent reduces the total number of seals needed in the system. This consolidation lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining the necessary heat transfer capability from the stator and gearbox components.
3Temperature
If a fluid jacket extends radially inboard of the stator, then heat dissipation from the gearbox is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stator carrier and bearing shield serve multiple functions: they support the stator, provide structural integrity, and define the fluid jacket that enables heat dissipation from both the stator and gearbox. This multi-functionality allows the fluid jacket to extend radially inboard without adding separate structural components, thereby improving heat dissipation while avoiding increased 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
This design enhances heat dissipation from both the stator and gearbox, allows for efficient fluid circulation, and reduces part count, leading to cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
water jackets that are disposed radially outboard of a stator of an electric drive unit for transferring heat from the stator to fluid within the water jacket
Implementation Method 2
fluid circulation
Data Source
AI summary
An electric drive unit including a housing that includes an outer wall and a bearing shield that extends radially inboard from the outer wall, a stator disposed within the housing radially inboard of the outer wall, and a stator carrier having a first portion positioned radially between the stator and the outer wall and extending along the stator and a second portion that extends radially inboard from the first portion to a radially inboard terminus that is positioned radially inboard of the stator. The stator carrier and the housing define a fluid jacket. The fluid jacket has a first region that is defined by the outer wall and the first portion and a second region that is defined by the bearing shield and the second portion.