Electric Machine Cable Duct Cooling Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electrical machines face suboptimal cooling of power electronics due to a single opening connection between the cooling ducts, leading to inadequate heat dissipation and limited power capacity, especially for phase connection cables which can significantly heat up.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a cooling duct connection through the cable duct allows the cooling medium to flow around phase connection lines, forming a common cooling channel that runs alongside power electronics and through stator slots, utilizing gear oil as a dielectric medium to eliminate the need for electrical insulation and enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single opening connection is used between cooling ducts, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling duct connection is integrated within the cable duct structure, nesting the cooling function inside the existing cable routing pathway. This allows the cooling medium to flow through the cable duct and cool the phase connection lines internally without adding external cooling structures, thus reducing overall device complexity while improving cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable duct serves dual functions: it provides electrical insulation and routing for phase connection lines, and simultaneously acts as a cooling duct for the cooling medium to flow through. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling duct structures, reducing device complexity while ensuring effective cooling of the phase connection lines.
2Reliability
If phase connection lines are electrically insulated, then electrical safety is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling duct is nested within the cable duct structure, allowing the cooling medium to flow directly around the phase connection lines through the cable duct's internal space. This nested configuration enables effective cooling of the phase connection lines while maintaining their electrical insulation properties, as the cooling occurs through thermal conduction and convection rather than requiring direct contact.
3Temperature
If housing insulation is added for cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable duct is designed to serve multiple functions: electrical insulation, mechanical support for phase connection lines, and cooling duct for the cooling medium. By making the cable duct multi-functional, the need for separate housing insulation structures is eliminated, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining effective cooling of the phase connection lines.
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 improves cooling efficiency for both phase connection lines and power electronics, reduces the need for costly housing insulation, and allows for more effective power handling by maintaining lower temperatures and reducing installation space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling duct connection 13 leads through the cable duct 10 in such a way that the phase connection lines 9 can be flowed around by the cooling medium
Implementation Method 2
the phase connection lines 9 can be flowed around by the cooling medium
Implementation Method 3
the cooling medium is a gear oil, since in this way a dielectric cooling medium is present, which can make electrical insulation of the phase connection lines superfluous
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Electrical machines are already known with multiple phase conductors, each of which has coil windings of the electrical machine electrically connected, and with electronic components of a power electronics system to provide a high voltage for the electrical machine. Each electronic component is electrically connected to one of the phase conductors of the electrical machine via a phase connection line, the phase connection lines running through a cable duct leading into a housing of the electrical machine. Furthermore, a cooling channel connection is provided between a cooling channel of the electrical machine and a cooling channel of the power electronics system.The cooling of the power electronics is not optimal because the cooling channel of the power electronics is connected to the cooling channel of the electric machine via only a single opening, so that a flow from the cooling channel of the electric machine to the cooling channel of the power electronics is not necessarily established. Furthermore, the cable duct must be sealed towards the cooling channel of the power electronics to prevent any cooling medium from escaping. The phase connection leads can also heat up considerably, thus limiting the power output of the electric machine. In the electric machine according to the invention, the cooling of the phase connection leads and the power electronics is improved. According to the invention, the cooling channel connection (13) is routed through the cable duct (10) in such a way that the phase connection leads (9) are exposed to the flow of the cooling medium.