Configurable Electric Machine Cooling for Stator-Rotor Heat Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric machines often require separate designs and cooling systems for different applications, leading to increased manufacturing costs and ineffective cooling in general-purpose machines, which results in poorer performance and shorter useful life due to inadequate heat dissipation in varying duty cycles.
Innovation Solution
An electric machine with a modular cooling system featuring a casing with integrated coolant passages and an orifice with a metering port, allowing for customizable coolant flow to both the stator and rotor feed circuits, enabling optimal cooling in multiple applications without redesigning the housing or significant component changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single general-purpose cooling layout is used in electric machines, then manufacturing costs are reduced and device complexity is simplified, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates because the system cannot optimally cool heavier loaded components in certain applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic cooling system where coolant flow distribution between stator and rotor can be adjusted based on operating conditions. Flow dividers with adjustable openings allow the cooling system to adapt to varying heat loads in different applications, resolving the contradiction between using a simple general-purpose cooling layout and achieving effective targeted cooling.
2Reliability
If separate electric machine designs with tailored cooling systems are created for specific applications, then cooling effectiveness is improved for targeted components, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal cooling system design that can serve multiple applications through adjustable flow dividers. The same basic cooling layout with modifiable flow dividers can be configured for different duty cycles and load profiles, eliminating the need for separate designs while maintaining effective cooling for various stator and rotor configurations.
3Reliability
If coolant flow is increased to heavy-load components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing coolant flow preferentially to components experiencing higher heat loads. Adjustable flow dividers enable greater coolant flow to either the stator or rotor based on which component generates more heat in a given application, optimizing cooling efficiency without unnecessarily increasing overall coolant consumption.
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 electric machine achieves improved cooling characteristics across various applications, prolongs operational life, and reduces manufacturing costs by allowing a single design to be adapted for different duty cycles and cooling requirements, thereby enhancing performance and reducing inventory and assembly line setup costs.
Implementation Method 1
coolant passages receive at least one coolant input through one or more of the first inlet opening and the second inlet opening to deliver coolant to the rotor through the rotor feed circuit and to the stator through the stator feed circuit
Data Source
AI summary
An electric machine includes a drive assembly and a casing. The drive assembly has a stator and a rotor rotatable about a drive axis relative to the stator. The casing contains the drive assembly and has coolant passages, the coolant passages defining a first inlet opening, a second inlet opening, a stator feed circuit, a rotor feed circuit, and an intersection providing fluid communication between the stator feed circuit and the rotor feed circuit. The coolant passages receive at least one coolant input through one or more of the first inlet opening and the second inlet opening to deliver coolant to the rotor through the rotor feed circuit and to the stator through the stator feed circuit.