Indirect Fan Motor Controller Cooling via Segmented Airflow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air cooling systems for electronic components in aircraft motor controllers expose sensitive electronics to dust and moisture, leading to corrosion and reduced component lifetimes, as they rely on direct airflow from fans which carries contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system where air is drawn from a region downstream of the fan into a cooling passage within the electronics housing, and expelled upstream of the fan, allowing indirect air cooling without direct contact with fan airflow, using a fan duct and housing configuration that isolates the cooling passage from the interior to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If direct air cooling is used to dissipate heat from electronic components, then cooling efficiency is improved, but electronic components are exposed to contaminants such as dust and moisture which causes corrosion and reduces component lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into separate pathways: a first air passage allows fan airflow to cool the motor controller housing externally, while a second air passage provides indirect cooling to electronic components through the housing wall. This segmentation prevents direct exposure of sensitive electronics to contaminants while maintaining effective heat dissipation through distributed cooling zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor controller housing acts as an intermediary thermal conductor between the fan airflow and the electronic components. Heat from the electronics is conducted through the housing wall to the external surface, where fan airflow removes the heat. This intermediary approach enables cooling without direct air contact, protecting components from dust and moisture while achieving thermal management.
2Productivity
If direct airflow from fan is used to cool electronics, then cooling performance is improved, but contaminants carried by fan airflow cause corrosion of electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The air cooling system is divided into distinct segments: external airflow path for heat removal and internal indirect cooling path for component protection. The housing wall serves as a physical barrier that segments the contaminant-laden fan airflow from the sensitive electronic components while allowing thermal energy transfer through conduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves as a mediator that transfers thermal energy from electronic components to the external environment without allowing direct air contact. This intermediary mechanism maintains cooling performance by leveraging the housing's thermal conductivity while blocking contaminant access to electronics.
3Volume of moving object
If electronics are mounted in motor controller housing on fan housing, then space utilization is improved, but electronics are exposed to fan airflow contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated housing structure is segmented into functional zones: a sealed internal compartment for electronic components and an external surface exposed to fan airflow. This spatial segmentation allows compact integration of electronics with the motor controller housing while protecting components from contaminants through the housing wall barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing wall serves as an intermediary barrier between the fan airflow environment and the electronic components. It provides thermal conduction for cooling while maintaining physical separation that prevents contaminant ingress, enabling space-efficient integration without compromising component protection.
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 method effectively dissipates heat from electronic components while preventing exposure to contaminants, maintaining efficient cooling performance comparable to direct air cooling systems without compromising component longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling passage fluidly connecting the air intake to the air outlet, the cooling passage being located in the sides of the housing but fluidly isolated from the interior of the housing, so as to cool the electrical components by indirect air cooling
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A cooling system (10) comprises a fan (26) in a fan duct (14), a housing (12), electrical components (38), an air intake (22), an air outlet (24;25), and a cooling passage (20). The housing (12) is mounted on the exterior of the fan duct (26). The electrical components (38) are mounted on interior sides of the housing (12), for cooling. The cooling passage (20) is located inside the sides of the housing (12) on which the electrical components (38) are mounted. The air intake (22) draws air into the cooling passage (20) from a region of the fan duct (14) downstream of the fan (26). This air passes through the cooling passage (20), cooling the electrical components (38) while remaining fluidly isolated from the interior of the housing (12). Air from the cooling passage (20) is released by the air outlet (24;25) into the environment, or into a region of the fan duct (14) upstream of the fan (26).