Helicoidal Cooling Guide for Core-Coil Gap Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medium frequency transformers face challenges in efficient cooling due to their compact size, which leads to hot spots at the low-voltage coil and core, limiting power density and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A helicoidal guide is placed within the spatial gap between the core and the first coil to direct a coolant flow, optimizing air flow and heat transfer by circumventing the core yokes, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If the transformer size is reduced to achieve medium frequency operation, then weight and cost are reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to compact size and hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent channels: a first cooling channel for the low-voltage coil and a second cooling channel for the high-voltage coil. The helicoidal guide further segments the first cooling channel into multiple flow paths that wrap around the core, distributing coolant flow to prevent hot spots in the compact transformer structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The helicoidal guide introduces a three-dimensional spiral flow path within the limited spatial gap between the low-voltage coil and core. This transforms the coolant flow from a simple linear or radial path into a multi-turn helical path, increasing the effective cooling surface area and coolant-coil contact time without increasing the transformer's external dimensions.
2Productivity
If the low-voltage coil is positioned close to the core to reduce size, then power density increases, but cooling becomes more difficult due to limited spatial gap
Solution Approach 1:
The helicoidal guide is nested within the spatial gap between the low-voltage coil and the core, utilizing the existing limited space. The guide's helical structure is contained within this annular region, creating multiple cooling passes without requiring additional external space or increasing the transformer's overall footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The helicoidal guide employs a curved spiral geometry that conforms to the cylindrical spatial gap between the coil and core. This curved path maximizes the use of available space, creating an efficient cooling flow pattern that follows the natural geometry of the transformer's internal structure.
3Device complexity
If conventional cooling methods are used in compact MFT, then device simplicity is maintained, but hot spots develop at the low-voltage coil and core
Solution Approach 1:
The helicoidal guide acts as an intermediary component that directs and optimizes coolant flow between the coolant source and the heat-generating components (low-voltage coil and core). This simple geometric feature transforms conventional cooling into targeted cooling by guiding the coolant through a spiral path that ensures uniform heat removal across the coil and core surfaces.
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 solution improves temperature distribution, increases power density, and reduces costs by ensuring effective cooling of medium frequency transformers and inductors.
Implementation Method 1
the helicoidal guide being placeable within the spatial gap and configured to guide a flow of coolant through the spatial gap
Implementation Method 2
the coolant is in direct contact with the first coil and optionally with the core
Implementation Method 3
guide a flow of coolant through the spatial gap, wherein the coolant is in direct contact with the first coil
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A helicoidal guide (140) configured and shaped for cooling an inductor and/or a transformer (100) with a core (120) and a first coil (110) having a spatial gap (130) between the core (120) and the first coil (110), the helicoidal guide (140) being placeable within the spatial gap (130) and configured to guide a flow of coolant through the spatial gap (130), wherein the coolant is in direct contact with the core (120) and/or the first coil (110).