Internal Fan Housing for Electric Machine Cooling and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical machines require separate cooling fans for terminal boxes and other components, leading to bulkiness and inefficiencies, as well as noise.
Innovation Solution
An electric machine assembly with a housing assembly that integrates a fan within the casing to draw air through inlet apertures, cooling both the terminal box and motor components, eliminating the need for external fans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If separate external fans are used to cool terminal boxes and motor components, then cooling effectiveness is achieved, but device complexity and bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function for both terminal boxes and motor components into a single integrated fan system. The fan is positioned within the housing assembly to simultaneously cool electrical components in the terminal box and motor components, eliminating the need for separate external fans and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated fan serves multiple cooling functions within a single component. It cools both the terminal box electrical components and the motor components (stator and rotor) through a unified air flow path that passes through inlet apertures, the terminal box, and the motor assembly, making the fan a multi-functional cooling solution.
2Temperature
If separate external fans are used for cooling, then cooling coverage is sufficient, but noise levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple cooling functions into one integrated fan, the patent reduces the total number of fan components from two or more separate fans to a single fan. This consolidation naturally reduces noise levels while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage of all electrical and motor components through a unified air flow path.
3Ease of manufacture
If external fans are positioned outside the housing assembly, then installation is simple, but cooling efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fan is nested within the housing assembly structure, specifically positioned inside the casing. This nested configuration allows the fan to be strategically located to maximize cooling efficiency by directly cooling both terminal box and motor components, while the housing assembly itself serves as the mounting structure, simplifying integration without requiring separate external mounting brackets or assemblies.
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 integrated fan design efficiently cools the terminal box and motor components, reducing bulkiness and noise while maintaining an Open Drip Proof rating against water ingress.
Implementation Method 1
The fan is positioned inside the casing, and the fan is configured to draw air into the housing through the plurality of inlet apertures
Data Source
AI summary
An electric machine including a housing assembly including a first end and a second end, a stator, a rotor, and a fan is provided. The housing assembly includes a terminal box positioned at the first end, an end plate coupled to the terminal box and including a plurality of inlet apertures, and a casing coupled to the end plate and extending toward the second end. The stator is fixedly secured to the housing assembly and positioned within the casing. The rotor is rotatably secured to the housing assembly and positioned within the casing such that the stator and the rotor are separated within the casing by an air gap. The fan is positioned inside the casing and is configured to draw air into the housing assembly through the plurality of inlet apertures.