Shrouded Mixed Flow Impeller Blower With Integrated Motor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blower designs for fuel cell systems are inefficient in terms of size, cost, noise, and reliability, and lack effective cooling mechanisms for the motor, which affects overall performance.
Innovation Solution
A blower design incorporating a mixed flow impeller with varying blade lengths and high back sweep angles, combined with an elliptical volute that overlaps the motor housing to act as an active heat sink, eliminating the need for a traditional cooling fan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a traditional cooling fan is used to cool the motor, then the motor cooling effectiveness is improved, but the blower size, cost, and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function with the existing volute structure by creating a cooling passage that integrates the motor cooling pathway with the volute housing. This merging eliminates the need for a separate cooling fan while achieving effective motor cooling through the volute's hybrid heat sink functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The volute structure is given multiple functions: it serves both as the traditional air passage component and as a hybrid heat sink with integrated cooling passages for motor cooling. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated cooling components, reducing overall system complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If the blower size is reduced, then the system compactness is improved, but the motor cooling capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the three-dimensional space within the volute structure by creating cooling passages that extend through the volute housing in multiple directions. This dimensional utilization allows effective heat dissipation from the motor without requiring additional external cooling components, maintaining compact blower size.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling passages are nested within the volute structure itself, with the motor cooling pathway integrated into the existing volute housing geometry. This nesting approach allows the cooling function to be embedded within the existing structure without increasing overall blower volume.
3Temperature
If a hybrid heat sink cooling system is implemented, then the motor cooling efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the volute structure by adding cooling passages with specific geometric parameters, including inlet and outlet openings positioned at defined locations. These parameter changes create the hybrid heat sink functionality while maintaining compatibility with standard manufacturing processes for volute housings.
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 design reduces blower size, cost, and noise while improving efficiency and reliability by effectively cooling the motor using the volute as a hybrid heat sink, enhancing thermal management and aerodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
a mixed flow impeller disposed in the motor housing and coaxially mounted to the motor shaft, wherein the mixed flow impeller is configured to circulate air inside the motor housing
Implementation Method 2
an elliptical volute that overlaps the motor housing to act as an active heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
A blower includes a motor housing, a volute disposed on an outer surface of the motor housing, a motor shaft extending through the motor housing, a motor disposed in the motor housing and coaxially mounted to the motor shaft, and a mixed flow impeller disposed in the motor housing and coaxially mounted to the motor shaft. The mixed flow impeller is configured to circulate air inside the motor housing.