Motor Coolant Channel Layout for Balanced Flow and Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor units with unequal path lengths in coolant channels experience imbalances in flow rate and cooling capacity, leading to inefficient cooling and the need for larger pumping pumps.
Innovation Solution
The motor unit design includes coolant channels with varying cross-sectional areas, where the first channel has a larger cross-sectional area than the second channel, reducing pressure loss and adjusting flow rates to balance cooling capacity between channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the first channel has a longer path length than the second channel, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the pressure loss increases and flow rate balance is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the cross-sectional area of straight portions in the first channel larger than in the second channel. This creates a non-uniform structure where different channels have different local properties (cross-sectional areas) to compensate for their different path lengths, thereby balancing pressure loss while maintaining the longer path for improved cooling coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of cross-sectional area to resolve the contradiction. By increasing the cross-sectional area of straight portions in the first channel (the channel with longer path length), the flow resistance is reduced, which compensates for the additional pressure loss from the longer path, thus balancing the flow rates between channels.
2Stress or pressure
If the cross-sectional area of straight portions in the first channel is increased, then the pressure loss is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complexity is localized only to the straight portions of the first channel where cross-sectional area is increased. The bent portions and the second channel maintain standard dimensions, so the additional complexity is confined to specific locations rather than throughout the entire cooling channel system.
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 design ensures uniform cooling of the motor, reduces the size of pumping pumps, and minimizes manufacturing complexity and costs by optimizing flow distribution and pressure loss.
Implementation Method 1
The cross-sectional area of the straight portions of the first channel is larger than a cross-sectional area of the straight portions of the second channel. Accordingly, pressure loss can be reduced in the first flow passage
Implementation Method 2
a coolant channel that is provided in a wall face of the housing and that is configured such that a coolant flows through
Data Source
AI summary
A motor unit includes a motor, a housing that houses the motor, and a coolant channel. The coolant channel includes an inlet passage, a branching passage that is connected to the inlet passage and into which a coolant flows from the inlet passage, a first channel that is connected to the branching passage, and a second channel that is connected to the branching passage and also of which a path length is shorter than that of the first channel. The first channel and the second channel are each structured such that a plurality of straight portions is connected in series by a plurality of bent portions, and a cross-sectional area of the straight portions of the first channel is larger than a cross-sectional area of the straight portions of the second channel.