Electric Motor Heat Exchanger Layout for Compact Air Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric motors with heat exchanging devices suffer from increased size due to the need for external air flow through fins across the entire outer peripheral surface, which compromises cooling efficiency and increases radial size.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a heat exchanger with internal and external air bypasses and a heat transfer member that separates these bypasses to efficiently transfer heat from internal to external air, preventing external air from entering internal air passages and maintaining a compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fins are arranged across the entire outer peripheral surface of the heat exchanging device, then cooling efficiency is improved, but radial size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanging device is divided into multiple radial sections, with fins arranged only in specific segments rather than continuously across the entire outer peripheral surface. This segmentation allows the device to maintain effective heat exchange area while reducing the overall radial dimension occupied by fins.
Solution Approach 2:
Fins are concentrated in specific local regions where heat exchange is most critical, rather than uniformly distributed. This local quality approach places fins strategically in areas with highest thermal demand, achieving effective cooling with reduced radial size compared to full-peripheral fin arrangements.
2Temperature
If external air is caused to flow through air passages in the stator, then cooling efficiency is improved, but external air may enter internal air passages causing temperature rise
Solution Approach 1:
The air passage system is segmented into distinct external and internal flow paths with physical separation. The stator air passages are divided such that external air flows through dedicated passages while internal air flows through separate passages, preventing mixing between the two air streams while maintaining independent cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide structure acts as an intermediary element between external and internal air passages. This guide directs external air flow to prevent it from entering internal passages, serving as a barrier that maintains separate temperature zones while allowing both cooling systems to operate effectively.
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 configuration enhances cooling efficiency by lowering internal air temperatures without the need for extensive external air flow through fins, resulting in a compact electric motor with improved cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a heat transfer member to separate the internal air bypass and the external air bypass, and transfer heat from internal air flowing in the internal air bypass to the external air flowing in the external air bypass
Implementation Method 2
transfer heat from internal air flowing in the internal air bypass to the external air flowing in the external air bypass
Data Source
AI summary
An electric motor includes a shaft, a rotor, a stator, a first bracket, a second bracket, a heat exchanger, a first guide, and a second guide. The heat exchanger includes an internal air bypass located radially outward from the internal air passage of the stator, and an external air bypass located radially outward from the internal air bypass and continuous to the external space. The heat exchanger further includes a heat transfer member to separate the internal air bypass and the external air bypass, and transfer heat from the internal air flowing in the internal air bypass to the external air flowing in the external air bypass.