Vehicle Motor Inverter Cooling via Integrated Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
The close proximity of motors and inverters in existing vehicle power plants hinders heat dissipation due to heat generation by both components, necessitating enhanced cooling performance while maintaining a compact design.
Innovation Solution
A motor apparatus with a case containing separate motor and inverter spaces and a cooling passage, where a pump is integrated within the motor space to circulate a coolant through the cooling passage, effectively cooling both units while optimizing space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the motor and inverter are arranged in close proximity to each other within a single case part, then space is saved and the number of components is reduced, but heat dissipation of the motor and inverter is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The case part is divided into a motor accommodating space and an inverter accommodating space, creating separate thermal zones. This segmentation allows each component to be cooled independently while maintaining compact integration, resolving the contradiction between space saving and heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling passage is introduced as an intermediary element between the motor and inverter. This cooling passage enables heat removal from both components without requiring physical separation, allowing close proximity arrangement while maintaining effective heat dissipation through the intermediary cooling fluid path.
2Volume of moving object
If the motor and inverter are arranged in close proximity to each other, then space is saved, but cooling performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The internal space of the case part is segmented into distinct motor accommodating space and inverter accommodating space. This segmentation maintains compact overall dimensions while providing separate thermal management zones, preserving cooling performance despite close proximity arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling passage serves as an intermediary cooling system that flows between the motor and inverter. This intermediary cooling fluid path enables effective heat removal from both components while allowing them to be positioned close together, maintaining reliability without sacrificing space efficiency.
3Reliability
If a pump is disposed in the surrounding space within the motor space, then cooling performance is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is merged with the case structure by disposing it within the surrounding space of the motor accommodating space. This combining approach integrates the pump into the existing case geometry without adding external components, enhancing cooling performance while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The surrounding space within the motor accommodating space is utilized for dual purposes: accommodating the motor and housing the pump. This multi-functional use of space allows the pump to be integrated without requiring additional external space, enhancing cooling capability while maintaining compact design.
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 performance for both the motor and inverter units while minimizing space and component count, reducing costs and weight, and improving reliability by prioritizing heat dissipation for the power converter.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling passage being configured to let cooling medium flow through the cooling passage to cool the motor unit and the inverter unit
Implementation Method 2
the pump being configured to forward the cooling medium to the cooling passage
Data Source
AI summary
A motor apparatus for a vehicle includes a motor unit, an inverter unit, a case, and a pump. The case has a motor space, an inverter space, and a cooling passage, the motor space accommodating the motor unit, the inverter space accommodating the inverter unit, the cooling passage being configured to let cooling medium flow through the cooling passage to cool the motor unit and the inverter unit. The pump is configured to forward the cooling medium to the cooling passage, and is disposed in a surrounding space within the motor space, the surrounding space being at a periphery of a rotation angle sensor fixed to a shaft of the motor unit.