Motor Unit Integrated Cooling System for Inverter Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor cooling systems do not effectively address the heat generated by the inverter, leading to a separate and larger structure for cooling, which is inefficient and increases the size of the motor driving system.
Innovation Solution
A motor unit with an integrated cooling system that includes a first refrigerant for cooling the motor and a second refrigerant for cooling the inverter, utilizing an electric oil pump, an oil cooler, and an electric water pump to circulate and exchange heat, thereby reducing the overall size and enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate cooling configuration is provided for the inverter, then the inverter can be cooled, but the size of the motor driving system becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the motor cooling system and inverter cooling system into a single integrated cooling unit. The cooling unit includes a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator that serve both the motor and inverter simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate cooling configurations and reducing overall system size.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling unit is designed with multi-functionality to cool both the motor and inverter using the same refrigerant circulation system. The system uses a single refrigerant loop with heat exchangers positioned to cool both components, making the cooling system universal rather than requiring dedicated systems for each heat-generating component.
2Temperature
If conventional motor cooling is used, then the motor can be cooled, but the inverter heat cannot be addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling functions for both motor and inverter into a single refrigerant-based cooling system. The evaporator is designed with multiple heat exchange surfaces that contact both the motor housing and inverter housing, allowing simultaneous heat removal from both components through the same refrigerant circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant acts as an intermediary medium that transfers heat from both the motor and inverter to the external environment. The cooling system uses the refrigerant cycle (compression, condensation, expansion, evaporation) as a mediator to efficiently remove heat from both heat-generating components without direct thermal contact between them.
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 cooling system efficiently cools both the motor and the inverter, reducing the size of the motor unit and minimizing assembly time, while preventing liquid leakage and ensuring effective heat exchange through vortex or spiral flow paths.
Implementation Method 1
a second suction port, configured to suction a second refrigerant which cools the first refrigerant by exchanging heat with the first refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A motor unit includes a motor having a motor shaft disposed along a central axis which extends in an axial direction, and a cooling unit which cools the motor, wherein the cooling unit includes a first suction port configured to suction a first refrigerant which cools the motor, a first discharge port configured to discharge the first refrigerant suctioned from the first suction port, a second suction port configured to suction a second refrigerant which cools the first refrigerant by exchanging heat with the first refrigerant, and a second discharge port configured to discharge the second refrigerant suctioned from the second suction port.