Rotary Motor Cooling via Tortuous Rotor Housing Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric motors used for traction generate significant heat, which can damage thermally sensitive components, and existing cooling methods do not effectively manage heat distribution within the motor, leading to increased rotor heating during normal operation.
Innovation Solution
A motor design featuring a rotor housing with tortuous paths for coolant flow, allowing bidirectional coolant flow without a central axial conduit, which reduces the motor's mass and volume, enabling the use of the freed space for other functions like torsional vibration damping, and maintains a consistent coolant temperature across the rotor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a central axial conduit is used for coolant flow, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and mass increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the central axial conduit from the rotor structure, extracting this component entirely. Instead, coolant flows through channels formed directly in the rotor housing and stator housing, eliminating the need for a separate central conduit and reducing structural complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are merged directly into the rotor housing and stator housing structures themselves, rather than being separate components. The rotor housing includes channels that integrate the cooling function into the existing structural elements, eliminating the need for additional central axial conduits
2Temperature
If coolant flow paths are extended along rotor length, then cooling coverage is improved, but mass and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are integrated directly into the rotor housing and stator housing structures, combining the cooling function with the existing structural elements. This eliminates the need for separate cooling components and reduces overall mass while providing extended cooling coverage along the rotor length
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor housing and stator housing serve dual functions: providing structural support and housing cooling channels. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated cooling components, reducing mass while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage
3Temperature
If bidirectional coolant flow is implemented, then temperature uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bidirectional flow paths are merged directly into the housing structures, with channels configured to naturally guide coolant in both directions along the rotor and stator lengths. This integration into existing structures avoids additional complexity while achieving temperature uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels follow curved or helical paths within the housing structures, allowing coolant to flow bidirectionally along the length of the rotor and stator. These curved paths are integrated into the housing geometry, providing temperature uniformity without requiring complex valve or flow control mechanisms
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 minimizes the maximum temperature difference and overall rotor temperature, reduces the motor's mass and volume, and allows for efficient cooling and damping, enhancing drivetrain durability and reducing noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) in hybrid vehicle applications.
Implementation Method 1
the housing has one or more paths, such as tortuous paths, for the flow of coolant extending along the length of the rotor housing... by flowing coolant along the one or more fluid paths, the rotor is cooled
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a motor for generating rotary power, the motor comprising: a stator for receiving electrical power; a rotor arranged coaxially with respect to the stator and having one or more magnets arranged thereon so that in response to the stator receiving the electrical power, the rotor is caused to rotate; the rotor comprising a rotor housing having an inner wall, the magnets being arranged around the housing, and wherein the inner wall has plural tortuous paths for the flow of coolant extending along the length of the rotor housing. Preferably, the motor has an output shaft arranged at least partially axially within the rotor housing; the inner wall being shaped for engagement with and so as to drive the output shaft.