Rotor Shaft Cooling Flow Path for Direct Motor Core Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drive motors require a separate cooling pipe structure that increases the number of parts and complicates cooling of the stator and rotor cores, making it difficult to achieve efficient cooling, especially for high-power or high-current density applications and leading to thermal imbalances between stator and rotor.
Innovation Solution
A rotor module with a cylindrical rotor core and rotor shaft that includes a hollow cooling fluid flow path and communication grooves, allowing cooling fluid to flow inside the rotor and be dispersed to cool both the rotor and surrounding areas, reducing the need for external cooling pipes and parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate cooling pipe structure is used to cool the stator and rotor cores, then cooling coverage is improved, but the number of parts increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function into the rotor shaft itself by forming a cooling fluid flow path directly within the rotor shaft structure. The rotor shaft now serves dual purposes: mechanical rotation and cooling fluid transport. This eliminates the need for separate cooling pipes and reduces part count while maintaining effective cooling coverage of both rotor and stator cores through strategic fluid discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor shaft is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the mechanical rotating component and as the cooling fluid conduit. The cooling fluid flow path integrated into the rotor shaft allows the same component to handle both mechanical drive and thermal management functions, reducing overall system complexity.
2Temperature
If cooling oil is sprayed through external cooling pipes, then stator and upper/lower end portions are cooled effectively, but rotor core cooling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fluid flow path is nested within the rotor shaft structure itself. The flow path is formed inside the rotor shaft, utilizing the internal space of the existing component rather than adding external cooling infrastructure. This nested approach allows cooling fluid to reach the rotor core directly from within the rotating assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fluid acts as an intermediary that transfers heat from the rotor core to the stator core. The fluid flows through the rotor shaft, absorbs heat from the rotor core, and then discharges through communication grooves to cool the stator core, effectively mediating thermal transfer between the two cores.
3Temperature
If multiple cooling pipes and external heat exchangers are used, then cooling performance is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from separate external components and integrates it directly into the rotor shaft. By taking the cooling capability out of the external domain and embedding it within the rotor shaft structure, the design eliminates the need for separate cooling pipes and external heat exchangers, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining cooling performance.
4Temperature
If conventional cooling pipes are used, then stator cooling is achieved, but thermal imbalance between stator and rotor occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is designed with local quality by providing targeted cooling to different areas. The cooling fluid flows through the rotor shaft and discharges through communication grooves positioned to cool specific regions of both the rotor core and stator core. This localized cooling approach addresses thermal imbalances by providing cooling exactly where heat generation occurs.
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 enhances cooling efficiency by directly cooling the rotor and stator, stabilizes high-power applications, reduces thermal imbalances, and lowers costs by eliminating unnecessary cooling components, while maintaining effective lubrication and heat management.
Implementation Method 1
allowing cooling fluid to flow inside the rotor to directly cool the rotor and directly cool a rotor heating unit
Implementation Method 2
the rotor shaft includes a first discharge flow path having one end communicating with the cooling fluid flow path and the other end communicating with the rotor shaft and the communication groove of the rotor core
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a rotor, and more particularly, to a rotor with increased cooling efficiency. According to the present invention, a rotor module may maximize a cooling effect by allowing cooling oil to flow inside a rotor to directly cool the rotor and directly cool a rotor heating unit, thereby stably implementing specifications requiring high power or a high current density, may be designed to scatter the cooling oil inside the rotor to the outside to cool areas around an end coil of a drive motor at the same time, and may reduce the number of pats by removing cooling parts for cooling the existing stator, thereby reducing costs.