Electric Motor with Segmented Coil Sets for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Three-phase electric motors face thermal management challenges due to high switching and conduction losses, limiting power handling capacity and requiring larger diameters, which reduces inductance and increases heat dissipation issues.
Innovation Solution
The design features multiple coil sets with independent control devices, allowing each coil subset to have more turns, increasing inductance and enabling the use of smaller switching devices with lower currents, reducing heat dissipation and allowing for faster switching speeds and more precise PWM control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the motor diameter is increased to handle higher power, then the power handling capacity is improved, but the inductance is reduced and heat dissipation issues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is divided into multiple independent coil sets, each controlled by separate control devices. This segmentation allows each coil set to operate with optimized parameters, maintaining higher inductance in each segment while achieving higher total power output, thereby reducing overall heat dissipation issues
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing power by simply enlarging the motor diameter (one-dimensional approach), the patent uses multiple independently controlled coil sets that can be activated selectively. This multi-dimensional control approach enables higher power handling while maintaining compact dimensions and optimal inductance values
2Power
If the number of coil turns is reduced to increase peripheral speed, then the power output is improved, but the inductance is reduced leading to poorer current control
Solution Approach 1:
The winding system is segmented into multiple coil sets with different turn configurations. Each coil set can be optimized for specific operational requirements, maintaining sufficient inductance for precise PWM control while enabling high peripheral speed operation for power output
3Power
If larger switching devices are used to handle higher currents, then the power handling is improved, but the switching losses and conduction losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent control devices, each managing a subset of coil sets. This allows the use of smaller switching devices in each control unit that handle lower currents, reducing switching and conduction losses while collectively achieving high power handling capability
Solution Approach 2:
Not all coil sets need to operate at full power simultaneously. The system can activate only the necessary number of coil sets based on power requirements, using partial action to match power output to actual demand, thereby reducing losses from oversized switching devices operating at low loads
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 reduces heat dissipation problems, allows for smaller and more cost-effective switching devices, and enhances motor control responsiveness, while enabling fractional power operation and fault tolerance by independent sub-motor management.
Implementation Method 1
each coil set consists of four coil sub-sets that are connected in series. Accordingly, for a given coil set the magnetic field generated by the respective coil sub-sets will have a common phase
Data Source
AI summary
An electric motor comprising a stator having two coil sets arranged to produce a magnetic field of the motor, each coil set comprising a plurality of coil sub-sets; and two control devices, wherein the first control device is coupled to the plurality of coil sub-sets for the first coil set and the second control device is coupled to the plurality of coil sub-sets for the second coil set and each control device is arranged to control current in the respective plurality of coil sub-sets to generate a magnetic field in each coil sub-set to have a substantially different magnetic phase to the other one or more coil sub-sets in the respective coil set; and wherein the first control device and the second control device are mounted adjacent to the stator.