Stator Cooling Features Using Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor cooling designs face limitations due to high thermal contact resistance between aluminum cooling sleeves and steel stators, exacerbated by surface asperities that hinder intimate contact and reduce heat transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing techniques, such as cold spray and wire arc additive manufacturing, to directly deposit aluminum cooling features with varied geometries (discrete and continuous fins) onto the stator, reducing thermal contact resistance and enhancing convective heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a metal sleeve is shrunk fit around the stator to provide cooling, then convective heat transfer is improved, but thermal contact resistance increases due to surface asperities preventing intimate contact
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sleeve is segmented into discrete cooling elements (pins or plate fins) that can independently contact the stator surface, allowing each segment to conform to surface asperities and reduce overall thermal contact resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling sleeve incorporates localized contact features such as pins or fins that concentrate cooling capability at specific locations where thermal contact is most effective, while allowing other areas to accommodate surface irregularities
2Strength
If a shrink fit connection is used to attach the cooling sleeve to the stator, then mechanical attachment is achieved, but thermal contact resistance increases due to asperities on the stator surface
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling sleeve is divided into multiple discrete cooling elements (pins or plate fins) that can independently make contact with the stator surface, allowing each element to conform to local surface asperities while collectively providing both mechanical attachment and thermal contact
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes the geometric parameters of the cooling sleeve to include features with smaller contact footprints (pins or fins) that can better accommodate surface roughness while maintaining adequate thermal and mechanical connection
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 approach improves thermal management by reducing thermal resistance, enabling more efficient heat transfer and allowing for higher current density and power density in motors, while also providing an alternate torque transfer mechanism and potential weight savings.
Implementation Method 1
The use of additive manufacturing techniques, such as cold spray and wire arc additive manufacturing
Implementation Method 2
The use of additive manufacturing techniques, such as cold spray and wire arc additive manufacturing
Implementation Method 3
Natural or forced convection can then carry the heat away
Implementation Method 4
Natural or forced convection can then carry the heat away
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Disclosed is a stator having: a first member (210) having a first plurality of axially opposing ends including a first front end (220) and a first back end (230) mutually spaced along a first stator center axis (240), a first outer diameter (OD) side (250) and a first inner diameter (ID) side (260), wherein first member comprises laminated steel; a plurality of cooling features (280) disposed directly against the first member, wherein the plurality of cooling features spans between the first plurality of axially opposing ends of the first member, and wherein: the stator comprises a base layer (270) disposed directly against the first member, between the first member and the cooling features, thereby reducing an interface contact resistance between the first member and the plurality of cooling features.