Stator Separator with Porous Mesh for Rotary Machine Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current rotating electrical machines face challenges in effectively cooling the stator winding and coil heads, leading to inefficient heat transfer and potential temperature increases, which can reduce the machine's efficiency and reliability.

Innovation Solution

A separator with parallel bars and oblong openings is introduced between the electrical conductors of the stator winding, enhancing air flow and increasing the exchange surface with the cooling fluid, thereby improving heat exchange and reducing temperatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional solid separators are used between stator coil heads, then electrical insulation is provided, but air flow is blocked and heat exchange is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidcoil head temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The separator employs a mesh structure with numerous openings that allow air to pass through while maintaining electrical insulation. The mesh configuration provides sufficient insulation between phases while enabling cooling air flow to reach the coil heads, thus resolving the contradiction between insulation and heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The separator features a non-uniform mesh structure with varying opening sizes and distributions in different regions. The mesh density is optimized locally to balance electrical insulation requirements with air flow needs in specific areas, allowing better heat exchange where required while maintaining insulation where critical.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If cooling air flow is increased through the stator, then heat exchange is improved, but pressure drops and flow resistance increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestator cooling efficiencyVSAvoidair pressure drop
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The separator divides the air flow path into multiple channels through its mesh structure, distributing the cooling air uniformly across different regions of the stator. This segmentation reduces localized flow resistance and pressure drops while maintaining effective cooling across the entire stator surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The porous mesh structure reduces flow resistance by providing numerous parallel flow paths for cooling air. The interconnected openings allow air to move through the separator with minimal pressure loss compared to solid barriers, enabling improved cooling efficiency without excessive pressure drops.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 solution effectively lowers the temperature of the stator winding and coil heads, enhancing cooling efficiency by up to 20% and improving the machine's reliability and specific power output.

Implementation Method 1

The separator makes it possible to improve the cooling of the stator winding, by making it possible to improve the flow of air in the coil heads, which promotes heat exchange

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The separator makes it possible to improve the flow of air in the coil heads, which promotes heat exchange and makes it possible to lower the temperature in these coil heads

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4106153A1Phase separator for a stator of a rotary electric machine
Publication Date: 2022.12.21 MOTEURS LEROY SOMER
  • EP4106153A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4106153A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4106153A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Separator (20) for stator (10) of rotating electrical machine (1), comprising a plurality of bars (21) extending parallel to each other, and connected at their ends, oblong openings (22) being provided between two consecutive bars (21).