Motor cooling device and cooling method
First Claim
1. A cooling apparatus for a motor having a rotary shaft, a rotor coupled to the rotary shaft, and a stator surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor, the cooling apparatus comprising:
- (a) an inner coolant path disposed in association with hot areas of the motor, the coolant path having at least one inlet and one outlet and coolant flowing therebetween;
(b) a reservoir tank adapted to store coolant and having an inlet and an outlet, the reservoir positioned above the inner coolant path;
(c) a coolant supply path that connects the outlet of the reservoir tank to at least one inlet of the inner coolant path;
(d) a coolant return path that connects at least one outlet of the inner coolant path to the inlet of the reservoir tank;
(e) at least one valve interposed between the coolant supply path and at least one inlet of the inner coolant path to stop the backflow of coolant toward the coolant supply path from the inner coolant path; and
(f) a first heat-dissipating mechanism disposed in association with the coolant return path to dissipate the heat of the coolant in the coolant return path.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor cooling apparatus and method to auto-circulate coolant to reduce the weight and size of the cooling system. The cooling apparatus includes a coolant path disposed at hot areas of the motor. A reservoir tank is located above the coolant path and gravity feeds coolant to the coolant path. Coolant in the vapor phase discharged from the coolant path is liquefied by a condenser located in a coolant return path. Coolant in the liquid phase is expelled to the reservoir tank under pressure of the vapor-phase coolant in the coolant path to provide for the auto-circulating coolant. Expansion pressure of the coolant supplied by an motor inverter can further increase the pressure of the coolant in the discharging coolant path to improve coolant circulation efficiency to prevent dry out in the coolant path.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A cooling apparatus for a motor having a rotary shaft, a rotor coupled to the rotary shaft, and a stator surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor, the cooling apparatus comprising:
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(a) an inner coolant path disposed in association with hot areas of the motor, the coolant path having at least one inlet and one outlet and coolant flowing therebetween;
(b) a reservoir tank adapted to store coolant and having an inlet and an outlet, the reservoir positioned above the inner coolant path;
(c) a coolant supply path that connects the outlet of the reservoir tank to at least one inlet of the inner coolant path;
(d) a coolant return path that connects at least one outlet of the inner coolant path to the inlet of the reservoir tank;
(e) at least one valve interposed between the coolant supply path and at least one inlet of the inner coolant path to stop the backflow of coolant toward the coolant supply path from the inner coolant path; and
(f) a first heat-dissipating mechanism disposed in association with the coolant return path to dissipate the heat of the coolant in the coolant return path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A motor, comprising:
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(a) a rotary shaft, a rotor coupled to the rotary shaft, and a stator surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor;
(b) an inner coolant path disposed in association with hot areas of the rotor and stator;
the coolant path having at least one inlet and one outlet and coolant flowing therebetween, (c) a reservoir tank adapted to store coolant and having an inlet and an outlet, the reservoir positioned above the inner coolant path;
(d) a coolant supply path that connects the outlet of the reservoir tank to at least one inlet of the inner coolant path;
(e) a coolant return path that connects at least one outlet of the inner coolant path to the inlet of the reservoir tank;
(f) at least one valve interposed between the coolant supply path and at least one inlet of the inner coolant path to stop the backflow of coolant toward the coolant supply path from the inner coolant path; and
(g) a first heat-dissipating mechanism disposed in association with the coolant return path to dissipate the heat of the coolant in the coolant return path.
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23. A cooling apparatus for a motor having a rotary shaft, a rotor coupled to the rotary shaft, and a stator surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor, the cooling apparatus comprising:
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(a) reservoir means for storing coolant;
(b) coolant path means for circulating coolant from the reservoir means to hot areas of the motor, the coolant path means located below the reservoir means to permit gravity feeding of coolant from the reservoir means to the coolant path means;
(c) valve means for preventing backflow of the coolant from the inner coolant path means to the reservoir means; and
(d) heat dissipating means for dissipating the heat of the coolant in coolant path means; and
(e) pressurizer means for increasing the discharged pressure of the coolant in the coolant path means.
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24. A method for cooling a motor having a rotary shaft, a rotor coupled to the rotary shaft, and a stator surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor, comprising:
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(a) storing the coolant in a reservoir that is connected to and placed above an inner coolant path;
(b) gravity feeding the coolant from the reservoir into the inner coolant path;
(c) circulating coolant through at least one inner coolant path to hot areas of the motor;
(d) preventing backflow of the coolant from the coolant path to the reservoir means;
(e) removing heat from the coolant while circulating the coolant back to the reservoir via a coolant return path; and
(f) increasing the discharge pressure of the coolant in the coolant return path.
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Specification