INTEGRATED WATER CURRENT CONNECTION FOR MOTOR DRIVE

• US 20080295998A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innomotics GmbH
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Kunkle, Jonathan, Hammond, Peter Willard, Jordan, Wayne Sheldon, Cheesman, Edward Alan, Aiello, Marc F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,699,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.28
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2089 for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A system for cooling a multi-cell power supply, the system including a water pump, a water-to-air heat exchanger in fluid communication with the water pump, and a supply water manifold in fluid connection with the water-to-air-heat exchanger. The system further includes a plurality of power cells in fluid communication with the supply water manifold via one or more water hoses, and a multi-winding device in fluid communication with the plurality of power cells via at least one water-cooled bus, wherein the at least one water cooled bus electrically connects the power cells to secondary windings of the multi-winding device. The water-cooled buses provide both electrical current as well as cooling fluid to each winding of the multi-winding device, thereby eliminating a need for separate cooling and power connections.

Claims

1. A system for cooling a multi-cell power supply, the system comprising:

a fluid pump;

a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid pump;

a plurality of power cells in fluid communication with the heat exchanger; and

a multi-winding device in fluid communication with the power cells via fluid-cooled buses, wherein the fluid-cooled buses also electrically connect the power cells to secondary windings of the multi-winding device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supply fluid manifold in fluid communication with the water-to-air heat exchanger and the power cells.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a hose connected to the supply fluid manifold and at least one of the power cells.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a local manifold in fluid communication with one of the power cells and connected to three of the fluid-cooled buses.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said local manifold distributes said fluid amongst said three of the fluid-cooled buses.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of said three of the fluid-cooled buses is in fluid connection with one of said secondary windings.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a return fluid manifold in fluid communication with the multi-winding device and the fluid pump.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said fluid is water.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger is a water-to-air heat exchanger.

10. A system for cooling a multi-cell power supply, the system comprising:

a water pump;

a water-to-air heat exchanger in fluid communication with the water pump;

a supply water manifold in fluid connection with the water-to-air-heat exchanger;

a plurality of power cells in fluid communication with the supply water manifold via one or more water hoses; and

a multi-winding device in fluid communication with the plurality of power cells via at least one water-cooled bus, wherein the at least one water cooled bus electrically connects the power cells to secondary windings of the multi-winding device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a local manifold in fluid connection with it least one of said power cells and connected to three water-cooled buses.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said local manifold distributed said fluid amongst said three of the fluid-cooled buses.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each of said three of the fluid-cooled buses is in fluid connection with one of said secondary windings.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a return fluid manifold in fluid communication with the multi-winding device and the fluid pump.

15. A method of operating a multi-winding power device, comprising:

delivering power from a power cell to a multi-winding power device via a bus; and

circulating a fluid within the bus while the delivering occurs.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising distributing the fluid to the power cell so that the fluid warms by absorbing heat from the power cell.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

circulating the warmed water to a heat exchanger that cools the water; and

re-distributing the cooled water to at least one power cell.