REJECT HEAT DRIVEN ABSORPTION COOLING CYCLE

• US 20120042665A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BorgWarner Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Remy Technologies LLC (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Creviston, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/79
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32011 using absorption, e.g. using Li-Br and water
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/02 using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/274 using waste energy, e.g. from internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

An electric machine system includes: an electric motor; and an absorption cooling system driven by heat generated by the electric motor and configured to cool a primary cooling fluid that removes the heat from the electric motor to a temperature below an ambient temperature of an ultimate heat sink. A method for operating the electric machine system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An electric machine system comprising:

an electric motor; and

an absorption cooling system driven by heat generated by the electric motor and configured to cool a primary cooling fluid that removes the heat from the electric motor to a temperature below an ambient temperature of an ultimate heat sink.

2. The electric machine system according to claim 1, wherein the ultimate heat sink is ambient air.

3. The electric machine system according to claim 1, wherein the absorption cooling system comprises an absorption chiller coupled to a heat exchanger that is configured to cool the primary cooling fluid.

4. The electric machine system according to claim 3, wherein a secondary cooling fluid removes heat from the heat exchanger.

5. The electric machine system according to claim 1, further comprising an inverter configured to operate the electric motor wherein heat generated by the inverter is used to drive the absorption cooling system and the cooling fluid removes the heat generated by the inverter.

6. The electric machine system according to claim 1, further comprising an internal combustion engine configured to turn an electrical generator to generate power to be supplied to the electric motor wherein heat generated by the engine is used to drive the absorption cooling system.

7. The electric machine system according to claim 6, wherein exhaust heat from the engine is used to drive the absorption cooling system.

8. The electric machine system according to claim 7, further comprising an exhaust diverter valve configured to divert a portion of the exhaust before the portion enters the absorption cooling system.

9. The electric machine system according to claim 6, wherein the primary cooling fluid is circulated through the engine and heat from the engine is used to drive the absorption cooling system.

10. The electric machine system according to claim 6, wherein an engine cooling fluid is circulated through the engine and the absorption cooling system and is used to convey engine heat to drive the absorption cooling system.

11. The electric machine system according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor is configured to propel a vehicle.

12. An electric machine system comprising:

an electric motor;

an inverter configured to operate the electric motor; and

an absorption cooling system driven by heat generated by the electric motor or the inverter and configured to cool a primary cooling fluid that removes the heat from the electric motor or the inverter to a temperature below an ambient temperature of an ultimate heat sink.

13. A method of operating an electric machine system comprising an electric motor, the method comprising:

removing heat from the electric motor;

heating a working fluid in an absorption cooling system with the removed heat to drive the absorption cooling system;

cooling a cooling fluid to below a temperature of an ultimate heat sink using the absorption cooling system; and

cooling the electric motor using the cooled cooling fluid.

14. The method of operating an electric machine system according to claim 13, further comprising cooling an inverter with the cooled cooling fluid, the inverter being configured to operate the electric motor.

15. The method of operating an electric machine system according to claim 13, further comprising removing heat from an internal combustion engine configured to turn an electrical generator to generate power to be supplied to the electric motor and using the engine heat to heat the working fluid to drive the absorption cooling system.

16. The method of operating an electric machine system according to claim 15, wherein exhaust from the engine is used to remove the heat from the engine, the exhaust being directed to the absorption cooling system.

17. The method of operating an electric machine system according to claim 16, further comprising diverting a portion of the exhaust away from the absorption cooling system to avoid overheating of the absorption cooling system.

18. The method of operating an electric machine system according to claim 15, further comprising circulating an engine cooling fluid through the engine and using heat absorbed by the engine cooling fluid to heat the working fluid to drive the absorption cooling system.