INTEGRATED ELECTRIC MACHINE AND SILICON CARBIDE POWER CONVERTER ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

• US 20120126728A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: EL-Refaie, Ayman Mohamed Fawzi, King, Robert Dean
• Application Number:
  US12/949,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20120126728A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine

Abstract

An electric drive system comprising an electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator, a power converter electrically coupled to the electric machine and configured to convert a DC link voltage to an AC output voltage to drive the electric machine, and a single cooling loop, wherein the electric machine and the power converter are integrated within the single cooling loop.

Claims

1. An electric drive system comprising:

an electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator;

a power converter electrically coupled to the electric machine and configured to convert a DC link voltage to an AC output voltage to drive the electric machine; and

a single cooling loop, wherein the electric machine and the power converter are integrated within the single cooling loop.

2. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the power converter comprises a plurality of silicon carbide (SiC) switching devices.

3. The electric drive system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of SiC switching devices comprise a plurality of SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

4. The electric drive system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of SiC MOSFETs have a temperature rating of at least 200 degrees Celsius.

5. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the single cooling loop is configured to regulate the temperature of the electric machine and the power converter to be a maximum of 150 degrees Celsius.

6. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the electric machine is one of a permanent magnet machine and an induction machine.

7. The electric drive system of claim 6 wherein the electric machine is comprised of at least one of 3, 5, 7, and 9 phases.

8. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the power converter further comprises plurality of diodes connected in an anti-parallel arrangement with the plurality of SiC MOSFETs.

9. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the power converter is comprised of at least one of 3, 5, 7, and 9 phases.

10. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the power converter is fully integrated within a housing of the electric machine.

11. The electric drive system of claim 1 wherein the power converter and a bi-directional voltage DC-DC converter are fully integrated within the housing of the electric machine.

12. A method of manufacturing an electric drive system comprising the steps of:

providing a silicon carbide (SiC) power converter having a plurality of SiC switching devices, the SiC power converter coupleable to a power source;

providing an electric machine having a rotor and a stator;

coupling the SiC power converter to the electric machine to drive the electric machine; and

providing a cooling loop, wherein the SiC power converter and the electric machine are integrated within the cooling loop.

13. The method of manufacturing of claim 12 wherein providing the SiC power converter comprises providing a SiC power converter having a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

14. The method of manufacturing of claim 13 wherein providing the SiC power converter comprises providing a SiC power converter having a plurality of SiC MOSFETs having a temperature rating of at least 200 degrees Celsius.

15. The method of manufacturing of claim 12 wherein providing an electric machine comprises providing one of a permanent magnet machine and an induction machine.

16. A vehicle drive system comprising:

a motor comprising;

a rotor; and

a stator;

a DC link;

a power converter electrically coupled between the DC link and the motor to drive the motor, wherein the power converter comprises a plurality of silicon carbide (SiC) switching devices; and

a cooling loop, wherein the motor and the power converter are integrated within the cooling loop.

17. The vehicle drive system of claim 16 wherein the plurality of SiC switching devices comprise a plurality of SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

18. The vehicle drive system of claim 16 wherein the plurality of SiC switching devices have a temperature rating of at least 200 degrees Celsius.

19. The vehicle drive system of claim 16 further comprising a voltage source coupled to the DC link and configured to provide a source voltage to the DC link, wherein the voltage source is external to the cooling loop.

20. The vehicle drive system of claim 19 wherein the voltage source comprises at least one of a battery, an ultracapacitor, and a flywheel.

21. The vehicle drive system of claim 16 wherein the cooling loop is configured to regulate the temperature of the motor and the power converter to be a maximum of 150 degrees Celsius.

22. The vehicle drive system of claim 16 wherein the motor comprises one of a permanent magnet motor and an induction motor.

23. The vehicle drive system of claim 16 wherein the cooling loop comprises a coolant therein, the coolant being one of an anti-freeze liquid and an automotive transmission fluid.