INTERNAL COOLING OF MAGNETIC CORE FOR ELECTRIC MACHINE

• US 20130113311A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Downing, Robert Scott, Franzen, Mark F., Campbell, Kris H., Nayak, Hebri Vijayendra, Collings, Roger John
• Granted Patent: US 9,225,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/59
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/20 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/32 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/197 in which the rotor or stator space is fluid-tight, e.g. to provide for different cooling media for rotor and stator

Abstract

A core for an electric machine includes a core component having a plurality of core teeth defining a plurality of core slots between adjacent core teeth of the plurality of core teeth. The plurality of core slots are receptive of one or more windings. A coolant flowpath through the core component is formed through at least one core tooth. The at least one core tooth has one or more coolant tube banks and one or more mixing chambers arranged in an alternating pattern along the at least one core tooth.

Claims

1. A core for an electric machine comprising:

a core component having a plurality of core teeth defining a plurality of core slots between adjacent core teeth of the plurality of core teeth, the plurality of core slots receptive of one or more windings; and

a coolant flowpath through the core component formed through at least one core tooth, the at least one core tooth having one or more coolant tube banks and one or more mixing chambers arranged in an alternating pattern along the at least one core tooth.

2. The core of claim 1, wherein each coolant tube bank comprises a plurality of coolant tubes.

3. The core of claim 2, wherein a first coolant tube of a first coolant tube bank is offset from a corresponding second tube of a second coolant tube bank.

4. The core of claim 2, wherein each coolant tube bank comprises between 3 and 15 coolant tubes.

5. The core of claim 1, wherein the core component is formed from a plurality of core laminations arranged in a substantially axial stack.

6. The core of claim 5, wherein each coolant tube bank and each mixing chamber is at least one core lamination thick.

7. The core of claim 5, wherein a first core tooth of the plurality of core teeth of each lamination includes a coolant tube bank, and an adjacent second core tooth includes a mixing chamber.

8. The core of claim 7, wherein the remaining core teeth of the plurality of core teeth alternatingly include a coolant tube bank or a mixing chamber.

9. The core of claim 1, wherein the core is a stator core.

10. The core of claim 1, wherein the core is a rotor core.

11. An electric machine comprising:

a rotor disposed at a central axis of the electric machine;

a stator at least partially surrounding the rotor;

the stator including;

at least one stator winding;

a stator core having a plurality of stator core teeth defining a plurality of stator core slots between adjacent stator core teeth of the plurality of stator core teeth, the plurality of stator core slots receptive of the at least one stator winding; and

a coolant flowpath through the stator core formed through at least one stator core tooth of the plurality of stator core teeth having one or more coolant tube banks and one or more mixing chambers arranged in an alternating pattern along the at least one stator core tooth;

wherein the coolant flowpath allows for a flow of liquid coolant therethrough to cool the stator.

12. The electric machine of claim 11, wherein each coolant tube bank comprises a plurality of coolant tubes.

13. The electric machine of claim 12, wherein a first coolant tube of a first coolant tube bank is offset from a corresponding second tube of a second coolant tube bank.

14. The electric machine of claim 12, wherein each coolant tube bank comprises between 3 and 15 coolant tubes.

15. The electric machine of claim 11, wherein the stator core is formed from a plurality of stator core laminations arranged in a substantially axial stack.

16. The electric machine of claim 15, wherein each coolant tube bank and each mixing chamber is at least one stator core lamination thick.

17. The electric machine of claim 15, wherein a first stator core tooth of the plurality of stator core teeth of each stator core lamination includes a coolant tube bank, and an adjacent second stator core tooth includes a mixing chamber.

18. The electric machine of claim 17 wherein the remaining stator core teeth of the plurality of stator core teeth alternatingly include a coolant tube bank or a mixing chamber.