Assemblies and Methods for Cooling Electric Machines

• US 20140265660A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company (TECO Electric & Machinery Pte Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company (TECO Electric & Machinery Pte Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Devdatta P., Rupertus, Gabriel, Ramsey, Lex, Chen, Edward Kuan-Chen, Guitart, Ramon
• Granted Patent: US 9,373,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/54
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/24 Rotor cores with salient poles ; Variable reluctance rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/24 with channels or ducts for cooling medium between the conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/227 Heat sinks

Abstract

Cooling assemblies, such as those configured to cool electric machines (e.g., electric motors and generators) and components of electric machines (e.g., rotors and stators).

Claims

1. A cooling assembly for an electric machine comprising:

a rotor comprising;

a rotor core having;

a first end;

a second end; and

a rotor bore extending from the first end to the second end;

rotor poles extending at least partially from the first end to the second end of the rotor core, each rotor pole having sides; and

a rotor winding associated with each rotor pole; and

a tube disposed between a rotor pole and the rotor winding associated with that rotor pole.

2. The cooling assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a tube disposed between each rotor pole and the rotor winding associated with that rotor pole.

6. The cooling assembly of claim 1, where the tube is wrapped around the rotor pole in a helical configuration.

7. The cooling assembly of claim 1, where the tube is wrapped around the rotor pole in a serpentine configuration.

27. The cooling assembly of claim 1, where the tube is one of copper and aluminum.

32. The assembly of claim 1, where when fluid moves through the tube, the fluid comprises one of a refrigerant, a dielectric fluid, and a high dielectric fluid.

3-5. -5. (canceled)

8-26. -26. (canceled)

28-31. -31. (canceled)

33-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A cooling assembly for an electric machine comprising:

a rotor comprising;

a rotor core having;

a first end;

a second end; and

a rotor bore extending from the first end to the second end;

rotor poles extending at least partially from the first end to the second end of the rotor core, each rotor pole having sides; and

a rotor winding associated with each rotor pole;

a tube disposed between a rotor pole and the rotor winding associated with that rotor pole; and

a first plate coupled to the rotor pole and configured to dissipate heat from the rotor.

36. The cooling assembly of claim 35, further comprising:

a tube disposed between each rotor pole and the rotor winding associated with that rotor pole; and

a first plate coupled to each rotor pole and configured to dissipate heat from the rotor.

44. The cooling assembly of claim 35, further comprising:

a second plate coupled to the rotor pole and configured to dissipate heat from the rotor,

where the first plate and the second plate are substantially parallel, and the first plate is closer to the bore of the rotor core than the second plate.

45. The cooling assembly of claim 36, further comprising:

a second plate coupled to each rotor pole and configured to dissipate heat from the rotor,

where the first plates and the second plates are substantially parallel, and the first plates are is closer to the bore of the rotor core than the second plates.

48. The cooling assembly of claim 44, where the first plate and the second plate comprise ceramic.

49. The cooling assembly of claim 44, where the first plate and the second plate comprise aluminum oxide.

37-43. -43. (canceled)

46-47. -47. (canceled)

50-74. -74. (canceled)

75. A cooling assembly for an electric machine comprising:

a rotor comprising;

a rotor core having;

a first end;

a second end; and

a rotor bore extending from the first end to the second end;

rotor poles extending at least partially from the first end to the second end of the rotor core, each rotor pole having sides; and

a rotor winding associated with each rotor pole; and

a tube disposed between two layers of a rotor winding associated with a rotor pole.

76. The cooling assembly of claim 75, further comprising:

a tube disposed between two layers of each rotor winding associated with each rotor pole.

80. The cooling assembly of claim 75, where each of the rotor winding and the tube is in a helical configuration.

83. The cooling assembly of claim 75, further comprising:

a first plate coupled to the rotor pole and configured to dissipate heat from the rotor.

86. The cooling assembly of claim 83, further comprising:

a second plate coupled to the rotor pole and configured to dissipate heat from the rotor,

where the first plate and the second plate are substantially parallel, and the first plate is closer to the bore of the rotor core than the second plate.

89. The cooling assembly of claim 86, where the first plate and the second plate comprise at least one of ceramic and aluminum oxide.

100. The cooling assembly of claim 75, where the tube is one of copper and aluminum.

105. The assembly of claim 75, where when fluid moves through the tube, the fluid comprises one of a refrigerant, a dielectric fluid, and a high dielectric fluid.

77-79. -79. (canceled)

81-82. -82. (canceled)

84-85. -85. (canceled)

87-88. -88. (canceled)

90-99. -99. (canceled)

101-104. -104. (canceled)

106-114. -114. (canceled)