ROTOR ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRIC MACHINE

• US 20150249370A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Wirsch, Paul James Jr., Huang, Hao, Jia, Xiaochuan, Zywot, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 9,837,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/18 Windings for salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/24 with channels or ducts for cooling medium between the conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/527 applicable to rotors only

Abstract

A rotor assembly for an electric machine includes a core having at least one post and a cap wherein electrical windings are wound about the rotor assembly to define a pole. The rotation of the rotor and rotor pole relative to a stator generates a current supplied from the electric machine to a power consuming device.

Claims

1. A rotor assembly for an electric machine comprising:

a rotor core having at least one post;

a winding wound around the post and having an end portion extending axially beyond the post to define an end turn segment; and

a coolant tube having at least a portion in a thermally conductive relationship with at least a portion of the end turn segment, wherein heat from the end turn segment is transferred by conduction to the at least a portion of the coolant tube.

2. The rotor assembly of claim 1 wherein at least 90% of the end turn segment is in a thermally conductive relationship with the at least a portion of the coolant tube.

3. The rotor assembly of claim 1 further comprising multiple coolant tubes wherein the multiple coolant tubes are in a thermally conductive relationship with at least a portion of each end turn segment.

4. The rotor assembly of claim 2 wherein at least 90% of the end turn segment is in a thermally conductive relationship with at least a portion of the multiple coolant tubes, collectively.

5. The rotor assembly of claim 1 wherein the core further comprises a central passage fluidly coupled to the at least one coolant tube to form at least a portion of a coolant loop.

6. The rotor assembly of claim 5 wherein the at least one coolant tube comprises end tube transitions for fluidly coupling to the central passage.

7. The rotor assembly of claim 6 wherein the end tube transitions extend away from the end turn segment to define a transition portion for the coolant tube.

8. The rotor assembly of claim 7 wherein the end tube transition portion has an arcuate shape.

9. The rotor assembly of claim 1 further comprising a thermally conductive layer provided on the winding.

10. The rotor assembly of claim 9 wherein the thermally conductive layer is a coating applied to the winding.

11. The rotor assembly of claim 9 wherein the thermally conductive layer is a fin assembly configured about the winding.

12. The rotor assembly of claim 11 wherein the fin assembly comprises at least two fins in a thermally conductive relationship with multiple faces of the at least one coolant tube.

13. The rotor assembly of claim 1 wherein the thermally conductive relationship does not comprise an air gap.

14. A rotor assembly for an electric machine comprising:

a rotor core having at least one post at least partially defining a first face of a winding seat;

at least one coolant tube at least partially defining a second face of the winding seat; and

a winding wound around the post and at least partially supported by the winding seat, wherein the winding extending axially beyond the post define an end turn segment;

wherein a portion of the at least one coolant tube is in a thermally conductive relationship with at least a portion of the end turn segment.