LIQUID COOLING ARRANGEMENT FOR DYNAMOELECTRIC MACHINE

• US 3,648,085 A
• Filed: 03/26/1970
• Issued: 03/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucas Aerospace Power Equipment Corp. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Fujii
• Inventors: Fujii, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Skudy, R.
• Application Number:
  US05/022,752
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 310/54,55,58,59,64,159,168,171
• US Class Current: 310/54
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for cooling the heat-producing electrical windings of a dynamoelectric machine by spraying them directly with atomized coolant to deposit a coating of liquid coolant which flows over and away from them to carry away heat picked up from them by conduction. Hydraulically atomized particles are projected at low velocity to thoroughly wet or coat the structures to be cooled and to increase the heat transfer to the coolant. The spray nozzles are arranged and their outputs shielded to minimize any insulation erosion that might result from centrifugal motion of coolant and from the low velocity sprays.

Claims

2. The improved means of claim 1 in which said means for supplying liquid coolant under hydrostatic pressure to said atomizing devices directed at the stator comprises a supply passage in the housing extending to both stator end faces and connected to a source of liquid coolant under hydrostatic pressure, a circular distribution manifold mounted adjacent each annular end face of said stator for supporting said atomizing devices associated with the stator annular end fAces and supplying liquid coolant thereto, said manifolds each having an internal passage in communication with the housing supply passage and the atomizing devices mounted on the manifolds.

3. The improved means of claim 1 in which said means for supplying liquid coolant under hydrostatic pressure to said atomizing devices directed at the rotor comprises a supply passage extending axially through the shaft of the machine connected to a source of liquid coolant under hydrostatic pressure and a distribution manifold mounted on and encircling the shaft adjacent each annular end face of said rotor for supporting said atomizing devices and supplying liquid coolant thereto, said manifolds each having an internal passage in communication with the supply passage internal to the shaft and with the atomizing devices on the manifolds.

4. The improved means of claim 1 in which said means for supplying liquid coolant under hydrostatic pressure to said atomizing devices directed at the stator and rotor windings comprises a first supply passage in the housing extending to both stator end faces and to the center of one end of the machine, and distribution passages in communication with said housing supply passage and the atomizing devices directed at the stator, a second supply passage extending axially through the shaft of the machine, distribution passages in communication with said shaft supply passage and the atomizing devices supported on the shaft and directed at the rotor windings, and conduit means for connecting said housing and shaft supply passages to provide a continuous coolant supply path through the machine.

5. The improved means of claim 4 in which said conduit means connecting said housing and shaft supply passages comprises a transfer tube extending axially from and concentric with said shaft supply passage and beyond the end of said shaft into sealed connection with said housing supply passage, said tube having a journal seal with said shaft to permit relative rotation of said shaft with respect to said tube while conducting coolant, said journal seal having a predetermined clearance to provide a coolant-distributing passage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said atomizing devices mounted on said shaft for rotation with the rotor are directed radially below and circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the rotor with respect to the central portion of the structure and windings they are intended to spray.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the stator winding has end turns extending axially of the machine beyond and away from each annular end face and said atomizing devices associated with the stator are directed at the radially outer surfaces of the winding end turns for direct impingement thereon of the atomized spray of said atomizing devices, and together with substantially cylindrical coolant spray shields extending axially of the machine from each stator end face radially inside the adjacent end turns and terminating in an outwardly turned radial flange beyond the axial extent of the adjacent end turns for shielding the stator including its windings from direct impingement thereon of atomized spray from the rotor atomizing device and the rotor including its windings from direct impingement thereon of atomized spray from the stator atomizing devices and for collecting and pooling the coolant sprayed at the stator end turns about them.

8. In a dynamoelectric machine having a housing, a rotor with annular end faces and mounted on a shaft for rotation within said stator and including a core structure supporting heat-producing electrical windings having end turns adjacent the annular end faces, the improved means for removing heat from said windings and core structures during operation of the machine comprising a plurality of atomizing devices supported on the shaft of the machine adjacent to each annular end face of and for rotation with said rotor structure, said atomizing devices being adapted to atomize liqUid supplied to them under hydrostatic pressure and to project the atomized particles in a diverging spray pattern and in a direction generally toward the annular end faces of said rotor and the end turns of said rotor windings, and particularly radially below and circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the rotor with respect to the central portion of the structure and windings they are intended to spray, means for supplying liquid coolant to said atomizing devices under hydrostatic pressure, whereby atomized liquid coolant is continuously deposited on the electrical windings end turns providing a flowing coating of coolant over and off of them to pick up and carry away heat from them.

9. In a dynamoelectric machine having a housing, cylindrical stator with annular end faces and including a core structure supporting heat-producing electrical windings having end turns adjacent the annular end faces, the improved means for removing heat from said windings and core structures during operation of the machine comprising a circular array of atomizing devices supported adjacent to and associated in fixed relationship with each annular end face of said stator structure, said atomizing devices being adapted to atomize liquid supplied to them under hydrostatic pressure and to project the atomized particles in a diverging spray pattern and in a direction generally radially inwardly of the machine and at the end turns of said stator windings, a supply passage in the housing extending to both stator end faces, a circular distribution manifold mounted adjacent each annular end face of said stator for supporting said atomizing devices associated with the stator annular end faces and supplying liquid coolant thereto, said manifolds each having an internal passage in communication with the housing supply passage and the atomizing devices mounted on the manifolds, means for supplying liquid coolant under hydrostatic pressure to said housing supply passage, whereby atomized liquid coolant is continuously deposited on the electrical windings end turns providing a flowing coating of coolant over and off of them to pick up and carry away heat from them.

10. In a dynamoelectric machine having a housing, a shaft mounted for rotation therein and a rotating assembly of electrical conducting elements mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, the improved means for removing heat from the electrical elements of the assembly during operation of the machine comprising an annular channel having a radially inwardly facing open side mounted on said shaft for rotation with it and in which said electrical elements are circumferentially arranged and mounted, a coolant passage in said shaft having orifices for metering a flow of coolant under hydrostatic pressure from the shaft into said annular channel during rotation of the shaft and channel, and overflow openings in said channel to meter a flow of coolant out of said channel whereby said electrical elements are cooled in a centrifugally maintained reservoir of coolant having a flow of coolant therethrough.

11. The improved means of claim 10 in which said electrical conducting elements are rectifiers.

12. The improved means of claim 10 together with other electrical conducting elements and their supporting structures mounted for rotation with said annular channel and radially outwardly of the overflow openings in the channel whereby the overflow of the coolant from the channel provides a flowing coating of coolant directly of said other electrical conducting elements and their supporting structures.