Laminated rotor for a dynamoelectric machine with coolant passageways therein

• US 4,365,178 A
• Filed: 06/08/1981
• Issued: 12/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lenz, Henry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skudy, R.
• Application Number:
  US06/271,443
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 310/52, 310/55-65, 310/216, 310/217, 310/261, 310/264, 310/265
• US Class Current: 310/61
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/32 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium

Abstract

A laminated rotor for a dynamoelectric machine characterized by requiring and incorporating only two differently configured sets of rotor laminations to afford axial and radial coolant passageways through the rotor. Each lamination in the respective sets is provided with punched apertures that form, respectively, conductor slots arcuately spaced around its periphery, and is further provided with a plurality of axial coolant passageways near its inner diameter. Each lamination in one of the sets of laminations also includes a plurality of arcuately spaced radial ducts, each disposed between a respective pair of conductor slots. The axial coolant passageways in one set of laminations are arranged to overlap a predetermined portion of the inner ends of the radial ducts in the other set of laminations to enable cooling air to be forced through the axial coolant passageways into the radial ducts and then into the air gap of the machine when the sets of laminations are stacked to form a rotor that is then mounted in operating position, relative to an associated stator.

Claims

1. A laminated rotor assembly for a dynamo-electric machine having cast axial conductors and radial ventilating ducts extending between said conductors at axially spaced intervals, characterized

(a) a plurality of substantially flat, annular main rotor laminae each formed with apertures therein to define, respectively, a plurality of conductor slots arcuately spaced adjacent to the periphery of the laminae and a plurality of axial coolant passageways arcuately spaced between the inner ends of said conductor slots and the inner diameter of the laminae,

(b) a plurality of substantially flat, annular radial duct laminae each provided with apertures that define, respectively, a plurality of conductor slots arcuately spaced adjacent to the periphery of the laminae, a plurality of axial coolant passageways arcuately spaced between the inner ends of the conductor slots and the inner diameter of the laminae, and a plurality of radial coolant duct slots each extending from the periphery of the laminae to points between the inner ends of the respective adjacent conductor slots and the maximum outer extent of the respective adjacent axial coolant passageways, said points being radially positioned between said outer extent of said axial coolant passageways and the outer extent of other axial coolant apertures in adjacent main rotor laminae thereby to place the inner ends of a majority of the radial duct slots in overlapping relationship with respective juxtaposed axial coolant passageways in adjacent main rotor laminae,

(c) said pluralities of main rotor laminae and radial duct laminae being aligned with each other to place their respective conductor slots in alignment, and a plurality of cast electrical conductors being positioned, respectively, in each of said conductor slots and joined together at the opposite ends thereof, respectively, by a pair of cast annuli integral with said conductors, said cast conductors and annuli being effective to hold the laminated rotor assembly together.

2. An invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein all of said laminae are compressed together sufficiently to prevent molten metal from flowing between them from the conductor slots into the coolant ducts and passageways when said conductors are cast.

3. An invention as defined in claim 2 in combination with a steel shaft interference-fitted within the inner diameter of all of the annular laminae to support them for rotation on said shaft.

4. A rotor laminae assembly for a dynamo-electric machine having cast axial conductors and radial ventilation ducts extending between said conductors at axially spaced intervals, wherein the improvement consisting of:

(a) a plurality of main rotor laminae having arcuately spaced conductor slots and axial coolant passageways,

(b) a plurality of radial duct laminae each having arcuately spaced conductor slots, axial coolant passageways, and radial coolant duct slots, each of said coolant duct slots being flared outward at both the leading and trailing edges of the outer end thereof,

(c) the inner ends of a majority of said radial coolant ducts being positioned in overlapping relationship with selected portions of the axial coolant passageways through adjacent main rotor laminae, thereby to enable coolant to move from the axial passageways into said radial ducts,

(d) the conductor slots and axial coolant passageways in all of said laminae being in substantial alignment with like slots and passageways in adjacent laminae, and a plurality of cast conductors being disposed, respectively, in each of said conductor slots to hold the assembly together.