Integrated electric motor and drive system with auxiliary cooling motor and asymmetric heat sink

• US 5,763,969 A
• Filed: 11/14/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Reliance Electric Industrial Company (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Budzynski, Richard J., Metheny, Larry J., Thompson, Anthony D., Sudhoff, Douglas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tamai, K. Imayoshi
• Application Number:
  US08/749,294
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 310/62, 310/63, 310/64, 310/52, 310/53, 310/58, 310/59, 310/89, 310/68, 361/688, 361/690, 361/695, 361/696, 361/697, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/121, 257/722
• US Class Current: 310/62
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/14 wherein gaseous cooling medium circulates between the machine casing and a surrounding mantle

Abstract

An integrated motor drive system includes a variable speed electric motor, a fan connected to the electric motor to generate an air flow as the motor rotates, and a motor drive connected to the electric motor, the drive including a heat sink disposed between the motor and the drive and having a plurality of asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins transferring heat generated by power components in the drive to the air flow. The fan is connected to a one of either the rotor of the variable speed motor or to an auxiliary fan motor controlled independently of the variable speed motor. A fan shroud on one end of the motor acts as an air duct member adapted for dividing and directing the flow of air from the fan to sets of heat transfer fins on the heat sink. A method of operating the drive integrated type motor system includes generating motor speed command signals in the drive based on inputs from an operator through an operator interaface unit on the drive. The interface includes a display area for indicating motor speed in units of % base speed or actual motor RPM.

Claims

1. A drive integrated type motor system comprising:

a substantially cylindrical electric motor including a rotor,

a fan connected to said rotor of the electric motor and generating an air flow;

a motor drive;

a heat sink having a first side adapted to mount to said motor drive and a second side including a first pair of cooling fins adapted to engage an outer surface of said substantially cylindrical electric motor and a plurality of asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins disposed on said second side of the heat sink between said first pair of cooling fins for transferring heat generated by said motor drive to said air flow;

a fan shroud connected to one end of the motor to direct all of said air flow from said fan toward said plurality of asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins, the fan shroud including a first baffle for dividing said air flow from said fan into a plurality of component air flows, a first component air flow among said plurality of component air flows being directed toward a first group of said asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins and a second component air flows among said plurality of component air flows being directed toward a second group of said asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins.

2. The drive integrated type motor system according to claim 1 wherein said fan shroud and said baffle are adapted to divide said air flow from said fan into a plurality of component air flows each having a respective air flow rate, said first component air flow among said plurality of component air flows having a first air flow rate and being directed toward a first group of said asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins arranged in a first concentration distribution on said motor drive and said second component air flow among said plurality of component air flows having a second air flow rate greater than said first air flow rate and being directed toward a second group of said asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins arranged in a second concentration distribution on said motor drive higher than said first concentration distribution.

3. The drive integrated type motor system according to claim 2 wherein

said fan is a bi-directional fan;

and,

said fan shroud and baffle are adapted to divide said air flow into said plurality of component air flows for a clockwise rotation direction of said bi-directional fan and for a counterclockwise rotation direction of said bi-directional fan.

4. The drive integrated type motor system according to claim 1 further comprising a second fan connected to a fan motor independent of said electric motor, the fan motor being connected to said fan shroud.

5. The drive integrated type motor system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first pair of cooling fins extend perpendicularly from the second side of the heat sink by a first distance; and

,

said plurality of asymmetrically spaced apart heat transfer fins each respectively extend perpendicularly from the second side of the heat sink by a distance less than said first distance.