Integrated cooling system

• US 7,258,083 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Lindsey, Robert Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali; Hyder
• Application Number:
  US11/214,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20070044737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.44, 123/41.08, 123/198.C, 123/41.1, 123/41.29, 123/41.28, 417/410.1, 417/423.15, 417/321, 417/352, 417/360
• US Class Current: 123/41.08
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/125 Driving auxiliary pumps electrically
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/00 Fail safe
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/20 Warning devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/36 Failure of coolant pump
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/14 Safety means against, or active at, failure of coolant-pumps drives, e.g. shutting engine down; Means for indicating functioning of coolant pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/586 specially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/588 cooling or heating the machine F04D29/5886, F04D29/5893 take precedence

Abstract

An integrated cooling system includes a housing and a pumping device disposed within the housing, configured to pressurize a fluid. The cooling system also includes a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pumping device. The cooling system further includes a first cooling circuit configured to receive the pressurized fluid and circulate the pressurized fluid through at least one component external to the housing. The cooling system also includes a second cooling circuit in fluid communication with the first cooling circuit, and configured to direct at least a portion of the pressurized fluid through the motor.

Claims

1. An integrated cooling system, comprising:

a housing;

a pumping device disposed within the housing and configured to pressurize a fluid;

a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pumping device, wherein the motor comprises one or more conduits disposed substantially among field windings of the motor;

a first cooling circuit configured to;

receive the pressurized fluid; and

circulate the pressurized fluid through at least one component external to the housing; and

a second cooling circuit, in fluid communication with the first cooling circuit, and configured to direct at least a portion of the pressurized fluid through the conduit, wherein the second cooling circuit includes a valve that is disposed substantially within the housing and configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid through the motor.

2. An integrated cooling system, comprising:

a housing;

a pumping device disposed within the housing and configured to pressurize a fluid;

a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pumping device, wherein the motor comprises a hollow passage through a portion of one or more of a stator and a rotor of the motor, for providing a fluid flow passage therethrough;

a first cooling circuit configured to;

receive the pressurized fluid; and

circulate the pressurized fluid through at least one component external to the housing; and

a second cooling circuit, in fluid communication with the first cooling circuit, and configured to direct at least a portion of the pressurized fluid through the hollow passage, wherein the second cooling circuit includes a valve that is disposed substantially within the housing and configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid through the motor.

3. The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the fluid includes a cooling medium adapted to extract heat.

4. The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the second cooling circuit is further configured to:

draw the pressurized fluid from downstream of the pumping device; and

deposit the pressurized fluid upstream of the pumping device.

5. The cooling system of claim 2, further including a controller disposed within the housing and communicatively coupled to the motor, the controller configured to monitor at least one operational aspect associated with the first or second cooling circuit.

6. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate operation of the motor based on the at least one operational aspect.

7. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid based on the at least one monitored operational aspect.

8. The cooling system of claim 5, further including a heat conducting element in fluid communication with the second cooling circuit, the heat conducting element configured to transfer heat from at least one of the motor and the controller.

9. The cooling system of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the controller is attached to the heat conducting element.

10. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a temperature associated with at least part of the motor.

11. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a flow associated with the first or second cooling circuit.

12. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a pressure associated with the first or second cooling circuit.

13. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the at least one operation aspect includes a bearing noise associated with at least part of the motor.

14. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the controller further includes a temperature sensitive element operatively coupled to the motor and configured to monitor the temperature.

15. A method for operating a cooling system having a housing, a pumping device disposed within the housing and configured to pressurize a fluid, a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pumping device, wherein the motor comprises a hollow passage through a portion of one or more of a stator and a rotor of the motor, for providing a fluid flow passage therethrough, the method comprising:

operating the motor to pump a fluid through a first cooling circuit;

monitoring at least one operational aspect of the motor; and

directing at least a portion of the circulated fluid through a second cooling circuit in fluid communication with the first cooling circuit, the second fluid circuit configured to direct at least a portion of the pressurized fluid through the hollow passage, wherein the second cooling circuit includes a valve that is disposed substantially within the housing and configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid through the motor based on the at least one operational aspect of the motor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring includes sensing a temperature associated with at least part of the motor and comparing the sensed temperature to a threshold limit.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein directing includes operating the valve associated with the second cooling circuit to change a flow rate of the fluid.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a temperature associated with at least part of the motor.

19. A power system, comprising:

a power source configured to generate a power output;

a housing;

a pump disposed within the housing and configured to;

pressurize a fluid; and

direct the pressurized fluid within the housing through the power source via a first cooling circuit to cool the power source;

a heat exchanger, in fluid communication with the first cooling circuit, configured to remove heat from the pressurized fluid;

a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pump, wherein the motor comprises a hollow passage through a portion of one or more of a stator and a rotor of the motor, for providing a fluid flow passage therethrough;

a controller disposed within the housing, in communication with the motor, and configured to;

monitor at least one operational aspect of a cooling system associated with the power system; and

regulate operation of the motor based on the at least one operational aspect; and

a second cooling circuit, in fluid communication with the first cooling circuit, and configured to direct at least a portion of the pressurized fluid from the first cooling circuit through the hollow passage, wherein the second cooling circuit includes a valve that is disposed substantially within the housing and configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid through the motor.

20. The power system of claim 19, wherein the second cooling circuit is further configured to:

draw the pressurized fluid from downstream of the pumping device; and

deposit the pressurized fluid upstream of the pump.

21. The power system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to control the flow rate of the pressurized fluid based on the at least one monitored operational aspect.

22. The power system of claim 19, further including a heat conducting element in fluid communication with the second cooling circuit, the heat conducting element configured to transfer heat from at least one of the motor and the controller.

23. The power system of claim 19, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a temperature associated with at least part of the motor.

24. The power system of claim 19, wherein the controller further includes a temperature sensitive element operatively coupled to the motor and configured to monitor a temperature associated with at least part of the motor.

25. An integrated cooling system, comprising:

a housing;

a pumping device disposed within the housing and configured to pressurize a fluid;

a motor disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the pumping device, wherein the motor comprises a hollow passage through a portion of one or more of a stator and a rotor of the motor, for providing a fluid flow passage therethrough; and

a valve disposed substantially within the housing and configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid through the hollow passage.

26. The cooling system of claim 25, further including a controller disposed within the housing and communicatively coupled to the motor, the controller configured to monitor at least one operational aspect associated with the first or second cooling circuit.

27. The cooling system of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate operation of one or more of the motor or the valve based on the at least one operational aspect.

28. The cooling system of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to control a flow rate of the pressurized fluid based on the at least one operational aspect.

29. The cooling system of claim 26, further including a heat conducting element in fluid communication with the second cooling circuit, the heat conducting element configured to transfer heat from at least one of the motor and the controller.

30. The cooling system of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the controller is attached to the heat conducting element.

31. The cooling system of claim 26, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a temperature associated with at least part of the motor.

32. The cooling system of claim 26, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a flow associated with the first or second cooling circuit.

33. The cooling system of claim 26, wherein the at least one operational aspect includes a pressure associated with the first or second cooling circuit.

34. The cooling system of claim 26, wherein the at least one operation aspect includes a bearing noise associated with at least part of the motor.

35. The cooling system of claim 34, wherein the controller further includes a temperature sensitive element operatively coupled to the motor and configured to monitor the temperature.