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Liquid cooled rotor assembly

  • US 7,579,725 B2
  • Filed: 12/20/2008
  • Issued: 08/25/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of cooling an electric motor in an electric vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

  • rotating a rotor shaft of the electric motor at a shaft rotation rate, said rotor shaft comprised of an open end located at a first end of said rotor shaft and along a rotor shaft centerline defined by a long axis of said rotor shaft, a closed end located at a second end of said rotor shaft and along said rotor shaft centerline, and a hollow portion between said open end and said closed end and located coaxially along said rotor shaft centerline;

    rotating a coolant feed tube extending through said open end of said rotor shaft and positioned within said hollow portion of said rotor shaft at a tube rotation rate, wherein said tube rotation rate is equivalent to said shaft rotation rate, wherein said coolant feed tube is rigidly coupled to said rotor shaft, and wherein said coolant feed tube is comprised of a coolant inlet located at a first end of said coolant feed tube and along a coolant feed tube centerline defined by a long axis of said coolant feed tube, a coolant outlet located at a second end of said coolant feed tube and along said coolant feed tube centerline, and a hollow portion therebetween defining a first coolant flow path, wherein said coolant outlet of said coolant feed tube is proximate to and spaced apart from said closed end of said rotor shaft, wherein a separation between an outer, lengthwise surface of said coolant feed tube and an inner, lengthwise surface of said hollow portion of said rotor shaft defines a second coolant flow path; and

    pumping a coolant through said coolant inlet, through said first coolant flow path, out of said coolant outlet, through said second coolant flow path, and through said open end of said rotor shaft.

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