Electrical winding topologies and methods of making the same

• US 10,855,144 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2018
• Issued: 12/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bodla, Karthik Kumar, Salamah, Samir Armando
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Quyen P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Alexander A
• Application Number:
  US15/943,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20190305646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 310 52, 310 54, 310 55, 310 56, 310 57, 310 58, 310 59, 310 60 R, 310 61, 310 62, 310 63, 310 60 A, 310 64
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/043 forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/20 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2209/00 Specific aspects not provided for in the other groups of this subclass relating to systems for cooling or ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/12 arranged in slots
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/24 with channels or ducts for cooling medium between the conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/00 Arrangements for cooling or ventilating channels or ducts in parts of the magnetic circuit H02K1/20, H02K1/32; channels or ducts in or between conductors H02K3/22, H02K3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/225 Heat pipes

Abstract

An electrical winding topology having a core and a plurality of windings is provided. The plurality of windings is operatively coupled to the core, where at least one of the plurality of windings includes an evaporator section and a condenser section. Further, at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of windings includes heat pipes.

Claims

1. An electrical winding topology, comprising:

a core; and

a plurality of windings operatively coupled to the core, wherein at least one winding of the plurality of windings comprises an evaporator section and a condenser section, and wherein at least a portion of one or more windings of the plurality of windings comprises a composite closed loop structure comprising;

a first heat pipe comprising a first end and a second end;

a second heat pipe comprising a first end and a second end;

a first thermally conductive connecting element electrically connected to and coupled between the first heat pipe first end and the second heat pipe first end, wherein the first and second heat pipes do not extend through the first thermally conductive connecting element; and

a second thermally conductive connecting element electrically connected to and coupled between the first heat pipe second end and the second heat pipe second end, wherein the first and second heat pipes do not extend through the second thermally conductive connecting element.

2. The electrical winding topology of claim 1, wherein the plurality of windings form closed loop structures.

3. The electrical winding topology of claim 1, wherein the evaporator section of the at least one winding is disposed in the core, and wherein the condenser section of the at least one winding is disposed outside the core, or vice versa.

4. The electrical winding topology of claim 1, wherein the one or more windings comprise one or more local heat transfer enhancement features operatively coupled to the one or more windings, and wherein the local heat transfer enhancement features are configured to enhance heat transfer efficiency of the one or more windings.

5. The electrical winding topology of claim 4, wherein the local heat transfer enhancement features comprise turbulators, and wherein the turbulators are disposed in the evaporator section, the condenser section, or both, of the one or more of the plurality of windings.

6. The electrical winding topology of claim 5, wherein the turbulators comprise indentations, protrusions, ribs, channels, discontinuities, or combinations thereof.

7. The electrical winding topology of claim 1, wherein the one or more windings are configured to be coupled to an external cooling arrangement, and wherein the external cooling arrangement comprises a heat sink, a cooling medium, a cooling jacket, or combinations thereof.

8. The electrical winding topology of claim 7, wherein the heat sink comprises one or more fins, wings, winglets, flaps, stubs, plates, rods, or combinations thereof.

9. The electrical winding topology of claim 1, wherein the core is a stator core or a rotor core.

10. A thermal management system, comprising:

an electrical winding topology, comprising

a core;

a plurality of windings operatively coupled to the core, wherein at least one winding of the plurality of windings comprises an evaporator section and a condenser section, and wherein at least a portion of one or more windings of the plurality of windings comprises a composite closed loop structure comprising;

a first heat pipe comprising a first end and a second end;

a second heat pipe comprising a first end and a second end;

a first thermally conductive connecting element electrically connected to and coupled between the first heat pipe first end and the second heat pipe first end, wherein the first and second heat pipes do not extend through the first thermally conductive connecting element; and

a second thermally conductive connecting element electrically connected to and coupled between the first heat pipe second end and the second heat pipe second end, wherein the first and second heat pipes do not extend through the second thermally conductive connecting element; and

an external cooling arrangement operatively coupled to the one or more windings to transfer heat away from the one or more windings.

11. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the evaporator section of the at least one winding is disposed in the core, and wherein the condenser section of the at least one winding is disposed outside the core.

12. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the one or more windings are configured to be coupled to an electrical component.

13. The thermal management system of claim 12, wherein condenser sections of the one or more windings are operatively coupled to the external cooling arrangement.

14. The thermal management system of claim 12, wherein the external cooling arrangement comprises a heat sink, and wherein the heat sink comprises one or more fins, wings, winglets, flaps, stubs, plates, rods, or combinations thereof.

15. The thermal management system of claim 12, wherein the core is a stator core or a rotor core.

16. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the heat pipes form linear sections of the one or more windings, and wherein the thermally conductive connecting elements form curved sections of the one or more windings.

17. An electrical winding topology, comprising:

a core; and

a plurality of windings operatively coupled to the core, wherein at least one winding of the plurality of windings comprises an evaporator section and a condenser section, and wherein one or more windings of the plurality of windings comprise a composite closed loop structure comprising;

a first heat pipe comprising a first end and a second end;

a second heat pipe comprising a first end and a second end;

a first thermally conductive connecting element electrically connected to and coupled between the first heat pipe first end and the second heat pipe first end, wherein the first and second heat pipes do not extend through the first thermally conductive connecting element; and

a second thermally conductive connecting element electrically connected to and coupled between the first heat pipe second end and the second heat pipe second end, wherein the first and second heat pipes do not extend through the second thermally conductive connecting element.

18. The electrical winding topology of claim 17, wherein the heat pipes form linear sections of the one or more windings, and wherein the thermally conductive connecting elements form curved sections of the one or more windings.

19. The electrical winding topology of claim 17, wherein the heat pipes and the thermally conductive connecting elements of the one or more windings are electrically connected using an electrically conductive solder.

20. The electrical winding topology of claim 17, wherein the heat pipes form curved sections of the one or more windings, and wherein the thermally conductive connecting elements form linear sections of the one or more windings.