ROTOR WITH COOLING MANIFOLDS

• US 20150162804A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tolpadi, Anil Kumar, Kaminski, Christopher Anthony, Ledezma, Gustavo Adolfo, Robin, Rebinth Jose
• Granted Patent: US 9,548,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/32 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/24 with channels or ducts for cooling medium between the conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/34 between conductors or between conductor and core, e.g. slot insulation
• 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

Abstract

A rotor is disclosed, which includes a plurality of axially extending slots disposed about the rotor; a plurality of conductors radially stacked within each of the axial slots; and an axially extending subslot at a radially inward end of each of the slots. In each slot, a cooling path is provided, extending radially outward from the subslot. The cooling path includes at least one manifold, each manifold including at least one ingress passage, at least one egress passage axially distanced from the ingress passage, and a plurality of axially extending passages in fluid connection at a first end with one of the at least one ingress passages, and at a second end with one of the at least one egress passages. Each of the plurality of axially extending passages is disposed at a different radial depth in the slot from each other axially extending passage.

Claims

1. A rotor comprising:

a plurality of axially extending slots disposed about a body of the rotor;

a plurality of conductors radially stacked within each of the axial slots;

an axially extending subslot disposed at a radially inward end of each of the slots;

in each slot, a cooling path extending radially outward from the subslot, the cooling path comprising at least one manifold, wherein each manifold includes;

at least one ingress passage extending outwardly in a substantially radial direction from the subslot at a first axial position along the slot, wherein the at least one ingress passage extends to a partial radial depth of the slot,

at least one egress passage extending outwardly in a substantially radial direction from a partial radial depth of the slot to the radially outer surface of the rotor, the at least one egress passage being disposed at a second axial position along the slot, axially distanced from the first axial position, and

a plurality of axially extending passages in fluid connection at a first end with one of the at least one ingress passages, and at a second end with one of the at least one egress passages, wherein each of the plurality of axially extending passages is disposed at a different radial depth in the slot from each other axially extending passage.

2. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the at least one ingress passage, and the at least one egress passage are substantially parallel to one another, and extend radially outwardly at an angle that is not perpendicular to the subslot.

3. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the at least one manifold in each slot further comprises a plurality of manifolds,

wherein the plurality of manifolds are nested such that each ingress passage is axially distanced from each other ingress passage, and each egress passage is axially distanced from each other egress passage, and

wherein each of the plurality of axially extending passages in each manifold have substantially the same axial length.

4. The rotor of claim 3, wherein a total number of axially extending passages in the plurality of nested manifolds is equal to a number of conductors stacked within the slot.

5. The rotor of claim 3, wherein the rotor is divided into sections along an axial length thereof, each section including a nest of manifolds, wherein each section is approximately the same length as the nest of manifolds disposed therein.

6. The rotor of claim 5, wherein the sections and the nested manifolds are axially shorter near the ends of the rotor relative to the sections and the nested manifolds in the center of the rotor.

7. The rotor of claim 1, wherein each axially extending passage has an independently selected cross sectional area.

8. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of axially extending passages are in fluid connection with one ingress passage.

9. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of axially extending passages are in fluid connection with one egress passage.

10. The rotor of claim 1, further comprising insulation disposed between each of the conductors;

wherein each of the ingress passage and the egress passage comprise holes punched in the conductors and the insulation disposed between the conductors.

11. The rotor of claim 10, wherein the holes in the insulation are substantially round, and substantially centered at a mid-plane of the slot.

12. The rotor of claim 11, wherein the holes in the conductors are elongated, and wherein, relative to an axial position of the holes in the insulation, the elongated holes in the conductors extend in alternating axial directions from the axial position of the holes in the insulation.

13. The rotor of claim 12, wherein each of the axially extending passages further comprise a serpentine passage including elongated holes in adjacent stacked conductors, wherein the elongated holes in adjacent stacked conductors are axially staggered such that the elongated holes in adjacent stacked conductors axially overlap at each end,

wherein the elongated holes in adjacent stacked conductors are fluidly connected to one another by a hole in the interposed insulation that is aligned with the axial overlap of the elongated holes.

14. The rotor of claim 13, wherein the elongated holes in adjacent stacked conductors are positioned such that in alternating conductors, the elongated holes are positioned at a leading edge and a trailing edge of the slot, respectively, such that the serpentine passageway provides a helical fluid flow path.

15. The rotor of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of axially extending passages has a cross sectional area, and wherein the cross sectional area of the axially extending passage at a smallest radial depth relative to the exterior surface of the rotor is greater than the cross sectional area of the axially extending passage at a greater radial depth relative to the exterior surface of the rotor.

16. The rotor of claim 13, wherein each elongated hole includes a breakout opening for directing flow into a downstream elongated hole in the serpentine passage.

17. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the at least one manifold further comprises a first manifold and a second manifold that is laterally displaced from, and axially aligned with, the first manifold, wherein the second manifold provides a fluid flow path in an axial direction that is opposite of a fluid flow path provided by the first manifold.

18. A rotor comprising:

a plurality of axially extending slots disposed about a body of the rotor;

a plurality of conductors radially stacked within each of the axial slots;

an axially extending subslot disposed at a radially inward end of each of the slots;

in each slot, a cooling path extending radially outward from the subslot through the plurality of conductors, the cooling path comprising a plurality of nested manifolds, wherein each manifold in a nest of manifolds includes;

an ingress passage extending radially outwardly from the subslot at a first axial position along the slot, wherein the ingress passage extends to a partial radial depth of the slot,

an egress passage extending radially outwardly from a partial radial depth of the slot to the radially outer surface of the rotor, the egress passage being disposed at a second axial position along the slot, axially distanced from the first axial position, and

a plurality of axially extending passages in fluid connection at a first end with the ingress passage, and at a second end with the egress passage, wherein each of the plurality of axially extending passages is disposed at a different radial depth in the slot from each other axially extending passage,

wherein a total number of axially extending passages in the plurality of nested manifolds is equal to a number of conductors stacked within the slot.

19. The rotor of claim 18, further comprising two nests of manifolds,

wherein the a first nest of manifolds is laterally displaced from, and axially aligned with, a second nest of manifolds,

wherein the second nest of manifold provides a fluid flow path in an axial direction that is opposite of a fluid flow path provided by the first manifold.

20. The rotor of claim 18, further comprising:

insulation disposed between each of the conductors,

wherein each of the ingress passage and the egress passage comprise;

substantially round holes punched in the insulation, and

elongated holes punched in the conductors, wherein, relative to an axial position of the substantially round holes in the insulation, the elongated holes in the conductors extend in alternating axial directions from the axial position of the holes in the insulation.