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US 11,108,286 B2Granted
Electrical machine having cooling features formed in a stator winding
AssigneeTrane International Inc.
InventorFredrik Boxberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical machine has passages in the coil ends of a stator. The passages have an inlet port and an exit port disposed at different locations. The passages remove heat from the electrical machine during operation. The passages formed in the coil ends can receive a cooling fluid discharged from cooling passages formed in a stator core. Tooling can be used to form the passages. In some embodiments passages are also formed in the rotor. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for electrical machines and the cooling of electrical machine rotors and/or stators.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- a stator core structured for assembly into an electric machine and having a plurality of inward projecting teeth between which are formed a plurality of winding slots;
- a cooling fluid passage extending through the stator core, the cooling fluid passage extending from a first axial end of the stator core to a second axial end of the stator core opposite the first axial end, the cooling fluid passage having a first cooling fluid port at the first axial end of the stator core and a second cooling fluid port at the second axial end of the stator core, the first cooling fluid port configured to discharge a cooling fluid therethrough and the second cooling fluid port configured to receive an incoming flow of cooling fluid;
- a plurality of stator windings that each includes a plurality of loops of a conductor, each of the plurality of stator windings including opposing segments structured for insertion into the plurality of winding slots as well as a first end coil positioned at the first axial end of the stator core and having a first end turn segment, and a second end coil positioned at the second axial end of the stator core and having a second end turn segment;
- and
- a cooling fluid flow path defined through an interior passage of the first end coil, through the cooling fluid passage, and through an interior passage of the second end coil, the cooling fluid flow path starting from the interior passage of the second end coil, to the second cooling fluid port of the stator, through the cooling fluid passage of the stator core, to the first cooling fluid port of the stator, and through the interior passage of the first end coil.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an electrical machine stator including a stator core and a plurality of winding end turns, the stator core including a cooling fluid passage extending therethrough from a first axial end of the stator core to a second axial end of the stator core, the cooling fluid passage having a first cooling fluid port structured to discharge a cooling fluid from the first axial end of the stator core, the plurality of winding end turns including a first plurality of winding end turns at the first axial end of the stator core, the first plurality of winding end turns having a first cooling passage therethrough that extends from a first side of the first plurality of winding end turns to a second side of the first plurality of winding end turns opposite the first side of the first plurality of winding end turns, the plurality of winding end turns also including a second plurality of winding end turns at the second axial end of the stator core, the second plurality of winding end turns having a second cooling passage therethrough that extends from a first side of the second plurality of winding end turns to a second side of the second plurality of winding end turns opposite the first side of the second plurality of winding end turns, the first cooling passage and the second cooling passage structured to pass a cooling fluid when the electrical machine stator is incorporated into electrical machine and the electrical machine is in an operating condition, the first cooling passage and the second cooling passage defined by a plastic deformation of winding conductor segments, the first cooling passage having a line of sight from the first side of the first plurality of winding end turns to the second side of the first plurality of winding end turns, the second cooling passage having a line of sight from the first side of the second plurality of winding end turns to the second side of the second plurality of winding end turns, wherein an integrated cooling fluid flow path is formed through an interior passage of the first plurality of winding end turns, through the cooling fluid passage of the stator core, and through an interior passage of the second plurality of winding end turns, the integrated cooling fluid flow path starting from the interior passage of the first plurality of winding end turns, to the cooling fluid passage, and through the interior passage of the second plurality of winding end turns.
A method comprising:
- during manufacture of an electrical machine stator, locating a plurality of stator windings in proximity to a plurality of winding slots of a stator core such that a first end turn is formed at a first axial end of the stator core and a second end turn is formed at a second axial end of the stator core, the stator core having a cooling fluid passage that extends from the first axial end to the second axial end;
- positioning a first assembly tool between conductor segments of the first end turn and a second assembly tool between conductor segments of the second end turn;
- aligning the first assembly tool with the cooling fluid passage and aligning the second assembly tool with the cooling fluid passage;
- plastically deforming the conductor segments of the first end turn against the first assembly tool and conductor segments of the second end turn against the second assembly tool;
- and
- forming a first cooling passage through the first end turn and a first cooling passage through the first end turn as a result of the plastically deforming, the first cooling passage in fluid communication with the second cooling passage.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.