Motor cooling system and method
AssigneeAurora Flight Sciences Corporation
InventorGarrett Steven Hennig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thrust assembly motor is described, which can be used in a distributed electric propulsion system. The thrust assembly motor may include a revolved-wedge shaped ring on a leading edge of a motor stator, with a row of axial stator blades extending therefrom. The revolved-wedge shaped ring provides a mounting surface for the axial stator blade row while also controlling the ratio of airflow mass entering the outer gap versus the inner gap. The axial stator blade row, mounted to the revolved-wedge shaped ring, is configured to convert tangential kinetic energy (i.e., associated with a velocity component of the airflow) in the cooling airflow aft of the cooling fan rotors into static pressure rise after interaction with the axial stator blade row, during flight of the hybrid-propulsion aircraft.
Claims18
A motor assembly comprising:
- a stator assembly;
- a rotor assembly operatively coupled with the stator assembly;
- and
- a plurality of axial stator blades extending from a first leading edge of the stator assembly, wherein:
- each axial stator blade of the plurality of axial stator blades has a generally curved shape as the stator blade extends from the first leading edge,
- the plurality of axial stator blades is configured to convert, during operation, tangential kinetic energy of an airflow from the rotor assembly to a static pressure rise, and
- a cross-section of the first leading edge of the stator assembly defines a wedge shape.
A method of forming an electric motor, the method comprising:
- providing a stator ring having a plurality of axial stator blades, wherein the stator ring is configured to couple with a stator assembly of the electric motor;
- mounting the stator ring to the stator assembly such that the plurality of axial stator blades is arranged on a leading edge of the stator assembly,
- wherein:
- each axial stator blade of the plurality of axial stator blades has a generally curved shape as the stator blade extends from the leading edge of the stator assembly,
- the plurality of axial stator blades is configured to convert, during operation, tangential kinetic energy of an airflow from a rotor assembly to a static pressure rise, and
- a cross-section of a leading edge of the stator ring defines a wedge shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.