Cooling device for an electric drive train component, electric drive train assembly, method for operating a cooling device, method for cooling an electric drive train component, and vehicle

An electric drive train assembly comprising:

• a cooling device for an electric drive train component, wherein the cooling device comprises:
• a coolant inlet port configured to receive a gaseous form of a coolant from the electric drive train component,
• a coolant outlet port configured to deliver a liquid form of the coolant to the electric drive train component,
• a heat exchanger configured to extract heat from the gaseous form of the coolant such that the gaseous form of the coolant is at least partially transformed into the liquid form of the coolant, wherein the heat exchanger is fluidically connected to the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port such that the heat exchanger is arranged between the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port along a coolant flow direction, and
• a coolant collection channel fluidically connected to the heat exchanger and the coolant outlet port such that the coolant collection channel is arranged between the heat exchanger and the coolant outlet port along the coolant flow direction,
• wherein a bottom end of the coolant collection channel arranged adjacent to the coolant outlet port is located on a lower vertical level than the heat exchanger in an operational position of the cooling device,
• wherein a top end of the coolant collection channel is arranged below the heat exchanger in the operational position of the cooling device, and
• wherein a cross section of the coolant collection channel decreases continuously along the coolant flow direction from the top end of the coolant collection channel to the bottom end of the coolant collection channel;
• and
• an electric machine, wherein the electric machine comprises:
• a coolant circulation channel system fluidically connected to the coolant inlet port and to the coolant outlet port of the cooling device.

A method for operating a cooling device for an electric drive train component, comprising:

• receiving a gaseous form of a coolant from the electric drive train component;
• transforming at least a portion of the gaseous form of the coolant into a liquid form of the coolant;
• and
• collecting the liquid form of the coolant in a coolant collection channel having a bottom end being arranged adjacent to a coolant outlet port which is located on a lower vertical level than a heat exchanger and providing the liquid form of the coolant to the electric drive train component,
• wherein a top end of the coolant collection channel is arranged below the heat exchanger in an operational position of the cooling device, and
• wherein a cross section of the coolant collection channel decreases continuously along a coolant flow direction from the top end of the coolant collection channel to the bottom end of the coolant collection channel.

A method for cooling an electric drive train component, comprising:

• transforming at least a portion of a liquid form of a coolant into a gaseous form of the coolant by absorbing heat from the electric drive train component;
• providing the gaseous form of the coolant to a cooling device;
• receiving the gaseous form of the coolant from the electric drive train component;
• transforming at least a portion of the gaseous form of the coolant into the liquid form of the coolant;
• collecting the liquid form of the coolant in a coolant collection channel having a bottom end being arranged adjacent to a coolant outlet port which is located on a lower vertical level than a heat exchanger and providing the liquid form of the coolant to the electric drive train component,
• wherein a top end of the coolant collection channel is arranged below the heat exchanger in an operational position of the cooling device, and
• wherein a cross section of the coolant collection channel decreases continuously along a coolant flow direction from the top end of the coolant collection channel to the bottom end of the coolant collection channel;
• and
• receiving the liquid form of the coolant from the cooling device.