Electric machine cooling of stator end windings

A method of making an electric machine, the method comprising:

• winding a plurality of layers of electrically conductive stator windings about a stator core, the stator core defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the stator comprises:
• a plurality of stator end windings extending from the stator core along the longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of stator end windings comprises a plurality of radial layers of end windings;
• a baffle configured to separate a first volume of the stator including the plurality of stator end windings from a second volume of the stator extending longitudinally away from the baffle and the plurality of stator end windings and the stator core, and wherein:
• the baffle comprises a plurality of baffle apertures configured to allow a cooling fluid to flow between the first volume and the second volume;
• and
• each baffle aperture of the plurality of baffle apertures is radially aligned with each radial layer of end windings;
• and
• positioning a spacer between adjacent end windings of the plurality of end windings, wherein the spacer defines a radial gap distance between the adjacent end windings, and wherein the radial gap is configured to allow the cooling fluid to flow within the radial gap and in contact with the adjacent stator end windings.

A stator comprising:

• a stator core defining a longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of stator end windings extending from the stator core along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a baffle configured to separate a first volume of the stator including the plurality of stator end windings from a second volume of the stator extending longitudinally away from the baffle and the plurality of stator end windings and the stator core, and wherein:
• the baffle comprises a plurality of baffle apertures configured to allow a cooling fluid to flow between the first volume and the second volume,
• adjacent end windings of the plurality of stator end windings define a radial gap,
• the plurality of stator end windings comprises a plurality of radial layers of end windings,
• each baffle aperture of the plurality of baffle apertures is radially aligned with each radial layer of end windings,
• the radial gap comprises a plurality of radial gaps defined by adjacent radial layers of the plurality of radial layers of end windings, and
• the radial gap is configured to allow the cooling fluid to flow within the radial gap and in contact with the adjacent stator end windings.