Electric Machine Cooling System and Method

An electric machine module comprising:

• a housing including a sleeve member coupled to at least one end cap,
• an inner wall of the housing at least partially defining a machine cavity,
• at least a portion of the inner wall configured and arranged to define at least a portion of a coolant sump, the coolant sump configured and arranged to contain at least a portion of a second coolant
• at least one coolant channel positioned between the inner wall and an outer wall of the housing, the at least one coolant channel in fluid communication with the coolant sump via a coolant inlet, and
• at least one coolant aperture positioned through a portion of the inner wall so that the at least one coolant channel is in fluid communication with the machine cavity;
• an electric machine positioned in the machine cavity and at least partially enclosed by the housing, the electric machine including a stator assembly including stator end turns and a rotor assembly;
• an outer member coupled to at least a portion of the housing;
• and
• a coolant jacket defined between at least a portion of an inner perimeter of the outer member and an outer perimeter of the sleeve member, the coolant jacket configured and arranged to contain a portion of a first coolant, and the coolant jacket circumscribing at least a portion of the stator assembly,
• wherein at least a portion of the coolant sump is in thermal communication with at least a portion of the coolant jacket.

A method of cooling an electric machine module, the method comprising:

• providing a housing including a sleeve member coupled to at least one end cap, an inner wall of the housing at least partially defining a machine cavity,
• providing at least one coolant sump within the housing, at least a portion of the inner wall configured and arranged to define at least a portion of the coolant sump;
• positioning at least one coolant channel between the inner wall and an outer wall of the housing so that the at least one coolant channel in fluid communication with the coolant sump;
• positioning an electric machine in the machine cavity, the electric machine including a stator assembly including stator end turns and a rotor assembly;
• and
• providing a coolant jacket at least partially defined by the housing, the coolant jacket positioned so that it at least partially circumscribes at least a portion of the stator assembly and so that at least a portion of the coolant jacket is in thermal communication with at least a portion of the coolant sump.