Cooling a stator of an axial flux induction machine

An axial flux induction machine, comprising:

• a housing comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
• a shaft rotatably coupled with the housing;
• a first axial flux stator coupled with and disposed within the housing;
• a second axial flux stator coupled with and disposed within the housing;
• and
• an axial flux rotor disposed within the housing and residing between the first and second axial flux stators, the axial flux rotor coupled with the shaft and rotatable with respect to the first and second axial flux stators;
• wherein each of the first and second axial flux stators comprises:
• a stator core comprising a plurality of stator teeth and a plurality of slots defined between each pair of consecutive teeth of the plurality of stator teeth,
• a plurality of slot seals each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of slots to enclose each slot such that each slot comprises a fluid conduit extending from a fluid ingress of the slot to a fluid egress of the slot, the fluid ingress fluidly coupled with the fluid inlet of the housing and the fluid egress fluidly coupled with the fluid outlet of the housing, and
• a coil winding disposed within the plurality of slots and around the plurality of stator teeth such that a portion of the coil winding resides within the respective fluid conduits of the plurality of slots;
• wherein each of the first and second axial flux stators defines a cooling fluid flow path extending from the fluid inlet, through the respective fluid conduits, and to the fluid outlet to direct a cooling fluid through the cooling fluid flow path, the coil winding arranged to allow the cooling fluid to flow through the respective fluid conduits to allow the cooling fluid to cool the coil winding and the stator core as the cooling fluid flows along the cooling fluid flow path.

An axial flux stator cooling method, comprising:

• directing a cooling fluid into a fluid inlet of an axial flux induction motor, the axial flux induction motor comprising (i) a housing comprising the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, (ii) a shaft rotatably coupled with the housing, (iii) an axial flux stator coupled with and disposed within the housing, and (iv) an axial flux rotor disposed within the housing and coupled with the shaft, the axial flux rotor rotatable with respect to the axial flux stator, wherein the axial flux stator comprises (i) a stator core comprising a plurality of stator teeth and a plurality of slots defined between each pair of consecutive teeth of the plurality of stator teeth, (ii) a plurality of slot seals each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of slots to enclose each slot such that each slot comprises a fluid conduit extending from a fluid ingress of the slot to a fluid egress of the slot, the fluid ingress fluidly coupled with the fluid inlet of the housing and the fluid egress fluidly coupled with the fluid outlet of the housing, and (iii) a coil winding disposed within the plurality of slots and around the plurality of stator teeth such that a portion of the coil winding resides within the respective fluid conduits of the plurality of slots, the coil winding arranged to allow the cooling fluid to flow through the respective fluid conduit;
• directing the cooling fluid along a cooling fluid flow path of the axial flux stator, the cooling fluid flow path extending from the fluid inlet, through the respective fluid conduits, and to the fluid outlet, allowing the cooling fluid to cool the coil winding and the stator core;
• and
• directing the cooling fluid out of the axial flux induction motor through the fluid outlet.