Cooling a rotor of an axial flux induction machine

An axial flux rotor assembly, comprising:

• a shaft configured to be disposed within and rotatably coupled with a housing of an axial flux induction machine, the shaft comprising at least one fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the at least one fluid inlet configured to receive a cooling fluid to cool the shaft;
• and
• an axial flux rotor coupled with and configured to rotate with the shaft, the axial flux rotor comprising an inner cavity fluidly coupled with and configured to receive the cooling fluid from the at least one fluid inlet of the shaft, the inner cavity comprising a plurality of internal fluid conduits extending radially with respect to the shaft,
• wherein the axial flux rotor defines a cooling fluid pathway extending from the at least one fluid inlet of the shaft to a first section of the plurality of internal fluid conduits, from the first section of the plurality of internal fluid conduits to a second section of the plurality of internal fluid conduits, and from the second section of the plurality of internal fluid conduits to the fluid outlet of the shaft to allow the cooling fluid to cool, as the cooling fluid flows along the cooling fluid pathway, the axial flux rotor.

A method of cooling an axial flux rotor, the method comprising:

• directing a cooling fluid into two fluid inlets of a shaft of an axial flux induction motor, the axial flux induction motor comprising a housing, a stator, and a rotor coupled with the shaft, the shaft rotatably coupled with the housing such that the rotor and shaft rotate together with respect to the stator and the housing, the shaft comprising the two fluid inlets and a fluid outlet, the rotor comprising an inner cavity fluidly coupled with the two fluid inlets and fluid outlet of the shaft, the inner cavity comprising a plurality of internal fluid conduits extending radially with respect to the shaft;
• directing the cooling fluid along a cooling fluid flow path of the rotor, the cooling fluid flow path extending from the two fluid inlets, through the plurality of internal fluid conduits, and to the fluid outlet, allowing the cooling fluid to cool the rotor;
• and
• directing the cooling fluid out of the axial flux induction motor through the fluid outlet of the shaft.