Reflux-cooled electro-mechanical device

An electro-mechanical device comprising;

• a) a movable element mounted for motion with respect to an axis and having an axially extending output shaft adapted for attachment to a driven load;
• b) a stationary stator element disposed about said movable element but separated therefrom by an airgap, and having an electrical winding configured to exert an electromagnetic force for urging said movable element to move with respect to said axis when said winding is supplied with an electrical current;
• c) a housing disposed about and supporting said stator, and allowing said output shaft of said movable element to extend outside of said housing for attachment of said driven load;
• d) said housing further defining a sealed boiling chamber about said stator for containing a two-phase fluid;
• e) a two-phase fluid partially filling said boiling chamber and forming a liquid level defining a vapor space at an upper portion of said boiling chamber for containing a vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid, and a liquid space at a lower portion of said boiling chamber for containing a liquid constituent of said two-phase fluid;
• f) a condenser adapted for attachment in thermal contact with a heat sink;
• g) vapor conducting means for conducting the vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid from said boiling chamber to said condenser;
• h) downcomer means for conducting a condensed constituent of said two-phase fluid from said condenser back to said boiling chamber;
• i) a phase change material disposed in said boiling chamber for providing cooling of said two-phase fluid through latent heat absorption of the phase change material above a predetermined melting temperature of said phase change material;
• and
• j) heat exchanger means disposed in said boiling chamber, said heat exchanger means comprising:
• a heat exchanger structure of thermally conductive material having:
• a) bubble channels therein for directing a flow of vapor bubbles of the two-phase fluid in an upward direction from the liquid space to the vapor space of the boiling chamber;
• b) downcomer channels which function as part of said downcomer means to conduct said condensed constituent of said two-phase fluid from said condenser to said liquid space of said boiling chamber;
• and
• c) a sealed cavity for containment therein of said phase change material.

An electro-mechanical device comprising:

• a) a movable element mounted for motion with respect to an axis and having an axially extending output shaft adapted for attachment to a driven load;
• b) a stationary stator element disposed about said movable element but separated therefrom by an airgap, and having an electrical winding configured to exert an electromagnetic force for urging said movable element to move with respect to said axis when said winding is supplied with an electrical current;
• c) a housing disposed about and supporting said stator, and allowing said output shaft of said movable element to extend outside of said housing for attachment to said driven load;
• d) said housing further defining a sealed boiling chamber about said stator for containing a two-phase fluid;
• e) a two-phase fluid partially filling said boiling chamber and forming a liquid level defining a vapor space at an upper portion of said boiling chamber for containing a constituent of said two-phase fluid, and a liquid space at a lower portion of said boiling chamber for containing a liquid constituent of said two-phase fluid;
• f) a condenser adapted for attachment in thermal contact with a heat sink, said condenser forming an upper surface of said housing and including heat exchanging fin means extending into said vapor space of said boiling chamber;
• g) vapor conducting means for conducting the vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid from said boiling chamber to said condenser;
• and
• h) downcomer means for conducting a condensed constituent of said two-phase fluid from said condenser back to said boiling chamber.

An electro-mechanical device comprising:

• a) a movable element mounted for motion with respect to an axis and having an axially extending output shaft adapted for attachment to a driven load;
• b) a stationary stator element disposed about said movable element but separated therefrom by an airgap, and having an electrical winding configured to exert an electromagnetic force for urging said movable element to move with respect to said axis when said winding is supplied with an electrical current;
• c) a housing disposed about and supporting said stator, and allowing said output shaft of said movable element to extend outside of said housing for attachment to said driven load;
• d) said housing further defining a sealed boiling chamber about said stator for containing a two-phase fluid;
• e) a two-phase fluid partially filling said boiling chamber and forming a liquid level defining a vapor space at an upper portion of said boiling chamber for containing a vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid, and a liquid space at a lower portion of said boiling chamber for containing a liquid constituent of said two-phase fluid;
• f) a condenser adapted for attachment in thermal contact with a heat sink;
• g) vapor conducting means for conducting the vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid from said boiling chamber to said condenser;
• and
• h) downcomer means for conducting a condensed constituent of said two-phase fluid from said condenser back to said boiling chamber;
• and
• i) a second condenser adapted for attachment in thermal contact with a heat sink disposed below said boiling chamber and connected via second vapor conducting means and second downcomer means to said liquid space of said boiling chamber whereby when said electro-mechanical device is operated in other than an upright position said second condenser will receive said vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid from said boiling chamber via said second vapor conducting means and return said condensed fluid constituent of said two-phase fluid via said second downcomer means to said boiling chamber.

An electro-mechanical device comprising:

• a) a movable element mounted for motion with respect to an axis and having an axially extending input shaft adapted for attachment to a drive source;
• b) a stationary stator element disposed about said movable element but separated therefrom by an airgap, and having an electrical winding configured to produce an electrical current when said movable element is moved with respect to said axis;
• c) a housing disposed about and supporting said stator, and allowing said input shaft of said movable element to extend outside of said housing for attachment to said drive source;
• d) said housing further defining a sealed boiling chamber about said stator for containing a two-phase fluid;
• e) a two-phase fluid partially filling said boiling chamber and forming a liquid level defining a vapor space at an upper portion of said boiling chamber for containing a vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid, and a liquid constituent of said two-phase fluid;
• f) a condenser adapted for attachment in thermal contact with a heat sink;
• g) vapor conducting means for conducting the vapor constituent of said two-phase fluid from said boiling chamber to said condenser;
• h) downcomer means for conducting a condensed constituent of said two-phase fluid from said condenser back to said boiling chamber;
• and
• i) a phase change material disposed in said boiling chamber for providing cooling of said two-phase fluid through latent heat absorption of the phase change material above a predetermined melting temperature of said phase change material.

An electro-mechanical device comprising:

• a) a stationary member including a heat-producing element;
• b) a movable element disposed adjacent to said stationary element and operably coupled by magnetic force thereto;
• c) cooling means having a sealed refrigerant chamber disposed to allow a two-phase refrigerant contained therein to directly contact said heat producing element but not to directly contact said movable element;
• and
• d) a phase change material disposed in said sealed refrigerant chamber for providing cooling of said two-phase refrigerant through latent heat absorption of the phase change material above a predetermined melting temperature of said phase change material.

In an electrical device having a first and second element separated by an airgap and operably connected by electromagnetic forces extending across said airgap:

• a) heat-producing means in at least one of said first or second elements;
• b) cooling means including a two-phase refrigerant in direct contact with said heat-producing means, but not allowing said refrigerant to enter said airgap;
• and
• c) a phase change material included in said cooling means for providing cooling of said two-phase refrigerant through latent heat absorption of the phase change material above a predetermined melting temperature of said phase change material.