Electric machine module cooling system and method
AssigneeRemy Technologies, L.L.C.
InventorsBradley D. Chamberlin, David A. Fulton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module. The module can include a housing that can define a machine cavity. The housing can include a coolant jacket that contains a first coolant. A coolant sump can be in fluid communication with the machine cavity and can contain a second coolant that is different than the first coolant. The coolant sump can be in thermal communication with the coolant jacket. An electric machine can be positioned within the machine cavity. The electric machine can include a stator assembly, a rotor assembly, and a shaft. The module can also include at least one coolant channel, at least one shaft channel, and at least one rotor channel.
Claims15
An electric machine module comprising:
- a housing at least partially defining a machine cavity, the housing further including at least a portion of a coolant jacket capable of containing a first coolant;
- a coolant sump being in fluid communication with the machine cavity, the coolant sump capable of containing a second coolant different from the first coolant, and the coolant sump being in thermal communication with the coolant jacket;
- an electric machine being positioned substantially within the machine cavity and being at least partially enclosed by the housing, the electric machine including a stator assembly comprising stator end turns, a rotor assembly being at least partially circumscribed by a portion of the stator assembly, and a shaft being operatively coupled to the rotor assembly;
- at least one coolant channel being disposed through a portion of the housing, the coolant channel being in fluid communication with the coolant sump;
- at least one shaft channel being disposed through a portion of the shaft, the shaft channel being in fluid communication with the coolant channel;
- and
- at least one rotor channel being disposed within a portion of the rotor assembly, the rotor channel being in fluid communication with the shaft channel and the machine cavity.
An electric machine module comprising:
- a housing at least partially defining a machine cavity, the housing further including a coolant jacket;
- a coolant sump being in fluid communication with the machine cavity, the coolant sump capable of containing a second coolant different from a first coolant in the coolant jacket, and the coolant sump being in thermal communication with the coolant jacket;
- an electric machine being positioned within the machine cavity and being at least partially enclosed by the housing, the electric machine including a stator assembly comprising stator end turns, a rotor assembly being at least partially circumscribed by a portion of the stator assembly, and a shaft being operatively coupled to the rotor assembly;
- and
- an air gap being defined between a portion of the stator assembly and a portion of the rotor assembly, wherein the coolant sump is positioned and sized so that no material amounts of the second coolant enter the air gap;
- and
- at least one centrifugal fan being coupled to the rotor assembly,
- the centrifugal fan is configured and arranged to disperse the second coolant through at least a portion of the machine cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.