Motor air gap oil flow management
A system with a flow deflector that generally directs the flow of multiple fluids, such as lubricants and/or coolants, so as to reduce fluid flow collisions or other flow hinderances. With this system, motor temperatures are able to be more tightly controlled, with less power loss to heat. When used in an electric motor, the flow deflector baffles most of the oil from one side of the motor to enable the oil from a single side or end of the motor to flow unimpeded through a rotor-stator gap. The flow deflector is further shaped to guide fluid radially outwards towards the sump so as to further reduce interactions between the various oil flow paths.
1 . A system, comprising:
a motor having a first end and a second end located opposite the first end along a rotational axis of the motor, the motor including:
a rotor;
a stator;
wherein the rotor and the stator define a gap;
a first bearing set disposed at the first end, wherein the motor has a first flow path of a fluid configured to lubricate the first bearing set;
a second bearing set disposed at the second end, wherein the motor has a second flow path of the fluid configured to lubricate the second bearing set, wherein the second flow path flows from the second bearing through the gap between the rotor and the stator, wherein the second flow path flows from the second end to the first end when in the gap between the rotor and the stator; and
a deflector configured to form a barrier between the first flow path and the second flow path, wherein the deflector extends at the first end of the motor proximal to the gap to block the first flow path from entering the gap between the rotor and the stator.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the second end has more turbulent flow of the fluid than the first end; and
the deflector is positioned at the first end of the motor.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shaft defining a passage from the first end to the second end of the motor for the first flow path.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the deflector has a drainage wall extending between the first flow path from the first bearing set and the gap at the first end to promote the fluid in the second flow path to flow in a single direction from the second end to the first end within the gap;
the motor defines a drain; and
the first flow path and the second flow path flow along opposite surfaces of the drainage wall to direct the first flow path and the second flow path towards the drain.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the drainage wall extends to give the deflector an overall frustoconical shape.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein:
the deflector has a mounting flange; and
the mounting flange has one or more fastener openings where the deflector is fastened to the motor.
8 . A system, comprising:
a motor having a first end and a second end located opposite the first end along a rotational axis of the motor, the motor including:
a first bearing set disposed at the first end, wherein the motor has a first flow path of a fluid configured to lubricate the first bearing set;
a second bearing set disposed at the second end, wherein the motor has a second flow path of the fluid configured to lubricate the second bearing set;
a deflector configured to form a barrier between the first flow path and the second flow path;
a housing defining a sump;
wherein the deflector is attached to the housing of the motor; and
wherein the deflector is configured to direct fluid flow to the sump.
9 . A system, comprising:
a motor having a first end and a second end located opposite the first end along a rotational axis of the motor, the motor including:
a first bearing set disposed at the first end, wherein the motor has a first flow path of a fluid configured to lubricate the first bearing set;
a second bearing set disposed at the second end, wherein the motor has a second flow path of the fluid configured to lubricate the second bearing set;
a deflector configured to form a barrier between the first flow path and the second flow path, the deflector having a mounting flange, a rotor flange, and a drainage wall connecting the mounting flange to the rotor flange;
wherein the rotor flange defining a rotor opening in which the rotor is received; and
wherein the drainage wall extends at a transverse angle from the mounting flange.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the drainage wall extends to give the deflector an overall frustoconical shape.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the mounting flange having one or more fastener openings where the deflector is fastened to the motor.
12 . A system, comprising:
an electric motor including a stator and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator;
wherein the rotor and the stator define a gap; and
a deflector configured to promote fluid flow in a single direction within the gap between the rotor and the stator, the deflector having a mounting flange, a rotor flange, and a drainage wall connecting the mounting flange to the rotor flange.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the electric motor has a first flow path and a second flow path for a fluid;
the second flow path flows through the gap between the rotor and the stator;
the deflector is configured to inhibit the fluid from the first flow path from flowing into the gap between the rotor and the stator; and
the deflector is configured to promote the fluid from the second flow path to flow in a single direction within the gap between the rotor and the stator.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the electric motor has a first end and a second end located opposite the first end, the electric motor including:
a first bearing set disposed at the first end;
a second bearing set disposed at the second end;
the electric motor has a first flow path of a fluid configured to lubricate the first bearing set;
the electric motor has a second flow path of the fluid configured to lubricate the second bearing set;
the second flow path flows through the gap between the rotor and the stator; and
the deflector is configured to inhibit the fluid from the first flow path from flowing into the gap between the rotor and the stator.
15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the deflector is positioned at an end that is opposite to an end of the electric motor with more turbulent flow.
16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the mounting flange having one or more fastener openings where the deflector is fastened to the electric motor; and
the fastener openings are spaced evenly apart from one another around a circumference of the mounting flange.
17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the drainage wall extends to give the deflector an overall frustoconical shape.
18 . A method, comprising:
lubricating a first bearing set at a first end of a motor with a fluid flowing along a first flow path;
lubricating a second bearing set at a second end of the motor with the fluid flowing along a second flow path;
wherein the motor has a rotor and a stator that define a gap;
flowing the fluid in the second flow path in a single direction in the gap between the rotor and the stator from the second end to the first end; and
blocking the fluid flowing along the first flow path from the first bearing set from entering the gap at the first end with a deflector extending proximal to the gap at the first end.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
collecting the fluid from the first flow path and the second flow path in a sump.
20 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
directing with the deflector the fluid of the first flow path and the fluid of the second flow path to flow along opposite surfaces of the deflector toward a drain for a sump of the motor.