Switched reluctance electric machine
Aircraft electric machines are described. The aircraft electric machines include a laminated rotor operably connected to a shaft, the laminated rotor comprising a plurality of rotor teeth and air gaps defined between adjacent rotor teeth about a circumference of the laminated rotor, a modular stator assembly comprising at least one stator segment having a winding wrapped about a center body of the at least one stator segment, a cooling element arranged at least one of adjacent to or within the winding, and at least one power module system comprising an active rectifier and wherein the laminated rotor and modular stator are arranged as a switched reluctance rotor-stator assembly.
1 . An aircraft electric machine comprising:
a laminated rotor operably connected to a shaft, the laminated rotor comprising a plurality of rotor teeth and air gaps defined between adjacent rotor teeth about a circumference of the laminated rotor;
a modular stator assembly comprising at least one stator segment having a winding wrapped about a center body of the at least one stator segment;
a cooling element arranged at least one of adjacent to or within the winding; and
at least one power module system comprising an active rectifier and wherein the laminated rotor and modular stator are arranged as a switched reluctance rotor-stator assembly,
wherein the cooling element comprises a primary cooling body arranged in a radial orientation relative to the shaft and at least one secondary cooling extension that extends from the primary cooling body in a direction tangential or circumferential relative to the shaft and at least one of the primary cooling body and the at least one secondary cooling extension comprise a secondary cooling feature configured to provide cooling to material of the at least one stator segment.
2 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the center body is a first center body and the at least one stator segment comprises a second center body adjacent the first center body, wherein the first center body is wrapped with a respective first winding and the second center body is wrapped with a respective second winding.
3 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 2 , wherein the at least one power module is configured to selectively direct current into the first winding and the second winding.
4 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system configured to supply a cooling fluid into the cooling element to provide cooling to the winding.
5 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 4 , wherein the cooling system comprises a cold plate and at least one fluid connector configured to fluidly connect the cold plate to the winding and provide a flow path for the cooling fluid.
6 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the cooling element comprises a primary cooling body arranged in a radial orientation relative to the shaft and at least one secondary cooling extension that extends from the primary cooling body in a direction tangential or circumferential relative to the shaft.
7 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 6 , wherein the primary cooling body is arranged adjacent the winding and the at least one secondary cooling extension extends into the winding.
8 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 6 , wherein each of the primary cooling body and the at least one secondary cooling extension define internal cooling channels to receive a cooling fluid to pick up heat from the winding.
9 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 6 , wherein the at least one secondary cooling extension comprises two or more secondary cooling extensions that are arranged at different radial positions along the primary cooling body.
10 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 1 , wherein neither the laminated rotor nor the modular stator includes a magnet.
11 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the air gaps defined between adjacent rotor teeth are configured to define a reluctance path within the laminated rotor.
12 . An aircraft electric machine comprising:
a laminated rotor operably connected to a shaft, the laminated rotor comprising a plurality of rotor teeth and air gaps defined between adjacent rotor teeth about a circumference of the laminated rotor;
a modular stator assembly comprising at least one stator segment having a winding wrapped about a center body of the at least one stator segment;
a cooling element arranged at least one of adjacent to or within the winding; and
at least one power module system comprising an active rectifier and wherein the laminated rotor and modular stator are arranged as a switched reluctance rotor-stator assembly,
wherein the cooling element comprises a primary cooling body arranged in a radial orientation relative to the shaft and at least one secondary cooling extension that extends from the primary cooling body in a direction tangential or circumferential relative to the shaft and each of the primary cooling body and the at least one secondary cooling extension define internal cooling channels to receive a cooling fluid to pick up heat from the winding.
13 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 12 , wherein the center body is a first center body and the at least one stator segment comprises a second center body adjacent the first center body, wherein the first center body is wrapped with a respective first winding and the second center body is wrapped with a respective second winding.
14 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 12 , further comprising a cooling system configured to supply a cooling fluid into the cooling element to provide cooling to the winding.
15 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 12 , wherein the cooling element comprises a primary cooling body arranged in a radial orientation relative to the shaft and at least one secondary cooling extension that extends from the primary cooling body in a direction tangential or circumferential relative to the shaft.
16 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 12 , wherein neither the laminated rotor nor the modular stator includes a magnet.
17 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 12 , wherein the air gaps defined between adjacent rotor teeth are configured to define a reluctance path within the laminated rotor.
18 . An aircraft electric machine comprising:
a laminated rotor operably connected to a shaft, the laminated rotor comprising a plurality of rotor teeth and air gaps defined between adjacent rotor teeth about a circumference of the laminated rotor;
a modular stator assembly comprising at least one stator segment having a winding wrapped about a center body of the at least one stator segment;
a first cooling element arranged at least one of adjacent to or within the winding and arranged on a first side of the winding;
a second cooling element arranged on a second side of the winding opposite the first cooling element, wherein the first cooling element is fluidly connected in series to the second cooling element by at least one fluid connector, such that a cooling fluid will pass through the first cooling element and then the second cooling element;
at least one power module system comprising an active rectifier and wherein the laminated rotor and modular stator are arranged as a switched reluctance rotor-stator assembly; and
a cold plate configured to supply the cooling fluid into the first cooling element and receive the cooling fluid from the second cooling element.
19 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 18 , wherein the center body is a first center body and the at least one stator segment comprises a second center body adjacent the first center body, wherein the first center body is wrapped with a respective first winding and the second center body is wrapped with a respective second winding.
20 . The aircraft electric motor of claim 18 , wherein the cooling element comprises a primary cooling body arranged in a radial orientation relative to the shaft and at least one secondary cooling extension that extends from the primary cooling body in a direction tangential or circumferential relative to the shaft.