Method of estimating magnet temperature for rotary electric machinery

1. A method of estimating the temperature of magnets on a rotating member of a rotary electric machine, comprising:

when the rotary electric machine is cooled by a fluid that lubricates a power transmitting mechanism disposed near the rotary electric machine, estimating the temperature of the magnets using at least parameters related to an amount of heat which the fluid receives from the power transmitting mechanism when lubricating the power transmitting mechanism.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the parameters related to the amount of heat which the fluid receives from the power transmitting mechanism include a loss caused by the power transmitting mechanism; and

a loss calculator calculates the loss caused by the power transmitting mechanism.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the loss caused by the power transmitting mechanism includes a meshing loss caused by gears of the power transmitting mechanism; and

the loss calculator calculates the meshing loss caused by the gears.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the parameters related to the amount of heat which the fluid receives from the power transmitting mechanism include a torque that acts on the power transmitting mechanism; and

the loss calculator calculates the meshing loss based on the torque.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the power transmitting mechanism is coupled to the rotating member; and

the loss calculator calculates the torque based on the value of a current flowing through the rotary electric machine.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the loss caused by the power transmitting mechanism includes a frictional loss due to friction in the power transmitting mechanism; and

the loss calculator calculates the frictional loss.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the parameters related to the amount of heat which the fluid receives from the power transmitting mechanism include rotational speeds of gears of the power transmitting mechanism; and

the loss calculator calculates the frictional loss based on the rotational speeds of the gears.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the power transmitting mechanism is coupled to the rotating member; and

the loss calculator calculates the frictional loss based on a rotational speed of the rotating member, which depends on the rotational speeds of the gears.

9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the parameters related to the amount of heat which the fluid receives from the power transmitting mechanism include an amount of the fluid that is scattered from the power transmitting mechanism and applied to the rotating member;

a dissipation heat calculator calculates a quantity of heat dissipated from the magnets by the fluid applied to the rotating member, based on the scattered amount of the fluid and the loss caused by the power transmitting mechanism; and

the magnet temperature estimator estimates the magnet temperature based on the calculated quantity of heat dissipated from the magnets.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the parameters related to the amount of heat which the fluid receives from the power transmitting mechanism include rotational speeds of gears of the power transmitting mechanism; and

the dissipation heat calculator calculates the amount of the fluid that is scattered from the power transmitting mechanism based on the rotational speeds of the gears.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the power transmitting mechanism is coupled to the rotating member; and

the dissipation heat calculator calculates the amount of the fluid that is scattered from the power transmitting mechanism based on a rotational speed of the rotating member, which depends on the rotational speeds of the gears.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the power transmitting mechanism is disposed radially inward of the rotating member, which is provided as an inner rotor.