Electrical machine cooling with axial and radial inlets and outlets
An electrical machine includes a rotor, a stator, and a winding mounted within a housing. The rotor includes a rotor core mounted to a shaft and a plurality of blades extending radially away from the rotor core. Each blade of the plurality of blades is curved axially along the rotor core. The stator includes a stator core and a plurality of teeth extending from the stator core toward the rotor core to define a plurality of slots between successive teeth. The winding is wound through at least two slots of the plurality of slots. The stator is mounted radially relative to the rotor. The housing includes a front wall, a back wall, and a radial sidewall mounted between the front wall and the back wall to define an enclosure. A radial inlet aperture wall is formed circumferentially through the radial sidewall to form an opening through the radial sidewall.
1. An electrical machine comprising:
a rotor comprising
a rotor core configured to mount to a shaft for rotation of the rotor core and shaft together; and
a plurality of blades extending radially away from the rotor core;
a stator comprising
a stator core; and
a plurality of teeth extending from the stator core toward the rotor core, wherein the plurality of teeth defines a plurality of slots between successive teeth of the plurality of teeth;
a winding wound through the plurality of slots, wherein the stator is mounted radially relative to the rotor; and
a housing comprising
a front wall;
a back wall;
a radial sidewall mounted between the front wall and the back wall to define an enclosure;
a plurality of radial inlet aperture walls formed circumferentially around the radial sidewall; and
a plurality of radial outlet aperture walls formed circumferentially around the radial sidewall,
wherein an area of each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is greater than an area of each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls,
wherein a number of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls is same as a number of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls.
2. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls are positioned above a front portion of the winding.
3. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls are evenly distributed circumferentially around the radial sidewall.
4. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls are aligned axially to encircle the radial sidewall.
5. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the area of each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is greater than the area of each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls because an arclength of each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is greater than an arclength of each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls.
6. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein each radial inlet aperture wall of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls has a radial arclength of greater than or equal to twenty degrees relative to a center of the rotor core.
7. The electrical machine of claim 6 , wherein each radial inlet aperture wall of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls has a radial arclength of less than or equal to 170 degrees relative to the center of the rotor core.
8. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is axially offset from each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls between the front wall and the back wall.
9. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein each radial outlet aperture wall of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is centered axially relative to a respective radial inlet aperture wall of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls.
10. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the area of each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is greater than the area of each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls because an axial width of each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is greater than an axial width of each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls.
11. The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls and each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls has an arc shape relative to a center of the radial sidewall.
12. The electrical machine of claim 1 , further comprising an axial inlet aperture wall formed through the front wall to form a first opening through the front wall.
13. The electrical machine of claim 12 , wherein a plurality of axial inlet aperture walls is formed through the front wall to form a plurality of openings through the front wall, wherein the axial inlet aperture wall is one of the plurality of axial inlet aperture walls.
14. The electrical machine of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of axial inlet aperture walls is formed to align axially with the plurality of blades.
15. The electrical machine of claim 13 , wherein each axial inlet aperture wall of the plurality of axial inlet aperture walls has a common shape and size with a radial arclength of greater than or equal to 75 degrees and less than or equal to 150 degrees relative to a center of the front wall.
16. The electrical machine of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of axial outlet aperture walls, wherein each axial outlet aperture wall of the plurality of axial outlet aperture walls is formed circumferentially through the back wall to form second openings through the back wall.
17. The electrical machine of claim 16 , wherein each axial outlet aperture wall of the plurality of axial outlet aperture walls is centered axially relative to a respective axial inlet aperture wall of the plurality of axial inlet aperture walls.
18. An electrical machine comprising:
a hub comprising
a hub core configured to mount to a shaft for rotation; and
a plurality of blades extending radially away from the hub core;
a rotor core configured to mount to the plurality of blades;
a stator comprising
a stator core; and
a plurality of teeth extending from the stator core toward the rotor core, wherein the plurality of teeth defines a plurality of slots between successive teeth of the plurality of teeth;
a winding wound through the plurality of slots, wherein the stator is mounted radially relative to the rotor; and
a housing comprising
a front wall;
a back wall;
a radial sidewall mounted between the front wall and the back wall to define an enclosure, wherein the hub, the rotor core, and the stator are mounted within the enclosure;
a plurality of radial inlet aperture walls formed circumferentially around the radial sidewall; and
a plurality of radial outlet aperture walls formed circumferentially around the radial sidewall,
wherein an area of each of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls is greater than an area of each of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls,
wherein a number of the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls is same as a number of the plurality of radial outlet aperture walls.
19. The electrical machine of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls are positioned above a front portion of the winding.
20. The electrical machine of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of radial inlet aperture walls are evenly distributed circumferentially around the radial sidewall.