Systems and methods for cooling an electric aircraft
View Patent ↗The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for cooling an electric aircraft. The system comprises an electronic device, a casing, at least one fin, and at least one PHP. The electronic device can generate heat. The electronic device can be housed within the casing. The fin can be attached to the outer wall of the casing. The PHP can be embedded within the fin, such that an evaporator section of the PHP is closest to the heat source and the condenser section of the PHP is furthest from the heat source. The PHP can also be placed within the casing. In some embodiments, the casing can have a plurality of slots. The fin can be shaped such that a single fin may slide into a pair of slots and come to rest adjacent to the casing, wherein a PHP can be embedded within the fin.
1 . An electric motor assembly comprising: a motor housing having an end face; a motor within the motor housing; an electronics assembly disposed on the end face of the motor housing, the electronics assembly comprising: a casing comprising a casing interior cavity and an outer surface, wherein the casing defines an enclosure; at least one electronic device within the enclosure; one or more fins protruding from the outer surface of the casing, wherein the one or more fins comprises a fin interior cavity; and one or more pulsating heat pipes disposed within both of the casing interior cavity and the fin interior cavity of the one or more fins.
2 . The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the casing interior cavity is coupled to the fin interior cavity of the one or more fins and the one or more pulsating heat pipes are disposed within both of the casing interior cavity and the fin interior cavity of the one or more fins.
3 . The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the casing interior cavity is an evaporator for the one or more pulsating heat pipes and the fin interior cavity is a condenser for the one or more pulsating heat pipes.
4 . The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic device comprises a plurality of electronic devices positioned along a perimeter defined by an inner surface of the casing.
5 . The electric motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein the at least one electronic device contacts the inner surface of the casing.
6 . The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a propeller shaft coupled to the motor and passing through an opening of the casing; and
a propeller coupled to the propeller shaft, wherein rotation of the propeller causes air to pass by the one or more fins.
7 . The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pulsating heat pipe has multiple condenser sections and multiple evaporator sections within a single fin.
8 . An electric motor assembly comprising:
a motor housing having an end face;
a motor within the motor housing;
an electronics assembly disposed on the end face of the motor housing, the electronics assembly comprising:
a casing comprising a casing interior cavity and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of slots, and wherein the casing defines an enclosure;
at least one electronic device within the enclosure;
one or more fin segments comprising a first fin, a second fin, and a connecting portion that connects the first fin to the second fin, wherein the first fin and the second fin are inserted into the plurality of slots such that the first fin and the second fin protrude from the outer surface of the casing, wherein the first fin and the second fin each comprises a fin interior cavity; and
one or more pulsating heat pipes disposed within the fin interior cavity of the first fin and the second fin.
9 . The electric motor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the connecting portion of the one or more fin segments is an evaporator section of the pulsating heat pipe and the fin interior cavity of the first fin and the second fin is a condenser section of the pulsating heat pipe.
10 . The electric motor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one electronic device comprises a plurality of electronic devices positioned along a perimeter defined by an inner surface of the casing, and the one or more fin segments comprises a plurality of fin segments.
11 . The electric motor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least one electronic device contacts the connecting portion of the plurality of fin segments.
12 . The electric motor assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a propeller shaft coupled to the motor and passing through an opening of the casing; and
a propeller coupled to the propeller shaft, wherein rotation of the propeller causes air to pass by the first fin and the second fin of the one or more fin segments.
13 . The electric motor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the pulsating heat pipe has multiple condenser sections and multiple evaporator sections within a single fin.
14 . An electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) comprising: an electric motor assembly comprising: a motor housing having an end face; a motor within the motor housing; an electronics assembly disposed on the end face of the motor housing, the electronics assembly comprising: a casing comprising a casing interior cavity and an outer surface, wherein the casing defines an enclosure; at least one electronic device within the enclosure; one or more fins protruding from the outer surface of the casing, wherein the one or more fins comprises a fin interior cavity; and one or more pulsating heat pipes disposed within both of the casing interior cavity and the fin interior cavity of the one or more fins.
15 . The eVTOL of claim 14 , wherein the casing interior cavity is coupled to the fin interior cavity of the one or more fins and the one or more pulsating heat pipes are disposed within both of the casing interior cavity and the fin interior cavity of the one or more fins.
16 . The eVTOL of claim 14 , wherein the casing interior cavity is an evaporator for the one or more pulsating heat pipes and the fin interior cavity is a condenser for the one or more pulsating heat pipes.
17 . The eVTOL of claim 14 , wherein the at least one electronic device comprises a plurality of electronic devices positioned along a perimeter defined by an inner surface of the casing.
18 . The eVTOL of claim 14 , further comprising:
a propeller shaft coupled to the motor and passing through an opening of the casing; and
a propeller coupled to the propeller shaft, wherein rotation of the propeller causes air to pass by the one or more fins.