For High-Performance Electric Machines
Problem statement
The high-end performance of an electric motor is limited by the maximum temperature of the materials. During operation, the copper coil windings within the stator generate losses resulting in an increase in heating. The motor can overheat and fail once the thermal limit of the material is reached, constraining the amount of torque produced. The current method of heat dissipation involves wrapping a cooling jacket around the motor, and pumping a liquid through it that can remove heat from the copper coils. However, replacing the cooling jacket with an in-slot cooling system will dissipate the heat more effectively, keeping the stator center at a lower maximum temperature. This allows a higher current to be injected into the windings leading to a greater torque output and a more powerful motor. The aim of our design task is to integrate a cooling system into the stator slot to obtain higher power density by balancing the electrical and thermal constraints.
Team members
Collin Clark – leader
Grace Lindsey – communicator
Eli Herrnstadt – accountant
Patrick Malone – admin
Client
Brian Fehring, Arnold Magnetic Technologies