Electric motor assemblies including stator and/or rotor cooling

摘要

An electric motor assembly including a stator having a stator core and windings around the stator core is disclosed. The stator core has opposing ends and an outer surface extending between the opposing ends. The electric motor assembly also includes a housing having an inner surface enclosing at least a portion of the stator, and at least one fluid passage between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. The fluid passage permits a coolant in the fluid passage to contact one or more portions of the outer surface of the stator core to remove heat from the stator core during operation of the electric motor assembly. Additional motor assemblies including stator and/or rotor cooling features are disclosed.

主权项

1. An electric motor assembly comprising:
a stator including a stator core and windings around the stator core, the stator core having opposing ends spaced from one another along an axis and an outer surface extending between the opposing ends; a housing having an inner surface enclosing at least a portion of the stator; and at least one fluid passage between the outer surface of the stator core and the inner surface of the housing, the fluid passage having a substantially S-shaped configuration, said fluid passage including— a plurality of generally axially extending passage sections defined between a passage inlet and a passage outlet, and a plurality of turns each interconnecting an adjacent pair of first and second passage sections such that fluid flows along the passage in the first passage section in an at least substantially opposite direction than in the second passage section, said fluid passage extending generally circumferentially about at least a portion of the stator such that the inlet and outlet are generally diametrically opposed, said inlet and said outlet being spaced at least substantially the same distance from one of the opposing ends of the stator, said fluid passage permitting a coolant in the fluid passage to remove heat from the stator core during operation of the electric motor assembly, said inlet and said outlet being spaced at least substantially equally between the opposing ends of the stator.