MOTOR COOLING PATH AND THRUST BEARING LOAD DESIGN

摘要

A motor is provided including a housing having separate motor and bearing cooling inlets. The motor is arranged within the housing and includes a stator and a rotor assembly supported on air bearings. The motor cooling inlet is in fluid communication with the stator, and the bearing cooling inlet is in fluid communication with the air bearings. The motor cooling inlet provides a first cooling fluid at a first pressure on the rotor assembly, and the bearing cooling inlet provides a second cooling fluid at a second pressure on the rotor assembly that is different than the first pressure. The pressures exerted on the rotor assembly produce bearing loads that generally cancel one another. This may be achieved by providing a vent in the housing that is common to both the motor cooling inlet and the bearing cooling inlet. As a result, journal bearings and seals of substantially the same size may be used, and several seals may be eliminated.