Gm Global Technology Operations LLC

SeungHwan Keum

Jun-Mo Kang

Insu Chang

Young J Kim

Farzad Samie

Jian Yao

Thomas W Nehl

Alireza Fatemi

Chih-Hung Yen

Neal Parsons

Ruth Herrera Reed

Mei Yang

Derek F Lahr

John Stilianos Agapiou

Taeyoung Han

Chengwu Duan

Anthony M Coppola

Wonhee Michael Kim

Yusheng Zou

Ronald O Grover, Jr

Xiaofeng Yang

Zhen Gao

Jian Gao

Velmurugan Ayyanar

Denghao Fan

A motor stator includes a stator core having a plurality of stator teeth on an inner diameter thereof and defining a respective plurality of slots between the plurality of stator teeth. A plurality of windings are disposed in the slots. A heat pipe network includes a plurality of evaporator portions including a hollow structure disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of slots and including an interior having a wick extending along the interior of the hollow structure. A condenser portion has an interior portion in communication with the plurality of evaporator portions and is located at an end of the stator core. The wick of each of the plurality of evaporator portions extend into the condenser portion.

Stator assembly of an electric motor with retrofitted heat pipes

An electric machine includes a housing having an inner surface; and a stator including a stator core mounted in the housing. The stator core includes a plurality of stator windings, a thermal bridge extends between the stator core and the inner surface of the housing. The thermal bridge is formed from a non-magnetic material and includes a plurality of individual thermal bridge elements.

Thermal bridge for an electric machine

An axial flux electric machine includes a casing, stator cores, windings, and fins. The casing has a hollow cylindrical shape with an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface. The stator cores are spaced circumferentially along the inner radial surface of the casing. The windings are wrapped around the stator cores. The fins project from the inner radial surface of the casing to spaces between the windings.

Axial flux electric machine including cooling fins projecting from casing to spaces between windings on stator cores

An axial flux electric motor includes a housing including an inner surface and a stator fixedly mounted in the housing. The stator includes a plurality of stator segments each supporting a winding, an inner support member defining a central passage, and an outer annular member constraining the plurality of stator segments. The outer annular member includes an outer surface portion abutting the inner surface of the housing. A thermal connection system is disposed between the outer surface portion of the outer annular member and the inner surface. The thermal connection system transfers heat from the stator into the housing.

Thermal connection system for a stator core of an axial flux electric motor

In various embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided to distribute coolant to an electric motor. The apparatus includes a pan configured with a set of holes for coolant flow; an assembly including a set of bar linkages, a set of discs, and a single actuator motor wherein the assembly is attached to the pan wherein the single actuator motor is linked via bar linkages to discs that enable configuring a planar angle of the pan to obtain an optimum hole location of holes for coolant flow; and in response to external disturbances to the apparatus that redirect the coolant flow from the target region of the electric motor, the single actuator motor is controlled by an algorithm to change the planar angle of the pan to obtain the optimum hole location to direct coolant flow to the target region of the electric motor.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for active end-turn cooling for an electric motor with four-bar linkages

A rotor for an electric machine includes a heat pipe cooling system. A rotor core has a number of cavities internal to the rotor core. The cavities are surrounded by a wall defined by the rotor core. A magnetic element disposed in the at least one cavity leaving a void in the at least one cavity between the magnetic element and the wall. A heat pipe evaporator is disposed in the void and conforms to the available space, contacting the magnetic element and the wall to remove heat from the rotor core.

Electric motor rotor with conformal heat pipes

In various embodiments, methods, systems, and vehicle apparatuses are provided. A system provides a gravity drive to distribute coolant oil flow including a nozzle for directing a flow of coolant oil over a surface of an electric motor wherein the flow of the coolant oil is caused by a gravity drive; a connector that is coupled to the nozzle that enables the nozzle to sway in response to external forces encountered by a vehicle operation and to distribute coolant oil over the exterior surface of the electric motor; and a counterweight that is coupled to the nozzle that provides a countermeasure to the external forces encountered by the vehicle operation to cause the nozzle to sway in a manner that enables the coolant oil distributed evenly across the exterior surface of the electric motor.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for passive end-turn cooling for an electric motor using gravity

Presented are oleophilic surface treatments for electric machines, methods for making/using such electric machines, and vehicles employing traction motors having stator windings with oleophilic treatments on select surfaces. An electric machine includes an outer housing with a direct-cooling thermal management system fluidly connected to the housing to circulate thereto a coolant fluid. A stator assembly, which is attached to the housing, includes a stator core with one or more electromagnetic windings mounted to the stator core. A rotor assembly is movably mounted to the hosing adjacent the stator assembly. The rotor assembly includes a rotor core with one or more magnets mounted to the rotor core spaced, e.g., across an air gap, from the winding(s). Select components of the stator assembly have a target surface with an oleophilic surface treatment that enlarges the target surface's wetted area and increases a coolant mass of the coolant fluid contacting the target surface.

Oleophilic surface treatments for enhanced heat-transfer characteristics of electric machines

Presented are oleophobic surface treatments for electric machines, methods for making/using such electric machines, and vehicles employing traction motors having oleophobic treatments on select 'non-target' surfaces. An electric machine includes a direct-cooling thermal management system that circulates a coolant fluid to the electric machine's outer housing. A stator assembly, which is attached to the housing, includes a stator core with one or more electromagnetic windings mounted to the stator core. A rotor assembly is rotatably mounted to the hosing adjacent the stator assembly. The rotor assembly includes a rotor core with one or more magnets mounted to the rotor core and spaced across an air gap from the winding(s). Select components of the outer housing, rotor assembly, and/or stator assembly have a target surface with an oleophobic surface treatment that reduces the non-target surface's wetted area and decreases the mass of coolant fluid contacting the non-target surface.

Oleophobic surface treatments for windage loss reduction and improved heat transfer properties of electric machines

According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a battery module housing cooling assembly is disclosed. The battery module housing cooling assembly can include an endwall including a first polymer plate and a second polymer plate that define a slot therebetween. At least one of the first polymer plate or the second polymer plate define a channel therein that is configured to receive a coolant fluid, and the slot is configured to receive an electrical connector. The battery module housing cooling assembly can also include a cooling plate defining a first connection port and a second connection port, wherein the first connection port and a second connection port are configured to provide the coolant fluid to the channel.

Battery module housing cooling assembly

An interior permanent magnet motor having controllable coolant distribution is provided. The motor comprises a motor housing and a rotary shaft connected to a rotor rotatably disposed in the housing. The motor further comprises a stator unit disposed in the housing and comprising conductive windings arranged about the rotor. The windings have a straight portion radially extending to an end-turn portion. The motor further comprises an oil sump disposed on the housing above the stator unit. The oil sump comprises a reservoir having an inner side and an outer side. The reservoir has at least one aperture formed therethrough over the end-turn portion. The motor further comprises a movable nozzle having a first open end extending to a second open end. The first open end is connected to the at least one aperture such that the movable nozzle and reservoir are in fluid communication. The second open end extends from the at least one aperture and positioned adjacently above the end turn portion for coolant distribution. The motor further comprises a connector movably disposed in the housing proximate to the movable nozzle. The motor further comprises a cam connected to the connector and in contact with the nozzle. Upon movement of the connector, the cam is arranged with the connector to move the second open end of the nozzle over the end turn portion for distribution of coolant oil from the oil sump to the end turn portion.

Interior permanent magnet motor having controllable coolant distribution

A system and method of active endturn cooling of an electric motor of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a motor having a coolant nozzle and a cam, and measuring speed, lateral acceleration, and road tilt angle of coolant due to road tilt. The method further comprises calculating coolant angle and coolant acceleration angle based on the road tilt angle and the lateral acceleration if the speed is greater than zero. The method further comprises comparing the coolant angle with a critical angle. The method further comprises calculating a first control angle and a first coolant distance based on the road tilt angle and the lateral acceleration of the vehicle if the acceleration angle is greater than the critical angle. The method further comprises determining a cam position based on the first control angle. The method further comprises moving the cam to the position to move the nozzle and compensate for the lateral acceleration such that coolant drops within a target area of the motor.

System and method of active end-turn cooling for an interior permanent magnet motor

A yaw stability control system is provided for a motor vehicle. The system includes one or more cameras, a plurality of wheel speed sensors, a yaw angle sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The system further includes an electric motor connected to a reaction wheel. The system further includes a processor and a memory including instructions such that the processor is programmed to: determine a desired yaw angle of the motor vehicle based on a video signal, speed signals, a yaw signal, and a steering signal. The processor is further programmed to generate an actuation signal associated with the desired yaw angle. The electric motor angularly rotates the reaction wheel at a predetermined angular rate in a predetermined rotational direction to produce a counter-acting torque that rotates the motor vehicle to the desired yaw angle, in response to the electric motor receiving the actuation signal from the processor.

Yaw stability control system for a motor vehicle

A rotor for an electric motor includes a rotor core defining a first face, a second face, and an opening extending from the first face to the second face. The rotor also includes an output shaft received by the opening of the rotor core and a valve disposed within a passageway of the output shaft. The valve controls a flowrate of the coolant and is actuated into a fully opened position at a maximum operating temperature of the rotor. The valve includes a stem having a first end portion and a second end portion, a plug disposed at the first end portion of the stem, a valve seat disposed opposite to the plug, and a shape memory alloy actuator that expands to urge the stem of the valve and the plug away from the valve seat and into the fully opened position at the maximum operating temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

SeungHwan Keum