Heat exchange arrangement for cooling lubricant for vertical electric

Abstract

A vertical electric motor embodying the invention has a housing including a cylindrical frame enclosing a stator, a rotor and a shaft affixed to the rotor and mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, upper and lower end frames, a heat generating thrust bearing supported on the top end frame and rotatably supporting shaft and rotor, and a lubricant-receiving reservoir within the motor enclosure above the top end frame and enclosing the thrust bearing. Liquid lubricant within the reservoir is in heat absorbing and lubricating relation with the thrust bearing. A plurality of finned heat transfer heat pipes are supported within the reservoir with their evaporator end submerged in the lubricant and their condenser end exposed to air within the motor housing above the top surface of the lubricant and enhance heat transfer from the lubricant to the atmosphere. Air inlet apertures and air exhaust apertures are provided in the motor enclosure above the reservoir, and a plurality of fan blades rotatably driven from the shaft draw a high volume of air into the space within the motor enclosure above the lubricant and force the air past the condenser end of the heat pipes and out of the exhaust apertures to thereby substantially increase cooling of the thrust bearing.