Mechanical system with cooling apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876800-B2
Application number	US-201816033992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A mechanical drive system includes a mechanical drive component, an enclosure, and a centrifugal fan. The mechanical drive component has a housing and a rotatable shaft supported within the housing. The enclosure is disposed on the housing and a wall of the housing has an output opening therein through which the rotatable shaft of the mechanical drive component extends and another wall has an intake opening therein. Surfaces of the housing and the walls of the enclosure define an air passage channel extending from the intake opening to the output opening. The centrifugal fan is aligned and in fluid communication with the output opening of the enclosure. The impeller is operatively connected to the rotatable shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mechanical drive system comprising:
a mechanical drive component, the mechanical drive component having a housing and a rotatable shaft supported within the housing, the housing having a first end surface, an opposite second end surface, a pair of spaced apart side surfaces extending between the first and second end surfaces, a lower surface, and an upper surface extending between the first and second end surfaces;
an enclosure disposed on the housing, the enclosure having a first end wall, a second opposite end wall, a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending between the first and second end walls, and an upper wall extending between the first and second end walls, one of the end walls having an output opening therein through which the rotatable shaft of the mechanical drive component extends, another of the end walls having an intake opening therein, the first and second end surfaces, the side surfaces, and the upper surface of the housing of the mechanical drive component and the walls of the enclosure defining an air passage channel in a gap between the housing and the enclosure, the air passage channel extending from the intake opening to the output opening along at least the side surfaces and the upper surface of the housing;
a plurality of heat dissipation fins, the plurality of heat dissipation fins extending from a base plate that is removably mounted on the side surfaces and the upper surface of the housing, the plurality of heat dissipation fins including fins having a flat, planar shape that are disposed in parallel to one another and in spaced relation within the air passage channel, the fins contacting the housing through the base plate and extending outwardly relative to the housing in close proximity to the enclosure, wherein the fins are clear of the housing by a distance that is at least equal to a spacing distance between adjacent fins, and wherein the fins are oriented in parallel to a direction of airflow through the enclosure; and
a centrifugal fan aligned and in fluid communication with the output opening of the enclosure, the rotatable shaft being operatively connected to the centrifugal fan, wherein the centrifugal fan is positioned external to the air passage channel,
wherein, when the rotatable shaft is rotating, the centrifugal fan creates a negative pressure or vacuum adjacent the output opening so that air is drawn through input opening, through the air passage channel over and between the plurality of heat dissipation fins and between the plurality of heat dissipation fins and the enclosure, and through the output opening.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the centrifugal fan includes an impeller.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipation fins are made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than a material of the housing.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing is made of a first material and the heat dissipation fins are made of a second material different from the first material.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output opening is a circular opening having a diameter sufficient to facilitate an airtight connection between the centrifugal fan and the one of the end walls of the enclosure.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure substantially encloses the first end surface, the second end surface, the side surfaces and the upper surface r and wherein the enclosure exposes the housing along the lower surface.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is configured to enclose substantially the entire housing other than the lower surface.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls and the upper wall overlap with the first and second end walls.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is further configured to enclose substantially the housing.

10. A mechanical system comprising:
a mechanical component, the mechanical component having a housing, and first and second rotatable shafts supported within the housing, the housing having a first end surface, an opposite second end surface, a pair of spaced apart side surfaces extending between the first and second end surfaces, and an upper surface extending between the first and second end surfaces, the first shaft being operatively connected to the second shaft, the first shaft extending through the first end surface, the second shaft extending through the second end surface, and each of the side surfaces and the upper surface having a plurality of heat dissipation fins mounted thereon, wherein the plurality of heat dissipation fins includes fins extending from a base plate, the base plate being removably attached to the housing, the fins having a flat, planar shape that are disposed parallel to one another and in spaced relation, wherein the fins are oriented in parallel to a direction of airflow through the enclosure;
an enclosure disposed on and enclosing the housing, the enclosure having a first end wall, a second opposite end wall, a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending between the first and second end walls, and an upper wall extending between the first and second end walls, the first end wall having an output opening therein through which the first shaft extends, the second end wall having an intake opening therein and through which the second shaft extends, the second end wall having a plurality of edges, each edge being adjacent one of the sidewalls and the upper wall, the intake opening being spaced from each edge of the second end wall, the first and second end surfaces, the side surfaces, and the upper surface of the housing of the mechanical drive component and the walls of the enclosure defining an air passage channel in a gap extending between the housing and the enclosure, the air passage channel extending from the intake opening to the output opening, and the plurality of heat dissipation fins being disposed within the air passage channel in contact with the housing along an inner portion of each fin in the plurality of heat dissipation fins and are clear of the enclosure along an outer portion of each fin; and
a centrifugal fan aligned and in fluid communication with the output opening of the enclosure, the first shaft being operatively connected to the centrifugal fan, wherein the centrifugal fan is positioned external to the air passage channel;
wherein, when the first shaft is rotating, the centrifugal fan creates a negative pressure or vacuum adjacent the output opening so that air is drawn through input opening, through the air passage channel over and between the plurality of heat dissipation fins and also between the plurality of heat dissipation fins and the enclosure, and through the output opening.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the housing is made of a first material and the heat dissipation fins are made of a second material different from the first material.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the enclosure substantially encloses the first end surface, the second end surface, the side surfaces and the upper surface.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the housing further includes a lower surface and the enclosure is configured to enclose substantially the entire housing other than the lower surface.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the each of the first and second end walls extends to each of the sidewalls and the upper wall.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the sidewalls and the upper wall overlap with the first and second end walls.

16. A cooling system for a mechanical drive system, the mechanical drive system having a rotatable shaft and a housing, the cooling system comprising:
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Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Cole Gregory
• Dong Qimin
• Rakuff Stefan
• Liou Joe J

Classifications

• F16H57/0416 Primary

  Air cooling or ventilation · CPC title

• F04D29/5806

  Cooling the drive system · CPC title

• H02K5/18

  with ribs or fins for improving heat transfer · CPC title

• H02K9/14

  wherein gaseous cooling medium circulates between the machine casing and a surrounding mantle · CPC title

• F16H57/02

  Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein · CPC title