Power electronics section of a starter-generator without a commutator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12095315-B2
Application number	US-202017770805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 20, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A rotating machine assembly includes a rotating machine that has a cover that defines an outer surface of the rotating machine and a stator disposed within the cover. The stator is stationary with respect to the cover. The rotating machine also includes a shaft rotatably disposed at least partially within the cover so as to define a rotation axis. The shaft Includes a first end that is connectable to an aircraft engine and a second end that is opposite the first end. The rotating machine also includes a rotor attached to the shaft, the rotor being movable with respect to the stator and a power module including at least one MOSFET that periodically reverses an electrical current direction of the rotor. The power module includes the at least one MOSFET Is disposed within the cover.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotating machine assembly, comprising;
a rotating machine including
a cover that defines an outer surface of the rotating machine;
a stator disposed within the cover, the stator being stationary with respect to the cover;
a shaft rotatably disposed at least partially within the cover so as to define a rotation axis, the shaft including a first end that is connectable to an aircraft engine and a second end that is opposite the first end;
a rotor attached to the shaft, the rotor being movable with respect to the stator;
a power module including at least one MOSFET that periodically reverses an electrical current direction of the rotor, wherein the power module including the at least one MOSFET is disposed within the cover; and
a chassis at least partially disposed adjacent the second end of the shaft, wherein the power module including the at least one MOSFET is attached to the chassis and the chassis defines an air tunnel in fluid communication with the rotor so as to transfer heat away from the at least one MOSFET, wherein the chassis defines at least one cavity radially disposed between the air tunnel and the cover, and wherein the at least one cavity includes a phase change material disposed therein.

2. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , further including a control enclosure with a control module disposed within, wherein the control module is separate from and distinct from the power module and the control enclosure is mounted on the cover of the rotating machine so as to be external to and attached to the rotating machine.

3. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chassis includes a main body portion and an inlet portion disposed at opposite ends thereof, the inlet portion and the first end of the shaft being disposed at opposite ends of the rotating machine assembly such that main body portion is disposed therebetween, and wherein the chassis is received in the cover.

4. The rotating machine assembly of claim 3 , wherein the main body portion defines a main body inner perimeter and a main body outer perimeter and the inlet portion defines an inlet inner perimeter and an inlet outer perimeter, and wherein the main body outer perimeter is greater than the inlet outer perimeter and the main body inner perimeter.

5. The rotating machine assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a fan disposed at the second end on the shaft, wherein the fan is fluidicly disposed between the inlet portion of the chassis and the rotor.

6. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is a waxy solid that melts at 108 degrees Celsius and a heat storage capacity of 180 joules per gram so that a heat of fusion associated with the melting of the phase change material absorbs heat from the at least one MOSFET.

7. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power module including the at least one MOSFET is radially disposed between the at least one cavity and the cover.

8. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cavity is defined by at least one sidewall and the at least one cavity includes a plurality of ribs that directly contact the phase change material, the plurality of ribs defining a plurality of channels that are in fluid communication with one another.

9. The rotating machine assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs include an attached end that extends from the at least one sidewall toward the stator and a free end that is opposite the attached end, wherein a space between the free end of each of the plurality of ribs and the at least one sidewall allows for fluid communication between the plurality of channels.

10. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chassis includes an inner wall that defines the air tunnel, an outer wall that is radially exterior to the inner wall, and at least one sidewall that extends between the inner wall and the outer wall to define a sidewall height and to connect the inner wall and the outer wall together, and wherein the inner wall, the outer wall, and the at least one sidewall cooperate to define at least one cavity that includes a phase change material disposed therein.

11. The rotating machine assembly of claim 10 , wherein the inner wall, the outer wall, and the at least one sidewall are integral so as to prevent fluid communication between the air tunnel and the at least one cavity, and wherein the at least one cavity includes at least one sealable port through which the phase change material is introduced into the at least one cavity.

12. The rotating machine assembly of claim 10 , further including a plurality of ribs that extend between the inner wall and the outer wall to connect the inner wall and the outer wall together so as to define a plurality of channels that are in fluid communication with one another and directly contact the phase change material, and wherein an end of the plurality of ribs is spaced from the at least one sidewall to allow for the fluid communication between the plurality of channels.

13. The rotating machine assembly of claim 10 , wherein the inner wall defines a circular cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis.

14. The rotating machine assembly of claim 10 , wherein the outer wall defines a hexagonal cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis.

15. The rotating machine assembly of claim 10 , wherein the chassis includes a plurality of fins that extend from the inner wall toward the rotation axis so as to define a fin height, and wherein the plurality of fins are in fluid communication with the air tunnel.

16. The rotating machine assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one cavity includes a plurality of ribs that extend between the inner wall and the outer wall to connect the inner wall and the outer wall together to define a rib height, and wherein the rib height is greater than the fin height and less than the sidewall height.

17. The rotating machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one MOSFET includes a plurality of MOSFETs, the plurality of MOSFETs being disposed on a plurality of printed circuit boards that are circumferentially mounted to the chassis so as to be between the air tunnel and the cover to radially surround the air tunnel.

18. The rotating machine assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of pads disposed between the printed circuit boards and the chassis, wherein the plurality of pads are thermally conductive electrical insulators to electrically isolate the printed circuit boards from the chassis.

19. A rotating machine assembly, comprising;
a rotating machine including
a cover that defines an outer surface of the rotating machine;
a stator disposed within the cover, the stator being stationary with respect to the cover;
a shaft rotatably disposed at least partially within the cover so as to define a rotation axis, the shaft including a first end that is connectable to an aircraft engine and a second end that is opposite the first end;
a rotor attached to the shaft, the rotor being movable with respect to the stator;
a power module including at least one MOSFET that periodically reverses an electrical current direction of the rotor, wherein the power module including the at least one MOSFET is disposed within the cover; and
a control enclosure with a control module disposed within, wherein the control module is separate from and distinct from the power module and the control enclosure is mounted on the cover of the rotating machine so as to be external to

Assignees

• Safran Electrical & Power

Inventors

• Mcdaniel Steven
• Goncalves Rémi
• Aggarwal Sachin
• Kline Eric
• Boudyaf Rachid
• Teufel Stefan Markus

Classifications

• H02K9/22

  by solid heat conducting material embedded in, or arranged in contact with, the stator or rotor, e.g. heat bridges · CPC title

• H02K9/10

  by gaseous cooling medium flowing in closed circuit, a part of which is external to the machine casing · CPC title

• H02K7/003

  Couplings; Details of shafts (means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28) · CPC title

• H02K5/04

  Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof · CPC title

• F02C7/32

  Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries · CPC title