Liquid cooled inductors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016005521-A1
Application number	US-201414324972-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 7, 2014
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An inductor assembly includes an inductor core, a winding, and a coolant conduit. The inductor core defines a cavity and the winding is disposed about the inductor core such that a portion of the winding is disposed within the cavity. The coolant conduit extends from a first end of the cavity towards an opposed second end of the cavity and includes an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with each other through the coolant conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inductor assembly, comprising:
an inductor core defining a cavity; windings wrapped about the core with a winding portion disposed in the cavity; and a coolant conduit disposed within the inductor core cavity and adjacent the cavity winding portion, wherein the coolant conduit extends from a first end of the cavity toward an opposed second end of the cavity and includes an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with each other through the coolant conduit.

2 . An assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are arranged on common end of the inductor assembly.

3 . As assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is arranged radially inward of the outlet port.

4 . An assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the outlet port is arranged radially outward of the cavity.

5 . An assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the coolant conduit includes a radial portion extending radially outward and toward the inductive core.

6 . An assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the coolant conduit includes an axially aligned portion connected between the inlet port and a radially inner end of the radial portion.

7 . An assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the coolant conduit includes a serpentine portion connected to a radially outer end of the radial portion and extending toward the outlet port.

8 . An assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the serpentine portion traces a helicoid path extending about the cavity and adjacent winding portion disposed within the cavity.

9 . An assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the serpentine portion is defined within a monolithic insert portion received within the cavity.

10 . An assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein a helical pitch of the serpentine portion is greater at one end of the coolant conduit than at the second end of the cavity.

11 . An assembly as recited in claim 1 , further including a cold plate disposed on an end of the inductor core and having a coolant channel in fluid communication with the inlet.

12 . An assembly as recited in claim 11 , further including an intermediate plate arranged between the cold plate and the inductor core, wherein the intermediate plate defines a radially outward extending portion connected to the outlet and axially adjacent an end of the windings.

13 . An assembly as recited in claim 12 , further including at least one gasket seated between the cold plate and the intermediate plate and extending about at least one of the coolant conduit inlet port and outlet port.

14 . An assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the intermediate plate defines a fastener-receiving pattern defined about at least one of the inlet port or the outlet port.

15 . A motor controller system, comprising:
a motor controller with an inductor assembly; and a cold plate in thermal communication with the inductor assembly, wherein the inductor assembly includes:
a core with a toroid shape defining a central cavity;
a winding disposed about the core with winding portions arranged within the central cavity and between the core and cold plate; and
a coolant conduit adjacent the winding portions in core and between the core and cold plate, wherein the coolant conduit extends from a first end of the cavity toward an opposed second end of the cavity, and wherein the inlet port and outlet port are in fluid communication with cold plate.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Pal Debabrata

Classifications

• H01F27/10 Primary

  Liquid cooling · CPC title

• H01F27/08

  Cooling (heat-transfer elements F28F); Ventilating (structural details of casings H01F27/02) · CPC title

• H01F27/2876

  Cooling (cooling transformers and inductances in general H01F27/08) · CPC title

• H01F27/02

  Casings · CPC title

• H01F27/2895

  Windings disposed upon ring cores · CPC title