Machine and gearbox system and cooling therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019368595-A1
Application number	US-201815994268-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a gearbox having an external surface; a fan or impeller constructed to generate a first cooling airflow when rotated; a shroud operative to guide and discharge the first cooling airflow over the external surface and cool the gearbox, wherein at least a portion of the shroud is spaced apart from the gearbox and disposed radially outward of the external surface; and a flow entrainment structure coupled to the gearbox and/or the shroud, wherein the flow entrainment structure is constructed to entrain a second cooling airflow and combine the second cooling airflow with the first cooling airflow to form a combined cooling airflow directed across the external surface to cool the gearbox.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a machine having an external surface; a cooling airflow generator constructed to generate a cooling airflow when rotated; a flow guide structure operative to guide the cooling airflow and discharge the cooling airflow over the external surface and cool the machine using the cooling airflow, wherein at least a portion of the flow guide structure is spaced apart from the machine and disposed radially outward of the external surface; and a flow inducer coupled to the machine and/or the flow control structure, wherein the flow inducer is constructed to entrain additional cooling airflow from an environment in which the machine is located.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer is mounted on the flow guide structure.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of standoffs constructed to space the flow inducer apart from the guide structure.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer is operative to entrain the additional cooling airflow using the cooling airflow discharged from the flow guide structure, and to provide additional cooling to the machine using the additional cooling airflow.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow entrainment structure includes an inlet;
and wherein the inlet includes a smooth transition portion constructed to reduce pressure losses in the additional cooling airflow.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer is integral with the flow guide structure.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer is a flat plate.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer has an airfoil shape.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer includes an outlet constructed to direct the additional cooling airflow toward the external surface.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow inducer is constructed to entrain the additional cooling airflow using the Coanda effect and/or the Bernoulli principle.

11 . A system, comprising,
a gearbox having an external surface; a fan or impeller constructed to generate a first cooling airflow when rotated; a shroud operative to guide the cooling airflow and discharge the first cooling airflow over the external surface, wherein at least a portion of the shroud is spaced apart from the gearbox and disposed radially outward of the external surface; and a flow entrainment structure coupled to the gearbox and/or the shroud, wherein the flow entrainment structure is constructed to entrain second cooling airflow from an environment in which the gearbox is located and combine the second cooling airflow with the first cooling airflow to form a combined cooling airflow, wherein the combined cooling airflow is directed across the external surface to cool the gearbox.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure is mounted on the shroud, and is operative to entrain the second cooling airflow using the first cooling airflow discharged from the shroud.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of standoffs constructed to space the flow entrainment structure apart from the shroud.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure includes an inlet;
and wherein the inlet includes a smooth transition portion constructed to reduce pressure losses in the additional cooling airflow.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure is spaced apart radially and externally from the shroud.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure is integral with the shroud.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure is a flat plate.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure has an airfoil shape.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure includes an outlet constructed to direct the second cooling airflow toward the external surface.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the flow entrainment structure is constructed to entrain the second cooling airflow using the Coanda effect and/or the Bernoulli principle.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Liou Joe J
• Rakuff Stefan
• Nicholas Nolan W

Classifications

• Y10T74/2189

  Cooling · CPC title

• H02K9/06

  with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft · CPC title

• H02K5/18

  with ribs or fins for improving heat transfer · CPC title

• F05B2260/2241

  using fins or ribs · CPC title

• F04D29/541

  Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps (F04D29/56 takes precedence) · CPC title