Electromechanical actuator having an oil and water thermal system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9800119-B2
Application number	US-201414556641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2014
Priority date	Dec 1, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A cooling system of an electromechanical actuator is provided. The cooling system includes a housing and a stator located within the housing and defining a central bore. A first body including a sleeve portion is configured to extend into the central bore of the stator, with the first body defining a first chamber including a first cavity within the sleeve portion and a second cavity fluidly connected to the first cavity. A heat sink is provided in thermal communication with the second cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling system of an electromechanical actuator comprising:
a housing having an internal stator and an external rotor;
an output arm operatively connected to the external rotor;
the internal stator located within the housing and defining a central bore;
one or more bearings located between the internal stator and the output arm;
a first body including a sleeve portion configured to extend into the central bore of the stator, the first body defining a first chamber including a first subchamber within the sleeve portion and a second subchamber fluidly connected to the first subchamber, with water contained within the first chamber and configured to absorb thermal energy produced by operation of the stator; and
a heat sink in thermal communication with the second subchamber and forming an end cap of the first body; and
a second body disposed within the housing, the second body defining a second chamber that contains the stator and the first body, the second chamber fluidly isolated from the first chamber and defining a space between (i) the second body and (ii) the first body and the stator positioned in said space, with oil contained within the second chamber and configured to absorb thermal energy produced by operation of the stator and provides lubrication to bearings of the electromechanical actuator.

2. The electromechanical actuator of claim 1 , wherein the first body includes one or more fins extending into the second chamber and configured to transfer thermal energy from the second chamber to the first chamber.

3. The electromechanical actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve portion includes baffling within the first subchamber.

4. The electromechanical actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a condenser located proximal to the heat sink and located within the second subchamber.

5. The electromechanical actuator of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be installed within a wing of an aircraft and the stator is configured to enable actuation of an aileron of the aircraft.

6. A method of manufacturing a cooling system of an electromechanical actuator comprising:
providing a housing of an actuator, the actuator having internal stator, an external rotor, an output arm operatively connected to the external rotor, and one or more bearings located between the internal stator and the output arm;
installing the internal stator within the housing the internal stator defining a central bore;
installing a first body including a sleeve portion into the housing, wherein the sleeve portion of the body extends into the central bore of the stator and wherein the first body defines a first chamber including a first subchamber within the sleeve portion and a second subchamber fluidly connected to the first subchamber;
installing a second body into the housing, the second body containing the stator and the first body, wherein the second body defines a second chamber fluidly isolated from the first chamber and defining a space between the second body and the first body, the stator positioned within said space;
filling the first chamber with water configured to absorb thermal energy produced by operation of the stator;
providing a heat sink in thermal communication with the second subchamber of the first chamber, the heat sink forming an end cap of the first body to fluidly seal the first chamber; and
filling the second chamber with oil configured to absorb thermal energy produced by operation of the stator and provides lubrication to the bearings of the electromechanical actuator.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing a condenser proximal to the heat sink and located within the second subchamber.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Balsiger Derick S
• Adimula Ravi

Classifications

• H02K9/19

  for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil · CPC title

• H02K9/22

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

• B64C13/28

  mechanical · CPC title

• H02K9/20 Primary

  wherein the cooling medium vaporises within the machine casing · CPC title

• H02K15/14

  Casings; Enclosures; Supports · CPC title