Full-Scale Testing of an E-Motor Cooling System

Automotive makers are facing increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift from the use of more conventional internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles. Along with this shift comes a demand for on-board electronics that can operate at higher power densities, such as the electric motor. A less utilized, yet cheaper and more efficient e-motor type is a wound-field synchronous motor. WFSM motors have encountered a major thermal barrier as standard cooling solutions such as cooling jackets and shaft cooling are not capable of removing the high heat loads generated in the rotor windings. In this project, a novel jet cooling solution is introduced. The jet cooling system will be subjected to experimentation. Results from the experiments will be used for calibration of the numerical model. Favorable outcomes may lead to commercialization of the jet cooling system and potentially solve the thermal management barrier experienced by WFSM motors.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ramaswami Balachandar;Ram Balachandar

Student:

Partner:

Magna

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing; Wholesale trade

University:

University of Windsor

Program: