The Importance of Electric Motor Thermal Management and the Role of Polymer Composites in Axial Cooling

Abstract

The following research investigates the effect that axial cooling channels will have on the performance of the thermal management system of a hypothetical switched reluctance motor. A baseline motor with no axial cooling will be compared to an identical motor with the innovative cooling design implemented. This will allow for a direct comparison of the two designs, with a quantifiable performance increase determined through thermal simulations. The ability of a polymer composite to transfer heat to the axial cooling channel is also explored. A detailed material selection process is discussed with the result being an epoxy polymer composite. The material development of a thermally enhanced polymer composite is then investigated to achieve a maximum thermal conductivity material that can exist within the stator slot to achieve enhanced thermal energy transfer.