Lamination cooling system formation method

Abstract

An electric motor, transformer or inductor having a cooling system. A stack of laminations have apertures at least partially coincident with apertures of adjacent laminations. The apertures define straight or angled cooling-fluid passageways through the lamination stack. Gaps between the adjacent laminations are sealed by injecting a heat-cured sealant into the passageways, expelling excess sealant, and heat-curing the lamination stack. Manifold members adjoin opposite ends of the lamination stack, and each is configured with one or more cavities to act as a manifold to adjacent passageway ends. Complex manifold arrangements can create bidirectional flow in a variety of patterns.

1 . A method of forming a lamination cooling system, comprising:
 injecting a sealant between a plurality of laminations in a lamination stack using an adequate hydrostatic pressure to inject the sealant between the plurality of laminations, wherein each lamination defines an aperture, wherein the aperture of each lamination is at least partially coincident with the apertures of adjacent laminations such that the apertures define a cooling-fluid passageway through the lamination stack, wherein the sealant forms a seal to prevent a liquid cooling fluid in the passageway from exiting the lamination stack between adjacent laminations, and wherein the step of injecting includes injecting the sealant into the passageway, the sealant being at a pressure adequate to force the sealant to flow between adjoining laminations; and then   removing enough sealant from the passageway to configure it as a sealed conduit capable of passing cooling fluid from a first end of the passageway to a second end of the passageway.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising curing the sealant by an appropriate temperature cycle, wherein the sealant is a heat-cured, low-viscosity epoxy. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant is a material selected from the group consisting of a heat-curable low-viscosity epoxy, a varnish-type material, and a silicon-based material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the excess sealant is removed either by allowing sealant to drain out under the force of gravity, or by passing air through the passageways, or both.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each lamination defines a second aperture, the second aperture of each lamination being at least partially coincident with the second apertures of adjacent laminations such that the second apertures define a second cooling-fluid passageway through the lamination stack; and   in the step of injecting, the sealant forms a seal to prevent a liquid cooling fluid in the second passageway from exiting the lamination stack between adjacent laminations.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laminations are planar, and wherein the aperture of each lamination is completely coincident with the apertures of adjacent laminations such that the passageway is straight, extending in a direction normal to the plane of the laminations. 
     
     
         7 . A method of forming a lamination cooling system, comprising:
 forming a lamination stack from a plurality of laminations, wherein each lamination defines an aperture, and wherein the aperture of each lamination is at least partially coincident with the apertures of adjacent laminations in the lamination stack such that the apertures define a cooling-fluid passageway through the lamination stack; and   injecting a sealant between the plurality of laminations using an adequate hydrostatic pressure to inject the sealant between the plurality of laminations, wherein the sealant forms a seal to prevent a liquid cooling fluid in the passageway from exiting the lamination stack between adjacent laminations;   wherein the lamination stack is formed prior to the step of injecting; and   wherein the step of injecting includes injecting the sealant into the passageway, the sealant being at a pressure adequate to force the sealant to flow between adjoining laminations; and then removing enough sealant from the passageway to configure it as a sealed conduit capable of passing cooling fluid from a first end of the passageway to a second end of the passageway.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 each lamination defines a second aperture, the second aperture of each lamination being at least partially coincident with the second apertures of adjacent laminations such that the second apertures define a second cooling-fluid passageway through the lamination stack; and   in the step of injecting, the sealant forms a seal to prevent a liquid cooling fluid in the second passageway from exiting the lamination stack between adjacent laminations.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising curing the sealant by an appropriate temperature cycle;
 wherein the sealant is a heat-cured, low-viscosity epoxy, and   wherein the cooling-fluid passageway is formed in a center prong of an “E” shaped core lamination stack.