Patent Application
20240380269
This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. EP 23 172 420.4, filed on May 9, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a stator for an electrical machine, an electrical machine including the stator, a method of operating the electrical machine, a method of assembling the stator, and an aircraft including the electrical machine.
Electrical machines may generate a rotary motion of a rotor from a supplied electrical power or may generate electrical power using a supplied rotary motion depending on the mode of operation. The electrical machines include a stator and a rotor, where the rotor may rotate relative to the stator while the stator is immobilized.
When the electrical machine is operated as a motor, the stator receives an electrical power to generate a rotating magnetic field. In such case, the rotating magnetic field interacts with the rotor and causes the rotor to perform a rotating motion that is transferable to a mechanically coupled shaft to provide a rotation motion to a consumer based on the input electrical power. When the electrical machine is operated as a generator, a rotating motion of the rotor causes a voltage and/or a current that may be provided to an electric power consumer based on the input kinetic (e.g., rotation) energy.
The stator mechanically supports one or more coil windings that produce the rotating magnetic field or generate the electrical power depending on the mode of operation of the electrical machine.
In various applications, 3-phase electrical machines are used to provide a rotating magnetic field. However, in certain technical fields such as aircrafts, 6-phase electrical machines that may operate with a more stable and more homogeneous rotating field have been developed and are used. A 6-phase electrical machine according to the state of the art may include two 3-phase lanes to provide the desired electromagnetic fields or to receive the electric power.
However, there exist requirements for even further developments to provide stators supporting even more lanes. A problem is, however, to integrate such a complex winding arrangement in a compact and space-efficient manner. Further, there is a problem of robustness to intrinsic electrical failure.
With more lanes involved, the complexity of the stator winding increases by orders of magnitude, and new concepts are to be developed. Therefore, a difficulty is how to provide a systematic winding arrangement that may be used for operating as a 6-phase electrical machine while being integrated in a compact and space-efficient manner. Even further, it remains a challenge how to provide a persistent output if one of the windings coils or lanes cannot provide a current.
Additionally, even if a complex winding arrangement is provided, there remains the task of providing an assembly process that may be reproduced and be operated to fabricate the stator on suitable time scales and may be implemented by an efficient systematic.
The invention is defined by the appended claims. The description that follows is subjected to this limitation. Any disclosure lying outside the scope of the claims is only intended for illustrative and comparative purposes.
The present embodiments provide a stator and an electrical machine including the stator that solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems. In addition, further technical problems are solved, which becomes apparent from the following description.
According to one aspect of the present embodiments, a stator for an electrical machine is provided. The stator includes a stator core defining a central axis and includes a front side and a back side axially displaced from each other. The stator includes a plurality of stator slots provided in the stator core. The plurality of stator slots surround a circumference of the stator core and extend from the front side to the back side. The plurality of stator slots includes six different slot groups among the plurality of stator slots. Further, the stator includes a plurality of wave winding coils including a first lane group and a second lane group, where each of the first lane group and the second lane group includes three independent lanes. The lanes of the first lane group include wave winding coils of a first phase, a third phase, and a fifth phase, and the lanes of the second lane group each include wave winding coils of a second phase, a fourth phase, and a sixth phase. The wave winding coils of each phase of each lane include a connector at the front side. The stator is further defined in that each of the wave winding coils of the same phase of one lane group is supported by the same stator slot group among the six stator slot groups.
According to one aspect of the present embodiments, an electrical machine including the above stator is provided.
According to yet another aspect of the present embodiments, a method of operating the electrical machine is provided. The method includes the acts of operating the first lane group synchronically and operating the second lane group synchronically but shifted relative to the first lane group by a phase shift of 30 electrical degrees.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an aircraft including the electrical machine is provided.
Another aspect of the present disclosure refers to a method of assembling the stator.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Effects and features of the embodiments, and implementation methods thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals denote like elements, and redundant descriptions are omitted. The present disclosure, however, may be embodied in various different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to only the illustrated embodiments herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
Accordingly, processes, elements, and techniques that are not considered necessary to those having ordinary skill in the art for a complete understanding of the aspects and features of the present disclosure may not be described. In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Further, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.” In the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms of a singular form may include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
It will be understood that although the terms “first” and “second” are used to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element may be named a second element and, similarly, a second element may be named a first element, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The terms “include,” “comprise,” “including,” or “comprising” specify a property, a region, a fixed number, a step, a process, an element, a component, and a combination thereof but do not exclude other properties, regions, fixed numbers, steps, processes, elements, components, and combinations thereof.
It will also be understood that when a film, a region, or an element is referred to as being “above” or “on” another film, region, or element, the film, the region, or the element may be directly on the other film, region, or element, or intervening films, regions, or elements may also be present.
Herein, the terms “upper” and “lower” are defined according to the z-axis. For example, the upper cover is positioned at the upper part of the z-axis, whereas the lower cover is positioned at the lower part thereof. In the drawings, the sizes of elements may be exaggerated for clarity. For example, in the drawings, the size or thickness of each element may be arbitrarily shown for illustrative purposes, and thus, the embodiments of the present disclosure may not be construed as being limited thereto. In the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms of a singular form may include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The electronic or electric devices and/or any other relevant devices or components according to embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be implemented utilizing any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. Further, the various components of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit film, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printed circuit board (PCB), or formed on one substrate. The electrical connections or interconnections described herein may be realized by wires or conducting elements (e.g., on a printed circuit board (PCB) or another kind of circuit carrier). The conducting elements may include metallization (e.g., surface metallizations and/or pins) and/or may include conductive polymers or ceramics. Further, electrical energy may be transmitted via wireless connections (e.g., using electromagnetic radiation and/or light).
Further, the various components of these devices may be a process or thread, running on one or more processors, in one or more computing devices, executing computer program instructions, and interacting with other system components for performing the various functionalities described herein. The computer program instructions are stored in a memory that may be implemented in a computing device using a standard memory device, such as, for example, a random-access memory (RAM). The computer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transitory computer readable media such as, for example, a CD-ROM, flash drive, or the like.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and/or the present specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a stator for an electrical machine is provided. The stator includes a stator core defining a central axis. The stator includes a front side and a back side axially displaced from each other. The stator includes a plurality of stator slots provided in the stator core that surround a circumference of the stator core and extend from the front side to the back side. The plurality of stator slots includes six different slot groups among the plurality of stator slots. A plurality of wave winding coils is wound along the circumference of the stator core and includes: a first lane group and a second lane group, where each lane group includes three independent lanes. The lanes of the first lane group include wave winding coils of a first phase, a third phase and a fifth phase, and the lanes of the second lane group each include wave winding coils of a second phase, a fourth phase, and a sixth phase. The wave winding coils of each phase of each lane include a respective connector at the front side. Each of the wave winding coils of the same phase of different lanes of one lane group are supported by the same stator slot group among the six stator slot groups.
A lane refers to the known concept of three independent wave winding coils involving three phases. A lane group includes three independent lanes. A wave winding coil of a phase includes a continuous, or uniform, conductor that is wound around the circumference of the stator core. The stator slots may be open towards the central axis or closed towards the central axis. Each wave winding coil may correspond to a magnetic pole in operation. The wave winding coils refer to flexible conductors that may be bent and/or twisted at the front side and/or the back side of the stator to allow windings to form a wave winding arrangement. At each side, overhangs may be formed to provide the different turns. The overhangs may be referred to as windings. Each of the wave winding coils include insulation so that different wave winding coils are electrically insulated from one another even if overlayed on top of each other. The wave winding coils may each include multiple conductors in a Litz wire arrangement to increase electric current transport. A slot group includes six stator slot members. A front side may be referred to as a first side, and the back side may refer to a second side, as front side and back side may be exchanged.
In one embodiment, the stator includes, for example, only six stator slot groups among the plurality of stator slots for integrating an entirety of 6 different 3-phase lanes. Thus, only a minimum of 36 stator slots is provided. The wave winding coils are arranged in systematic manner, where each slot member of a corresponding stator slot group supports the wave winding coils of the same phase of on lane group. This implies a compact and efficient wave winding arrangement in which only 36 stator slots of a stator core are provided to integrate six independent lanes as a result of sharing the same slot group including the stator slot members by the wave winding coils of the same phase thereby facilitating compact integration. Additional empty stator slots may be provided for redundancy. Such a stator may be used to operate an electrical machine as a 6-phase electrical machine as described below. In addition, there is an increased reliability effect since wave winding coils of three lanes of the same phase are supported in one slot member of the same slot group. In case of intrinsic failure of one of the wave winding coils, the remaining wave winding coils of the other wave winding coils may still provide an electrical current that improves reliability and failure robustness. This is important when applied in the field of aircrafts but is also important in any other electrical machine operation.
In an embodiment, each wave winding coil is wound along the circumference of the stator core to include a forward and reverse turn, such that slots of the respective stator slot group supports six winding turns of the wave winding coils of the same phase of the same lane group. Thus, in this manner, each slot includes in total six winding turns of one single phase of a lane group. As such, reliability and operation stability are improved since each of the six winding turns may contribute with an electric current. Thereby, failure robustness is further improved since each winding turn approximately only contributes with a fraction of ⅙ to the entire current lead through one stator slot.
In an embodiment, the wave winding coils of the same phase of one lane group include a stacking order with six stacking positions in each stator slot member of the corresponding stator slot group. A stacking position of each wave winding coil of the same phase is changed by one stacking position between two successive stator slot members along the circumference. The above implies that for each wave winding coil, the stacking position is incremented from stator slot to stator slot within the same slot group by one stacking position until the sixth (e.g., highest) stacking position is reached. This feature has the technical effect of that the electrical path length of each of the wave winding coils is the same apart from tolerances since the wave winding coils undergo the same sequence of height changes along the circumference of the stator. This implies that the various lanes have the same electrical conductance and resistive properties, thus preventing operational imbalance between the lanes of the wave winding coils. In addition, the feature allows that lanes of the three phases may be accessed from different circumferential positions of the stator core.
In an embodiment, a reverse and a forward turn of each wave winding coil of the same phase are directly on top of each other with respect to the stacking position within stator slot members of the corresponding stator slot group. This implies that in a stator slot, the reverse and forward turn of the same winding coil are vertically directly on top of each other. This also results in an improved operational balance since the electrical path differences (e.g., with respect to the loop end) are reduced. Further, the feature eases manufacturing since the complexity of generating the winding turns at the front side or the back side of the stator requires a minimum of vertical changes in winding including multiple wave winding coils.
In an embodiment, the connectors of the wave winding coils of the same phase of one lane group are provided from a highest or a lowest stacking position of one stator slot member of the corresponding stator slot group. Thus, due to the incremental change of the stacking order, the lanes of the three phases may be accessed from different circumferential positions of the stator core and may be distributed by 120° over the entire circumference suitable of operating an electrical machine including the stator.
In an embodiment, the connectors of the wave winding coils of the same phase of one lane group are provided from each second stator slot member of the corresponding stator slot group. In this manner, the full circumference of 360° is used by each wave winding coil, and a desired 120° geometrical difference suitable for operating along the circumference may be reached.
According to an embodiment, the wave winding coils of the first lane and the wave winding coils of the fourth lane form a first wave winding group. The wave winding coils of the second lane and the wave winding coils of the fifth lane from a second wave winding group. The wave winding coils of the third lane and the wave winding coils of the sixth lane from a third wave winding group. The wave winding coils of the same wave winding group are respectively supported, for each stacking position, in adjacent stator slots among the plurality of stator slots. The feature has the technical effect that such a stator may be obtained by a systematic and cooperative winding process in which the wave winding coils of the same winding group may be wound together in winding steps. Thus, the stator may be assembled in a fast and efficient manner despite the complexity of having six different and independent lanes to be integrated in a stator core.
According to an embodiment, the connectors of the wave winding coils are grouped in connector pairs that are provided from adjacent stator slots among the plurality of stator slots, and the connector pairs are separated from adjacent connector pairs by two stator slots along the circumferential direction. This may provide a configuration in which geometrical distance and proximity of connectors for the operation process is improved for operating.
According to an embodiment, a first connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the third phase of the first lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the fourth phase of the fourth lane of the second lane group. A second connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the first phase of the first lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the second phase of the fourth lane of the second lane group. A third connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the fifth phase of the first lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the sixth phase of the fourth lane of the second lane group. A fourth connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the third phase of the second lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the fourth phase of the fifth lane of the second lane group. A fifth connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the first phase of the second lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the second phase of the fifth lane of the second lane group. A sixth connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the fifth phase of the second lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the sixth phase of the fifth lane of the second lane group. A seventh connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the third phase of the third lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the fourth phase of the sixth lane of the second lane group. An eighth connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the first phase of the third lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the second phase of the sixth lane of the second lane group. A ninth connector pair includes the connector of the wave winding coil of the fifth phase of the third lane of the first lane group and the connector of the wave winding coil of the sixth phase of the sixth lane of the second lane group. The above connector configuration is useful for using the stator for a 6-phase electrical machine.
According to another aspect of the present embodiments, an electric machine including the stator is provided. The electrical machine may include power electronics coupled to the connectors of the stator and configured to: operate the lanes of the first lane group synchronically and operate the lanes of the second lane group synchronically but shifted relative to the first lane group by a phase shift of 30 electrical degrees. In this manner, a 6-phase electrical machine is achieved. The power electronics may include a controller that may provide electrical power to the electrical machine to rotate a rotor. In particular embodiments, the power electronics may include a rectifier to convert a received electrical power from the electrical machine into constant electrical current.
According to another aspect of the present embodiments, a method of operating an electrical machine is disclosed. The method includes the acts of providing an electric machine according to the above embodiments. The method includes operating the first lane group synchronically, and operating the second lane group synchronically but shifted relative to the first lane group by a phase shift of 30 electrical degree. The same arguments apply to the operating method. In this manner, a 6-phase electrical machine is achieved by above operating.
According to another aspect of the present embodiments, an aircraft including the electric machine is provided. An increased reliability effect and compact integration while providing high power may be reached when using the above electrical machine. Thus, the electrical machine is particularly suitable when applied in the field of aircrafts.
According to another aspect, a method of assembling the stator according to the above features is provided. The method includes providing a stator core defining a central axis and including a front side and a back side axially displaced from each other. The stator core includes a plurality of stator slots provided in the stator core that surround a circumference of the stator core and extend from the front side to the back side. The plurality of stator slots refers to six different slot groups each including six stator slot members.
The method includes providing a plurality of wave winding coils including a first lane group and a second lane group. Each lane group of the first lane group and the second lane group includes three independent lanes. The lanes of the first lane group include wave winding coils of a first phase, a third phase, and a fifth phase, and the lanes of the second lane group each include wave winding coils of a second phase, a fourth phase, and a sixth phase.
The method includes a sequential winding process such that each of the wave winding coils of the same phase of one lane group are wound along the circumference of the stator core and supported together by stator slots of a corresponding stator slot group among the six stator slot groups. Each wave winding coil of each phase of each lane includes a respective connector.
The same advantages as for the respective stator apply as well to the assembly method as described in more detail above. In addition, the same connector arrangement may be provided according to embodiments after the step of sequential winding, and the other features of the stator may be provided during the assembly process.
In an embodiment, the sequential winding includes the following acts. The method includes supporting the wave winding coils of the first lane and the wave winding coils of the fourth lane in adjacent stator slots of the corresponding stator slot group that form a first wave winding group. Thus, these wave winding coils are wound together (e.g., simultaneously).
In a further act, the method includes generating a first primary winding at the front side to support each of the wave winding coils of the first wave winding group in the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group in a circumference direction.
In a further act, the method includes supporting the wave winding coils of the second lane and the wave winding coils of the fifth lane in adjacent stator slots of the corresponding stator slot group that form a second wave winding group. Thus, these wave winding coils are wound together (e.g., simultaneously).
In a further act, the method includes generating a second primary winding at the front side to support each of the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group in the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group in the circumference direction. The method includes supporting the wave winding coils of the third lane and the wave winding coils of the sixth lane in adjacent slots of the corresponding stator slot group in the circumference direction forming a third wave winding group. Thus, these wave winding coils are wound together (e.g., simultaneously).
In a further act, the method includes generating a third primary winding at the front side to support each of the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group in the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group.
At this stage, the first (e.g., lowest) stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups is filled.
The method further includes generating a first secondary winding at the back side to support each of the wave winding coils of the first wave winding group in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the same wave winding group in a circumference direction. Thus, the reverse and forward turn are directly on top of each other. In a further act, the method includes generating a second secondary winding at the back side to support each of the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the same winding group in a circumference direction. Thus, the reverse and forward turn are directly on top of each other.
The method includes generating a third secondary winding at the back side to support each of the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the same winding group in a circumference direction. Thus, the reverse and forward turn are directly on top of each other.
In a further act, the method includes generating a fourth secondary winding at the back side to support each of the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group obtained from the primary winding in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member slot of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the first winding group in a circumference direction.
In a further act, the method includes generating a fifth secondary winding at the back side to support each of the wave winding coils of the first winding group obtained from the primary winding in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group in a circumference direction.
In a further act, the method includes generating a sixth secondary winding at the back side to support each of the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group obtained from the primary winding into the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group in a circumference direction.
At this stage, the second stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups is filled.
In further acts, the method includes repeating the winding process by generating six tertiary windings at the front side until a third stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups is filled. The winding process to be repeated refers to the same acts as performed to fill the second stacking position but performed on the front side.
In further acts, the method includes repeating the winding process by generating six quaternary windings at the back side until a fourth stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups is filled. The winding process to be repeated refers to the same acts as performed to fill the third stacking position but performed on the back side.
In further acts, the method includes repeating the process by generating six quinary windings at the front side until a fifth stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups is filled. The winding process to be repeated refers to the same acts as performed to fill the fourth stacking position but performed on the front side.
In further acts, the method includes repeating the process by generating six senary windings at the back side until a sixth stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups is filled. The winding process to be repeated refers to the same acts as performed to fill the fourth stacking position but performed on the back side.
In an embodiment, the stator slots are open toward the central axis or open to the outside during the sequential winding and closed, in the latter case, by coupling a back yoke after the sequential winding is completed.
The method allows for a fast (e.g., since combining wave winding groups to be wound together) and systematic winding procedure to obtain the winding arrangement that may be used for operating a 6-phase electrical machine.
The stator 10 includes a stator core 12 that defines a central axis C. The stator core 12 geometrically forms a hollow tube so that a rotor, here not shown, is coaxially surrounded by the stator core 12 and may be rotated around the central axis C in operation. An air gap, here not shown, may be formed between the rotor and the stator core 12.
The stator 10 includes a front side 14 and a back side 16. The front side 14 and the back side 16 are axially displaced (e.g., axially distanced) from each other in axial direction c. Thus, the stator 10 extends in the axial direction c. The front side 14 of the stator 10 is, for example, shown in
The stator 10 includes a plurality of stator slots 19 that are provided in the stator core 12. The stator slots 19 are indicated more clearly in
Referring to
Further, as indicated in
In more detail, the different stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 are arranged adjacent to each other along the circumference 18 of the stator core 12. For example, the first stator slot group S1 may include a first stator slot member S1a in a first stator slot and a second stator slot member S1b in a seventh stator slot in a circumferential direction U. In the same manner a thirteenth stator slot may refer to the second stator slot member S1c, etc. The second stator slot group S2 may include a second stator slot, an eighth stator slot, a fourteenth stator slot, etc. Thus, the arrangement may have a periodicity of six stator slots between stator slot members of the same stator slot group S1, . . . , S6.
As shown in
Each of the wave winding coils 20 corresponds to a magnetic pole in operation. The wave winding coils 20 are flexible conductors that may be bent and/or twisted at the front side 14 and the back side 16 of the stator 10 to provide windings allowing for a wave winding arrangement. Each of the wave winding coils 20 includes electric insulation so that different wave winding coils 20 are electrically insulated from one another even if overlayed (e.g., directly) on top of each other. The wave winding coils 20 may each include multiple conductors in a Litz wire arrangement to optimize power transport.
As indicated in
Each of the lane groups LG1, LG2 includes three independent lanes L1, L2, L3; L4, L5, L6. For example, the first lane group LG1 includes a first lane L1, a second lane L2, and a third lane L3. The second lane group LG2 includes a fourth lane LA, a fifth lane L5, and a sixth lane L6. Thus, in total, six different and independent lanes are provided in the stator core 12.
In more detail, referring to the lanes L1, L2, L3 of the first lane group LG1, each of the lanes L1, L2, L3 includes a wave winding coil of a first phase 1a, 1b, 1c, a third phase 3a, 3b, 3c, and a fifth phase 5a, 5b, 5c. For example, the first lane L1 includes a wave winding coil of a first phase 1a, a wave winding coil of third phase 3a, and a wave winding coil of fifth phase 5a, Thus, in
Similarly, lanes L4, L5, L6 of the second lane group LG2 each include wave winding coils of a second phase 2a, 2b, 2c, a fourth phase 4a, 4b, 4c, and a sixth phase 6a, 6b, 6c. For example, the fourth lane L4 includes a wave winding coil of a second phase 2a, a wave winding coil of fourth phase 4a, and a wave winding coil of a sixth phase 6a. Thus, in
Further, referring to
As indicated in
The wave winding coils 20 of the above six lanes are arranged in a particular manner to provide a space-efficient stator 10. For example, each of the wave winding coils of the same phase 1a, 1b, 1c of different lanes L1, L2, L3 of one lane group LG1 are supported by the same stator slot group S1 (S1a, . . . , S1f) among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6.
The features are illustrated in
Thus, only this one slot group S1 supports three different wave winding coils of three different lanes 1a, 2b, 1c of the one lane group LG1.
As indicated in more detail in
Referring to
For example, the stacking order is indicated for the six stator slot members S1a, . . . , S1f of the first stator slot group S1 in
For example, a stacking position of each of the wave winding coils of the same phase 1a, 1b, 1c changes (e.g., lifts) by one stacking position between two adjacent stator slot members S1a, . . . , S1f of the same stator slot group S1 along a circumferential direction U. For example, the stacking order may lift until the highest stacking position is reached. The same would apply to the other stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 in a similar manner. In other words, the stacking position of each of the wave winding coils 20 of the same phase 1a, 1b, 1c (and of all other phases) are systematically permutated along the circumference 18 in circumferential direction U.
Due to this feature of the wave winding arrangement, each of the wave winding coils 20 undergoes the same height profile along the wave winding, resulting in the same electrical path length for each of the wave winding coils 20. This implies that apart from production tolerances, the same electrical resistance and conductance properties for all wave winding coils in the complex wave winding arrangement are provided, preventing operational imbalance and providing improved operational stability. The feature is also shown in
As shown further in
As illustrated in
With the above winding arrangement, a symmetric and ordered configuration is provided that allows integrating the various wave winding coils of six independent lanes in a systematic manner. For example, only six different stator slot groups (e.g., 36 stator slots) are to be provided to host the vast number of six independent lanes L1, . . . , L6 in a systematic manner and have improved operational balance. In addition, the above structure may be produced in a systematic manner.
As illustrated in
In
In addition, as shown, a tertiary winding 33 (33a) and a quinary winding 35 (35a) are provided. The tertiary winding 33 (33a) at the front side 14 is provided to support the wave winding coils in a third stacking position in a circumferential direction U. The quinary winding 33 (33a) is provided to support the wave winding coils in a fifth stacking position in a circumferential direction U. The quaternary winding 34 (34a) and the senary winding 36 (36a) support the wave winding coils of the first winding group W1 in the fourth stacking position and the sixth stacking position, which occur on the back side 16 and are not shown in the
The connectors 22 may have an example of a connector configuration as described in the following. As shown in
The connector configuration, when considered along the circumferential direction U, may include the following connector pairs P1, . . . , P9, as illustrated in
With the above-described stator 10, an electrical machine 100 that includes the stator 10 according to the various embodiments as described above is provided. The electrical machine 100 may include power electronics 40 that are connected to the plurality of connectors 22. The power electronics 40 may be configured to operate the first lane group LG1 synchronically, and operate the second lane group LG2 synchronically but shifted relative to the first lane group LG1 by a phase shift of 30 electrical degree. In this manner, a 6-phase electrical machine may be operated, either as a motor or as a generator.
Such an electrical machine 100 inherits the benefits of the above-described stator 10. For example, such an electrical machine 100 has improved reliability and a compact integration given the complexity of hosting six independent lanes L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6. For example, an aircraft including the electric machine 100, which may use the electrical machine 100 (e.g., as a generator and/or a motor) to provide electrical power, is provided.
The method includes providing S2000 a plurality of wave winding coils 20. The plurality of wave winding coils 20 include a first lane group LG1 and a second lane group LG2, where each lane group LG1, LG2 includes three independent lanes L1, L2, L3; L4, L5, L6. The lanes L1, L2, L3 of the first lane group LG1 include wave winding coils of a first phase 1a, 1b, 1c, a third phase 3a, 3b, 3c, and a fifth phase 5a, 5b, 5c. The lanes L4, L5, L6 of the second lane group LG2 each include wave winding coils of a second phase 2a, 2b, 2c, a fourth phase 4a, 4b, 4c, and a sixth phase 6a, 6b, 6c.
The method includes a sequential stacking S3000 of the plurality of wave winding coils 20 such that each of the wave winding coils of the same phase 1a, 1b, 1c of one lane group LG1; LG2 is wound along the circumference 18 of the stator core 12 and is supported by the same stator slot group S1 among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6.
In a further act, respective connectors 22 of the wave winding coils of each phase of each lane L1, L2, L3; L4, L5, L6 are provided S4000 at the front side 14 of the stator core 12. The method of providing the connectors 22 may be performed as illustrated in
In
As illustrated in
As shown in
In the illustrative case of
As illustrated in
In detail, the method includes supporting the wave winding coils 1b, 3b, 5b of the second lane L2 and the wave winding coils 2b, 4b, 6b of the fifth lane L5 that form a second wave winding group W2, in adjacent stator slots 19 of the corresponding stator slot group S1, . . . , S6. The supporting is performed in adjacent but yet unfilled stator slots. In other words, the supporting is performed in the first (e.g., lowest) stacking position of stator slots next to the stator slots occupied in the lowest stacking position by the first wave winding group W1 in a circumferential direction U, as indicated in
The method includes generating a second primary winding 31b at the front side 14 to support each of the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group W2 in the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group S1, . . . , S6 in the circumference direction U.
Further, the method includes supporting the wave winding coils 1c, 3c, 5c of the third lane L3 and the wave winding coils 2c, 4a, 6a of the sixth lane L6 in adjacent slots of the corresponding stator slot group in the circumference direction U, forming a third wave winding group W3. The supporting is performed in adjacent but yet unfilled stator slots (e.g., in the first (lowest) stacking position). In other words, the supporting is performed in the first (e.g., lowest) stacking position of stator slots next to the stator slots occupied in the lowest stacking position by the second wave winding group W2 in a circumferential direction U, as indicated in
In addition, the method includes generating a third primary winding 31c at the front side 14 to support each of the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group W3 in the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group S1, . . . , S6.
After completing these acts, the first stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 is filled by the wave winding coils 20, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In other words, the method includes generating a first secondary winding 32a at the back side 16 to support each of the wave winding coils of the first winding group W1 in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group S1, . . . , S6 to overlay the wave winding coils of the same winding group W1 in a circumference direction U.
In a similar manner, end loops are also performed for the other winding groups W2 and W3, as will be repeated below.
In other words, the method includes generating a second secondary winding 32b at the back side 16 to support each of the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group W2 in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group S1, . . . , S6 to overlay the wave winding coils of the same winding group W2 in the circumference direction U.
Further, the method includes generating a third secondary winding 32c at the back side 16 to support each of the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group W3 in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group S1, . . . , S6 to overlay the wave winding coils of the same winding group W3 in the circumference direction U.
In addition, as illustrated in
In detail, the method includes generating a fourth secondary winding 32d at the back side 16 to support each of the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group W3 obtained from the primary winding in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member slot of each respective stator slot group S1, . . . , S6 to overlay the wave winding coils of the first winding group W2, occupying the first stacking position, in a circumference direction U to be supported in the second stacking position.
This winding operation is also performed for the first winding group W1 and the second wave winding group W2.
In other words, as illustrated in
The method may include generating a sixth secondary winding 32f at the back side 16 to support each of the wave winding coils of the second wave winding group W2 obtained from the primary winding in the second stacking position of the next stator slot member of each respective stator slot group to overlay the wave winding coils of the third wave winding group W2, occupying the first stacking position, in a circumference direction U to be supported in the second stacking position.
Thus, in this manner, the second stacking position of the stator slots of all stator slot groups are entirely filled as illustrated in
The above-described acts performed between the filling of the first stacking position and the filling of the second stacking position are now repeated multiple times.
In detail, the method includes the acts of generating six tertiary windings 33 at the front side 14 until a third stacking position in each slot among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 is filled as illustrated in
Similarly, the method includes the act of generating six quaternary windings 34 at the back side 16 until a fourth stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 is filled, as shown in
The method further includes the acts of generating six quinary windings 35 at the front side 14 until a fifth stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 is filled, as shown in
Then, the method includes the acts of generating six senary windings 36 at the front side 16 until a sixth stacking position in each stator slot among the six stator slot groups S1, . . . , S6 is filled, as shown in
Although in the present example the stator slots 19 are open toward the central axis C, in other examples, the stator slots may be open to the outside during the sequential winding and closed by coupling a back yoke (here not shown) after the sequential winding is completed.
In the above manner, a systematic assembly process is provided to reach a stator 10 having a compact winding arrangement including six independent lanes L1, L2, L3; LA, L5, L6. The method is fast and systematic, as the method involves collective winding of winding groups. Thus, the complex winding arrangement of the stator 10 may be obtained by applying an efficient and systematic winding and stacking. Thus, a stator 10 including six independent lanes is provided, which allows compact and space-efficient integration and further provides reliable output that may be manufactured in an efficient way. Further advantages are mentioned in the above description or follow implicitly from the above disclosure.
The elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent. Such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.
While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 172 420.4 | May 2023 | EP | regional |
