Flow and heat transfer characteristics of high-pressure natural gas in the air gap of high-speed motor

Abstract

High speed motors are widely used in industrial applications owing to their unique features, such as compact framework, high performance, and high reliability. Based on the finite volume method and numerical heat transfer theory, this study establishes a stator-air gap-rotor model, and the flow and heat transfer in the air gap between the stator and rotor in a high speed motor are investigated with high pressure natural gas as the cooling medium. Meanwhile, the ?radial tri-vortex partition, alternating axial distribution? feature of the turbulent Taylor-Couette vortex in the air gap of the motor is determined. Then, the optimal structural parameters which can realize the heat transfer enhancement of motor air gap are obtained. Finally, an optical fiber grating temperature measurement system based on the wavelength division multiplexing technology is utilized to attain the temperature distributions on the stator and rotor surfaces. The simulation results are compared with the experimental data to evaluate the simulation method?s precision.