US 12,170,474 B2
Electric machine having rotor hub with shaped passages for cooling
Rama Krishna Shanmukha, London (GB); Anand Mathivanan, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Jenn Yen Loh, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Aug. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/887,947.
Prior Publication US 2024/0055945 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. H02K 7/18 (2006.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01); B64D 27/02 (2006.01); B64D 27/10 (2006.01)
CPC H02K 7/1838 (2013.01) [B64D 27/24 (2013.01); B64D 27/026 (2024.01); B64D 27/10 (2013.01); F05D 2260/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric machine adapted for use in a gas turbine engine, the electric machine comprising
a shaft extending along an axis and configured to rotate about the axis,
a magnetic rotor drum that includes a rotor drum body and a plurality of magnets arranged circumferentially about the axis and coupled with the rotor drum body for rotation therewith, and
a non-magnetic rotor hub rotatably coupled with the shaft and the magnetic rotor drum and configured to cool the magnetic rotor drum in response to rotation of the shaft about the axis, the non-magnetic rotor hub having a first face, a second face spaced apart axially from the first face, and a plurality of cooling channels that extend axially through the non-magnetic rotor hub and open into the first face and the second face,
wherein each of the plurality of cooling channels have an inlet opening formed on the first face at a first circumferential location and an outlet opening formed on the second face at a second circumferential location offset from the first circumferential location, and each of the plurality of cooling channels are skewed circumferentially as the plurality of cooling channels extend from the inlet opening to the outlet opening to cause air to be drawn through the plurality of cooling channels and cool the magnetic rotor drum in response to rotation of the shaft about the axis.