FEA based thermal analysis of various topologies for Integrated Motor Drives (IMD)

Potential benefits of Integrated Motor Drives (IMD) include increase in power density, reliability and efficiency. These benefits are particularly valuable in Aerospace and Automotive applications. However, close physical integration of the drives and the machine may also lead to an increase in component temperature. This requires careful thermal analysis and coupled design of the IMD system. This paper reviews different integration topologies and compares them using FEA based thermal analysis. The effects of the power electronics (PE) position on the IMD system as well as thermal management concepts and cooling systems are also investigated. Thermal models of these IMDs are created using ANSYS and the temperature distributions of these models are analysed.