US2005236139A1PendingUtilityA1

Gear drive cooling with oil sump submersed forced air cooling tubes

35
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 26, 2004Filed: Apr 26, 2004Published: Oct 27, 2005
Est. expiryApr 26, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael E. KonruffKenneth S. Wheelock
F16H 57/0412F16H 57/0416
35
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A high power industrial gear drive with a cooling system that improves upon the designs of shaft fan and electrical fan cooling systems for gear drives by effectively increasing the wetted surface area of the gear drive housing through the introduction of heat exchange tubes through the internal gear drive oil sump and providing cooling surfaces directly in the sump oil for convection from air flow created by the fans through the heat exchange tubes.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A gear drive with an air-cooled oil sump comprising: 
 at least one heat exchange tube that passes through the sump of the gear drive that has an air inlet and an air outlet;    a fan for pressurising ambient air; and    a conduit for directing at least a portion of the pressurised air through each heat exchange tube by way of its air inlet and air outlet to cool oil in the sump.    
   
   
       2 . The gear drive of  claim 1 , further comprising an air scoop for coupling pressurised air in the conduit to the air inlet of each heat exchange tube.  
   
   
       3 . The gear drive of  claim 2 , wherein each heat exchanger tube has a plurality of cooling fins immersed in the oil sump.  
   
   
       4 . The gear drive of  claim 3 , wherein the gear drive has a single one of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       5 . The gear drive of  claim 3 , wherein the gear drive has at least two of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       6 . The gear drive of  claim 5 , wherein the air scoop comprises a manifold for coupling pressurised air in the conduit to the air inlet to each of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       7 . The gear drive of  claim 2 , wherein the fan is coupled to a fan motor and the conduit comprises an air duct that shrouds the exhaust of the fan to impinge upon the air scoop.  
   
   
       8 . The gear drive of  claim 7 , wherein the gear drive has a single one of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       9 . The gear drive of  claim 7 , wherein the gear drive has at least two of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       10 . The gear drive of  claim 9 , wherein the air scoop comprises a manifold for coupling pressurised air in the conduit to the air inlet to each of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       11 . The gear drive of  claim 2 , wherein the fan is coupled to a drive shaft on the gear drive and the conduit comprises an air deflector that shrouds the exhaust of the fan to impinge upon the air scoop.  
   
   
       12 . The gear drive of  claim 11 , wherein each heat exchanger tube has a plurality of cooling fins immersed in the oil sump.  
   
   
       13 . The gear drive of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along an external surface of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       14 . The gear drive of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along an internal surface of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       15 . The gear drive of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along the external and internal surfaces of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       16 . The gear drive of  claim 12 , wherein the gear drive has a single one of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       17 . The gear drive of  claim 12 , wherein the gear drive has at least two of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       18 . The gear drive of  claim 17 , wherein the air scoop comprises a manifold for coupling pressurised air in the conduit to the air inlet to each of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       19 . A gear drive with an air-cooled oil sump comprising: 
 at least one heat exchange tube that passes through the sump of the gear drive and has an air inlet and an air outlet;    an air scoop coupled to the air inlet of each heat exchange tube;    a motor-driven fan for exhausting pressurised ambient air;    an air duct for directing at least a portion of the fan exhaust to impinge upon the air scoop and force the pressurised air through each heat exchange tube by way of its air inlet and air outlet to cool oil in the sump.    
   
   
       20 . The gear drive of  claim 19 , wherein each heat exchanger tube has a plurality of cooling fins immersed in the oil sump.  
   
   
       21 . The gear drive of  claim 20 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along an external surface of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       22 . The gear drive of  claim 20 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along an internal surface of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       23 . The gear drive of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along the external and internal surfaces of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       24 . The gear drive of  claim 20 , wherein the gear drive has a single one of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       25 . The gear drive of  claim 20 , wherein the gear drive has at least two of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       26 . The gear drive of  claim 25 , wherein the air scoop comprises a manifold for coupling pressurised air in the conduit to the air inlet to each of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       27 . A gear drive with an air-cooled oil sump comprising: 
 at least one heat exchange tube that passes through the sump of the gear drive that has an air inlet and an air outlet;    an air scoop coupled to the air inlet of each heat exchange tube;    a fan coupled to a drive shaft on the gear drive for exhausting pressurised ambient air;    an air deflector to direct at least a portion of the fan exhaust to impinge upon the air scoop and force the pressurised air through each heat exchange tube by way of its air inlet and air outlet to cool oil in the sump    
   
   
       28 . The gear drive of  claim 27 , wherein each heat exchanger tube has a plurality of cooling fins immersed in the oil sump.  
   
   
       29 . The gear drive of  claim 28 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along an external surface of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       30 . The gear drive of  claim 28 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along an internal surface of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       31 . The gear drive of  claim 28 , wherein the cooling fins are arranged along the external and internal surfaces of each heat exchanger tube.  
   
   
       32 . The gear drive of  claim 28 , wherein the gear drive has a single one of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       33 . The gear drive of  claim 28 , wherein the gear drive has at least two of the heat exchanger tubes.  
   
   
       34 . The gear drive of  claim 33 , wherein the air scoop comprises a manifold for coupling pressurised air in the conduit to the air inlet to each of the heat exchanger tubes.

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