Fan System with Control Cooling and Method

Abstract

A fan assembly and associated methods are disclosed. In one example, the fan assembly includes an electric motor and motor controller with a heat exchanger coupled between the motor controller and an airflow pathway of the fan assembly. In selected examples, a method of operating a fan assembly includes cooling a motor controller that is located external to an airflow pathway by conducting heat from the motor controller into the airflow pathway using a heat exchanger.

1 . A fan assembly, comprising:
 a fan housing, defining an airflow pathway;   an impeller located within the airflow pathway of the fan housing, wherein the impeller is coupled to a shaft of an electric motor;   a motor controller mounted outside the airflow pathway, the motor controller electrically coupled to the electric motor; and   a heat exchanger located at least partially within the airflow pathway, and coupled between the airflow pathway and the motor controller, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to move heat from the motor controller to the airflow pathway when the fan assembly is in operation.   
     
     
         2 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger includes one or more cooling fins. 
     
     
         3 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a cooling medium configured to circulate between the motor controller and the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The fan assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the cooling medium includes a liquid cooling medium. 
     
     
         5 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is an axial flow impeller. 
     
     
         6 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is a radial flow impeller. 
     
     
         7 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is incorporated into an electric motor support structure. 
     
     
         8 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is incorporated into an electrical connection conduit. 
     
     
         9 . A fan assembly, comprising:
 a fan housing, defining an airflow pathway;   an electric motor located within the fan housing;   an impeller coupled to a shaft of the electric motor;   a motor controller mounted outside the airflow pathway; and   one or more metal fins located at least partially within the airflow pathway, and physically contacting the motor controller, wherein the one or more metal fins are configured to move heat from the motor controller to the airflow pathway when the fan assembly is in operation.   
     
     
         10 . The fan assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the impeller is an axial flow impeller. 
     
     
         11 . The fan assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the impeller is a radial flow impeller. 
     
     
         12 . The fan assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more metal fins are incorporated into an electric motor support structure. 
     
     
         13 . The fan assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more metal fins are incorporated into an electrical connection conduit between the electric motor and the motor controller. 
     
     
         14 . A method of cooling comprising:
 controlling an electric motor within an airflow pathway of a fan housing using a motor controller, wherein the motor controller is located outside the airflow pathway;   rotating an impeller driven by the electric motor within the airflow pathway; and   drawing heat from the motor controller through a heat exchanger coupled to the motor controller, and transferring the heat to air flowing within the airflow pathway using the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein drawing heat from the motor controller through a heat exchanger includes transferring heat to a cooling medium and circulating the cooling medium through the airflow pathway. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein drawing heat from the motor controller through a heat exchanger includes conducting heat from the motor controller into one or more metallic fins, wherein the one or more metallic fins are located within the airflow pathway. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein rotating the impeller includes rotating an axial impeller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein rotating the impeller includes rotating a radial impeller.