Numerical simulation and experimental verification of heat transfer from a finned housing of an electric motor

In this work, numerical and experimental investigations of heat conduction in the finned housing of an electric motor, and the comparison between their results are presented. 3D geometrical model of the motor rated 7.5 kW was imported to COMSOL Multiphysics software package. After defining thermophysical properties of the housing material and heat flows generated in the motor, and setting boundary conditions, a numerical model of heat conduction in the motor housing was obtained. The model allowed to calculate steady-state temperature distribution in the housing cross section. In order to validate the model, investigations of the temperature distribution were carried out using FLIR SC7600 thermovision camera. Steady-state temperature distribution on the surface of housing of the motor run in idling conditions was recorded by thermography. The obtained thermograms were found to be in satisfactory quantitative agreement with the simulated temperature distribution as the real values of temperature differences measured across the housing cross section deviated not more than 10% from the calculated ones. The research confirmed that a thermovision camera is an efficient experimental tool for the validation of numerical models of the heat transfer phenomena in the finned housing of an electric motor.