The continuous increase in the power density of electric motors is intensifying thermal management challenges. To maintain motor performance and service life, manufacturers require cooling systems capable of controlling hot spots while meeting increasingly demanding reliability and efficiency requirements.
Dielectric oil cooling is a solution well suited to the electric motor environment. Unlike water, oil can efficiently dissipate heat in direct proximity to electrical components without creating a short-circuit. Its effectiveness relies on controlled fluid management and reliable sealing to ensure long-term system performance.
To address these challenges, Hutchinson provides the Oil Spray Ring, a custom-designed multi-material solution for electric motors, consisting of a thermoplastic structural ring and two elastomer seals assembled on either side of the ring. This product provides both external cooling of the stator by maintaining a low-pressure oil chamber around it and cooling of the end turns of the winding, through the targeted spraying of dielectric oil. Precise flow management directs the oil to the areas most exposed to thermal stress, promoting heat dissipation, and preventing motor degradation.
The product design, combined with materials compatible with dielectric fluids and resistant to temperatures of up to 180°C, ensures the robustness of the component in its operating environment. Its mechanical properties, engineered to withstand seal retention and oil circuit pressure, provide long-lasting sealing performance.
Its multi-material design also offers industrialization benefits by combining weight reduction with ease of assembly, thereby facilitating integration into the electric motors.
Hutchinson develops its own elastomer formulations and controls the entire value chain, from formulation to production to meet the most demanding customer specifications.
To address the market’s decarbonization challenges, the Group is continuously working to reduce the carbon footprint of its solutions while delivering materials that are increasingly high-performing and sustainable. As part of this commitment, the teams have developed a new elastomer compound for a leading automotive manufacturer containing 25% bio-based and recycled materials with the aim of reducing CO₂ emissions by 23% compared with standard rubber.
As power densities continue to increase, innovative solutions such as the Oil Spray Ring are becoming key enablers of efficient thermal management in electric motors, paving the way for ever more efficient and sustainable systems.
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