Skolkovo designers have developed a new electric motor for drones that uses its own rotation for cooling. The higher the engine and propeller speed, the stronger the airflow created inside.

Inside the structure is a stator with windings that heat up significantly during operation. A disk with a system of radial partitions was installed on the upper part of the rotor in the form of a “bell”.

They form profiled channels that operate on the principle of a centrifugal fan. When the rotor rotates, the structure directs air inside the engine – to the most heated areas of the stator and into the gap between the rotor and the stator.

Moreover, the airflow automatically increases with speed. As the load and propeller thrust increase, the engine heats up more, but at the same time, the intensity of its own cooling increases.

The development can increase the reliability of the stator winding and bearings without a noticeable increase in mass and dimensions. The disk itself is proposed to be made of composite or heat-resistant plastic. Options include carbon fiber, PEEK, PEI and other materials, as well as parts created using 3D printing.

Earlier, Tomsk State University created a prototype of a three-phase brushless motor for medium-class multirotor drones in a closed casing.