Patent for water cooling and encapsulation of chokes for REO UK

Chokes, typically used with variable speed drives for smoothing, regulating and limiting current, provide greater control and reduced energy consumption in motor applications. The last few years have seen an industry-wide shift from air-cooled to water-cooled chokes, as a result of their increased longevity as well as lower operating temperatures and improved return on investment.

In order to cater for the varied and demanding design and power requirements of its customers, REO has successfully obtained a patent on an improved method of water cooling and encapsulation, implemented in a range of chokes designed for various low and high-power applications.

The resultant state-of-the-art choke is fully encapsulated, with water pockets forming an integral part of the windings and of the resin-based encapsulation. This makes the unit more efficient at heat management whilst simultaneously removing hot-spots. This means the choke can be designed for a smaller safety factor, as variables are better known.

A further benefit of the design is the ability to achieve a high class of ingress protection, such as IP66 certification, further widening usability. For instance, use on train locomotives is possible, where weather sealing is necessary to face the high-speed and harsh conditions.

For small applications up to 30kW, REO manufactures an encapsulated and cold plate-mounted choke, which includes integral coolant channels. The design is optimised to permit precisely focussed pinpoint cooling and provides simple integration into existing cooling systems.

For larger, more complex applications, REO manufactures a choke with an open construction. Here, cooling profiles that are integrated in the windings are able to dissipate heat directly at the point of generation in the most efficient way possible.

Steve Hughes, managing director of REO UK, says: "We are continuing to work with customers in rail, renewable and regenerative applications to help put energy back into the national grid as well as ensuring that the energy we create is cleaner and more sustainable. The patented water-cooled chokes are more efficient and contribute to us achieving this goal by helping our customers reduce their energy costs and achieve a higher return on investment."

To learn more about water cooling and encapsulation of chokes, please visit www.reo.co.uk.