Temperature gradient:

A temperature gradient is a physical quantity that describes in which direction and at what rate
the temperature changes the most rapidly around a particular location.
The temperature gradient is a dimensional quantity expressed in units of degrees (on a particular
temperature scale) per unit length.
The SI unit is kelvin per meter (K/m).
INTERNAL TEMPERATURES: (HOT SPOT TEMPERATURES)
1. The loss in electrical machines occurs inside the iron cores and windings.
2. This loss which is produced inside is dissipated to the surface from where it is taken away
by the cooling medium.
3. This internal flow of heat, from the parts in which it is actually generated to the cooling
surfaces from which it is transferred to the coolant, is important in determining the hot
spot temperatures and the temperatures to which the insulating materials would be
subjected.
4. If the cross section of a coil or a core, in which the electrical losses occur, is very large or
if the insulation around the coil or the core is very thick, there is always a danger of
exceptionally high internal temperatures developing, even when the temperature of the
external surface is below the maximum specified limit.
5. In order that there should not be any injury to the insulating materials we must determine
the temperature of the hottest spot, a place where the local temperature is the highest.
Thus the problem is to determine approximately the difference in temperature between the
outside surface from which heat is carried away and the hottest spot inside the windings, from
which the heat must travel through the conductors and the insulation before it can be dissipated
away.
The problem is not so simple as it may seem to be, because of the complexity formulae and
experimental results.
CALCULATION OF INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
The Figure represents a very large plate of thickness t consisting of a Homogeneous material.
Assuming the length and width of the plate to be very large as compared with its thickness, the
heat flow need be considered only across its thickness (in the direction shown). The heat flow is
from centre outwards towards the two surfaces which are assumed to be at the same temperature.
Suppose
L = length of plate, m

W = width of plate, m
= thermal resistivity of material along the direction of heat flow, m,
q = heat produced per unit volume, W/m2
= temperature rise, OC
Consider an elementary strip of thickness dx at a distance x from the centre and let d be the
temperature difference across the walls of this strip.
Heat to be dissipated across this strip
Qx =heat per unit volume volume = q lwx
Temperature difference between the walls of this strip is:
d = heat conducted thermal resistance of the strip
= qlwx dx/lw = qx dx
The difference in temperature between the centre and any point at a distance x from the centre
along the path of heat flow,
x

d= qx dx
0

q x dx
0

q x

q[

x2 x
]
2 0

---------- (1)

Thus the temperature difference curve is a parabola as shown in Fig.

From equation 1 the difference in temperature between the centre of the plate and the
outer surface (i.e. x =t/2) is,
=

q t 2
deg C
8

Hence temperature of the hottest spot (centre of plate in this case)

m = +s =

q t
+ s
8

s =temperatureof the surface

Temperature Gradients in Cores

This built up core of an electrical machine is shown in Fig: 2
It consists of steel laminations insulated from each other by varnish.
The core is subjected to alternating magnetization and therefore there is iron loss due to which
heat is produced.
The hottest part of the core is at O and heat generated at the centre is to be conducted to surfaces
A and B.
The path of heat flow along X axis is across the laminations while the heat flow along Y axis is
along the laminations.
(i)

Where

(ii)

Where

Consider that all the flows across the direction OX.

Therefore from equation (1), temperature difference between O and A:
q x x2
OA =
2
x

is the thermal resistivity across the laminations.

Considering the total heat to flow along the laminations (along OY),
Temperature difference between O and B:
2
q y y
OB=
2
y

is the thermal resistivity along the laminations.

The value of the thermal resistivity along the laminations is low as compared with that across the
laminations.
Therefore at first sight it would indicate that all the heat should be taken along the laminations in
order to keep down the internal temperatures

or
Indicates that through the axial ventilation air is blown across the laminations would be most
effective.
However, in practice nearly all electrical machines have radial ventilating ducts
Discuss the with an Example

HEAT FLOW IN TWO DIMENSIONS

The applications of principles applied in previous cases to practical problems are complicated by
the fact that Heat does not travel along parallel paths and the dissipating surfaces are not
homogenous
In actual practice the heat flow is in different directions and the windings and cores have
insulation in addition to copper and iron respectively.
The thermal resistivity of built up windings and cores depends upon relative thickness of
insulation to copper or iron.
Consider a soil or a core having a large axial length as compared with its width or thickness
The fig 3 shows a section thr