Analysis & optimization of airflow in Elegance Pod’s cooling system : Further development and CFD-based evaluation of an air-cooling solution for a permanent magnet propulsion motor.

Sammanfattning

This thesis builds upon the work of Alan and Kassler (2025), “Design of cooling system for Elegance Pod”, in which an optimized air-cooling system for a permanent magnet motor intended for marine propulsion at Kongsberg Maritime was developed. The aim of this study is to further refine their proposed design into a more functional and optimized solution, with particular emphasis on airflow distributions, CFD analysis and cooling performance.An initial pre-study was conducted to gain a thorough understanding of the existing system and its components and identify key requirements and limitations. Based on this, CFD-based methods were applied to evaluate airflow behavior and cooling effectiveness, while multiple design concepts were developed, analyzed and iteratively refined.The results show that significant improvement in airflow distribution and effective cooling utilization can be achieved through targeted geometric modifications and the introduction of an airflow distributor. At the same time, the study highlights the importance of system-level evaluation, design trade-offs and sustainability considerations.Overall, the proposed design demonstrates a feasible and improved cooling solution, providing both practical design recommendations and valuable insights for further development and validation.