ELECTRIC MACHINE DISTRIBUTED COOLING SYSTEM AND METHOD

An electric machine (100) including a distributed cooling system is disclosed. The electric machine includes a housing, a stator assembly (110), a rotor assembly (108), and a distributed cooling system (150). The distributed cooling system (150) comprising at least one inlet (153), a first passage (152a, 252a), a second passage (152b, 252b), and a third passage (152c, 252c). The first passage (152a, 252a) extending axially in a first direction through at least a portion of the rotor shaft (104) to direct a flow of coolant in the first direction. The second passage (152b, 252b) is fluidly coupled to the first passage extending in a second direction through at least a portion of the rotor shaft (104) between a receiving end and a distributing end. The at least one third passage (152c, 252c) is fluidly coupled to the second passage extending between a first end and a second end and distributes coolant received from the second passage to at least one of the first end or the second end into the stator assembly.