Wind turbine nacelle cooling
阅读说明:本技术 风轮机机舱冷却 (Wind turbine nacelle cooling ) 是由 M·P·威尔卡 M·亚历山大 于 2018-12-14 设计创作,主要内容包括:一种风轮机,其具有机舱,所述机舱容纳在使用中产生有害热的操作部件(例如变压器或转换器),所述机舱包括机舱外罩(20)以形成机舱外壳并设置有面板(24),该面板覆盖在底罩(22)区域上,与所述底罩形成导管,该导管用于将外部空气引导至一个或多个发热操作部件以进行冷却。(A wind turbine has a nacelle which houses operating components which in use generate noxious heat, such as a transformer or converter, the nacelle including a nacelle cover (20) to form a nacelle housing and being provided with a panel (24) which overlies the region of a base cover (22) and forms with the cover a duct for directing outside air to one or more heat generating operating components for cooling.)
1. A wind turbine comprising a nacelle housing operational components which generate heat in use, the nacelle comprising a nacelle cover to form an enclosure and being provided with panels which overlie an area of the cover to define with the cover a duct for directing outside air to one or more heat generating operational components, wherein one or more ducts are connected between the interior panel and one or more heat generating operational components to direct cooling air from the duct to the heat generating operational components.
2. A wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the panel is an interior panel covering a bottom cover of the nacelle cover.
3. A wind turbine according to claim 2, wherein the inner panel extends transversely across substantially the entire width of the bottom casing section casing.
4. A wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nacelle comprises an air inlet to the duct.
5. A wind turbine according to claim 4, wherein the air inlet is provided at a region in front of the tower opening.
6. A wind turbine according to claim 5, wherein the interior panel extends from the area in front of the tower opening around the sides of the tower opening towards the rear of the nacelle.
7. A wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more conduits are connected to an air inlet manifold of the heat generating operational component.
8. A wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the heat generating operating components comprise one or more of a converter and a transformer.
9. A wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the interior panel is formed on a bottom side facing the nacelle, the interior panel having a partition wall for guiding a flow of cooling air.
10. A wind turbine according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of laterally and longitudinally extending partition walls are provided on the inner panel, which partition walls are selectively removable prior to assembly in order to define a desired flow path for a specific configuration of heat generating operational components.
11. A wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more fans are provided in the duct or at the connection between duct and component to draw air into the duct and force it to the one or more heat generating operational components.
12. A wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner panel is formed with an upstanding rim to define a liquid collection container upwardly to collect any liquid leakage or spillage from the operational components containing liquid.
13. A wind turbine according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of containers may be defined by the upstanding rims, the containers being associated with separate components.
14. A wind turbine according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the interior panels define a passage area at their lateral periphery to collect any liquid flowing down the side walls of the nacelle cover.
15. A wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the panels are arranged to laterally cover the side walls of the nacelle cover.
16. A method of cooling heat generating operational components in a wind turbine according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising drawing air into the conduit from the outside and guiding the air to the heat generating operational components via the conduit and pipe.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising directing air into the duct at a forward region of the nacelle.
18. The method of claim 14 or 15, further comprising exhausting air from the nacelle after the air passes over the heat-generating component.
Disclosure of Invention
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a wind turbine comprising: a nacelle housing operational components which generate heat in use, the nacelle comprising a nacelle cover to form an enclosure and being provided with panels which overlie an area of the cover to define with the cover a duct for directing outside air to one or more of the heat generating operational components, wherein one or more ducts are connected between the interior panel and one or more of the heat generating operational components to direct the cooling air from the duct to the heat generating operational components.
Such air cooling may be important for various operating components such as converters and transformers. It may also be used with a gearbox and generator.
In a preferred embodiment, the panel is an interior panel overlying a bottom cover of the nacelle cover. The inner panel extends laterally across substantially the entire width of the bottom cover portion. The nacelle comprises an air inlet to the duct, preferably arranged at a front region of the bottom casing in front of the tower opening. The duct extends from the forward region around a side of the tower opening where the nacelle is connected to the tower, towards the rear of the nacelle. To receive cooling air, connections may be made with the various components at various points along the duct by way of the ducts. For this purpose, short pipes or tubes (e.g. connected to its air inlet manifold) may be connected between the interior panel and one or more heat-generating operating components to guide the cooling air from the duct to the operating components. Fans are provided in the duct or at various locations at the connection between the duct and the component to draw air into the duct and direct it along the duct to the various operating components to be cooled.
For purposes of this description, a "forward" direction is considered to be the direction in the nacelle toward the rotor, and "aft" is the opposite direction away from the rotor.
The interior panel may be formed on a bottom side facing the housing, the interior panel having a partition wall for directing a flow of cooling air in a defined path or paths and to a particular point of forming a connection with a particular component to be cooled.
The interior panels may be constructed to have a modular form whereby a single panel may be manufactured for use with various nacelle layouts, and then the panel adapted for use with a particular nacelle layout. To this end, a plurality of transversely and longitudinally extending bulkheads may be formed, which may be selectively removed prior to assembly, in order to define a desired flow path for a particular configuration of the nacelle and its heat generating operational components.
In one embodiment, the air directing function may be combined with the liquid spill collection function. The inner panel is formed with an upstanding rim proximate its periphery to upwardly define a liquid collection container to collect liquid leakage or spillage from the liquid containing component. A plurality of receptacles may be defined by the upstanding rim, the receptacles being associated with individual components. The containers may be separate from each other or may be interconnected to allow fluid flow between the containers. The inner shroud portion may also define a passage area at its lateral periphery to collect any liquid flowing down the side wall of the nacelle shroud (e.g., as condensate).
As an alternative to arranging the duct above the bottom cover of the nacelle, the duct may alternatively or additionally be provided on the nacelle side wall. An interior panel may be provided that laterally overlies the side walls. The inlet of the duct, which again preferably is near the forward end of the nacelle, extends aft along the nacelle.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of cooling heat generating operational components in a wind turbine having a structure as defined above, the method comprising drawing air into the conduit from the outside and conducting it to the heat generating operational components via the conduit and duct. In a preferred method, cooling air is drawn into the duct via an inlet at or near the forward end of the nacelle and exhausted from the nacelle after passing through or past one or more heat generating components.
Drawings
The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a wind turbine having a nacelle incorporating a cooling structure according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a forward region of the nacelle (without the rotor) to illustrate the air inlet location;
FIG. 3 illustrates a nacelle with air ducts, showing the flow of cooling air;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the nacelle from below, illustrating the position of the duct arrangement;
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a lower region of the nacelle to illustrate the undercover and the interior panels;
FIG. 5B is a detail of FIG. 5A;
FIG. 6 shows a portion of a panel provided in a modular form;
FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nacelle illustrating an embodiment further provided with cooling side panels; and
fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken longitudinally along a mid-portion of the nacelle to show the air supply to the converter cabinet.
Detailed Description
As shown in fig. 1, a wind turbine nacelle structure is shown incorporating a cooling arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.
As is conventional, the wind turbine includes a nacelle 2, the nacelle 2 housing the main operating components of the turbine as discussed further below. The nacelle is located on top of a tower 4, the tower 4 extending from a ground-mounted foundation (not shown). The rotor 6 comprises a number of blades 8 (typically three blades) which are mounted on a
The above-mentioned main operating components all generate a certain degree of harmful waste heat when in operation, mechanical components such as gearboxes generate waste heat due to friction, generators such as electromechanical converters generate waste heat due to both mechanical friction and electrical losses, and transformers generate waste heat due to electrical losses.
Conventionally, some of these components are cooled by means of a cooling liquid which circulates in a closed cooling circuit through a heat exchanger (not shown). For example, the gearbox is cooled by means of an oil or water flow circuit in thermal communication with a heat exchanger, which may be mounted externally on the nacelle (e.g. on top of the nacelle) so that heat may be exchanged with the external environment.
Various heat generating components need to be air cooled and are typically cooled by outside air that is directed over or through the components from dedicated inlets in the nacelle cover. According to an embodiment of the invention, instead of conventionally providing a dedicated internal duct for cooling air, the nacelle is arranged such that a portion of the
The duct supplies cooling air to one or more operational components. As shown in fig. 8, air is supplied to the
To the air exhaust rear of the
Alternatively, the inner panel may have a smaller lateral and/or longitudinal extent, extending over a smaller area of the bottom cover.
One particular advantage of arranging the air duct in the lowermost region of the cabin is that this region represents an inactive space which is largely not occupied by other components if no air duct is arranged. Furthermore, the inlet, which is efficient below the crowded rear part of the nacelle, from where cooling air can be supplied to a number of heat generating components as described above, may be arranged towards a relatively uncongested area in front of the nacelle, guided in a space-occupying manner. This structure is further beneficial in supporting the modularity of the nacelle, as the duct structure can be arranged to serve multiple nacelle layouts, simply by connecting with the duct at the necessary locations according to the component distribution and cooling needs of the particular nacelle layout.
The
In one form, the
As an alternative to arranging the circuit between a part of the nacelle cover and a separate panel, the nacelle cover itself may be formed as a double-walled construction, either as separate spaced-apart panels joined together or as an integrally moulded one-piece. In this case, the panel is formed with an air inlet at the outermost portion and connections to the respective heat generating components at the inner portion.
In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 5A, 5B and 6, the
The above embodiment utilizes the space between the
In another modification, the duct structure may be used to provide a degree of air cooling to liquid cooled components such as gearboxes and generators; for example, the oil or water cooling circuit may employ a heat exchanger that is air cooled with air from the conduit. Although an air duct may not be able to meet all of the cooling requirements of such components, it may facilitate such cooling.
It will be appreciated that various modifications to the embodiments described above are possible and will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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