Modular cooler top for a wind turbine and method of assembling same

A wind turbine, comprising:

• a tower;
• a nacelle rotatably coupled to the tower and having a longitudinal axis (LA) configured to be aligned with the direction of the flow of the incoming wind during operation of the wind turbine, wherein when so aligned, the nacelle defines a longitudinal direction (X), a traverse direction (Y), and a vertical direction (Z);
• one or more heat-generating components housed in the wind turbine;
• and
• a modular cooler affixed to the nacelle and operatively coupled to the one or more heat-generating components for cooling the heat-generating components, the modular cooler comprising one or more cooling modules, each cooling module including one or more cooling units, each cooling unit further comprising:
• a heat exchanger defining a cooling area, the cooling area defining a normal axis (NA);
• and
• a deflector plate to direct the incoming wind through the heat exchanger by diverting the flow of the incoming wind by an angle that is less than 180° relative to the longitudinal direction (X),
• wherein each of the one or more cooling units of the modular cooler is oriented such that the normal axis (NA) of the heat exchanger is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis (LA) of the nacelle, and
• wherein the heat exchanger is oriented such that the normal axis (NA) is substantially parallel to the vertical direction (Z).

A method for assembling a modular cooler on a nacelle of a wind turbine, the nacelle having a longitudinal axis (LA) configured to be aligned with the direction of the flow of the incoming wind during operation of the wind turbine, wherein when so aligned, the nacelle defines a longitudinal direction (X), a traverse direction (Y), and a vertical direction (Z), the method comprising:

• providing one or more cooling modules, each cooling module including one or more cooling units, each cooling unit comprising:
• a heat exchanger having a cooling area, the cooling area defining a normal axis (NA);
• and
• a deflector plate;
• attaching the one or more cooling modules to the nacelle in an orientation such that the normal axis (NA) of the heat exchanger of the one or more cooling units is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis (LA) of the nacelle;
• and
• positioning the deflector plate relative to the heat exchanger of the one or more cooling units to initially be engaged by the incoming wind, thereby diverting the flow of the incoming wind so as to direct the flow of the incoming wind through the heat exchanger, the deflector plate being positioned so as to define an angle between the deflector plate and the longitudinal axis (X) upstream of the deflector plate that is less than 180°.

A modular cooler for a nacelle of a wind turbine, the nacelle having a longitudinal axis (LA) configured to be aligned with the direction of the flow of the incoming wind during operation of the wind turbine, wherein when so aligned, the nacelle defines a longitudinal direction (X), a traverse direction (Y), and a vertical direction (Z), the modular cooler comprising:

• one or more cooling modules, each cooling module including one or more cooling units, each cooling unit comprising:
• a heat exchanger having a cooling area defining normal axis (NA);
• and
• a deflector plate configured to be initially engaged by the incoming wind, thereby by diverting the flow of the incoming wind so as to be directed through the heat exchanger,
• wherein the deflector plate is positioned to define an angle between the deflector plate and the longitudinal axis (X) upstream of the deflector plate that is less than 180°, and
• wherein each of the one or more cooling units of the modular cooler is configured to be oriented such that the normal axis (NA) of the heat exchanger is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis (LA) of the nacelle when the modular cooler is affixed to the nacelle.