Method and system for thermal management of power conductor members in a wind turbine structure

A thermal management system for cables in a wind turbine, the system comprising:

• a structure, and one or more conducting cables disposed within the structure;
• means for establishing an airflow through the structure, the airflow moving along and around the cables within the structure to remove heat generated in the cables via heat transfer from a core and sublayers of the cables through a surrounding insulation layer of the cables;
• an ambient temperature sensor adjacent the cables;
• a volumetric flow rate sensor adjacent the cables;
• a controller in communication with the temperature sensor and the flow rate sensor, the controller configured to:
• based on flow rate and ambient temperature, determine a threshold current capacity limit for the cables;
• and
• use the threshold current capacity limit as a control factor for increasing power production of the wind turbine within thermal limits of the cables.