Wind Energy Converter With Dehumidifier
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorGerner Larsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind energy converter includes a wind turbine and a climate control mechanism operable as a dehumidifying mechanism for separating and removing humidity from air within one or more areas of the wind turbine. The climate control mechanism includes at least one cooling device for condensing humidity as well as at least one drain device for draining condensed water from the one or more areas being dehumidified. The wind energy converter includes a cooling flow mechanism for providing a flow of a cooling liquid to the at least one cooling device, thereby providing a heat sink for the cooling device.
Claims44
A wind energy converter comprising
- a wind turbine and
- climate control means operable as dehumidifying means for separating and removing humidity from air within one or more areas of said wind turbine, comprising at least one cooling device for condensing humidity as well as at least one drain device for draining condensed water from said one or more areas being dehumidified characterized in that
- said wind energy converter comprises cooling flow means for providing a flow of a cooling liquid to the at least one cooling device, thereby providing a heat sink for said cooling device.
A method for dehumidification of one or more areas of a wind energy converter comprising the steps of
- heating the one or more areas of the wind energy converter,
- cooling of the air by means of a cooling device, the heat sink of which comprises a flow of a cooling liquid, whereby humidity of the air will condense, and
- draining the condensed water from the one or more areas of the wind energy converter.
A wind energy converter comprising
- a wind turbine, and
- climate control means including a heating device for controlling the climate within one or more areas of the wind turbine, characterized in that
- the wind energy converter comprises a heat storage and means for selectively transferring excess heat energy from one or more power transmission parts of the wind turbine to said heat storage and storing said heat energy therein and for retrieving heat energy therefrom for subsequent use with said climate control means.
A method for maintaining wind energy converter parts dehumidified, comprising the steps of
- providing a wind energy converter part comprising climate control means operable as dehumidifying means for separating and removing humidity from air within said wind energy converter part, the climate control means comprising at least one cooling device for condensing humidity as well as at least one drain device for draining condensed water from said part being dehumidified,
- operating the climate control means as dehumidifying means including providing a flow of a cooling liquid to the at least one cooling device, thereby providing a heat sink for said cooling device, during transportation of the wind energy converter part, and
- operating said climate control means after installation of said part in a wind energy converter for controlling the climate within said part during operation of the wind energy converter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.