Integrated Fan Drive System For Cooling Tower
AssigneePrime Datum, Inc.
InventorsPATRICK M. ROLLINS, GEORGE LUCAS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive system for driving a fan in a wet cooling tower, wherein the fan has a fan hub and fan blades attached to the fan hub. The drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured for connection to the fan hub. The drive system includes a variable frequency drive device to generate electrical signals that effect rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor in order to rotate the fan.
Claims15
A direct drive system configured to drive a fan in a cooling tower, comprising:
- a variable speed permanent magnet motor comprising a rotatable shaft configured to be directly attached to a fan in a cooling tower;
- and
- a variable frequency drive device to control the speed, direction and torque of the motor, the variable frequency drive device being configured to receive control signals that represent a desired motor rotational speed and direction, and in response, generate electrical signals for input into the motor to cause the motor to operate at a motor rotational speed and direction that are substantially the same as the desired motor rotational speed and direction, respectively.
A cooling tower, comprising:
- a cooling tower structure;
- a variable speed permanent magnet motor supported by the cooling tower structure and comprising a rotatable shaft configured to be directly attached to a fan in a cooling tower;
- a cooling tower fan directly attached to the rotatable shaft of the motor such that the fan rotates with the rotatable shaft;
- and
- a variable frequency drive device to control the speed, direction and torque of the motor, the variable frequency drive device being configured to receive control signals that represent a desired motor rotational speed and direction, and in response, generate electrical signals for input into the motor to cause the motor to operate at a motor rotational speed and direction that are substantially the same as the desired motor rotational speed and direction, respectively.
A direct drive system configured to drive a fan in a cooling tower, comprising:
- a variable speed permanent magnet motor comprising a rotatable shaft configured to be directly attached to a fan in a cooling tower, the motor including a vibration sensor to sense vibrations and output signals that represent the sensed vibrations;
- and
- a motor control device to provide electrical signals to the control the speed, direction and torque of the motor.
A direct drive system configured to drive a fan in a cooling tower, comprising:
- a variable speed permanent magnet motor comprising a rotatable shaft configured to be directly attached to a fan in a cooling tower, the motor including means to sense vibrations and output signals that represent the sensed vibrations;
- and
- means to provide electrical signals to the control the speed, direction and torque of the motor.
A cooling tower, comprising:
- a cooling tower structure;
- a variable RPM electric motor supported by the cooling tower structure and including a rotatable shaft;
- a motor control device to control the RPM, direction and torque of the motor;
- a cooling tower fan system comprising a fan directly attached to the rotatable shaft of the motor such that the fan rotates with the rotatable shaft;
- and
- at least one vibration sensor to sense vibrations and output signals representing sensed vibrations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.