Method and system for cooling a wind turbine gearbox oil heat-exchanger
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsUlrich Werner Neumann, Mark Steven Pape
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system are provided for cooling a heat-exchanger in a wind turbine that has an electric generator with a cooling air flow directed therethrough. Effluent cooling air flow from the electric generator is directed into an air ejector pump and acts as motive air through the air ejector pump. Cold air is drawn into the air ejector pump by the vacuum generated by the motive air moving through the air ejector pump. The heat exchanger is disposed in-line with the cold air flow so that the cold air is drawn through the heat-exchanger, removes heat from the fluid circulated through the heat-exchanger, and becomes heated air that is combined with the motive air and discharged from the nacelle.
Claims19
A method for cooling a gear oil heat-exchanger in a wind turbine that has a gearbox for driving an electric generator, the electric generator having a cooling air flow directed therethrough, the gearbox having a recirculating oil flow therethrough, the method comprising:
- directing effluent cooling air flow from the electric generator into an air ejector pump, the effluent cooling air acting as motive air through the air ejector pump;
- drawing cold air into the air ejector pump using a vacuum generated by the motive air;
- disposing the gear oil heat-exchanger in-line with the cold air flow so that the cold air is drawn through the gear oil heat-exchanger, removes heat from the gear oil circulated through the gear oil heat-exchanger, and becomes heated air;
- and
- discharging the heated air and the motive air.
A method for generating a cooling air flow for a heat exchanger used in a wind turbine generator system having an electric generator housed within a nacelle, the method comprising:
- generating a cooling air flow through the electric generator;
- directing an effluent of the cooling air flow from the electric generator into an air ejector pump, the effluent cooling air flow acting as motive air through the air ejector pump;
- drawing cold air into the air ejector pump using a vacuum generated by the motive air;
- and
- directing the cold air drawn into the air ejector pump through the heat exchanger before the cold air is combined with the motive air.
A wind turbine, comprising:
- a tower;
- a nacelle mounted atop the tower;
- a gearbox housed within the nacelle, the gearbox driven by a low speed rotor shaft and driving an electric generator housed within the nacelle;
- an air ejector pump in communication with an effluent cooling air flow that is directed through the electric generator, wherein the effluent cooling air flow acts as motive air through the air ejector pump;
- a cold air duct in communication with the air ejector pump through which cold air is drawn into the air ejector pump by a vacuum generated in the air ejector pump by the motive air;
- a gear oil heat-exchanger disposed in the cold air duct such that the cold air moves through the gear oil heat-exchanger and removes heat from the gear oil circulated through the gear oil heat-exchanger, becomes heated air, and combines with the motive air into a combined air flow;
- and
- a discharge path for the combined air flow out of the nacelle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.