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US 7,843,080 B2Granted
Cooling system and wind turbine incorporating same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorPatrick L. Jansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling system for a wind turbine is provided. The cooling system includes at least one generator having a plurality of external fins disposed around at least a portion of the periphery of the generator. A shroud is disposed around at least a portion of the generator, and is configured to guide air across the external fins so that said air cools the generator.
Claims19
A cooling system for a wind turbine, comprising:
- at least one generator having a plurality of external fins disposed around at least a portion of the periphery of said at least one generator, the plurality of external fins connected to the at least one generator;
- a shroud disposed around at least a portion of said at least one generator and at least a portion of the plurality of external fins;
- at least one fan in fluid communication with said shroud, said at least one fan operative to create a suction to draw air into said shroud and across said plurality of external fins;
- a housing of the at least one generator connected to a housing of a gearbox and a compact geared drive train is formed by the at least one generator and the gearbox;
- a braking system connected to a shaft of said at least one generator, said shroud enveloping at least a portion of said braking system;
- and
- wherein said shroud is configured to guide air across at least a portion of said plurality of external fins so that said air cools said at least one generator.
4 more elements
A wind turbine having a cooling system, said cooling system comprising:
- at least one generator having a plurality of external fins disposed around at least a portion of the periphery of said at least one generator, the plurality of external fins connected to the at least one generator;
- a shroud disposed around at least a portion of said at least one generator and at least a portion of the plurality of external fins;
- at least one fan in fluid communication with said shroud, said at least one fan operative to create a suction to draw air into said shroud and across said plurality of external fins;
- at least one vent in a nacelle of the wind turbine, the at least one vent comprising a filter to filter air entering the nacelle;
- and
- wherein said shroud is configured to guide air across at least a portion of said plurality of external fins so that said air cools said at least one generator.
3 more elements
A wind turbine having a cooling system, said cooling system comprising:
- at least one generator having a plurality of external fins disposed around at least a portion of the periphery of the at least one generator, the plurality of external fins connected to the at least one generator;
- a shroud disposed around at least a portion of the at least one generator and at least a portion of the plurality of external fins;
- at least two fans in fluid communication with the shroud, the at least two fans operative to create a suction to draw air into the shroud and across the plurality of external fins;
- at least two exhaust ducts connected between the at least two fans and an exterior of a nacelle of the wind turbine;
- and
- wherein the shroud is configured to guide air across at least a portion of the plurality of external fins so that the air cools the at least one generator a braking system connected to a shaft of the at least one generator, the shroud enveloping at least a portion of the braking system;
- a plurality of gearbox external fins disposed around at least a portion of the periphery of the gearbox, wherein at least a portion of the shroud is disposed around at least a portion of the gearbox.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.