COOLING SYSTEM FOR A DRY-TYPE AIR-CORE REACTOR

• US 20100117776A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Löfgren, Peter, Israelsson Tampe, Stefan, Jacobson, Björn, Login, Piotr
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/025 Constructional details relating to cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/085 Cooling by ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2876 Cooling cooling transformers and inductances in general H01F27/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 30/02 Auto-transformers

Abstract

An air-core reactor with natural-air cooling of a winding includes first open spaces to let air flow through the winding in parallel with an axis of symmetry of the reactor and second open spaces crossing the first open spaces to let air flow through the winding angular to the axis of symmetry. A ventilation unit to produce a forced-air flow is arranged in such a way to the air-core reactor that a first part of the forced-air flow enters one of the first or second open spaces and at least one guiding element is arranged with respect to the crossing of the first and the second open spaces in such a way that the first part of the forced-air flow leaves and a second part of the forced-air flow enters the one of the first or second open spaces. A shielding element is arranged at another crossing of the first and the second open spaces so that substantially no air can leave or enter the one of the first or second open spaces.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a dry air-core reactor, the reactor comprising a winding around the air-core, the air core comprising

first open spaces to let air flow through the winding in parallel with an axis of symmetry of the reactor and

second open spaces crossing the first open space to let air flow through the winding angular to the axis of symmetry, the cooling system comprising:

a ventilation unit producing a forced-air flow, where a first part of the forced-air flow enters one of the first or second open spaces,

at least one guiding element which is arranged with respect to a crossing of the first and the second open spaces in such a way that the first part of the forced-air flow leaves and a second part of the forced-air flow enters the one of the first or second open spaces, and

a shielding element is arranged at another crossing of the first and the second open spaces so that substantially no air can leave or enter the one of the first or second open spaces.

2. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation unit generates the forced-air flow outside of the winding and the at least one guiding element guides the first part of the forced-air flow into the air-core.

3. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation unit generates the forced-air flow inside of the air-core and the at least one guiding element guides the first part of the forced-air flow to the outside of the winding.

4. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling air is enclosed by a substantially closed space leaving mainly one intake opening for fresh air to enter and another outlet opening for used air to leave the closed space.

5. The cooling system according to claim 4, further comprising:

at least one outlet shielding unit to prevent forced-air to flow directly to the outlet opening without entering the the first or second open spaces.

6. The cooling system according to claim 4, further comprising:

at least one intake shielding unit to prevent used air to flow back to the intake opening.

8. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the second open spaces are arranged perpendicular to the axis of symmetry.

9. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation unit comprises a tube unit and a fan arranged inside the tube unit.

7. (canceled)

10. A method to convert an air-core reactor with natural-air cooling into an air-core reactor with forced-air cooling, wherein the air-core reactor comprises

a winding around the air core,

first open spaces to let air flow through the winding in parallel with an axis of symmetry of the reactor and

second open spaces crossing the first open space to let air flow through the winding angular to the axis of symmetry,

the method comprising:

arranging a ventilation unit to produce a forced-air flow towards the air-core reactor so that a first part of the forced-air flow enters one of the first or second open spaces,

arranging at least one guiding element with respect to a crossing of the first and the second open spaces in such a way that the first part of the forced-air flow leaves and a second part of the forced-air flow enters the one of the first or second open spaces, and

arranging a shielding element at another crossing of the first and the second open spaces so that substantially no air can leave or enter the one of the first or second open spaces.