Cooling system and method for wind turbine components

• US 7,748,946 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wan, Rongbo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn; Igor
• Application Number:
  US12/330,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20100143126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 415/1, 415/2.1, 415/114, 415/116, 415/118, 415/121.2, 415/175, 415/177, 415/905, 416/1, 416/61, 416/95, 416/DIG.4
• US Class Current: 415/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/60 Cooling or heating of wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

A cooling system and method is provided for a wind turbine. The cooling system is used to cool at least one component in the wind turbine, and includes a filter system having at least one primary filter and at least one secondary filter. A switch selects between the primary filter and the secondary filter. A cooling circuit includes at least one conduit and a coolant medium. The filter system can switch from the primary filter to the secondary filter.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a wind turbine, said cooling system used to cool at least one component in said wind turbine, said cooling system comprising:

a filter system comprising at least one primary filter and at least one secondary filter, said filter system including a switch to select between said at least one primary filter and said at least one secondary filter;

a cooling circuit comprised of at least one conduit and a coolant medium;

a pressure sensing system to sense the pressure differential between an input of the filter system and an output of the filter system, wherein a signal can be sent to the filter system when the pressure differential exceeds a predetermined threshold value, thereby indicating that the at least one primary filter is experiencing reduced flow; and

wherein said filter system switches from said at least one primary filter to said at least one secondary filter, the switch having a first configuration where the coolant medium is routed through the primary filter but not the secondary filter, and the switch having a second configuration where the coolant medium is routed through the secondary filter but not the primary filter.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein at least two pressure detectors are placed in said cooling circuit.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first pressure detector located near said input of said filter system; and

a second pressure detector located near said output of said filter system.

4. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensing system comprises a differential pressure switch, said differential pressure switch comprising:

a first input connected near the input of said filter system; and

a second input connected near the output of said filter system.

5. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said signal is sent directly from said pressure sensing system to said filter system.

6. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said signal is sent directly from said pressure sensing system to a wind turbine controller.

7. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said at least one component is chosen from the group comprising:

converter, power converter, frequency converter, transformer, controller, generator, and gearbox.

8. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and near an input of said filter system; and

a second shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and near an output of said filter system;

wherein, said first shut-off valve and said second shut-off valve can be configured to isolate said filter system from said cooling circuit.

9. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and upstream of a first pressure sensor and said filter system; and

a second shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and downstream of a second pressure sensor and said filter system;

wherein, said first shut-off valve and said second shut-off valve can be configured to isolate said first pressure sensor, said second pressure sensor and said filter system from said cooling circuit.

10. A method for cooling at least one component in a wind turbine, said method comprising:

providing a filter system, said filter system comprising at least one primary filter and at least one secondary filter, said filter system including a switch to select between said at least one primary filter and said at least one secondary filter;

providing a cooling circuit comprised of at least one conduit and a coolant medium;

providing a pressure sensing system to sense the pressure differential between an input of said filter system and an output of said filter system;

transmitting a signal to said filter system when said pressure differential exceeds a predetermined threshold value, thereby indicating that said at least one primary filter is experiencing reduced flow, and

switching from said at least one primary filter to said at least one secondary filter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least two pressure detectors are placed in said cooling circuit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a first pressure detector is located near said input of said filter system, and a second pressure detector is located near said output of said filter system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said pressure sensing system comprises a differential pressure switch, said differential pressure switch comprising:

a first input connected near the input of said filter system; and

a second input connected near the output of said filter system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said signal is sent directly from said pressure sensing system to said filter system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said signal is sent directly from said pressure sensing system to a wind turbine controller.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one component is chosen from the group comprising:

converter, power converter, frequency converter, transformer, controller, generator, and gearbox.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a first shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and located near an input of said filter system; and

providing a second shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and located near an output of said filter system;

wherein, said first shut-off valve and said second shut-off valve can be configured to isolate said filter system from said cooling circuit.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a first shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and upstream of a first pressure sensor and said filter system; and

providing a second shut-off valve located in said cooling circuit and downstream of a second pressure sensor and said filter system;

wherein, said first shut-off valve and said second shut-off valve can be configured to isolate said first pressure sensor, said second pressure sensor and said filter system from said cooling circuit.

19. A wind turbine having a cooling system used to cool at least one component in the wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising:

a tower;

a nacelle;

at least one component to be cooled housed within at least one of the tower and the nacelle;

a filter system comprising a primary filter and a secondary filter, the filter system including a switch to select between the primary filter and the secondary filter;

a cooling circuit comprised of at least one conduit and a coolant medium;

wherein the filter system switches from the primary filter to the secondary filter, the switch having a first configuration where the coolant medium is routed through the primary filter but not the secondary filter, and the switch having a second configuration where the coolant medium is routed through the secondary filter but not the first filter.

20. The wind turbine of claim 19, further comprising:

a pressure sensing system to sense the pressure differential between an input of the filter system and an output of the filter system;

a first pressure detector located near said input of said filter system;

a second pressure detector located near said output of said filter system; and

wherein a signal can be sent to the filter system when the pressure differential exceeds a predetermined threshold value, thereby indicating that the primary filter is experiencing reduced flow.