Box-shaped electrical switchgear cabinet sealed with a cover for a wind turbine

• US 9,491,872 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec SSB Wind Systems GmbH (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: SSB Wind Systems GmbH & Co., KG (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Thier, Mark-Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHILLON, MATT S
• Application Number:
  US13/817,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20130155626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.1, 312/326, 211/26, 361/724, 361600-678
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/82 of electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0021 Side-by-side or stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A box-shaped electric control cabinet is provided which can be closed by a cover and which is used to receive electric components and devices for a blade angle adjustment drive (pitch drive) of a wind energy power plant, by means of which one or more rotor blades of the plant can be rotated about the blade axis. The control cabinet includes at least two cabinet segments, and specific electric components and devices are associated with respectively each module according to its function. The cabinet segments can be associated with and/or assigned to respectively different electric components and devices, with which, combined as a part function, different total functions and/or embodiment forms of the control cabinet can be produced or are producible.

Claims

1. A box-shaped electrical switchgear cabinet sealed with a cover for accommodating electrical components and equipment for a blade angle adjustment drive (pitch drive) of a wind turbine, by means of which one or a plurality of rotor blades of the turbine are rotatable about their blade axes, the switchgear cabinet being assembled from at least two modules or switchgear cabinet segments and certain electrical components and equipment being functionally assigned to one module in each case, the switchgear cabinet comprising:

different electrical components and equipment which are in each case assigned or are assignable to a segment or module, with said electrical components and equipment—

combined as a subfunction—

different overall functions or embodiments of the switchgear cabinet are implemented or are implementable,

wherein the modules or segments form modular segments of a modular system, each said modular segment having frame parts enabling modular coupling to an adjacently positioned one of the modular segments, to thus form the modular system;

wherein the modules or segments form U-shaped frame segments, the U-shaped frame segments each including a planar base surface and two planar lateral surfaces projecting generally perpendicularly from the base surface, the lateral surfaces being of dimensions to enable the electrical components to be housed fully within the modules using only a cover attached to the lateral surfaces, and at least a pair of end caps secured to edge portions of the U-shaped frame segments, to form a fully enclosed cabinet assembly;

wherein the switchgear cabinet is modularly expandable along two perpendicular axes, and a selected one or more of the lateral surfaces, and one or both of the pair of plates having openings to enable cabling interconnecting electrical components to pass through, and wherein said openings are able to be selectively sealed, when not needed, by separate plates fastened to the wall portions; and

wherein one of the modular segments is used to form a converter box, in which the equipment and devices for one or a plurality of converter units for the pitch drive can be arranged, by means of which one or a plurality of blades of the turbine can be rotatably adjusted about their blade axes, and wherein a different one of the modular segments is used to form an accumulator box in which rechargeable direct voltage sources in the form of accumulators or rechargeable capacitors and the interconnections thereof can be arranged, by means of which direct voltage the power supply to the associated pitch drive can be ensured for a short time in the event of power interruptions or a power failure, so that the switchgear cabinet can be used both in its function as a converter box and in its function as an accumulator box.

2. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second cabinet segments or modules is comprised of metal, preferably of stainless steel, powder-coated steel, plastics or another suitable material.

3. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of different ones of the cabinet segments or modules are arranged laterally to form a box-shaped switchgear cabinet and transverse thereto such that the same cabinet segments or modules form a further box-shaped switchgear cabinet with different functions.

4. The switchgear cabinet according claim 1, wherein each said cabinet segment or module has an individual cover.

5. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein three different ones of the cabinet segments or modules adjacently arranged are covered by the common cover and form the switchgear cabinet.

6. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet segments or modules are assignable to a spatial position inside the switchgear cabinet.

7. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet segments or modules are arranged independent of their spatial position inside the switchgear cabinet.

8. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cabinet segments or modules has a first one of the pair of end caps and a second one of the end caps, a first outer segment and a second outer segment, and one or a plurality of central segments of the switchgear cabinet.

9. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the two end caps are approximately equal in surface area, the first end cap having a mounting plate for attaching electrical components and equipment of the switchgear cabinet and supports thereof, and the second end cap having a plate with a plug panel.

10. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the first end cap has surface stamps on its surface for the arrangement of plugs or plug panels or other electrical components.

11. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the outer segment and the central segment have substantially the same structure and are interchangeable among each other.

12. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the central segment and at least one of the first and second outer segments have different widths.

13. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 12, wherein each one of the first and second outer segments and the central segment have the U-shaped frame construction with the planar base surface extending horizontally, which is surrounded by the frame parts, and which has a pair of the planar lateral surfaces protruding laterally and perpendicularly of the rectangular base surface.

14. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the planar base and the planar lateral surfaces of at least one of the first and second generally U-shaped cabinet segments or modules has open surfaces or stampable openings according to requirements and function.

15. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 13, wherein a frame lateral surface of the cabinet segment or module has an opening, which is sealed by a stampable plate, and the opposite surface of which has a closed surface.

16. The switchgear according to claim 15, wherein electrical switches directed outwards are arranged on the stampable plate.

17. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the surface of at least one of the first and second outer cabinet segments pointing outwards is covered on each of its longitudinal sides by the end caps.

18. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the central cabinet segment in each case has a longitudinally arranged one of the frame parts and a laterally arranged one of the frame parts connected with the corresponding frame parts of one of the outer cabinet segments.

19. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 18, wherein the lateral frame part of the central cabinet segment forms closed surfaces on both sides.

20. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 19, wherein the central cabinet segment and at least one of the first and second outer segments have openings on their closed base surface.

21. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the converter box and the accumulator box each have a central segment and laterally arranged outer segments, an outwardly directed lateral surface of which is in each case covered by end caps.

22. The switchgear cabinet according to claim 21, wherein both of said converter box and said accumulator box have a plurality of U-shaped segment parts which are provided either as an outer segment with the end caps, or are usable as the central segment.