Multisiphon passive cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10590916-B2
Application number	US-201815876438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Jan 22, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

A cooling system includes one or more heat generating components located within an enclosure. A first conduit is thermally connected to one or more of the heat generating components, and the first conduit is fluidly connected to a distribution manifold and a condensing unit. The condensing unit is located external to the enclosure and above the heat generating components. The distribuition manifold is located below the heat generating components. A second conduit is fluidly connected to the condensing unit and the distribution manifold. The cooling system includes a two-phase cooling medium. The first conduit, condensing unit, second conduit and distribution manifold form a loop in which the cooling medium circulates.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A passive cooling system comprising:
a first conduit configured to be thermally connected to one or more heat generating components located within an enclosure, the first conduit fluidly connected to a distribution manifold and a condensing unit, the condensing unit positioned external to the enclosure and above the one or more heat generating components, the distribution manifold positioned below the heat generating components;
a second conduit fluidly connected to the condensing unit and the distribution manifold so as to establish a closed loop comprising the first conduit, the condensing unit, the distribution manifold, and the second conduit, the closed loop being absent of a pump; and
a cooling medium contained within the closed loop and circulating through the closed loop via convection.

2. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a nacelle of a wind turbine.

3. The passive cooling system of claim 2 , wherein the nacelle is a sealed nacelle.

4. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat generating components include a hermetically sealed motor.

5. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first conduits connected in parallel between the distribution manifold and the condensing unit.

6. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , wherein two or more heat generating components are thermally connected in series along the first conduit.

7. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vapor spreader interposed between and fluidly connected to the first conduit and the condensing unit, wherein the vapor spreader reduces the pressure and condensing temperature of the cooling medium.

8. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling medium comprises a fluid with a chemical composition of CF 3 CF 2 C(O)CF(CF 3 ) 2 .

9. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a funnel located on a top of the enclosure, the condensing unit positioned inside the funnel, wherein an inlet area of the funnel is greater than an outlet area of the funnel, thereby increasing a speed of airflow over the condensing unit when compared to airflow speed external to the enclosure.

10. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one heat exchanger thermally connected to the first conduit and configured to be thermally connected to at least one of the one or more heat generating components, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a heat transfer loop oriented to pass in or around a corresponding heat generating component; and
a heat transfer medium contained within the heat transfer loop.

11. The passive cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the heat transfer loop is oriented orthogonally to the first conduit.

12. The passive cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the condensing unit is oriented perpendicular to a non-fan-driven wind flow, wherein the non-fan-driven wind flow convectively cools the condensing unit.

13. A wind turbine comprising:
a tower secured atop a support surface;
a nacelle mounted atop the tower;
a rotor mounted to the nacelle;
one or more heat generating components positioned within the wind turbine; and
a passive cooling system oriented to remove a portion of heat generated by the one or more heat generating components from within the wind turbine, the passive cooling system comprising:
a first conduit thermally connected to at least one of the heat generating components, the first conduit fluidly connected to a distribution manifold and a condensing unit, the condensing unit positioned external to the wind turbine and above the heat generating components, the distribution manifold positioned below the heat generating components,
a second conduit fluidly connected to the condensing unit and the distribution manifold so as to establish a closed loop comprising the first conduit, the condensing unit, distribution manifold, and the second conduit, the closed loop being absent of a pump, and
a cooling medium contained within the closed loop and circulating through the closed loop via convection.

14. The wind turbine of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of first conduits connected in parallel between the distribution manifold and the condensing unit.

15. The wind turbine of claim 13 , wherein the passive cooling system further comprises:
a vapor spreader interposed between and fluidly connected to at least one first conduit and the condensing unit, wherein the vapor spreader reduces the pressure and condensing temperature of the cooling medium.

16. The wind turbine of claim 13 , wherein the condensing unit is attached to the nacelle and oriented perpendicular to a non-fan-driven wind flow, wherein the non-fan-driven wind flow cools the condensing unit.

17. The wind turbine of claim 16 , further comprising:
a funnel located on a top of the nacelle, the condensing unit located inside the funnel, wherein an inlet area of the funnel is greater than an outlet area of the funnel, thereby increasing a speed of airflow over the condensing unit when compared to airflow speed external to the nacelle.

18. The wind turbine of claim 13 , wherein the cooling medium comprises a fluid with a chemical composition of CF 3 CF 2 C(O)CF(CF 3 ) 2 .

19. The wind turbine of claim 13 , wherein the passive cooling system further comprises:
at least one heat exchanger thermally connected to the first conduit and at least one of the heat generating components, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a heat transfer loop oriented to pass in or around the heat generating component, and
a heat transfer medium contained within the heat transfer loop.

20. The wind turbine of claim 19 , wherein the heat transfer loop is configured in a counter-flow arrangement with respect to the first conduit.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Waddell Alistair Martin
• Chan Mark Aaron
• Andonegi Aldaz Mikel

Classifications

• F05B2260/232

  characterised by the cooling medium · CPC title

• F05B2260/207

  using a phase changing mass, e.g. heat absorbing by melting or boiling · CPC title

• F03D9/25

  the apparatus being an electrical generator (F03D9/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F03D80/60 Primary

  Cooling or heating of wind motors · CPC title

• F25B41/003

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic