Wind turbine cooling system and testing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12234809-B2
Application number	US-202118010051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2021
Priority date	Jun 25, 2020
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A wind turbine cooling system, a wind turbine with the cooling system, and a method for testing the cooling system are provided. The cooling system includes a radiator assembly and a nacelle. The nacelle includes a housing rotatably connected with the radiator assembly. The cooling system is configured to thermally couple the radiator assembly to a heat source inside the nacelle. The radiator assembly is moveable between a first position and a second position. When in the first position, the radiator assembly extends away from an upper roof of the housing of the nacelle. When in the second position, the radiator assembly is contained inside the housing of the nacelle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooling system for a wind turbine, comprising:
a radiator assembly; and
a nacelle comprising a housing rotatably connected with the radiator assembly;
wherein the cooling system is configured to thermally couple the radiator assembly to a heat source inside the nacelle;
wherein the radiator assembly is moveable between a first position and a second position about a rotation axis located inside the housing of the nacelle;
wherein, when in the first position, the radiator assembly extends away from an upper roof of the housing of the nacelle;
wherein, when in the second position, the radiator assembly is contained inside the housing of the nacelle.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the upper roof of the housing comprises an opening such that the radiator assembly is movable from the first position into the nacelle via the opening, towards the second position, and the upper roof of the housing comprises at least one movable door to open or close the opening of the upper roof of the housing.

3. The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising: a rotary connection mechanism configured to move the radiator assembly between the first position and the second position by rotation around a rotation axis.

4. The cooling system of claim 3 , wherein the rotation axis of the rotary connection mechanism is perpendicular to a further rotation axis of the at least one movable door.

5. The cooling system of claim 2 , wherein the rotation axis of the rotary connection mechanism is offset away from an edge of the at least one movable door and offset away from the opening.

6. The cooling system of claim 5 , further comprising:
one or more cutouts in the upper roof offset away from the opening and aligned with one or more support beams of the radiator assembly and comprising guidance features to receive a removable cover configured to embrace the one or more support beams when the radiator assembly is in the first position.

7. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the radiator assembly comprises at least one foldable stiffening beam rotatably mounted on a top of the radiator assembly.

8. The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid flow path for a heat transfer fluid; and
a rotary seal arranged in between a first part of the fluid flow path and a second part of the fluid flow path, wherein the first part of the fluid flow path moves with the radiator assembly when moving between the first position and the second position, and wherein the second part of the fluid flow path is fixed with respect to the heat source.

9. The cooling system of claim 8 , wherein the radiator assembly is mounted in the nacelle via the rotary seal implementing a hinge configured to move the radiator assembly between the first position and the second position.

10. A wind turbine comprising the cooling system of claim 1 .

11. A method for testing a cooling system of a wind turbine, wherein the cooling system comprises a nacelle of the wind turbine and a radiator assembly rotatably connected with a housing of the radiator assembly, wherein the radiator assembly is thermally coupled to a heat source inside the nacelle and moveable between a first position and a second position, the method comprising:
installing the nacelle together with the radiator assembly in a nacelle assembly factory such that the radiator assembly is in the first position in which the radiator assembly extends away from the housing of the nacelle;
performing a heat dissipation check of the cooling system when the radiator assembly is in the first position;
moving the radiator assembly to the second position in which the radiator assembly is contained in the nacelle;
transporting the nacelle containing the radiator assembly to a deployment site of the wind turbine when the radiator assembly is in the second position; and
at the deployment site, moving the radiator assembly back to the first position;
wherein the radiator assembly is moveable between the first position and the second position about a rotation axis located inside the housing of the nacelle.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the heat dissipation check comprises checking circulation of a heat transfer fluid in a fluid flow path of the cooling system, the fluid flow path comprising a first part moving with the radiator assembly when moving the radiator assembly between the first position and the second position, and a second part fixed with respect to the heat source.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Innovation & Technology SL

Inventors

• Cortaire Apesteguia Jorge

Classifications

• F05B2260/83

  Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor · CPC title

• F05B2260/20

  Heat transfer, e.g. cooling · CPC title

• F05B2260/02

  Transport, e.g. specific adaptations or devices for conveyance · CPC title

• F05B2240/57

  Seals · CPC title

• F05B2240/14

  Casings, housings, nacelles, gondels or the like, protecting or supporting assemblies there within · CPC title