Wind turbine and method for controlling a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12429028-B2
Application number	US-202318531493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2023
Priority date	Dec 8, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A wind turbine with a tower and a nacelle with a nacelle housing is provided. The nacelle is placed on the tower. Further provided is a cooling flap, which is configured to close an opening in or on the area of the wind turbine to be cooled. At least one temperature-dependent passive actuator is configured to activate and open the cooling flap as a function of temperature, so as to enable a heat compensation in the area to be cooled by means of the opening. The temperature-dependent passive actuator can change its shape and/or its length without any external electrical energy as a function of temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower;
a nacelle with a nacelle housing, which is placed on the tower;
at least one cooling flap, which is configured to close an opening in or on an area of the wind turbine to be cooled; and
at least one temperature-dependent passive actuator, which is coupled to the cooling flap and is configured to activate and open the cooling flap as a function of temperature, so as to enable a heat compensation in the area to be cooled by means of the opening,
wherein the at least one temperature-dependent passive actuator is configured to change its length without external electrical energy as a function of the temperature to open or close the at least one cooling flap,
wherein the wind turbine has a normal operating mode, and an error operating mode, in which the wind turbine is not connected to an energy supply network and/or not enough energy is being supplied for active cooling, and in which a temperature exceeds a limit value in the area of the wind turbine, and
wherein the at least one temperature-dependent passive actuator is configured to open the at least one cooling flap as a function of temperature in the error operating mode, so as to enable the heat compensation in the area of the wind turbine.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1 ,
wherein the area of the wind turbine is configured as the nacelle housing with at least one opening, which can be closed by means of the at least one cooling flap.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the nacelle housing has at least one heat source in the form of an electric generator and/or a power electronics unit, wherein at least one power electronics unit generates a quantity of heat that exceeds a threshold value in an error operating mode, and
wherein the at least one passive temperature-dependent passive actuator is configured to open the at least one cooling flap as a function of the heat generated by the power electronics unit.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the passive temperature-dependent actuator is configured as a bimetal actuator, as an oil cylinder with a temperature-dependent expansion, or as a melting cylinder with a temperature-dependent expansion.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one passive temperature-dependent passive actuator has a surface enlargement on its surface to improve a heat exchange.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat pipe between a heat source and the at least one passive temperature-dependent passive actuator.

Assignees

• Wobben Properties Gmbh

Inventors

• Arnold Matthias
• Busemann Steffen
• Daboul Hussam

Classifications

• F05B2260/232

  characterised by the cooling medium · CPC title

• F05B2240/14

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

• F05B2220/30

  in turbines · CPC title

• F03D80/601 Primary

  using ambient airflow; Convective cooling of components · CPC title

• F03D1/125

  Access thereto, e.g. doors or platforms · CPC title