Generator cooling and enclosure ventilation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12483095-B2
Application number	US-202318105577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2023
Priority date	Mar 9, 2022
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A system for cooling a generator includes a generator system. The generator system includes a generator, an enclosure, the enclosure surrounding the generator, and a radiator, wherein the radiator is fluidly connected to the generator. The system also includes a radiator and ventilation fan system. The radiator and ventilation fan system includes a controller. The radiator and ventilation fans system also includes a ventilation fan variable frequency drive (VFD), the ventilation fans VFD in electrical communication with the controller and a ventilation fan in electrical communication with the ventilation fans VFD. In addition, the radiator and ventilation fan system includes radiator fans VFD in electrical communication with the controller and a radiator fan in electrical communication with radiator fans VFD. Further, the system includes temperature sensors, the temperature sensors in electrical communication with the controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for cooling a generator comprising:
a generator system, the generator system including:
a generator;
an enclosure, the enclosure surrounding the generator; and
a radiator, wherein the radiator is fluidly connected to the generator and wherein the radiator is outside the enclosure;
a radiator and ventilation fan system, the radiator and ventilation fan system including:
a controller;
a ventilation fan variable frequency drive (VFD), the ventilation fan VFD in electrical communication with the controller;
a ventilation fan in electrical communication with the ventilation fan VFD, the ventilation fan adapted to cool air inside the enclosure;
a radiator fan VFD in electrical communication with the controller;
a radiator fan in electrical communication with the radiator fan VFD; and
temperature sensors, the temperature sensors in electrical communication with the controller;
wherein the controller is adapted to, based on the value measured by the enclosure temperature sensor, change the voltage or frequency of the power input to the ventilation fan using the ventilation fan VFD to achieve a predetermined set point for the enclosure temperature of the air inside the enclosure.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiator is a split core radiator.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ventilation fan VFD is adapted to control a speed of the ventilation fan by altering the voltage or frequency of a power input to the ventilation fan.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiator fan VFD is adapted to control a speed of the radiator fan by altering the voltage or frequency of a power input to the radiator fan.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the ventilation fan VFD based on the enclosure temperature sensor.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the radiator fan VFD based on a value of temperature sensor that is not the enclosure temperature sensor.

7 . A method for cooling a generator comprising:
supplying a radiator and ventilation fan system, the radiator and ventilation fan system positioned outside an enclose, the radiator and ventilation fan system including:
a controller;
a ventilation fan variable frequency drive (VFD), the ventilation fan VFD in electrical communication with the controller;
a ventilation fan in electrical communication with the ventilation fan VFD the ventilation fan adapted to cool air inside the enclosure;
a radiator fan VFD, the radiator fan VFD in electrical communication with the controller;
a radiator fan in electrical communication with the radiator fan VFD;
an enclosure temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensor;
communicating a value measured by the enclosure temperature sensor to the controller; and
based on the value measured by the enclosure temperature sensor, changing the voltage or frequency of the power input to the ventilation fan using the ventilation fan VFD to achieve a predetermined set point for the enclosure temperature of the air inside the enclosure.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the ventilation fans are in operation when the radiator and ventilation fan system are in operation.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined set point for the enclosure temperature is between −50° F. and 200° F.

10 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising communicating a value measured by the second temperature sensor to the controller;
based on the value measured by the second temperature sensor, changing the voltage or frequency of the power input to the radiator fan using radiator fan VFD to achieve a predetermined set point for a cooling fluid temperature, the cooling fluid associated with the generator.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined set point for cooling fluid temperature is between 0° F. and 250° F.

Assignees

• Stewart & Stevenson Llc

Inventors

• Sharp Brian
• Evezic Eric
• Harvell Chris

Classifications

• H02K9/04 Primary

  having means for generating a flow of cooling medium · CPC title

• H02K9/19 Primary

  for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil · CPC title