Two-phase self-driven cooling system for converter of wind generating set

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of wind power generation, in particular to a two-phase self-driven cooling system of a wind generating set converter, which comprises at least one two-phase cold plate, at least one cooling plate and at least one cooling plate, and the at least one condenser is connected with the at least one two-phase cold plate so as to release the heat absorbed by the at least one two-phase cold plate to the external environment. Therefore, the problems that in the prior art, part of water-cooling converters have an overtemperature phenomenon, a water-cooling system has potential safety hazards of high pump consumption, large noise and liquid leakage, the operation reliability of the converter cooling system is reduced, the maintenance cost is increased, and stable operation of wind power equipment cannot be guaranteed are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wind power generation technology, and in particular to a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator converter. Background Technology

[0002] Wind energy is a clean and renewable energy source. China has large wind energy reserves and wide distribution, showing great application potential. In wind power generation systems, the converter, as a key component, plays a crucial role in variable speed and constant frequency. However, due to the complex internal structure of the converter, which contains numerous high-power devices, these devices generate a large amount of heat during operation. If this heat cannot be effectively conducted and dissipated in a timely manner, it will lead to overheating of the converter module, triggering wind turbine failure and shutdown. Overheating has become one of the main causes of current converter failures. This type of failure not only increases power loss but also reduces the total power generation of the wind turbine, thus affecting the economic benefits of wind farms. Therefore, how to efficiently solve the problem of converter heat dissipation has attracted widespread attention.

[0003] Currently, the heat dissipation methods for wind turbine converters are mainly divided into two categories: air cooling and liquid cooling. Air cooling dissipates heat through forced convection. To avoid dust accumulation inside the converter, air-to-air cooling is typically used. Specifically, the air inside the converter exchanges heat with the outside air through an intercooler, thereby reducing the internal temperature. To ensure forced convection and efficient heat exchange, air cooling systems often require large heat exchangers and fans, resulting in higher noise levels and limited heat exchange capacity. They are mainly used in wind turbine converters with lower installed capacity.

[0004] In recent years, with the rapid development of wind power technology in my country, the single-unit capacity of wind turbines has continued to increase, and the power level of converters has significantly improved. Air cooling can no longer meet the heat dissipation requirements of high-power converters. In contrast, liquid cooling has been more widely used due to its powerful heat dissipation capabilities. Liquid cooling is divided into two forms: direct liquid cooling and indirect liquid cooling. Direct liquid cooling refers to the direct contact between the heating element and the coolant for heat exchange. The coolant absorbs heat and then exchanges it with the outside environment through a heat exchanger. However, due to compatibility issues and high costs of coolants, the application of direct liquid cooling in converters is still immature. Indirect liquid cooling, on the other hand, achieves indirect heat exchange between the heating element and the coolant through cold plates. A pump drives the coolant to circulate in the cold plates to remove heat. Currently, most high-power wind turbine converters adopt indirect liquid cooling, and water is usually used as the cooling medium, i.e., water cooling technology.

[0005] However, as the power of converters continues to increase, the heat dissipation capacity of water cooling technology is gradually approaching its limit. Some water-cooled converters have experienced overheating, and the water cooling system has safety hazards such as high pump consumption, high noise, and leakage, which reduces the reliability of the converter cooling system, increases maintenance costs, and cannot guarantee the stable operation of wind power equipment. These issues urgently need to be addressed. Utility Model Content

[0006] This application provides a two-phase self-driven cooling system for wind turbine generator converters to solve the problems in related technologies where some water-cooled converters have experienced overheating, and where water-cooling systems have safety hazards such as high pump consumption, high noise, and leakage, which reduce the reliability of the converter cooling system, increase maintenance costs, and fail to guarantee the stable operation of wind power equipment.

[0007] The first aspect of this application provides a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator converter, comprising: at least one two-phase cold plate, the at least one two-phase cold plate being disposed corresponding to the wind turbine generator converter to absorb heat released by the wind turbine generator converter; and at least one condenser, the at least one condenser being connected to the at least one two-phase cold plate to release the heat absorbed by the at least one two-phase cold plate to the external environment.

[0008] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, the at least one condenser includes: a first condenser connected to the at least one two-phase cold plate; and a second condenser with an intermediate heat exchanger disposed between the second condenser and the at least one two-phase cold plate.

[0009] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, a compressor is provided at the input end of the second condenser and the input end of the intermediate heat exchanger, and an expansion valve is provided between the output end of the second condenser and the output end of the intermediate heat exchanger.

[0010] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, the at least one two-phase cold plate is positioned with a preset height difference from the external heat sink of the wind turbine generator converter.

[0011] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, the at least one two-phase cold plate includes: a first two-phase cold plate and a second two-phase cold plate.

[0012] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, it further includes a fan disposed corresponding to the at least one condenser.

[0013] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, each of the at least one two-phase cold plates is filled with a two-phase cooling medium.

[0014] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, the input end of the at least one condenser is connected to the output end of the at least one two-phase cold plate via a gas pipe, and the output end of the at least one condenser is connected to the input end of the at least one two-phase cold plate via a liquid pipe.

[0015] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator converter according to an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator converter according to a specific embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of the wind turbine generator converter two-phase self-driven cooling system - natural cooling only.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator converter – a compression-only cooling system – according to a specific embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0022] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine converter according to an embodiment of this application. Addressing the issues raised in the background section regarding overheating in some water-cooled converters and the safety hazards of high pump consumption, noise, and leakage in water-cooling systems, which reduce the reliability of the converter cooling system, increase maintenance costs, and fail to guarantee the stable operation of wind power equipment, this application provides a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine converter. In this system, at least one two-phase cold plate is correspondingly installed with the wind turbine converter to absorb the heat released by the converter. Then, at least one condenser is connected to at least one two-phase cold plate to release the heat absorbed by the cold plate to the external environment, thereby improving the reliability of the converter cooling system, reducing maintenance costs, and effectively ensuring the stable operation of wind power equipment. This solves the problems in the related art, such as overheating in some water-cooled converters and the safety hazards of high pump consumption, noise, and leakage in water-cooling systems, which reduce the reliability of the converter cooling system, increase maintenance costs, and fail to guarantee the stable operation of wind power equipment.

[0023] Specifically, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator converter, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the two-phase self-driven cooling system 10 of the wind turbine generator converter includes: at least one two-phase cold plate 100 and at least one condenser 200.

[0025] At least one two-phase cold plate 100 is provided, which is correspondingly arranged with the wind turbine generator converter to absorb the heat released by the wind turbine generator converter.

[0026] In actual implementation, this application embodiment can include at least one two-phase cold plate 100, for example, as follows: Figure 2 As shown in the embodiment of this application, at least one two-phase cold plate 100 is designed and installed inside the converter according to the distribution characteristics of the heat-generating elements and their heat dissipation requirements. This allows the two-phase cooling technology to absorb the heat released by the wind turbine converter, effectively reducing the thermal resistance between the heat exchange elements and the cold plate, significantly improving the heat transfer efficiency. Compared with the traditional single-phase liquid cooling method, the two-phase cooling technology can carry more heat during the phase change process, thereby significantly improving the cooling capacity and making it suitable for the heat dissipation requirements of high-power wind power converters.

[0027] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, at least one two-phase cold plate 100 includes: a first two-phase cold plate and a second two-phase cold plate.

[0028] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, at least one two-phase cold plate 100 in this embodiment can be provided with a first two-phase cold plate and a second two-phase cold plate. The cooling capacity can be increased by using two two-phase cold plates. In other words, the size and number of two-phase cold plates can be flexibly designed in this embodiment to specifically enhance the heat dissipation effect in high heat density areas and ensure that the converter will not overheat under long-term high-load operation conditions, thus providing technical support for the stable operation of high-power fans.

[0029] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, each of the at least one two-phase cold plates 100 is filled with a two-phase cooling medium.

[0030] As one possible implementation, each of the at least one two-phase cold plates 100 in the embodiments of this application is filled with a two-phase cooling medium. When the cooling medium absorbs the heat released by the heating element, a phase change occurs and it evaporates into a gaseous state. In this process, efficient cooling of the heating element is achieved through boiling heat exchange. Due to the significant density difference between the gaseous cooling medium and the liquid cooling medium, the evaporated gaseous cooling medium is driven upward by gravity, enters the gas pipe, and flows further along the gas pipe to the external condenser, i.e., at least one condenser 200 in the following steps, thereby significantly reducing the system energy consumption.

[0031] In this application embodiment, a cooling medium with superior insulation properties may be used, without specific limitations, which effectively reduces the potential threat of coolant leakage to electronic components, while avoiding the risk of chemical reaction between the cooling medium and other components of the system, thus significantly improving the safety of the system.

[0032] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, at least one two-phase cold plate 100 is positioned with a preset height difference between itself and the external heat sink of the wind turbine generator converter.

[0033] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment of the application, at least one two-phase cold plate 100 is set with a certain height difference between it and the external heat sink of the wind turbine generator converter. This height difference design is the key to the cooling system achieving self-driven circulation. Unlike traditional liquid cooling systems that require mechanical pumps, this design relies entirely on gravity to complete the circulation of the cooling medium, simplifying the system structure, reducing energy consumption and the possibility of mechanical failure, and improving the reliability of system operation.

[0034] The height difference design between the external radiator and the internal two-phase cold plate can be flexibly adjusted according to different operating scenarios to adapt to the installation requirements of wind power converters under various terrain and environmental conditions. This high flexibility brings more possibilities to the practical application of the system and ensures that the cooling system can maintain stable operation under various complex operating conditions.

[0035] It should be noted that the preset height difference is set by those skilled in the art and is not specifically limited here.

[0036] At least one condenser 200 is connected to at least one two-phase cold plate 100 to release the heat absorbed by the at least one two-phase cold plate 100 to the external environment.

[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment of the application, at least one condenser 200 can be provided. The at least one condenser 200 is connected to at least one two-phase cold plate 100 in the above steps. It can receive the heat absorbed by the at least one two-phase cold plate 100 in the above steps and release the heat absorbed by the at least one two-phase cold plate 100 to the external environment, thereby efficiently solving the heat dissipation problem of the wind power converter, reducing the overall energy consumption, and meeting the requirements of the current green and low-carbon development of wind power equipment.

[0038] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, at least one condenser 200 includes: a first condenser and a second condenser.

[0039] The first condenser is connected to at least one two-phase cold plate 100.

[0040] In actual implementation, at least one condenser 200 in this embodiment can be equipped with a first condenser, which is connected to at least one two-phase cold plate 100. For example, the external condenser in this application can be designed as a composite cooling system and can be divided into different operating modes according to the internal load and the external temperature. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, when the internal load is low or the external temperature is low, the natural cooling mode can be activated. The gaseous medium rises along the gas pipe and, through the first condenser (condenser one), dissipates heat directly to the external environment under the action of the fan.

[0041] A second condenser is provided between the second condenser and at least one two-phase cold plate 100, and an intermediate heat exchanger is provided between the second condenser and at least one two-phase cold plate 100.

[0042] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, at least one condenser 200 in this embodiment can be provided with a second condenser. An intermediate heat exchanger is provided between the second condenser and at least one two-phase cold plate 100. When the internal load is high or the external temperature is high, the compression refrigeration mode can be started, and refrigeration is carried out through vapor compression cycle. The intermediate heat exchanger corresponds to the evaporator of the vapor compression cycle. The working fluid of the compression refrigeration cycle evaporates and absorbs heat in the intermediate heat exchanger, thereby cooling the cooling working fluid inside the converter to a liquid state. The gaseous medium enters the intermediate heat exchanger and condenses into a liquid state and enters the liquid pipe. The second condenser, i.e., condenser two, corresponds to the condenser of the vapor compression cycle. The first condenser and the second condenser share an external cooling fan.

[0043] In addition, when the internal load or the external temperature is moderate, the combined cooling mode can be activated, which means that the natural cooling mode and the compression refrigeration mode are activated at the same time. At this time, the compressor power is low, which can reduce the total energy consumption of the system as much as possible while achieving the required heat dissipation.

[0044] Therefore, the embodiments of this application can organically combine natural cooling cycle and refrigeration cycle. When the external temperature is low, the system only relies on the gravity heat pipe system to dissipate heat, and the entire system consumes no pump power, resulting in good energy-saving benefits. When the ambient temperature rises, the mechanical refrigeration mode and natural circulation mode can be seamlessly switched by changing the compressor frequency, maximizing the use of natural cold source, completing heat transfer, and reducing overall energy consumption.

[0045] In other words, the embodiments of this application can utilize the gravity-driven effect generated by the density difference of the two-phase cooling medium during evaporation and condensation to achieve self-driven operation of the cooling system without the need for additional power input, thereby improving operational reliability and reducing maintenance costs.

[0046] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, a compressor is provided at the input end of the second condenser and the input end of the intermediate heat exchanger, and an expansion valve is provided between the output end of the second condenser and the output end of the intermediate heat exchanger.

[0047] As one possible way to achieve this, such as Figure 2 As shown, at least one of the condensers 200 has a compressor installed at the input end of the second condenser, i.e., the input end of the condenser two and the input end of the intermediate heat exchanger. An expansion valve is installed between the output end of the second condenser and the output end of the intermediate heat exchanger. When the internal load is high or the external temperature is high, the compression refrigeration mode can be started to refrigerate through vapor compression cycle. The expansion valve can also accurately control the flow and pressure of the refrigerant to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.

[0048] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, the input end of at least one condenser 200 is connected to the output end of at least one two-phase cold plate 100 via a gas pipe, and the output end of at least one condenser 200 is connected to the input end of at least one two-phase cold plate 100 via a liquid pipe.

[0049] In actual implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, the input end of at least one condenser 200 is connected to the output end of at least one two-phase cold plate 100 via a gas pipe, and the output end of at least one condenser 200 is connected to the input end of at least one two-phase cold plate 100 via a liquid pipe. After the cooling medium in at least one two-phase cold plate 100 evaporates into a gaseous state, it can naturally rise through the gas pipe and flow to the external radiator; after the cooling medium condenses into a liquid state, it can flow back to at least one two-phase cold plate 100 through the liquid pipe by gravity to complete the cycle. Therefore, this application completely eliminates the reliance on mechanical pumps in traditional liquid cooling systems, thereby significantly reducing system energy consumption and meeting the requirements of the current green and low-carbon development of wind power equipment. In addition, eliminating the mechanical pump simplifies the cooling system structure, not only reducing potential sources of failure but also lowering operation and maintenance costs, improving system reliability and service life, and eliminating the noise generated during operation.

[0050] Optionally, in one embodiment of this application, the system 10 of this application embodiment further includes: a fan disposed corresponding to at least one condenser 200.

[0051] Among them, a fan is provided corresponding to at least one condenser 200.

[0052] As one possible way to achieve this, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment of the application, a fan can be set up corresponding to at least one condenser 200. The heat absorbed by at least one two-phase cold plate 100 received by at least one condenser 200 can be directly dissipated to the external environment under the action of the fan, effectively meeting the heat dissipation requirements of the wind power converter.

[0053] In this embodiment, the two-phase self-driven cooling system for wind turbine converters exhibits high structural flexibility, allowing for customized design based on the specific needs of different wind turbine converters. By precisely adjusting the size, shape, and quantity of the cold plates, the system can maximize the matching of heat dissipation requirements for converters of different power levels. Simultaneously, the external radiator can be selected in different specifications and types according to the installation environment conditions to ensure the system can adapt to various complex operating scenarios. For example, the cold plate positions can be flexibly arranged according to the internal cooling requirements of the converter; they may not be on the same horizontal plane. Furthermore, the relative positional relationship between the external radiator and the converter can be flexibly adjusted based on external environmental conditions. As long as the converter's internal cooling is achieved through cold plate cooling, the height difference between the cold plate and the external radiator can meet the requirements of gravity-driven operation.

[0054] The two-phase self-driven cooling system for wind turbine converters proposed in this application involves at least one two-phase cold plate corresponding to the wind turbine converter to absorb the heat released by the converter. Then, at least one condenser is connected to at least one two-phase cold plate to release the absorbed heat to the external environment. This improves the reliability of the converter cooling system, reduces maintenance costs, and effectively ensures the stable operation of wind power equipment. This solves the problems in related technologies where some water-cooled converters experience overheating, and where water-cooling systems suffer from high pump consumption, high noise, and leakage safety hazards, reducing the reliability of the converter cooling system, increasing maintenance costs, and failing to guarantee the stable operation of wind power equipment.

[0055] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate the present utility model, and the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the present utility model are all within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A two-phase self-driven cooling system for a wind turbine generator system converter, characterized in that, The application relates to a wind turbine converter cooling system. The application comprises: at least one two-phase cold plate corresponding to a wind turbine converter to absorb heat released by the wind turbine converter; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein, at least one condenser connected to the at least one two-phase cold plate to release the heat absorbed by the at least one two-phase cold plate to the external environment. The at least one condenser comprises: a first condenser connected to the at least one two-phase cold plate; 3. The system of claim 2, wherein, a second condenser provided with an intermediate heat exchanger between the at least one two-phase cold plate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, The input end of the second condenser and the input end of the intermediate heat exchanger are provided with a compressor, and the output end of the second condenser and the output end of the intermediate heat exchanger are provided with an expansion valve.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, The at least one two-phase cold plate is provided with a preset height difference between the external heat sink of the wind turbine converter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein, The at least one two-phase cold plate comprises a first two-phase cold plate and a second two-phase cold plate. The application further comprises:

7. The system of claim 1, wherein, a fan corresponding to the at least one condenser.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, Each of the at least one two-phase cold plate is filled with two-phase cooling medium. The input end of the at least one condenser and the output end of the at least one two-phase cold plate are connected through an air pipe, and the output end of the at least one condenser and the input end of the at least one two-phase cold plate are connected through a liquid pipe.

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