Generator Bushing Cooling via Merged Phase Ring Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooling systems for electric generators with multiple phases face challenges in space constraints due to increased numbers of bushings and pipes, making it impractical to implement effectively in generators with more than three phases.
Innovation Solution
A compact cooling system where each bushing is fed with a cooling medium of the same temperature, with outlets in the high pressure zone connected to inlets of hollow phase rings, reducing the number of pipes needed and allowing efficient cooling of both bushings and phase rings, while maintaining uniform operating temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cooling system is implemented with increased number of phases, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling circuits of multiple bushings into a single common cooling circuit. Instead of providing separate cooling circuits for each bushing as in traditional systems, the invention uses one shared circuit that serves multiple bushings, thereby reducing the number of pipes and simplifying the overall cooling system structure while maintaining adequate cooling coverage for all phases
Solution Approach 2:
The common cooling circuit performs multiple functions simultaneously - it cools multiple different bushings that belong to different phases through a single unified system. This multi-functional approach allows the same cooling infrastructure to serve various cooling needs across the generator, reducing redundancy and simplifying the system
2Power
If the number of phases is increased, then the power generation capacity is improved, but the space availability for pipes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple separate cooling circuits into a single common circuit, the invention dramatically reduces the total pipe length and spatial footprint required for cooling infrastructure. This allows the system to accommodate higher phase counts and power generation capacities without proportionally increasing the space required for piping
Solution Approach 2:
The invention reorganizes the cooling system architecture from a distributed multi-circuit approach to a centralized common-circuit approach, effectively changing the dimensional arrangement of cooling pathways. This structural transformation reduces spatial requirements by consolidating cooling functions into a more compact configuration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides high reliability and extended lifespan of bushings by ensuring uniform operating temperatures and achieving high compactness, suitable for generators with any number of phases, including those with 15 or more phases.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling medium to pass through them to cool them
Implementation Method 2
a rotor shaft activating at least a fan defining at least a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system for bushings of an electric generator, which includes a casing housing a stator and a rotor connected to a rotor shaft activating at least a fan defining at least a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone. The generator has a plurality of phases electrically connected to hollow phase rings that are electrically connected to bushings supported by the casing and having cooling circuits to let a cooling medium pass through them to cool them. The outlets of the bushing cooling circuits are housed in the high pressure zone and are connected to inlets of the hollow phase rings. A method for cooling the bushings of an electric generator is also provided.