Wind Turbine Generator Magnet Sorting for Stable Rotor Airgap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for assembling electrical generators, particularly for wind turbines, struggle to maintain a consistent and minimal airgap between the stator and rotor, which affects energy efficiency due to fluctuations caused by eccentricity in the coupling.
Innovation Solution
A measurement and sorting system for magnets that includes a measurement station to assess magnet dimensions aligned with the radial direction of the rotor, followed by a storage system to sort and store magnets based on these measurements. This system is integrated with an assembly method that optimizes magnet placement within the rotor house to minimize airgap variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If magnets are randomly placed in the rotor without measurement and sorting, then the assembly process is simpler and faster, but the airgap fluctuations increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and sorting magnets before assembly into the rotor. The measurement station determines the radial dimension of each magnet, and the storage system pre-sorts them into groups based on these measurements. This preliminary characterization allows the assembly system to selectively place magnets with matching dimensions into corresponding seats, minimizing airgap fluctuations and maximizing energy efficiency without requiring complex real-time adjustments during assembly.
2Manufacturing precision
If magnets are measured and sorted before assembly, then airgap consistency is improved and efficiency increases, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement and sorting operations are performed in advance before the actual assembly process. By pre-characterizing magnets according to their radial dimensions and pre-sorting them into groups, the system eliminates the need for complex real-time decision-making during assembly. The assembly system simply needs to select magnets from pre-sorted groups and place them in corresponding seats, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining high airgap consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing magnets into distinct groups based on their radial dimensions. The storage system creates multiple storage locations, each containing magnets with specific dimension ranges. This segmentation allows the assembly process to efficiently select appropriate magnets for each rotor seat without examining every magnet individually, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while improving assembly productivity.
3Ease of operation
If all magnets are treated as identical components, then the handling and assembly process is simpler, but the airgap cannot be optimized and eccentricity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by recognizing that different magnets have different radial dimensions and should be treated differently based on their specific characteristics. Rather than applying a uniform handling approach to all magnets, the system measures each magnet's radial dimension, sorts them into dimension-specific groups, and places them in corresponding rotor seats. This localized differentiation ensures that each magnet position receives a magnet with the optimal dimension for that location, stabilizing the airgap while maintaining efficient operations through systematic sorting.
Data Source
AI summary
It is disclosed a measurement and sorting arrangement for a plurality of magnets (36) for a rotor (30) of an electrical machine (10), the rotor (30) including a rotor house (31) and a plurality of permanent magnets (36). The arrangement includes:a measurement station for measuring at least a dimension of a magnet (36) along a direction which is subject to be aligned with a radial direction of the rotor (30),a storage for storing a plurality of magnets (36) based on the results of the step of measuring (120).