Wind Turbine Inductor Connector Placement and Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid-cooled inductors for wind turbine generators, leaks from connectors can cause coolant liquid to contact the inductor windings, leading to reliability issues, arcing, and fire hazards due to the high power and material susceptibility.
Innovation Solution
The connectors for coolant liquid are positioned on the underside of the housing, allowing leaks to flow away from the windings, and a drip tray with detection means is used to indicate and respond to leaks, disconnecting the electrical apparatus for safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If connectors are mounted on the upper surface of the housing, then coolant liquid can be easily supplied to the conduit, but leaked coolant liquid will fall under gravity into the housing and contact the inductor windings, causing reliability issues and fire hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional connector mounting location from the upper surface to the lower surface of the housing. This inversion ensures that any leaked coolant liquid flows away from the housing under gravity rather than into the housing, thereby preventing contact with the inductor windings and eliminating the associated reliability issues and fire hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of gravity (which causes leaked coolant to fall into the housing) into a beneficial effect by positioning the connector on the lower surface. The same gravitational force that causes leakage problems in conventional designs now helps direct leaked coolant away from the housing, protecting the inductor windings from contact with coolant liquid.
2Reliability
If connectors are positioned on the underside of the housing, then leaked coolant liquid flows away from the housing, but the coolant liquid must flow in a rising path into the conduit which may cause air pockets to form
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional coolant flow path direction by positioning the connector on the underside of the housing. This requires the coolant to flow upward into the conduit, which prevents air pockets from forming at the top of the conduit while ensuring that any leaked coolant flows away from the housing under gravity.
3Temperature
If coolant liquid is pumped through the conduit using external power, then cooling efficiency is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the coolant liquid to cool the inductor windings and then rise within the conduit purely as a result of natural convection currents generated by the temperature difference, without requiring external pump power. The heated coolant rises due to buoyancy forces, creating a self-sustaining circulation pattern that maintains cooling effectiveness while eliminating the need for powered pumps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pump system with a natural convection-based flow mechanism. Instead of using a powered pump to circulate the coolant, the system relies on thermal convection currents generated by the temperature difference between the heated coolant and the surrounding environment, thereby eliminating mechanical energy consumption while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
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
This arrangement prevents coolant contact with windings, reduces the risk of arcing and fires, and minimizes power consumption by utilizing convection for coolant flow, while providing a safety mechanism to shut down the inductor in case of a leak.
Implementation Method 1
as the coolant is heated by the windings of the inductor 1, the coolant is caused to rise within the conduit purely as a result of convection
Implementation Method 2
any coolant liquid which leaks from the connector will fall under gravity away from the housing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
An inductor 1 for connecting a wind turbine generator to the electricity grid is mounted within a housing 2, and the coils of the inductor 1 are cooled by means of cooling plates 3 located within the coils, and in which are formed tubular conduits. Coolant liquid is supplied to the conduits through supply pipes 7 which are connected to the conduits by means of connectors 8 mounted underneath the housing 2, such that any coolant liquid which escapes from the connectors 8 falls under gravity into a drip tray 10 arranged below the housing 2. Corresponding connectors are provided underneath the housing for connecting the conduits to outflow pipes. A sensor 11 within the drip tray 10 detects the presence of any coolant liquid which has leaked from the connectors 8 and, in response, generates an alarm signal which is transmitted to control circuitry for disconnecting the inductor 1 and shutting down the wind turbine generator.