Liquid-Cooled Pole Wedge for Generator Winding Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Generators face stress in windings due to combined effects of centrifugal force and increased temperatures, which existing wedges fail to adequately address, leading to undesirable stress and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A wedge design with a fluid channel and orifices that receives coolant from the generator core, allowing fluid flow to reduce temperature and alleviate stress, featuring additively manufactured construction and structural support for enhanced performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a wedge is placed between poles to reduce movement of windings during rotation, then the load on windings is relieved, but temperatures increase and stress in windings worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge is merged with a cooling system by integrating fluid channels and orifices directly into its structure. This combines the mechanical support function with the thermal management function, allowing the wedge to simultaneously relieve load on windings and cool them through fluid flow through the orifices.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling fluid acts as an intermediary substance between the heat source (windings) and the environment. The fluid flows through channels in the wedge and exits through orifices positioned to directly cool the windings, transferring heat away from the stressed winding areas.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a wedge is placed between poles to support windings, then mechanical stability is improved, but stress in windings increases due to combined centrifugal force and temperature effects
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fluid flow converts the harmful thermal stress into a beneficial cooling effect. By directing fluid through orifices at the windings, the system uses the pressure and flow of the fluid to simultaneously cool and mechanically support the windings, transforming potential thermal damage into a protective cooling mechanism.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional wedge design is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but ability to integrate cooling channels and orifices is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions (mechanical support, fluid channeling, cooling) are merged into a single integrated wedge component. The additive manufacturing process enables complex internal channels and orifices to be formed as part of the wedge geometry, eliminating the need for separate cooling system components.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing method changes from traditional subtractive or casting processes to additive manufacturing. This parameter change in the manufacturing process enables the creation of complex internal geometries including fluid channels and orifices that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional manufacturing methods.
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 wedge effectively reduces temperature and stress in windings by utilizing fluid flow through orifices, enhancing the operational efficiency and longevity of the generator by mitigating the effects of centrifugal force and heat.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid channel and orifices that receives coolant from the generator core, allowing fluid flow to reduce temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
A wedge (115) for use between poles (106) of a generator for supporting windings (112) of the poles includes a plurality of outer walls (200). The wedge also includes at least one fluid orifice extending through at least one of the plurality of outer walls and configured to receive a fluid from a shaft of the generator and to allow the fluid to flow through the at least one of the plurality of outer walls to reduce a temperature of the windings.