Modular Wind Turbine Nacelle Spill Containment by Gravity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbines face challenges in managing large-volume liquid spillage within their modular nacelles, which can damage components, pose hazards, and violate environmental regulations due to the inability of current drip trays to contain significant liquid leaks.
Innovation Solution
A modular nacelle design with a liquid containment system featuring auxiliary and main spillage containers connected by a flow channel, allowing excess liquid from auxiliary units to transfer to the main container, ensuring complete containment without powered equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If drip trays are used to manage liquid spillage, then small-volume liquid spillage can be collected, but large-volume liquid spillage cannot be contained
Solution Approach 1:
The spillage containment system is divided into multiple segmented containers: auxiliary spillage containers within each auxiliary nacelle unit and a main spillage container within the main nacelle unit. These segmented containers work together to contain large-volume liquid spillage that would overwhelm a single drip tray, thereby resolving the contradiction between collecting large quantities of liquid and maintaining reliable containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary spillage containers are nested within the auxiliary nacelle units, and the main spillage container is nested within the main nacelle unit. This nested arrangement allows the spillage containment system to be integrated into the modular nacelle structure, enabling containment of large-volume spillage while maintaining the modular architecture and space efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If the nacelle is constructed from modular units, then transportability is improved, but liquid spillage containment becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid containment system is segmented to match the modular nacelle structure, with auxiliary spillage containers in auxiliary units and a main spillage container in the main unit. This segmentation allows each module to be self-contained and transportable while the combined system provides comprehensive spillage containment, resolving the contradiction between transportability and containment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow channel acts as an intermediary element connecting the auxiliary spillage containers to the main spillage container. This flow channel provides a simple gravitational pathway for liquid to move between containers without requiring complex pumping or control mechanisms, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving effective spillage containment.
3Volume of moving object
If auxiliary nacelle units are made compact, then space utilization is improved, but liquid spillage containment capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spillage containment capacity is segmented across multiple containers: small auxiliary spillage containers within each compact auxiliary nacelle unit and a larger main spillage container in the main unit. This segmentation allows the auxiliary units to remain compact while collectively providing sufficient containment capacity for large-volume liquid spillage through the combined volume of all containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary spillage containers are nested within the compact auxiliary nacelle units, maximizing space utilization. The flow channel provides an efficient gravitational pathway from these nested containers to the main spillage container, enabling compact auxiliary units to contribute to overall spillage containment capacity without requiring additional space.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the flow channel is gravity-driven, then energy consumption is reduced, but liquid transfer speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flow channel is designed to be self-service, using gravity to automatically transfer liquid from auxiliary spillage containers to the main spillage container without requiring external energy input, pumps, or control systems. This gravity-driven approach eliminates energy consumption while providing sufficient liquid transfer speed for containment purposes, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and transfer speed.
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
Effectively manages large-volume liquid spills within the nacelle, preventing environmental pollution and component damage by ensuring all spillage is collected in integrated containers, even in catastrophic failures, without the need for pumps or additional power sources.
Implementation Method 1
a flow channel extending between the auxiliary liquid spillage container and the main liquid spillage container, the flow channel configured to provide fluid communication between the auxiliary liquid spillage container and the main liquid spillage container
Implementation Method 2
a liquid containment system for containing liquid spillage in the nacelle
Data Source
AI summary
A modular nacelle (16) of a wind turbine (10) includes a main nacelle unit (22), an auxiliary nacelle unit (24, 26) releasably connected to the main nacelle unit (22), the auxiliary nacelle unit (24, 26) having a wind turbine component (68) with a first liquid volume (VC,A), and a liquid containment system (100) for containing liquid spillage in the nacelle (16). The liquid containment system (100) includes a liquid spillage container (70) in the auxiliary nacelle unit (24, 26) and having a first container volume (VA), a liquid spillage container (50) in the main nacelle unit (22) and having a second container volume (VM), and a flow channel (102) providing fluid communication between the auxiliary liquid spillage container (70) and the main liquid spillage container (50) in response to liquid spillage in the auxiliary nacelle unit (24, 26) exceeding the first container volume (VA). A method of containing liquid spillage in a modular nacelle (16) is also disclosed.