Modular Stator Core Lamination for Generator Weight Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing generators for wind and hydro power applications are heavy, leading to increased transportation and installation costs due to the weight of the generator and supporting structures, which also necessitates larger sizes and reduced rotation speeds as power increases, further complicating weight reduction efforts.
Innovation Solution
A modular lamination design for the stator core made from ferromagnetic material, divided into sectorial elements with projections that form cooling fins, allowing for reduced material usage and eliminating the need for a separate casing, resulting in a lighter and more efficient stator core.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a traditional stator core design with casing is used, then structural strength and heat dissipation are ensured, but the overall weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The stator core is divided into modular laminations, each comprising a peripheral portion and multiple teeth. This segmentation allows for optimized material distribution, removing unnecessary material while maintaining structural integrity through the modular design and selective reinforcement at critical junctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the separate casing component from the generator design. The stator core itself is redesigned to perform the structural and heat dissipation functions previously handled by the casing, thereby removing dead weight without compromising strength or thermal management.
2Power
If power output is increased by increasing blade length, then more energy is generated, but the required tower height and supporting structure weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The generator is divided into modular laminations that can be stacked to achieve the required power output without proportionally increasing overall generator size. This modular approach allows for optimized material usage and weight reduction in the generator components, indirectly reducing the supporting structure requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the design parameters of the stator core by modifying the lamination structure, tooth geometry, and material distribution. These parameter changes enable higher power density, allowing more power output from a lighter generator, thereby reducing the burden on supporting towers.
3Speed
If rotation speed is reduced to limit blade peripheral speed, then blade safety is maintained, but generator size must increase to deliver the same power
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes multiple parameters including lamination thickness, tooth dimensions, magnetic material properties, and winding configuration. These parameter changes collectively increase the power density of the generator, enabling it to deliver required power at lower rotation speeds without increasing volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The stator core utilizes composite construction with ferromagnetic laminations and optimized winding materials. This composite approach enhances magnetic efficiency and power density, allowing the generator to maintain compact size while operating at reduced speeds for safety.
4Loss of energy
If modular lamination design with projections is used, then heat dissipation is enhanced and material usage is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stator core is segmented into modular laminations with standardized components. This segmentation enables the heat dissipation projections to be integrated into each module during a single forming operation, rather than adding them separately, thus managing manufacturing complexity while achieving enhanced thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functions into the lamination structure itself: magnetic flux conduction, mechanical support, and heat dissipation. The projections serve both structural and thermal functions, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite the enhanced functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Modular element (1; 15) for a stator core (8; 18), comprising a plate-like body (7) in a ferromagnetic material provided with: a peripheral portion (2) extending for an angular width (α) of less than 360° along an arc of a circle with centre (X1); teeth (3; 16) projecting from the peripheral portion (2) towards the centre (X1); first projections (4, 4') extending from the peripheral portion (2) towards the opposite side with respect to the teeth (3; 16), which are configured so that each one of them can be interposed between two corresponding adjacent teeth (3; 16) of a second modular element (1'; 15') that is identical to the first one and arranged so that it is coplanar with it.