Nacelle-Integrated Dry Cooler for Wind Turbine Transport
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The transport and installation of wind turbines with recoolers are complicated and prone to assembly errors, as the recooler is typically installed on-site, which can lead to improper functioning.
Innovation Solution
Integrating the dry cooler into the outer contour of the nacelle, with a carrier designed as a separate gondola component, featuring finned tubes that can be bent to fit the nacelle shape, and a hold-down device to secure the tubes, along with a fan for active cooling, allowing for factory assembly and testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the recooler is installed on-site during construction, then the nacelle transport and handling is simplified, but assembly errors occur that impair proper functioning
Solution Approach 1:
The recooler is pre-assembled on the carrier in the factory before nacelle assembly, allowing functional testing to be performed in advance. This preliminary action ensures proper assembly quality while maintaining ease of transport, as the pre-assembled unit is installed as a single component during construction.
2Reliability
If the recooler is pre-produced as a separate unit, then assembly errors are eliminated, but transport and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recooler is merged with the carrier to form an integrated assembly unit. This combination simplifies transport and installation by treating the recooler-carrier assembly as a single component that attaches to the nacelle in one operation, eliminating the complexity of handling separate recooler and carrier components.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the recooler, facilitates transport as an integrated unit, enables simple attachment to the nacelle, and allows for future maintenance removal. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining assembly quality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the finned tube is bent to fit the nacelle contour, then the recooler adapts to the nacelle shape, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The finned tube is manufactured as a flexible component that can be bent to conform to the nacelle contour. This flexibility is achieved through appropriate material selection and tube design, allowing the recooler to adapt to various nacelle shapes without requiring complex custom fabrication for each configuration.
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 simplifies the transport and assembly of wind energy plants, reduces assembly errors, and ensures proper recooler function by allowing pre-production and testing before installation, maintaining the nacelle's streamlined shape and cooling capacity.
Implementation Method 1
The dry cooler has at least one finned tube... the recooler is formed from an at least partially continuously wound finned tube
Implementation Method 2
a fan which is arranged in such a way that the air sucked in by it flows around the dry cooler
Implementation Method 3
the wind power plant has a fan which is arranged in such a way that the air sucked in by it flows around the dry cooler
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a wind power plant (10), comprising a nacelle (16) having at least one liquid-cooled component and a heat exchanger (28). In order to simplify the transport and design of a wind power plant comprising a heat exchanger and thus eliminate sources of error, or at least reduce said sources of error, the heat exchanger is integrated in the outside contour of the nacelle in the wind power plant of the type mentioned above. The invention is based on the realization that in such a way the transport and handling of the nacelle requires no significant modifications, yet the heat exchanger can be installed in the factory as part of the assembly of the nacelle and tested for flawless functioning. This simplifies the transport and design of the wind power plant and, at the same time, eliminates possible sources of error.