Offshore Wind Turbine Cooling System with Yawing Reservoir
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for offshore wind turbines face challenges in maintaining coolant circulation due to nacelle yawing, which disrupts heat transfer efficiency when using sea water as a heat sink, especially at the lower portions of the turbine.
Innovation Solution
An integrated cooling and climate control system with a dual-chamber reservoir and dual cooling circuits allows for continuous coolant circulation and heat transfer using sea water as a heat sink, featuring pipes that rotate with the nacelle yaw axis and a lower cooling circuit utilizing the jacket foundation as heat exchange pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If sea water is used as a heat sink for cooling heat generating components in the nacelle, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved due to higher thermal conductivity and heat capacity, but coolant circulation is disrupted by nacelle yawing which interferes with heat transfer especially at lower portions of the turbine
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple independent cooling circuits (first cooling circuit, second cooling circuit, third cooling circuit) that can operate independently. Each circuit serves specific heat generating components, ensuring that yawing of the nacelle does not disrupt the entire cooling system. The segmentation allows continuous coolant circulation even when parts of the system are repositioned during yawing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system incorporates dynamic elements including variable speed pumps that can adjust flow rates, and flexible hose connections that accommodate nacelle yawing movements. The system transitions from a static rigid piping arrangement to a dynamic configuration that maintains coolant circulation stability while allowing the nacelle to yaw freely for optimal wind capture.
2Device complexity
If air is used as a heat sink for cooling heat generating components, then the system is simple and does not interfere with nacelle yawing, but heat dissipation efficiency is reduced compared to sea water cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the advantages of both air cooling and sea water cooling systems. The upper cooling circuits utilize air cooling for simplicity and independence from yawing interference, while the lower cooling circuits utilize sea water cooling for superior heat dissipation efficiency. This combination allows the system to achieve high heat dissipation performance without the complexity and yawing interference problems of a complete sea water cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling methods are applied to different parts of the system based on local requirements. The upper portions of the nacelle and components that are easily accessible use air cooling, while the lower portions that benefit from sea water's higher heat capacity use sea water cooling. This localized approach optimizes heat dissipation efficiency without requiring the entire system to be complex.
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 system effectively maintains coolant circulation and heat removal from nacelle components while allowing for nacelle yawing, utilizing sea water's higher thermal conductivity and capacity for efficient heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
The coolant fluid extracts heat from each of these structures in the nacelle as the coolant passes these structures
Implementation Method 2
The sea water serves as a heat sink and heat from the heated coolant is transferred to the sea water
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated cooling and climate control system for an offshore wind turbine featuring a reservoir having first and second chambers located in an upper region of the tower. Upper and lower cooling circuits distribute coolant fluid through heat generating structures in the nacelle to a lower portion of the wind turbine where the heated coolant fluid is thermally connected to a sea water heat sink. The cooled coolant fluid is then distributed back to the reservoir. The reservoir has a hollow center and is positioned on a platform having a hollow center. The inlet and outlet pipes of the upper cooling circuit freely hang inside the reservoir chambers so that they may be displaced as the nacelle yaws in order to maintain sufficient circulation of the coolant fluid in the upper cooling circuit. In jacket foundation configurations, the tubular support structures may serve as the lower cooling circuit pipes.