Remote Air Bleeding Duct for Safe Cooling System Venting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing air bleeding systems in cooling systems, particularly in industrial machinery like wind turbines, pose safety risks and inefficiencies due to the need for workers to access high locations, such as rooftops or wind turbine nacelles, to manually open bleeding nipples repeatedly, which can be hazardous and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

An air bleeding arrangement that includes an air bleeding duct connected to the locally highest point of the cooling system, allowing the bleeding nipple to be positioned remotely and safely, such as inside the nacelle, to facilitate easier and safer access for maintenance personnel, reducing the need for tools and ladder use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the bleeding nipple is positioned at the locally highest point of the cooling system, then air removal efficiency is improved, but worker safety deteriorates due to the need to access high locations like rooftops or wind turbine nacelles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair removal efficiencyVSAvoidworker safety risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two functional parts: the bleeding nipple remains at the locally highest point for efficient air removal, while the bleeding valve is positioned remotely at ground level through a duct connection. This segmentation allows each component to be located optimally without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An air bleeding duct acts as an intermediary connection between the bleeding nipple at the highest point and the bleeding valve at ground level. This duct enables the transfer of air from the difficult-to-access location to the safe operating location without requiring workers to be at height.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the bleeding nipple is positioned remotely from the locally highest point, then worker safety is improved, but air removal efficiency deteriorates due to increased flow path length

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworker safetyVSAvoidair removal efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The air bleeding function is segmented into a remote valve operation point and a local air collection point, connected by a dedicated duct that minimizes flow path resistance while maintaining operational safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The air bleeding duct is designed with sufficient cross-sectional area and minimal bends to maintain pneumatic efficiency, allowing air to flow readily from the highest point to the remote valve location without significant pressure loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 solution enhances safety by allowing maintenance to be performed from a secure location, saving time and minimizing the risk of accidents, while maintaining efficient air removal from the cooling system without obstructing airflow through the radiator.

Implementation Method 1

air collects in the radiator... air bubbles to rise up in the air relief pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

The cooling medium is used to transport heat from the heat-source, e.g. the machinery, to a heat sink, e.g. a radiator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

In the radiator the cooling medium is cooled by another medium like surrounding air passing through the radiator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP2525088B2Air bleeding arrangement
Publication Date: 2022.04.20 SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY AS
  • EP2525088B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2525088B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2525088B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an arrangement for bleeding air from a radiator of a cooling system. According to the invention the air bleeding arrangement for the cooling system comprises a cooling system, which contains a locally highest point, where air, being present in the cooling system, collects. A bleeding nipple is connected with the locally highest point for the venting of the air collected. The bleeding nipple is connected with the locally highest point via an air bleeding duct, thus the air bleeding nipple is arranged remote from the locally highest point.