Wind Turbine Rotor Cable Guide for Replaceable Phase Conductors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine generators require significant downtime for repairs due to the need to remove the entire rotor when phase conductors are damaged, as they are secured with a hardened filler material that complicates the replacement process.
Innovation Solution
A cable guide system with a hollow tube and dividing element is used to axially insert phase conductors into the rotor shaft, allowing for defined positioning and easy replacement without the need for filler material, enabling quick repairs and minimizing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If phase conductors are secured with hardened filler material in the rotor shaft cavity, then the phase conductors are firmly fixed and electrically connected, but the entire rotor must be removed for repairs resulting in significant downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide is divided into a hollow tube portion and a dividing element that can be separately assembled. The hollow tube provides individual passages for each phase conductor, while the dividing element creates separated cross-sectional areas. This segmentation allows each phase conductor to be independently accessed and replaced without affecting others, enabling repairs without removing the entire rotor.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guide system transitions from a static, permanently fixed configuration (hardened filler material) to a dynamic,可拆卸 configuration. The hollow tube and dividing element can be inserted and removed axially, allowing the phase conductors to be dynamically accessed, replaced, and reconnected without rotor removal, thus reducing repair downtime.
2Ease of operation
If the rotor shaft cavity is filled with liquid curable filler material, then the phase conductors are secured in position, but the cavity cannot be accessed for conductor replacement without removing the rotor
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow tube and dividing element are pre-assembled into a complete cable guide structure before insertion into the rotor shaft cavity. This preliminary assembly ensures that the phase conductors are properly positioned and separated from the outset, eliminating the need for later positioning adjustments or filler material application, and enabling easy future replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guide (hollow tube with dividing element) is extracted from the concept of permanent filler material fixation. By removing the filler material entirely and replacing it with a removable cable guide structure, the system enables phase conductors to be taken out and replaced independently without affecting the entire rotor assembly.
3Volume of stationary object
If multiple phase conductors are routed together in the rotor shaft cavity, then space is utilized efficiently, but electromagnetic interactions between conductors cause reactive currents
Solution Approach 1:
The dividing element creates separate cross-sectional areas within the hollow tube, with each area accommodating exactly one phase conductor. This segmentation physically isolates each conductor from others, preventing electromagnetic interactions and reactive currents, while still utilizing the cavity space efficiently through the compact hollow tube structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow tube acts as an intermediary structure that contains and isolates each phase conductor in its own cross-sectional area. The tube walls serve as physical barriers between conductors, preventing electromagnetic field interactions while maintaining organized routing within the limited cavity space.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A cable guide (44) for connecting phase conductors (36) to a rotor of a generator (20) of a wind turbine (10) is provided, comprising a hollow tube (46) for axial insertion into a rotor shaft (26) of the rotor, and a divider (48) provided within the hollow tube (46). The divider (48), together with the hollow tube (46), defines largely separate passage cross-sections (54), and each passage cross-section (54) is dimensioned to accommodate a maximum of one of the phase conductors (36). Due to the defined positioning of the phase conductors (36) in their respective passage cross-sections (54), the relative position of the phase conductors (36) in the rotor shaft (26) can be easily predefined for assembly and disassembly, even without hardened filler material, thus enabling a repair-friendly, electrically connectable rotor.