Segmentable Stator with Curved Coil Reversal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing segmentable stators for power generators are heavy, necessitating high load capacity in wind turbine towers, which limits the design flexibility and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A segmentable stator with a discontinuous single-layer winding that allows radial segmentation without intersecting coils, featuring specialized coil shapes with reduced curvature and optimized winding overhangs to increase power density and reduce weight, enabling a more compact and lightweight design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the stator is designed as a complete unit, then the manufacturing and assembly are simpler, but the transportability to the place of use deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidtransportability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The stator is divided into multiple stator segments that can be transported separately to the installation site and then assembled together. The coils are designed with direction-changing portions that allow them to be routed around the segmentation interfaces, enabling the stator to be segmented without intersecting any coil while maintaining electrical connectivity across segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If the winding overhang axial extent is increased, then the coil can be properly formed and connected, but the stator weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoil formationVSAvoidstator weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The coil incorporates a direction-changing portion with a specified radius of curvature that is smaller than the end section radius. This curved geometry allows the coil to change direction efficiently within a compact axial space, reducing the winding overhang axial extent while maintaining proper coil formation and connectivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Weight of moving object

If the stator weight is reduced, then the tower load capacity requirements are reduced, but the nominal power output may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestator weightVSAvoidnominal power output
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes geometric parameters including the radius of curvature of the direction-changing portion, the axial extent of the winding overhang, and the coil winding density. These parameter changes enable a compact coil design that reduces stator weight while maintaining or enhancing the nominal power output through improved space utilization and reduced material requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4207561A1Segmentable stator
Publication Date: 2023.07.05 FLENDER GMBH
  • EP4207561A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4207561A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4207561A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A stator (10) with a non-continuous single-layer winding (20) is segmentable along at least one radial section (30i) that extends perpendicular to a transverse plane (33) of the stator (10) and does not intersect any coil (4U, 4V, 4W) of the single-layer winding (20). At least one of the coils (4U, 4V, 4W) has a first slot section (41N), a first reversal section (41RW), and an end section (4S). The first reversal section (41RW) is arranged between the first slot section (41N) and the end section (4S). The first reversal section (41RW) has a radius of curvature (r41RW) that is smaller than the radius of curvature (r4S) of the end section (4S). The invention also relates to a synchronous generator comprising a stator (10) according to the invention.