Wind Turbine Tower Cooling Inlet Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines in marine environments face corrosion issues due to humid and salty outside air, leading to breakdowns, and existing solutions are complex, costly, and energy-intensive.
Innovation Solution
The cooling device inlets are located in the upper part of the tower, allowing the use of outside air with low water and salt content, eliminating the need for complex air treatment and using a waste heat dissipating device with adjustable settings to manage waste heat, while a sensor assembly and air conditioning controller maintain optimal air parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If outside air is used for cooling waste heat generating equipment in the tower, then cooling effect is achieved, but corrosion occurs due to humidity and salt in the air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the cooling device inlet at a specific location (upper part of the tower) where the air quality differs from other locations. The upper part of the tower experiences less salt spray and humidity compared to lower parts, providing locally cleaner air for cooling without requiring complex air treatment systems throughout the entire tower.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the contradiction by transitioning from horizontal spatial distribution to vertical spatial distribution. Instead of treating air at the same level, the solution moves the inlet to a higher vertical dimension where environmental conditions (lower salt and humidity) naturally provide protection against corrosion while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex air treatment devices (filters, heaters, dehumidifiers) are added to treat outside air, then corrosion is prevented, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air treatment function from complex mechanical devices and relocates it to a specific spatial location (upper tower inlet). By positioning the inlet in the upper part of the tower, the naturally cleaner air environment performs the air treatment function without requiring filters, heaters, or dehumidifiers, thus removing complex components while maintaining corrosion prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by allowing the environmental conditions at the upper tower location to naturally provide clean air for cooling. The location itself serves the air treatment function through its inherent lower humidity and salt content, eliminating the need for active air treatment systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If complex air treatment devices are installed, then air quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by utilizing the natural environmental conditions at the upper tower location to provide clean air. The location's inherent lower humidity and salt content perform the air quality improvement function without requiring energy-consuming dehumidifiers, heaters, or advanced filtration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the energy-consuming air treatment functions from the system by relocating the inlet to a position where clean air is naturally available. This removes the need for energy-intensive active air treatment while maintaining improved air quality for cooling purposes.
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 configuration simplifies and cost-reduces the cooling system, minimizing energy consumption and preventing corrosion by using cleaner air for cooling, with the system switching between circulation and throughput modes based on environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the outside air can ascend towards the middle part and upper part of the tower while cooling the waste heat generating equipment
Implementation Method 2
waste heat is transferred to the drawn-in air, and the ensuing heated air is outputted back to the base of the tower
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A wind turbine (1) comprising a tower (100), the tower having an upper part (4), a middle part (6) and a lower part (8), the lower and the middle part of the tower forming the base (9) of the tower, waste heat generating equipment (14) located in the middle part of the tower, and a cooling device (16) with at least one cooling device inlet (22) formed in the tower for introducing outside air (10) surrounding the tower into the tower, wherein the cooling device (16) is adapted to guide the outside air from the or each cooling device inlet (22) into the lower part (8) of the tower such that the outside air can ascend towards the middle part (6) and upper part (4) of the tower while cooling the waste heat generating equipment (14), characterised in that the or each cooling device inlet (22) is located in the upper part (4) of the tower (100).