Winding Arrangement for Balanced Electric Machine Coils

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large electric machine generators, such as those in wind turbines, face challenges with coil winding arrangements that result in load imbalances and increased material costs due to varying coil lengths and resistances, leading to inefficient electrical performance and higher material usage.

Innovation Solution

A winding arrangement where each coil comprises an equal number of distinct winding types, with specific end geometries allowing for compact overlap and balanced phase layout, reducing material usage and electrical losses by ensuring all phases draw the same current.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If windings are made with different geometries to permit compact overlap, then material usage is reduced, but coil lengths become different resulting in load imbalances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial usageVSAvoidload balance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stator is divided into multiple modular stator segments, each containing a balanced set of coils with equal lengths. This segmentation allows the generator to achieve overall compactness while maintaining load balance within each segment, resolving the contradiction between material reduction and load balance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different stator segments may have different winding geometries optimized for local space utilization, while each segment internally maintains balanced coil lengths. This local optimization approach allows material efficiency without compromising overall load balance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Power

If coil windings are made thick and heavy for large dimensions, then high currents can be handled, but material costs and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent handling capacityVSAvoidwinding weight
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple stator segments are nested or arranged in a modular configuration, allowing efficient space utilization. This nesting approach enables the generator to handle high currents through distributed windings while reducing overall material usage and weight compared to a single large winding structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Loss of substance

If winding overhangs are kept short to reduce material costs, then material usage decreases, but manufacturing and assembly become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial usageVSAvoidwinding assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Coils are pre-assembled into complete stator segments with all connections made before installation. This preliminary assembly approach allows for precise control of coil lengths and connections, maintaining material efficiency while simplifying the overall manufacturing process by reducing on-site assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 achieves balanced electrical performance by ensuring all phases have equal coil lengths, reducing material requirements, and minimizing electrical losses, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency and reducing the weight of the generator.

Implementation Method 1

the slots for the 'go' and 'return' sections of one particular winding of a coil enclose or flank a number of slots for the 'go' and 'return' sections of the remaining coils

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical resistance: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 2

an electric current is passed through coils, usually of copper, inducing a magnetic field

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP2383868B1Winding arrangement
Publication Date: 2017.04.19 SIEMENS AG
  • EP2383868B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2383868B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2383868B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention describes a winding arrangement (1) for an armature (2) of an electric machine (4), which winding arrangement (1) comprises a plurality of coils (C1, C2, C3) and a plurality of distinct winding types (W1, W2, W3), wherein the coils (C1, C2, C3) are arranged on the armature (2) such that each coil (10, 20, 30) comprises the same number of windings (10, 20, 30) and the same number of each of the distinct winding types (W1, W2, W3). The invention further describes an armature (2) for a generator (4), comprising a plurality of coils (C1, C2, C3), wherein the coils (C1, C2, C3) are arranged on the armature (2) according to such a winding arrangement. The invention also describes a wind turbine (5) with a generator (4) comprising a rotor (3) and a stator (2), and wherein a plurality of coils (C1, C2, C3) is arranged on the stator (2) according to such a winding arrangement.