FI96134B - Device in a wind-driven power station - Google Patents

Description

96134 Arrangement in a wind farm

The invention relates to an arrangement in a wind power plant. The wind turbine comprises a rotor with a flow duct or the like and one or more blades or blades. The rotor is arranged to apply a force of air flow to the rotor to rotate the shaft connected to the rotor to produce energy with the energy generating device-10 connected to the shaft.

One of the difficult problems in wind turbines is the rotation of the rotor, especially in northern latitudes, under certain weather conditions. Attempts have been made to find solutions to the freezing problem, one of which is known in that resistance elements are placed on the outer surface of the rotor, into which the thermal energy required for defrosting the rotor is applied electrically. However, this solution is relatively cumbersome in practice, especially if the resistance elements are mounted on the outer surface of the rotor, in which case their design and location must also take into account the flow technical properties, in particular the effect of the resistance elements on the rotor profile shape. Also, the use of electrical energy 25, which is actually produced by the wind power plant at a certain efficiency, for smelting reduces the total energy production of the wind power plant.

Rotor structures 30 with flow channels or the like, which are used in connection with wind turbines for purposes other than • preventing the rotor from freezing, are known, for example, from FI-67 433, DE-3,527,951, GB-2,186,033, US-5,106,265 and US-4. 350 897.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement in a wind turbine which can eliminate the above-mentioned problems as much as possible and at the same time increase the overall efficiency of the wind turbine, since at least under normal conditions it is not necessary to use electrical energy to heat the rotor. The arrangement can be implemented simply directly inside the rotor blade 5, whereby e.g. no aerodynamic problems occur. To achieve these objects, the arrangement according to the invention is mainly characterized in that the arrangement comprises: means for transferring substantially the wasted energy generated in the energy production plant to the heat transfer medium and means for transferring the heat transfer medium to the rotor. to prevent freezing.

The invention is thus based on the basic realization that waste heat is generated in 20 energy production installations, which in the larger installations can be of the order of up to 20 kW. This waste heat can be transferred to a heat transfer medium which is further fed to a ductwork or the like in the rotor to ensure the operation of the wind turbine, especially under the conditions in which the rotor is exposed to freezing.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the appended dependent claims.

30

The invention is further illustrated in the following description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing schematically shows in Fig. 1 an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention in a vertical section seen from side 35, and in Fig. 2 an alternative embodiment arranges the flow of the heat transfer medium to the rotor hub in the same vertical section.

li 96134 3

The wind turbine shown in the drawing mainly comprises a support mast 1, in the upper part of which the actual wind turbine part is placed. The wind turbine section is mounted on a support mast for rotation about a vertical axis.

It comprises a housing body 2 and a rotor 3 fixed to a hub part 4, which in turn communicates via a shaft 5 with the inner part of the housing body 2 where the actual energy production equipment is located. The energy generating equipment is schematically illustrated in the drawing 10 and first comprises a gearbox 6 connected to the shaft and a generator 7 connected to it, as well as members 8 which ensure the operation of the energy generating equipment, such as bearings, lubrication systems, hydraulic systems, etc. in a manner not further elucidated in this context because they are within the skill of the art.

20

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, a closed jacket space 9 is formed inside the housing body 2 by means of a wall structure 10 or the like, whereby substantially heat-generating energy generating equipment parts 6, 25 7 and 8 are located in the housing space 9. Especially in smaller wind turbines forms said envelope space. The heat transfer medium, the circulation of which is indicated by arrows LK 30 in the drawing, takes place in such a way that air preferably acting as a heat transfer medium through the opening 11 in the housing body enters the housing body interior 12 and further through at least one wall 13 into the jacket space 9. the transfer medium comes into heat transfer contact with the waste heat generating parts 6, 7 and 8 of the energy production equipment. In this case, the heat transfer medium heats up and is passed through the inner channel 96134 4 of the hollow shaft 5 to the hub 4 of the rotor 3, where it is distributed in a distribution space (not shown) to each of the blades 3a of the rotor 3. Each vane 3a has a flow channel 17 shown in broken lines in the drawing, whereby the heat transfer medium moves towards the ends of the wing 3a with the outlet 15 of the heat transfer medium flow channel 17.

The outlet, i.e. the second connection 15, is preferably located in the vanes 3a of the rotor 3 on the vacuum side, whereby the flow of the heat transfer medium is caused at least in part by the action of the vacuum.

It is also advantageous to provide an additional heating device 16, such as an electrical resistance arrangement, in connection with the energy generating equipment inside the jacket space 9 15, at least for the purpose of supplying the additional energy required to prevent freezing to the heat transfer medium. This option 20 may be particularly relevant when the wind turbine is at a standstill, in which case a vacuum effect based on the rotation of the rotor to generate the flow of the heat transfer medium is not available. In this case, it is also naturally advantageous for the heat transfer medium flow path to e.g.

a fan or the like is provided in connection with the flow channel 14 or its inlet opening, in particular for the purpose of providing or enhancing the flow of the heat transfer medium.

30

The flow channel system 17 in the wings 3a can be constructed in several different ways, taking into account the heat transfer properties and strength together with the flow properties 35 of the wing profile, in a manner known to a person skilled in the art. As a suitable material, glass-fiber-reinforced plastic can be mentioned. Correspondingly, the flow channel 14a in connection with the shaft 5 can also be arranged to suitably surround the closed shaft 4, e.g.

Fig. 96134 5 by a jacket arrangement 18 which, through the housing body 2 passing substantially axially 5, communicates with the jacket space 9 delimited by the wall structure 10 or the like to conduct the heat transfer medium to the distribution space 5.

Claims (9)

An arrangement in a wind turbine comprising a rotor (3) provided with a flow-5 duct system (17) or the like, arranged to rotate a shaft (5) connected to the rotor by a force applied by the air flow to the rotor to produce energy by a power generation device (6-8) connected to the shaft. that the arrangement comprises: means (2, 11; 9, 10, 13) for transferring substantially the wasted energy generated in the energy generating equipment to the heat transfer medium and means (14) for transferring the heat transfer medium to the rotor (3), the flow channel (17) in the rotor (3) or the like is arranged to be used to transfer the energy contained in the heat transfer medium to the structures of the rotor (3), in particular to prevent freezing. An arrangement in a wind power plant according to claim 1, wherein the energy generating apparatus comprises a housing body (2) formed according to flow requirements, preferably located at the top of the support mast (1), a shaft (5) connected to the hub (4) of the rotor (3) a gearbox (6) in the housing body (2), which in turn is also connected to a generator (7) in the housing body (2) for generating electrical power and means (8) for ensuring the operation of the energy generating equipment, such as bearings and lubrication system, characterized in that the housing body (2) is formed substantially closed and / or a closed casing space (9) is formed inside the housing body by means of a wall structure (96) or the like, the substantially waste heat generating parts of the energy generating equipment (6-8) being arranged in the casing space (9) to bring the energy of said heat transfer medium into the heat transfer connection with waste heat generating parts (6-8) of the equipment. Arrangement in a wind power plant according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the heat transfer medium is air and the flow of the heat transfer medium is arranged on a flow-through basis from outside air to housing housing (2) and from there to rotor (3) and further from rotor (3) to outdoor air. 15 Arrangement in a wind power plant according to Claim 3, characterized in that a first connection 20 (11 or 13) is formed in the housing frame (2) and / or in the wall structure (10) delimiting the jacket space (9) to provide a heat transfer medium. with parts (6-8). Arrangement in a wind power plant according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in connection with the root torch (3), in particular the so-called rotor (3). on the vacuum side there is at least one other unit (15) in at least some of the blades (3a) of the rotor (3) for generating a flow of vacuum 30 and thus heat transfer medium into the heat transfer medium flow channel (17). Arrangement in a wind power plant according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connection to the distribution space in the hub (4) of the rotor (3) and thereby to the flow duct (17) in the rotor (3) is arranged 96134 8 via a shaft (5) comprising a hollow and thus a flow channel (14). 6 .96134 Arrangement in a wind power plant according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connection to the distribution space in the hub (4) of the rotor (3) and thereby to the flow channel (17) in the rotor (3) is provided by a flow channel (14a) located outside the shaft (5), preferably surrounding 10 shafts (5). Arrangement in a wind power plant according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that an additional heating device (16), such as an electric resistance arrangement, is provided in connection with the energy production device and in connection with the heat transfer medium flow, in particular to supply additional energy to the heat transfer medium. if necessary. 20 Arrangement in a wind power plant according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a fan or the like is arranged in the flow path of the heat transfer medium, in particular for the purpose of providing or • enhancing the flow of the heat transfer medium. • m · m • · li 96134 9