Patent Application
20110175368
The present invention relates to a wind driven generator that produces electricity using a wind turbine that converts wind as natural energy into a rotational force.
Conventionally, there has been known a wind driven generator that produces electricity using a wind force that is natural energy. Wind driven generator installations in which the wind force acts on a plurality of turbine blades to generate a rotational force, which drives an electric generator via a rotor head, are established side by side at many locations at a high wind velocity such as not only plain regions but also high grounds such as on a hill and at the top of a mountain or on the sea, thereby providing a wind driven generator with high-power generation capability.
The conventional wind driven generator is configured to provide, in a nacelle installed on a tower, a rotor head to which turbine blades are attached, a main shaft connected to the rotor head to rotate integrally with the rotor head, a speed-up gear connected to the main shaft rotating to follow the action of the wind force on the wind turbine blades, and an electric generator driven by shaft power of the speed-up gear. In the wind driven generator with such a configuration, the rotor head that converts a wind force into rotational power and equipped with the wind turbine blades and the main shaft rotate to generate the shaft power, and the shaft power the rotational speed of which is increased is transmitted to the electric generator via the speed-up gear connected to the main shaft. Accordingly, it is possible to produce electricity while using the shaft power obtained by converting the wind force into the rotational force as a driving source of the electric generator and using the wind force as motive power of the electric generator.
Further, it is necessary to cool down the inside of the rotor head 102 because an internal temperature of the rotor head 102 rises due to heat input from a main shaft bearing 109 and heat generation in the internal device 105 and the hydraulic pitch cylinder 106. However, because of rotation of the rotor head 102, a cooling system needs to be provided independently of a device side provided in the nacelle 101 but has only a limited power supply capacity. Moreover, while the nacelle 101 is spatially connected to the rotor head 102 via a communication path 110, the air hardly circulates between the nacelle 101 and the rotor head 102. However, most of the air the temperature of which rises by the heat generation in the rotor head 102 remains in the rotor head 102 because of closure of the inside of the rotor head 102. Furthermore, except for the communication path 110, the inside of the rotor head 102 is airtightly closed so as to protect precision devices such as the internal device 105 and the hydraulic pitch cylinder 106 from rainwater or the like.
To allow the internal device 105 to normally operate and to continue producing electricity, sufficient temperature management such as cooling of the inside of the rotor head 102 is required.
As means for cooling a rotor head of a wind driven generator of this type, for example, there is disclosed a device that supplies outside air introduced from an opening provided on a side surface of a main body of a nacelle to a connecting portion that connects the nacelle to a rotor head, and cools the rotor head (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
However, the conventional wind driven generator has problems that heat release to outside air is too small to cool the rotor-head cast metal because of high airtightness of the rotor head, as described above.
Therefore, there has been a demand for having temperature management by cooling of the inside of the rotor head so as to improve reliability and durability of the wind driven generator.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a wind driven generator having improved cooling efficiency of inside of a rotor head.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a wind driven generator includes: a rotor head having wind turbine blades attached thereto; a nacelle that pivotally supports the rotor head; a tower that supports the nacelle; an opening portion that is provided on a tip end of the rotor head and introduces outside air; and a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides that are provided on the opening portion of the rotor head and collect the outside air in the opening portion.
Advantageously, in the wind driven generator, each of the air-supply acceleration guides is obtained by inclining a flat or curved plate.
Advantageously, in the wind driven generator includes a discharge port that is provided on a rear end portion of the rotor head and discharges outside air taken in the rotor head.
Advantageously, in the wind driven generator, the nacelle includes a nacelle air intake, and outside air introduced from the nacelle air intake cools inside of the nacelle.
Advantageously, in the wind driven generator includes a discharge acceleration guide that is provided on the discharge port and accelerates discharging of outside air taken in the rotor head.
Advantageously, in the wind driven generator includes a rectifying guide that is provided rearward of the opening portion and rectifies outside air to flow along an outer circumference of a rotor-head cast metal provided in the rotor head.
Advantageously, in the wind driven generator includes a waterproof member provided between the rectifying guide and the rotor head.
According to the present invention, the wind driven generator includes: a rotor head having wind turbine blades attached thereto; a nacelle that pivotally supports the rotor head; a tower that supports the nacelle; an opening portion that is provided on a tip end of the rotor head and introduces outside air; and a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides that are provided on the opening portion of the rotor head and collect outside air in the opening portion. With this configuration, outside air can be actively taken in the rotor head, and the outside air taken in the rotor head can increase heat release from a surface of the rotor-head cast metal provided in the rotor head. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the inside of the rotor head without any need of new motive power.
Therefore, it is possible to realize a wind driven generator having improved reliability and durability by improving cooling efficiency of the inside of the rotor head.
The present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be easily assumed by persons skilled in the art or that are substantially equivalent.
A wind driven generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in
In the drawings, reference numeral 18 denotes a base for installing the tower, 19 denotes a main shaft bearing of a rotor-head cast metal, and 20 denotes a communication path for connecting the rotor head to the nacelle.
The rotor head 12 is configured to include a rotor-head cast metal 22 connected to a main shaft 21 to rotate, and a rotor head cover 23 that creates a predetermined space on an outer circumference of the rotor-head cast metal 22 and covers the rotor-head cast metal 22. A plurality of wind turbine blades 11 are attached to the rotor-head cast metal 22 radially of a direction of a rotation axis. A lifting force is generated on these wind turbine blades 11 by outside wind and the generated lifting force serves as motive power for rotating the rotor head 12 circumferentially with respect to the direction of the rotation axis.
Control devices (not shown) such as a hydraulic device and a control panel that perform pitch control over the wind turbine blades 11 as well as a power supply of the control devices are accommodated and installed in the rotor-head cast metal 22.
A driving/generation mechanism including, for example, an electric generator 25 connected to the rotor head 12 via a speed-up gear 24 coaxial to the rotor head 12 is accommodated and installed in the nacelle 14. By speeding up rotation of the rotor head 12 using the speed-up gear 24 and driving the electric generator 25, the electric generator 25 produces electric generator output.
Further, in the wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment, the opening portion 16 is provided on a tip end 23a of the rotor head cover 23 which tip end is also the tip end of the rotor head 12, and a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides 17 that collect outside air in the opening portion 16 are provided on the opening portion 16. The air-supply acceleration guides 17A are fixed by an edge portion of the opening and a guide support member 26 provided at the center of the opening portion 16, and fixed to the opening portion 16 radially around the guide support member 26. The air-supply acceleration guides 17A are not necessarily supported in a center impeller manner, and can be supported in a manner of being supported by either the edge portion of the opening or the guide support member 26.
Further, as shown in
There is no need of motive power for taking outside air in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16, because outside air can be actively taken in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16 only by providing a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides 17A on the opening portion 16 of the rotor head 12 and causing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A to rotate to follow the rotation of the rotor head 12.
Therefore, the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment is configured to include the opening portion 16 provided on the tip end of the rotor head 12, and a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides 17A that are provided on the opening portion 16 of the rotor head 12 and collect outside air in the opening portion 16, and configured so that the edge portion of the opening portion 16 and the guide support member 26 fix a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides 17A to the opening portion 16 radially about the guide support member 26. With this configuration, outside air can be actively taken in the rotor head 12 by causing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A to rotate to follow the rotation of the rotor head 12. It is possible to efficiently cool the inside of the rotor head 12 without any need of new motive power because outside air taken in this rotor head 12 can increase the heat release from a surface of the rotor head metal cast 22.
In the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment, both ends of each of the air-supply acceleration guides 17A are identical in length. Alternatively, for example, as shown in
Each of the air-supply acceleration guides 17A and 17B is obtained by inclining the flat plate and provided on the opening portion 16. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but it suffices that the air-supply acceleration guide is formed so as to be able to smoothly take outside air in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16. For example, as shown in
The air-supply acceleration guides 17A to 17C are not necessarily provided on the opening portion 16 on a front surface of the rotor head cover 23.
Alternatively, each of the air-supply acceleration guides 17C can be connected to the rotor head cover 23 using such an opening/closing member as a hinge 28 so as to configure the air-supply acceleration guide 17C to be able to be freely opened or closed. By providing a hinge 29 on one end side of the opening portion 27 and configuring the air-supply acceleration guide 17C to be able to be freely opened or closed, the air-supply acceleration guide 17C can be closed and prevent entry of rainwater or the like when the rotor head 12 does not rotate, for example.
While the air-supply acceleration guide 17C is provided on each of the opening portions 27 of the rotor head cover 23, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the same member as the rotor head cover 23 can be provided on each of the opening portions 27 in place of the air-supply acceleration guide 17C. Furthermore, the same member as the rotor head cover 23 can be attached to the rotor head cover 23 so as to be able to be freely opened or closed using such an opening/closing member as the hinge 29 in place of the air-supply acceleration guide 17C.
In the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment, a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides 17A are fixed by the edge portion of the opening portion 16 and the guide support member 26. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As shown in
In the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment, the guide support member 26 for fixing a plurality of guides is provided in a central portion of the opening portion 16. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the guide support member 26 can be formed into a ring shape so that outside air can pass through a ring-shaped interior of the guide support member 26.
Further, in the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment, as shown in
As described above, in the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment, a plurality of air-supply acceleration guides 17A that collect outside air are provided on the opening portion 16 provided on the tip end of the rotor head 12, and the edge portion of the opening portion 16 and the guide support member 26 fix the respective air-supply acceleration guides 17A to the opening portion 16 radially about the guide support member 26. Because the air-supply acceleration guides 17A can actively take outside air in the rotor head 12 to follow the rotation of the rotor head 12, outside air taken in the rotor head 12 can increase the heat release from the surface of the rotor-head cast metal 22. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the inside of the rotor head 12 without any need of new motive power.
In this way, it is possible to realize a wind driven generator having improved reliability and durability by improving cooling efficiency of the inside of the rotor head 12.
Further, the first wind driven generator 10A according to the present embodiment can be also employed in other installation locations such as on the sea, on the ground, or on a ship.
A wind driven generator according to a second embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The wind driven generator according to the present embodiment is substantially identical in configuration to the first wind driven generator 10A according to the first embodiment shown in
As shown in
That is, the second wind driven generator 10B according to the second embodiment includes discharge ports 31 that are provided on a rear end portion 12b of the rotor head 12 of the first wind driven generator 10A according to the first embodiment shown in
By providing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A on the rotor head 12 and additionally providing the discharge ports 31 on the rear end portion 12b of the rotor head 12, outside air taken in the rotor head 12 can be actively discharged from the rear end portion 12b of the rotor head 12. Further, because outside and inside of the rotor head 12 have a relation of a positive pressure and a negative pressure therebetween, outside air is actively taken in the rotor head 12. Therefore, by efficiently discharging outside air taken in the rotor head 12, outside air can efficiently circulate in the rotor head 12. Accordingly, the heat release from the surface of the rotor-head cast metal 22 can be further increased and the inside of the rotor head 12 can be cooled more efficiently.
Further, it is possible to prevent the influence of outside air heated by the rotor-head cast metal 22 on the nacelle 14, because the air heated by the rotor-head cast metal 22 in the rotor head 12 is discharged from the discharge ports 31 and an amount of the heated air supplied into the nacelle 14 via the communication path 20 can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the influence of the heat generated in the nacelle 14 on the rotor-head cast metal 22 in the rotor head 12, because the air heated in the nacelle 14 can be discharged from the discharge ports 31 as well even when the air is supplied into the nacelle 14 via the communication path 20.
In the second wind driven generator 10B according to the present embodiment, the nacelle 14 includes a nacelle air intake 32 near the communication path 20 connected to the rotor head 12, for example, on a lower side of the nacelle 14, and outside air introduced from the nacelle air intake 32 cools the inside of the nacelle 14. The second wind driven generator 10B according to the present embodiment is thereby configured so that the rotor head 12 and the nacelle 14 can be cooled independently of each other. With this configuration, fresh outside air taken in the nacelle 14 from the nacelle air intake 32 can cool the inside of the nacelle 14, not the heated outside air supplied from the opening portion 16 via the communication path 20. That is, it is possible to further improve cooling efficiency because the rotor head 12 and the nacelle 14 are cooled via different routes, respectively. Furthermore, the position of the nacelle air intake is not limited to the lower side of the nacelle 14 but can be an upper side or a side surface of the nacelle 14, or even a combination of nacelle air intakes located at these positions can be used.
In the second wind driven generator 10B according to the present embodiment, the air-supply acceleration guides 17A are provided on the opening portion 16 so as to be able to actively take outside air in the rotor head 12. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and outside air can be taken in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16 without providing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A on the opening portion 16.
A wind driven generator according to a third embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The wind driven generator according to the present embodiment is substantially identical in configuration to the first wind driven generator 10A according to the first embodiment shown in
As shown in
By providing the discharge acceleration guides 33 on the respective discharge ports 31 of the rotor head 12, outside air taken in the rotor head 12 can be actively discharged to outside of the rotor head 12 from the rear end portion 12b of the rotor head 12. With this configuration, it is possible to more efficiently introduce outside air into the rotor head 12 and discharge outside air taken in the rotor head 12, and to cause outside air to more efficiently circulate in the rotor head 12. As a result, it is possible to further increase the heat release from the surface of the rotor-head cast metal 22 and thus to more efficiently cool the inside of the rotor head 12.
In the third wind driven generator 10C according to the present embodiment, the air-supply acceleration guides 17A are provided on the opening portion 16 so as to be able to actively take outside air in the rotor head 12. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and outside air can be taken in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16 without providing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A on the opening portion 16.
A wind driven generator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings.
The wind driven generator according to the present embodiment is substantially identical in configuration to the first wind driven generator 10A according to the first embodiment shown in
As shown in
By providing the rectifying guide 41 between the opening portion 16 and the rotor-head cast metal 22, it is possible to cool the rotor-head cast metal 22 while reducing a pressure loss coefficient of outside air taken in the rotor head 12 and rectifying outside air to flow along outer circumferentially of the rotor-head cast metal 22.
Further, as shown in
Therefore, by providing the rectifying guide 41 rearward of the opening portion 16 and forward of the rotor-head cast metal 22, outside air introduced from the opening portion 16 can be supplied to neighborhoods of the outer circumference of the rotor-head cast metal 22 closer to the main shaft bearing 19 as much as possible. Accordingly, it is possible to improve cooling efficiency of the rotor-head cast metal 22, further increase the heat release from the surface of the rotor-head cast metal 22, and more efficiently cool the inside of the rotor head 12.
In the fourth wind driven generator 10D according to the present embodiment, the air-supply acceleration guides 17A are provided on the opening portion 16 so as to be able to actively take outside air in the rotor head 12. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and outside air can be taken in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16 without providing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A on the opening portion 16.
A wind driven generator according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The wind driven generator according to the present embodiment is substantially identical in configuration to the first wind driven generator 10A according to the first embodiment shown in
As shown in
By providing the waterproof louvers 42 between the rectifying guide 41 and the rotor head 12, it is possible to take outside air in the rotor head 12 and prevent entry of rainwater or the like from the opening portion 16.
Furthermore, while the waterproof louvers 42 are employed as the waterproof members in the present embodiment, it suffices that the waterproof members are those that can maintain ventilation of the inside of the rotor head 12 and that can prevent entry of the rainwater or the like from the opening portion 16, and the waterproof members are not limited thereto.
In the fifth wind driven generator 10E according to the present embodiment, the air-supply acceleration guides 17A are provided on the opening portion 16 so as to be able to actively take outside air in the rotor head 12. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and outside air can be taken in the rotor head 12 from the opening portion 16 without providing the air-supply acceleration guides 17A on the opening portion 16.
As described above, the wind driven generator according to the present invention is preferable for a wind driven generator that actively takes in outside air in a rotor head to cool the inside of the rotor head.
The present application is national phase of PCT/JP2009/053744 filed Feb. 27, 2009.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2009/053744 | 2/27/2009 | WO | 00 | 3/22/2011 |
