IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,082,748
Granted Patent B2
US 8,082,748 · App. 12/450,327 · Granted Dec 27, 2011

Wind turbine generator

Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,082,748
App. No.
12/450,327
Granted
Dec 27, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wind turbine generator capable of preventing a salt damage and reducing noise as well as easily starting in a cold region is provided. The wind turbine generator includes a nacelle ( 3 ) for accommodating a generator set, an internal heat exchanging unit ( 13, 15, 16 ) accommodated in the nacelle ( 3 ) to exchange heat between the generator set and a refrigerant, an external heat exchanging unit ( 17 ) disposed outside the nacelle ( 3 ) to exchange heat between an outside air and the refrigerant, a compressor ( 18 ) disposed in the nacelle ( 3 ) to compress the refrigerant and circulate the refrigerant between the internal heat exchanging unit ( 13, 15, 16 ) and the external heat exchanging unit ( 17 ), and an expansion unit ( 19 ) to expand the refrigerant compressed by the compressor ( 18 ).

Claims (15)

1. A wind turbine generator comprising:

a nacelle for accommodating a generator set;

an internal heat exchanging unit accommodated in the nacelle to exchange heat between the generator set and a refrigerant;

an external heat exchanging unit disposed outside the nacelle to exchange heat between outside air and the refrigerant;

a compressor disposed in the nacelle to compress the refrigerant and circulate the refrigerant between the internal heat exchanging unit and the external heat exchanging unit; and

an expansion unit to expand the refrigerant compressed by the compressor,

wherein

the compressor is capable of switching between a refrigeration cycle and a heat pump cycle by switching a discharge in direction of a refrigerant from the compressor,

the refrigeration cycle circulates the refrigerant discharged from the compressor through the external heat exchanging unit, the expansion unit, the internal heat exchanging unit, and the compressor in this order, and

the heat pump cycle circulates the refrigerant discharged from the compressor through the internal heat exchanging unit, the expansion unit, the external heat exchanging unit, and the compressor in this order.

2. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1 , further comprising a wind turbine to supply a rotation driving force to the generator set using wind power, wherein the compressor is driven by the rotation driving force supplied by the wind turbine.

3. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1 , further comprising a motor to rotate and drive the compressor.

4. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1 , wherein the external heat exchanging unit is provided with a heater to supply heat to the refrigerant.

5. The wind turbine generator according to claim 1 , wherein the internal heat exchanging unit comprises a plurality of heat exchangers.

6. The wind turbine generator according to claim 5 , wherein a first of the plurality of heat exchangers comprises an oil heat exchanger, a second of the heat exchangers comprises a generator heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger comprise an inverter heat exchanger, the first second and third heat exchangers being associated with an oil heat exchanger, a generator and an inverter which comprise components disposed within the nacelle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2009
From: MATSUO, TAKESHI; ARINAGA, SHINJI; TAKAHASHI, SADAMU; MATSUSHITA, TAKATOSHI; SHIBATA, MASAAKI
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 023283/0230 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110140418A1 · Jun 16, 2011