Granted Patent B2

US 12,744,422 · App. 18/626,562 · Granted Sep 22, 2026

Inventors: Jaco Nies (Kampen, NL); Samir A Salamah (Schenectady, NY)

Assignee: GE Vernova Renovables Espana, S.L.

H02K3/12H02K1/16H02K5/20H02K7/183H02K15/105

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . An electrical machine comprising:

a rotor;

a stator;

wherein at least one of the rotor and the stator comprises a plurality of teeth and a plurality of coils, the plurality of coils comprising:

one or more strands wound around the teeth in a plurality of layers comprising at least a top layer, a bottom layer, and an intermediate layer disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer, each of the plurality of layers comprising a first axial end portion, a central portion and a second axial end portion opposite to the first axial end portion;

wherein the first axial end portion of the top layer of at least one of the coils is axially displaced with respect to the first axial end portion of the intermediate layer of the at least one of the coils,

wherein respective axial positions of the first axial end portions of the plurality of layers of the at least one coil vary in an alternating manner from the top layer to the bottom layer, and

one or more guiding structures for directing a cooling fluid towards the first axial end portions of the plurality of layers, wherein the one or more guiding structures are arranged in an axial region of the electric machine that is closer to an outlet for removing cooling fluid from the electric machine than to an inlet for introducing the cooling fluid to the electric machine.

2 . The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the first axial end portion of each of the layers is further away from an inlet of the electrical machine configured to receive a cooling fluid for cooling the coils than the second axial end portion of each of the layers.

3 . The electrical machine of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer and at least one of the top layer and the bottom layer are adjacent layers.

4 . The electrical machine of claim 3 , wherein the first axial end portion of the at least one of the top layer and the bottom layer extends less in the axial direction than the first axial end portion of the intermediate layer.

5 . The electrical machine of claim 3 , further comprising an axial gap between the first axial end portion of the at least one of the top layer and the bottom layer of the at least one of the coils and the first axial end portion of the intermediate layer of the at least one of the coils.

6 . The electrical machine of claim 5 , further comprising a support insert arranged in the axial gap and bridging the axial gap at least partially.

7 . The electrical machine of claim 6 , wherein the support insert is directly or indirectly connected to an axial protrusion of a corresponding tooth.

8 . The electrical machine of claim 7 , wherein the first axial end portion of at least one of the layers is tied to the axial protrusion.

9 . A method for insulating a coil comprising:

bending electrically conductive strand and forming a plurality of layers of a coil such that a first axial end portion of an intermediate layer of the coil is displaced along an axial direction of the coil with respect to at least one of a first axial end portion of a top layer of the coil and a first axial end portion of a bottom layer of the coil;

electrically insulating the first axial end portions of the top layer, the intermediate layer, and the bottom layer, and

providing one or more guiding structures for directing a cooling fluid towards the first axial end portions of the plurality of layers, wherein the one or more guiding structures are arranged in an axial region that is closer to an outlet for removing cooling fluid from the coil than to an inlet for introducing the cooling fluid to the coil;

wherein respective axial positions of the first axial end portions of the plurality of layers vary in an alternating manner from the top layer to the bottom layer.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein electrically insulating comprises attaching a pre-shaped insulation element to the first axial end portion of the first layer and to the first axial end portion of the second layer.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein electrically insulating comprises surrounding the electrically conductive strand with tape before bending the electrically conductive strand.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive strand is surrounded with tape such that, after bending the strand, the electrical insulation in the first axial end portion of the first layer and the second layer is thicker than in the central portion of the first layer and the second layer.

13 . A generator for a wind turbine comprising:

a rotor;

a stator; and

a radial air gap separating the rotor and the stator;

the stator comprising a plurality of teeth and a plurality of coils wound around the teeth in a plurality of layers comprising at least a first layer and a second layer adjacent to each other, wherein an axial end portion of the first layer is axially displaced with respect to an axial end portion of the second layer, the axial end portions of the first layer and the second layer being adjacent to each other; and

one or more guiding structures configured to directing a cooling fluid towards the axial end portions of the first and second layers, the one or more guiding structures being disposed at least partially axially outward of the plurality of coils.

14 . The generator of claim 13 , wherein the one or more guiding structures are attached to the axial end portion of the second layer for increasing a contact between a cooling fluid and the axial end portions of the first and second layers.

15 . The generator of claim 13 , wherein an electrical insulation of the axial end portion of the first and second layers is thicker than an electrical insulation of a middle portion of the first and second layers.

16 . The generator of claim 13 , wherein the one or more guiding structures has a scoop shape.

17 . The generator of claim 13 , wherein there is an axial gap separating the axial end portion of the first layer and the axial end portion of the second layer.

18 . The generator of claim 17 , further comprising an insert bridging the axial gap.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (48)