Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Michael Staghøj

Gerner Larsen

Niels Christian Olsen

Frank Møller Hansen

Poul Torben Tietze

Jörg Wadehn

Tommy Eschelund

A method of cooling a wind turbine. A cooling system is operated with a first setpoint temperature to cool the wind turbine over a first period. The method comprises measuring a temperature of the wind turbine over the first period to obtain temperature measurements; allocating each of the temperature measurements to a temperature range, wherein one or more of the temperature ranges are critical temperature ranges; and for each critical temperature range, comparing a parameter indicative of a number of the temperature measurements allocated to the critical temperature range with a threshold; selecting a second setpoint temperature on the basis of the comparison(s); and operating the cooling system with the second setpoint temperature over a second period. An equivalent method is also disclosed in which a power setting of the wind turbine is changed on the basis of the comparison(s).

Method of cooling a wind turbine

A wind turbine nacelle comprising a plurality of power generating components and a fluid system, wherein the nacelle includes a nacelle cover comprising a lower cover or 'base', a roof and side walls, thereby defining an interior space of the nacelle, wherein the fluid system includes a fluid tank that is integrated into the nacelle cover. The invention extends to a panel of a wind turbine nacelle cover, wherein the panel is configured to define at least apart of, or is coupled to, a fluid tank of a fluid system of the wind turbine.

Wind turbine nacelle with on-board fluid system

A generator for a wind turbine is disclosed. The generator comprises a rotor configured to rotate about a rotational axis, and at least one stator arranged next to the rotor. Each stator comprises at least one flux-generating module facing the rotor but spaced therefrom, thereby forming an air gap between the rotor and each flux-generating module. Each stator also comprises at least one bearing unit, each bearing unit comprising a body defining a cavity with an open end facing the rotor. The generator further comprises a source of pressurized fluid communicating with each bearing unit, and the body of each bearing unit directs the fluid towards the rotor to help maintain the air gap between the rotor and each flux-generating module. Thereby the air gap between the rotor and the flux-generating modules is controlled by means of the fluid bearing units. The invention further provides a wind turbine comprising such a generator.

Wind turbine generator with fluid film bearing units

A generator () for a wind turbine () is disclosed. The generator () comprises a rotor () configured to rotate about a rotational axis, and at least one stator () arranged next to the rotor (). Each stator () comprises at least two subunits (), the subunits () being arranged side-by-side along a moving direction of the rotor (). Each subunit () comprises at least one flux-generating module () facing the rotor () but spaced therefrom, thereby defining an air gap between the rotor () and each flux-generating module (). The subunits () are movable relative to each other along a direction which is substantially transverse to the moving direction of the rotor (). This allows a subunit () to move in a manner which adjusts the air gap without affecting the position and the air gap of a neighboring subunit (). Thereby variations in the rotor () can be compensated and a uniform and constant air gap can be maintained. The invention further provides a wind turbine () comprising such a generator () and a method for performing service on a generator ().

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Ry, Denmark

Michael Staghøj