US 12,215,674 B2
Wind turbine and method for operating the wind turbine
Jens Brix Christensen, Vejle (DK); Aljosa Sarcevic, Brande (DK); and Michael Bilet Skovgaard Steffensen, Hasselager (DK)
Assigned to SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S, Brande (DK)
Filed by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S, Brande (DK)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/095,823.
Claims priority of application No. 19211914 (EP), filed on Nov. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0156362 A1, May 27, 2021
Int. Cl. F03D 80/60 (2016.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.01); F03D 80/70 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 80/60 (2016.05) [F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F03D 80/70 (2016.05); F05B 2260/20 (2013.01); F05B 2270/303 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wind turbine comprising:
a plurality of components generating heat during operation of the wind turbine; and
a liquid cooling system, wherein the plurality of components are thermally coupled by a liquid coolant cycle of the liquid cooling system to an ambient heat exchanger of the liquid cooling system, the ambient heat exchanger being arranged to exchange heat between a liquid coolant contained in the liquid coolant cycle and ambient air;
wherein the liquid cooling system comprises a heat pump having a cooling operation mode, the heat pump being arranged in the liquid coolant cycle such that the liquid coolant of the liquid coolant cycle is cooled when the heat pump is operated in the cooling operation mode;
wherein the heat pump is integrated within the liquid coolant cycle in between the plurality of components generating heat during operation of the wind turbine and the ambient heat exchanger to cool the liquid coolant below an ambient air temperature; and
wherein the ambient heat exchanger and the heat pump are arranged such that: (i) an ambient air inflow from an ambient environment at an ambient temperature enters and passes through the ambient heat exchanger and then passes through the heat pump and (ii) an air outflow enters and passes through the heat pump and then passes through the ambient heat exchanger into the ambient environment at a temperature that exceeds the ambient temperature.