Enhanced spray cooling technique for wedge cooling

摘要

A wedge cooling apparatus and method for cooling a rotating machine, such as a generator, disperses a spray of cooling fluid into the wedges of the generator. The spray cooling method results in a high heat transfer coefficient of about 2000-3000 W/m2C as opposed to conventional conduction cooling, which has a heat transfer coefficient of about 200-300 W/m2C. The apparatus and method of the present invention efficiently removes heat from high powered, high current density designed generators.

主权项

1. A cooling system through which a cooling medium can be circulated for dissipating heat from a rotating machine, comprising:
a shaft adapted to be rotated and having an axial bore through which the cooling medium can be circulated; a plurality of coils disposed on the shaft; a plurality of wedges disposed between the coils; and a manifold comprising a manifold ferrule adapted to circumscribe the shaft; a plurality of manifold pipes, each having a first end attached to the manifold ferrule and a second, opposite end attached to the wedges; and a plurality of cooling fluid channels running from an inside surface of the manifold ferrule to the second, opposite end of each manifold pipe; and a spray delivery device disposed at the second, opposite end of each manifold pipe, the spray delivery device adapted to deliver a spray of cooling fluid into the plurality of wedges.