Prevention of salt ingress in offshore wind turbine generators comprises pressurizing generator housing

摘要

Air is drawn from the downwind side into the tower and passed through a pipe (12) into a chamber (14) where most of the moisture is deposited. The air is passed through a filter (16) to a compressor (18) into the generator and gear housing (20). The filter is a vortex chamber in which the remaining moisture is removed by centrifugal action. The air in the housing is passed out through gaps. Pressure sensors in the housing monitor the effectiveness of the operation.