WIND TURBINE WITH ELECTROLYTIC UNIT HOUSED INSIDE THE TOWER

Abstract

A wind turbine is provided including a generator, a base, a nacelle, a tower having a first end mounted to the base and a second end supporting the nacelle, and an electrolytic unit electrically powered by the generator to produce hydrogen from an input fluid, in particular water, wherein the electrolytic unit is electrically coupled to the generator by an electric connection, wherein the electrolytic unit is housed inside the tower.

Claims

1. A wind turbine comprising: a generator, a base, a nacelle; a tower having a first end mounted to the base and a second end supporting the nacelle, and an electrolytic unit electrically powered by the generator to produce hydrogen from an input fluid, wherein the electrolytic unit is electrically coupled to the generator by an electric connection, wherein the electrolytic unit is housed inside the tower.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic unit is housed in the upper part of the tower.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic unit is suspended from a yaw bearing.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic unit is rotatably coupled to the nacelle.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic unit is coupled to and supported by the tower.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 5, wherein the electric connection is long enough to allow for a relative movement between the nacelle and the tower during yawing.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic unit is supported on a floor plate.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine is an offshore wind turbine erected in a body of water.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 8, wherein the wind turbine is configured as a floating wind turbine, wherein the base is a floating, a semi-submerged or a submerged base platform.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 8, wherein the wind turbine further comprises a fluid supply assembly for supplying the input fluid from a fluid inlet arranged below a water level to the electrolytic unit, wherein the fluid inlet comprises an opening in the base or in the tower below the water level through which the input fluid is transported to the electrolytic unit.

11. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the base is a foundation such as a monopile.

12. A method of producing hydrogen by the wind turbine according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of supplying electrical power from the generator to the electrolytic unit housed inside the tower to produce hydrogen.

13. The wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the input fluid is water.

14. The wind turbine of claim 2, wherein the electrolytic unit is housed in the upper third of the tower.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0041] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a wind turbine as known in the conventional art comprising a platform and an electrolytic unit installed on the platform;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a wind turbine according to an embodiment of the invention comprising an electrolytic unit housed inside the tower and coupled to the tower; and

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a wind turbine according to another embodiment of the invention comprising an electrolytic unit housed inside the tower and suspended from the yaw bearing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a wind turbine 1 as known in the conventional art comprising an electrolytic unit platform 32 and an electrolytic unit 3 installed on the electrolytic unit platform 32.

[0046] The wind turbine 1 comprises a tower 4 on top of which a nacelle 6 is rotatably mounted. The wind turbine 1 further comprises a hub which is connected to the nacelle 6. A plurality of blades is mounted on the hub. The hub is connected to a generator 2 and is rotatably mounted about a rotor axis by a main bearing. The wind turbine 1 further comprises an electrolytic unit platform 32 on which the electrolytic unit 3 is arranged above the water level 31. The wind turbine 1 further comprises a base 5 on which the tower 4 is mounted. The base 5 is a foundation mounted to the floor of the body of water.

[0047] The power produced by the generator 2 is completely transferred to the electrolytic unit 3, but it would be also possible to connect the wind turbine 1 to an electricity grid and transfer a part of the power produced by the generator 2 to the electricity grid. The electrolytic unit 3 comprises a desalination unit 11 and an electrolytic device 12, as well as a fluid connection between the desalination unit 11 and the electrolytic device 12 through which desalinated water 14 is transported. The electrolytic device 12 and the desalination unit 11 are both powered by the generator 2, which is connected to both devices by an electric connection 7.

[0048] The input fluid 9 for the electrolytic unit 3 is saltwater 13 taken of the sea of the wind turbine 1 by a pump 24. The fluid supply assembly 21 supplies saltwater 13 to the electrolytic unit 3 by a hanging hose. The hose hangs from the desalination unit 11 to the water body at the outer part of the base 5. The saltwater 13 enters the fluid supply assembly 21 through a fluid inlet 23 and is transported through the hose, which creates a fluid connection 22 between the fluid inlet 23 and the desalination unit 11 forming part of the electrolytic unit 3. The fluid inlet 23 and the pump 24 are submerged below the water level 31 to suction the saltwater 13.

[0049] The desalinated water 14 is the input fluid 9 of the electrolytic device 12. The electrolytic device has a hydrogen output 15 through which the hydrogen 8 generated is extracted. This hydrogen output 15 is connected to a hydrogen pipeline to transport the hydrogen 8 onshore. Alternatively, the hydrogen 8 could be filled in containers and transported onshore.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a wind turbine 1 according to an embodiment of the invention comprising an electrolytic unit 3 housed inside the tower 4 and coupled to the tower 4.

[0051] In this embodiment, the wind turbine 1 is an offshore wind turbine erected in a body of water and comprising a base 5 on which the tower 4 is mounted. The base 5 is a foundation, such as a monopile, mounted to the floor of the body of water.

[0052] An opening at the tower 4 allows for the suctioning of the saltwater 13 by the pump 24 of the fluid supply assembly 21 and the fluid inlet 23 arranged below the water level 31. The fluid connection 22 through the tower 4 can be formed as a channel or as a pipeline. The fluid connection 22 extends in the longitudinal direction parallel to the axis of the tower 4 towards the electrolytic unit 3 of the wind turbine 1.

[0053] The electrolytic unit 3 is housed in the upper part of the tower 4, in particular in the upper third of the tower 4. The arrangement of the electrolytic unit 3 at this height is beneficial, as the higher the electrolytic unit 3 is placed, the lower the salt and water content in the air, thereby reducing the corrosion of the components of the electrolytic unit 3. Additionally, the arrangement of the electrolytic unit 3 inside the tower 4 increases the protection of the electrolytic unit 3 from harsh weather conditions, for example from rain, which might damage the electrical components. Additionally, the constant exposure to an open atmosphere containing salt accelerates the corrosion, so the housing of the electrolytic unit 3 inside the tower 4 is beneficial to avoid a faster corrosion, as it is the case in electrolytic units 3 installed on electrolytic unit platforms 32 as known in the conventional art. The need of big containers protecting the electrolytic unit 3 from the environment can be avoided if the electrolytic unit 3 is housed inside the tower 4.

[0054] The electrolytic unit 3 is installed on two floor plates 41. On the lower one, the desalination unit 11 is installed, which is coupled to the fluid supply assembly 21. On the upper one, the electrolytic device 12 is installed, which is coupled to the desalination unit 11 for the supply of desalinated water 14. Both the electrolytic device 12 and the desalination unit 11 are electrically coupled to the generator 2 by an electric connection 7, wherein the electric connection 7 is long enough to allow for a relative movement between the nacelle 6 and the tower 4 during yawing. This is advantageous during yawing, as the generator 2 rotates and the electrolytic unit 3 is static, as it is coupled to the tower 4. Supports for the electric connection 7 are arranged at the tower 4 so that the cables do not touch the ground and to avoid any injuries of stepping on cables.

[0055] The hydrogen 8 generated by the electrolytic unit 3 is brought to the hydrogen output 15 of the wind turbine 1, which can be accomplished by a pipeline or a channel. The tower 4 can have a second opening for the hydrogen output 15 at the tower 4, as it is shown in this figure, or use the already given opening of the fluid supply assembly for the hydrogen output 5.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a wind turbine 1 according to another embodiment of the invention comprising an electrolytic unit 3 housed inside the tower 4 and suspended from the yaw bearing 42.

[0057] A cross-sectional view of a yaw bearing 42 with an inner yaw drive is shown in this figure. The yaw bearing 42 allows the nacelle 6 to rotate relative to the tower 4 by a plurality of rolling or sliding elements. In this case, a plurality of sliding elements is used.

[0058] The electrolytic unit 3 is suspended from the yaw bearing 42 component coupled to the nacelle 6 and therefore, the electrolytic unit 3 is rotatably coupled to the nacelle 6. The electrolytic unit 3 is arranged on a floor plate 41. A flexible hose can be used as the fluid connection 22 of the fluid supply assembly 21 and/or as the connection of the electrolytic unit 3 with the hydrogen output 15, as during yawing a relative movement of the electrolytic unit 3 with the tower 4 and the components coupled to the tower 4 will occur.

[0059] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0060] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements.

REFERENCE LIST

[0061] 1 Wind turbine [0062] 2 Generator [0063] 3 Electrolytic unit [0064] 4 Tower [0065] 5 Base [0066] 6 Nacelle [0067] 7 Electrical connection [0068] 8 Hydrogen [0069] 9 Input fluid [0070] 11 Desalination unit [0071] 12 Electrolytic device [0072] 13 Saltwater [0073] 14 Desalinated water [0074] 15 Hydrogen output [0075] 21 Fluid supply assembly [0076] 22 Fluid connection [0077] 23 Fluid inlet [0078] 24 Pump [0079] 31 Water level [0080] 32 Electrolytic unit platform [0081] 41 Floor plate [0082] 42 Yaw bearing