POWER CONNECTION MODULE

5 FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a power component connection module .

10 BACKGROUND

The power connection between main power components of a wind turbine, e.g. transformer, converter, generator, etc. ; re- quires long heavy electric conductors i.e. cables or busbars,

15 to be connected, i.e. bolted, at a first power component in a predetermined connection point; then transported by an opera- tor to aa second power component where the conductor is se- cured in a predetermined connection point, The assembling procedure is very time consuming and complex, as it shall be

20 repeated for a large number of conductors or conductor ends .

Besides , the length of the conductors may be about 10 m long, or even more in some examples, which further complicates the assembling process.

25 In addition, aa misplacement of cables may lead to underper- formance, overload of certain cables, an increase of uneven electromagnetic fields or even to aa fire which may damage or destroy the wind turbine and/or cause serious injuries to op- erators .

30

In conclusion, tthheerree iiss aa need to provide a solution which reduces the assembling time and complexity of power component connection while increasing the safety at reasonable cost.

35 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, a power connection module is provided. The power connection module comprises a first and a second sub- modules, an intermediary submodule and a plurality of conduc- tors arranged at the intermediary submodule. Each first and second submodules comprise a plurality of internal connection points and a plurality of external connection points. The in-

5 termediary submodule is arranged between the first and second submodules and comprises a central portion. The plurality of conductors are arranged at the intermediary submodule and are grouped in at lleeaasstt a first phase group and a second phase group, wherein the electric phase to be conducted by the con-

10 ductors in the first phase group is different from the elec- tric phase to be conducted by the conductors of the second phase group. In substantially all central portion of the in- termediary submodule, the plurality of conductors form a pre- determined matrix cross-section, such predetermined matrix

15 cross-section comprises rows and columns. The conductors ar- ranged in adjacent rows and/or columns of such matrix cross- section belong to a different phase group.

By using a predetermined matrix cross-section avoids having

20 same electric phase conductors in adjacent rows and/or col- umns thereby preventing electrical problems such as uneven current sharing in the intermediary submodule, and in addi- tion the connection module is capable of using full capacity of the cables .

25

The use of separate (independent) submodules enhances the scalability of the connection module. By having an intermedi- ary submodule enables adapting the length of the connection module to a specific situation, i.e. to aa the connection

30 (distance) of two wind turbine components, without modifying the first and second submodules. That is, more than one in- termediary submodule may be used to adapt to the distance be- tween the two turbine components to be interconnected without requiring. Thus, due to the modularity of the connection mod-

35 ule, the manufacturing costs may be kept low as the basic submodules (first, second and intermediary submodules) may adapt to achieve different connections e.g. to different com- ponents of a wind turbine or to the conf iguration of dif fer- ent wind turbine models .

Moreover , using different submodules enables the connection

5 module to be a preassembled unit , therefore the complexity of a connection process between two power component such as a generator and a converter in a wind turbine may be reduced , A premade or preassembled unit may further reduce costs as its manufacturing process may be outsourced to a supplier .

10

By using a connection module as claimed , operators do not deal with a plurality of individual conductors but use a mod- ule which contributes to a better connection quality as the risk of misplacement is reduced .

15

In addition, the use of connection module as claimed reduces the time required in the connection process .

In an example , the matrix cross-section may comprise a base

20 pattern .

In an example , the base pattern may be shifted by one row in adj acent columns of the matrix cross-section thereby further reducing the probability of having electric problems in con-

25 ductors .

In an example , the module may further comprise a housing which may be made of a conducting material or may be made of a non- conducting material and comprise a conducting mesh . By

30 having a conducting element , Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) and grounding advantages may be provided .

In an example , the module may further comprise an intercon- nection element conf igured to enable an angled connection be-

35 tween the plurality of conductors and aa power component , which further facilitates the connection process and enhances the adaptability of the connection module . In an example , the interconnection element may comprise a plurality of coupling holes .

In a further aspect , a power connection system is provided .

5 The power connection system may comprise at least two power connection modules according to any of the examples disclosed coupled therebetween . The f lexibility and scalability of the system may be improved as any required number of modules may be coupled together .

10

In a further aspect , a wind turbine comprising a power con- nection module according to any of the examples disclosed is provided .

15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The forgoing and other features and advantages of the inven- tion will become further apparent from the following detailed description read in conj unction with the accompanying draw-

20 ings . In the drawings , like reference numerals refer to like elements . figure 1 schematically illustrates a power connection device according to an example ;

25

Figure 2A schematically illustrates an interconnection ele- ment according to an example ;

Figure 2B schematically illustrates part of a power connec-

30 tion module comprising a plurality of interconnection ele- ments according to an example ;

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a power connection device according to an example ;

35

Figures 4A and 4B schematically illustrate an internal con- nection points of a submodule according to an example ; Figure 5A schematically illustrates a conductor matrix pat- tern at an intermediary submodule according to an example; and

5 Figure 5B schematically illustrates a part of a basic pattern and a repetition pattern according to an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

10 Figure 1 depicts a power connection module 1 for electrically coupling together two power components e.g. a generator and a converter, of a wind turbine. The module 1 may comprise a first and second terminal submodules 100, 200 and an interme- diary submodule 300 comprising a plurality of conductors 6

15 (see Figure 3) arranged therein.

The first and second (terminal) submodeles 100,, 200 may com- prise a plurality of internal ccoonnnneeccttiioonn ppooiinnttss 120A-120C, 220A-220C and a plurality of external connection points 110A-

20 110C, 210A-210C. The external connection points may be ar- ranged at any point of the submodules 100, 200. In an exam- ple, the internal connection points 120A-120C, 220A-220C and the external connection points 110A - 110C, 210A 210C may form a straight connection. In an example, the internal con-

25 nection points 120A-120C, 220A-220C and the external connec- tion points 110A - 110C, 210A - 210C may form an angled (e.g. 90 degree or any other angle) connection.

The connection points may comprise securing holes to enable

30 coupling the conductors thereto e.g. by bolts or in any other suitable way.

The connection points may be arranged according to a prede- fined standard scheme for properly matching the connections

35 of aann external device e.g. another module or a power compo- nent such as a converter. In an example, the plurality of connection points may be parallel and may gathered according to a respective electric phase. That is, conductors sharing or configured to conduct or carry the same electric phase may be arranged in parallel (see figure 4A) i.e. adjacent to one another in a same row.

5 The internal and/or external connection scheme or arrangement may be equal oorr different in the first submodule 100 and in the second submodule 200.

The connection points may be individual orifices, e.g. male-

10 female connector; oorr may also be busbars wherein a plurality of conductors of a same phase may be connected.

The first submodule 100 may be an elongated or L-shaped body which may comprise an angled connection between external con-

15 nection points 110A - HOC and internal connection points 120A - 120C.

The second submodule 200 may be an elongated or L-shaped body that may comprise aann angled connection between external con-

20 nection points 210A - 210C and internal connection points 220A - 220C.

The connection module 1 or each first, second and intermedi- ary submodules may further comprise a housing. The housing

25 may be made of conducting material e.g. metal or metal alloy, In other examples, the housing may be made of non-conducting material, e.g. plastic, and may further comprise a conducting material mesh. In examples wherein each first, second and in- termediary submodules comprise aa housing, the housings may

30 comprise coupling elements to assemble the submodules togeth- er .

The housing may comprise handles (not shown) to facilitate the transport of the connection module and the connection

35 process, i.e. connection to external device such as the gen- erator of a wind turbine . The housing may comprise a plurality of hhoolleess (not shown) configured to match with ' external connection points of first and second terminal submodules thereby enabling the connection between the power connection device and an exter-

5 nal component, ee ..g. to a converter.

The connection module 1 may be a premade or preassembled unit which further reduces the complexity of the connection pro- cess and enable a cost reduction.

10

In some examp les, the connection module 1 may further com- prise an interconnection element 50 (at least one per phase) to enable an angled connection, i.e. different from straight or 0 degrees, between the module 1 and an external component

15 e.g. a converter.

Figure 2A depicts an interconnection element 500 according to an example.

20 The interconnection element 500 may comprise two sides 510,

520 coupled together by a joint 530. The two sides may form any required angle e.g. 45 degrees, 90 degrees, etc. In the example of Figure 2A both sides are perpendicular thereby en- abling a 90-degree connection angle.

25

Each side 510, 520 may comprise a plurality of coupling holes

540 for securing the interconnection element 500 to e.g. a busbar .

30 Figure 2B shows aa ffiirrsstt oorr aa second terminal submodule 100, 200 comprising six interconnection elements 550000 (two per phase) which are coupled to an internal connection point e.g. an internal bus bar, and to an external connection point e.g. an external busbar. In the example, the interconnection ele-

35 ments 500 enable the external connection points or busbars to which e.g. aa generator is connected, to form 90 degrees with respect to the conductors 6. The interconnection element 500 may be made of metal or any other electric conductor material or alloy.

Figure 3 further depicts the internal view of an intermediary

5 submodule of the power connection module 1 of Figure 1.

The plurality of conductors 6 within the intermediary section may have an end to be coupled to an internal connection point 120A -120C of the first submodule 100 and the other end to

10 the internal connection point 220A -220C of the second sub- module 200. The conductors may not be arranged straight, i.e. forming about 0 degrees between both ends . For sake of clari- ty, in Figure 3 a three-phase A, B, C example is implemented, wherein a conductor for each (electric) phase is represented

15 by a different dashed line, however, any number of conductors per phase may be used.

The intermediary submodule 300 may comprise a central portion

350 that may be about 20-60% of the total length of the in-

20 termediary submodule 300.

The plurality of conductors 6 may be configured to conduct a predefined (electric) phase and they may be grouped at least in a first phase group and a second phase group, wherein the

25 phase to be conducted by the conductors in the first phase group being different from the phase of the conductors of the second phase group. The number of phase groups may be propor- tional to the number of phases. In case the device may be a three-phase device, the conductors may be grouped in a first,

30 a second and a third phase groups.

For the sake of clarity and simplicity, in Figure 3 three conductors 6 (with different dashed lines) , i.e. one conduc- tor per electric phase, are shown.

35

The length of the conductors 6, and thus, of the intermediary submodule 300 may vary e.g. according to the distance between the external power components or may have a prefixed length. In some examples, the length of the plurality of conductors may be about 10 m, 5 m or any other required length.

In some examples, the connection module 1 may comprise two or

5 more interconnected intermediary submodules to avoid manufac- turing lengthy intermediary submodules. The connection module may therefore be more flexible as it may be easily adapted to specific cases.

10 The ends of the plurality of conductors 6 may be connected to the first and second submodules with same electric phase con- ductors in parallel following a standard scheme, i.e. rows in which adjacent cables belong to same phase group. Besides, in order to avoid electrical problems such as current sharing

15 the conductors may, aatt lleeaasstt iinn a cross-section of the cen- tral section 350 of the intermediary submodule 300, be ar- ranged in a predetermined matrix form.

The predetermined matrix cross-section may comprise rows and

20 columns . In such predetermined matrix cross-section 40 ,, the conductors 6 may be arranged such that in adjacent rows and columns conductors with a different electric phase, ii .. ee .. be- longing to a different phase group (see Figures 5A and 5B) are arranged.

25

In some examples, the predetermined matrix cross-section may be continuous along entire or substantial part of the central portion 350 of the intermediary submodule. That is, the ar- rangement of the conductors may hold the position at least in

30 part of the central portion 350. In other examples, the pre- determined matrix cross-section may be repeated a plurality of times i.e. more than two times, at different parts, i.e. in different cross-sections, along the intermediary submodule 300. In those examples, the conductors may be twisted various

35 times thereby forming the predetermined matrix cross-section two or more times along central portion 350 of the intermedi- ary submodule. Thus, the conductors within the intermediary submodule may, in some portions or areas , be straight. Due to the separation or empty space existing between the conductors a cooling effect may be obtained. Besides, in other portions, i.e. the central portion, the conductors may be twisted to form the predetermined matrix cross-section to avoid or at

5 least minimize uneven current sharing i.e. to maximize the current conducted by each conductor.

Figure 4A schematically shows an (standard) arrangement of a plurality of internal connection points or busbars 120A-120C,

10 120A' -120C' of a first and/or second submodule 100, 200 ac- cording to an example. In the figure, a three-phase submodule having twelve conductors per electric phase (arranged in two respective separate busbars) is shown. The conductors 6 in same row may have or may be configured to transmit the same

15 phase .

Figure 4B depicts a submodule 220 comprising a plurality sa conductors 3 coupled to the inter connection points (busbars) 120A-120C, 120A' -120C' according to the arrangement of Figure

20 4A.

Figure 5A depicts a matrix cross-section 40 in the central portion of an intermediary submodule 300 ooff aa three-phase connection module comprising twelve conductors per electric

25 phase. The matrix cross-section of the example of Figure 5A comprises six rows and six columns wherein the conductors in adjacent rows and columns may have or may be configured to conduct different phases.

30 In an example, the matrix cross-section may comprise a basic pattern 50 that may be repeated thereby forming a predeter- mined matrix cross-section 40. The basic pattern 50 may be a predetermined arrangement of conductors configured to avoid positioning conductors conduct the same phase in adjacent

35 rows and/or columns .

The basic pattern 50 may shifted by one row in adjacent col- umns thereby creating a repetition pattern 51. Figure 5B depicts a shifting of a basic pattern 50 thereby creating a repetition pattern 51 in a three-phase example .

5 While speficic embodiments are disclosed herein, various changes and modif ications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention . The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and non- restrictive , and all changes coming within the meaning and

10 equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein .