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WO-2026093249-A1 - ACTIVE WIND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR AIR COOLERS

WO2026093249A1WO 2026093249 A1WO2026093249 A1WO 2026093249A1WO-2026093249-A1

Abstract

A wind management system (100) for an air cooler system comprising a support structure (10) comprising at least four columns (11, 12, 13 14) which defines four sides, tube bundles (90) supported by the support structure (10) and circulating a fluid to be cooled and at least one fan (20) arranged above the tube bundles. The wind management system (100) comprises a shutter system comprising a plurality of shutters (30) arranged at least on a side of the support structure (10) and being configured to be movable between a fully opened configuration and a fully closed configuration, at least one actuator (40) mechanically coupled to the shutter system and configured to change the degree of opening of the plurality of shutters (30) and a control unit (50) electrically coupled to the at least one actuator (40) and configured to control the at least one actuator (40). The control unit (50) is configured to receive information about wind direction and wind speed to control the at least one actuator (40) based on said information so to set the plurality of shutters (30) which are on the downstream side(s) with respect to the wind direction in a closed configuration, possibly in a fully closed configuration, if the wind speed is greater than a minimum threshold and if the wind speed is less than a maximum threshold.

Inventors

  • BERGAMINI, LORENZO
  • CARDILLO, ANTONIO

Assignees

  • NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE - S.R.L.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251027
Priority Date
20241030

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A wind management system (100) for an air cooler system comprising a support structure (10) comprising at least four columns (11, 12, 13 14) defining four sides, tube bundles (90) supported by the support structure (10) and circulating a fluid to be cooled and at least one fan (20) arranged above the tube bundles, the wind management system (100) comprising: a shutter system comprising a plurality of shutters (30) arranged at least on a side of the support structure (10), preferably on each side of the support structure (10), the plurality of shutters (30) being configured to be movable between a fully opened configuration and a fully closed configuration, at least one actuator (40) mechanically coupled to the shutter system and configured to change the degree of opening of the plurality of shutters (30), and a control unit (50) electrically coupled to the at least one actuator (40) and configured to control the at least one actuator (40), wherein the control unit (50) is configured to receive information about wind direction and wind speed to control the at least one actuator (40) based on said information so to set the plurality of shutters (30) which are on the downstream side(s) with respect to the wind direction in a closed configuration, possibly in a fully closed configuration, if the wind speed is greater than a minimum threshold and if the wind speed is less than a maximum threshold.
  2. 2. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the minimum threshold is in the range 1-4 m/s.
  3. 3. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the maximum threshold is in the range 10-30 m/s.
  4. 4. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the shutters of each plurality of shutters (30) are movable along a horizontal axis.
  5. 5. The wind management system (100) of claim 4, wherein each plurality of shutters (30) is mechanically coupled between two adjacent columns (11, 12, 13, 14) of the support structure (10).
  6. 6. The wind management system (100) of claim 5, wherein each plurality of shutters (30) extends between two adjacent columns (11, 12, 13, 14) of the support structure (10).
  7. 7. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the shutters of each plurality of shutters (30) are movable along a vertical axis.
  8. 8. The wind management system (100) of claim 7, wherein each plurality of shutters (30) is mechanically coupled between the top of the support structure (10) and the ground.
  9. 9. The wind management system (100) of claim 8, wherein each plurality of shutters (30) extends between the top of the support structure (10) and the ground.
  10. 10. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the control unit (50) is further configured to control the at least one actuator (40) so to set the plurality of shutters (30) which are on the upstream side(s) with respect to the wind direction in an open configuration if the wind speed is greater than a minimum threshold and if the wind speed is less than a maximum threshold.
  11. 11. The wind management system (100) of claim 10, wherein the control unit (50) is configured to control a plurality of actuators (40), each actuator (40) being mechanically coupled to one or more shutter of each plurality of shutters (30) so that each plurality of shutters (30) may have at least two shutters with a different degree of opening.
  12. 12. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, further comprising secondary shutters (35) arranged on the top of the support structure (10), in particular at two opposite side of the support structure (10), the secondary shutters (35) being movable along a horizontal axis and being mechanically coupled to at least one actuator which is electrically coupled to the control unit (50), the control unit (50) being configured to control the degree of opening of the secondary shutters (35) based on the information about wind direction and wind speed.
  13. 13. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, further comprising at least one wind sensor (60) electrically coupled to the control unit (50), the at least one wind sensor (60) being configured to provide the information about wind direction and wind speed to the control unit (50).
  14. 14. The wind management system (100) of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator (40) is configured to set all the plurality of shutters (30) in a fully opened configuration if the wind speed is less than a minimum threshold or if the wind speed is greater than a maximum threshold.
  15. 15. An air cooler system comprising the wind management system (100) of claim 1.
  16. 16. Method (200) for controlling a wind management system (100) comprising a control unit (50), at least one actuator (40) and a shutter system comprising a plurality of shutters (30) arranged at least on a side of the support structure (10) of an air cooler system, preferably on each side of the support structure (10), the method comprising the steps of A. Receiving information about wind direction and wind speed by to the control unit (50); B. Control at least one actuator (40) through the control unit (50) so to set all the plurality of shutters (30) in a fully opened configuration if the wind speed is less than a minimum threshold or if the wind speed is greater than a maximum threshold; C. Control at least one actuator (40) through the control unit (50) so to set the plurality of shutters (30) which are on the downstream side(s) with respect to the wind direction in a closed -15- configuration, possibly in a fully closed configuration, if the wind speed is greater than a minimum threshold and if the wind speed is less than a maximum threshold.
  17. 17. The method (200) of claim 16, further comprising the step of: D. Control at least one actuator (40) through the control unit (50) so to set the plurality of shutters (30) which are on the upstream side(s) with respect to the wind direction in an open configuration if the wind speed is greater than a minimum threshold and if the wind speed is less than a maximum threshold.
  18. 18. The method (200) of claim 17, wherein the control unit (50) may control a plurality of actuators, each actuator being mechanically coupled to one or more shutter of each plurality of shutters (30) so that at least two shutters of each plurality of shutters (30) may have a different degree of opening.
  19. 19. The method (200) of claim 17, wherein the closed configuration of step C and the open configuration of step D are settled also taking into account a difference between the target outlet temperature of the air cooler system and the actual one.
  20. 20. The method (200) of claim 16, wherein the information about wind direction and wind speed are provided by at least one wind sensor (60). -16-

Description

TITLE Active wind management system for air coolers DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The subject-matter disclosed herein relates to a wind management system for air coolers and method for controlling the wind management system. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Air cooled heat exchangers (ACHEs) or condensers (ACCs) are essentially used for petrochemical plants, oil refining plants, power plants (e.g. geothermal plants) and other industrial plants. [0003] ACHEs and ACCs performs an indirect thermal exchange: in general, set of ventilators cools the tube bundle, typically finned, so that the fluid which flows inside the tubes can be cooled. In particular, heat from the fluid is transferred to ambient air which can be moved by passive (induced or forced) motion through the ventilators; typically, axial fans are used and are installed so that the desired flow of air through the heat exchanger is from the bottom up. Axial fans are generally located above the tube bundles to induce ambient air across the bundles and the tube bundles are mounted on the top of a supporting structure so that air can flow vertically upward through the bundles. The axial fans may be also located below the tube bundle, to have a forced draft. [0003] However, the efficiency of heat dissipation of such systems depends on various ambient conditions and specifically on wind speed and cross winds. Currently, high wind speeds create a blockage effect on the airflow circulating through coolers, thereby reducing their effectiveness. To maintain the required thermal duty necessary to cool the fluid at the required temperature, the parasitic power of the fans will need to be increased, which will decrease the overall net power generated by the power plant, e.g. by a geothermal plant. [0004] To partially overcome this problem, there are usually used passive devices to reduce (not to eliminate) the impact of the wind speed, such as windscreen placed around the outlet of the fans, static porous screens on the perimeter of the lower part of the air coolers and fixed cross plates placed at the inlet of the fans. These solutions however affect the performance of the system when there is no wind or the wind has a low speed and may add significant weight and cost to the supporting structure. [0005] Another alternative solution to partially overcome this problem is the use of wind deflector to reduce (not to eliminate) the impact of the wind direction. [0006] From document US 8,302,670 B2 is known an air guide for an aircooled condensing tower system which substantially extends downwardly and outwardly from at least a side wall of the condensing tower system in order to help direct the air flow and sometimes permit the same performance from the tower while using less fan energy than would be required for an identical tower without the air guides. [0007] From document US 8,997,828 B2 is known a shield system comprising at least one arrangement for fixing, in use, at least one flexible sheet to an air cooler structure as an air inlet guide. The teaching of this document is to set the sheets in a fully closed configuration when the wind speed is relatively low (e.g. less than about 4.0 m/s), while to fully open the sheets when the wind speed is in a high range (e.g. over about 6.1 m/s). [0008] From document US 9,587,842 B2 it is known a method for minimizing the undesired effect of wind on the operation of a heat exchanger system providing a wind deflector constructed and arranged to divert wind flowing in any approximately horizontal direction below a fan to instead flow in a direction that is more vertically upward and toward the axis of the fan as compared to the approximately horizontal direction. SUMMARY [0009] According to an aspect, the subject-matter disclosed herein relates to a wind management system for an air cooler system comprising a support structure comprising at least four columns defining four sides, tube bundles supported by the support structure and circulating a fluid to be cooled and at least one fan arranged above the tube bundles, the wind management system comprising: a shutter system comprising a plurality of shutters arranged at least on a side of the support structure, preferably on each side of the support structure, the plurality of shutters being configured to be movable between a fully opened configuration and a fully closed configuration, at least one actuator mechanically coupled to the shutter system and configured to change the degree of opening of the plurality of shutters, and a control unit electrically coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to control the at least one actuator. The control unit is configured to receive information about wind direction and wind speed to control the at least one actuator based on the received information so to set the plurality of shutters which are on the downstream side(s) with respect to the wind direction in a closed configuration, possibly in a fully closed configuration, i