Generator Air Cooler for Hydropower Station in Myanmar

Generator Air Cooler for Hydropower Station in Myanmar

Principle of operation

Heat exchange process

When the generator is in operation, the heat generated by the stator windings, rotor excitation windings and other components is transferred to the cooling air inside the generator through air convection (called “hot air”).

The hot air is forced by the fan into the cooling tube bundle of the air cooler (usually copper or stainless steel tubes), which circulates low-temperature cooling water from the hydroelectric power plant's cooling water system (called “refrigerant”).

The hot air and the cooling water inside the tube bundle exchange heat through the tube wall: the temperature of the hot air decreases after releasing heat and becomes “cold air”, which is re-sent back to the generator for internal circulation and cooling; the temperature of the cooling water increases after absorbing heat, and the cooling water returns to the cooling water system (such as the cooling pool or cooling tower) through the return pipeline to cool down and then circulate for use.

Air Circulation Power

The air cooler is usually equipped with centrifugal or axial fans to provide the power for air flow and ensure that the cooling air forms a forced circulation between the generator interior and the air cooler.