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Problems With Newer Generators 3

Clyde Maughan discusses problems with newer generators that have been observed over his 27-year consulting career. Specific issues are identified with Alstom, Siemens, GE, and other OEM generator designs related to core vibration isolation, dry-tie systems, partial discharge, vacuum pressure impregnation of stator windings, rotor winding brazing, and stator winding tape migration. Many of the problems stem from design changes aimed at cost reduction that have compromised reliability. Utilities are also blamed for primarily purchasing generators based on lowest cost rather than best design. Overall, newer generators seem to have less design margin and more infant mortality and early failure problems than older fleet generators.

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Engr Irfan Akhtar
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
147 views

Problems With Newer Generators 3

Clyde Maughan discusses problems with newer generators that have been observed over his 27-year consulting career. Specific issues are identified with Alstom, Siemens, GE, and other OEM generator designs related to core vibration isolation, dry-tie systems, partial discharge, vacuum pressure impregnation of stator windings, rotor winding brazing, and stator winding tape migration. Many of the problems stem from design changes aimed at cost reduction that have compromised reliability. Utilities are also blamed for primarily purchasing generators based on lowest cost rather than best design. Overall, newer generators seem to have less design margin and more infant mortality and early failure problems than older fleet generators.

Uploaded by

Engr Irfan Akhtar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PROBLEMS WITH NEWER GENERATORS

CLYDE MAUGHAN, PRESIDENT


MAUGHAN GENERATOR CONSULTANTS SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

Phone: 518 377 5351 Email: [email protected] Web: clyde.maughan.com

PRELUDE
A FEW COMMENTS

LAST 15-YEAR FOCUS (OF A 27YEAR CONSULTING CAREER)

CONSULTING WORK
GENERATOR CONDITION ASSESSMENT FAILURE ROOT CAUSE DIAGNOSIS LITTLE-TO-NO TEST AND INSPECTION, OR REPAIR WORK

TRAINING (KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER) EFFORTS


SEMINAR: ~1000 PARTICIPANTS HANDS-OFF WHEN ASSESSING TECHNICAL PUBLICATION (PASSING ON TO THE NEXT
GENERATIONS THE KNOWLEDGE OF MY GENERATION OF GENERATOR ENGINEERS)

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
Book Maintenance of Turbine-Driven Generators, 210 pp, 250 color photographs,. Focused directly on knowledge helpful to utility personnel : Design impact, Operation impact, Failure mechanisms, Monitoring, Inspection, Test, and Repair Papers Generator Ground Protection Relay Deficiencies A Brief History of Turbine-Generator Electrical Insulation and Support Systems Uprating and Upgrading of Generators Advances in Motor and Generator Rotor Health Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Testing of Electrical Equipment Vibration Detection instrumentation for Turbine-generator Stator Endwindings Vibration Sparking and Other Electrical Failure Mechanisms on Large Generators Generator Condition Monitor Evolution and Capability Monitoring of Generator Condition and some limitations thereof On-Line Partial Discharge Testing on Generator Stator Windings Electrical and Mechanical Testing of Medium-Voltage Generators Partial Discharge as a Stator Winding Evaluation Tool Carbon-Brush Collector Maintenance on Turbine-Generators Root-Cause Diagnostics of Generator Service Failures Testing of Turbine-Generator Stator Core Lamination Insulation Upgrading of Generators to Improve Reliability Inspection/Test Impact on Maintenance of Generators Partial Discharge as a Concern on Turbine Generators Generator Failure Diagnosis Testing of Large Electric Generators for Suitability of Service Visual Inspection of Large Electric Generators Generator Reliability as Influenced by Engineering Design Parameters 4 Comparative Measurements PD/EMI Prototype Test - Ohio Edison Sammis #6.

THIS NO-ULTERIOR MOTIVE TRAINING EFFORT . . .

PERSONAL COST . . .
MAYBE 3000 HOURS OF UNPAID TIME MAYBE $60,000 OF EXPENSES PRESENTING PAPERS AT TECHNICAL CONFERENCES

PERSONAL BENEFIT . . .
WELL, PHONE STILL RINGING ON INCOMEPRODUCING CONSULTING JOBS AT AGE 87 ABSURD INCOME AND A CERTAIN LEVEL OF JOB SATISFACTION

SO WHY WOULD I COMPLAIN?


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AND MY LIBRARY (OF


HOPEFULLY USEFUL KNOWLEDGE)

You can find about everything I have written on generators in the last 15 years on the NEC web site: www.generatortechnicalforum.org At the Home Page, click on technical forum to register. Go to the discussion topic, Inner Water-Cooled Stator Windings (of which I am moderator), click on any thread, click on the Documents tab at the top Find 24 technical papers on about 20 different generator topics and my 210-page text on generator maintenance No-cost download by double clicking the titles
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NOW, TO THE TOPIC


PROBLEMS WITH NEWER GENERATORS

PRESENT FLEET INDUSTRYWIDE

OLDER GENERATORS
GENERALLY SUBSTANTIAL MARGIN IN DESIGN BUT MANY ARE 40+ YEARS OLD, i.e WORN OUT LITTLE SIGN OF FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE SOON

NEWER GENERATORS
SOMETIMES NEGATIVE MARGIN IN DESIGN NUMEROUS INFANT MORTALITY AND EARLY-FAILURE PROBLEMS (COST-REDUCED, i.e., CHEAP) GENERALLY NOT HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR LONGTERM RELIABILITY

SOME SPECIFIC PROBLEMS ON NEWER GENERATORS

SOME CONFINED TO SPECIFIC OEMs


CORE VIBRATION ISOLATION DRY-TIE

SOME GENERIC
PARTIAL DISCHARGE GLOBAL VPI

ON THESE SLIDES WILL NAME NAMES


WITH CONCERN RECOGNIZING THAT NO OEM STANDS OUT PARTICULARLY FROM THE REST (AND ROOT PROBLEM IS THAT UTILITIES BUY THE CHEAPEST PRODUCT)
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ALSTOM CORE ISOLATION PROBLEM

2-POLE CORES TYPICALLY OVAL ~2 MILS, i.e., UNRESISTIBLE VIBRATION


MAGNETIC PULL OF THE FIELD

ALSTOM SEEMS TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE LINE WITH LITTLE ISOLATION BUT YOU MUST ISOLATE
(I FIRST KNEW THIS IN MY FIRST YEAR AT GE 1950)

MAJOR COST REDUCTION NO OBVIOUS REALISTIC FIX REPLACE STATOR OR LIVE WITH THE CONDITIONS
NOISE 116 dBA POSSIBLE FRAME CRACKING POSSIBLE FOUNDATION CRACKING
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HIGH LEVELS OF PARTIAL DISCHARGE


PROBLEM ON ALL GENERATORS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS


WORSE ON AIR COOLED HIGH VOLTS/MIL STRESS DESIGN INADEQUATE GROUNDING PAINTS INADEQUATE SPACING IN END ARM REGIONS JUNCTION OF END ARM AND GROUNDING PAINTS

OZONE PRODUCTION
POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARD ATTACK ON SOME MATERIALS

BUT GENERALLY PD DOES NOT CAUSE FAILURE


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VIBRATION SPARKING

OLD PROBLEM FROM FIRST HARD INSULATION SYSTEMS LATE 1950s RECURRED ON A LINE OF SIEMENS GENERATORS ~4 YEARS AGO DRAMATIC AND FAST ACTING
IN-SERVICE FAILURE IF NOT CORRECTED
2-3 YEARS, OR SOONER

COMPLICATED ACTIONS, BUT PRETTY WELL UNDERSTOOD


STATOR BAR VIBRATION IN THE SLOT (SIDE OR VERTICAL) LOW GROUNDING PAINT RESISTANCE

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REWINDING GLOBALLY VACUUM PRESSURE IMPREGNATED STATOR WINDINGS

MANY GENERATORS IN SERVICE


LOW STATOR WINDING MANUFACTURING COSTS MOST OEMs DO THIS UP TO ~400MVA

CONDITIONS
ENTIRE STATOR GOES INTO A VERY LARGE IMPREGNATION TANK BONDS (GLUES) BARS IN SLOTS VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE WINDING COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING MAY DAMAGE CORE

MAY DECIDE TO JUST BUY A NEW STATOR


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GE DRY-TIE PROBLEM

IMPLEMENTED FOR SAFETY AND COST REASONS BUT GE ENDWINDING DESIGN IS BASED ON EVERYTHING BONDING TOGETHER HISTORIC SYSTEM
WET ROVING GLASS, DIRECTLY OUT OF A RESIN BATH
HIGH BOND STRENGTH BETWEEN GLASS AND BAR/CONNECTION RING INSULATION

DRY TIE USES A PRE-IMPREGNATED GLASS TAPE


RESIN IS B-STAGED, i.e., RESIN IS DRIED BUT UNDER HEAT SOFTENS AND FLOWS IN THEORY OKAY, BUT BOND TURNS OUT TO BE WEAK

CORRECTION
REMOVE ALL DRY TIES AND REPLACE WITH WET TIES
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ALSTOM ROTOR WINDING COPPER BRAZE PROBLEM

FAILURE OF RECENTLY REWOUND FIELD


CRACKING AND FRACTURE OF WINDING COPPER

ROOT CONCERN
INABILITY TO REUSE COPPER WINDING WHEN REWINDING FIELD

ROOT CONDITION
THIN COPPER ATTACHMENT BRAZE CONTROL
PROBABLY TOO HIGH TEMPERATURE WITH BETTER QUALITY CONTROL, MAYBE OKAY
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GE STATOR WINDING TAPE MIGRATION PROBLEM


A RETURN OF A PROBLEM OF THE 1950-60s CONDITION


ASPHALT INSULATION SYSTEM
MICA IMPREGNATED WITH ASPHALT (REALLY!) GREAT SYSTEM FROM THE 1915s BUT IF SELECTED ASPHALT BECAME SOFT (LIQUID) AT OPERATING TEMPERATURES NO MECHANICAL STABILITY INSULATION MIGRATED INWARD IN SLOT WITH LOAD CYCLING

I AM THE WORLD EXPERT ON THIS PROBLEM


(BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE PROBLEM)
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A FEW OTHER (POTENTIAL) PROBLEMS


FRAME CRACKING FIELD FORGING CRACKING


MAIN FIELD FORGING
ONE CASE IN SPAIN ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO

RETAINING RINGS GET RID OF YOUR 18/5 RINGS ONLY COST YOU HALF A MILLION DOLLARS EVEN 18/18 RINGS CAN CRACK IF BAD ENOUGH OPERATING CONDITION

STATOR ENDWINDING VIBRATION NEGATIVE SEQUENCE CURRENTS FIELD WINDING GROUNDS

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IN CLOLSING

LOTS OF OTHER FAILURE OPPORTUNITIES (UNFORTUNATELY)


IM STILL RUNNING INTO THINGS I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AFTER 60+ YEARS

GOOD LUCK TO YOU


BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO STOP (TALKING AND CONSULTING)

BEST WISHES!
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PROBLEMS WITH NEWER GENERATORS


CLYDE MAUGHAN, PRESIDENT
MAUGHAN GENERATOR CONSULTANTS SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK

Phone: 518 377 5351 Email: [email protected] Web: clyde.maughan.com

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