AN APPROACH TO

PERFORMING
TIME-EFFICIENT
GENERATOR
LITERATURE
SEARCHES

WHERE TO LOOK AND WHAT

INFORMATION TO TRUST
ANALYZE TOPIC: 1. May be emerging fleet issue with limited knowledge or
HOW WELL-DEFINED evidence a specific failure mode
IS THE TOPIC OF 2. May be first occurrence of a problem with units of your
RESEARCH? specific model but something similar has occurred in other
models of same make or units made by other
1. Clear definition of problem or
manufacturers
issue?
2. Possible unique problem or 3. OEMs, third-party manufacturers and consultants may
issue? disagree as to characteristics of failure or test results may
be non-conclusive or non-aligned
3. Non-aligned opinions by
multiple experts? 4. Your company’s expertise with this model in its fleet may
4. Work group’s experience? be limited by lack of historic experience or in-house experts
5. Your personal experience? 5. Your own experience with this type of failure may be limited
THE GOAL: USING INTERNET SOURCES TO BEST ADVANTAGE
Places to look for or acquire information
OEM and aftermarket supplier
brochures, white papers (many can Get information, ideas and concepts by talking to
be found online but may need to people at conferences and workshops. Also talk
ask rep for access to them) to co-workers who were on last outage for details
Journal articles and peer-reviewed or concerns that did not make it into reports or
(IEEE, ASME etc.) and conference data. Ask their help to locate sources of
technical papers and presentations information they might have.

Supplier’s Literature Credible Internet Resources Available Primary Sources

Don’t forget to
check a document’s Journal articles and peer-reviewed (IEEE, ASME, ASTM etc.) and
bibliography for conference/workshop technical papers
related topics or Informal conference or workshop papers/presentations that are not
names of usually peer-reviewed (often can write to presenter to ask for copy)
referenced experts. Technical Forum topic-specific discussion threads (IGTC)
DON’T NEGLECT THESE SOURCES
Use Them To Corroborate Internet Content

 Talk to people to locate information or other sources. Use them to uncover other data or ideas.
 Get oral histories from engineers and/or techs who were present for last outage
 Network with industry people whom you know who are interested in your topic or defined problem

 Don’t forget to look at your in-house raw data sources

 Unit history/trending data, outage reports & analyses – take a retrospective look for “holes” in data, workscope or
budget that might have bearing on aspects of current problem as you understand it; use to redefine or refine ideas

 Libraries are not a thing of the past

 Check in-house corporate library and engineering department’s bookshelves (ask for permission if it’s a personal shelf)
 Use local university’s Engineering reference library – source of journals and conference proceedings. (Copy articles.)
USING TERMINOLOGY & KNOWN PHRASES: SPECIFICITY HELPS
The Best Searches Use Unique Terminology Or Phrases

 Broad search terms:  More specific search terms:

 Generator  End Winding Movement
 Failure  Stator Bar Abrasion
 Mode  Rotor Slot Liner Cracking
 Stator  Learn or research for the “Terms
 Rotor of Art” and use them to help
 Winding turn up other more-focused
search results
ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS TO IMPROVE A SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES
EXAMPLE: Generator Failure Mode Stator Winding
 Multiple paid Manufacturer’s “ads”  Returned by Generator, Stator (single terms) Sites are selling (1) grounding solutions, (2) we
buy your used generators (3) stator cores for small motors and they lack much relevance to large stationary generators
 Manufacturer’s website topic: Generator diagnostics  Returned by Failure Modes, Generator, Winding, Stator
 IEEE public download folder: Premature Failure Of Modern Generators  Returned by: Generator Stators, Stator
Endwinding, Endwinding, Generator (combined and single terms)
 Manufacturer’s website topic: Generator Failures — We Know Generators! Returned by: Failures, Generators (single terms)
 Online Magazine article: Failures in Three-Phase Stator Windings  Returned by: Stator winding (combined term)
 Online Magazine article: Stator Winding Failure Mechanisms  Returned by: Generator Failure, Endwinding, Winding (combined
and single terms)
 Conference Tech paper: “Root Cause Failure Analysis of Stator Winding Insulation Failure on 6.2 MW Hydropower Generator” 
Returned by: Failure Modes, Winding, Generator Stator
 Conference Tech paper: “Failure Mode Assessment of the Generator Stress Grading System”  Returned by: Failure Modes,
Winding, Generator Stator
ORDER OF WORDS MAY MATTER LESS THAN IT DID IN THE PAST
One search has fewer results, but its highest ranked results are more focused
winding abrasion GE generator GE generator winding abrasion
 SEARCH TIP
FROM AN EXPERIENCED ENGINEER & GUG/IGTC MEMBER

Depending on the rarity of the particular design or particular issue,

consider possible tangential resources for additional insights. For
example, it may be worth expanding your search to motors or
transformers, or possibly even something in a completely different
industry, like exploring chemical processing, if you are having issues
with high pressure piping fixture failures. This may be especially helpful
when traditional resources and repair paths have proven inadequate.
Comment: Don’t forget to check the references and bibliographies of any new documents you find using above method, too.
You never know what hidden gems might turn up.
CREDIBILITY
Always Keep A Log Or Bibliography Of The Sources Of Your Information, Including
Discussion Date, Document Title, Web Address Or Other Publication Details

 Understand the purpose for which documents were written and their rank credibility based on the
different purposes
 A sales pitch MAY be entirely or partially self-serving, i.e., presenting only one aspect of technical
issues or alternatives, no matter how technical-sounding the ideas presented are. They are written
to generate interest in a topic or product or to show expertise, and to motivate a contact response.
 Always try to corroborate these sources with other more technically-focused sources. Remember
“white papers” are still sales documents, no matter their similarity in appearance to a journal
article or other published paper or article.
CREDIBILITY
Always Keep A Log Or Bibliography Of The Sources Of Your Information, Including
Discussion Date, Document Title, Web Address Or Other Publication Details

 As you review documents and information, or talk to people, keep a list of potential experts. Look to see
whose name keeps coming up. Then focus on those “experts” who are giving self-less, even-handed
assessments or discussions of technical issues.
 If speaking to someone else to locate an expert, ask enough questions to discern the reason your source
considers this person an expert. Understand, also, the source’s relationship to the recommended expert or
the situation in which source previously interacted with said expert.
 Consider the personality of your source and evaluate and rank credibility of advice or information accordingly:
(a couple of examples)
 Is your source someone who loves to give advice – any advice, good or bad – just to be helpful?
 Is your source someone who is known to as a “mentor” or as person who willingly shares knowledge?
 Is your source someone with marked preferences for specific OEMs, brands or suppliers?
WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION
As you begin: As you complete:
 Outline topic or problem as you understand it.  Write a paragraph of two to five sentences that accurately
summarizes the problem as you now understand it.
 Identify all suggested sources of information known at time of
start and review for them for what content they provide and  Write a paragraph that lists recommendations resulting from
whether they point to other areas of needed research. your research. Recommend using bullet or numbered points in
order of action needed.
 As you search and review your first rounds of results, note any
emerging or linked topic branches. Review for relevance and  If additional narrative is needed or required, provide per
determine if needing additional research. supervisor or situation requirements.
 Note down all known potential search terms. As you make your  Answering the classic questions of Who? When? What?
first searches, review results and use to identify any new Where? and Why? (as relevant) can be useful in organizing
keywords or “terms of art” and use in future searches. your thoughts/writing.
 Always keep a running log of the sources of your information,  When making an important point, concisely state point first,
including discussion date, document title, web address or then follow it with the discussion of reasons or rationale. This
other publication details. Use this to build bibliography for final helps avoid reader confusion.
report. Don’t forget to check a document’s bibliography for
 Provide a bibliography citing your sources.
related topics or names of referenced experts.
 Provide copies of source material in Appendices, as required
or expected
GREAT SOURCE OF
 The IGTC hosts a worldwide online, members-only, technical-
TECHNICALLY- only forum free for qualifying power plant management,
ORIENTED engineers, technicians and academics involved with for the design,
INFORMATION service, maintenance and reliability of electric generators.
 The forum is organized to facilitate access to specialized content
International Generator
Technical Community
and encourage professional mentoring and interaction between
plant management, engineers and academics at all stages of their
careers.
 Generators and related fossil and hydro turbines are the primary
areas of discussion, but additional sub-forums are added as
community interest demands.

Jane Hutt, Webmaster & Site Manager

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.generatortechnicalforum.org