GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

1. INTRODUCTION
It is not unusual for well maintained and operated generators to be in use long
after the OEMs designed life expectancy. In fact, most large utilities in the United
States have generators in their fleets that have been in operation for well over 30
years. With a growing dependence on electric power and the prohibitive cost of outage
extensions, there have been increased efforts to obtain higher operating voltages
while increasing reliability. To accomplish this, it may require the replacement of major
components such as armature windings, field windings or a complete rotor. Upgrading
generator components can be a complicated process that requires a considerable
amount of pre-planning, extended outage time and a significant financial investment.
Not all generator service issues are solved with a rewind. Often ignored during
generator upgrades are the auxiliary systems; seal & lube oil, hydrogen cooling, gas
supply & controls, stator cooling water and monitoring systems. The auxiliary system
equipment is critical to ensure efficient, reliable and safe operation of the generator.
Time and wear of auxiliary system components have a direct impact on the generator
availability and could potentially lead to a generator problem that could lead to a
catastrophic failure. A proactive approach to upgrading these critical auxiliary systems
will help secure your return on investment involved in rewinding a generator. This
paper identifies the benefits for evaluating and upgrading generator auxiliary systems.

2. GENERATOR AUXILIARIES
All large generators require auxiliary systems to handle such things as
lubricating oil for the rotor bearings, hydrogen cooling apparatus, sealing oil,
demineralized water for stator winding cooling and excitation systems for field-current
application. Not all generators require all these systems and the requirement depends
on the size and nature of the machine.

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

2.1GENERAL DESIGN FEATURES
Make

: BHEL

Type

: THDF 115/59

Code

: IEC 34-1, VDE 0530

Cooling ,stator winding

: Directly water cooled

Stator core ,rotor

: Directly hydrogen cooled.

Rating:
Apparent power

: 588 MVA

Active power

: 500 MW

Power factor

: 0.85(LAG)

Terminal voltage

: 21 KV

Permissible variation in voltage

: +5%

Speed/Frequency/Hz

: 3000/50

Stator current

: 16200

Hydrogen pressure

: 4 Kg/Cm2

Short circuit Ratio

: 0.48

Field Current(calculated value)

: 4040 A

Class and Type of Insulation

: MICALASTIC (similar to class F)

No. of terminals brought out

:6

Resistance in Ohms at 20C

Stator Winding between terminals

: U-X 0.0014132
: V-Y 0.0014145

Rotor Winding

: W-Z 0.0014132
: F1-F2 0.0672

Main Exciter:
Active Power

: 3780 KW

Current

: 6300 A

Voltage

: 600V

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Pilot Exciter:
Apparent power

: 65 KVA

Current

:195 A

Voltage

: 220 V(1+10%)

Frequency

:400 Hz

Torque, Critical Speeds:

Maximum short circuit torque of stator at line to :488 kpm
line single phase short circuit
Moment of inertia of generator shaft

:10,000kgm2

Critical speed (calculated):

nk1

: 14.4 rps(V-GEN)

nk2

: 30.1rps(V-EXC)

nk3

: 39.8rps(S-GEN)

2.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The two-pole generator uses direct water cooling for the stator winding, phase
connectors and bushings and direct hydrogen cooling for the rotor winding. The losses
in the remaining generator components, such as iron losses windage losses and stray
losses, are also dissipated through hydrogen. The generator frame is pressureresistant and gas tight and equipped with one stator end shield on each side. The
hydrogen coolers are arranged vertically inside the turbine end stator end shield.
The generator consists of the following components:
Stator
Stator frame
End shields
Stator core
Stator winding
Hydrogen coolers
Rotor
Rotor shaft
Rotor Winding
Rotor retaining rings
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Field connections
Bearings
Shaft seals
The following additional auxiliary systems are required for generator operation:Oil system
Gas system
Primary water system
Excitation system

3. COOLING SYSTEM
The heat losses arising in the generator interior are dissipated to the secondary
Coolant (raw water, condensate etc.) through hydrogen and primary water. Direct
cooling essentially eliminates hot spots and differential temperatures between adjacent
components which could result in mechanical stress, particularly to the copper
conductors, insulation rotor body and stator core.

3.1 HYDROGEN COOLING CIRCUIT

The hydrogen is circulated in the generator interior in a closed circuit by one
multistage axial-flow fan arranged on the rotor at the turbine end. Hot gas is drawn by
the fan from the air gap and delivered to the coolers, where it is re cooled and then
divided into three flow path after each cooler.

3.2 FLOW PATH I

Flow path I is directed into the rotor at the turbine end below the fan hub for
cooling of the turbine end half of the rotor.

3.3 FLOW PATH II

Flow path II is directed form the coolers to the individual frame compartments
for
cooling of the stator core.

3.4 FLOW PATH III

Flow path III is directed to the stator end winding space at the exciter end
through
guide ducts in the frame for cooling of the exciter end half of the rotor and of the core
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end portions. The three flows mix in the air gap. The gas is then returned to the
coolers via the axial-flow fan.

The cooling water flow through the hydrogen coolers should be automatically
controlled to maintain a uniform generator temperature level for various loads, and
cold water temperatures.

Fig-1 Hydrogen Cooling system

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

4. COOLING OF ROTOR
For direct cooling of the rotor winding, cold gas is directed to the rotor end
windings at the turbine and exciter ends. The rotor winding is symmetrical relative to
the generator centre line and pole axis. Each oil quarter is divided into two cooling
zones. The first cooling zone consists of the rotor end winding and the second one of
winding portion between the rotor body end and the mid-point of the rotor. Cold gas is
directed to each cooling zone through separate openings directly before the rotor body
end. The hydrogen flows through each individual conductor in closed cooling ducts.
The heat removal capacity is selected such that approximately identical temperatures
are obtained for all conductors. The gas of the first cooling zone is discharged from the
coils at the pole centre into a collecting compartment within the pole area below the
end winding. From there the hot gas passes into the air gap through pole face slots at
the end of the rotor body. The hot gas of the second cooling zone is discharged into
the air gap at mid-length of the rotor body through radial openings in the hollow
conductors and wedges.

4.1 COOLING OF STATOR CORE

For cooling of the stator core, cold gas is admitted to the individual frame
compartments via separated cooling gas ducts. From these frame compartments the
gas then flows into the air gap through slots in the core where it absorbs the heat from
the core. To dissipate the higher losses in the core ends, the cooling gas slots are
spaced in the core end sections to ensure effective cooling. These ventilating ducts
are supplied with cooling gas directly from the end winding space. Another flow path is
directed from the stator end winding space past the clamping fingers between the
pressure plated and core end section into the air gap. A further flow path passes into
the air gap along either side of the flux shield. All the flows mix in the air gap and cool
the rotor body and stator core surfaces. The gas is then returned to the coolers via the
axial-flow fan. To ensure that the cold gas directed to the exciter end cannot be directly
discharged into the air gap, an air gap choke is arranged with in the range of the stator
end winding cover and the rotor retaining ring at the exciter end.

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

5. PRIMARY COOLING WATER CIRCUIT IN THE

GENERATOR
The treated water used for cooling of the stator winding phase connectors and
bushing is designated as primary water in order to distinguish it from the secondary
coolant (raw water, condensate, etc.). The primary water is circulated in a closed
circuit and the absorbed heat to the secondary cooling water in the primary water
cooler. The pump is
supplied with hot primary water from the primary water tank and delivers the water to
the generator via the coolers. The cooled water flow is divided into two flow paths as
described in the following paragraphs.

5.1 FLOW PATH I

Flow path I cools the stator windings. This flow path first passes to a water
manifold on the exciter end of the generator and from there to the stator bars via
insulated hoses. Each individual bar is connected to the manifold by a separate hose.
Inside bars the cooling water flows through hollow strands. At the turbine end, the
water is passed through similar hoses to another water manifold and then returned to
the primary water tank. Since a single pass water flow through the stator is used, only
a minimum temperature rise is obtained for both the coolant and the bars. Relative
movements due to different thermal expansions between the top and bottom bars are
thus minimised.

5.2 FLOW PATH II

Flow path II cools the phase connectors and the bushings. The bushings and
phase connectors consists of thick walled copper tubes through which the cooling
water is circulated. The six bushings and the phase connectors arranged in a circle
around the stator end winding are hydraulically interconnected. The secondary water
flow through the primary water cooler should be controlled automatically to maintain a
uniform average generator temperature level for various loads and cold water
temperatures.

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

6. STATOR FRAME
The stator frame consists of a cylindrical centre section and two end shield
which are gas tight and pressure resistant. The stator end shields are joined and
sealed to the stator frame with an O-ring and bolted flange connections. The stator
frame accommodates the electrically active parts of the stator, i.e. the stator core and
the stator windings. Both the gas ducts and a large number of welded circular ribs
provide for the
rigidity of the stator frame. Ring shaped supports for resilient core suspension are
arranged between the circular ribs. The generator cooler is subdivided into cooler
sections arranged vertically in the turbine side stator end shield. In addition, the stator
end shields contain the shaft seal and bearing components. Feet are welded to the
stator frame and end shields to support the stator on the foundation. The stator is
firmly connected to the foundation with anchor bolts through the feet.

6.1STATOR CORE
The stator core is stacked from insulated electrical sheet steel laminations and
mounted in supporting rings over insulated dovetailed guide bars. Axial compression of
the stator core is obtained by clamping fingers, pressure plates and non-magnetic
through type clamping bolts which are insulated from the core. The supporting rings
form part of an inner frame cage. This cage is suspended in the outer frame by a large
number of separate flat springs which are tangentially arranged on the circumference
in sets of three springs each, i.e. two vertical supporting springs on both sides of the
core and one horizontal stabilising spring below the core. The springs are so arranged
tuned that forced vibrations of the core resulting from the magnetic field will not be
transmitted to the frame and foundation.
The pressure plates and end portions of the stator core are effectively shielded against
stray magnetic fields. The flux shields are cooled by a flow of hydrogen gas directly
over the assembly.

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Fig-2 STATOR WATER SYSTEM

GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

7. MICALASTIC HIGH - VOLTAGE INSULATION

High-voltage insulation is provided according to the proven Micalastic system.
With this insulating system, several half-overlapped continuous layers of mica tape are
applied to the bars. The mica tape is built up from larger mica splitting which are
between two polyester backed fabric layers with epoxy as an adhesive. The number of
layers, i.e., the thickness of the insulation depends on the machine voltage. The bars
are dried under vacuum and impregnated with epoxy resin which has very good
penetration properties due to its low viscosity. After under vacuum, the bars are
subjected to pressure, with nitrogen being used as medium. The impregnated bars are
formed to the required shape in moulds and cured in an oven at high temperature. The
high-voltage insulation obtained is nearly void - free and is characterised by its
excellent electrical,
mechanical and thermal properties in addition to being fully water proof and oil resistant. To minimize corona discharges between the insulation and the slot wall, a
coat of semiconducting varnish is applied to the surfaces of all bars within the range.
In addition, all bars are provided with an end corona protection to control the electric
field at the transition from the slot to the end winding and to prevent the formation of
creepage spark concentrations.

8. ROTOR
8.1 Rotor Shaft
The high mechanical stresses resulting from the centrifugal forces and shortcircuit torque call for a high quality heat-treated steel. Therefore, the rotor shaft is
forged from a vacuum cast steel ingot. Comprehensive tests ensure adherence to the
specified mechanical and magnetic properties as well as homogeneous forging. The
rotor shaft consists of an electrically active portion, the so-called rotor body, and the
two shaft journals. Integrally forged flange couplings to connect the rotor to the turbine
and exciter are located outboard of the bearings. Approximately two-thirds of rotor
body circumference is provided with longitudinal slots which hold the field winding. Slot
pitch is selected so that the two solid poles are displaced by 180 deg.
Due to the non-uniform slot distribution on the circumference, different moments of
inertia are obtained in the main axis of the rotor. This is turn causes oscillating shaft at
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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

twice the system frequency. To reduce these vibrations, the deflections in the direction
of the pole axis and the neutral axis are compensated by transverse slotting of the
pole.
After completion, the rotor is balanced in various planes at different speeds and then
subjected to an overspeed test at 120 % of rated speed for two minutes. The solid
poles are also provided with additional longitudinal slots to hold the copper bars of the
damper winding. The rotor wedges act as a damper winding in the area of winding
slots.

8.2 COOLING OF ROTOR WINDING

Each turn is subdivided into eight parallel cooling zones. One cooling zone
includes the slots from the centre to the end of the rotor body, while another cover, half
the end winding.The cooling gas for the slot portion is admitted into the hollow
conductors through milled openings directly before the end of the rotor body and flows
through the hollow to the centre of the rotor body. The hot gas in then discharged into
the air between the rotor body and the stator core through radial openings in the
conductors and the rotor slot wedges. The cooling gas passages are arranged at
different levels in the conductor assembly so that each hollow conductor has its own
cooling gas outlet.
The cooling gas for the end windings is admitted into the hollow conductors at the
ends of the rotor body. It flows through the conductors approximately up to the pole
centre for being directed into a collecting compartment and is then discharged into the
air gap via
slots. At the end winding, one hollow conductor passage of each bar is completely
closed by a brazed copper filler section. The enlargement of the conductor rigidity.

8.3 ROTOR WINDING

The rotor winding consists of several coils which are reinserted into the slots
and series connected such that two coil groups from one pole. Each coil consists of
several series- connected turns, each of which consists of two half turns which are
connected by brazing in the end section. The rotor winding consists of silver bearing
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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

de-oxidised copper hollow conductors with two lateral cooling ducts. L-shaped strips of
laminated epoxy glass fibre fabric with Nomex filler are used for slot insulation. The
slot wedges are made of highconductivity material and extend below the shrink seat of
the retaining ring. The seat of the retaining ring is silver plated to ensure a good
electrical contact
between the wedges and rotor retaining rings. This system has long proved to be a
good damper winding. The field winding are inserted into the longitudinal slots of the
rotor body. The coils are wound around the poles so that one north and one south
magnetic pole are obtained. The hollow conductors have a trapezoidal cross-section
and are provided with two cooling ducts of approximately semi-circular cross-section.
All conductors have identical copper and cooling duct cross-sections.

9. HYDROGEN COOLER
The hydrogen cooler is a shell and tube type heat exchanger which cools the
hydrogen gas in the generator. The heat removed from the hydrogen is dissipated
through the cooling water. The cooling water flows through the tubes, while the
hydrogen is passed around the finned tubes. The hydrogen cooler is subdivided into
identical sections which are vertically mounted in the turbine-end stator end shield.
The cooler sections are solidly bolted to the upper half stator end shield, while the
attachment at the lower water channel permits them to move freely to allow for
expansion.
The cooler sections are parallel connected on their water sides. Shutoff valves are
installed in the lines before and after the cooler sections. The required cooling water
depends on the generator output and is adjusted by control valves on the hot water
side.
Controlling the cooling water flow on the outlet side ensures a water flow through the
cooler sections so that proper cooler performance will not be impaired.

9.1 BEARINGS
The sleeve bearings are provided with hydraulic shaft lift oil during start up and
turning gear operation. To eliminate shaft currents, all bearings are insulated from
stator and base plate, respectively. The temperature of the bearings is monitored with
thermocouples embedded in the lower bearing sleeve so that the measuring points are
located directly below the babbitt. Measurement and any required recording of the
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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

temperatures are performed in conjuction with the turbine supervision. The bearings
have provisions for fitting vibration pickups to monitor bearing vibrations.

10. OIL SUPPLY FOR BEARINGS AND SHAFT SEALS

10.1 BEARING OIL SYSTEM
The generator and exciter bearings are connected to the turbine lube oil supply.

10.2 SEAL OIL SYSTEM

Seal Oil Pump 1 & 2 Air Side
Kind of Pump

: Screw Pump

Type

: SNH210-R46 (Allweiler)

Capacity

: 3.3 DM3/S

Discharge pressure

: 15 bar

Pump motor Type

: 1LA3-133-4AA90 (Siemens)

Rating

: 7.5 KW

Current

: 141A

Type of enclosure

: IP54

No.

: 2 Nos.Full capacity

10.3 SEAL OIL PUMP AIR SIDE

Kind of pump

: Screw pump

Type

: SNH210-R46 (All weiler)

Capacity

: 3.3 DM3/S

Discharge pressure

: 15bar

Pump motor drive

: 1 HA 4165-5JL20

(Siemens)
Rating

: 8.5KW

Voltage

: 220V, DC

Current

: 51A

Speed

: 24.17RPS
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Type of enclosure

: IP54

No.

: 1 No. full capacity

10.4 SEAL OIL PUMP H2 SIDE

Kind of pump

: Screw pump

Type

: SNH 210R46 (All Weiler)

Capacity

: 2.17 DM 3/S

Discharge pressure

: 15 bar

Pump motor

: ILA3 133-6AA90 (Siemens)

Rating

: 4 KW

Current

: 7.2 A

Speed

: 15.8 RPS

Type of enclosure

: IP54

No.

: 1 No. Full capacity

10.5 SEAL OIL FILTER, AIR SIDE AND H2 SIDE

Kind of filter

: Strainer Type

Type

: 2.62.9 MA (BOLL+MIIRCH)

Volume flow rate

: 3.3 DM3/5

Degree of filter ation

: 100 Microns

No. of air side

: 2 Nos. full capacity

No. of H2 side

: 2 Nos. full capacity

11. SEAL OIL SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION

The shaft seals are supplied with seal oil from two seal oil circuits which
consists of the following principal components.

11.1 HYDROGEN SIDE SEAL OIL CIRCUIT

Seal oil tank
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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Seal oil pump
Oil cooler 1
Oil cooler 2
Seal oil filter
Differential pressure valve C

11.2 AIR SIDE SEAL OIL CIRCUIT

Seal oil storage tank
Seal oil pump 1
Seal oil pump 2
Standby seal oil pump
Oil cooler 1
Oil cooler 2
Seal oil filter
Differential pressure valve A1
Differential pressure valve A2

11.3 HYDROGEN SIDE SEAL OIL CIRCUIT

The seal oil drained towards the hydrogen side is collected in the seal oil tank.
The associated seal oil pump returns the oil to the shaft seals via a cooler and filter.
The hydrogen side seal oil pressure required downstream, of the pump is controlled by
differential pressure valve C according to the preset reference value, i.e. the preset
difference between air side and hydrogen side seal oil pressures. The hydrogen side
seal oil pressure required at the seals is controlled separately for each shaft seal by
the
Exciter end or Turbine end pressure equalising valve, according to the preset pressure
difference between the hydrogen side and air side seal oil. Oil drained from the
hydrogen side is returned to the seal oil tank via the generator prechambers. Two float
operated valves keep the oil level at a predetermined level, thus preventing gas from
entering the suction pipe of the seal oil pump (hydrogen side). The low level float
operated valve compensates for an insufficient oil level in the tank by admitting oil from
the air side seal oil circuit. The high level float operated valve drains excess oil into the
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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

seal oil storage tank. The hydrogen entrained in the seal oil comes out of the oil and is
extracted by the bearing vapour exhauster for being vented to the atmosphere above
the power house roof. During normal operation, the level float-operated drain valve is
usually open to return the excess air side seal oil, which flowed to the hydrogen side
via the annular gaps of the shaft seals, to the air side seal oil circuit.

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Fig-3 GENERATOR SEAL OIL SYSTEM

12. GAS SYSTEM

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

The gas system contains all equipment necessary for filling the generator with
CO2, hydrogen or air and removal of these media, and for operation of the generator
filled with hydrogen. In addition, the gas system includes a nitrogen (N2) supply. The
gas consists of:

H2 supply
CO2 supply
N2 supply
Pressure reducers
Pressure gauges
Miscellaneous shut off valves
Purity metering equipment
Gas dryer
CO2 flash evaporator
Flow meters.

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Fig-4 HYDROGEN GAS SYSTEM

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

12.1 HYDROGEN (H2) SUPPLY

a. GENERATOR CASING
The heat losses arising in the generator are dissipated through hydrogen. The heat
dissipating capacity of hydrogen is eight times higher than that of air. For more
effective cooling, the hydrogen in the generator is pressurized.

b. PRIMARY WATER TANK

Nitrogen environment is maintained above the primary water in the primary water tank:

To prevent the formation of a vacuum due to different thermal expansions of the

primary water.
To ensure that the primary water in the pump suction line is at a pressure above
atmospheric pressure so as to avoid pump cavitation.
To ensure that the primary water circuit is at a pressure above atmospheric
pressure so as to avoid the ingress of air on occurrence of a leak.

c. CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) SUPPLY

As a precaution against explosive hydrogen air mixtures, the generator must be filled
with an inert gas (CO2) prior to H2 filling and H2 removal.
The generator must be filled with (CO 2) until it is positively ensured that no explosive
mixture will form during the subsequent filling or emptying procedures.

d. COMPRESSED AIR SUPPLY

To remove the CO2 from the generator, compressed air must be admitted into the
generator.
The compressed air must be clean and dry. For this reason, a compressed air filter is
installed in the filler line.

e. NITROGEN (N2) SUPPLY

Nitrogen is required for removing the hydrogen or air during primary water filling and
emptying procedures.

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

13. PRIMARY WATER SYSTEM

The primary water required for cooling is circulated in a closed circuit by a separate
pump. To ensure uninterrupted generator operation, two full-capacity pumps are
provided. In the event of a failure of one pump, the standby pump is immediately ready
for service and cuts in automatically. Each pump is driven by a separate motor.

Fig-5 PRIMARY WATER SYSTEM

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

All valves, pipes and instruments coming into contact with the primary water are made
from stainless material.
The primary water system consists of the following principal components:

Primary water tank

Primary water pumps
Primary water coolers
Fine filter
Ion Exchanger.

As illustrated in the diagram, the primary water admitted to the pump from the tank is
first passed via the cooler and fine filter to the water manifold in the generator interior
and then to the bushings. After having performed its cooling function, the water is
returned to the primary water tank. The gas pressure above the water level the primary
water tank is maintained constant by a pressure regulator.

13.1 PRIMARY WATER TANK

The primary water tank is located on top of the stator frame on an elastic support, thus
forming the highest point of the entire primary water circuit in terms of static head.

13.2 PRIMARY WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

The direct contact between the primary water and the high-voltage windings call for a
low conductivity of the primary water. During operation, the electrical conductivity
should be maintained below a value of approximately 1 mmho/cm. In order to such a
low conductivity it is necessary to provide for continuous water treatment during
operation, a small quantity of the primary water should therefore be continuously
passed through the ion exchanger located in the bypass of the main cooling circuit.
The ion exchanger resin material requires replacement at infrequent intervals. The
resins can be replaced during operation of the generator, since with the water
treatment system out of service, the conductivity will rise very slowly.

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14. STATOR
To facilitate manufacture, erection and transport, the stator consists of the following
main components:

Stator frame
Bushing compartment

The stator frame with flexible core suspension components, core, and stator winding is
the heaviest component of the entire generator. A rigid frame is required due to the
forces and torques arising during operation. In addition, the use of hydrogen for the
cooling requires the frame to be pressure resistant up to an internal pressure of
approximately 10 bar (130 psig).welded stator frame consists of the cylindrical frame
housing, two flanged rings and axial and radial ribs. Housing and ribs within the range
of the phase connectors of the stator winding are made of non-magnetic steel to
prevent eddy current losses, while the remaining frame parts are fabricated from
structural steel. Arrangement and dimensioning of the rib are determined by the
cooling gas passages and the required mechanical strength and stiffness.
Dimensioning is also dictated by vibrational considerations, resulting partly in greater
wall thickness than required from the point of view of mechanical strength. The natural
frequency of the frame does not correspond to any exciting frequencies. Two lateral
supports for flexible core suspension in the frame are located directly adjacent to the
points where the frame is supported on the foundation. Due to the rigid design of the
supports and foot portion the forces due to weight and shot-circuit will not result in any
over-stressing of the frame. Manifolds are arranged inside the stator frame at the
bottom and top for filling the generator with CO2 and H2. The connections of the
manifolds are located side by side in the lower part of the frame housing. Additional
openings in the housing, which are sealed gas tight by pressure-resistant covers,
afford access to the core clamping flanges of the flexible core suspension system and
permit the lower portion of the core to be inspected. Access to the end winding
compartments is possible through manholes in the end shields. In the lower part of the
frame at the exciter end an opening is provided for bringing out winding ends. The
generator terminal box is flanged to this opening.

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

14.1 GENERATOR TERMINAL BOX
The phase and neutral leads of the three-phase stator winding are brought out of the
generator through six bushings located in the generator terminal box at the exciter end
of the generator. The terminal box is a welded construction of non-magnetic steel
plate. This material reduces stray losses due to eddy currents. Welded ribs provide for
the
rigidity of the terminal box. Six manholes in the terminal box provide access to the
bushing during assembly and overhauling.

14.2 WINDING COOLING CIRCUIT

The end windings are enclosed by an annular water manifold to which all stators bars
are connected through hoses. The water manifold is mounted on the holding plates of
the end winding support ring and connected to the primary water supply pipe. This
permits the insulation resistance of the water-filled stator winding to be measured. The
water manifold is grounded during operation. For measurement of the insulation
resistance, e.g. during inspections, grounding is removed by opening the circuit the
stator frame. The hoses, one side of which is connected to ground, consists of a
metallic section to which the measuring potential is applied for measurement of the
insulation resistance of the water-filled stator winding. The cooling water is admitted to
three terminal bushings via a distribution water manifold, flows through the attached
phase connectors and is then passed to the water manifold for water outlet via the
terminal bushings on the opposite side. The parallel-connected cooling circuits are
checked for uniform water flows by a flow system covering all three phases. The
cooling primary water flows through the stator bars, which are hydraulically connected
in parallel, from the exciter end to the turbine end of the generator. This ensures a
minimum temperature rise of the stator bars, a minimum water velocity, and a
minimum head loss. Moreover, the thermal expansions of the stator bars are
completely uniform.

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15. EXCITATION SYSTEM 500 MW

In 500 MW Turbo-generator, brushless excitation system is provided. Brushless
exciter consists of a 3 phase permanent magnet pilot exciter the output of which is
rectified and controlled by the Thyristor Voltage Regulator to provide a variable d.c.
current for the main exciter.The 3 phases are induced in the rotor of the main exciter
and is rectified by the rotating diodes and fed to the field winding of generator rotor
through the D.C. leads in the rotor shaft. Since the rotating rectifier bridge is on the
rotor, the slip rings are not required and the output of the rectifier is connected directly
to the field winding through the generator rotor shaft. A common shaft carries rectifier
wheels, the rotor of the main exciter and permanent magnet of the pilot exciter.
The voltage regulation is effected by using thyrism 04.2, an automatic voltage
regulator. There are two independent control systems right up to the final Thyristor
element-an auto control and a manual control. The control is effected on the 3 phase
of the pilot exciter and provides a variable d.c. input to the main exciter. The feedback
of voltage and current output of the generator is fed to the AVR where it is compared
with the set-point generator volts set from the control room. The current feedback is
utilised for active and reactive power compensation and for the limiters. which act on
the AVR. A power
system stabiliser is also envisaged for damping oscillations in the power system. The
manual control system consists of an excitation controller which control the
as set on the manual set-point from the control room.

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Fig-6 EXCITATION SYSTEM

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

15.1 COOLING OF EXCITER

The exciter is air cooled. The cooling air is circulated in a closed circuit and re cooled
in two cooler sections arranged alongside the exciter. The complete exciter is housed
in an enclosure through which the cooling air circulates. The rectifier wheels, housed
in their own enclosure draw the cool air in at both ends and expel the warmed air to
the compartment beneath the base plate. The main exciter enclosure receives cool air
from the fan after it passes over the pilot exciter. The air enters the main exciter from
both ends and is passed into ducts below the rotor body and discharged through radial
slots in the rotor core to the lower compartment. The warm air is then returned to the
main enclosure via the cooler sections.

16. GROUND FAULT DETECTION SYSTEM

The field ground fault detection system detects high resistance and low-resistance
ground faults in the exciter field circuit. This is very important for safe operation of a
generator, because a double fault causes magnetic unbalances, with very high
currents flowing through the faulted part, resulting in its destruction within a very short
time. It is therefore an essential requirement that even simple ground faults should
activate an alarm and protective measures be initiated, if possible, before the fault can
fully develop. For this reason, the field ground fault detection system consists of two
stages and operates continuously. If the field ground fault detection system detects a
ground fault, an alarm is activated at . If the insulation resistance between the exciter
field circuit and ground either suddenly or slowly drops to the generator electrical
protection is tripped (2nd stage). The generator is thus automatically disconnected
from the system and de-excited.

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

17. AUTOMATIC VOLTAGE REGULATOR

VOLTAGE REGULATING SYSTEM
Type

: Thyrisiem 04-2

Maximum output voltage

: 250V

Output current for field forcing

: 152A

Output current for rated generator load

: 88A

Auxiliary voltage from pilot exciter for thyristor

: Three phase supply

Sets

220 V,400 Hz

D.C.voltage from station battery for conductor &

Drives

: 220V

Power input continuously

: < 0.1KW

Power input short time

: < 1KW

DC current from station battery 2 X 24 V for

: Max. 15A positive

control and regulation

Max.6A Negative

Rated secondary voltage

: 120V

Power input of voltage transformer per phase

: 2 VA

Rated secondary current

: 5A

Power input of current transformer per phase

: 6.5 VA (plus losses in

connecting leads)
Accuracy of control

: better than 0.5%

Setting range of voltage set point potentiometer

:+5-10%of nominal
Gen.voltage

Setting range of droop compensation or

: 0-10% dependent on

the compounding

setting of the
potentiometer and
proportional to reactive
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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

current

17.1 BASIC MODE OF OPERATION

The THYRISIEM 04-2 voltage regulator is designed for excitation and control
brushless generators. The block diagram shows the circuit configuration. The machine
set of the generator and a direct coupled exciter unit with a three phase main exciter,
rotating rectifiers and a permanent magnet auxiliary exciter. The main of the voltage
regulator are two closed-loop control systems each followed by a separate gate control
unit and Thyristor set and a de-excitation equipment. In addition to this (but not
shown), a open-loop control system for the signal exchange the regulator and the
power station control room and other plant components is provided as well as power
supply equipment. Control system 1 for automatic generator voltage control (AUTO)
comprises the
following :
o Generator voltage control; the output quantity of this control is the setpoint for a following.
o Excitation current regulator, controlling the field current of the main
exciter (= output current of the co-ordinated Thyristor set)
o Circuit for automatic excitation build-up during start-up and field
suppression during shut-down; this equipment acts onto the output of the
generator voltage.control, limiting the set-point for the above excitation
current regulator. The stationary value of this limitation determines the
maximum possible excitation current set-point (field forcing limitation);
o Limiter for the under-excited range (under excitation limiter),
o Delayed limiter for the over excited range (over excitation limiter).

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

Fig-7 VOLTAGE REGULATOR

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GENERATOR AND GENERATOR AUXILIARIES

18. CONCLUSION
Upgrading generator components can be a complicated process that requires a
considerable amount of pre-planning, extended outage times and a significant financial
investment. To help this significant investment, a proactive approach for evaluating
and up-grading critical auxiliary systems should also be considered. Utilizing a flexible
philosophy for prioritizing system up-grades should prove to be a valuable tool in this
process.

19. A FOOTNOTE ON SAFETY

Although the use of hydrogen gas as a cooling medium has several performance
benefits, it must be monitored carefully to prevent catastrophic oxidation. Colourless,
odourless, tasteless and nontoxic, hydrogen exists as a gas at atmospheric
temperatures and pressures. Hydrogen is flammable and burns in air with a pale blue,
almost invisible flame. In its gaseous form, hydrogen dissipates quickly. These unique
properties call for strict safety measures in hydrogen use and storage. Precautions
must be taken to safeguard against a hydrogen explosion. One such precaution is to
never permit an explosive mixture to exist. Hydrogen ignites over a wide range of
concentrations (from 4 to 74.2 percent by volume). Generators and auxiliary systems
are designed with many to avoid an explosive mixture. In order to ensure the design is
operating properly operators should monitor hydrogen gas purity on a continuous
basis. The following information is intended to define the basic components of a
hydrogen auxiliary system in addition to identifying some areas worth upgrading during
planned outages. In the power industry, millions of cubic feet of hydrogen gas are used
every year. The intent is that hydrogen is used under carefully controlled conditions
using specified procedures by trained. However, as equipment ages and personnel
changes occur with limited training, there becomes a potential for a serious problem.

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