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A1-108

CIGRE 2008

THOROUGH ON AND OFF-LINE INSPECTION OF THE GENERATORS OF A HYDROELECTRIC PLANT AFTER TEN YEARS OF BEING REHABILITATED

E. Robles, A. Gonzlez, O. Reyes, J. Garca* Instituto de Investigaciones Elctricas, *Comisin Federal de Electricidad Mexico

SUMMARY The generators of a hydroelectric power plant suffered frequent failures after being installed. After only few months in commercial operation, they presented several failures. The stator bars were not properly packed and slot discharges affected the main insulation. It was also found that the stator bars were poorly interconnected causing high operating temperatures that were evident by the end caps insulation deterioration. About ten years ago, it was decided to make a complete overhaul of all the plant generators. The stator bars were carefully removed and repaired to use them in the generators rewinding. Manufacturing defects were corrected and each generator was put back into operation after a six months repairing period. The generators have been in operation for ten years without any problem. On-line partial discharges measurements were obtained from capacitive couplers already installed in the machines. A comparison of the neutral current on each generator was recorded to determine any possible electromagnetic unbalance. Off-line inspection and diagnostic testing results of Unit 3 Generator are also presented in this article. Each winding phase was excited with a resonant transformer to measure partial discharge activity and tan as a function of test voltage. Slot discharges were also recorded to detect and locate any particular weakness of the stator windings. It was found that the generators are in good conditions. Packaging of the stator bars in the slots, have been working satisfactorily. On-line techniques allowed determining the conditions of the three generators.

KEYWORDS Generator assessment, on-line and off-line generator testing

erp@iie.org.mx

INTRODUCTION The generators of a three, 200 MW units at 16 kV, hydroelectric power plant, have suffered frequent failures after being installed back in 1985. Only few months after being in commercial operation, they presented a failure in the upper endwindings due to the expansion of the stator winding interconnecting rings. It was decided to install a monitoring system to measure on-line partial discharges and rotor eccentricity. The defects were repaired, although new problems arose. The stator bars were not properly packed and slot discharges affected the main insulation. During this period, some critical bars affected by slot discharges were replaced in order to avoid a catastrophic failure. It was also found that the stator bars were poorly interconnected causing high operating temperatures that were evident by the end caps insulation deterioration.

Fig. 1 A view of one of one of the generators during the overhaul, a bar affected by slot discharges and the original interconnection between stator bars.

About ten years ago, it was decided to make a complete overhaul of all the generators. The work was carried out by regular operation and maintenance personnel, assisted by the Instituto de Investigaciones Elctricas (IIE). It is worth mention that, the original manufacturer, or any other professional repairer, contributed in the plant overhaul. The stator bars were carefully removed and repaired, tested and classified according to their dielectric characteristics in order to use them on the generators rewinding. Only about 10% of the total bars were replaced on each generator, those bars eroded by partial discharges or damaged when removed, were substitute. A high frequency soldering machine played an important role to keep the integrity of the stator bars and to avoid any possible damages during dismantling and rewinding [1]. The three phases of the stator windings are allocated in 528 slots with 1056 side coils. There are four branches per phase, and windings are of the wave type (also known as frog-leg). As the main defect was the poor packaging of the bars in the slot, the affected bars were distributed in the entire stator. Manufacturing defects were corrected and each generator was put back into operation after a six months repairing period. The dry season allowed operating the power plant with only two generators, but they need to be ready for the next rainy season. All three generators were repaired in a three year period (from 1996 to 1998). The generators have been in operation for ten years without any problem. It was decided to perform an on-line evaluation of the three generators and an off-line evaluation and visual inspection of Unit 3 Generator. As previously mentioned, each phase of the stator windings is formed with four circuits and there is a capacitive coupler in each branch, on line partial discharges have been registered through these couplers. 1

ON-LINE GENERATORS ASSESSMENT In order to compare the three generators of the power plant, an on-line evaluation was carried out with the generators operating at rated power. The generators were kept at 195 MW and 13 MVAR with a power factor as close to unit as it was possible. The average stator temperature, registered at the RTDs was in the order of 83 C. Partial discharges trough the installed couplers were registered to compare the insulation condition of the stator windings; shaft currents to determine the integrity of the bearings was also registered and an analysis of the neutral current was also performed.
60 50 Qmx. (nC) 40 30 20 10 0 U-1 U-2 U-3

Generator Unit Unidad

FA_C1
FA_C1'
FA_C2
FA_C2'
FB_C1
FB_C1'
FB_C2
FB_C2'
FC_C1
FC_C1'
FC_C2
FC_C2'

Fig. 2 Comparison of the PD activity measured on-line at the four couplers per phase in the three generators of the hydroelectric power plant.

On-line PD measurements. The generator has 4 branches in parallel per phase, at the output of each branch; there is a 200 pF coupling capacitor [2]. Each coupler has a 60 resistor forming an RC measuring impedance. At this point, it was connected a spectrum analyzer, tuned at 4.5 MHz where the best signal to noise ratio was obtained. It is important to notice that the stator winding is of the wound type, therefore the coupling capacitors of each branch are significantly apart from each other. A preamplifier was connected to the output of the spectrum analyzer and discharges were recorded at each coupler. The maximum PD level obtained on each coupler of the three generators is presented in Fig. 2. It can be observed that the lowest levels were found on Unit 2 Generator (shown in Fig. 3a and 3b). In the opposite direction, the maximum levels were registered in coupler FB_C1 (PD map shown in Fig. 3c) and in FC_C2 of Unit 3 Generator and also in FA_C1 of Unit 1 Generator (Also shown in Fig. 3d). It can be observed from the PD maps that there is an asymmetry of the discharges of the positive with respect to the negative semi cycle of the generated voltage. Also the large discharges are of low recurrence and are predominantly of the external type and there is no significant discharge activity between phases. It was found during the visual inspection, as described in the off-line U3 Generator assessment that the semiconductive tape was loose and got in contact with the grading paint generating external discharges.

Fig. 3a. PD map from coupler FC_C2, U-2 Generator. Lowest level

Fig 3b. PD map from coupler FC_C2, U-2 Generator. Lowest level

Fig. 3c. PD map from coupler FB_C1 U-3 Generator. Higher level

Fig. 3d. PD map from coupler FA_C1 U-1 Generator. Higher level

Degree of electromagnetic unbalance. It has been found that any unbalance of the generator, either of electric or mechanical origin, can be evident trough the Fourier analysis of the voltage in the neutral of the generator. All the generators are of the same design and operating conditions, therefore it is possible to define their degree of electromagnetic unbalance if the neutral voltage is recorded under the same loading conditions. The signals were taken at the high voltage side of the grounding transformer with a high voltage probe and recorded in an oscilloscope. The voltage in the neutral point of the generator has mainly a 3rd harmonic component; the peak to peak value of this harmonic is in the order of one thousand volts in most of the generators. The ratio between the third harmonic and the fundamental (60 Hz) tends to increase when there is any abnormality of mechanical or electrical origin as was previously established. Typically, in this particular power plant, minor maintenances are programmed every two years. In this occasion, Unit 3 Generator was under minor maintenance regime. Therefore, a recording of the neutral voltage before and after maintenance was possible to accomplish. The alignment of the rotor and the adjustment of the bearings were performed in the Unit 3 Generator, the other two were not intervened. The ratio of the 3rd harmonic component to the fundamental (named here as DEU, Degree of Electromagnetic Unbalance) recorded on each generator is shown in Table 1. The actual waveforms obtained in Unit 3 Generator are shown in Fig. 4

Table 1

Comparison of the Degree of Electromagnetic Unbalance (DEU) of the three generators, U-3 is shown before and after maintenance

Generator U-1 U-2

DEU (%) 61.2

Remarks
70 60 50

DEU (%)

40 30 20 10 0 U-1 U-2 U-3

25.4 38.9 Before maintenance After maintenance

U-3 9.7

Unit

a) Before maintenance

a) After maintenance
Fig. 4 Recorded voltage waveforms at the neutral of U-3 Generator. a). Before maintenance and b). After maintenance

OFF-LINE UNIT 3 GENERATORS ASSESSMENT Off-line visual inspection and dielectric measurements were carried out in Unit 3 Generator, taking advantage that went out of service for maintenance. Each winding phase was excited with a resonant transformer to measure partial discharge activity and tan as a function of test voltage. Slot discharges were also recorded with an electromagnetic probe tuned at 4.5 MHz and calibrated in mA, to determine any particular weakness of the stator windings. The generators on this power plant are taking out of service for maintenance every two years. As there are three units, one is taken out one year and then, the following year the other two 4

are programmed for maintenance. The first unit to accomplish ten years of service, after major rehabilitation, was U3 Generator. It has been a common practice to perform partial discharge measurements periodically. A wide band conventional partial discharge detector has been employed, the generator is excited with a resonant transformer and the measuring impedance is coupled with a 100 nF capacitor. The main deffect of this power plant generators, was the bars loossenes of the stator windings. Consequently, they were severely affected by slot discharges; the discharge level at rated voltage was in the order of 60 nC. After rehabilitation, the dischrages diminished significantly to 9 nC. After ten years of service the maximum discharge level at rated voltage remain practically the same, the inception voltage is still around 4 kV. Only at 11.5 kV (125% of rated voltage) the discharges were slightly higher than those originally registered. The initial values were in the order of 12 nC and now they are in the order of 16 nC. This information is presented graphically in Fig. 5. As it might be expected, the capacitance and tan , as a function of test voltage, remain unchanged. The reference values, at rated voltage, of tan and capacitance per phase are 2.36 % and 1130 nF respectively.
70 60
25

Qmax (nC)
30

Qmax (nC)
Fase A
Fase B
Fase C

50 40 30 20 10 0 3 4 5 6

Before
20 15

After 10 years
10

Initial

5 0

10

11

12

10

11

12

Test voltage (kV)

Fig. 5

Test Voltage (kV)

Off-line stator windings partial discharge of U-3 Generator, before and after overhaul (initial) and after 10 years in operation.

In order to find any particular weakness of the stator windings, partial discharge activity was measured in every slot with an electromagnetic probe [3]. The probe is tuned at 4.5 MHz with a frequency band of 400 kHz, to provide the best directionability. As this is a comparative test, our meter is calibrated in mA. A resonant transformer was used to apply 8 kV on each phase of the generator and the discharge activity was recorded. The measurements were taking in the upper, in the middle and in the lower part of the stator, in order to identify the origin of any discharge that may come from the active region or from the upper or lower endwindings. No activity was registered in the active region of the stator winding, as the slot discharges were completely suppressed. It can be concluded that the packaging system on the slot has an excellent behavior. Nevertheless, a relatively high level of discharges were found in few slots, only five slots on phases A and B and six on phase C had a discharge level above or equal to 30 mA. In the visual inspection, it was found that there were two main sources of PD activity. One of them was originated by the looseness of the conductive tape used on the packaging system of the bars in the slots. The loose tape is acting as an extended grounding electrode affecting the 5

stress grading of the stator bar at the endwinding. These produce external discharges between the semiconducting region of the stator bar and the loose tape of the round packing. It was found that only few bars were affected and it was relatively easy to correct this defect during maintenance; the affected area is shown in Fig. 6a. The other source of discharges was originated by the wrong angle of the spare bars that were used in the rewinding of the generator. These spare bars were manufactured with a slightly wrong angle on the endwinding and the distance between adjacent bars was not uniform. In some critical areas, the dielectric distance was not enough. In order to avoid the occurrence of external discharges, a cloth loaded with silicon carbide was use to attenuate the external discharges. When these areas were inspected, it became evident that some discharges occurred in this area as shown in Fig. 6b.

a).

b).

Fig. 6 Sources of external PD activity, a). Loosening of the semiconductive tape of the round packing system and b). Evidence of discharges between bars due to poor alignment.

CONCLUSIONS It was found that after ten years of operation the generators are in very good working order. It was possible to classify the three generators with the techniques employed. The employed packaging technique of the bars in the slot have been working satisfactorily; although, it is necessary to mention, as a word of caution, that whenever this technique is used, it is necessary to apply varnish at the end of the semiconductive tape to avoid its looseness and consequently external discharges. Also the problem originated by the wrong angle of some stator bars was correctly solved with the silicon carbide cloth used as filler. The determination of the Degree of Electromagnetic Unbalance is a useful tool to determine the mechanical conditions of the generators. It has enough sensitivity to verify that a correct mechanical adjustment was performed during maintenance. Based on the results of the on-line assessment is possible to define that Unit 1 Generator should be programmed for next minor maintenance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] J. Garcia, R. Campuzano, et. al. Rehabilitacin de los generadores de la C. H. Ing. Carlos Ramrez Ulloa. Conclusiones del Proyecto. Asociacin Mexicana de Ingenieros Mecnicos y Electricistas, 8. Congreso Nacional de Mquinas Elctricas Rotatorias y 7o. Simposyum Internacional de Ingeniera Elctrica, Agosto, 1998 S. R. Campbell, G. C. Stone, et. al. Practical on-line partial discharge tests for turbine generators and motors. IEEE Transaction on Energy Conversion, Vol.9, No.2, 1994 W. Mc Dermid, Review of the application of the electromagnetic probe method for the detection of partial discharge activity in stator windings. Proceedings of the CEA International Symposium on Generator Insulation Tests, Toronto 1980

[2] [3]