Generator Users Group Annual

Conference 2015

Core testing, low and high flux, tap

Mladen Sasic, IRIS Power

Stator Cores
Cores provide low reluctance paths for
working magnetic fluxes
Support stator winding, together with stator
wedges!
Cores and wedges must be capable of
withstanding operating forces: mechanical
and magnetic
Core provides primary heat removal from
indirect cooled stator winding

Westinghouse Core

GE Core

What is in the slot?

Requirement for Wedge Testing

Wedges are installed to hold coils firmly in place and

eliminate vibration

Vibration results in wear and erosion of insulation

Over time, this can result in electrical failure

Loose or improperly installed wedges have been identified as

a major contributor to this problem

All manufacturers agree on the need for well installed and

maintained wedges

Various wedge types

Top Ripple Spring

1.8 mm

30 mm

Thickness: 0.9 mm, length and width to fit the slot/wedge

Normal compression in 75-90% range

Side Ripple Spring

Stator Bar Slot Vibration Control

10

Typical tests
Visual inspection (end wedge/side filler
migration)
Evidence of greasing, dusting
Displacement measurements
Ripple Spring Compression measurement
Tap tests (manual or electronic)

Typical Tools...

Typical Problems...
TIGHT !!!
????
LOOSE...

Typical Electronic Tools...

RTI Idea

Measured (raw) values are compared to user selected

references for tight and loose
RTI (Relative Tightness Index, number from 0-100) is
displayed as a result of comparison between measured
values and references

Different calibration references will produce different RTI

RTIs are not saved in measurement file

RTI Summary

Tap test conclusion

A lot of uncertainty with any method
Personal feel often considered to be more
accurate than electronic methods
There is no unit for tightness and
there is no agreement on tight and loose
Introduction of on-line methods may be
helpful

Stator Core Testing

Mechanical and Electrical tests:
Core tightness test
Core vibration test
Through Bolts Insulation
Core loss test
Rated flux test
Low flux tests
18

Core Tightness Testing

Visual inspection
Suspected loose areas can be confirmed by a Knife
Test.
This involves trying to insert a knife with a 0.25 mm
(10 thou) thick blade into the core bore (stator) or OD
(rotor).
If the knife penetrates more than 5.0 mm (0.2 ins)
then the core is loose.
EDF Crabe
Bump test, 15-20 slots tested on hydro core, more air
in core= lower the acoustic wave speed.
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Knife Test

20

When you test the core

What do you actually measure?
Core loss test: W/kg
LOOP test: temperature
Low power core test: mA or W

and what can affect your result?

Core loss and LOOP test: quality of material,
test time, induction level
Low power tests: quality and uniformity of
material, induction level
Magnetic permeability and core loss variation
may be detected with low power test but not
with LOOP test

Core Loss Test

Core is excited and power absorbed measured
by a wattmeter
Results are expressed as loss per mass of core
Should not exceed about 6-10W/kg
Increase from previous test should not be
more than 5%

23

Rated Flux Test

Purpose and Theory
The induced flux will generate excessive heating in
the areas of core where degraded core insulation
exists
Heat is generated by eddy currents flowing between
lamination due to insulation degradation

Excitation winding power supply system should be

fitted with a voltage adjustment device, ammeter to
obtain the correct ampere-turns to produced the
required flux
No agreement on excitation levels, test duration and
acceptance criteria
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Rated Flux Test

25

Rated Flux Test

Two methods to calculate flux test level, i.e.
turn voltage:
-Winding diagram

-Size of the core

See IEEE 56 or IEEE 432

26

Magnetization curve

27

Rated Flux Test on Turbo

28

Rated Flux Test on Hydro

Power
Cables

POWER
SOURCE

29

Rated Flux Test

~15C above ambient

30

Rated Flux Concerns

High Voltage, Current and Magnetic Field

Fixed voltage supply
Localized core burning
General core overheating
Temperature attenuation
Labour intensive
Uncertain power requirements
Different flux patterns compared to normal
operation
31

Low power core testing

Recommended test level for low power tests is
in range of 2-10 % of nominal flux.
For 4% level, it is close to 5V/m of core length
for two pole turbo generators, but
It is NOT 5V/m for hydro and motor cores!
To achieve 4%, about 10 At/m (vs. 100-1000 in
LOOP) of core circumference is required, or
100-600 At.
Different instruments exist

EL CID Test
Purpose and Theory

EL CID is the abbreviation for Electromagnetic Core

Imperfection Detector
Works on the principle that:
If a low flux around 4% of rated flux is induced in back
of core currents flow through defective core insulation
Current is measured with Chattock Coil
Chattock Coil gives voltage output proportional to
fault current (IQUAD) and current (IPHASE) produced by
the flux induced flux

33

EL CID principle

Insulation breakdown causes fault currents to be set up as

illustrated.
These fault currents create hot spots which can cause further
deterioration to the core. If left unchecked, this can lead to
damage to the stator winding and the machine as a whole.

34

Measuring Fault Current with a

Chattock Potentiometer

35

Positioning the Chattock

36

Understanding Fault Magnitude

IQUAD 100mA at 4%
equates to 5-10C
on LOOP Test

Data Display Normal Traces

Core Visualisation

Advantages of EL CID
Low Excitation Power - 4%
No Risk of Further core damage
Fast, Portable - Easy to Setup
Low Manpower Requirements

Significant Reduction in Safety Hazards

Instant Interpretation of Test Results

Ability to Re-Test During Maintenance Cycle

Can be done with rotor in place

Disadvantages of EL CID

Requires competent trained test technician and experience to

interpret data (also with LOOP Test)

Difficult to detect small faults at the joints in hydro-generator

cores

Correlation to Ring Flux Test not perfect

Faults on cores with insulated key-bars difficult to detect (also

with LOOP Test)

Does not create the same flux pattern as in operation (also

with LOOP test)
41

What is an acceptable result?

Core Loss: 6-10 W/kg
Loop test: 5-10 K at 100% of nominal flux
Low power tests: Less than 100 mA of quad
current at 4% excitation level or 15 W
dissipation at 3-10 %

Conclusions
Evaluation of the condition of a core is a major
technical challenge - C. Maughan
Visual inspection is very important
Both, high and low flux tests, have limitations
Core problems are not that frequent, but