Proceedings of POWER2008

ASME Power 2008

July 22-24, 2008, Orlando, Florida, USA

POWER2008-60166

GENERATOR CONDITION ASSESSMENT THROUGH EMI DIAGNOSTICS

James E. Timperley
Doble Engineering
Columbus, Ohio, USA

Photo 1 shows the preferred RFCT (radio frequency current

transformer) location to collect generator data. This conduit
ABSTRACT goes from the stator winding neutral to a grounding
transformer.
EMI (electromagnetic interference) Diagnostics is an on-
line test that can detect a wide variety of defects in generators The split core RFCT is temporally placed around the
and associated electrical systems. Trending data is not conduit while data is collected and is then removed.
necessary to develop maintenance recommendations. This
paper provides examples of generators in good condition as
well as some that need maintenance. Verification of generator
maintenance is also presented.

Photo 2
The EMI analyzer is a compact instrument

INTRODUCTION

Electric generators are usually reliable pieces of

Photo 1
equipment. Some small hydro electric machines have operated
RFCT location to collect generator EMI data
100 years with minimum additional generator investment. A
large portion of the existing steam turbine generator fleet is
approaching or past a 30 year design service life. Retirement

1 Copyright © 20xx by ASME

and replacement with larger more efficient machines is often Two Load Test
450 MVA 24 kV
not an option. There have been several thousand combustion 3600 rpm STG
turbine generators installed over the past two decades; some of Without Stator Loose Bars
1000
these systems appear to have serious design compromises that

Microvolts (Quasi-Peak)
Exciter noise PD's & Light
may shorten service life. Generator failures after only a few corona
100
years service are not unknown. EMI Diagnostics is an on-line
technique that has been available since 1980 to provide
10
condition information on generators and the associated power
system. Useful information is collected with the first test. There
1 01-03-03---435 MW
is no interruption to service and no connections to energized 01-01-03---385 MW
circuits required for data collection. Recommendations are
0.1
made by comparing each machine to similar generators tested 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
within a data base of several hundred tests. Data analysis is Frequency (MHz)
expert based not computer generated.
Curve 2
EMI diagnostics relies upon the acquisition of data from A generator test at two different loadings is used
10 kilohertz to 100 megahertz in the radio frequency spectrum, to detect loose stator windings
and the analysis of patterns in that spectrum. Data acquisition is
by a calibrated RF selective voltmeter, computer controlled and
collected from the temporary placement of a broadband RF
current transformer (RFCT). A large amount of data is collected An expected maintenance activity during the life of a
in a very short period of time. generator is to tighten the stator windings. Over time the stator
bars become loose and “rewedging” is needed to prevent
mechanical movement from damaging the insulation. Curve 2
shows the results of an EMI evaluation at two different stator
EXAMPLES loadings. The two curves are identical which indicates the
stator windings are tight. No stator rewedging is needed. The
Curve 1 shows an EMI Signature curve for a generator that tightness of other winding components such as loose phase
has no serious problems. A comparison of data collected in rings and endwindings are also evaluated by the same test. If
2000 and 2003 indicates conditions are stable and no parts of a stator are loose then the increased magnetic forces at
maintenance can be recommended. A log-log type plot is higher loading develop more movement and elevated EMI
utilized to show the wide range of amplitudes and frequencies levels. If all of the stator winding is tight then changes in stator
involved in the procedure. current (loading) will not result in changes in the EMI
signature.
10000 450 MVA, 22 kV 3,600 rpm
Generator EMI
2000-2003 Comparison
Microvolts (Quasi-Peak)

1000
600 MVA 22 kV 3600 r / min STG
Two Load Test 2001
100
Loose Stator Bars Indicated
1000 ISO Phase Bus
10 Exciter SCR Discharges
noise
Partial
Quasi-Peak (microvolts)

Sept. 8, 2000 discharges

100
1
April 23, 2003

10
0.1
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Frequency (MHz) 1
Curve 1 Generator 340 MW
Mean = 14.1 uV
Generator 654 MW
Mean = 30.3 uV
EMI Signature trending of a generator with no 0.1 Std. Dev. = 17.7 uV Std. Dev. = 44.8 uV

problems 0.01 0.1 1 10 100

Frequency (MHz)

Curve 3
This machine has loose stator bars

2 Copyright © 20xx by ASME

 Curve 3 is an example of a generator in need of Isolated phase bus deterioration has developed
maintenance. Three unrelated problems are indicated on
different parts of the spectrum. The EMI signature collected at The system in Curve 5 has a stable generator but isolated
two different loads is dissimilar. There is a large increase in phase bus discharges developed over a four year period. An
EMI levels with load around 2 MHz. This indicates the stator inspection located several broken internal conductor shunts.
winding is loose and should be tightened. This generator also
has exciter problems developing. The exciter should have no
change in the EMI signature with different loads. At the high
frequencies above 30 MHz severe isolated phase bus partial 800MW, 22kV, 3600 r/min
Generator
discharge is present. Two bus problems are indicated. One is Before and After

Microvolts (Quasi-Peak)
1000 Broken Bus Insulators Replaced
load sensitive and the other is not. A bus inspection, an exciter 2001-2005 Comparison
Isolated Phase Bus
Partial discharges
inspection and stator rewedging were recommended as a result
100
of this test data. Generator 2005

Exciter noise
10
Generator 2001

22 kV 600 MVA Generator 1

Before and after rewedging stator
Slot 0.1
1000 discharges 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Quasi-Peak (microvolts)

Dec. 1999 Frequency (MHz)

100 Before rewedging

10 Curve 6
Verifying the isolated phase bus was repaired
Dec. 2001
1 After rewedging
This system in Curve 6 had a history of breaking bus
0.1 support insulators due to high floor vibration levels. A
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 comparison of the EMI signatures before and after insulator
Frequency (MHz)
replacement shows the eliminated of isolated phase bus partial
discharge activity at the higher frequencies above 10 MHz.
Curve 4 From this data it was also determined no generator maintenance
A retest after rewedging verifies the stator was needed. Modifications were made to reduce floor vibration
maintenance was successful to prevent future insulator breakage. Photo 3 shows one of the
six broken insulators that were found and replaced between the
A retest after rewedging this generator shows the reduction 2001 test and 2005 test.
of slot related partial discharge activity around 1 MHz. The
EMI signature for this machine has remained the same since
these 2000 repairs. No additional maintenance is indicated.

720 MVA 24 kV Generator

1999-2003
10000 Iso-Bus
Exciter Related
Quasi-Peak (microvolts)

Noise Partial discharges

1000

100

10

Generator 3 1999 Generator 3 2003

1

0.1
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Frequency (MHz) Photo 3
Defective isolated phase bus insulator
Curve 5

3 Copyright © 20xx by ASME

 The exciter was inspected and several defective power
diodes replaced. After the exciter was repaired no additional
743 MVA 22 kV “field ground” alarms occurred.
3600 rpm Generator
with
Failing Brushless Exciter
10000
Exciter pattern
Quasi-Peak (microvolts)

with Random Arcing

1000 ISO Phase Bus
Discharges

100 650MW - 2004

10 Normal
Exciter

1 654 MW - 2001

0.1
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Frequency (MHz)

Curve 7
Indications of a failing brushless exciter

The generator shown in Curve 7 has a large brushless Photo 4

exciter. A few of these designs are prone to mechanical failures Stator bar failure
due to high centrifugal component stresses. Arcing was
detected along with the normal pattern. Loose connections
within the exciter were present.
Air-cooled
150 MVA Generator
250 MW 10000 EMI Increase before failure
1000
3600 r/min
STG
Microvolts (Quasi-Peak)

1000
Quasi-Peak (microvolts)

100 New
high random
If there had been Gen #1 10-25-04 noise peak
a real field ground 100
10 this portion of the
signature would
With Field Ground Alarm
have increased.
No Field Ground Alarm Isolated
10 Phase Bus
1 Discharges
Gen #1 01-13-04

1
0.1

0.01 0.1 1 10
Frequency (MHz)
0.1
0.01 0.1 1 10 100

Curve 8 Frequency (MHz)

Verifying no field ground was present
Curve 9
The generator in Curve 8 developed a field ground alarm A generator on the way to failure
every time field current exceeded a certain value. This was
repeatable. We knew from other machines that the exciter This series of air cooled combustion turbine generators are
pattern does not change but the amplitude found at frequencies known to fail after a few years service. A sister unit at this site
below 100 kHz increased by a factor of ten when a field ground had failed a few months before Unit #1 was tested. A second
develops. With this generator there was no change in amplitude EMI Diagnostic nine months later noted a large increase in
at these frequencies when the field ground alarm came in. stator slot activity at frequencies up to 1 MHz. This machine
However the exciter pattern changed dramatically indicating failed in service eight months later. As shown in Photo 4
there was an exciter diode problem not a generator field
problem.

4 Copyright © 20xx by ASME

 450 MVA 24 kV 3,600 rpm
Generator EMI
with serious internal defects
4/10, 4/01, 1/14, 2003 CONCLUSION
10000
Arcing & Sparking
EMI Diagnostics is an expert based technology that can be
Microvolts (Quasi-Peak)

PD's & Light

1000 corona an important part of a generator condition based maintenance
program. A lack of problems can be measured as well as the
100 success of repairs. The generator and associated power
electrical systems are monitored under actual load conditions
10 without interruption to normal operations.
01-14-03---385 MW
04-01-03---384 MW
1 04-10-03--382 MW

0.1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Frequency (MHz) The help of John Allen and Dave Klinect of American
Electric power for the collection of data for this paper was
Curve 10 greatly appreciated.
A generator rapidly nearing failure
REFERENCES
Several stator bars had been replaced in the generator of [1] Timperley, “Verifying Suitability for Service with EMI
Curve 10. All the defective bars had been replaced or repaired. Diagnostics,” ASMI paper PWR 2008-60167, ASME Power
Trending of the EMI signature every month confirmed that 2008, July 2008, Orlando, Florida.
conditions remained stable until April 1, 2003. An increase in
EMI levels prompted collecting data more frequently. There [2] Timperley, J. E., Michalec, J. R., Moore W., Moudy, H.,
was a major increase in activity only 9 days later. This machine Hutt, J., “Rewind and Core restack of Conesville #5
continued to operate for another month and the winding was Generator,” ASMI paper PWR 2004-52145, ASME Power
replaced during a scheduled outage. Several stator bars were 2004, March 2004, Baltimore, MD.
removed and dissected. Severe internal burning of these stator
bars was found verifying the EMI indications were accurate. [3] Timperley, J. E., “EMI and Generator Condition Monitor
Application,” Technical presentation at the Eighth EPRI
Turbine/Generator Workshop and Vendor Exposition,
August 2003, Nashville, TN.

[4] Allen, J. D., and Timperley, J. E., “Scheduling Power

Plant Maintenance on EMI Diagnostics,” Coal Gen, August
2003, Columbus OH.

[5] J. E. Timperley, D. A. Klinect, E. Koegler ,“Comparison of

PD and EMI Techniques to Detect Electrical Aging of a Water
Cooled Stator Bar”, IEEE EIC/EMCW Conference, October
2001, Cincinnati, OH,

[6] Timperley, J. E., “Focus Maintenance Resources and

Improve Turbine Generator System Reliability with On-Line
EMI Diagnostics,” ASMI paper PWR 19121, ASME
International Joint Power Conference, June 2001, New
Photo 5 Orleans, LA.
Internal stator bar burning
[7] J. E. Timperley, E. Keith Chambers, Locating Defects in
Photo 5 shows the internal burning that had developed in Large Rotating Machines and Associated Electrical Systems
the machine shown in Curve 10. There were shorts between Through EMI Diagnostics, Thirty Fourth Session of CIGRE, ,
adjacent groups of conductors that resulted in high circulating paper 11-311, Paris, France, Sept. 1992
currents. This arcing was what generated the high EMI levels.

5 Copyright © 20xx by ASME

GENERATOR SYSTEM CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED

1. Loose stator bars, endwindings, connection rings

2. Stator slot discharges and between phase groups
3. Winding contamination, oil, dirt, water
4. Foreign metal objects in machine or bus
5. Field ground in generator or exciter
6. Arcing slip rings generator or exciter
7. Loose exciter diode connections
8. Exciter or voltage regulator stability problems
9. Shaft oil and hydrogen seal rub
10. Loose flux shield grounding bolt
11. Sparking shaft grounding system
12. Cracked shunts or loose bus hardware
13. Broken or contaminated bus insulators
14. Loose transformer connections (HV and LV)
15. Open PT fuse
16. Loose breaker components

6 Copyright © 20xx by ASME