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GER-3954B

GE Power Systems

Generator In-Situ Inspections

Dean T. Roney Ronald J. Zawoyski GE Power Systems Schenectady, NY

Generator In-Situ Inspections

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 In-Situ Inspection Supports Condition-Based Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Equipment Condition Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 In-Situ Inspection A Critical Part of Generator Maintenance Cost Reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 In-Situ Inspection Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 MAGIC Visual Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Stator Wedge Tightness Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Electromagnetic Core Imperfection Detection (EL-CID). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Stator Clearance Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Remote Access Camera (RAC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Remote Capacitance Probe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Retaining Ring NDE Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Other Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Qualification Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Changing an Industry Mindset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Qualification Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Qualification Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Traditional vs. In-Situ Cost Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 GE Position On In-Situ Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 List of Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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Introduction
Equipment maintenance programs are among the latest budget items coming under increased fiscal scrutiny by utilities and non-utility generators alike as the power generation industry seeks to reduce operating costs in a newly competitive, deregulated market. Plant maintenance programs based on periodic disassembly and inspection of critical turbine-generator components, while relatively costly, have proven remarkably effective as evidenced by the industrys consistently favorable plant reliability and availability statistics. New bottom line realities, however, are motivating many plant operators to reevaluate established maintenance practices and deviate from them where they perceive net cost-to-risk advantages. Plant operators are increasingly looking to extend equipment running time between planned maintenance outages, eliminate unnecessary outages and reduce the duration of the necessary ones. GE, as the leading manufacturer of turbine-generators and a major supplier of power generation services, is assisting operators in this objective by: s Developing improved monitoring and diagnostic instrumentation for on-line, condition-based maintenance (CBM), rather than time-based maintenance, of turbine-generators s Updating equipment maintenance recommendations based on GEs fleet experience s Developing inspection tools and services that facilitate rapid off-line assessment of equipment condition Industry insurers also have a vested interest in these objectives and are understandably reluctant to assume greater risks by deviating from proven maintenance practices. Consequently, insurers review proposed plant maintenance protocol modifications with operators and often require supporting recommendations and other evidence from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that new protocols are functionally equivalent to the traditional. Toward that end, this paper presents GEs modified inspection protocol for generators utilizing new in-situ inspection tools, and compares the results, advantages and limitations of a typical generator in-situ inspection to those of a traditional inspection with the rotor removed.

In-Situ Inspection Supports ConditionBased Maintenance

Equipment Condition Assessment
There are four methods to determine turbine generator condition: s Continuous on-line assessment s Periodic on-line assessment s Minor outage inspections s Major outage inspections These methods range from low impact on operation and cost for continuous and periodic online assessments to medium for minor outage inspections and high for major outage inspections (Figure 1). It is desirable, then, that the CBM program make best use of the first two methods while requiring the latter two methods as infrequently as possible. Figure 2 shows those items typically inspected on a generator and when these inspections occur in a traditional maintenance plan.

In-Situ Inspection A Critical Part of Generator Maintenance Cost Reduction

Visual and quantitative inspection techniques play an important role in assessing generator

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Total Cost of Inspection ($)

On-Line

Major Outage

Figure 1. Cost impact of condition assessment techniques

Continuous On-Line STATOR Stator Wedge Tightness Bar Movement Stator Winding Leaks Core Insulation Stator Winding Insulation Integrity Greasing Cracked Connections/Integrity Oil Contamination HV Connection Bolts FIELD Blocked Vent Ducts RR NDT Field Coil Distortion Field Coil Loose Blocks Field Wedge Migration Field Winding Insulation Integrity Thermal Sensitivity Rotor Surface Heating Periodic On-Line Minor Outage Major Outage X X X X X

X X X

X X X X X X X X

X X X
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Figure 2. Generator inspection items

condition. On-line monitoring and diagnostic techniques are limited in detecting potential problems, such as bar movement and vibration, component damage, copper dusting, coil distortion and foreign object damage (FOD). Many of these conditions could lead to a major failure of the equipment if left unresolved for a period of time. It is in these areas that in-situ

inspection supplements the capabilities of on line monitoring and diagnostics to reduce the risk of a failure. In-situ inspection should be used during minor outages as a tool for assessing the generator condition. The inspection results can be used to help plan the generator maintenance at future

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outages. This information can be used to determine if the field will need to be pulled and what components will require maintenance at this or future outages. If the generator condition is found to be acceptable, a future in-situ inspection may be planned with no maintenance necessary at this time. As long as the generator condition is found acceptable, there would be no additional need to pull the field. GEs in-situ inspection techniques can also be used with traditional inspection and test techniques to provide a complete major inspection without field removal. GEs recommended standard tests for a major outage are described in Technical Information Letter-1154 and GEK-103566. In cases where known generator problems exist, periodic in-situ inspection may allow postponement of field removal to a more convenient time by monitoring the problem and minimizing the risk of an in-service failure and resulting damage. The in-situ inspection is valuable in all cases of abnormal operation where a generator suitability for service inspection is needed before returning to service. An in-situ inspection can be done quickly with miminal disassembly of the generator, thus providing an accurate, documented inspection and a quick return to operation. Outage duration is lessened by reducing the time needed to inspect the generator, as well as providing condition assessment information that can be used to plan and perform more efficient repairs. In-situ inspection of the generator is a critical part of the generator maintenance program. It allows the owner to acquire high quality condition assessment data while minimizing the risk and cost. By lowering the cost of this information, it now becomes more practical to perform more frequent inspections which can facilitate early problem detection and resolution. As a result the cost of maintenance and the equipment reliability are both improved.

In-Situ Inspection Technologies

GEs in-situ inspection capabilities were developed to address areas requiring field removal for inspection in the past (Figure 3). Four basic inspection systems used to provide the inspection are: s Miniature Air Gap Inspection Crawler (MAGIC) s Remote access camera s In-Situ retaining ring NDE scanner s Remote capacitance probe The generator in-situ inspection consists of the basic MAGIC visual inspection using GEs patented inspection robot with the option of adding one or more additional inspections based on the circumstances and customer needs. Table 1 lists critical generator components and the in-situ inspection techniques used for each.

MAGIC Visual Inspection

Visual inspection of the generator stator and field within the bore region is performed by a trained specialist using GEs exclusive MAGIC inspection robot. The robot is a precision crawler carrying two high resolution video cameras that moves through the gap between the stator core and field. Full inspection coverage of the core ID and field surface is made possible by the robots axial and transverse motion capability. This capability also allows it to navigate around the gas baffles present on many generator designs. The high resolution video scopes

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MAGIC Visual Core Laminations Space Blocks Stator Bars, Wedges Field Surface, Wedges Retaining Ring Nose Stator Wedge Tightness Assessment Electromagnetic Core Imperfection Detection (ELCID) Stator Insulation Capacitance Measurement

Stator Clearance Measurement

Remote Access Camera Field Coil End Turns Stator Bars End Winding Support System Flux Shield Lower Frame Extension

Retaining Rings Outside Surface: Eddy Current Inner Surface: Ultrasonic

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Figure 3. Generator in-situ inspection capabilities

Component
Stator/Core Core Laminations Space Blocks Gas Gap Baffle Studs Stator Wedges Stator Bars End Windings Copper Flux Shield Instrumentation Field Field Surface Body Weights Field Wedges Retaining Ring Coil End Turns General All Lower Frame Ext. Bus Leads & Connections Excessive oil or other contamination, foreign object damage, blocked cooling Insulation condition, connection integrity (if exposed), high voltage bushing condition X X X Heating, arcing, foreign object damage Looseness, staking Arcing, migration, cracking Wedge contact, arcing, foreign object damage, material cracks, pitting Blocked ventilation, damaged insulation, coil distortion, contamination X X X X X X X X Foreign object damage, hot spots, evidence of movement Migration, cooling passage blockage Cracked welds, looseness Looseness, loss, sparking damage Foreign object damage, sparking, girth cracks, movement Wet groundwall insulation Bar movement, loose/broken ties, supports, etc., excessive corona activity Overheating, looseness, general condition RTD, thermocouple wiring ties, flux probe, general condition X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Common Problems

MAGIC RAC Wedge EL-CID RR Capac- Clearance Visual Visual Tapping NDE itance Meas.

Table 1. Inspection capabilities

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provide the specialist with a clear view of the stator core laminations, stator wedges, field wedges and surface on the inboard ends of the retaining rings. Figure 4 is a picture of some repaired core damage using both the wide angle and close up cameras on the MAGIC robot. The wedge tightness test cannot be performed on asphalt insulation systems or windings held in place with camelback style wedges. The MAGIC system determines wedge tightness by measuring the response of the wedge to a mechanical stimulus (impact). Wedges are tested in several locations along their length. The inspection data is stored in a file and provided with the final report. The data is also used to generate a color coded wedge tightness map which clearly shows the wedge tightness within the generator (Figure 5). Some generator designs limit access to all wedges and permit only a partial inspection. Wedges closest to the slot ends are the most critical to inspect and are inspected in all cases. The reports data can be used for accurate trending of the winding condition and for determining when repairs are needed.

Stator Wedge Tightness Assessment

The Stator Wedge Tightness Test is offered as an option to the MAGIC visual generator inspection. It is performed to accurately quantify stator wedge tightness and is used to assess the need for wedge tightening or replacement. This inspection is similar to that performed in GEs factory as a quality check on new generators. Loose wedges and the resulting stator bar movement are major contributors to premature stator winding damage and failure. A tight stator winding can last two or three times as long as a winding that is not firmly held in the stator core. The test can be performed on stator windings that meet the design requirements of hard stator insulation (Micapal or GEGARD 600) and flat or piggyback wedge systems.

Electromagnetic Core Imperfection Detection (EL-CID)

EL-CID is an accurate and economical means of testing the condition of the stator core lamina-

Figure 4. View of repaired core damage taken with MAGIC robot

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Figure 5. Generator wedge tightness

tion insulation. Damaged insulation can result in circulating currents that can lead to core overheating and stator damage or even failure (Figure 6). EL-CID uses a low core excitation level (about 4% rated flux) to establish a magnetic field within the core. A highly sensitive, miniaturized sensing coil, or chattock, is used along the core surface to detect fault currents which will result from core insulation damage. A signal processor located in the control system computer is used to measure, record and report these faults. EL-CID has been proven to be especially valuable on machines where core loosening has been more prevalent.

Stator Clearance Measurement

Radial clearance between the stator winding and core permit unwanted motion of the stator bars during operation. In some cases, radial motion has led to severe abrasion damage to the stator groundwall insulation and ultimately electrical failure. Wedge tightness was once thought to be the best means of detecting radial slot clearance. However, GE has found that

although wedge tightess is a good indicator of clearance between the top stator bar and wedge, it can be misleading when the radial clearance exists elsewhere in the slot. As a result, GE recommends measuring the actual clearance between the stator bars and the bottom of the core slot through a stator clearance test. Clearance testing involves applying a force on each stator bar where it exits the core slot, and accurately measuring its radial movement. GE has developed specialized tooling to perform this test which protects against stator damage during the test. Measurements are made on both ends of the stator core (Figure 7). A map of the stator winding and each bars radial clearance is analyzed to determine the existence of, or potential for bar movement.

Remote Access Camera (RAC)

The RAC inspection is an option to the MAGIC visual inspection. It makes use of a miniaturized, remotely actuated video camera to provide a high resolution visual inspection of normally inaccessible areas on the generator, outside of

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Core Lamination Insulation Core Laminations Damaged Insulation

Core Vent Duct Stator Winding Stator Core

Circulating Current

Figure 6. Circulating current due to damage core insulation

Field Body

Stator Clearance Measurement System

Retaining Ring

Top Stator Bar

Stator Clearance

Bottom Stator Bar

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Figure 7. Stator winding clearance measurement

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the bore region. These areas include the stator endings, field coil end turns and stator terminal connections. This information is combined with that provided by a MAGIC visual inspection and the results of the standard visual and electrical exams to provide the most thorough visual inspection possible with the field in place. Figure 8 shows a picture of the stator end winding support system taken with the RAC system during an in-situ inspection. groundwall insulation at the location where the bar exits the core slot (Figure 9). A meter is used to measure the capacitance across the insulation between the electrode and the stator bar conductor. Each bar in the winding is measured on both ends of the core and statistical analysis is used to identify those bars with higher than normal expected capacitance. High capacitance is a good indicator of moisture presence in the insulation. It is recommended that a capacitance test be performed at each major outage on an approximately five-year interval. This recommendation presented a roadblock to implementing an insitu inspection program on water-cooled generators because performing the capacitance test required field removal. As part of its in-situ inspection program we have recently developed a tool enabling the capacitance test to be performed without removing the field from the stator. This tool uses an inflatable electrode, similar to that used with the field removed, and a remote actuator arm for

Remote Capacitance Probe

GE water-cooled generators manufactured before 1986 are susceptible to water leaks and the resulting concerns as discussed in Technical Information Letter-1098. One of the periodic tests recommended in TIL-1098 is capacitance mapping of the stator bars. This test has proven to be very reliable in identifying stator bars with deteriorated groundwall insulation resulting from a water leak. Capacitance mapping requires placing a conductive electrode on the surface of the bars

Figure 8. Stator end winding viewed using GEs remote access camera

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Test Area

Copper Conductors Groundwall Insulation

Test Electrode

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Figure 9. Stator bar capacitance test in process

locating the probe. GEs remote access camera is also used for positioning the probe and identifying its location. This system is being used successfully and provides results similar to those obtained during field out inspections.

access to the ID surface where eddy current testing is used to detect very small surface indications. Testing of the rings while installed on the field can also be performed, however, with less sensitivity to crack detection on the ID surface. Testing, similar to that performed with the field removed from the stator, can be completed on many units without removing the field. The NDE test equipment has been modified by miniaturizing the scanner assembly using the same signal processing system as that used with the field out. The system provides an ultrasonic test (0.050/1.27 mm crack detection threshold) on the ring ID and an eddy current test (0.005/0.127 mm crack detection threshold) on the ring OD.

Retaining Ring NDE Scanner

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of 18Mn-5Cr generator retaining rings is a well documented industry-wide concern for generator maintenance. SCC develops on the surface of the material in the presence of moisture and stress. As a result of the stress concentration and geometry which tends to hold moisture, the retaining ring inside diameter surface tends to be more susceptible to this phenomena. GE recommends replacement of 18Mn-5Cr rings with the improved 18Mn-18Cr alloy which has not been susceptible to SCC. However, for those customers who choose to periodically inspect and repair the rings, GE offers a complete inspection program. The most thorough NDE inspection can be performed with the rings removed from the field. This permits

Other Testing
There are several other tests and inspections recommended during minor and major outages in addition to those discussed. They include electrical testing of the stator and field windings and RTDs as well as hydraulic testing of water-cooled stator windings. A complete

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description of GE-recommended tests is provided in Technical Information Letter-1154 and GEK-103566. In-situ inspection of the generator does not change the need or importance of these tests. the results for industry use. Given acceptable qualification results, GE expects that insurers will evolve with the changing market and accept in-situ in place of traditional inspections.

Qualification Testing
Qualification testing involved performing an insitu inspection on an actual generator and comparing these results with those obtained through traditionally accepted inspection methods. MAGICs visual inspection system was the first to be qualified. The MAGIC inspection was performed on a GE generator at Georgia Powers Plant Vogtle, during a scheduled major inspection outage. An inspection report was written which documented the condition of the generator gas gap region as well as the collector endwinding region which was inspected using the remote access camera. A thorough visual inspection was then performed with the field out and the results were compared. GE found the in-situ inspection results were completely satisfactory with good image resolution, thoroughness and perspective. The field out inspection found no defects which had not been detected with the MAGIC visual inspection. MAGICs wedge tapping capability was developed by miniaturizing and remotely delivering an industry accepted wedge tapping device. This direction was taken so that wedge tightness data, whether taken with the field in or out, could be easily correlated. Data correlation is important to the long term trending and condition assessment. MAGICs wedge tap system was qualified on a large GE generator through comparison of in-situ test results with field out wedge tapping and hammer testing techniques. As a result of its wedge tapping development, GE added the ability to listen to the tap test while in progress. This information is very useful in assuring the test is being performed

Qualification Efforts
Changing an Industry Mindset
Generator inspection for years consisted of a minor outage every 2 1/ 2 years and a major outage with the field removed every five years. This practice proved to be quite successful in maintaining a high level of reliability of the generator fleet. Deregulation is causing the power generation industry as a whole to rethink its philosophy on equipment maintenance and OEMs, and utilities and insurers alike need to evolve to meet the needs of this new marketplace. In-situ inspection of generators is one way GE has evolved to meet these demands, and GE needs to work with customers and their insurers to properly apply this technology. In-situ inspection will not be considered a complete success unless it can provide an inspection with the similar accuracy, sensitivity and thoroughness of a field removed inspection. In-situ inspection must not bring with it a significant increase in the risk of failure over traditional inspection techniques. Many GE customers with generators at nuclearpowered plants are required by their insurers to remove the generator field at a specified interval to complete a major inspection. GE is currently working with several major insurers to reconsider this policy as a result of in-situ inspection technology. The first step toward replacing traditional inspections with those performed in-situ is qualification of the inspection techniques. GE has completed several qualification tests and is in the process of documenting

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wedge tightness. The positive results with audible testing of wedges has led GE to pursue this as the companys primary means of wedge tightness testing on a MAGIC Jr. test system under development. A similar philosophy was used in the development of MAGICs EL-CID test capability. The most common and accepted EL-CID test system in the industry was developed by Adwel Industries, UK. GE currently uses Adwel systems for performing field out EL-CID tests and, for the reasons stated, GE wanted to use a similar system for in-situ testing. This was accomplished by miniaturizing the test chattock portion of the system while making no changes to the digital EL-CID system. By doing so, GE can use the same digital EL-CID test system for both field out or in-situ testing, the only difference being the miniaturized chattock used for in-situ testing. To qualify the results of the miniaturized chattock, GE ran comparison tests between it and the standard chattock, including testing stator cores of various design types and condition through use of actual in-service and laboratory test cores. The critical characteristic of the ELCID test is the electrical test signal which must be consistent between standard and in-situ tests. This signal determines the cores defect magnitude. Through the comparison tests, GE found the test signal was very similar while testing good sections of core iron as well as when sizing core detects. These results demonstrated GE can expect good correlation between EL-CID tests performed using the standard or in-situ methods. inspection. This report will be made available to GE customers and their insurers to help support developing in-situ inspection programs for their generators.

Traditional vs. In-Situ Cost Analysis

A significant factor in comparing in-situ vs. traditional inspection programs is the reduced cost to the equipment owner. Cost reduction is achieved in three major areas: reduced outage duration, reduced disassembly and eliminating consequential damage elimination. In-situ inspection reduces the time required to complete a major generator inspection. Duration of a generator inspection includes the time required for removal from service, disassembly, inspection and reassembly, and preparation for service. In-situ inspection significantly reduces the time required for disassembly and reassembly of the generator, although it does add some time to the actual inspection process. The net time savings varies by plant and generator design, but Table 2 provides a good estimate for a typical large generator at a nuclear plant. Reducing the generator inspection time is most important when the generator is on the outage critical path. Suitability for service inspections are generally recommended for generators following an abnormal operating event that may have caused generator damage, including breaker failures, short circuits and loss of cooling. Each of these can cause generator damage that would lead to an on-line major failure if the damage is not repaired. These circumstances provide an ideal application of in-situ inspection technology where every hour saved directly affects the time spent offline. In-situ inspection can also reduce outage duration when used for advanced outage planning.

Qualification Report
A detailed qualification report will be prepared to document the results and provide the data needed to demonstrate the validity of in-situ

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Type of Inspection Traditional In-Situ Savings

Visual 14 Shifts 6 Shifts 8 Shifts

Visual And Wedge Tightness 16 Shifts 9 Shifts 7 Shifts

Visual, Wedge Tightness And EL-CID 18 Shifts 12 Shifts 6 Shifts

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Table 2. Inspection time savings comparison Performing an in-situ inspection during a minor outage prior to a planned major outage can help determine the necessity and scope of the major outage. The outage may be postponed altogether if the generator is found in good condition. If problems are found, the information gathered during the inspection can be used to make preparations for repair at the next outage. These preparations include planning the repair, identifying labor and material needs and developing contingency plans. When it comes to generator maintenance, experience has shown that preparation and planning are critical to effieicntly executing an outage. Inspection cycle through use of in-situ techniques is achieved by greatly reducing the level of generator disassembly required to complete the inspection. Reducing the level of disassembly has a number of benefits beyond reduced cycle time. Cost savings result from reduced disassembly and reassembly labor, repair and planning. Not removing the field from the generator also frees up overhead crane availability for use on other parts of the outage. The total cost of field removal and reassembly is reported at $100,000 to $250,000 for fossil plants and $250,000 to $500,000 for nuclear plants. The cost associated with partial disassembly to allow in-situ inspection varies with the scope of the inspection but, generally, runs about 1/3 the cost of complete disassembly. Table 3 compares the cost of a traditional vs. in-situ inspection. Another economic benefit of in-situ inspection is the reduction of consequential generator damage as a result of the outage. Rotor removal requires uncoupling the turbine-generator shafts; careful disassembly of stator endshields on both ends of the generator; removal of the bearings, hydrogen seals, oil deflectors and exciter assemblies; and the skillful reassembly and realignment of these same components. Improper endshield reassembly may result in oil ingestion problems, expensive and time consuming oil cleanup procedures, undesirable lubrication of the armature slot and endwinding restraining systems, increased armature motion, and accelerated armature insulation wear. (Refer to TIL 1098-3R2 for additional information on the adverse effects of oil ingestion). Rotor removal incurs risk of damage to the precision components of the hydrogen seal oil assemblies, and requires the heavy lifting and temporary warm, dry storage of the rotor. The problems or damage resulting from disassembly can lead to very costly repairs. For this reason, the best policy is to minimize disassembly.

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Generator Inspection Cost Comparison Traditional vs. In-Situ Inspection

Traditional Generator Inspection Exciter & Generator Disassembly & Field Removal Generator Test & Inspection Field Installation, Generator & Exciter Reassembly Lost Generation Profit (est. $20K/day, 8 days) Total Cost of Inspection In-Situ Generator Inspection Generator Disassembly Generator Test & Inspection Generator Reassembly Lost Generation Profit (est. $20K/day, 5 days) Total Cost of Inspection

Est. Cycle (Shifts)

Est. Craft Hrs.

Est. Cost ($1000)

6 4 6 1000/1500 2 5 2 200/300 Traditional Inspection ($K) In-Situ Inspection ($K) SAVINGS ($K)

$125 $20 $175 $160 $480 $40 $50 $60 $100 $250 Total Cost $480 $250 $230

Generator Inspection Cost

$500 $450 $400 $350 $300 $250 $200 $150 $100 $50 $0

Total Cost ($1000)

Traditional

Savings of $230,000

In-Situ In Situ

Traditional Inspection ($K)

In-Situ Inspection ($K)

Generator Inspection Type Footnotes: 1. Generator Inspection Scope Included Visual and Wedge Tightness Inspection. Electrical and Leak Testing Cost Not Included. 2. Disassembly and Test Costs Used for a Large Steam Turbine Generator at a Nuclear Site.

Table 3. Traditional vs. in-situ inspection costs

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GE Position On In-Situ Inspection
GEs MAGIC robot provides generator component assessment capability comparable or superior to that routinely achieved by rotor removal inspections for many applications. Closeup, detailed views of the core and rotor surfaces, stator and rotor wedges, retaining ring tips and vent ducts allow a generator specialist to detect and assess potential problems not generally discernible by electrical testing or other on-line monitoring often prior to the occurrence of any significant generator damage. Periodic MAGIC in-situ inspections, together with electrical testing and hydraulic checks, provide an acceptable alternative to many traditional OEM maintenance protocols. Skillful interpretation of in-situ inspection observations and related data can provide plant operators with cost effective opportunities to reduce outages and outage duration while maintaining the outstanding reliability and availability of their generators. Recommended maintenance schedules for traditional and in-situ inspection protocols are compared in Table 4.

Conclusions
The power generation industry is undergoing major changes requiring power producers, OEMs and insurers to adapt. One way GE has responded to these market changes is through the development of tools that enable in-situ inspection of generators. In-situ inspection offers an acceptable, low cost alternative to the traditional field out generator inspection in many cases. GE has been and will continue to work within the industry to gain acceptance of in-situ inspection techniques. GE is presently working on enhancing the capabilities of its insitu inspection service and expanding the application to smaller generators. In-situ inspection will play an increasing role in reducing power producers cost of generation.

Inspection Interval (Years) First Year Inspection

2.5
MINOR Visual

5
MAJOR Visual Wedge ELCID IN-SITU Wedge

10

Traditional

MAJOR Visual Wedge ELCID IN-SITU Visual Wedge ELCID

MAGIC In-Situ

IN-SITU Visual

IN-SITU ELCID EL-CID

NOTES: Electrical and Hydraulic testing continue at recommended intervals NDE testing and TILs may require rotor removal for completion

Table 4. Recommended generator inspection schedules

GE Power Systems GER-3954B (04/03)

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Generator In-Situ Inspections

List of Figures
Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. Figure 5. Figure 6. Figure 7. Figure 8. Figure 9. Cost impact of condition assessment techniques Generator inspection items Generator in-situ inspection capabilities View of repaired core damage taken with MAGIC robot Generator wedge tightness Circulating current due to damage core insulation Stator winding clearance measurement Stator end winding viewed using GEs remote access camera Stator bar capacitance test in process

GE Power Systems GER-3954B (04/03)

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Generator In-Situ Inspections

List of Tables
Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Table 4. Inspection capabilities Inspection time savings comparison Generator inspection cost comparison Traditional vs. in-situ inspection costs

GE Power Systems GER-3954B (04/03)

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