Report on Internship

at BHEL
Basic Knowledge of Turbo-generator
components
Sagar, 12115041

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this report is to explain the things learned during the
summer internship at BHEL. The constructional features of various
parts of brush less turbo generator are explained in this report.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract --------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
Table of contents --------------------------------------------------------------------2
List of figures and tables used ----------------------------------------------------3
List of symbols used -----------------------------------------------------------------4
Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------5
Implementation of brushless excitation system ------------------------------6
Constructional features of various parts of turbo-generator -------------7
Turbine-------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Generator----------------------------------------------------------------------8
Exciter---------------------------------------------------------------------------12
Some important points--------------------------------------------------------------15
Conclusions-----------------------------------------------------------------------------16

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES USED

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Fig 1: Brushless excitation system

Fig 2: Stator
Fig 3: Stator core laminations; circle and segmented forms
Fig 4: Rotor
Fig 5: Exciter
Fig 6: 3 phase full wave bridge converter

LIST OF SYMBOLS USED

f electrical frequency (Hz)
3

nspeed of rotor (rpm)

pnumber of poles on rotor

INTRODUCTION

A turbo-generator means that its rotor runs at high speed. As all of the
generators of a power station are synchronous generators whose
electric frequency depends on the mechanical frequency as given by
the equation,
n
p
60
f=
2

High speed generators have less number of poles on the rotor so as to

keep the frequency at 50 Hz in India. The generator of discussion in
this report is an 800 MW turbo-generator which runs at 3000 rpm.
Machines of lower ratings are also explained but to a less detail.
In this report, the brushless excitation mechanism implemented with
this turbo-generator is explained. After that, various available
technologies for the construction of turbo-generators are compared
and their limitations if any are observed. Then, the construction and
working principles of the different parts of an 800 MW turbo-generator
are explained.

IMPLEMENTATION OF BRUSHLESS EXCITATION SYSTEM

The following figure shows the layout of the brushless mechanism
implemented in generators.

Fig 1: Brushless excitation system

The turbine is coupled to the main generator, main exciter (3 phase AC

generator in the figure), and auxiliary exciter (PMG: Permanent Magnet
Generator in the figure). When the turbine rotates, the PMG also does
so and single phase ac voltage is produced in its stator. This single
phase ac voltage is rectified and is fed to the stator of the main exciter
as shown in the figure. Then ac voltage is produced in the main exciter
which is rectified to dc by the diode wheel shown in the figure. This
diode wheel is also coupled to the turbine and rotates along with the
rotor. This diode wheel feeds the dc to the rotor of the generator
through current conducting bolt.

CONSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES OF VARIOUS PARTS OF A

TURBO-GENERATOR
TURBINE
Turbine provides the mechanical power input to the machine. The
turbine of a turbo-generator is a high speed steam turbine. The turbine
is a cylindrical structure with blades mounted either outside or inside
depending on its design. Here, the turbine is divided into 3 different
pieces. They are high pressure section, intermittent pressure section
and low pressure section. As we know that, as steam passes through
the turbine, it loses pressure. So, in order to obtain same torque along
the length of the turbine, the high pressure section has blades of small
area, the intermittent pressure section has relatively larger blades and
the low pressure section has the largest blades.

GENERATOR
STATOR FRAME
The stator frame is a large cylindrical tube like structure as shown
in the figure below.

Fig 2: Stator

It has a hole at the top for pumping Hydrogen gas and one at the
bottom for pumping Carbon dioxide gas. It has large ac carrying bolts
at the bottom that take out the three phase ac produced in the stator
windings. It is fitted with springs along its sides to reduce the
vibrations of the stator core due to the rotation of the rotor. These are
attached inside to the ring like structures that can be seen in the above
picture on the sides.
One end of the stator frame faces the turbine and is called turbine-end
and the other faces the exciter and is called exciter-end. They can be
easily told apart because there is a window type provision at the
exciter-end at the bottom for cooling.
It also has temperature, vibration, pressure sensors attached to it in
the inside with their readings coming to the outside for monitoring
purpose. The temperature sensors are needed in order to maintain the
temperature in permissible limits or above permissible limits for short
periods of time. The vibration sensors are needed in order to detect
vibrations of the stator core. If they are high, it is mostly due to a
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defect in the stator core, that is, there may be loosening of core or, in
other words, space between a few core plates (note that a core is
made up of many individual plates in order to eliminate eddy current
losses). The pressure sensors are needed in order to detect any
leakage of gas from the stator frame.
As CO2 is heavier than air, it is filled first from the bottom slowly before
the start of operation to remove air. Then during operation of the
generator, hydrogen cooling is implemented by sending H 2 gas from
above. It takes up the heat when it comes in contact with the rotor and
stator windings. A fan at the end of the stator blows hydrogen out
which then passes through the COOLER (described below) for cooling.
Then that hydrogen gas is reused.

STATOR CORE
As to minimize eddy currents, stator core is made with thin
laminations. The shape of these laminations is shown in the figure
below.

Fig 3: Stator core lamination; circle and segmented forms

Their assembly to a core is done in a pit in such a way that the

cylindrical core rests on its base because of three obvious reasons.
Firstly, it is easy to lay the laminations on top of each other than to
hold them side by side. Secondly, it is easy to press them after making
up to a certain length. Third reason is given later. The arrangement is
shown in the figure below.
Initially, a frame as shown is constructed. The pipe like structure in the
middle is removable and is used as guide for the arrangement of
laminations and as support for hydraulic compressor which is used to
compress the core. The circumferential length of each of the
laminations is same as they are identical but greater than of the
circumference of the circle with the same radius. So, even though it
takes 4 of them to make a complete circle, the fourth one overflows
and a fair portion of it goes on top of the first one. Due to this, instead
of getting individual circular laminations, we get a compact spiral
structure due to which chances of loosening are far reduced.
At first, they are laid in spiral fashion as explained above, to a length
of, say, a quarter of the whole length. Then they are pressed with large
force along with heating. This is called hot pressing repeated when
certain lengths are achieved while building the core. In the case of 800
MW machine, this is done 4 times. There is also the cold pressing
where only force is applied without heating. This is done once.

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After making up to total length, it is tested for any gaps by filling it with
a gas and checking for the changes in pressure. If it has no gaps and is
ready for use, it is inserted along with the frame into a stator in a pit
from above as shown in the figure. This is the third reason. It is fixed in
the stator frame.

STATOR WINDINGS
The stator frame to which stator core is fixed is taken into the
stator winding room. The 3 phase stator windings are laid onto the
core.
As they work at high voltage and current, they get very much heated.
So, there are two mechanisms of cooling. One is the external hydrogen
cooling already described above, and the other is the internal water
cooling. Each of the large windings is a set of a number of hollow
conductors and a number of relatively small solid conductors. These
hollow conductors are for the purpose of internal water cooling. Water
is sent through these conductors for cooling purpose from the ends.
While making them, they are tested for any leakage by two means.
First one is by immersing them in a liquid and filling it with nitrogen gas
and look for any bubbles. Second is the same but with Helium gas. This
also detects any fine holes especially at joints. If they are not leak
proof, the water leaks in the stator and forms short circuit and the
whole generator goes down.

END SHIELD
This is used to seal the stator after rotor is fitted inside it. So, two
end shields are required, one for each end.

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ROTOR FRAME and WINDINGS

The general structure of a rotor is shown in the figure. This rotor
is of Russian design for low power rated machines.

Fig 4: Rotor

The above figure is of 270 MW rotors and is Russian design. It has

blades in spiral form as can be seen. Due to these blades, the
hydrogen gas takes helical path around the rotor due to which the rotor
cools down. This design is robust but its use is limited to 270 MW
machines. For 800 MW machines, the design being used is German. In
this, hydrogen enters inside the rotor. In this design, hydrogen is sent
through holes at the end and it comes out through the holes in the
middle of the rotor.
When the frame of the rotor is made, it is tested for balance, that is, if
its center of mass coincides with its axis. If it does not and the
difference is not minor, the frame is resent for machining for
modifications. Otherwise, it is coated with insulation paint and laying
the windings is done.
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As the rotor is run at 3000 rpm, it is a two pole machine given by

equation (1). The winding is two pole distributed winding. There are 28
slots, that is, 14/pole. It is two-layer wave-winding with a pole-pitch
equal to 7. The difference between rotors of machines of different
ratings is due to need of better cooling and insulation as the rating of
the machine increases.
After laying windings, a few retaining wedges are slid and fixed to rotor
frame which help to keep the windings from coming out of the slots
due to large centrifugal force at high speeds.
The rotor after all of this must be perfectly balanced. Otherwise, it
would lead to vibrations just as in the case of vibration motors. So,
after laying the windings, it is checked whether it is balanced from the
center. If it is not, additional weights in the form of bolts are attached
to the rotor frame to make it balanced. Provision of grooves for this
purpose of fitting bolt weights is done while making the rotor frame.

COOLER
This is used for the cooling of hydrogen gas. It has many rods like
structures that have cold water flowing inside them. As the hydrogen
gas passes over these rods, it gets cooled and is resent into the stator.

EXCITER
The brushless excitation system needs an exciter. Here, the
exciter is divided into two parts. One is main exciter which feeds the
rotor and the other is the auxiliary exciter which feeds the main exciter.
The block diagram of the exciter is shown below in the figure.

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Fig 5: Exciter

The rotors of the main exciter and that of the auxiliary exciter are on
the same shaft and it is called the exciter shaft. This exciter shaft is
coupled to the rotor.

AUXILIARY EXCITER
The rotor of the auxiliary exciter is a powerful permanent magnet.
It is so powerful that it is only magnetized just before its shipment to
the power house. Otherwise, it attracts whatever magnetic substance
that comes near it and the factory is full of magnetic substances. As it
rotates, single phase ac is produced in its stator. This ac voltage is
rectified using single phase uncontrolled full wave rectifiers and is fed
to the stator of main exciter.

MAIN EXCITER
The stator of this exciter gets dc from auxiliary exciter and 12
magnetic poles are generated in the stator with it. Usage of 12 poles
would create less magnitude of voltage in the rotor windings but with
more frequency than using single pair of magnetic poles on the stator,
exactly suitable for diode rectification which operate at high frequency
but have a voltage limit. The rotor of the main exciter has three phase
windings and hence three phase ac currents are produced. The
negative terminals of all the three phases are shorted. This produced 3
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phase ac is fed to the diode wheel on the exciter shaft through the ac
lead as shown in the figure above. Here, the ac lead is nothing but 20
parallel paths each containing 3 conductors, one for each phase. It is
divided into 20 parallel paths in order to keep the current through the
diodes in the diode wheel in permissible limit.

DIODE WHEELS
There are two diode wheels shown in the figure. Diode wheels
can also be seen as 3 phase full wave uncontrolled converters. It is
already said that ac lead brings the 3 phase ac to the diode wheels and
that it is a set of 20 parallel paths. Of these 20, 10 are rectified by
Diode-wheel1 and the other 10 are rectified by Diode-wheel 2. So, both
the wheels are of same structure. So, each of the wheels have a total
of ten 3 phase full wave uncontrolled rectifier bridges. The general
diagram of a 3 phase full wave bridge rectifier is shown below.

Fig 6: 3 phase full wave bridge converter

So, there are a total of 60 diodes in each wheel (10 paths*6diodes/path). Along
with these 60 diodes, a fuse is placed in each leg (colored blue in the
figure above) of the 3-phase full wave bridge rectifier, which makes a
total of 30 fuses in a wheel. So, there are 120 diodes and 60 fuses
altogether in the two diode wheels.
The produced dc is fed to rotor through CC (current conducting) bolt.
This is called dc lead. It has four terminals. Two of them are positive

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(one coming from each of the diode wheel) and the other two are
negative.

BLOWER
A blower is shown in the figure. This is for the purpose of cooling.

SLIP RINGS
A block with the name SLIP RINGS is shown in the figure of the
exciter above. They are used if it is needed to measure the magnitude
of current in the dc lead.

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS

1. Class-H insulation is used in the generator.
2. Oil is used as bearing in the exciter in order to reduce friction.
Before the start of the generator, oil is sent into the exciter from
a pressurized tank and the exciter shaft is made to get lifted by
few millimeters.
3. Due to high temperature inside the stator of the generator, rotor
and others expand; the conductors expand more than the core
because the coefficient of thermal expansion of Copper is greater
than that of any of the three main magnetic materials Ferrous,
Cobalt and Nickel; this is kept in consideration while fixing
conductors.

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CONCLUSIONS
The construction of a turbo-generator at BHEL is explained in this
report.
Currently, machines of ratings 270MW, 500MW, 600MW, 660MW,
700MW, and 800MW are being manufactured by BHEL. It takes 8-30
months to make a generator depending on different conditions.
They already have design of 1000MW power plant. The main challenge
is insulation and cooling. Another challenge is the transportation
facility in India, as the rating increases, the size of the generator
obviously increases. It becomes difficult to transport it from
manufacturing station to power house.

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