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Guide for Generator Condition Assessment In Hydropower Plant
Guide for Generator Condition Assessment In Hydropower Plant (on photo: The generator shaft at Budarhals hydropower project in Iceland - by Edvard Gudnason via Flickr)

Metrics for Generator Condition Assessment

For generator condition assessment, it is recognized that the physical condition cannot be properly and sufficiently evaulated based on the visual inspections only while the results from some routine or available tests are more critical as indication of generator condition.

Although these testing results can be catergorize into the Physical Condition, they are listed separately in adition to the visual condition to emphazie the importances of these meterics.

Thus, as listed in Table 1, the following eight condition parameters are considered for condition assessment of generator and generator parts:

  1. The Visual Condition
  2. The Age
  3. The Installed Technology Level
  4. The Operating Restrictions
  5. Stator Electrical Tests
  6. Rotor Electrical Tests
  7. Stator Core Tests
  8. The Maintenance Requirement

These 8 condition parameters are scored based on the following: previous testing and measurements, historical O&M records, original design drawings, previous rehabilitation feasibility study reports if conducted, interviews with plant staff, and some limited inspections or previous inspections.

Table 1: Typical Generator Condition Assessment & Scoring

Table 1: Typical Generator Condition Assessment and Scoring
Table 1: Typical Generator Condition Assessment and Scoring

It is noticed that there are certain level of relevance between the age and physical condition, maintenance needs, or some operating restrictions.

However, as a benchmarking condition assessment without specific new testing and measurements conducted on site, these eight parameters are regarded as providing the basis for assessing the condition of generator parts and entire generator. If any type of tests or metrics are not applicable for some parts (e.g., the Stator Eletrcial Tests are only applicable to the Stator), input β€œNA” into the cells of irrelevant parts for this metrics.

In addition, the Data Quality Indicator, as an independent metrics, is to reflect the quality of available information and the confidence on the information used for the condition assessment. In some cases, data may be missing, out-of-date, or of questionable integrity, and any of these situations could affect the results of condition assessment.

The scores of data quality are determined by the on-site evaluators for each assessed part/item to indicate the data availability, integrity and accuracy and the confidence on the given condition ratings (MWH 2010).

Title:HAP – Condition Assessment Manual – Appendix 1.09 – Guide for Generator Condition Assessment – MESA ASSOCIATES, INC. Chattanooga, TN 37402, hydropower.ornl.gov
Format:PDF
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Pages:19
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Guide for Generator Condition Assessment In Hydropower Plant
Guide for Generator Condition Assessment In Hydropower Plant

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One Comment


  1. Emmanuel Britto F.
    May 29, 2014

    Dear sirs,
    The use of Monitoring Systems (Vibration, Airgap, Temperature) may allow the operator having a good idea of the behavior of the generating set as a whole.
    It is obvious that for a detailed position the set shall be stopped and the several parts of the rotating system must be evaluated.

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