This author has yet to write their bio.Meanwhile lets just say that we are proud Mike.Lake contributed a whooping 71 entries.
Free and emulsified water are the two most harmful conditions in a lubricating system. The incompressibility of water overrides the hydrodynamic oil film that protects bearings, leading to excessive wear. As little as one percent water in oil can reduce the life expectancy of a journal bearing by as much as 90 percent. Water will […]
It’s an average day in the powerhouse, and suddenly the turbine starts squealing. As you’re running around trying to find the cause, the turbine gives a terrific shudder and shuts down. What you will soon discover is that the thrust bearing reached its limit of wear, sending the blades crashing into the diaphragms. This disaster […]
Generator rotor imbalance can come from a number of different sources, i.e. coupling misalignment, component non-concentricity, rubbing, oil issues, bearing, and journal issues. Each has unique characteristics. Thermal sensitivity has its own recognizable characteristics. If you are unable to operate your Turbine Generator at high field current or VARs because of exceedingly high vibration, your […]
At STUG 2015, 50% of users of the GE D11 Steam Turbine reported cracking issues in the HP/IP shell, especially the N2 packing gland and shell fit. These cracks create the potential for forced shutdowns and relatively long outage cycle times. Operators can mitigate this potential through a more rigorous NDE of the gland and […]
At STUG 2015, a survey revealed that 43% of D11 combined cycle users perform valve freedom testing on a daily basis, while 38% perform it on a weekly basis. The potential accumulation of deposits is a little more critical in these high temperature units, but exercising valves is important on any unit. For instance, on […]
A generator is susceptible to four categories of aging factors which reduce the overall service life of the machine: 1) Mechanical aging; 2) Thermal aging; 3) Electrical aging; 4) Environmental aging. Simply stated, a dirty (contaminated) generator causes environmental aging. A few of the more common contamination elements include oil, water, dirt, dust, carbon, and […]
Steam turbines can reliably run for 30, 40 years or more. However everything wears and eventually fits, finishes and tolerances become unacceptable. For instance, the rabbet fit on the coupling faces of a three bearing machine will eventually become loose and in need of repair. This defect can cause misalignment, abnormal vibration levels and undue […]
A generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. According to the concept of energy conservation, all mechanical energy that is introduced into the generator is converted into useful energy (electricity) or useless energy (primarily heat). The efficiency of a generator is based upon the ratio of useful to useless energy. As […]
Traditionally operations and maintenance personnel have used gas detectors to check the fuel pig tail flanges for leaks during the startup process. This is to ensure that no fuel is present that could cause a fire in the compartment. An less risky alternative to this process is to perform a soapy water check while the […]
A turbogenerator stator is comprised of two major components: 1) the stator windings, and 2) the stator core. The stator core is made up of thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of individual steel laminations. Modern laminations are comprised of silica-steel, cold-rolled and grain-oriented as specific designs might require. The material is typically […]
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