GE Power & Water Power Generation Services Generator Lifecycle Services Generating powerful solutions.
Breathing new life into your aging generator. Reduce Maintenance Costs Increase Reliability Increase Capacity Improve Availability How do you maintain reliability and availability with reduced budgets? How do you adapt to fluctuating market and regulatory conditions? You need powerful solutions to tough obstacles. To meet ever-changing market needs, you may be required to operate and maintain your generator in ways quite different from original specs. GE s Advanced Generator Service solutions can help you achieve your goals. Empowering you to succeed. GE provides a suite of services that can enable you to improve reliability and availability, control maintenance costs and increase the capacity of your generator over its entire lifecycle. GE knows generators. We ve been installing and maintaining generators since the 19th century and have placed more than 14,000 medium and large generators into service. We have performed hundreds of field and stator rewinds and responded to thousands of outages. We use a global pool of over 400 generator specialists to serve your needs. Safety, quality and outage duration are concerns GE takes seriously. Our goal is to execute a project flawlessly and without incident to help you stay within budget and on schedule. In short, we seek to exceed your expectations in every way, every day.
Insider knowledge of outages Cut outage duration by over one-third Unlike a traditional inspection, where valuable time is spent on disassembly, MAGIC enables GE to devote more time to inspecting your generator. Outage Duration (Shifts) 20 15 10 Outage Expertise At Your Service How do you think through and plan for your outages? Whether planned or unexpected, they reduce the productivity and the profitability of your asset. GE can help you extend equipment-running time between planned maintenance outages, eliminate unnecessary outages and reduce the duration of necessary ones. With our advanced testing and inspection tools, capabilities and experienced specialists, GE can help you reduce duration and cost without sacrificing safety or quality. Over the past decade, GE has built an impressive portfolio of in-situ inspection technologies that enable generator testing and inspection while the rotor remains in place. This can cut outage duration by over one-third of the time, while helping to reduce the risk of collateral damage from rotor pulls. Ingenious MAGIC GE s proprietary Miniature Air Gap Inspection Crawler (MAGIC) makes it possible to execute a complete generator inspection without removal of the field. Not only does GE s MAGIC robot provide visual inspection via digital recordings, it also evaluates wedge tightness and electromagnetic core insulation damage. What s more, GE also uses various automated inspection tools that allow non-destructive evaluation of retaining rings, hydraulic integrity of liquid cooled stator windings and wet insulation detection. 5 GE s generator specialists can help craft a customized maintenance plan that: Reduces outage duration and cost Reassembly Inspection Disassembly 0 Accurately assesses generator condition Backed by GE s engineering organization GE In-situ Inspection Traditional Inspection MAGIC robot Avoiding failure Keeping tabs on the condition of an aging generator is vitally important. A forced outage increases in probability as the generator ages. By following GE s inspection protocols, you can maintain unit reliability and availability. Peace of mind It s yours with GE. If an issue is identified during an inspection, GE is positioned to repair at-site or in one of our many regional repair shops, thereby minimizing the impact of unplanned maintenance.
Generator Monitoring System (GMS) Shorted Turns Monitoring System (STMS) Stator Leak Monitoring System (SLMS-HP) Bar leaks Generating more Stator RTD/TCs Plugged strands control. Budgets causing you to cut back on scheduled maintenance? Wouldn t it be nice if you could extend the time between outages? What if you could avoid unplanned outages altogether? GE can help you meet these goals while maintaining the health of your generator. With our technology, knowledge and experience, we can help you create a maintenance plan based on the actual condition of your generator. Enhanced Partial Discharge Analyzer (epda) Stator insulation damage Core Monitor Localized overheating detection Accurately anticipating. How can your generator s condition be assessed without scheduled outages and visual inspections? GE has a way. We ve created and continue to develop advanced sensors and automated monitoring algorithms that aim to enable predictive maintenance. Our unique approach includes sensors that monitor key failure modes that historically dictate the scheduled outage interval. This enables you to anticipate problems. Better yet, you ll know when to leave well enough alone. Whatever your specific needs, GE can custom tailor a monitoring solution from our extensive suite of technologies and services. You ll gain continuous assessment of your generator s condition. You may choose to purchase a stand-alone unit such as the stator leak monitoring system or a complete package. Most GE generator monitoring technologies can be integrated through the Generator Monitoring System. This provides a more complete assessment of your generator s condition through automated anomaly algorithms that alert you to any change in the monitored parameters. The Generator Monitoring System enables: Monitoring system integration Predictive maintenance Quicker diagnostics Reduced risk of forced outages Reduced maintenance costs Future advances in GE monitoring technologies to integrate with your system
Solutions that extend your generator s lifecycle. Stator Rewind Sustaining generator performance in these times of ever-shrinking budgets can be a difficult challenge. With the median age of generators approaching 30 years, combined with changes in duty cycle, an increased probability of generator failure is of great concern. GE has recently invested over $12M in stator bar technology, tools and manufacturing improvements. As a result, GE is uniquely positioned to enable you to extend the life and reliability of your generator through industry-leading short-cycle implementations. What s the GE difference? Our expertise. As the OEM of your asset, we know its design and operational profile like no other. We know what works, what doesn t and what s best left alone. Our technology. Only GE can provide you with proven uprate technology that can turn your outage into an opportunity to extend asset life and performance. Our execution. Through GE s Outage Excellence Team, you can be assured we are continuously working to improve cycle time, quality and service to you, our valued customer. In fact, we recently added short-cycle conventionally cooled stator bar manufacturing technology to help you decrease costs and cycle time. Proven Stator Bar Technology With the introduction of phosphorus-free brazing technology, GE stators have evolved to achieve leak-free bars. Insulation Technology GE continuously makes investments to develop better performing insulation systems. Currently, our systems are rated for class F+ thermal capability which leads to extended life when operated in class B or F temperatures. In addition, our insulation technology developments have led to greater voltage endurance capabilities. World-Class Execution Equipped with highly productive tools such as GE s proprietary bar transport and stator wedge tooling, GE provides world-class short outage durations. In addition, GE s execution team is led by a dedicated project manager, who is a recognized expert in generator service and your single point of contact for all your needs, from order through warranty.
Field Rewinds & Exchange Fields Experience shows that typical operating incidents have the greatest impact on the field (motoring, contamination, etc.), which means the rotor is often the generator component requiring the most maintenance. Whether the work you need is executed in a dedicated GE Generator Repair Shop or on-site, GE provides a number of field rewind options to fit your needs. In addition, GE offers off-the-shelf, pre-wound exchange fields that can give you all the benefits of a field rewind while significantly reducing outage interval. Proven Upgrade Technology When re-winding an aged generator field, GE applies advanced technology to improve the life of the rotor. In most cases, GE can apply upgraded design features such as: C-coil rotor windings Non-magnetic retaining rings Insulating materials Blocking and wedges Extensive Service Capabilities Thermally sensitive rotor vibration can rub you the wrong way by shortening equipment life and limiting your operational envelope. Vibrations must be mitigated, but first you have to know what s causing them. Whether they re caused by unsymmetrical cooling, shorted turns or mechanical interferences, to name a few, GE s high-speed balance facility can help identity a vibration s root cause. Our high-speed balance bunker executes a FULL thermal sensitivity test. This facility is one of only a handful in the world to offer this capability. It can help ensure that the field is ready to return to service by validating proper vibration levels at high speed and applying excitation current to assess the rotor throughout the reactive capability curve.
Can you increase capacity? Yes, we can. Once a generator has been in service a few years, cookie-cutter uprates just won t do. You need GE s uprate experts to help you assess your parameters, evaluate options and select what s right for you. Enabled by GE s long history (and ongoing investments) in generator technology, we can study your entire system. For example, all thermal, mechanical and electromagnetic limits are evaluated for stator windings, core ends and the rotor. GE then delivers options to uprate your generator up to ~20% of current capacity. Extensive factory and field tests, ongoing asset monitoring, and a robust, maintenance-free core design gives GE the confidence you need to ensure ratings will increase all the way to the core ends. With GE uprate experts, you get: When you need more Are your capacity demands outpacing your current generator s capability? GE s high power density replacement generators can be tailored to meet your needs, with minimal plant design impact. Designed to work within your existing generator s footprint, GE uses the latest technologies to provide higher efficiency and reliability. And, you can depend on GE s extensive experience in evaluating rotor train torsional lateral response to assist in avoiding catastrophic rotor component failures. Proprietary knowledge of GE system design Insights learned from thousands of hours of performance data Operational expertise that comes from maintaining our own fleet of generator assets at over 50 GE O&M Contract Service sites Real-world experience, gained from the more than 1.7GW of uprates we ve executed for customers like you 500 400 A + MVAR + MW 300 200 B 100 Generator to Synchronous Condenser Conversions MVAR 0-100 + MW 0 100 200 300 400 500 700 As power generation plants approach the end of their effective operational life, you may face a challenging decision between upgrading or retiring. In many instances, when power plants are retired, there may be concerns that could adversely affect local electrical system voltage stability. GE now offers engineered solutions that convert -200-300 D C + MW existing synchronous generators, powered by gas or steam turbines, into synchronous condensers with minimal disruption. GE s solution is focused on clean-waveform static start technology to drive the generator, which is now disconnected from the prime mover, to synchronous speed. This is achieved by the use of a variable -400 frequency drive (VFD) which reduces the duty imposed on the generator, reduces mechanical alterations, and avoids the cost and maintenance of a starting motor. Experience: over 700 static start systems in use for gas turbines Uniquely equipped to study the full electrical system inclusive of interconnection (gen hardware, controls, stability analysis, grid code expertise, etc.)
Better control through retrofit. Have an aging generator control system? You may be faced with a lack of parts availability, increased maintenance, shortage of knowledgeable service personnel and a lack of critical excitation system data needed to manage the asset. Whether you have a vintage static exciter, EX2000, or Alterrex system, GE offers several retrofit options that help you to achieve improved reliability, availability, reduced maintenance and increased options for redundancy. Trust GE to provide you with: Increased power system stability through software and tuning System expertise, from full integration to coordination Uprate support Online repair solutions Choose the retrofit option that s right for you: Replacement Alterrex generator Vintage static exciters to EX2100e Alterrex voltage regulator upgrade Alterrex rectifier bridge upgrade Alterrex to EX2100e full static retrofit Digital front end (DFE) upgrade Static starter upgrades Generator protection panel upgrades GE sweats the small stuff. Leaking seals? Oil ingress in your hydrogen monitoring system? Brushes need replacing while online? Generator auxiliary systems like these can make or break your reliability and availability, any day, any time. While your generator may be getting on in years, GE continues to invest in developing retrofitable solutions to help breathe new life into your aging systems even the small stuff, which can have a big impact on your entire operation. Here are just a few examples of the technological advances we have ready to help you improve performance: Brush rigging upgrade Collectors Retaining rings Wedges H2 cabinet upgrade Auxiliary upgrades Cooling system conversions (Open Air to TEWAC) Cooler replacements and upgrades
For more information: GE Power & Water Generator Services 4200 Wildwood Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339-8402 USA To learn more about these offerings, contact your sales representative or www.powergen.gepower.com We are there when you need us. GE has global reach and technical breadth. When you need expert assistance, our global footprint gives us the ability to respond to your needs at a moment s notice. You get qualified specialists focused on your plant, speaking your language. Our highly trained team is ready to address not only your generator concerns, but also anything that can impact generator performance, including electrical power systems, full train rotor dynamics, controls and heat exchangers. Whatever you need, experts are standing by, ready to help. Personal commitment to quality. Every day at GE Power & Water, employees across the company make a personal commitment to own quality. That means doing the job right the first time, on-time, every time. This personal commitment to quality is what enables us to provide the best possible products and services to our customers. Quality is woven into the fabric of everything we do at GE Power & Water. Sales office Repair shop Manufacturing Engineering Warehouse 2014 General Electric Company. All rights reserved. GEA19596A (04/2014)