Abstract
The condition of synchronous generators (SGs) is a matter of great attention, because they can be seen as equipment and also as fundamental elements of power systems. Thus, there is a growing interest in new technologies to improve SG protection and maintenance schemes. In this context, electrical signature analysis (ESA) is a non-invasive technique that has been increasingly applied to the predictive maintenance of rotating electrical machines. However, in general, the works applying ESA to SGs are focused on isolated machines. Thus, this paper presents a study on the condition monitoring of SGs in bulk electric systems by using ESA. The main contribution of this work is the practical results of ESA for fault detection in in-service SGs interconnected to a power system. Two types of faults were detected in an SG at a Brazilian hydroelectric power plant by using ESA, including stator electrical unbalance and mechanical misalignment. This paper also addresses peculiarities in the ESA of wound rotor SGs, including recommendations for signal analysis, how to discriminate rotor faults on fault patterns, and the particularities of two-pole SGs.
Highlights
Electrical power systems consist of a large number of interconnected synchronous generators (SGs) operating in parallel, connected to transmission and distribution networks to supply large load centers
The results show the potential of electrical signature analysis (ESA) for condition monitoring of SGs interconnected to power systems and are valuable, since SGs in this context are concerned with monitoring and are subjected to diverse conditions of the bulk power system
The developed methodology of SG condition-based maintenance (CBM) based on ESA has been applied to in-service generating units (GUs) of a Brazilian hydroelectric power plant called Goiandira
Summary
Electrical power systems consist of a large number of interconnected synchronous generators (SGs) operating in parallel, connected to transmission and distribution networks to supply large load centers. These machines are fundamental elements of power systems, and their condition affects network reliability and stability [1]. The parallel operation of SGs presents several advantages such as the increase of supply reliability, the improvement of efficiency, and lower cost. Among the maintenance philosophies that have been applied to SGs, condition-based maintenance (CBM) is highlighted This type of maintenance is based on the continuous monitoring of a condition parameter in a machine (vibration, temperature, electrical signals, etc.) [6]. CBM consists of the analysis of the monitored parameters to evaluate if certain indicators present signs of decreasing performance
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