Data Collection for Power Generator Condition Monitoring by Chemical ‎Analysis of Cooling Gas

Abstract

Power generator used as one of the main parts of a power plant, plays a big role in power ‎generation. Its high performance in continuous power generation is very important. Parameters of ‎temperature, insulating materials quality and performance of its cooling system affect on its ‎efficiency and lifetime. Cooling gas temperature monitoring can help us control it in the suitable ‎range, and as the gas is circulated inside the generator area, it can help scientists to find probable ‎defects of the system [1]. Organic insulating materials used in big power generators, degrade and ‎overheat after working long time, or because of electrical defects, and cause thermal decomposed ‎sub micron products entrained in the gas stream coolant of power generator [2]. By sampling and ‎chemical analysis of cooling gas detection of sub micron decomposition products is possible. ‎Therefore it is possible to prevent some unexpected troubles in different parts of generators like ‎stator core, rotor or stator winding [4]. This paper contains design and development of a system for ‎simulating of insulating material and coatings thermal decomposition with the same atmosphere as ‎generators, named Pyrolyzer, which has a hot plate to pyrolysis electrical insulating materials, and ‎on other hand decrease the temperature of the inside atmosphere to room temperature. And then ‎explains pyrolysis of insulators, sampling of cooling gas impurities, analysis of impurities by GC-‎MS, and identification of the overheat products, in order to use them as patterns and witnesses of ‎condition monitoring analysis of power generators.‎