Generator failure detection method
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsJordan K. Vanevenhoven, Mykola Kravchenko, John F. Defenbaugh
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Abstract
In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a method can include measuring a voltage across a DC link of a generator system when a generator exciter is inactive and a generator permanent magnet is active, and detecting a short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition in the generator system with a DC link monitor operatively connected to measure the voltage across the DC link.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- measuring a voltage across a DC link of a generator system when a generator exciter is inactive such that no excitation current is provided to the generator exciter and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) is active such that the permanent magnet generator is spinning;
- and
- detecting a short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition in the generator system based on the measured voltage across the DC link, wherein the measuring and the determining are performed by a DC link monitor operatively connected to measure the voltage across the DC link.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions configured to cause a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
- measuring a voltage across a DC link of a generator system when a generator exciter is inactive such that no excitation current is provided to the generator exciter and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) is active such that the permanent magnet generator is spinning;
- and
- detecting a short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition in the generator system based on the measured voltage across the DC link, wherein the measuring and the determining are performed by a DC link monitor operatively connected to measure the voltage across the DC link.
A generator system, comprising a main generator stage;
- an exciter operatively connected to the main stage;
- a rotating rectifier stage operatively connected between the main generator stage and the exciter stage configured to rectify a alternating current output of the exciter stage into a direct current input to the main generator stage;
- a permanent magnet generator (PMG) operatively connected to the exciter;
- a generator control unit, including:
- an exciter drive electrically connected to the exciter;
- a DC link rectifier diode bridge electrically connected to an output of the PMG;
- and
- a DC link electrically connected between the exciter drive and the DC link rectifier diode bridge to supply excitation current from the PMG to the exciter through the exciter drive;
- and
- a fault monitoring module operatively connected to the DC link, the fault monitoring module having machine readable instructions configured to cause a the module to:
- measure a voltage across the DC link when the exciter drive is inactive and the PMG is generating voltage;
- and
- detect a short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition in the generator system at the DC link based on the measured voltage across the DC link,
- wherein the short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition includes one or more of:
- a short circuit between the PMG and the DC link rectifier diode bridge;
- an open circuit between the PMG and the DC link rectifier diode bridge;
- an short circuit in at least one diode of the DC link rectifier diode bridge;
- and/or
- an open circuit in at least one diode of the DC link rectifier diode bridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.