Method of repairing a hydrogenerator
AssigneeElectromechanical Engineering Associates, Inc.
InventorsJason Sinkhorn, J. Barry Sargeant, Lauren Haley, Thomas Schildkamp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for repairing an electric generator having a rotor that rotates about a vertical axis, the rotor including a spider having a number of spider arms extending radially away from the axis, and a rim surrounding the spider. The weight of the rim is normally carried at least in part by rim support ledges of the spider arms. The method for repair includes supporting the rim from the top of the spider and thereby relieving some or all of the weight of the rim being supported by the rim support ledges.
Claims15
A method for repairing a loss of support of a rim of a rotor of an electrical generator of a vertical hydrogenerator, the rotor of the electrical generator being disposed for rotation about a vertical axis when driven by a turbine of the hydrogenerator, the rotor comprising a shaft extending along the vertical axis, a plurality of spider legs attached to the shaft and extending radially away from the shaft, each of the spider legs having vertically spaced apart top and bottom sides with respect to the direction of gravity and a ledge, the rim surrounding the spider legs, the rim comprising vertically spaced apart top and bottom sides with respect to the direction of gravity, the weight of the rim normally being totally or partially supported on the ledges of the spider legs during normal operation of the hydrogenerator, the loss of support of the rim during operation of the hydrogenerator being caused by mechanical failure or loss of at least a portion of the ledges, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) fastening a plurality of thrust plates to the top side of the rim, each thrust plate of the plurality of thrust plates being placed adjacent to a respective spider leg and extending over the top side of the respective spider leg and is capable of being lifted off the respective spider leg, each thrust plate transferring at least a portion of the weight of the rim to the respective spider leg, wherein the ledges are no longer required to support the rim after performing step (a).
A method for repairing a loss of support of a rim of a rotor of an electrical generator, the rotor disposed for rotation about a vertical axis and comprising a central shaft extending along the vertical axis, a spider attached to the central shaft and having a plurality of spider arms extending radially therefrom, and a rim surrounding the plurality of spider arms and supported by a ledge extending radially outward from each of the plurality of spider arms, the method comprising:
- positioning a plurality of thrust plates on a top surface of the rim, wherein each of the plurality of thrust plates extends over a top surface of one of the plurality of the spider arms;
- and
- fastening each of the plurality of thrust plates to the rim so that at least a portion of the weight of the rim is supported by a respective one of the spider arms and is capable of being lifted off the respective spider arm, wherein the ledges of the spider arms are no longer required to support the rim, the spider thereby relieving some or all of the weight of the rim being supported by the ledges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.