CIGRE SC A1 & EPFL Joint Colloquium on Large Electrical Machines

Lausanne, Switzerland 7 September 2005

CASE STUDIES OF FIBER OPTIC ACCELEROMETER USED FOR

END-WINDING VIBRATION MONITORING
ON TURBO-GENERATORS

MARIUS CLOUTIER and MARK HOUGHTON

VibroSystM
(Canada)

KEYWORDS:

End-windings Acceleration measurement Vibration measurement

Optical fibre transducers Turbo-generators FOA (Fiber Optic Accelerometer)

ABSTRACT
On-line monitoring of machine parameters can considerably enhance the economic performance of
turbo-generators. This is significant since power producers often extend the period between
inspections and shorten the duration of maintenance outages. Therefore, obtaining the maximum
amount of useful information is of prime importance to efficiently manage their generating assets.
Vibration monitoring has been conducted on large rotating machines for many years. Until a few
years ago, vibration technology on turbo-generators generally focussed on mechanical components.
This often results in incomplete identification of problems. New technology has emerged to go one
step further: vibration monitoring of electrical components that focuses on stator windings.
The ability to conduct accurate and direct vibration analysis of stator winding systems can help
operators implement a more effective condition-based and predictive maintenance approach.
Problems related to stator windings are the primary cause of generator failure and forced outages.
The end-windings are subjected to strong electromagnetic forces resulting in vibration. This vibration
will gradually increase as the end-winding support system loosens, leading to accelerated
deterioration and potential short-circuits. Fixing winding problems require extensive out-of-service
repairs.
The fiber optic accelerometer (FOA) presented in this paper has been developed to monitor endwinding vibration where conventional hardwire transducers cannot be safely mounted. The optical
accelerometer provides helpful data to acknowledge proper end-winding installation, anticipate endwinding problems, predict future maintenance needs, extend intervals between inspections, and
minimise maintenance downtime. This proven technology is installed on more than 70 generators
worldwide. Major manufacturers have adopted this optical accelerometer after extensive in factory
and on site testing
The benefits and effectiveness of this optical accelerometer have been demonstrated in several cases.
Two of them are featured in this paper. One involves the monitoring of end-winding vibration as part
of a refurbishment program and the discovery of high vibration levels on a coil repaired on-site.
The other case explains how two new generators, with a design problem, were kept in-service during
the peak season with the manufacturer concurrence.

VibroSystM Inc. 2727 Jacques-Cartier E. Blvd, Longueuil, Qubec, Canada J4N-1L7 adm@vibrosystm.com

INTRODUCTION
The FOA optical accelerometer is a transducer ideal for all vibration applications where conventional,
electronically conductive, accelerometers may create hazards to machines and personnel. This makes
the FOA a superior choice for the measurement of stator end-winding vibration. Above all else, this
technology has been field-tested and is recommended by major generator manufacturers worldwide.
The FOA, by design, is nonconductive and
immune to electromagnetic interferences. Its
optical link ensures excellent electrical insulation
(greater than 27kVrms) between the sensor and
the instrumentation. The sensor body is made of
ceramic and other, non-conductive, materials with
no metallic elements. Finally, there is a sealed
feed-through connector which houses the
optoelectronic and conditioning circuitry.
Typically installed directly on the stator endwindings themselves, the FOA provides raw
acceleration output that can be processed into
Figure 1 FOA unibody design with
peak-to-peak displacement. A typical sensor
sensor head, integral fibre optic cable and
feed-through connector with built-in conditioner layout consists of one accelerometer per phase
circuit in the radial axis and one on each basket in
the tangential axis. Depending on size and circuit arrangement, 6, 12, 14 or 20 sensors can provide the
appropriate level of coverage.
CASE 1 Alternative to Generator Shutdown During Peak Season
The following scenario describes the successful application of FOA technology, which facilitated the
operation of two steam turbine generators through the summer peak as well as monitoring the
performance of subsequent modifications.
Located 60 miles west of downtown Phoenix, the Redhawk Power Plant is Arizona Public Service
Companys (APS) largest combined cycle plant. The installed capacity of 1 060 mega watts is divided
over two 530 MW units commissioned in 2002.
In early June 2003, the plant was notified by the generator manufacturer of the potential for a serious
problem with the phase lug connectors on the collector ring end of the generator. End-winding
vibration had been linked to a catastrophic phase lug failure at another installation. Because of this,
Redhawk was advised to shutdown both units immediately and wait until the fall in order to make
proper modifications. The prospect of a four-month forced outage and the loss of power generation
during the peak summer season was not an acceptable solution.
The alternative was to find an appropriate system that could effectively measure the vibration of the
end-windings. The FOA appeared to be the only suitable option that could fit all of their needs. APS
contacted VibroSystM and explained their need for a turnkey installation in a minimal amount of
time. The manufacturer was then contacted to determine vibration alarm levels where, if exceeded,
they must be contacted immediately.
Three pairs of fibre optic accelerometers were mounted, for both generators, on the end-windings at
the 3:30, 7:30, and 11:30 positions as per the generator manufacturers instructions. Each transducer
measures a single axis, therefore one FOA was oriented to detect tangential acceleration and another
was installed to detect radial acceleration at each position. The integral feed-through connector exited
the generator wrapper through a stainless steel gas flange. Such a flange is necessary for hydrogencooled generators. The six raw FOA output voltages were then fed into a digital data acquisition unit
called a PCU-100. This device performs filtering, scaling and dual integration in order to produce a
digital data stream in RS-485 format. The control room PC, that received the RS-485 data feed, wrote

logged data to a corporate network drive daily.

This allowed the engineering staff back in
Phoenix to access and analyse the data, and
provided the plant with an offsite backup of their
data.

Figure 2 FOA head mounted on

an end-winding at Redhawk

Figure 3 illustrates the end-winding vibration

plot for the Redhawk STG #2. In early August,
the radial vibration levels were at 10 mils pk-pk.
They then proceeded to reach a minimum of
roughly 8 to 9 mils pk-pk at the end of the month.
By late September, radial vibration at the 11:30
position had exceeded 12 mils pk-pk.

Once installed the FOA readings were registered

twice daily. Over the summer, the suspected
pattern of increasing end-winding vibration
emerged. The sensors installed on Redhawk STG
#1 held outputs in the 2 to 6 mils peak to peak
range (for radial vibration), which was well below
the 10.83 mils pk-pk alarm level specified by the
generator manufacturer. It was noted that radial
vibration was consistently higher in the 11:30
position. It was STG #2 that was of concern.
Redhawk STG2 End Turn Vibration
14.00

12.00

Vi 10.00
br
ati
on 8.00
,
mi
ls 6.00
pk
k
4.00

FOA1 Radial 3:30

FOA3 Radial 7:30
FOA5 Radial 11:30

The unit was cycled between full load and half

load to meet system requirements. A strong
correlation to the highest vibration occurring
when the unit was at half load was observed (half
Figure 3 End-winding vibration STG #2
load occurs when only one of the combustion
turbines is operating). By October, end-winding
vibration had increased to a level at which curtailment was imperative. Fortunately, system load had
diminished to the point that both units could be removed from service.
2.00

0.00
7/28/03
0:00

8/7/03
0:00

8/17/03
0:00

8/27/03
0:00

9/6/03
0:00

9/16/03
0:00

9/26/03
0:00

10/6/03
0:00

Date & Time

The FOAs had already served their intended purpose. They confirmed a trend of increasing endwinding vibration on STG #2 and allowed the Redhawk Power Plant to operate through the summer
to meet the customer energy needs.
Subsequent to the end-winding modifications, the Redhawk STGs were not operated extensively until
early June 2004. When STG #1 began to operate routinely near the end of the month, the 11:30
position radial FOA showed vibration approaching 10 mils pk-pk. This was close to the 10.83 mils
pk-pk limit imposed by the generator manufacturer prior to the end-winding structure modifications.
Vibration levels at the remaining two radial sensors were acceptable typically below 5 mils pk-pk.
Figure 4 documents STG #1 end-winding vibration from late July through December 2004. Note that
radial vibration at the 11:30 position (grey) trends downward while vibration at the 7:30 position
(blue) trends upward to the point that the 10.83 mils pk-pk limit was exceeded in early December
2004.

Figure 4 End-winding Vibration STG #1

Figure 5 Results STG #2 (June 2004)

Redhawk STG #2 was load cycled daily for much of the month of June 2004. What is of most concern
is the steady increase in radial end-winding vibration. When the unit first comes on in early June, all
three radial end-winding vibration readings were under 4 mils pk-pk. By the end of the month, all
were exceeding 6 mils pk-pk. The vibration levels increased in late July and two of the three radial
FOAs at the 3:30 (yellow) and 11:30 (grey) positions read well over 10 mils pk-pk (Figure 5). The
7:30 radial position FOA (blue) reads peak at over 7 mils pk-pk in early August and then begin a
gradual ramp downward towards years end.
The reading that caused the greatest concern was the 11:30 radial position, which had increased in
vibration to as much as 15 mils pk-pk by mid August 2004. The manufacturer was contacted and used
the data to aid in the development of an end-winding stiffening system in order to mitigate the
problem.
End-winding vibration monitoring on the Redhawk STGs had proven to be a necessary and effective
tool in allowing continued operation of the units with higher end-winding vibration. The system
effectively addressed Redhawks needs in that it was a turnkey monitoring package with the ability to
log data that could be transmitted back to head office and analysed by engineers there. As a result, the
relatively large cost associated with the purchase of replacement energy was avoided.
CASE 2 Valuable Information for Upcoming Refurbishment
J.H. Campbell, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, contains three generating units with a total
capacity of 1400 MW, making it Consumers Energys largest coal-fired generating complex. Unit 1 is
a compound unit with 2 x 156 MVA (Units 1A and 1B). Twelve FOA sensors were installed on both
Units 1A and 1B. The turbine and the collector end had six FOAs, each, installed for radial
displacement measurement.
In the spring of 2001, peak-to-peak measurements were being taken every 10 minutes, in mils, for a
period of six hours on Unit 1B. Other parameters were also being recorded such as MW, MVAR, and
slot temperature.

Figure 6 Units 1A and 1B at J.H. Campbell

The first observations made, using the data gathered, were on the relationships between
vibration levels of the individual end-windings monitored. Correlation coefficients (r), were
calculated for the relationships between each individual FOA. The closer the coefficient value is equal
to one, the closer the relationship is to being a perfect correlation (i.e. both measurements rise and fall
in equal proportion to each other). The closer the coefficient value is to negative one, the closer the
relationship is to being a perfect negative, or opposite correlation (i.e. one measurement decreases
while the other increases, in proportion to each other). Table I shows the correlation values calculated
for all 12 FOAs.
Table I Correlation Coefficients Between Individual End-windings on Unit 1B
(r)
TE Slot 29

TE
TE
Slot 29 Slot 35
1.00
0.69
1.00

TE Slot 35
TE Slot 5

Turbine End
TE
TE
TE
TE
CE
CE
Slot 5 Slot 11 Slot 17 Slot 23 Slot 29 Slot 35
0.73
0.46
0.74
0.66
0.07
-0.27

Collector End
CE
CE
CE
CE
Slot 5 Slot 11 Slot 17 Slot 23
0.47
-0.46
0.37
0.35

0.88

0.44

0.90

0.82

0.16

-0.33

0.55

-0.46

0.44

1.00

0.40

0.94

0.84

0.06

-0.30

0.64

-0.57

0.51

0.41

1.00

0.29

0.15

0.33

-0.28

0.13

-0.04

0.13

0.07

0.93

-0.01

-0.20

0.70

-0.59

0.55

0.48

1.00

-0.12

0.01

0.71

-0.48

0.56

0.48

1.00

0.07

0.03

0.49

0.21

0.15

TE Slot 11

1.00

TE Slot 17
TE Slot 23
CE Slot 29

1.00

CE Slot 35
CE Slot 5

0.41

0.38

0.60

0.48

0.29

1.00

-0.18

0.85

0.76

1.00

-0.05

-0.21

1.00

0.81

CE Slot 11
CE Slot 17

1.00

CE Slot 23

One can see some notably high correlation between a few of the measuring points such as TE slot 17
and 23, or CE slot 5 and 17. It is easy to see that not all of the slots are perfectly correlated, but one
can take the average in order to make a general assumption about how the measuring points vibrate in
relation to each other. These values are shown below:
Avg. (r) between all FOA data on the Turbine End (TE)
= 0.66
Avg. (r) between all FOA data on the Collector End (CE) = 0.31
Avg. (r) between all FOA data on both sides
= 0.12
It seems obvious that there is a closer relationship between vibration levels at each end of the stator
than there is across the entire winding.
Table II illustrates correlation coefficients between MW, MVAR, and average slot temperature
versus vibration levels. Once again there are a few noticeably high correlations between certain
measured parameters such as TE slot 17, MW and average slot temperature. This does not necessarily
mean that MW loading is directly associated with end-winding vibration levels, as can be seen when
comparing the relationship between CE Slot 29 and MW.
Table II - Coefficients Between MW, MVAR and Avg. Slot Temp vs. Vibration Levels on Unit 1B
Turbine End (mils)
TE
TE
TE
Slot 5
Slot 11 Slot 17
0.93
0.28
0.98

(r)MW

TE
Slot 29
0.76

TE
Slot 35
0.86

(r)MVAR

0.09

0.08

0.13

-0.37

(r )TEMP

0.74

0.82

0.94

0.37

(r)

Collector End (mils)

CE
CE
CE
Slot 5
Slot 11 Slot 17
0.69
-0.69
0.57

TE
Slot 23
0.89

CE
Slot 29
-0.04

CE
Slot 35
-0.25

CE
Slot 23
0.55

0.23

0.31

-0.14

0.23

0.36

-0.21

0.20

0.30

0.95

0.81

-0.04

-0.29

0.68

-0.66

0.51

0.44

Unit 1A End-w inding Vibr. / Turbine End

12
10
8
6
4
2
0

T i m e ( J une 2 4 2 0 0 2 )
TE 29

TE 35

TE 5

TE 11

TE 17

TE 23

Figure 7 Turbine End Vibration Levels

over 6-hour Period on Unit 1A

Unit 1A had 12 FOAs installed in a similar

fashion to that of 1B. During the summer of 2002,
average peak-to-peak displacement was measured
again over a 6-hour period (Figure 7). The results
indicated that the bar in TE slot #29 had an
unusually high value compared to the others.
Vibration reached 9.68 mils pk-pk, where all the
other slots where under 4 mils pk-pk. After
consultation with the manufacturer, it was
determined that this particular coil was repaired
on-site during installation to fit in place. Close
monitoring of this end-winding became necessary
to ensure this increased vibration did not cause a
catastrophic event.

The FOA technology has provided staff at J.H. Campbell with valuable information to operate the
machines and prepare an upcoming refurbishment. It also brought to light a problem with one of the
coils that required close monitoring.
CONCLUSION
The FOA represents a breakthrough in sensor technology regarding safety and noise immunity. It
presented an effective solution for both Redhawk and J. H. Campbell. The FOA is ideal for the harsh
environment in high voltage end windings due to the material from which it is created. Its
functionality has been proven in obtaining accurate diagnostic data and delivering it in a convenient
form.
REFERENCES
[1]
John Demcko & John Velotta, Arizona Public Service Company, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Generator End Turn Vibration Monitoring A Case Study
(EPRI Winter 2005 Technical Workshop and TGUG Meeting, January 17-20 2005,
St.Petersburg, Florida, USA)
[2]
Mike Hoffer, Consumers Energy, Jackson, Michigan, USA.
Stator Bar Vibration sensors and Fibre-Optic Accelerometers New Tools Used to Measure
Stator Winding Vibration in Large Turbine Generators
(EPRI Winter 2003 Technical Workshop and TGUG Meeting, January 20-23 2003,
Orlando, Florida, USA)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge Messrs. Rjean Beaudoin and Bryan Sachdeva from VibroSystM,
Canada, for their contribution in this paper.