Factors affecting generator life and performance

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the factors affecting the life and performance of generators, focusing on non-environmental influences. Participants explore various aspects such as load, vibration, and mechanical wear, while seeking to understand the broader implications of these factors.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether load affects generator life, suggesting that providing load is what generators are designed for.
  • Another participant identifies vibration as a primary non-environmental threat to generator longevity.
  • Concerns are raised about various wear mechanisms, including the degradation of sliding parts like bearings and brushes, as well as insulation issues due to vibration and excessive temperature.
  • Accumulation of dirt and grime is noted as a potential issue that can block cooling airflow and affect moving parts.
  • A participant shares personal experiences with fixing electrical equipment, emphasizing the importance of maintenance practices such as keeping components clean and allowing for thermal expansion.
  • There is a playful acknowledgment of the differing perspectives on generators and motors, highlighting that the fundamental operation remains similar despite the context of the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the impact of load on generator life, with some asserting it is not a significant factor while others suggest it may play a role. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the extent and nature of various non-environmental factors affecting generator performance.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention numerous factors that could influence generator life, indicating a complex interplay of mechanical and operational conditions. The discussion does not resolve the specific contributions of each factor or their interactions.

ggmu93
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Hi I am a student who wants to know what factors apart from environmental factors affect the life and performance of a generator. I think that the load also would affect the life if so How? Also are there any other factors.

Do let me know ..thanks
 
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I don't see how load can reduce the life. Providing load is what they are designed for.

I think the number one non-environmental threat to long life is vibration.

Your question makes me think of the generators and motors near Niagara Falls that have been running about 125 years. They are probably good for an additional 250 years.

9894-1.gif
 
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Oh ok thanks a lot! So its just environmental factors and vibrations that affect generator life then?
 
ggmu93 said:
Oh ok thanks a lot! So its just environmental factors and vibrations that affect generator life then?

I didn't say "just" I said "primary". If you want to look in depth, there are hundreds of factors.
 
cool thanks
 
What wears out ?
sliding parts like bearings brushes and slip rings.
Insulation on the wires can get abraded away if they're allowed to vibrate, and excessive temperature can make it brittle and crumbly.
Insulating varnish can break down chemically from excessive heat. That's the "Burnt" smell a motor emits shortly before failure, often accompanied by smoke..

Allowing dirt and grime to accumulate will block flow of cooling air and it might get into your moving parts.
I recently fixed an expensive electric saw by simply cleaning grime out of the brush holders - it had jammed the brushes in place and they lost contact with the armature.

Fixed another one that had a fractured brush holder, likely from thermal cycling because it had got covered up with sawdust.

saw2_4pf.jpg


Just soldered a piece of flexible wire across the fracture . Now the rigid brass part is free to shrink & swell a little bit with temperature..
saw4.jpg


Keep it "Taut Clean and Cool" is one of the fundamentals of electrical maintenance.

Designers allow for thermal expansion that occurs with changing load. Probably this particular holder fell victim to tolerance stackup.

old jim
 
@jim hardy you know, it's funny. When someone asks about generators, you think

maxresdefault.jpg


while I think

Modern_Steam_Turbine_Generator.jpg
while others think

maxresdefault.jpg


The fun part is that for many questions, it doesn't matter. :-p
 

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anorlunda said:
The fun part is that for many questions, it doesn't matter. :-p

Indeed that !

They're all rotating machines
and the only difference between a motor and generator is the direction of torque applied to the shaft- does it oppose or favor rotation ?
 

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