Liquid-Cooled Generators

Reliable, Efficient, Cost-Effective

GE water-cooled generators are exceptionally well suited to central station applications where output requirements exceed the cooling capabilities of air-cooled or hydrogen-cooled designs. We offer a complete line of water-cooled generators up to 1,600 MVA for either 50 or 60 Hz applications.

Cool, deionized water, supplied by a closed-loop auxiliary system, flows through copper strands in the stator winding, and the warm water is discharged at the turbine end of the generator. The generator's performance is heightened by optimization of its bar strand configuration, including hollow-to-solid-strand ratio.

Features & Benefits

The generator design process incorporates the use of smart 3D parametric model assemblies that embed all of the applicable engineering design rules. A common model can be used to perform multidisciplinary analyses ranging from structural to ventilation to heat transfer. Upon completion of the analyses, manufacturing drawings are created automatically, resulting in improved design cycle and higher overall product quality.

Because high-output machines are so important to the overall stability of the grid, reliability is a primary requirement for water-cooled generators. Stator frames are designed for low vibration using advanced finite element analysis. Fan efficiency is improved to reduce losses and increase output. Thermal fluid-flow techniques are used to improve the overall performance of the field winding. Enhancements in stator bar insulation construction and chemistry provide further improvements in the design of new and refurbished liquid-cooled stator windings

  • Liquid-cooled stator windings meet the demands of high MVA ratings in a compact configuration. Custom copper strand arrangements are optimized for each application.
  • Diagonal-flow gap pickup rotor cooling creates a uniform temperature profile within the generator. Self-pumping system eliminates the need for multi-stage fans or compressors, regardless of unit length. GE has nearly 40 years of experience with this design.
  • All-Micamat stator insulation system provides the mechanical toughness and voltage endurance needed for even daily start-stop duty. The Micapal design has a proven record of superior performance that spans two decades of service
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  • Tetraloc stator end winding support system withstands will withstand the severe forces of misoperation, in addition to normal running forces and thermal cycles. Tetraloc support systems require little maintenance and have proven 100 percent in-service reliability.
  • Spring bar stator core support system isolates vibration of the stator core, to minimize vibration transmitted to the foundation.
  • Stator winding support features top wedges and ripple springs to secure stator bars in the slot and eliminate bar vibration. This maximizes insulation life and reduces maintenance requirements.
  • Core-end cooling is enhanced through proven design concepts to control core temperatures and minimize eddy current losses. Approaches include split tooth, stepped core, flux shields and non-magnetic materials.
  • Retaining rings of 18-Manganese/18-Chromium, non-magnetic stainless steel resist stress-corrosion cracking.
  • Factory-assembled collector arrangement features online removable brushes to simplify maintenance.
  • Plate-fin simplex coolers prolong life and simplify maintenance.
  • High-voltage bushings are either hydrogen-cooled or water-cooled, depending on generator rating.
  • Low-loss stator core, of grain-oriented silicon steel, minimizes electrical losses within the core to increase machine efficiency.

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