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COOLING OF TURBO
ALTERNATORS

BY,
U.RAMASWAMY.
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Contents

 Introduction to Turbo Alternators

 Cooling System

 Types of Cooling System

 Conclusion
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Introduction

TURBO ALTERNATORS :

An alternator is an electrical generator that converts mechanical

energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. Alternators in power
stations driven by steam turbines are called turbo-alternators. Large 50 or 60 Hz
three phase alternators in power plants generate most of the world's electric power,
which is distributed by electric power grids.
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Need for cooling

An efficient cooling and ventilating system is needed to

keep the temperature of the windings and other components of the
generator resulting due to various losses, below certain limits depending on
the insulation.
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Types of cooling methods

 Air cooling
 Direct cooling
 Hydrogen cooling
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Air cooled Turbo
Alternators

 For small units used as

auxiliaries in large
power stations.
 It is used for machines
up to 60 MVA.
 Air is supplied by
propeller fan.
 2 side axial ventilation
is used in some
alternators
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Hydrogen cooled turbo alternators

 For machines above 60 MVA air cooling is not suitable.

 A hydrogen-cooled turbo generator is a turbo generator with gaseous
hydrogen as a coolant.
 The hydrogen gas is circulated by blowers and fans through the rotor and
stator, and then it is passed over cooling coils inside the casing. The coils
carry oil or water to extract heat from the circulating hydrogen.
 Hydrogen cooling increases the overall full load efficiency of the
generator by about 1 percent but increases the generator capacity by
about 25 percent of the generator of the same physical size using air.
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Advantages

Cooling:
Hydrogen gas has a higher thermal conductivity. It has 1.5 times
heat transfer capability as compared with the air. Therefore, cooling with
hydrogen gas is faster than cooling with air.

Windage/Efficiency and noise:

The density of hydrogen is about 1/14 times the density of air at
the same temperature and pressure. The windage loss and noise are reduced
in the machine as the revolving parts rotate in low-density hydrogen gas.
Thus, the efficiency of the machine is increased.
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Limitations

 The frame of the hydrogen cooled alternator is more costly because of

necessity to provide explosion proof construction and gas tight shaft seals.
 Means are necessary to admit hydrogen to the alternator without creating
an explosion.
 Sourcing the air with CO2 and then admitting hydrogen.
 By vacuum pumping the unit to 1/5 atmosphere and admitting hydrogen.
 Cooling coils carrying oil or water inside the casing are to be provided to
extract heat from hydrogen.
 It is not applicable to machines more than 500 MVA
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Direct cooling

 As hydrogen cooling is not sufficient to extract heat generated in large

turbo alternators of sizes 500 MW or more. For such large machines, the
volume of hydrogen gas required may be so large.
 In very large turbo-generators, rotors are direct hydrogen cooled and
stator windings are direct demineralized water cooled.
 Water is circulated by an AC motor centrifugal pump. Cartridge filters are
used to filter water.
 These filters are designed to prevent metallic corrosive particles generated
in winding and piping from entering into winding hollow conductors.
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Advantages

 Water cooled system is faster and more efficient because the thermal
conductivity of water is higher than that of hydrogen.
 The duct area of water is smaller to allow more space for conductors in the
slot.
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Disadvantages

 The water, which is used for cooling should be highly purified so that the
conductivity of water does not increase.
 Water cooling is more expensive than hydrogen cooling
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Conclusion

 Cooling is very much essential for modern machines.

 Makes the output of machines stable
 Increases efficiency and rating of machines
 Protects the inner parts of the machine from thermal damages
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Thank you!