Miniature Air Gap Inspection Crawler for Stator Wedge Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for inspecting the tightness of stator wedge assemblies in dynamoelectric machines are challenging due to their difficult access within the generator, which can lead to stator coil vibration and potential catastrophic failure if not properly secured.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a sled with an optical device and push rod for insertion into the radial gap between the rotor and stator, allowing for the inspection and potential removal of foreign objects or debris, with an expandable bladder to secure the guide member and facilitate access, enabling inspection and servicing from a single end of the machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wedge assembly is inspected using conventional methods, then the tightness of the stator wedge can be checked, but the inspection is difficult to perform due to limited access within the generator
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system is divided into separate functional modules: a sled for navigation, an optical device for imaging, and a push rod for actuation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates insertion through limited access points in the generator.
Solution Approach 2:
The sled acts as an intermediary carrier that transports the optical device through the radial gap to the wedge assembly. This intermediary enables inspection of hard-to-reach areas without requiring direct access to the wedge assembly, resolving the accessibility problem while maintaining inspection reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the entire machine is disassembled for inspection, then complete access to internal components is achieved, but machine downtime increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system extracts only the necessary imaging function from a complete disassembly scenario. By taking out the optical device and placing it on a navigable sled, the system achieves internal component access while leaving the rest of the machine assembled and operational, dramatically reducing downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of accessing internal components through end-disassembly (one-dimensional approach), the system introduces a radial dimension by inserting the sled through the radial gap between rotor and stator. This dimensional change provides direct access to internal components without requiring machine disassembly.
3Measurement precision
If an optical device is inserted directly into the radial gap, then inspection capability is provided, but the device cannot be properly positioned or guided along the gap
Solution Approach 1:
The sled merges multiple functions into a single platform: it serves as the carrier for the optical device, the guide for navigation through the radial gap, and the interface with the push rod for actuation. This consolidation provides precise positioning capability without requiring separate complex guidance systems.
4Volume of moving object
If the sled is made compact for radial gap insertion, then access through the gap is enabled, but the optical device and other components cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The optical device and other inspection components are nested within or mounted on the sled platform. This nesting arrangement allows the compact sled to carry multiple components through the limited radial gap space, maintaining both compactness and versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective inspection and maintenance of the radial gap and wedge assembly without disassembling the entire machine, reducing downtime and preventing vibration-induced failures by allowing for the identification and removal of loose or foreign components.
Implementation Method 1
an expandable bladder is located at one end of the elongated guide member, and the elongated guide member includes a conduit configured to supply a gas to the bladder for inflation and deflation of the bladder
Data Source
AI summary
A system for inspecting a dynamoelectric machine is provided. The dynamoelectric machine includes a rotor, a stator and a radial gap existing between the rotor and the stator. The system includes a sled configured for insertion into the radial gap between the rotor and the stator. The sled is configured to transport an optical device along the radial gap. The optical device obtains an image of the radial gap, a portion of the rotor and a portion of the stator. The sled is configured for attachment to a push rod and the push rod is used to move the sled and optical device along the radial gap. The system is configured for entry into a single end of the dynamoelectric machine.