Generator Moisture Seal Assembly for Protected Output Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine generators face moisture-related issues due to weather conditions, leading to potential shorts, rust, and damage from water ingress through feeder cables and struts, which existing technologies fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of elastomeric moisture seals between dielectric mounts and connectors within the generator case, along with oil seals, to prevent moisture from reaching electrical components, ensuring the generator's reliability and longevity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the generator is placed in the exhaust region to utilize space and generate power, then productivity and energy utilization are improved, but moisture ingress through feeder cables and struts causes reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces elastomeric moisture seals as intermediary components between the feeder cables/struts and the generator case. These seals act as mediators that block moisture ingress while allowing electrical connections to pass through, thereby protecting the generator from water damage while maintaining its power generation function in the exhaust region
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs elastomeric seals that form flexible barriers around feeder cables and struts. These elastomeric materials create water-tight seals that prevent moisture from penetrating into the generator case, allowing the generator to operate reliably in the moisture-prone exhaust region without compromising its productivity
2Device complexity
If existing generator designs are used without additional moisture protection, then device complexity is minimized, but moisture ingress leads to shorts, rust, and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the moisture protection function into separate elastomeric seal components that are installed at specific vulnerability points (feeder cable penetrations and strut connections). This segmentation allows protection to be added only where needed, rather than redesigning the entire generator structure, thus minimizing the increase in device complexity while effectively preventing moisture damage
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
The solution effectively prevents moisture from reaching electrical contacts, thereby reducing the risk of shorts and rust, enhancing the generator's reliability and extending its operational life.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastomeric moisture seal located between the inner and outer dielectric mounts at the overlapping portion; and a second elastomeric moisture seal located between the second connector and an inner surface of the outer dielectric mount
Data Source
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AI summary
A generator assembly having: a generator (100); a generator case (175) surrounding the generator and defining a case aperture (280); an output lead carrying power generated by the generator away from a stator of the generator; a first connector (3 10A) electrically connected to the output lead; an inner dielectric mount (320A) surrounding the first connector and disposed within the case aperture; an outer dielectric mount (320B) connected to the inner dielectric mount to define an overlapping portion (325) where the outer and inner dielectric mounts overlap each other; a second connector (310B) contained in and surrounded by the outer dielectric mount, the outer dielectric mount configured to connect the output leads to a feeder cable via the first and second connectors; a first elastomeric moisture seal (140A) located between the inner and outer dielectric mounts at the overlapping portion; and a second elastomeric moisture seal (140B) located between the second connector and an inner surface of the outer dielectric mount.