Generator Seal Leakage Detection and Hydrogen Purity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas cooled generators face issues with hydrogen leakage and contamination due to static seal leaks and shaft seal system anomalies, leading to reduced hydrogen purity and increased consumption, which existing scavenging systems often fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising sensors and detectors that monitor cooling gas flow rates, purity, and seal oil conditions to detect leaks and contamination, generating alarms and adjusting scavenging rates to maintain hydrogen purity, including a static seal leak detector, seal oil contamination detector, and shaft seal ring clearance detector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous scavenging is performed to maintain hydrogen purity, then hydrogen purity levels are maintained, but hydrogen consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors hydrogen purity levels and adjusts scavenging rates dynamically based on detected contamination or leakage, maintaining purity while minimizing unnecessary hydrogen consumption through responsive control
Solution Approach 2:
The scavenging system operates at variable rates rather than continuously at fixed levels, allowing the system to adapt scavenging intensity to actual contamination conditions, thereby reducing overall hydrogen consumption while maintaining purity requirements
2Reliability
If scavenging levels are increased to raise hydrogen purities, then hydrogen purity is improved, but hydrogen consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts scavenging rates based on real-time purity monitoring, increasing scavenging only when and where contamination occurs rather than maintaining high scavenging levels throughout, thus improving purity efficiently while minimizing hydrogen consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system identifies specific locations and sources of contamination (such as seal leakage points), allowing targeted scavenging actions at affected areas rather than uniform high-level scavenging across the entire system
3Reliability
If seal clearance increases over time, then seal wear occurs, but seal oil flow rate increases causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors seal oil flow rate and contamination levels continuously, providing feedback that enables detection of clearance changes and triggers alerts or adjustments before significant contamination occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects early signs of seal degradation through flow rate monitoring and purity changes, enabling preventive maintenance actions before clearance increases lead to severe contamination and failure
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 early detection and mitigation of hydrogen leaks and contamination, improving generator performance, availability, and reducing operational costs by accurately identifying and addressing seal-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
seal oil gives up entrained air and dissolves the surrounding hydrogen due to the partial pressure change resulting in a decrease in the hydrogen purity levels
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a system includes: a casing for surrounding at least a portion of a rotor, and enclosing a volume of a cooling gas thereabout, the casing including a plurality of static seals; an end housing at each end of the casing, each end housing including a seal system through which the rotor extends, wherein a portion of cooling gas escapes from the casing to at least one seal area; and a source of cooling gas fluidly coupled to the casing by a cooling gas regulator. The system may further include: a scavenging system coupled to each end housing for removing a gas mixture therefrom including a portion of escaping cooling gas; a sensor for determining a purity of the cooling gas in the casing; and a static seal leak detector that generates an alarm indicative of a leak in at least one of the plurality of static seals.