Rotor Endwinding Spacer Block Support Without Brazed Pins

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for supporting spacer blocks between generator rotor endwinding coils, using copper brazed pins, lead to misalignment issues, contamination, cracking, and potential short circuits, complicating assembly and service processes and requiring costly adaptations for different coil designs and technologies.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that secure spacer blocks between turns of generator rotor endwinding coils using support blocks with outer projecting portions and torsional spring support bars, eliminating the need for copper brazed pins, ensuring proper alignment and compatibility with various coil designs and service technologies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If copper brazed pins are used to secure spacer blocks, then spacer block alignment is maintained, but contamination, cracking, and short circuit risks increase while complicating assembly and service processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespacer block alignmentVSAvoidcontamination and short circuit risks
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the copper brazed pins from the system entirely and replaces them with support blocks that have recesses receiving the spacer blocks. This extraction eliminates the harmful effects of pin drilling (contamination), brazing (cracking risk), and copper conductivity (short circuit risk) while maintaining the alignment function through the support block-recess interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The support blocks serve as intermediary elements between the coil stacks and spacer blocks. Instead of directly securing spacer blocks with pins, the support blocks with their recesses provide an intermediate structure that holds the spacer blocks in proper alignment, distributing the functional requirements across multiple components to eliminate harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If copper brazed pins are used to secure spacer blocks, then spacer block position is fixed, but assembly and service complexity increases requiring costly adaptations for different coil designs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespacer block position stabilityVSAvoidassembly and service process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support blocks with standardized recesses provide a universal interface that can accommodate different coil designs and service requirements. The recesses are configured to receive spacer blocks from various turns, creating a multi-functional support system that maintains stability across different configurations without requiring custom pin solutions for each design variation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention segments the alignment function into separate components: support blocks attached to coil stacks and recesses on spacer blocks. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier assembly and service, as the support blocks can be attached once and then accommodate multiple spacer blocks without requiring complex adaptations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If copper brazed pins are used to secure spacer blocks, then spacer blocks are retained in place, but operational reliability decreases due to potential cracking and short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespacer block retentionVSAvoidcracking and short circuit generation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support blocks with recesses replace the durable but harmful copper brazed pins. While the support blocks serve the retention function, they do so without the inherent defects of copper pins (conductivity causing short circuits, brazing causing cracking). The design prioritizes operational reliability by eliminating the harmful material properties while maintaining the mechanical retention function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3961871B1A system for supporting turns of generator rotor endwinding coils and a method for winding and rewinding of a power generator for a fossil or a nuclear power plant
Publication Date: 2024.05.29 GENERAL ELECTRIC TECH GMBH
  • EP3961871B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3961871B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3961871B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

System for supporting turns of generator rotor endwinding coils and a method for winding and rewinding of a power generator for a fossil or a nuclear power plant is disclosed. With these approaches, support blocks (66) are coupled to an innermost rotor endwinding coil (68) of turns of endwinding coils (54). Each of the support blocks (66) has an outer projecting portion (64). Spacer blocks (48) are radially disposed between the turns of endwinding coils (54). Each of the spacer blocks (48) includes a receptacle (102) formed between elongated radially inboard ends (100) to receive therein the outer projecting portion (64) of a support block (66) that an adjacent turn of endwinding coils is disposed thereon.