GER-3621

GE Power Generation

Steam Turbine-Generator
MaintainabilityA Means to Improve Unit Availability
R.T. Bievenue
GE Company
Schenectady, New York

GE TURBINE REFERENCE

LlSRARY

STEAM TURBINE-GENERATOR MAINTAINABIIXIY

A MEANS TO IMPROVE UNIT AVAILABILITY

RT. Bievenue
GE Company
Schenectady, New York

INTRODUCTION
Reliability, availability, and efficiency are the
three critical performance
measurements for
industrial steam turbine-generator units. Reliability
is a measurement of freedom from unexpected
(forced) outages due to equipment component or
system failure that prevents operation of the unit. As
normally defined*, reliability of industrial steam
turbine-generator units can be expected to be about
99%. Availability is a measurement of the time the
unit is available for and capable of serving the
intended function. In defining availabilityt, the
unavailable time is due to forced outage time and
planned maintenance time. Forced outage time
should obviously be minimized because it is always
disruptive to the normal plant operations and can
be very expensive and time consuming to make the
necessary repairs, depending on the nature of the
failure. However, it is not obvious that time spent on
planned maintenance should be minimized because
the degree and frequency of maintenance can and
does have a direct impact on the other two critical
performance measurements: reliability and efficiency. Too little maintenance can increase forced
outages to an unacceptable level and also result in
decreased unit efficiency such that operating costs
are considerably greater than desired. Too much
maintenance means unnecessary work is being
done, thus expending time and resources that could
be used better elsewhere. Hence, maintenance
planning
should be aimed at optimizing
the
planned outages such that overall costs are minimized while satisfying the operational requirements
placed on the unit
The owners/operators have the primary responsibility for and control over the maintenance of the
steam turbine-generator. However, GE contributes
to the maintenance of the equipment in two significant areas: the original design of the components
* Reliabilitv (%) = [Period Hours - Forced Outage Hours (loo%)] /
Period Hours
t Availabilitv (%) = [Period Hours - Forced Outage Hours Planned
Outage Hours (lOO%)] / Period Hours

and systems and the recommendations provided for

inspection and maintenance.
GE can also make a significant contribution to
long-term unit maintainability,
availability,, reliability, and efficiency by making detailed design
evaluations of the current status of the turbinegenerator and current and planned operating
conditions. State-of-the-art design features may be
incorporated in a partial or complete unit rebuild
that will greatly enhance the overall performance
and value. GE representatives are available to
discuss the potential for such improvements.

DESIGNING FOR
MAINTAINABILITY
The optimum time to consider turbine-generator
maintenance is in the initial design stages of the
various components and systems. Over the past
decades, many maintenance features have been
designed into the steam turbine-generators manufactured by GE, features we may now refer to as
traditional maintenance features. These will be
discussed in some detail.
In designing for maintainability,
the primary
functional requirements of the equipment cannot
be ignored. Many features could be incorporated
that could be very helpful strictly from the standpoints of assembly, disassembly, and inspection.
However, some features that would be ideal for
maintainability
may be detrimental to the operational reliability and efficiency of the machine.
Fewer and/or smaller bolts, for example, would
make assembly and disassembly of the turbine
easier but would probably result in steam leakage
through the bolted flanges. Larger flanges, both
internal and external to the turbine shells and lowpressure inner casings, could provide better access
to bolts for the use of hydraulic or pneumatic tools.
The larger flanges, however, could result in
efficiency losses because of flow obstructions. They
could also result in reliability problems due to
greater thermal stresses in the more massive and
rigid structures. For this particular example, reli-

ability could be maintained by limiting starting,

loading, and unloading temperature ramp rates.
This, however, is an undesirable operational limitation. Hence, the final design must be an optimization of all aspects of the ultimate use, the
significant aspects being reliability of the machine
(life) for its intended usage, long-term efftciency,
and ease (cost) of maintenance.
In addition to the reliability
and efficiency
influences on maintainability features, initial cost of
the various features is also an important concern.
Required and desirable maintenance features
depend upon the perceivedvalue placed on them by
the end users. Since maintenance practices vary
among the various organizations, a given feature
that may be very useful to one maintenance
organization may be of little or no apparent benefit
to another.

tenance. All major bolting is readily accessible.

Lifting provisions are located to permit fast rigging
and removal of the upper hoods. Lifting provisions
are supplied for all other major turbine components
that must be lifted for maintenance work. Atmospheric relief diaphragms (on condensing units) are
readily accessible for maintenance, if required.
Manholes are located in the hoods of the larger
units to permit easy access to the interior for
inspection of the last-stage buckets and structural
members.
Where bolted inner casings are used, horizontal
joint flanges are designed with the bolts as accessible
as possible, considering the requirements for steam
flow in extraction pockets and the need to prevent
steam leakage through the joints.

Rotors

TRADITIONAL

FEATURES

Numerous maintainability
features have been
designed into the major turbine-generator
components and systems for many years. Some of the
significant features are described in the following
paragraphs.

Turbine

Shells

All turbine shells employ a horizontal joint with

bolted flanges for quick access to the steam path
components. In addition to the horizontal joint
flanges, only flanged pipe connections need to be
disassembled to remove the upper-half outer shell
from the lower. Lifting provisions are conveniently
located for both lifting and turning of the shells.
Shell support shims, transverse shims, and axialthrust shims, where used, are located for easy
removal. Most of the internal supervisory thermocouples are located in the upper-half shells, which
permits easy replacement or repair if necessary.
Shell jacking provisions are conveniently located
for the use of hydraulic jacks or jackscrews to
separate upper and lower half shells. Units having
axial thrust shims have jacking provisions for shim
removal.

Low-Pressure Turbine
and Inner Casings

Exhaust Hoods

Low-pressure turbine outer exhaust hoods have

several traditional
features conducive to main-

Steam turbine rotors are designed to withstand

the expected mechanical loadings and environmental conditions by using materials that have the
required high-temperature
strength and ductility
while, at the same time, providing protection against
the erosive and corrosive attacks of the steam
environment.
However, erosive particles and
impurities in the steam that cause deposits and
chemical attack on turbine components continue to
be the major cause of industrial steam turbine
forced outages. Thus, much of the maintenance of
the steam path components is directed toward the
repair of damage caused by such steam impurities.
In order to remove rotors from the turbine, lifting
beams and rotor access points are provided.

Nozzle Plates and Diaphragms

Modern nozzle plates are carefully designed with
consideration for the static thermal and dynamic
stresses of the severe duty they experience. The
plates and diaphragms are made of materials that
give the required strength and provide protection
against the steam environment. However, as in the
case of rotor components, steam impurities continue to be a major maintenance factor for nozzle
plates and diaphragms.
Modern diaphragms use shaft packing seal rings
and bucket tip spill strips that can be removed and
replaced, if necessary, to restore optimum clearances between rotating and stationary parts. The
diaphragms have removable alignment and support
shims for ease of assembly and alignment.

Primary

Steam Valves

Maintenance of the primary steam valves (main

stop valves, control valves) is greatly facilitated by
the vertical valve stem arrangement, which permits
a straight vertical crane lift of valve covers and
internal parts. The hydraulic actuating system need
not be disturbed for normal maintenance work on
these primary steam valves. The main stop and
control valves have removable seats to facilitate any
repair work required. Valve stems are made of wearresistant and oxidation-resistant materials to provide
reliable operation with a minimum of maintenance
work.

Bearings and Lubrication

System

Turbine journal bearings are designed to support

the weight of the rotors on a hydrodynamic oil film
and to provide dynamic stability to the rotor system.
The single thrust bearing is designed to axially
position the rotor assembly relative to the stationary
components. The lubrication system is designed to
provide a sufficient flow of clean oil to each bearing
such that the hydrodynamic oil film can be established and frictional losses due to shearing of the oil
film do not result in excessive heating of the bearing
babbitt.
Thejournal bearings, in addition to providing the
bearing surfaces, also determine the alignment of
the rotor system. Occasionally it is necessary to
realign one or more bearings to restore the recommended alignment. The journal bearings, both the
elliptical fixed-geometry type and the tilt-pad we,
can be readily removed for maintenance work if
necessary. All journal bearings have support and
alignment shims to facilitate realignment. In the
event of damage to the tilt pads, they can easily be
removed for replacement or repair. Similarly, the
thrust bearing can be easily disassembled for maintenance work. The journal and thrust bearings on
many modern units have thermocouples embedded
in the babbitt near the bearing surfaces to give an
early indication of a significant change in the
bearing loading, the surface condition of the
bearing, or the supply of lubricating oil.
The lubrication system has features that are
particularly beneficial to maintainability, and that
minimize the degree of maintenance required. The
lube oil pumps are the centrifugal type and employ a
very rugged design. The booster pump, located in
the oil tank, is flange-mounted for easy removal, if
required, without having to remove the oil from the
tank. Complete flushing instructions are supplied

for cleanup of the lube system following initial

installation and major maintenance outages. The
lube piping system is designed with no pipe sleeves
to minimize locations where foreign material may
be entrapped. Redundant full-capacity oil coolers
are provided such that the out-of-service cooler can
be removed for maintenance, if necessary, with the
unit on line. Removal is accomplished with a vertical
crane lift.

Bolting
Various alloy steels are used for bolting applications, ranging from low-alloy steel to 12% chromium
alloy for the high-temperature locations. For highly
stressed tap bolts and studs, tapered threads are
used to obtain a more uniform load distribution
over the engaged threads, which can be beneficial
in avoiding cracking at the first or second engaged
thread, the location of high load concentration for
the nontapered thread design. Where required, the
large bolts used in turbine shells are prestretched by
heating to obtain the required bolting force. Heater
holes are provided for the use of electrical resistance
heaters for assembly and disassembly. Tapped
holes are provided in the large studs and nuts for
lifting.

Turbine-Generator
Control
Supervisory Systems

and

The turbine-generator
control and supervisory
systems must be highly reliable to satisfactorily
perform the critical functions of accurately controlling speed, load, and extraction steam flows of
the unit by regulating very large steam flows and
continuously
monitoring
numerous operating
parameters to detect potentially dangerous conditions. The fast response and degree of redundancy
built into the modern electrohydraulic
control
(EHC) system components provide reliable protective action while minimizing false trips. Some of
the significant maintenance features are:
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Redundant power supplies in the control system

cabinets that permit on-line maintenance of the
power supplies.
Redundant pumps, coolers, and filters in the
hydraulic fluid system that permit on-line maintenance of these components.
Stainless steel valves in EHC hydraulic actuators
to minimize corrosion products.
Isolation of the EHC servovalves to permit online maintenance of the servovalves on units
having separately mounted valves.

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Two-out-of-three
logic for many protective
devices in the EHC system to permit on-line
service on units having modem digital controls.
Selective operating modes of the EHC Control
system to permit on-line maintenance of control
circuits.
Available annunciation contacts that provide
valuable troubleshooting
information in the
event of protection system action.
Functional separation of EHC circuit boards to
facilitate troubleshooting.
Availability of analog signals from turbinegenerator supetisory instrumentation to permit
on-line servicing of digital systems.

that will provide the best overall result in terms of

unit reliability, availability, effkiency, and operating
and maintenance costs. The optimized plan to
achieve this end result will vary from one organization to another, depending on variations in fuel
costs, labor costs, cost of down time, etc. Hence,
there is no single set of maintenance recommendations that will be the optimum for all situations.
However, GE has developed maintenance recommendations for industrial steam turbine-generator
units that are based on many years of experience as
a manufacturer
and provider of maintenance
services and replacement parts for the industrial
units. The recommendations form the basis for a
sectionalized
maintenance
program in which
specific components and systems are inspected/
tested during a given maintenance outage.
The recommendations
provided are meant to
serve as a guide and are not intended to be allinclusive. Actual inspection and maintenance plans
must be tailored to satisfy the individual plant
requirements.

STEAM TURBINE-GENERATOR
MAINTENANCE
As previously stated, maintenance of the steam
turbine-generator should be performed in a manner

Table 1
INDUSTRIAL
STEAM TURBINE-GENERATORS
RECOMMEN-DED
INTERVAIS
FOR SECIIONALIZED
MAINTENANCE
COMPONENT/SYSTEM

1YR

2YR

TIME INTERVAL
3YR
4YR

5YR

2 Stop valves

3 Control valve assemblies

(external)
Control valve assemblies

4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

6YR

1 Turbine steam path

and general inspection - six year major
X

(internal)
Nonreturn valves
Admission/extraction
valves
EHC or three-arm
governor system
Turbine-generator
supervisory instrumentation
Bearings
Hydrogen seals
Hydrogen seal regulator
Lube oil system
Exciter - rotating or
excitation system - static
Steam seal system
Borescope inspection
(ienerator inspection
Polarization index
Lube oil pump test run
Lube oil filtering system

X
X

X
x

X
X
X

X
X

X
X
X

X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X
AS NEEDED BASED ON H2 USAGE
EVERY 4 YEARS OR AS NEEDED
X
X
X
X
X
X

X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X
X
X
X

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
INDUSTRIAL STEAM TURBINEGENERATOR SECTIONALIZED
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

Shell

-Inner
Surfaces. Visual and magnetic particle
test all accessible inner surfaces.
-Diaphragm
fits. Check for erosion and wear.
-Vertical
and Horizontal joints. Check for
erosion and wear.
-Spill strips. Check for erosion, wear, cracking,
missing pieces.
-Nozzle bore. Take flatness checks.

Turbine Steam Path and General

Inspection - Six-Year Major

Diaphragms

This inspection includes complete turbine disassembly, steam path inspection, and all other
components included in the sectionalized maintenance program. A complete generator disassembly
and inspection is also performed during this outage.
When planning is complete and spare parts are
available, the major inspection could be performed
during the fifth year if maintenance requirements
warrant. The turbine-generator
should not be
operated beyond the six-year major inspection.
The following turbine components are to be
inspected:

and Nozzle

Plates

-Partition
Welds, Horizontal Joints, Rings,
Webs, Packing Fits. Nondestructive exam
(NDE) for cracks and check for-erosion.
-Sealing
and Radial Spill Strips. Check for
looseness, scoring, breakage.
-Centering
and Crush Pins. Take clearances
and check for wear, galling.
-Sealing Faces. Check for scoring and flatness.
-Nozzle
Plate Partitions and Body. Remove
and inspect. NDE for cracks. Bolting. Ultrasonic test.
0 Packings

-Teeth.
Check for wear, breakage, tooth
profile.

Rotor

-Deposits.
Identify locations and take samples, determine types and concentrations of corrosioncausing contaminants.
-Erosion.
Check first, last, and reheat stages.
-Tenons
and Shroud Bands.
Inspect for erosion, rubbing, looseness, and
deposits.
-Buckets.
Dovetail fit cracking and looseness. Vane
pitting and erosion. Erosion shield cracking,
erosion, loose joints.
-Steam Balance Holes.
Check for cracking and erosion.
-Thrust runners.
Check for fretting, scoring, and cracking.
-Packing and General Area Damage.
Check for rubbing, wear, scoring, out of
round, tapering, cracking, and discoloration.
-Balance Plugs and Holes.
Check for cracking, tightness, staking, and
open hole conditions.
-Couplings.
Check for cracks, scoring, and high spots.
Check for bolt hole galling and out of round.
Check face and rim runout, measure rabbet
fit and record.
-Dovetail Pins.
Check for cracking, staking, and looseness.

0 Packing

-Casings. NDE for cracks.

-Joints
and Sealing Surfaces. Inspect for
contact and erosion.
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Steam Shields

-Bellows. Check bellows and welds for cracks.

-Sealing
Surface. Check for contact and
scoring.
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Oil Deflectors

-Teeth.
Check for breakage, rubbing, and
wear areas.
-Sealing Surfaces. Check for scoring and high
spots.
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Bolts and Studs

-Threads. Visually inspect for damage. Chase

threads and UT test.
. Nuts

-Threads. Visually inspect for damage. Chase

threads.
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Dowels

-Fits.
Inspect
tolerances.

for scoring,

galling,

and

Stop Valve
A leakage test, quick-closing, and uneven-operation check is performed yearly to determine if

deposits or internal

These tests are performed

damage or wear is evident.

in conjunction \vith the
startup/shutdown inspection. Every two years the
steam end of the valve is disassembled and the
follo\ving components are inspected:
l Seat, NDE
l Disk
l Seat Contact
l Stem, NDE
l Bushings
l Stem/Bushing
Clearances
l Stem Runout
l Valve Lift
l Pressure Seal Head
l Head
l Studs

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Val\,e Casing NDE

Complete

Valve
disassembly and inspection

is per-

binding and closure times after reassembly.

The follo\\-ing components are to be inspected:
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Seals
Drains
Body NDE
Strainer

Valves

Seat
Disk
Packing Glands

Rocker Shaft

Weighted

Linkages

Operating

Level
Cylinder

Admission/Extraction

Valve

These valves are disassembled and inspected

yearly. They are to be stroked to check for binding
and a leak test is performed prior to each startup.
The following valve component inspections and
checks are required:
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(tover

formed yearly. The valve is to be stroked to check for

Valve actuators and external gear are checked

every year for binding and worn or loose parts. Full
stroke of the gear is checked against the drawing
and valve tightness is checked for leakage. If
excessive leakage or poor valve action occurs, the
valve must be disassembled and checked for deposits
or damage.
Every three years the following gear and disassembled steam side valve components are to be
inspected:
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Nonreturn

Nuts

Control

Crosshead Stem Pinhole

Bushing-Stem Clearances
Stem Runout
Lift Rod
Lift Beam

Springs
Bolting
Cam Bearings
Cam Followers
Rocker Arm Bearing
Knockdown Pins
Cam Shaft Alignment
Linkage Connections
Gear Pinion to Rack Contact
Crosshead
Stem Bushings
Valve Timing
Valve Stroke
Sealing Welds
Seat Contact
Stem NDE
Seat
NDE
Disk
Disk Pin
Stem Sealing Grooves

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Lift Rod
Bushing
Guide Bracket
Body
Spacer
Extraction Diaphragm
Strainer Plate
Seat NDE
Seat Contact
Valve Clearances
Gear Bearings
Gear Clearances

EHC and Three-Arm

Governor

Systems

These governor control systems are to be inspected and calibrated every two years. Whenever
control valve maintenance is performed that
requires adjustments to the EHC feedback components, the control system must be rechecked.
Normal operational checks will indicate if there are
control problems.
Electrohydraulic Control System -The following
components are to be checked and calibrated:
6

Electrohydraulic

Control

Center

Hydraulic

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Power Unit

-Tank Condition
-Fluid Condition
-Piping Connections
-Filters
-Relief Valves
-Pump Start and Alarm Switches
-Heaters
-Coolers
-Water Regulator
-Gauges
-Air Dryer
-Main
and Reserve Pump Condition
-Power Actuator Assemblies
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Permanent

Flow Metering Instrumentation

Pressure Gauges
Vibration Probes
Shaft Eccentricity
Differential Expansion
Shell Expansion
Speed/Valve Position
Vacuum Alarm and Trip
Thrust Wear Alarm and Trip
Valve Operations
Shell and Valve Thermocouples
Overspeed Trip
Solenoids
Turning Gear Interlock
Bearing Oil Pressure Alarm and Trip
Hydraulic Oil Pressure Alarm
Oil Tank Alarms
EHC Operation and Alarms

-Speed Control
-Load Control
-Flow Control
-Power Supplies
-Pressure Sensors
- Servovalves
-Alarm Trips
-Switches
-Monitor
Circuits

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Generator - The following equipment is to be

checked and calibrated yearly:
RTDs
Seal Oil Operation and Alarms
Hydrogen System Operation and Alarms

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Magnet Generator

The following
needed basis:

-Output
Voltage
-Output
Frequency
-Terminal
Connections
-Cleanliness
-Bearing
Conditions
-A.lignment
Three-Arm Governor ponents are to be checked:

First-Stage Pressure Gauge

Flow Charts
Chart Readings Compared to First-Stage
Pressure Curve
Extraction Readings Compared to Generator
Load

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The following

com-

@Linkages
l Pins
l Ball Bearings and Guides
l Cylinder Travel
l Tip-over Assembly
l Hydraulic Relays
l Pressure Governor
0 Sensing Lines

Turbine/Generator

Supervisory

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Supervisory Instrumentation which controls and

monitors the operation of the turbine and generator
is to be checked and calibrated yearly.
Turbine - The following equipment is to be
checked and calibrated:

Bearings

Bearings are to be removed and inspected every

two years. The bearings are inspected for condition,
clearances, and alignment. Clearances are checked
against previous inspection readings.
Journal Bearings - The following checks are to
be performed:
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Turbine/Generator
Instrumentation

should be checked on an as-

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Babbitt Condition
Journal Condition
Ball Contact
Ball Pinch
Ball Torque
Oil Feed and Drain Holes
Bore Diameters
Journal Diameters
Deflector Diameters
Insulation Resistance
Thermocouples

Thrust Bearings - The following

be performed:

checks are to

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Hydrogen

Seals

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Hydrogen

Inspections

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Enlargement

Exhauster.

Tank Condition and Cleanliness

Piping Connections
Transfer Valve
Check Valves
Oil Coolers: Waterside and Oilside
Cover Door Seal Strips
Pressure Switches
Pressure Gauges
Level Gauges

The mechanical condition, bearing condition

and internal clearances are to be inspected on the
following pumps:
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Hydrogen

Drain

System operation is inspected every two years.

Prior to shutdown, a complete set of oil pressure,
temperature, and bearing metal temperature data is
to be recorded.
The main oil tank is to be drained and cleaned
and the following items checked and inspected:

The seal oil regulator is scheduled for inspection

every four years. During the regulator disassembly,
attention should be given to calibration
and
pressure settings of other control and alarm
instrumentation.
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Bearing

Alarm.

Clean and Inspect

Lube Oil System

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Seal Regulator

Level

Clean and Inspect

-Remove Bearings, Inspect and Lubricate

-Inspect
Packing Gland
-Inspect
Oil Cup on Shaft Seal
-Check Alignment to Motor Drive

Check Hz Seal Insulation Prior to Disassembly

Inspect Ring Segments
Check Ring Clearance to Shaft
Inspect Hz Seal Casing
Inspect Hook Fit Face Contact
Check Hz Seal Insulating Parts for Integrity
Inspect Ring Springs and Measure Length
Check HP Seal Insulation Upon Reassembly

High

-Open,

Inspection of the HP seals will be on an asrequired basis as judged by HP usage and seal oil
flows, but will be thoroughly inspected during major
outages every six years.
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Float Trap.

-Open,

Thrust Clearance Bump Check

Thrust Stack Check
Babbitt Condition
Thrust Runner Condition
Ball Contact
Ball Pinch
Ball Torque
Thrust Plate
Parallelism
Wear Detector
Thrust Bearing Shims
Collar-to-Shaft Fit
Thrust Nut Torque
Rotor Threads Thermocouples

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Booster or Eductor
Turning Gear
Main Shaft
Emergency
Auxiliary

The mechanical conditions of the vapor extractor

and oil pump regulator are also to be checked.

Seal Regulator.

-Diaphragm-Operated
Regulator Valve
Inspected
-Filter Housing Cleaned
- Kelief Valves Inspected (Filter)
- Flowmeter Cleaned
-Calibrate
Filter Pressure Gauges
-Calibrate
Differential Pressure Switches
-Calibrate
Differential Pressure Gauges
-Calibrate Seal Oil Pressure Gauges

Exciter

Inspections

System performance will be monitored during

operation for additional maintenance and inspections that may be required. Routine maintenance
checks are performed on a two year basis. Brushes
are monitored and changed as determined by inservice operation.

Rotating

Exciter

Electrical.

-Commutator
Surface
-High Mica
-Brush Surface
-Brush Clearance in Holder
-Holder
Clearance to Communtator
-Brush Spacing
-Pigtail Condition
-Armature Winding Condition
-Field Winding Condition
-Polarization
Index - Field and Armature
-Field Windings, Copper Resistance
- Buswork Connections
-Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)
Checks
Rotating

Exciter

Mechanical.

-Bearing
-Deflectors
-Insulated
Coupling
-Air Gap Clearances
-Alignment
to Generator Field
\
-Filters
-Cleanliness
0 Static Exciter

Inspections.

-Cleanliness
-Proper Ventilation Provided
-Exposed Connections Tight
-Rectifier Short/Open Checks
-Other
Inspections Based on Operational
Problems

0 Strainers - Inspect and Clean

0 Loop Seal Water Level
0 Seal Vacuum
l Chamber Inspect and Clean

Borescope

A borescope inspection is performed every year

on turbines that have borescope access provisions.
The generator access covers are also removed for
visual and borescope inspections.
Turbine borescope access permits inspection of
the steam chamber, all first-stage buckets, extraction
stage buckets and last-stage buckets, including
tenons and covers.
The generator end windings, retaining rings, and
air gap are also borescope inspected.

Generator

Mechanical

Mechanical

General.

Inspections

Rotor.

-Bearings, Journals
-Fan Blades and Fan Ring
-Seal and Deflector Surfaces
-Rotor Body Surface
-Retaining
Ring Surface
-Wedges
-Collector
Rings
-Balance Weights
- Body Plugs
-Coupling

Stability - Oil Side and Steam Side

0 Level System
l Pressure Gage
l Bellows

The following gland exhauster system checks are

performed.
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Vacuum Pump Operation

l Motor Current
a Spray Chamber Operation

Inspections

-Bearings
-H2 Seals
-Oil Deflectors
-Fan Discharge Baffle
-Fan Blades
-Fan Nozzle Ring
-Fan Nozzle Segments
-Inner
and Outer End Shields
-Hydrogen
Coolers

Inspection

A complete generator inspection is planned for

each major outage and is based on a six year
frequency. During this outage the field should be
removed from the stator.

Steam Seal System

Operational testing and maintenance is performed every three years. Operational checks at
maximum or full flows are used to determine if
adjustment or maintenance is required for the seal
regulator and exhauster system.
The steam seal regulator is to be disassembled,
inspected, and repaired as required, and the
following checks and calibrations performed:

Inspection

Mechanical

Inspection

Stator.

-Internal
Winding Hardware
-Terminal
Box Hardware
-High Voltage Bushings

-Bushing
Terminals
-Current
Transformer Assembh
-Core Iron
-Outside Space Blocks
-Inside
Space Blocks
-RTD and TC Hardware
l

Winding

Inspections

>lechanical-hydraulic
units is to be tested:

l
l

Stator and Rotor.

-Armature
Bars - Slot Portion
-End Windings Insulation
-End Windings Blocking and Support
-Connection
Rings
-Lower Leads
-Slot Wedges
-Filler Strips
-RTD s
-Field Lead Wedge Insulation
-Field End Winding
l

Electrical

l
l

Electrical

Testing - Stator (Phases separated).

Testing

Field Winding.

-Insulation
Resistance and Polarization Index
-Winding
Copper Resistance
-AC Impedance

Polarization

Steam-driven auxiliary oil pump or motordri\,en auxiliary oil pump

Regulator for steam-driven auxiliary oil pump
when this type of pump is supplied
A(: bearing and seal oil pump. DC bearing and
seal oil pump
Pump test systems for all pumps
Bearing pressure regulator.

The oil tank system is set up with three pressure

levels; (1) a high-pressure hydraulic header at 150
psi or 200 psi to provide hydraulic oil for operation
of the valve gear, (2) an intermediate pressure
header at 75 psi to provide oil for the generator shaft
seals. and (3) a bearing pressure header set to
provide oil pressure at 25 psi at the bearings.
All pumps are provided with a system for individual testing while the turbine is in operation
without disturbing operation of the turbine. In the
case of the motor pumps, the pressure in each
sensing line to the respective pressure switches is
bled down by opening a valve located between the
pressure switch and an orifice in the sensing line.
The orifice will protect the header against loss of oil
pressure. The pressure switch will sense a drop in
pressure and thus the system as a whole is tested,
including pressure switch, motor starter, motor, and
pump. Pump start is indicated by a pressure reading
on the appropriate gauge mounted on the tank
console.
The pump test for the steam-driven auxiliary
pump is similar, except that a pump regulator is
involved which senses a drop in oil pressure and
starts the steam pump. Pump discharge piping to the
sensing line is also incorporated in order to control
pump speed.
Electrohydraulic Units - The following equip
ment is to be tested:

-Insulation
Resistance and Polarization Index
-Winding
Copper Resistance
-DC Leakage
-DC High Potential Test (Optional AC Hipot)
- RTD Resistance and Insulation Resistance
l

The following

equipment

Index

An insulation resistance and polarization index

will be obtained yearly and also during six-year
major outages with the phases separated. (Note: the
insulation resistance and polarization index are
most meaningful with the phases separated so that
each phase of the winding may be tested individually. A test of the entire winding is not indicative
of any one phase.)
Obtain a one-minute and a lo-minute reading of
insulation resistance. The polarization index is the
ratio of the lo-minute reading to the one-minute
reading.

l
l
l
l

Two ac bearing and seal oil pumps

One dc bearing and seal oil pump
Bearing pressure regulator
Pump test systems for all pumps.

This oil tank system is set up with a single pressure

level. All pumps have an oil output pressure of 65
psig at rated flow.
All pumps are provided with systems for individual
testing while the turbine is in operation. Pressure
switches and orifices are employed in a manner
similar to that used on mechanical-hydraulic
controlled machines. Pushbutton-operated
solenoid
valves are employed to reduce the pressure in the

Oil Pump Test Runs

Yearly tests of all standby pumps are performed to
check switchover, pressure drop, rpm, output,
gauges, and the front standard. A two-hour dc pump
run is to be completed at an outage, which will allow
full recharge of the batteries prior to startup.
10

sensing line and lights are used to signal a pump

running condition. A pressure switch is employed to
sense pump output pressure and to signal the pump
running lights.

Lube Oil Filtering

PLANNING FOR
MAINTAINABILITY
.4 systematic and structured maintenance program should result in the most efficient utilization
of time and resources during a scheduled maintenance outage. To successfully achieve maximum
turbine-generator
availability, planning for future
maintenance outages should begin immediately
upon completion of the last major outage. A comprehensive outage report is an essential document and
should be the basis for this planning. The report
should describe the condition of parts and systems
as found at the beginning of the outage, the work
accomplished during the outage (parts replaced or
repaired), and the conditions existingwhen the unit
was returned to service (clearances, rotor runouts,
etc.), and should contain a good record of observations about conditions that were less than desirable
but did not require immediate attention.
4 postoutage meeting should be held soon after
completion of any major maintenance outage. This
meeting should result in the development of an
action plan to cover the period up to the next
planned outage. The plan should include any
minor maintenance work for auxiliary equipment
as well as for the main turbine-generator unit. The
postoutage meeting should include a critical review
of unexpected and nonproductive delays experienced during the outage. The objective of this
review should be to improve scheduling of labor,
develop better tooling and procedures, determine
requirements for advanced ordering of parts, and
make station modifications that would be costeffective in eliminating similar future delays. Additional followup postoutage meetings should be held
to ensure that the long-lead-time maintenance
activities (securing of special parts, tools, etc.) are on
schedule, and to add new requirements to the
workplan.
About 18 months prior to the next planned major
maintenance outage, another formal advance maintenance planning meeting should be held to review
the workplan status and to review any recent
applicable industry experience or manufacturer
recommendations that could affect the maintenance
plan. A GE representative should be invited to this
meeting to review applicable industry-wide experience, as well as the history of the specific unit under
consideration. The l%month lead time for this
meeting usually is sufficient for obtaining funding
authorization
and ordering and receiving parts
required for the outage.

System

System performance is checked on a yearly basis

and maintained. Bags and filters are to be changed
and screens cleaned as needed.
Main tank lube oil samples at the booster pump
inlet and upstream of screens, and centrifuge inlet
and outlet oil samples, are taken and analyzed for
particles, water, viscosity, and rust prevention.
The oil tank screens should be cleaned whenever
the oil level upstream has risen more than 2 in. from
the clean screen condition. The strainer in the
discharge line entering the oil tank is also to be
cleaned.
For mechanical filter systems, the following
components are to be inspected yearly.
0 Compartment Levels
0 Circulating Pump
l Polishing Filter Delta P
l Relief Valve
l Water Ejector
l Water mains
l Oil Tank Discharge Pipe
l Filters and Bags
0 Clean Screens
l Calibrate Delta P Gages
0 Circulating Pump Clearances
For centrifuge type systems, the following
ponents are to be inspected yearly.

com-

Filter Delta P
Outlet Sight Oil Discharge
l Oil Tank Discharge Pipe
0 Inlet Pressure
l Heavy Phase Outlet Water Flow
l Oil Heating Operation
l Brake Release
l Casing Drain
0 Inlet Stop Valve
0 Centrifuge Cleanliness
0 Seals
l Filter Replacement
0 Inlet Strainer
l Flow Rate
0 Inlet Pump Clearances
l Gage Calibrations
l
l

11

SUMMARY
Maintainability
of industrial turbine-generator
units is a significant factor in the overall plant
economics. Recent dramatic increases in fuel and

capital investment costs and governmental regulation simply place a higher value on maintainability.
In response, GE is prepared to work with owners
and operators to optimize their maintenance
outages. Recommendations given in this paper
provide <guidelines for such maintenance planning.

12

I GER-3633
I
~GER-3636
I
1GER-3642
/
I
/ GER-3643
GER-3644
GER-3645

Evolution in the Design of Utility Steam

Turbine-Generators
Experience With Compressed Air Cleaning
of Main Steam Piping
Steam Turbine Cycle Optimization,
Evaluation and Performance Testing
Considerations
Emission Cormols and Costs for Gas
Turbine Applications
The Economics of Repowering Steam
Turbines
MS7001F Gas Turbine Test and
Performance Evaluation

GER-3646

Steam Turbines for Utility Applications

GER-3647
GER-3648

Steam Turbine Long-Bucket Development

Design Considerations for Gas Turbine
Fuel Systems

GER-3649

Designing for High Reliability - Gas

Turbine Plant Performance and Its
Importance in Purchasing Decisions

GER-3650

Gas Turbine Applications with Solid Fuels

and IGCC
GE Combined-Cycle Experience

GER-365 1

Turbine

Technology

Reference

3ER-3424

Aircraft-Derivative
Gas Turbine
Maintenance Practices
SER-3425 GE LM5000 Aircraft-Derivative
Gas
Turbine Systems
SER-3430 Cogeneration Application Considerations
SER-3434 Gas Turbine Design Philosophy
ZER-3456
Cogeneration Financial Incentives
GER-3478 Reducing Solid Particle Erosion Damage
in Large Steam Turbines
GER-3507 Technical Challenges in Replacing Large
Generators for Utility Power Plants: An
Update
GER-3541 SPEEDTRONIC Mark IV Control System
GER-3551 Development of the GE Quiet Combustor
and Other Design Changes to Benefit
Air Quality
GER-3558
New Developments in Steam Turbines
for Cogeneration Systems
>ER-3567
Gas Turbine Performance Characteristics
>ER-3568
Dry Low NOx Combustion for GE
Heavy-Duty Gas Turbines
SER-3569 Advanced Gas Turbine Materials and
Coatings
GER-3570 Gas Turbine Standardization for Better Value
GER-3571 Performance and Reliability Improvements for Heavy-Duty Gas Turbines
GER-3572 GE Aeroderivative Gas Turbine
Performance
GER-3573 TEPCO 2OOOMW Combined-Cycle
Power Plant: Design, Construction and
Operation
GER-3574
Combined-Cycle Product Line and
Performance
GER-3575
Legislation and Regulations Affecting
Power Generation Systems
GER-3576
Steam Turbine Digital Control and
Monitoring (DCM) Systems
GER-3577 An Update on Steam Turbine Redesigns
for Efficiency and Availability
GER-3578
Generators for Small and Mid-Size Fossil
Fuel Plants

GER-3579
GER-3580
GER-3581
GER-3582
GER-3583
GER-3584
GER-3590
GER-3614
GER-3615
GER-3616
(
GER-3617
GER-3618
GER-3619
GER-3620
GER-3621
GER-3622
GER-3623
!

GER-3624
GER-3631

GER-3632

Library
Improved Generators for Gas and Small
Steam Turbine Drives
Generator Parameters and
Characteristics
Generator Excitation Systems the Right Product for Each Application
Steam Turbines for Combined-Cycle
Power Systems
Power Plant Upgrading: An Increasingly
Attractive Alternative
Combined Cycle Economics
Continuously-Coupled
40-Inch Titanium
Last-Stage Bucket Development
Steam Turbines for Industrial and
Cogeneration Applications
Steam Turbine Controls and Their
Integration into Power Plants
Extending the Useful Life of Industrial
Steam Turbines
Recent Advances in Mechanical Drive
Turbine Technology
Recent Advances in Centrifugal
Compressors
Generator Inspection and Maintenance
Gas Turbine Operating and
Maintenance Considerations
Steam Turbine-Generator Maintainability
A Means to Improve Unit Availability
MS7001F Gas Turbine Design Evolution
and Verification
Positive Pressure Variable Clearance
Packing
X Technical Assessment of TurbineGenerator Upgrading
Steam Turbine Controls and Their
Integration Into Power Plants (Magazine
Reprint)
Fist-Stage Bucket Coatings - Description,
Life and Refurbishment

Please turn to inside back cover for additional

publications.

For further information,

contact your assigned GE Field Sales Engineer
or write to GE Power Generation
Marketing Communications

GE Power Generation
GE Power Generation Marketing Communications
One River Road (2-IOlA)
Schenectady, NY 12345USA