POWER AUTOMATIoN AND CONTROLS

AMODIS® Romon®
Generator Rotor Condition Monitoring
Hosted by ALSPA Care

Supporting your maintenance strategy

Optimise power plant Amodis® is a modular PC-based plant monitoring and diagnostics system.
This system is comprised of several modules that monitor each main power plant
operations while component and the power plant as a whole. Each module can be installed as an
remaining alert to independent unit or in combination with any of the others. The ROMON® rotor
condition monitoring system is one of the AMODIS® modules and is suitable for
the rotor and shaft 2 or 4 pole generators.
condition using shaft
voltage and current This modular rotor condition data acquisition and processing system concept
allows continuous adaptation to state of the art monitoring analysis technology.
measurements on both The ROMON® rotor condition monitoring system has been designed for early
ends of the generator. detection and identification of potential problems within the rotor winding insulation,
shaft groundings and bearings, long before a protection system would be triggered.

Alstom significantly increases the reliability of power plant diagnostics with this
monitoring module which features a design incorporating over 25 years of experience
in the area of generator measurements, analyses, and inspections worldwide.

Customer benefits
Prevent permanent damage in the rotor winding insulation Cost-effective solution

Automatic detection of shaft grounding system problems Customised solution based on standardised modules

Detect bearing friction and electro-erosion User-friendly interface

Reduce unexpected outages

Enhance operational reliability and availability

Optimise maintenance plans with early detection of

impending faults

Long-term data trending

Decision-making support

TPW/BPROS/RMNMDS12/eng/PAC/06.12/CH/7670 © ALSTOM 2012. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only.
No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project. This will depend on the
technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third
parties without ALSTOM’s express written authority is strictly prohibited.
 Measured shaft voltages
and current

Reliable condition assessment Shaft voltages & Currents

• Rotor inter-turn shorts
• Shaft grounding problems
Alstom’s ROMON® rotor condition assessment system is based on Alstom’s • Shaft friction
extensive knowledge of the power generation market, notably in the field of • Turbine friction
generator monitoring, rotor shaft design and material characteristics. • Electro-erosion leading to bearing
Alstom has developed specific algorithms for automated long-term condition damage
• Bearing isolation problems
assessments of the integral health of a rotor and shaft. The goal of these
algorithms is to provide an early warning of potential damage by monitoring Root causes
• Stator core circumferential
abnormal signals. Despite natural inductive or capacitive voltages and currents asymmetry (inductive)
along the rotating shaft ground, monitoring rotors with ROMON® will considerably • Magnetic field radial unbalance
limit the risk of shaft line damage arising from an uncontrolled increase in these (inductive)
incidents. ROMON® provides power plant operators with the required tools to • Axial residual magnetism
(inductive)
assist for optimising their maintenance plan. • Asymmetries in the excitation
An appropriate grounding system significantly reduces the risk of damage to the systems (capacitive coupling from
shaft line. A local visualisation of shaft voltages and currents occurring on the rotor rotor winding)
will keep the customer informed about a machine’s actual condition. • Electrostatic charges (mainly from
the turbine)
ROMON® rotor measurements play a significant role in optimal condition
assessment, but are best complemented with Alstom’s full monitoring system Consequences
packages and associated diagnostics. The data originating from a full set up will • Limited unit loads due to
increased vibration
provide a clear picture of the state of health of a power plant. • Permanent damage to the rotor
For a further refined assessment supported by practical Operation and winding insulation
Maintenance (O&M) recommendations, Alstom provides an extensive knowledge • Damage to the shaft and the
non-rotating part
base and expertise for in-depth diagnostics. • Ground faults, which will trip the
Over the past 25 years, Alstom has developed a comprehensive diagnostics machine
database that is comprised of data from a wide range of inspection reports and • Friction causing self-
insulation systems, as well as O&M data. These data cover a wide variety of excitation, which increases the
magnetisation of the shaft, as
machines made by diverse manufacturers and installed worldwide. The use of such well as local thermal unbalance,
products and services produces dependable analyses for optimising a power plant’s which in turn affects the shaft
maintenance and reinvestment plan. Alstom offers a fully integrated cost efficient line’s vibration behaviour
monitoring and diagnostics (M&D) solution for all power generation markets: gas, • Premature wear and pitting of the
journal and/or thrust bearings
steam, nuclear, hydro, and wind.

AMODIS® One monitoring for your complete Plant

Romon® Satellite
The ROMON® Sensors collect and transmit analogue shaft voltage and current Rotor shaft voltage and
signals to the ROMON® satellite, with this data being acquired, analysed, assessed
and displayed continually on the satellite in the form of colour light emitting diodes current measurement
(LEDs). It assists maintenance teams with preliminary judgments, thus moving
from time-based to condition-based maintenance.
analysis enables
The ROMON® Satellite produces values for assessing a generator’s condition deterioration detection
according to its unique shaft voltage pattern at a given load.
The following LED signals are displayed on the ROMON® satellite:
in the rotor winding
• Shaft ground condition insulation long before
• Rotor winding inter-turn short
a protection system is
• Electro-erosion risk
• High voltage levels in the high frequency range activated, thus acting as
• Shaft friction level
an early warning system.
• Measurement quality
• DE module fuse
• RC module fuse

Depending on the display mode selected, the ROMON® satellite displays the root
mean square, the peak values or the spectral information of the shaft voltages and
currents on its LCD display.
The satellite digitalises the analogue signals received from the sensors, and
transmits them on to the AMODIS® platform so the user can easily select different
patterns for analysing each distinct signal from the ROMON sensors.
The ROMON® software in the platform is designed to generate the most reliable
condition assessment trends. It collects the load condition information required for
interpreting each rotor voltage and current pattern directly from the plant control
system, or as analogue signals from the Distributed Control System (DCS).
Alstom has developed the rotor condition monitoring system to allow a single
computer to collect the data originating from several connected ROMON® satellites. ROMON®

ROMON® sensor - RC module

The RC (Resistance Capacity) shaft-grounding module is installed on the non-driving end
(rear) of the generator. Its main purpose is to remove high-frequency pulses from the
shaft voltage produced by the static excitation system, which can damage bearings
ROMON Sensor

ROMON® sensor - DE module

The DE (drive end) shaft-grounding module is installed on the driving end (front)
of the generator. It is a voltage and current sensor for monitoring purposes.
Given that only low currents flow through this grounding module in normal
operation, its main purpose is to remove electrostatic charges. However, if a
second ground connection is set up along the shaft, higher currents will start to
Pre-amplifier
flow through the DE module. The small resistor will then serve to attenuate these
high currents.
 POWER AUTOMATION AND CONTROLS
AMODIS® ROMON®

Existing monitoring approaches

Periodic rotor condition monitoring Alstom’s ROMON®
This configuration involves installing and connecting the ROMON® sensors with detects shaft grounding
the measuring cables extending to the preamplifiers, linking them to a ROMON®
problems, rotor interturn
satellite. The satellite, along with an AMODIS® laptop, is then transported from
generator to generator for periodic on-line measurements.
shorts, shaft rubbing,
electro-erosion, axial shaft
Permanent rotor condition monitoring magnetisation, excitation
This configuration involves installing and connecting the ROMON® sensors with system asymmetries, or even
the measuring cables extending to the preamplifiers, linking them to a ROMON® excitation brush sparking
satellite. The satellite is, in turn, linked up with an AMODIS® server, which is along the generator’s rotor
located in the power plant’s control room. The AMODIS® platform allows the
winding insulation.
operator to visualise and store the measurements from several ROMON® satellites
and other AMODIS® monitoring modules installed within a plant.
Additional operational data from the DCS is collected by the AMODIS® server for
current and historical analyses. The results can be compared to reference benchmarks
for early detection of any abnormal rotor shaft voltage and current activity.

Remote rotor condition monitoring

This configuration involves a monitoring method optimised by connection to an
Alstom remote service centre, allowing the most reliable condition diagnostics
assessment to be forwarded to the customer. Enjoy the comfort of entrusting an
entire fleet to an experienced original equipment manufacturing Plant Integrator.
This configuration allows for intelligent and optimal remote asset management,
as well as making economically rational, value-based decisions in a timely manner.

ROMON® system architecture

Generator
DCS #1

Operational Data
Unit #1
Ethernet
output
4..20mA
DE U(t) RC U(t) inputs
Module I(t) Module I(t)

ROMON
Satellite Ethernet WAN
For more information,
Unit #1
Ethernet Hub contact your local Alstom
representative.
DCS #n

Operational Data
Unit #n
ROMON Ethernet
Satellite output Visit Alstom Power online:
Unit #n 4..20mA
inputs www.alstom.com/power

TPW/BPROS/RMNMDS12/eng/PAC/06.12/CH/7670 © ALSTOM 2012. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only.
No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project. This will depend on the
technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third
parties without ALSTOM’s express written authority is strictly prohibited.