Stranded bar to solidified bar braze method and series loop connection

• US 20070090715A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mall, Waheed, Henley, J., Burgoon, David, Wroblewski, Craig, Randall, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,449,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/201
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0081 for form-wound windings

Abstract

A stator bar series loop connection is provided that is comprised of a solidified stator bar and a stranded stator bar disposed in a stator slot so that one of the bars is disposed as a top bar and the other of the bars is disposed as a bottom bar in the slot. A first side plate is brazed adjacent a first end thereof to a first side of an end of the solidified bar and adjacent a second end thereof to a first side of the stranded bar. Further, a second side plate is brazed adjacent a first end thereof to a second side of the end of the solidified bar and adjacent a second end thereof to a second side of the stranded bar. Accordingly, the stranded bar is series connected to the solidified bar.

Claims

1. A method of forming a stator bar series loop connection comprising:

a) providing a solidified stator bar and a stranded stator bar;

b) brazing a first side plate adjacent a first end thereof to a first side of an end of said solidified bar;

c) brazing a second side plate adjacent a first end thereof to a second side of said end of said solidified bar;

d) installing said bars into a stator slot so that one of said bars is disposed as a top bar and the other of said bars is disposed as a bottom bar in said slot;

e) disposing the strands of said stranded bar between second ends of said side plates;

f) disposing braze alloy between said side plates and said strands of said stranded bar adjacent second ends of said side plates; and

g) brazing said side plates to said stranded bar, thereby to series connect said stranded bar to said solidified bar.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising, after said step f), cutting off ends of said strands of said stranded bar that extend beyond the side plates.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein in step d), said solidified bar is disposed as a radially inner, top bar in said stator slot.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said brazing steps b) and c) are performed by heating said side plates and said respective end of said solidified bar.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein heating is with a torch.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the torch has plural tips.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said brazing steps b) and c) are performed simultaneously.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said brazing steps b) and c) are performed before said installing step d).

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said solidified bar is solidified in a factory before being delivered to the field so that the end of the solidified bar is integrated as a solid end having first and second side faces and an end face.

10. A stator bar series loop connection comprising:

a solidified stator bar and a stranded stator bar disposed in a stator slot so that one of said bars is disposed as a top bar and the other of said bars is disposed as a bottom bar in said slot;

a first side plate brazed adjacent a first end thereof to a first side of an end of said solidified bar and adjacent a second end thereof to a first side of said stranded bar;

a second side plate brazed adjacent a first end thereof to a second side of said end of said solidified bar and adjacent a second end thereof to a second side of said stranded bar;

whereby said stranded bar is series connected to said solidified bar.

11. A stator bar series loop connection as in claim 10, wherein said side plates are copper plates.

12. A stator bar series loop connection as in claim 10, wherein said solidified bar is disposed as a radially inner, top bar in said stator slot.