SYSTEM FOR DETECTING GENERATOR WINDING FAULTS

• US 20100277137A1
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Xiong, Qimou, Li, Yanhang, Zhao, Haiqi
• Granted Patent: US 7,888,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 322/99
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/343 in operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/15 for wind-driven turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 the fault being an overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/007 Control circuits for doubly fed generators

Abstract

A system includes an induction generator controller configured to operate an induction generator via a converter. The induction generator controller includes a diagnostic mode configured to instruct the converter to send an input signal to a rotor of the induction generator, receive an output signal from the rotor and a stator of the induction generator, and identify winding faults within the rotor and/or the stator based on the output signals.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an induction generator including a rotor and a stator;

a converter electrically coupled to the induction generator and configured to regulate a flow of electrical power between the induction generator and an electrical grid; and

a controller electrically coupled to the induction generator and the converter, wherein the controller is configured to operate the converter selectively in an electrical power generation mode and a diagnostic mode, and wherein the diagnostic mode of the controller is configured to instruct the converter to send an input signal to the rotor, receive an output signal from the rotor and the stator, and identify winding faults within the rotor, the stator, or a combination thereof, based on the output signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the induction generator comprises a double-fed induction generator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a retrofit kit configured to enable the controller to operate the converter in the diagnostic mode.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising a wind turbine including the induction generator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input signal comprises a balanced alternating current (AC) voltage, and wherein the rotor output signal comprises an AC current.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the diagnostic mode of the controller is configured to identify winding faults within the rotor based on detection of a current imbalance within the output signal of the rotor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the input signal comprises a balanced AC voltage, and wherein the stator output signal comprises an AC voltage.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the diagnostic mode of the controller is configured to identify winding faults within the stator based on detection of a voltage imbalance within the output signal of the stator.

9. A system comprising:

an induction generator controller configured to operate an induction generator via a converter, wherein the induction generator controller comprises a diagnostic mode configured to instruct the converter to send an input signal to a rotor of the induction generator, receive an output signal from the rotor and a stator of the induction generator, and identify winding faults within the rotor, the stator, or a combination thereof, based on the output signals.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the diagnostic mode of the induction generator controller is configured to disconnect the induction generator from an electrical grid prior to instructing the converter to send the input signal.

11. The system of claim 9, comprising a wind turbine including the induction generator controller, wherein the induction generator controller is communicatively coupled to a data processing unit remote from the wind turbine.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the input signal comprises a balanced alternating current (AC) voltage.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the diagnostic mode of the induction generator controller is configured to identify winding faults within the rotor based on detection of a current imbalance within the output signal of the rotor.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the diagnostic mode of the induction generator controller is configured to identify winding faults within the stator based on detection of a voltage imbalance within the output signal of the stator.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the induction generator comprises a double-fed induction generator.

16. A system comprising:

a machine-readable medium;

power generation instructions disposed on the machine-readable medium, wherein the power generation instructions are configured to operate an induction generator; and

diagnostic instructions disposed on the machine-readable medium, wherein the diagnostic instructions comprise;

instructions to disconnect the induction generator from an electrical grid, instructions to send a balanced alternating current (AC) voltage to a rotor of the induction generator, instructions to receive a current from the rotor, instructions to receive a voltage from a stator of the induction generator, instructions to detect a winding fault within the rotor based on the received current, and instructions to detect a winding fault within the stator based on the received voltage.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the power generation instructions are configured to operate a double-fed induction generator.

18. The system of claim 16, comprising an induction generator controller configured to execute the power generation instructions and the diagnostic instructions.

19. The system of claim 18, comprising a wind turbine including the induction generator controller.

20. The system of claim 18, comprising a converter configured to regulate a flow of electrical power between the induction generator and the electrical grid based on input from the induction generator controller.