IN-SITU METHOD FOR SEALING FLUID COOLED CONDUITS FOR A GENERATOR

• US 20160359396A1
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schilf, Eric Lawrence, Lambert, James Oldham
• Granted Patent: US 9,847,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 1/20 Preliminary treatment of work or areas to be soldered, e.g. in respect of a galvanic coating preparation of surfaces in particular ways, see the relevant classes for the treatments or the materials treated, e.g. C04B, C23C
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/12 relating to investigating the properties, e.g. the weldability, of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/125 Weld quality monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0276 for working on or in tubes B23K37/0211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/9548 Scanning the interior of a cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0006 Disassembling, repairing or modifying dynamo-electric machines repairing of cooling fluid boxes H02K15/0093
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0093 Manufacturing or repairing cooling fluid boxes, i.e. terminals of fluid cooled windings ensuring both electrical and fluid connection
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/125 Heating or drying of machines in operational state, e.g. standstill heating
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/22 consisting of hollow conductors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]

Abstract

A method for sealing fluid cooled conduits in-situ for a generator is provided. The fluid or liquid cooled conduits are located external to a stator of the generator and substantially outward of stator bars. The method includes draining coolant from the fluid cooled conduits, and drying interior surfaces of the fluid cooled conduits. In inserting step inserts a borescope and a sealant applicator through an opening in one of the fluid cooled conduits. A locating step locates a brazed joint in the fluid cooled conduit, and a positioning step positions the borescope and the sealant applicator near the brazed joint. An applying step applies a sealant to the inside of the fluid cooled conduit at the brazed joint A viewing step may be used to view the brazed joint with the borescope to confirm that the applying step has been successful.

Claims