Detecting coolant leaks in turbine generators

• US 9,170,193 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Xu, James Jun, Squillacioti, Leonard Paul, Francese, Stephen Frank, Shewchuk, Brian Scott, Wollman, Erich John
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, MINDY D
• Application Number:
  US13/911,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/223 for pipe joints or seals
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/228 for radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a leak in a gas cooled generator is provided. The apparatus includes a subsystem for introducing a non-corrosive second gas having an infrared absorption spectrum into the generator. The apparatus also includes an imaging component adapted to detect radiation at the infrared absorption spectrum of the non-corrosive second gas. The imaging component is provided with a filter that filters wavelengths in a range encompassing the infrared absorption spectrum of the non-corrosive second gas. The imaging component displays an image of the tracer gas leaking from the generator on the imaging component.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a leak in a generator cooled by a first gas, the apparatus comprising:

a subsystem for introducing a non-corrosive second gas having an infrared absorption spectrum into the generator, the non-corrosive second gas comprising an inert gas, and the subsystem further enables replacing the first gas with the inert gas and thereafter introducing air at a predetermined temperature until the inert gas is reduced to between 99% to 1% by volume; and

an imaging component adapted to detect radiation at the infrared absorption spectrum of the non-corrosive second gas, the imaging component having a filter that filters wavelengths in a range encompassing the infrared absorption spectrum of the non-corrosive second gas.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging component comprises an infrared imaging device with a cooled detector having a spectral response between 3 μ

m and 5 μ

m.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the filter narrows a cooled detector response of the infrared imaging device to between 3.9 μ

m and 4.6 μ

m.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an imaging device subsystem that moves the infrared imaging device around the generator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-corrosive second gas has an absorption spectrum of between 3.8 μ

m and 4.6 μ

m.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-corrosive second gas is a non-corrosive second gas selected from among a group comprising hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subsystem for introducing a non-corrosive second gas comprises:

a source of the non-corrosive second gas; and

a control valve.

8. A system for detecting a gas leak in a hydrogen cooled generator, the system comprising:

a source of non-corrosive tracer gas;

a subsystem for introducing non-corrosive tracer gas into the hydrogen cooled generator, the non-corrosive second gas comprising an inert gas, and the subsystem further enables replacing the hydrogen with the inert gas and thereafter introducing air at a predetermined temperature until the inert gas is reduced to between 99% to 1% by volume; and

an infrared imaging device adapted to display an image of the non-corrosive tracer gas.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the source of non-corrosive tracer gas is a source of hydrocarbon gas.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the source of non-corrosive tracer gas is a source of carbon dioxide.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the infrared imaging device is a passive infrared imaging system.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the infrared imaging device is a manually operated active infrared imaging system.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising an imaging device subsystem that moves the infrared imaging device around the hydrogen cooled generator.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the infrared imaging device comprises a filter.

15. A method for detecting a leak of a coolant in a generator, the method comprising:

disposing an infrared imaging device having a cooled detector response of between 3 μ

m to 5 μ

m with a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the generator;

introducing a tracer gas into the generator the tracer gas having an absorption spectrum of between 3 μ

m and 5 μ

m;

filtering radiation received by the infrared imaging device in the absorption spectrum of the tracer gas;

displaying an image of tracer gas leaking from the portion of the generator on the infrared imaging device, wherein the step of introducing the tracer gas comprises replacing the coolant with carbon dioxide, and thereafter introducing air at a predetermined temperature until the carbon dioxide is reduced to between 99% to 1% by volume.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of introducing a tracer gas comprises introducing the tracer gas from the bottom of the generator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracer gas has a density of between 0.5 to 2.5 igniter.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracer gas has an absorption spectrum of between 3.9 μ

m to 4.6 μ

m.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of introducing the tracer gas comprises introducing carbon dioxide until the carbon dioxide reaches approximately between 1% to 100% by volume.