Rotor Bar % Continuity Tests Using the El-Cid Equipment.

(Highlights of over 290 tests)

J McMurdo

The Extreme
Major Damage to: Rotor Winding Rotor Core Stator Core Stator Winding

Rotor Bar Types

Bar profile:
T L Rectangular Round Pyramid Square.

Material:
Copper Brass Aluminium Silicon-Bronze Steel

Approaching the Extreme

Bars de-brazed from s/c ring, eroded through the slot bridge,

Being rubbed down by contact with the stator core

Broken Rotor Bars

Numerous broken bars, erosion of slot bridges in progress

Inadequate Brazing [A]

Inadequate Brazing [B]

Bar % Continuity and Core Losses

120.00 Rebr azed Bar cont inuit y Or iginal bar cont inuit y El Cid Pr of ile

100.00

80.00

60.00

40.00

No evidence of correlation between in-phase bar % continuity and quadrature measurement of core losses

20.00

0.00 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 73

Good
Rotor Bar % Continuity Avg 98% - Lowest 93%

100.00
Percent Continuity

80.00 60.00 40.00 20.00 0.00 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 Bar No

One Low Indication *Localised Repair Possible

Rotor Bar % Continuity Avg 95% - Lowest 33%

100.00 90.00 80.00

Percent Continuity

70.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00 0.00 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 Bar No

Numerous Low Indications *Major Repairs Indicated

Rotor Bar % Continuity Avg 89% - Lowest 64% 11 Bars below 80%
100.00 95.00

Percent Continuity

90.00 85.00 80.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 Bar No

Steel Bars to Copper Short Circuit Rings [A]

Rotor Bar % Continuity Avg 98% - Lowest 94% N.B. Steel Bars
100.00 95.00

Percent Continuity

90.00 85.00 80.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 73 76 Bar No

Steel Bars to Copper Short Circuit Rings [B]

Rotor Bar % Continuity Re-test Avg 98% - lowest 91% N.B. Steel Bars
100.00 95.00

Percent Continuity

90.00 85.00 80.00 75.00 70.00 65.00 60.00 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 73 76 Bar No

Induction Techniques
Work using the Wissink tester first performed at Bonnycan and refined during the Authors continued development work at GEC / Alstom and Wadeville AW Induction coil growler combined with El-Cid equipment to qualify starting condition [50hz]

Die-Cast Aluminium Rotor *Outer Cage

Rotor Bar % Continuity Avg 86% - 10 bars <80% - Lowest 70% Outer Cage (Starting condition)
100 80 60 40 20 0 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 Bar No
Percent Continuity

Die-Cast Aluminium Rotor *Inner Cage

Rotor Bar % Continuity Avg 93% -Lowest 84% Inner Cage
100.00 80.00 60.00 40.00 20.00 0.00 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 Bar No
Percent Continuity

Die-Cast Rotor Bar *Combined Profile

Die-Cast Rotor P rofile
1 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 40.00 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 14 15 16 17 18 60.00 50.00 80.00 70.00 90.00 50 49 100.00 2 3 INNER 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 OUTER

El-Cid Technique
Direct applied current Measurement using the Rogowski coil (Chattock potentiometer) coreless, noninductively wound sensor. In-phase measurement rather than quadrature Technique differentiates between
1. broken bars and 2. poor bar to short circuit ring joints

El-Cid Technique (contd)

Accuracy: Calibrated to within 0.5% Repeatability: Bar #1 hard stamped, bar #2 stamped to confirm progression

El-Cid Technique

Phase Sensor

Conclusion
Rotor bar problems still occur Testing at the assessment stage is of value in preventing the Extreme Re-test to prove efficacy after repairs End-user operational feedback is required to maximise value

The Extreme
Major Damage to: Rotor Winding

Rotor Core
Stator Core Stator Winding

Acknowledgement: This presentation was produced in collaboration with Ron Scollay