concave-convex wedges for generators

[Yuma]

Those of you who own generators have probably faced the wedges problem. I am talking about the 'radial' wedges that lock the coils into the slot. The tightness of these wedges has to be periodically checked and, if the OEM finds some of them to be loose, they reccomend to partially or totally replace them.

Alstom is now offering a new design, the concave-convex wedges. These are supposed to be very easy to keep tight, by means of compressed air.

Now, what I wanted to ask you is: Does anybody have these concave-convex wedges? Are they as good as easy to maintain as Alstom claims? All in all, are you happy with them?

 

[ScottyUK]

Never seen them - have you got a link to any data? Sounds like an interesting idea.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[byrdj]

there should actually be some field feedback by now..they were introduced in the 1990's
however I have not hear any comments about them

http://www.aesieap0910.org/upload/File/PDF/4-Technical Sessions/TS28/TS2801/TS2801 FP.pdf

page 10

 

[Yuma]

Thanks Byrdj, I wasn't aware of that document. It sounds strange to me that the idea was patented in 1992 and Alstom claims to have installed it in "hundreds of generators" yet I have seen a lot of generators manufactured by Alstom during the last 20 years and this is the first time that I come to hear about these wedges.