Abstract: An electrical power generating apparatus (20) may include a housing (22), an electrical generator (24) within the housing, and a step-up transformer (30) within the housing and connected to the electrical generator. A turbine (26) may be provided exterior the housing (22) to drive the electrical generator (24). A barrier wall (38) may be provided within the housing and (22) between the electrical generator (24) and the step-up transformer (30), and a fire extinguishing system (40) may be installed within the housing (22). The step-up transformer (30) may be connected to the electrical generator (24) without use of an isolated phase bus.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide improved online detection of one or more shorts in rotor turns (18) of a field winding (22) of an electric generator. An initial reference inductance LREF is determined by an impedance-measuring circuit (50). A subsequent inductance L is determined by the impedance measuring circuit (50). A data processing system (54) compares LREF to L to determine whether they differ by a predetermined amount. If LREF and L differ by the predetermined amount, an alarm is provided to operators to indicate the presence of one or more shorted rotor turns.