Abstract: The invention concerns a method for starting a hydroelectric turbine (10) in a pumping mode, said turbine being provided with a runner (6) mechanically coupled to a shaft line (8) and a variable speed electric motor connected to a grid, a distributor (4) comprising guide vanes to control a flow of water to said runner, the method comprising: a) a step of operating the variable speed motor at least partly at fixed speed, said guide vanes being only partially opened, and of defining or calculating: data of a plurality of hydraulic characteristics (C1, C2, Ci) of the turbine for an operation without cavitation; data of an operation range of the electric motor, giving the speed of the motor as a function of its power; b) then a step of operating the turbine in a power control mode.

Abstract: A runner for a hydraulic machine comprising a band, a crown, a plurality of blades extending between the crown and the band, wherein the runner comprises a plurality of runner segments which together define the runner, each runner segment comprising a band portion, a crown portion and a blade, which portions are integrally formed with one another, each runner segment being attachable to another segment at a band joining edge and a crown joining edge, wherein the band joining edge and the crown joining edge are each spaced apart from the blade of the segment.

Abstract: A hydraulic turbine includes a runner having a shaft, a runner crown, and a runner tip. Blades are fixed to the runner crown and are rotatable around an axis of rotation in operation of the hydraulic turbine, each blade including a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first chamber is located between the runner crown and a stationary head cover, or within head cover. A second chamber is located in the runner tip. A passage for water is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber. The runner crown has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a larger diameter than the lower portion such that a channel is defined between the upper and lower portions. The channel has a circular shape and a circular symmetry around the axis of rotation and leads to a discharge region below the runner.

Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.

Abstract: A salient pole machine a rotor having a rotor rim. A plurality of salient poles having a pole winding and extending in the radial direction are attached to the rotor rim, with the rotor rim having an outermost radial surface between the pole-rim interfaces. A plurality of axial rib-like rim extensions project radially from the outermost radial surface of the rotor rim with a predetermined circumferential distance between neighboring rim extensions. A plurality of axial pole grooves in the salient pole match and receive the rim extensions. Fixing elements fix the rim extensions in the pole grooves and are inserted axially into facing interface holes defined in facing sidewalls of the pole grooves and the rib-like rim extensions. The fixing elements are radially inward of the pole windings and are accessible for axial sliding removal from the facing interface holes.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for coupling to the grid a hydraulic unit having a synchronous generator, a runner, and wicket gates. The method includes a step of increasing the flow of water into the runner from a time t0 to a time t1 so that the rotation frequency of the rotor of the synchronous generator is, at time t1 equal to the frequency of the grid, and closing the circuit breaker at time t1. A sub-interval from a time t2 to time t1 is defined, with t0<=t2<t3<=t1, wherein a sub-step is executed to apply an adjustment torque to the shaft line via a first actuator that controls the flow of water into the runner and a second actuator coupled to a stator of the synchronous generator.

Abstract: A salient pole machine (30) comprises a rotor (20) rotating about a machine axis, said rotor (20) having at its circumference a rotor rim (21) with a predetermined outer radius (29), whereby a plurality of salient poles (22), each extending in radial direction, is attached to said rotor (20) at said rotor rim (21) at a respective pole-rim interface (24). The mechanical properties of the configuration are improved by providing at said pole-rim interface (24) a plurality of axial rib-like rim extensions (25) projecting radially from said rotor rim (28) with a predetermined circumferential distance (d) between neighboring rim extensions (25), by each salient pole (22) having a plurality of axial pole grooves (26) matching and receiving said rib-like rim extensions (25) at the respective pole-rim interface (24), and by providing fixing elements (27) to fix said rib-like rim extensions (25) in said pole grooves (26).

Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.

Abstract: A conductor bar for a stator winding of a rotating electrical machine includes a bundle of parallel conductor strands extending between two ends of the conductor bar and spaced apart by interspaces. A main insulation is wound around the bundle of conductor strands and a stack separators fills at least part of the interspaces. Protection elements are between the bundle of conductor strands and the main insulation. At least one of the protection elements or the stack separators are configured to compensate, at least in part, thermal expansion of the conductor elements when temperature changes.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for coupling to the grid a hydraulic unit having a synchronous generator, a runner, and wicket gates, the method comprises: a) a step of increasing the flow of water into the runner from a time t0 to a time t1 so that the rotation frequency of the rotor of the synchronous generator is, at time t1 equal to the frequency of the grid; b) a step of closing the circuit breaker at time t1, step a) further comprises a sub-step a1) executed from a time t2 to time t1, wherein the flow of water is adjusted so that, at time t1, the phase of the synchronous generator is aligned with the grid phase.

Abstract: A hydraulic turbine includes a rotor with a runner, which is concentrically surrounded by a stator, whereby the runner comprises a plurality of runner blades arranged and distributed in a ring around a rotor axis, and each runner blade extends between a runner crown and a runner band; whereby the stator comprises a plurality of guide vanes arranged and distributed in a ring around the rotor axis, and each guide vane extends between an upper stator ring and a lower stator ring; and whereby a predetermined clearance is provided at least between the runner band and the lower stator ring. A substantial reduction of pressure pulsations in the vane-less gap between said runner blades of said runner is achieved by substantially increasing said predetermined clearance.

Abstract: This method is for orientating the blades (40) of a turbine (4) past a non-reachable range of positions (?1, ?2) in a power plant (2), said blades (40) being rotatable around orientation axes (X40) distinct from a rotation axis (X) of the turbine (4), the turbine (4) comprising means (42, 44, 46) for orientating the blades (40), said means being adapted to exert an adjustable torque on the blades (40).

Abstract: Methods of operating a variable speed wind turbine in an event of a power set-point limitation are described. The methods may comprise determining whether the power set-point is below or equal to a theoretical capability of the wind turbine in accordance with prevailing wind conditions. If the power set-point is below the theoretical capability, operating the wind turbine to generate power according to the power set-point, including operating the wind turbine according to a generator torque and a generator rotor speed predefined for the power set-point. Each power set-point is defined by a combination of a generator rotor speed and a generator torque, the generator rotor speed (?min, ?1, ?2, ?max) being outside an exclusion band.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rotor for a synchronous generator having a plurality of salient poles regularly disposed on the outer periphery of a rim, each pole comprising a coil with two external terminals said, respectively, first terminal and second terminal, the poles being arranged so that two adjacent poles have either their respective first terminals or their respective second terminals facing each other, the rotor further comprising at least a first connection between first terminals and/or at least a second connection between second terminals, the rotor being characterized in that the first connection and the second connection comprises a plurality of elongated conductive plates whose each ends (A, B) are secured via a single securing mean on facing terminals.

Abstract: Generator rotor comprising a rotor rim and a plurality of permanent magnet modules and a plurality of anchors arranged at an outer or inner circumference of the rotor rim such that the anchors substantially fix the permanent magnet modules to the rotor, wherein the permanent magnet modules comprise a base having a bottom surface, two axially extending side surfaces and a top surface, and one or more rows of magnets mounted on said top surface, wherein the two side surfaces of the permanent magnet modules each comprise an axially extending groove, and wherein the anchors have a shape that substantially fits exactly in axially extending grooves of neighboring permanent magnet modules.

Abstract: A combined cooling and abrasion particles removal system and method for providing cooling and removing abrasion particles in a contact region between a brush and a slip ring of an electromechanical machine, the system comprising a passage for accommodating the brush and having a front opening adapted to face the slip ring, at least one supply tube with an outlet for blowing a gaseous medium at least partially into a direction towards a free space adjacent to the front opening, and at least one suction tube with an inlet opening for sucking off the gaseous medium and the abrasion particles from the free space. In order to pick up abrasion particles and provide sufficient cooling, the free space merges with a vortex chamber for generating a vortex of the gaseous medium carrying the abrasion particles in operation of the system.

Abstract: An apparatus for modifying the geometry of at least one part of a turbine can include a shell assembly 3 that includes an outer shell that is shaped to modify the shape of a pre-existing element of a turbine. The outer shell 8 of the shell assembly 3 can be composed of a fiber-reinforced polymeric material and can at least partially define an inner cavity. The outer shell 8 can be bonded to a structure to modify the geometrical shape of that structure. Thereafter, a polymer casting 12 can be injected into the inner cavity via at least one injection port attached to the shell assembly. In some embodiments, one or more stiffeners 9 and/or a core 10 can be positioned within the inner cavity to help improve the bonding of the polymer casting 12 to the shell 2 and/or improve a structural property of the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an innovative tool for connecting or disconnecting a runner to/from a shaft assembly. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for carrying out such operations using the tool. Advantageously, connecting/disconnecting operations can occur without having to work under a suspended load, as the tool may be activated for supporting the runner remotely from a location outside a runner footprint.

Abstract: A permanent magnet module for an electrical machine extending along an axial direction is provided. The permanent magnet module comprises a permanent magnet assembly comprising at least one permanent magnet and a base supporting at least part of the permanent magnet assembly and extending from a bottom adapted to be positioned on a rotor of an electrical machine to a top along a radial direction. The permanent magnet assembly further comprises a first inclined permanent magnet portion and a second inclined permanent magnet portion arranged outwardly inclined along the radial direction and a tangential permanent magnet portion arranged substantially perpendicular to the radial direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for lifting a wind turbine blade to a rotor hub includes a blade holder configured to receive and support the wind turbine blade. A connection element is configured on the blade holder and is adapted to attach directly to a mounting surface of a wind turbine rotor hub. A lifting equipment attachment is configured on the blade holder to attach to the blade holder to lifting equipment. A first steering mechanism is operably connected between the blade holder and the lifting equipment attachment to control an orientation of the blade held by the blade holder with respect to the lifting equipment attachment.