Patents by Inventor Michael D. Garmon
Michael D. Garmon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 10833568Abstract: A generator grounding module selectively mountable to a support bracket and selectively engageable with a rotor includes a plate member movable along a mounting axis to selectively attach the generator grounding module to the support bracket, the plate member movable between a first position and a second position in which the plate member is substantially fixed with respect to the support bracket. A mounting block is movable along the mounting axis with respect to the plate member, a grounding strap is coupled to the mounting block and is movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position in which the grounding strap contacts the rotor, and a biasing assembly is connected to the plate member and the mounting block and operable to bias the mounting block along the mounting axis toward the plate member, wherein the plate member is fixedly attached to the support bracket when in the second position and the biasing assembly biases the grounding strap into the engaged position.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Justin Nathaniel England, Thomas I. Nelson, Kim M. McCreight, Timothy J. Garner
-
Patent number: 10749395Abstract: An assembly and a method for preventing an axial migration of a spring in a generator rotor are presented. The assembly includes a step pin radially disposed through an amortisseur and inserted into a spring of the generator rotor. The step pin is arranged axially apart from an adjacent radial vent passage and radially extends through the spring into a slot clearance between the spring and a creepage. The amortisseur includes a counter bore to retain a pin head and a pin shoulder. The spring includes a pin hole for a pin body extending therethrough. Diameters of the counter bore and the pin hole are smaller than diameters of amortisseur radial vent aperture and spring radial vent aperture. The step pin prevents an axial migration of the spring in rotor slots.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Andrew Adam, Mark Roberts, Grant Hennessey, Alan Fortner, Brent Mazingo, Randy Edward Whitener, Michael D. Garmon
-
Publication number: 20200251967Abstract: A generator grounding module selectively mountable to a support bracket and selectively engageable with a rotor includes a plate member movable along a mounting axis to selectively attach the generator grounding module to the support bracket, the plate member movable between a first position and a second position in which the plate member is substantially fixed with respect to the support bracket. A mounting block is movable along the mounting axis with respect to the plate member, a grounding strap is coupled to the mounting block and is movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position in which the grounding strap contacts the rotor, and a biasing assembly is connected to the plate member and the mounting block and operable to bias the mounting block along the mounting axis toward the plate member, wherein the plate member is fixedly attached to the support bracket when in the second position and the biasing assembly biases the grounding strap into the engaged position.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2019Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Justin Nathaniel England, Thomas I. Nelson, Kim M. McCreight, Timothy J. Garner
-
Publication number: 20190326791Abstract: An assembly and a method for preventing an axial migration of a spring in a generator rotor are presented. The assembly includes a step pin radially disposed through an amortisseur and inserted into a spring of the generator rotor. The step pin is arranged axially apart from an adjacent radial vent passage and radially extends through the spring into a slot clearance between the spring and a creepage. The amortisseur includes a counter bore to retain a pin head and a pin shoulder. The spring includes a pin hole for a pin body extending therethrough. Diameters of the counter bore and the pin hole are smaller than diameters of amortisseur radial vent aperture and spring radial vent aperture. The step pin prevents an axial migration of the spring in rotor slots.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2018Publication date: October 24, 2019Inventors: Andrew Adam, Mark Roberts, Grant Hennessey, Alan Fortner, Brent Mazingo, Randy Edward Whitener, Michael D. Garmon
-
Patent number: 10396630Abstract: A system for cooling windings of generator rotor is presented. The system includes a cooling passage including inlet and outlet radial bores radially extending into rotor shaft extension, inlet and outlet axial bores axially extending within rotor shaft extension, first and second radial bores radially extending from cavities under two retaining rings into rotor shaft extension, and an axial passage through windings from cavity under retaining ring at turbine end side to cavity under retaining ring at excitation end side. A coolant flows through the cooling passage and directly cools windings by traveling through entire windings. The system uses non-explosive fluid as coolant eliminating using hydrogen as coolant and provides sufficient direct cooling of windings of a high power density generator rotor without extensive piping.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico
-
Patent number: 10277086Abstract: Rotor windings for a thermo pump-cooled generator have an internally formed cooling passage having a cooling inlet on a radial underside of the motor end winding portion and a cooling outlet on a radial upper side of the axial portion that is oriented within the generator air gap. The cooling passage in the rotor winding exhausts air from end winding portions that are circumscribed by a generator retaining ring into the generator air gap.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico
-
Patent number: 10224787Abstract: Disclosed is an improved life large electric generator comprising a rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of stator windings arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a liquid cooling system that circulates a cooling liquid to cool the stator windings wherein the cooling ability of the liquid cooling system is a function of a required generator parameter; and a pressure boundary member that surrounds a plurality of the rotor and an entirety of the core and stator windings, the frame configured to operatively contain an internal pressure of two (2) bar relative to atmospheric pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2015Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20180375403Abstract: A system for cooling windings of generator rotor is presented. The system includes a cooling passage including inlet and outlet radial bores radially extending into rotor shaft extension, inlet and outlet axial bores axially extending within rotor shaft extension, first and second radial bores radially extending from cavities under two retaining rings into rotor shaft extension, and an axial passage through windings from cavity under retaining ring at turbine end side to cavity under retaining ring at excitation end side. A coolant flows through the cooling passage and directly cools windings by traveling through entire windings. The system uses non-explosive fluid as coolant eliminating using hydrogen as coolant and provides sufficient direct cooling of windings of a high power density generator rotor without extensive piping.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2017Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico
-
Patent number: 10141816Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operating a large electric generator, the generator having a rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator, a core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of stator windings arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator, the method steps including circulating a cooling liquid that cool the stator windings; sensing an output parameter of the generator; comparing via a control system the sensed output parameter of the generator to a predetermined scheme; and sending a control signal to an adjusting device in accordance with the control system comparison.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Patent number: 10141815Abstract: A variable pressure electric generator, including a gas cooled rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a gas cooled core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of coils arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a pressurizing system that operatively pressurizes the cooling medium to a maximum pressure of 2 bar relative to atmospheric pressure, wherein the pressurizing system continuously determines the cooling medium pressure based upon operational requirements; and a low pressure frame that surrounds a plurality of the rotor and an entirety of the core and stator windings, the frame configured to operatively contain an internal pressure of 2 bar relative to atmospheric pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Patent number: 10135320Abstract: Described is a large, thin frame gas cooled electric generator for power generation, having a gas cooled rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a gas cooled core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of coils arranged within the core; a support frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a pressurizing system that variably pressurizes the cooling medium to a maximum pressure of one bar relative to atmospheric pressure; and a pressure boundary member that surrounds a plurality of the rotor and an entirety of the core and stator windings, the frame configured to operatively contain an internal cooling medium pressure of 2 bar relative to atmospheric pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Patent number: 10044246Abstract: Disclosed is a variable performance large electric generator, comprising, a rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of stator windings arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a liquid cooling system that circulates a cooling liquid to cool the stator windings wherein the cooling ability of the liquid cooling system is a function of a required generator parameter; a pressurizing system that operatively pressurizes the cooling gas to a maximum pressure of two (2) bar relative to atmospheric pressure, wherein the pressurizing system continuously determines the cooling gas pressure based upon a required generator parameter; and a control system that controls the cooling ability of the liquid cooling system in conjunction with the cooling gas pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20160211722Abstract: Disclosed is a variable performance large electric generator, comprising, a rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of stator windings arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a liquid cooling system that circulates a cooling liquid to cool the stator windings wherein the cooling ability of the liquid cooling system is a function of a required generator parameter; a pressurizing system that operatively pressurizes the cooling gas to a maximum pressure of two (2) bar relative to atmospheric pressure, wherein the pressurizing system continuously determines the cooling gas pressure based upon a required generator parameter; and a control system that controls the cooling ability of the liquid cooling system in conjunction with the cooling gas pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20160211721Abstract: Disclosed is an improved life large electric generator comprising a rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of stator windings arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a liquid cooling system that circulates a cooling liquid to cool the stator windings wherein the cooling ability of the liquid cooling system is a function of a required generator parameter; and a pressure boundary member that surrounds a plurality of the rotor and an entirety of the core and stator windings, the frame configured to operatively contain an internal pressure of two (2) bar relative to atmospheric pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20160211726Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operating a large electric generator, the generator having a rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator, a core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of stator windings arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator, the method steps including circulating a cooling liquid that cool the stator windings; sensing an output parameter of the generator; comparing via a control system the sensed output parameter of the generator to a predetermined scheme; and sending a control signal to an adjusting device in accordance with the control system comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20160211725Abstract: A variable pressure electric generator, including a gas cooled rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a gas cooled core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of coils arranged within the core; a stator frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a pressurizing system that operatively pressurizes the cooling medium to a maximum pressure of 2 bar relative to atmospheric pressure, wherein the pressurizing system continuously determines the cooling medium pressure based upon operational requirements; and a low pressure frame that surrounds a plurality of the rotor and an entirety of the core and stator windings, the frame configured to operatively contain an internal pressure of 2 bar relative to atmospheric pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20160211724Abstract: Described is a large, thin frame gas cooled electric generator for power generation, having a gas cooled rotor arranged along a centerline of the generator; a gas cooled core arranged coaxially and surrounding the rotor; a plurality of coils arranged within the core; a support frame arranged to fixedly support the core and rotationally support the rotor; a gas cooling system that circulates a cooling gas within the generator; a pressurizing system that variably pressurizes the cooling medium to a maximum pressure of one bar relative to atmospheric pressure; and a pressure boundary member that surrounds a plurality of the rotor and an entirety of the core and stator windings, the frame configured to operatively contain an internal cooling medium pressure of 2 bar relative to atmospheric pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico, Bobby A. Warren
-
Publication number: 20160149452Abstract: Rotor windings for a thermo pump-cooled generator have an internally formed cooling passage having a cooling inlet on a radial underside of the motor end winding portion and a cooling outlet on a radial upper side of the axial portion that is oriented within the generator air gap. The cooling passage in the rotor winding exhausts air from end winding portions that are circumscribed by a generator retaining ring into the generator air gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2014Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Michael D. Garmon, Raul Ricardo Rico