Gasoline generator fan blade installation process

Do generator rotor fan vanes & blower blades fail?

The potential failure of generator rotor fan vanes and blower blades has been identified as an area for detailed risk assessment in the electric power generation industry. Liberation of fan component has caused catastrophic damage to both the rotor and stator components on a number of units.

How should a generator rotor fan/blower be examined?

Generator rotor fans/blowers should be visually and non-destructively examined on a periodic basis for evidence of cracking and pending failure. Standard non-destructive examination (NDE) techniques include dye penetrant (PT), eddy current (EC), magnetic particle (MT), and ultrasonic (UT) tests.

How many axial flow fans does a generator rotor have?

The generator rotor is equipped with two axial flow fans - one at the turbine end and one at the collector end. Each fan has 24 aluminum blades held in place by two 3/4” Grade 8 mounting bolts, secured with locking plates (see Figure 1 for typical design).

What are the different types of generator cooling blowers/fans?

The two main categories of generator cooling blowers/fans are axial flow blowers and radial flow fans. There is generally one blower or fan installed at each end of the generator rotor, although there are also single-blower/fan designs.

How many blowers are in a generator rotor?

There is generally one blower or fan installed at each end of the generator rotor, although there are also single-blower/fan designs. In general, an axial blower is used in applications where a high volume of flow is required at a lower system pressure.

How do I fix a broken blade fan?

The recommended permanent corrective action is to replace the single hold down bolt design with a two bolt design (see Figure 2). This requires replacing the blade fan boss, along with all of the blades. Bolt installation torque should be per manufacturer’s recommendations.