Clearly, this article, presented in the four sections bulleted below, provides a very general overview of generator history, with more left unsaid than said. No doubt there are errors of omission as well as commission. But hopefully the reader has gained a better appreciation for the efforts that went into the generator designs of today.
- Intro: Generators, a brief history
- Part 1: Electrical insulation systems
- Part 2: Winding support systems
- Part 3: Generator cooling methods
- Part 4: Generator rotor forgings
- Wrap-up: Generators, a brief history
The evolution of the large generator has presented many difficult challenges to the engineers who design them and to manufacturing personnel who make them. Progress will continue, but with continuing increasing sizes and continuing cost pressures, old problems will recur, present problems will continue, and new problems inevitably will develop.
Keep current on new generator developments of importance by attending meetings of the Generator Users Group, conducted under the umbrella of Power Users, and by participating actively in the online forum hosted by the International Generator Technical Community. The IGTC is a global self-help group with over 5000 members sharing generator challenges and solutions.
