A New nign- votage Insulation ror
ALUI L] * I \s I |I
Turbine-Uenerator tator Winaings
C. M. LAFFOON C. F. HILL
FELLOW AIEE FELLOW AIEE
L. J. BERBERICH
FELLOW AIEE
Synopsis: This paper reports the develop-
tmentuflatinefwsyrhicghvoltagestnaodewmica
ings. It reviews the problems associated
with earlier forms of high-voltage machine
insulation. The general construction and
processing of the insulation are described
briefly. Comprehensive test data are pre-
sented on the characteristics of the ma-
terials employed and the resultant physical
and electrical properties obtained on the
composite insulation. This new insulation
is now being applied to turbine generators
for central station service.
VER since the first central station
generator started delivering power
in New York City in 1882, insulation has
presented a challenge to the designer. No
other single component of the generator
determines its reliability and continuity
of service more than the insulation.
While the earliest generators had treated
fibrous insulation of cellulosic origin,
mica was applied as early as 1892. Mica
has a unique combination of electrical,
mechanical, and thermal properties that
havJe not been equalled by any of the
many synthetic materials which have ap-
peared in the last 50 years. Mica has been
and still is the key material around which
all high-voltage rotating machine in-
sulations have evolved.
Mica, while having excellent properties,
unfortunately is not available in con-
tinuous film form and therefore must be
applied in the form of flakes of varying
sizes necssitted
Thi he ue ofsome
organic materials such as paper, cotton
cloth, and resinous binders such as shellac
or asphaltic compounds to apply the in-
sulation and fill the voids. Most of the
advances made in the last 40 years in this
type of insulation have involved either
the development of better resinous
195U1, VOLUME 70 Laffoon, Hill, M7foses, Berbericit-Insulation for Stator WFindings
I . V first
GRAHAM LEE MOSES
FELLOW AIEE
binders for the mica flakes or improve-
ments in the process of applying such
binders to obtain a low loss and relatively
void-free insulation. The presence of
voids in insulation has a marked effect on
the dielectric strength, and hence con-
siderable effort has been expended on the
development of insulation having a mini-
mum of voids not only when new but also
during the long period of service ex-
pected.
The first major advance in high-voltage
machine insulation was made when the
mica folium insulation was developed in
Europe.' The Haefely process for ap-
plying this insulation was first brought to
this country by Westinghouse in 1911.
Mica folium originally consisted of wide
sheets of fabricated mica backed with
thin paper and bonded together with
shellac. This insulation was applied to
the straight parts of the coils by means
of the Haefely machine which heated and
rolled the folium onto the coils. The end
turns were then insulated with multiple
layers of vamished cambric tape. This
insulation was excellent from the elec-
trical standpoint, but as machines be-
came longer some difficulty was experi-
enced with the joint between the mica
folium on the straight parts of the coil and
the varnished cambric on the end turns.
This difficulty was a result of differences
in expansion and contraction of the copper
conductors, the insulation, and the iron
in the stator in going through temperature
cycles. Also the organic end turn insula-
tion possessed the disadvantage of having
a somewhat limited life as machine oper-
ating temperatures were increased.
This mica folium insulation neverthe-
less served very well for about 15 years
with only minor modifications. The
appreciable change was made in this
country in the 1920's,2'3 when the rela-
tively hard and brittle shellac bond was
replaced by a sfterwaspsubstituted for
the varnished cambric end turn insulation
fornerly used. Similar improvements
also were made in Europe.4 These
changes increased the flexibility, lowered
the dielectric losses, reduced the swelling,
and provided an end turn insulation with
higher thermal stability. The joint be-
tween the mica folium insulation on the
straight part of the coil and the mica tape
still remained and caused occasional dif-
ficulties in the longer machines.
As machines became still larger and
economic consideration dictated that tur-
bine generators with very long stators be
built, the joint had to be eliminated. The
first asphalt-bonded, continuous, joint-
free mica tape insulation was developed
about 1920.A,6 By tle early 1930's most
Of industry in this country had adopted
the continuous mica tape type of insula-
tion for all types of high-voltage rotating
machines. The bond widely used in this
mica tape insulation is a somewhat flexi-
ble, thermoplastic asphaltic compound.
This compound enlables the insulation to
adjust itself to a certain degree to the
dimensional changes brought about by
the differences in expansion of the metal
parts and the insulation during normal
operating temperature cycles. The in-
sulation adjustment is generally dis-
tributed over the whole length of the coil
instead of being concentrated at the
joints used in the earlier insulation.7 This
insulation permitted a considerable in-
crease in size of machine. It has had a
rather successful period of application and
is still being used.
Paper 51-121, recommended by the AIEE Rotating
Machinery Committee for presentation at th JAEE
ary 22-26, i951. Manuscript submitted October
18, i950; made available for printing December 7,
c. M. LAFFOON, C. F. HILL, GRAHAM Mosas,
LEE3
andL.cr J. nERpoBERcH all asre wiwth the Westinghouse
A development of this magnitude involved contri-
butions from many individuals. The aulthors
Foster, W. W. Pendleton, H. M. Philofsky, JI
Swiss, F. A. Yeoman, E. Biindschadler, L. R. Hill,
as th'e many otJhercJollanbo°rnators. otsswl
721

0
0:6
w
0.2
3O
0
2_____ -'
() RESIN
0 )_ Ia25
75 50 10l
TEMPERATURE C
It is of historical interest that in the
late 1920's there was considerable dis-
cussion, first in England, and then in this
country, about going to higher voltage
generators. It was pointed out that a
number of machines of relatively small
kilovolt-ampere rating had been generat-
ing power in Italy at 30 kv since 1905,
while in the United States generated
voltages were largely in the range of 11 to
15 kv. This development resulted in the
construction of the Parsons generator9 in
England with its circular and concentric
coil construction designed for 33-kv oper-
ation. The construction of an appre-
Figure 3. Close-up view of taper applying
mica tape to a high-voltage generator half-coil
722 Laffoon, Hill, Moses, Berberich-Insulation for Stator Windings
-LOAD ON . ..-LOAD OFF II
SAMPLE
z
0
l 0
d
0C__ __ ___ l____ __
40~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
0 2o 40 60 8s 100 120 140 160 ISO
TIME- MINUTES
Figure 1 (left). Power
factor temperature data on in the last 10 years to achieve this end.
asphalt and synthetic resin
The work on which this paper is based
Figure 2 (above). Elastic was started in the Westinghouse Re-
SN behavior of synthetic resin search Laboratories in 1940, where a new
25 at 100 degrees centigrade series of solventless polyester resins was
under development. This start was made
at a time when a strong trend was de-
veloping toward the use of synthetic res-
ins in place of such natural resins as
ciable number of machines having voltage shellac, asphalt, copal, and so forth.
ratings in the ranges from 16 to 22 kv Considerable time and effort was re-
soon followed in this country. These cluired to develop the best resin bond for
machines which were built by several this important application and to devise
manufacturers were largely of conven- the radically new processes required for
tional design but involved a number of its production. This new insulation was
improvements in the insulation.3'7 The made possible by progress in the develop-
radically different coil construction used ment of synthetic materials through
in the Parsons generator in England was chemistrv, an era which began primarily
never adopted in this country largely for in the decade between 1930 and 1940.
economic reasons. The application of this new insulation to
The trend in this country has been to turbine generator coils started in 1949.
machines of larger and larger kilovolt- This paper will present (a) properties of
ampere rating rather than to higher volt- the resin impregnant, (b) description of
age rating. This trend together with the the mica tape, (c) discussion of construc-
practice of operating the machines at
considerable overloads during the years
of W'orld War II has resulted in some
difficulty in a few machines even with the
asphalt bonded continuous mica tape in-
sulation. This difficulty appeared in the
form of a somewhat unpredictable migra-
tion of the insulation, generally just be-
yond the stator iron in the end turns.
This phenomenon was reproduced in the
laboratory and a subsequent study of the
problem showed that the insulation move-
ment occasionally observed could be at-
tributed to the thermoplastic nature of the
asphaltic bond. Thus, the results of this
investigation indicated that further im-
provement in the mica bond was neces-
sary for the completely successful opera- . _
tion of large machines at the higher tem-
peratures. It is the purpose of this paper Figure 4. Close-up view of hber glass finish-
to describe the work that has been done ing tape being applied to coil
AIEE TRANSACTIONS

tion and processing together with (d)
physical behavior, and (e) electrical prop-
erties of the new insulation,
Properties of the Impregnant
The impregnant plays a very important
role for it serves as the mica bond and de-
termines to a large extent the mechanical
and electrical properties of the composite
insulation. The asphaltic compounds,
previously used, have given a good ac-
count of themselves but they have two
shortconiings. These are (1) multiple
impregnations at high temperatures and
pressure are necessary to obtain adequate
filling of the voids because they have very
high viscosity at ordinary temperatures,
and (2) they flow much like a viscous
fluid at the higher machine operating
temperatures because of their thermo-
plastic nature. Conventional synthetic
varnishes of the therniosettinig type which
Figure 6. Mobile press with coils in place showing how the new in-
sulation is pressed and restrained during oven curing of resin
1951, VOLUME 70 Laffoon, Hill, Moses, Berberich-Insulation for Stator Windings
Figure 5 (left).
Pilot treating sys-
tem where coils
are impregnated
with synthetic
resin
Figure 7 (right).
thetic resin
bonded mica
insulation re-
ceiving finishing
treatments
do not flow at any temnperature have
been investigated. These were, how-
ever, soon found to be unsatisfactory be-
cause they contain high percentages of
nonreactive solvents which must be re-
moved after the impregnating operation.
The space occupied by the solvent in this
type of impregnant must therefore finally
appear as voids in the composite insula-
tion. Much effort was therefore ex-
pended in developing a solventless ther-
mosetting resin with the desired improve-
ment in electrical and mechanical prop-
erties.
A considerable number of solventless
resins now are available but most of them
are unsatisfactory for this application be-
cause they lack some of the electrical or
mechanical properties deemed essential.
The impregnant finally developed coni-
sists of a resin belonging to a class of syn-
thetic resins known as linear polyesters
which is dissolved in a special heat reac-
Figure 8. Thermal cycling test model with half-coils in a section of a
tive monoimeric resini. This combiniation
of resins can easily be impregnated into
the mica tape insulation at ordinary tern-
peratures because it is quite freely flow-
ing before the co-polymerizing reaction
takes place. After the composite resin is
in place aiid heat is applied, the com-
ponents react with each other to produce
a cross-linked, thermosetting solid resin.
This final reaction occurs without the
formation of any gaseous or liquid by-
products, thus making possible almost
complete filling of the void spaces.
The impregnating resin has excellent
electrical properties as can be seen from
Figure 1. Not only is the power factor
appreciably lower than for the asphaltic
compound, but it also is almost inde-
pendent of temperature up to 125 degrees
centigrade. This obviously makes for a
higher quality insulation.
The mechanical properties are as im-
portant as the electrical properties in this
turbine generator core
72:3
 covery is less complete than is the case for 50 -
12..0 the new synthetic resin. This perhaps 140 - -
II - - 7 . . . accounts for the acceptable performance 1307
100 _CO(C PER TEMP that asphalt bonded insulation has ex- 120C
90 / t0\ .NTE
OF COIL)
t
perienced. At the higher temperatures, /-PHAL. T BO NDEC INS
however, the elastic properties of asphalt
D 80- X tttt v < completely vanish and at 100 degrees I /.
70.----
s60 - - -
centigrade aid higher it behaves like
very viscous fuid. The new resin bond,
-
a s9
80
- -
-
_

50
//RON TEM.
(AVE AGEt TO Herties at the highest machine operating
30 _
10 -
200 I0 20 30 4 O0 60 70 809O 0 100
TIME IN MINUTES
Figure 9. Typical heating and cooling cycle
of coils and iron during thermal cycling model
test
application and, therefore, the behavior
of the resin under load was carefully in-
vestigated, particularly in the range of 75
to 125 degrees centigrade. It will be ob-
served from Figure 2 that upon applica-
tion of a load there is an instantaneous
elastic elongation which is followed by a
gradual further elongation requiring more
than an hour to reach its final value. This
behavior is almost completely reversed
when the load is removed. Recovery is
almost complete two hours after removal
of the load as Figure 2 also shows. This
elastic recovery even though delayed is
sufficiently complete to provide an ade-
quate restoring force when the insulation
is displaced during temperature cycles.
Asphalt, surprisingly enough, shows a
very similar behavior at temperatures of
about 50 degrees centigrade and below. 1
The instantaneous elastic displacement
is, however, a smaller fraction of the total
displacement and the delayed elastic re-
(Iool - - - - \ - - - -
- I_
.Z..L
-I
0
I-
- - -
06°| -
in striking contrast, exhiLits elastic prop-
temperatures which explains its excellent
performance in the wide range tempera-
ture cycles
ce
to be discussed later.
Mica Tape
The Lasic dielectric barrier for the
ground insulation is provided by mica
flakes applied in tape form. The mica
tape is machine built with good quality
muscovite mica splittings. The mica por-
tion of the tape is built on a thin strong
fibrous backing with a second layer of
fibrous backing applied to the top side
after the mica splittings are laid. The
backing is coated and the mica flakes
bonded to it with a synthetic resin which
is compatible with the solventless heat
reactive resin used for impregnating the
finished coils. The bond has low elec-
trical loss and contributes to the low
power factor and high dielectric strength
of the composite insulation. The finished
mica tape is a strong, easily applied ma-
terial which has no objectionable features
insofar as its physical application is con-
cerned. The higher tensile strength of
this tape permits tighter application than
was possible on asphalt bonded mica tape
without breaking it.
Construction and Processing of Coil
Insulation
| | | [ [ l FR DNT ENDI I
Basically, the new insulation consists of
IThis finishing tape is subsequently solidly
a continuous mica tape impregnated with
ASPIALT BONDED the synthetic resin just described. For
MIf
l turbine generator windings, conventional
70 - - _ _
lJ
C
5C -- t _
4 -
- .
_ t SY THEI IC RESIN BON ED NSUL ATION
20 - - __
(tli- l-
0 100 20o 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
CYCLES
Figure 11. Permanent migration of old and
new insulation as produced by thermal
cycling test
makes the application of the tape a
simpler, cleaner operation but also re-
sults in an increase in the physical
strength of the tape. Moreover, it facili-
tates tight application without tape rup-
ture resulting in better control of dielec-
tric quality level. The process requires
no multiple intermediate impregnations
as all the tape is applied before impreg-
nation. This differs from the asphalt
bonded mica tape processing as the taped
ground wall was applied in several steps
with an intermediate impregnation after
each group of tape layers was applied.
After application of all layers of the syn-
thetic resin bonded mica tape, the coil is
finished by taping over-all with a fiber
glass tape to provide a strong abrasion
resistant surface as shown in Figure 4.
bonded to the mica to eliminate slippage
and its voids are completely filled to pre-
vent corona within the tape interstices.

X
".40-
20
-SYNSHETS
-
SYN HET -;K
BQNDi
-
RESIN-
C 1 - -
1 >1
- half-coil construction is employed with all
strandsofeachconductorindividuallyin- Table I. High Voltage Generator Insulation-
ZI sulated by varnished fiber glass covering. Physical Properties
2 - - - - _
I-_ - Before the ground insulation is applied
the assembled strands are bonded solidly
40.1 - - together as a rigid structure in the slot Asphalt
<601 -\ - - - -1
- - - portion. Up to this point the coils do not Bonded Thermalastic
F L lX V differ from those insulated with asphalt Tesl tegh Insulation Insulation
ol | 1\ll 1 1 | | ~bonded tape. Room temperature.....2, 000 psi.6, 600 psi
Io - I - I-. I. 1IThe ground insulation consists of mul- i0o° c . 90 psi.2,800 psi
io| 30,o,o o,REos E I tiple layers of the continuous mica tape as Coefficient of Expansion
TIME IN MINUTES ........
ilustrated in Figure 3. The mica tape is Pe DgreCentgaeS30X-67216
Figure 10. Typical cyclic movement of old applied without brushing a bond be- Length.6.685X 1O-6...6.66X10-
and new insulation on coils with respect to ...tween layers of tape, such as was neces- References
end of core on coils during thermal cycling ...sary with asphalt bonded tape. The Steel .111.5X10-'
test elimination of the brushing bond not only copper .17 X 10-'

724 Laffoon, Hill, M1oser, Berberich-Insulation for Stator WFinding,s AJEE TRANSACTIONS
 1 r__ I_I_
I_ I_I_I_ U II 1 A P AL
a~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BON ATIONX!K4X
SPI lALTINSUJL
129AtWBONIIED
I- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MC
ED t > ! 4 1 1 I , I SP

< SYS
YNTHETIC
RESINI
ED 1iNSULOBONDED INSULATION

O 2 4 6 8 0 12 14 16 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
IL OY OLTS TEST VOLTAGE- KV
Figure 12. Power factor voltage test data on asphalt bonded and Figure 14. Power factor test data on complete phase groups of asphalt
synthetic resin bonded insulations bonded and synthetic resin bonded insulations high-voltage windings

On asphalt bonded coils the outside fit the core and coil supports. The mobile new insulation when heated are favor-
binder tape was usually applied separately presses with coils in place are moved into able to its operation in large generators.
after all impregnation processes were corn- an oven and the impregnating resin is The tests on insulation samples have
plete. cured with the coil positively held in the been supplemented by simulated shock
Next, the coils are heated and evacu- desired size and shape. After comple- tests on full size coils as well as short-
ated at high vacuum to remove moisture tion of oven cure of the resin, the coils are circuit tests on complete windings. These
and gases. They are then impregnated in given their usual conducting surface tests confirm the greater strength of the
the manner shown in Figure 5 by vacuum treatments on the slot and end winding new insulation and its ability, when prop.
and pressure with the synthetic resin, portions as illustrated in Figure 7. erly supported, to withstand expected
The process used results in the unusually physical loads during normal operation
high degree of filling of the coil interstices Physical Behavior and occasional short circuits.
shown by the electrical tests as well as An important part of this development
physical examination. Some of the physical properties of the consisted of studying the effect of dif-
0 Mfter the vacuum and pressure impreg- new insulation are compared
) 0 to those of ferential expansion of iron, copper, and
nation special mobile presses shown in the older asphalt bonded6~~~~~~ 2mica insulation insulation. Early studies were con-
Figure 6 are employed to clamp and sup- in Table I. This table shows that the in- ducted on small models and the final
port coils during oven curing of the resin, crease in tensile strength of the new in- phase was carried out in a 108-inch long
These mobile presses place restraint on sulation is more than 3-to-i at room tern- section of the core of a standard turbine
the slot portion ensuring that the proper perature and is more than 30-to-i at generator. The test model and coil setup
finished slot size is obtained. Support operating temperature (100 degrees centi- are shown in Figure 8. Standard coils
blocks hold the coil ends during cure to grade). The reducetion in coefficient of were employed with various types of in-
and -as-s
that Theyareth- theimrgae in gie
thermal hiIsa
expansion odcigsrae
the thickness dimen- tst ofrCoilsh were
sulation. rae teghoh
heated by passing
ensure
th mnershw all coilsi are
Fgre5 same and will
yvauu retmns n h in sotad ndwndng nw nsltin n is bliy,wenprp
sion is an important characteristic of the current through them and cooled by
afEMEATR 0n rsuewt h ytei ei.
tralipentopoCesswrco-
Theproessuse reuls i th
prin
ove
new
unsualyphyica
a nd silsrtdi
insulation
lods as also
iue7
indicated inesni
Table thnewgntn insulations samplYesave
ryspotd
hetsso
blowing
owtsadepce
air through
urngthe core
orml vent ducts.
oe200o
6[| |] +| i[} 1 J. The improvement in physical strength A typical heating and cooling cycle is
-0 - -
ated,at UMvaffoon tol remove
hig
|- 1 and reduction in
ofoefueothermal
Istion
Berberich tersn h oilof the
expansion aore shown in Figure 9. The cyclic movement
circuitngss oncmltewnigs 5hs
- - ; I: Figure 13 (left). IooI
-4 --Figure6aremlydtclmansu-
- -- - - - -
iTbe I. (right)besosta h n
Power factor versus lllll
ceae n enslestenDielectrici-
utd nsalmdl n h ia
wsstrengthi a 08inh10n
por cil drin oencuingofth- - rsi. temperature test data F^ pas
22' +t
the lotporionensrin
20ise 40o
201 6iz
I | i{ i
1 1 ob80 tht te pope
00ed Su20r
11/ 1T
on asphalt bonded '
peanvotage
ancerdatan
endui
onprtur
mre-
oldgre
and synthetic resin >
hn30t-
eti 80(1|
tLeeaor
r
t2z
hwni
3 ,
h tsG oeladcilstp
iur .Sadadcis
I--- 1 --~ - bondedinsulations
y,, a 4$
TEMPERATURE C andnew insulationas Lloidctdi al lwn i hog h oGr0veARucs.
I- I III
40 I.I 60 -0 L 0h0 120 an d ol s KaV -2m i Oi
1931, VOLUME 7 Laffoon, Hill Moses Beprbveentic-nphsclato foreStttor Wyinding hetn adcoln ycei
of the insulation out of the ends of the
core was observed by dial gauges that can
be seen in Figure 8. Typical cyclic move-
ment for two types of insulation is shown
in Figure 10. Permanent migration of the
insulation is illustrated in Figure 11,
which clearly indicates the continued
creep of the asphalt bonded mica insula-
tion and the inherent stability of the syn-
thetic resin bonded mica. The actual
test experience is more impressive than
the comparison shown, as not all the
creep of the asphalt bonded insulation
was registered on the dial gauges. For
example, a 0.250-inch observed move-
ment was sometimes accompanied by a 1-
inch or wider separation of the surface
tape on asphalt bonded insulation as
localized movement frequently exceeded
the total net movement between gauges.
The significant point is that in no case did
any observable separation or crack occur
in the synthetic resin bonded mica tape
insulation during these tests, whereas
various degrees of insulation migration
and tape separation were produced on
coils with asphalt bonded insulation under
identical conditions. While these ac-
celerated cyclic tests were more severe
than normal operating conditions, they
reproduced serious insulation migration
effects such as had been observed on a
relatively few machines.
Electrical Properties
The power factor voltage relations for
asphalt bonded and resin bonded insula-
tions are compared in Figure 12. In
every condiltion
every conditio tested thle power factor
tested the power
factor
of the synthetic resin impregnated mica
insulation is lower than the power factor
of the asphalt bonded mica. At operating
voltage and temperature the power factor
of the new insulation is approximately one
third that of the older insulation as shown
in the curve.
The temperature effect on insulation
power factor at 60 cycles is presented in
Figure 13. This shows the effect of tem-
perature is negligible on the power factor
of the new insulation but that the power
factor of asphalt bonded mica rises
sharply with temperature increase.
The power factor of complete windings
is of interest and such data are presented
in Figure 14. This shows relatively little
difference in power factors of the two
Discussion
ISCUSS~~~~~Ofl
C. E. Kilbourne (General Electric Co}mpany,
Schenectady, N. Y.): The authors are to be
congratulated on the presentation of a most
726 Lcafoon, Hill, Moses, Berberich-Insulation for Stator
types of insulation at voltages below 5 kv
but a significant difference thereafter in
favor of synthetic resin bonded insulation.
The dielectric strength and voltage en-
durance of an insulation system are two
very important criteria of insulation
quality. These characteristics are pre-
sented in Figure 15 where time to break-
down is shown for various voltages for
the synthetic resin bonded insulation in
relation to asphalt bonded mica insula-
tion. In examining these data it is well
to realize that the wall thicknesses of the
test samples are the same and that the
same grade of mica splittings is employed
on both. A significant improvement is
shown in the data for the dielectric
strength obtained at any time of voltage
application on synthetic resin bonded
mica as compared to asphalt bonded in-
sulation. The increase in time to break-
down for the new insulation at any given
voltage gradient is of the order of 1,000-
to-I which is indicative of the improved
filling and reduction in size and quantities
of internal voids in the new insulation.
This increased voltage endurance cor-
relates with the small effect of voltage on
power factor.
Conclusions
This new type of synthetic resin bonded
insulation offers promise of even greater
reliability for high-voltage machines.
The basic insulation is mica which has
been proved through more than half a
century of successful service. The new
insulation substitutes a solid yet elastic
bond ftor
bond for th
thee rigid Drittle shellac
rigid bbrittle shellac bond
b d and a
the plastic semiliquid asphalt bond used
previously. It makes available the good
intrinsic dielectric properties of mica to a
greater degree than was heretofore ob-
tainable. The insulation wall is built-up
in a solid, well-filled structure which pos-
sesses the inherent ability of accommodat-
ing itself to the deformation resulting
from differential thermal expansion of
iron, copper, and insulation. The new in-
sulation employs a bond between mica
flakes that possesses greater physical
strength than the inherent interlaminar
strength of mica itself and permits cyclic
elastic deformation of the composite in-
sulation structure. The nature of the
resin bond and processing technique re-
sult in a high degree of filling of the in-
~interesting paper, and upon the announce-
~~ment of a synthetic resin bonded mica tape
for high-voltage turbine-generator stator
windings. While synthetic resin mica tapes
have been used in the windings of other
kinds of machines for several years, this is
sulation voids with the consequent in1-
provement in important dielectric char-
acteristics such as power factor, dielectric
strength, and voltage endurance.
The desirable characteristics of this
new insulation have led to its adoption as
the standard insulation for all Westing-
house turbine generator stator windings
employing half-coil construction, which
includes those rated at 12,500 kva and
larger. Development work is now in
progress to apply this new insulation to
full coils. The voltage endurance, di-
electric strength, and power factor char-
acteristics of the new insulation should
make possible an eventtual increase in the
operating stress and a reduction in wall
thickness for a given voltage.
In conclusion, it should be emphasized
that the older insulations were adequate
electrically as built. Experience with
these older insulations has indicated that
in general, electrical failure is preceded
by serious mechanical deterioration.
While striking gains in initial electrical
and physical properties are obtained with
this new insulation, the mechanical en-
durance is the most significant charac-
teristic as it should maintain the dielec-
tric quality at a high level far better than
was possible with the older insulations.
References
1. HIGH SPEED TURBo-ALTERNATORsDESIGNS
AND LIMITATIONS, B. G. Lamme. AIEE Transac-
tions, volume 32, part I, 1913, pages 1-78.
2. IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATION FOR HIGH-
VOLTAGEs A-C GiENERATDRS, C. F. Hill. AIEE
Transactions, volume 47, July section, 1928, pages
845-52.
3. INCREASED VOLTAGES OF SYNCHRONOUS MA-
CHINES, C. M. Laffoon. AIEE Transactions,
volume 49, January section, 1930, pages 213-25.
4. IMPROVING THE INSULATION OF HIGH-VOLTAGE
(Baden, Switzerladi)voluBmrew17 1930oeri Revi0,
5. Discussion by P. L. Alger of reference 2, page
852.
6. Discussion by R. W. Wieseman of reference 7.
AIEE Transactions, volume 55, 1936, page 178.
7. INSULATION FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE ALTERNATORS,
C. M. Laffoon, J. F. Calvert. Electrical Engineering
(AIEE Transactions), volume 54, June 1935, pages
624-31.
8. Closure of reference 7. Electrical Engineering
(AIEE Transactions), volume 55, February 1936,
pages 180-81.
9.RENTDIRECT VOLTAGES, C.oP
GENERATION A.ALTERNATING
AT HIGH
CUR-
Parsons, J. Rosen.
Journal, Institution of Electrical Engineers (Lon-
don, England),volume 67, 1929, page 1065.
10. THE PENETROMETER METHOD FOR DETER-
MINING THE FLOW PROPERTIES OP HIGH VISCOSITY
FLUIDS, W. W. Pendleton. Journal of A pplied
Physics (New york, N. V.), volume 14, 1943, Page
170.
the publication
first their uise in sucha
of
large high-voltage application. The records
of the AIEE show many examples of the
employment of synthetics in the insulation
field, and this and other papers at this meet-
ing add to that record. This trend, because
Windings AIEE TRANSACTIONS
of the great variety of new materials being
made available by chemistry, can be ex-
pected to accelerate in the future.
The authors, in their introduction, state
the important role that insulation plays in
determining the reliability and continuity
in service of the machines to which it is
applied. A full appreciation of this fact has
shaped insulation development in the Gen-
eral Electric Company since its early begin-
nings. In large rotating machines mica
tape using shellac or copal as resinous bind-
ers was introduced over 50 years ago.
The continuous application of tape without
joints in the insulation, over the slot as well
as the end portions of large coils and bars
such as those used in turbine generators, is,
and always has been, a characteristic of the
windings made by the General Electric Com-
pany. When the Haefely process of slot-
applied mica folium with its problems of a
joint at the end of the slot portion and a dif-
ferent construction of insulation for the
ends of coils and bars was developed in
Europe, it was never adopted by General
Electric for large high-voltage windings.
Consequently, their windings did not en-
counter the problem of separation between
the mica folium and the end insulation
which the authors mention, nor did they re-
quire special end construction to care for
the creepage problem of a high-voltage joint.
The continuous joint-free shellac- or
copal-impregnated windings, with mica
around the entire coil or bar, gave excellent
service. However, as the authors have
noted, shellac and copal resins are relatively
hard and brittle, particularly when heat
aged, and realization of this fact led in 1913
to an intensified search for better binding
and impregnating materials. In 1916
asphaltic materials were substituted for
earlier resins in the manufacture of mica
tape, and before 1920 many machines were
running with the new type coils. In fact,
reference 5 of the paper, a discussion pre-
sented in 1928, notes that two 22,000-volt
synchronous condensers insulated with mica
tape and treated with black asphalt varnish
around the entire coil had been operating in
India for five years. This was a conserva-
tive statement. Two 12,500-kva, 22,000-
volt condensers were built in 1919. These
high-voltage machines were undertaken only
after considerable practical experience with
the new materials. As the authors note, it
was several years after this 1928 presenta-
tion that continuous-tape asphaltic resin
impregnated coils and bars came into general
industry-wide use in the United States.
The advantages of increased flexibility,
thermoplasticity, and longer life under oper-
ating temperatures, which the early asphal-
tic-type binder materials offered in contrast
to shellac and copal, served only to empha-
size the need for further work to find even
better materials. This search has continued
over the years since 1916, to result today in
resins andcompounds hich have quite
ferent characteristics from pure or even
slightly modified asphalts. Concurrently
with material improvements, constant at-
tention to manufacturing processes and
techniques and to the details of design have 1941 .
all contributed to the high level of perform- 1942 .
ane btind
ancebtaiedtoay.1944 . ody.1943.
This performance differs in may respects
from the performance which the authors
present as the characteristics of asphalt
bonded insulation. To be truly descriptive,
present General Electric turbine generator
insulation should be more properly classified
as a "Modified Bitumen Bonded Mica
Insulation." It is believed that the per-
formance record and over-all characteristics
of this "Modified Bitumen" insulation will
be of interest.
The annual reports of the Prime Movers
Committee of the Edison Electric Institute
afford a valuable record of the service relia-
bility of insulation in the power generation
industry. This record covers a large number
of turbine generators, the great majority of
which are of American manufacture and
virtually all of which contain asphaltic or
modified bitumen mica insulated armature
bars or coils. Quite a large percentage of the
machines have the modified bitumen insula-
tion. The record reports the total per-
centage of outage time charged to power
generation equipment from all causes, and
then breaks down the total outage into sev-
eral categories, one of which is credited to
armature windings. Table I of this discus-
sion presents that record covering all ma-
chines reported during the years 1940
through 1947, a total of about 2,000 ma-
chine years of operation. This table shows
that the average outage time per year of a
machine, due to armature insulations, was
0.150, or about 1/8 of 1 per cent of the
available operating time. In other words,
machines were available for service 99.850
per cent of the demand time in so far as the
successful operation of armature insulation
is concerned, An examination of all outage
records on the modified bitumen insulated
machines, which are available to this dis-
cusser, indicates over 99.9 per cent availa-
bility. However, it is recognized that the
latter record may not be as complete as the
former one, and since so many of the ma-
chines included in the former record have
the modified bitumen insulation in them,
that figure, that is, 99.850 per cent availa-
bility, is a good benchmark.
In discussing the performance of asphaltic
insulations the authors state that the power
industry trend to larger and larger ma-
chines, plus overload operation during Word
War II, has resulted in some difficulties with
asphalt-bonded insulations. This diffi-
culty, consisting of an unpredictable migra-
tion of the insulation generally beyond the
stator iron in the end turns, perhaps has re-
ceived greater emphasis since the war and,
therefore, may have exerted little influence
on the data of Table I of this discussion.
In an attempt to check the extent of tape
migration troubles and any consequent
winding failures on modified bitumen-insu-
lated machines, this discusser has surveyed
all the records available to him on machines
Table I. Summary of Edison Electric Institute Operating Records for Armature Windings,
1940-1947
dif-No. of Armature Outage
Machinea as a Percentage as a Percentage
Year Reported of Total Outage of Operating Time
1940 . ....354. 6 .41.0.o.94 .0...
....366. 23.24 ..0.83
....366 . 25.04..1.09 .
.....366
....103.
. 9.06
0.00 .0.77
1945 . ....118. 2.53 ..lO.08. ...0.27
1946 . ....120. 23.98.1..0.386
1947 . ....128. 2.91 ..1.05
Total.- -----1921-------................Average.0.150
built since 1916. This survey, covering
many hundred machines, brings out a num-
ber of interesting points. On a few ma-
chines built prior to 1935, when a design
change in coil construction was made to
minimize end-winding differential expansion
insulation stresses, such tape migration and
separation has been observed. However, no
service failures have been attributed to this
cause. Repairs have been satisfactory and
the machines are delivering power today.
These cases fall into one or both of two cate-
gories. Either they occurred on unusually
long or very-high-voltage machines, or on
machines which have had many years of
service, some at overloads, which because of
integrated time-temperature deterioration,
and often because of peak load operation,
have put unusually severe service on their
insulation. In several cases such units have
been rewound since 1935 and no further
similar difficulties have been reported. All
remaining machines, including over 98 per
cent of those in service today, and including
100 per cent of the modern hydrogetn-cooled
units, are completely free of any such re-
ported troubles.
The physical properties of modified bitu-
men insulations, tested in the manner indi-
cated in Table I of the paper, also are dif-
ferent from the published asphalt bonded
data.
For example, the tensile strength of
the modified bitumen product at room tem-
perature is over 3,000 pounds per square
inch as compared with 2,000 pounds per
square inch for the asphaltic insulation
described in the paper, and is correspond-
ingly higher at elevated temperatures. The
exact significance of these facts or of similar
tests on other insulations is a bit obscure, as
no figures for the mechanical strength of any
insulations are sufficient to indicate that
this strength plays an appreciable part in
the thermal expansion of a coil or bar. In
other words, moduli of insulation and copper
are so far apart and the cross-sectional areas
of the materials in high-voltage insulation
sufficiently comparable, that the insulation
necessarily is forced to conform with the
movements of the copper. This raises a
question on the interpretation of the data
presented in Figures 9 and 10 of the paper.
The model core setup shown in Figure 8 is
108 inches long, and presumably this is the
distance over which the movements shown
in Figure 10 took place. The copper tem-
peratures indicated in Figure 9 vary from
46 degrees centigrade cold to 118 degrees
centigrade hot, a rise of 72 degrees centi-
grade. If this may be assumed to be repre-
sentative of the average temperature rise of
the copper relative to the steel, then if the
Total Outage Armature Outage
as a Percentage
of Operating Time
..o.060 .....
.0.198 os
.....0.273
.0o.84 .... . ...0...o.076
0.000
1.62
..0.031

1951, VOLUME 70 Laffoon, Hill, Moses, Berberich-Insulation for Stator Windings 727
 -.

R -XXXXX 20
IS
.00 o16
~14
o 0

0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0
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AA
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.0 l. -. l ll ll Figure 3. Test dataon power factor versus temperature at 5-

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 crest voltage on modified bitumen insulations, new and
141.kv
TEST VOLTAGE- KILOVOLTS RMS 26 years old
Figure 1. Power factor test data on the three phases of a modified bitumenwhnar,ndtireuednguera-
insulated 75,000-kva 3,600-rpm 1 3,800-volt turbine generator ings containing other effects in addition to
, ' thepuexaniemv
. , with
All tests were made using an a-C bridge, one phase under ,test, at, a, tine, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The
, etsothbr.
authors discuss two electrical charac-
other two phases grounded, winding temperature 27 degrees centigrade teristics of the compared insulations, power
factor and dielectric strength. Modified
winding wTere a solid copper bar, its total ex-mils per inch over the 108-inch length. bitumen insulation differs from both of the
pansion would be From an examination of Figure 8, it appears insulations discussed in the paper in each of
that the test bars have a copper cross section these characteristics.
108X72 XO0.0167 = 130 mils of about 1.0 square inch and an insulation Power factor is not a very definite charac-
However, other tests on solid and stranded cross section of about 1.7 square inches. It teristic in determining the quality of an
sections usually indicate that a stranded would require a force of 24,000 pounds to insulated winding. It is primarily a labora-
under similar condi-
section will expand less8-121~~~~~~~~~~~~~- compress a 1.0-square-inch section of copper tory tool to investigate the material dielec-
tions than the corresponding solid one, onle inch long a distance of 1.5 mils, and if tric loss characteristic; the state of cure of
hence the temperature rise of this test leads this force were restrained by the insulationl, the resinous components of the system, and,
to the expectation that the total exaso
shoulde less han
0
o
the stress
1expansinee
in 1.7 square inches of
would be 14,100 pounds per square inch.
insulation by 0~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the shape of the curve obtained from
carefully controlled tests, to determine the
from Figure 10, the total expansion indi- Hwver, since in Table I of the paper the presence or absence of voids. As a practical
cated for the asphalt bonded insulation, add- tenlsile strength of Termal1stic insulation is tool to weigh the merits of a finished product
ing together both the front and rear move- given as 2,800 pounds per square inch at 100 it possesses many weaknesses. In the first
meats, is approximately 210 mils. As a degrees centigrade, it is obvious that it place insulation losses have little significance
second point, if one assumes that the could not have taken this stress without in the operation of a turbine generator. In a
-l eemd barsnreally
et bonded
asphalt inc:reased its
ndCbig,oepaeudrts failure. These (9 ~~puzzling
two ~ ~ situations
~ ~ ~ large xasv as oemnso
ur machine, pointed out inh anas
ihteTeatosdsustoeetia unpub-
ote 210
length rune,widn.
mils, while the synthetic resin
tophss probablydere
tmprtue2
boddbar had a total expansion of only Perhaps the
a
have
U)clamps~
ie
some simple
which
explanation.
transmitted bar 400.aeteitc
lished
geshall,
~ ~ ~ ~~~atraddilcrcsrnt.Mdfe
paper
A.
by F. Brown, Jr., A. D.hrc
opreandnuaios
f hPletenik, G. W.
Cog-
oe
Young,
bpponded
approximatelyth 45ml,temrdtn
windi- wera-
pasinwol misulathen, sno
b 45pal
el oicope- br,it ex--. tta o
crdting tovement
angle,
il pe-nhoe to the gauges
bending
10Is
~
h were
of the
12
tipped at an btme
0-nhlnt.
ends
14ro b)y xaiato
16n
entitled "The
bars-2 kv nmdfe
of the crs2otg
Development of ohoh
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nuaindfesfo
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igie ,itapers isuaiosdicssd
o
Insulation
of these losses is eentirely
nth aprinecho
itmnisltos n
O 2 4 6 8
10 X72X0.16-=10-il-ta
thetic resin insulation must have had suffi--___
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1. qaeicon nislto
av oprcos
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4oevr= ote
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165 mils, nsldan over 1.5
average of tadd wudrqieafreo 400pud o isltdwnig ti rmrl aoa
scion sal niaeta Lafoo,800Hill,
inuaed7200ka380 tadd
p turbie gerberator sl o Stntor containngs othErefeTsRANSAddTiONSt
Figure 2 (below). Power factor versus voltage F t | 1 \1
lest data on high-voltage modified bitumen insulations, new ic nTbeIo h ae th | - --. v
...ooo. - abec
ni- - Hwvr pesnc or of ids Asapacia
frmFgr h and
-e o h apatbne inuato, -d years
oa26 xaso old teisl 0
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t eg h eisofafnse rdc
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met,i-4 (right).
Figure apoxmtl m ils and
strength
Dielectric -1 Esa endurance t 800.- sovosta t
voltage dgescnird,i -l l
|-.
paeislto osshv itesgiiac
data on modified bitumen insulationsX l l l l l l l
60 cycle-60-second hih-potentil withstnd voltges on 600 1
windingSlTo34 ys old id cate bX
ILOVOLTS y
728dba a ttlexaso Loffoon,y HilP oeras,Bherbempwicht-Insul ttion fobSatr geWhndings Aletnik TRANSACTIounS,
iinsignificant with respect to both efficiency
and heating. In a machine, since the slot
wall is used as one electrode and the copper
of the winding as the other, the over-all
power factor measured is not only that of
the insulation, but also that of its surround-
ings. Consequently, conclusions drawn
from such measurements must be subject to
very careful interpretation. In this inter-
pretation the age and past temperature-time
history of the machine must be considered
as well as its present state of freedom from
moisture and its general cleanliness. Since
such facts are seldom accurately known,
analysis of tests is difficult. However, for
what such information may be worth, test
results on the power factor of a new large
turbine-generator winding insulated with
modified bitumen resin binders is presented
in Figure 1 of this discussion. This may be
compared with Figure 14 of the paper. The
comparison will show higher power factors in
the low-voltage range and lower power fac-
tors in the high-voltage range for modified
bitumen insulation versus either of the insu-
lations discussed in the paper.
Laboratory tests taken on new, and on a
particular group of 26-year-old high-voltage
modified bitumen insulated bars clamped in
a slot to simulate their service conditions
are shown in Figure 2 of this discussion. At
both 25 degrees centigrade and 100 degrees
centigrade the new bar characteristics differ
substantially from the corresponding asphalt
characteristics given in Figure 12 of thepaper
both in the magnitude of the readings and in
the slopes of the power factor versus voltage
curves. The characteristics of the 26-year-
old bars, however, agree fairly well with
those given by the authors.
Another interesting comparison of the
characteristics of these old and new bars is
shown in Figure 3 of this discussion. The
higher power factor of the older bars shows
either the effects of age or, if that is neg-
lected, perhaps of changes in materials and
techniques which have taken place in the
interim. The greater slope of the new bar
characteristics at higher temperatures indi-
cates the probability of some curing yet to
come. Under normal conditions the power
factor of such bars should decrease some-
what with age and heating, then after a
number of years, start a very gradual in-
crease until, unless overheating is encoun-
tered, it stabilizes somewhat below its pres-
ent new values.
The low power factors of thermalastic
insulation as given in Figure 12 of the paper
are to be expected from the resin character-
istic given in the paper's Figure 1. However,
it is puzzling to co-ordinate the power fac-
tors of the resins and the bars, as they differ
particularly at the higher temperatures.
The power factor of the resin at 125 degrees
centigrade the paper,
centigrade is in Figure 1 of about
0.3 per cent, while the lowest power factor
of the synthetic bonded insulation at this
temperature is more than ten times as great.
The same kind of divergence exists at other
temperatures and also with the asphalt insu-
lation. Tests made in Gene~ral Electric
Laboratories indicate a relatively close
agreement between the power factors of the
modified bitumen impregnating resins and
the finished insulating systems under similar
conditions of temperature and voltage,
This seems to be a logical situation and it
has been duplicated using other resins and
other compositions of insulations. A diver-
1951, VOLUME 70 Laffoon, Hill, Moses, Berberich-Insulartion for Stator Windings
gence from this agreement, particularly
having the finished insulating system with a
power factor several times greater than that
of the impregnants, may indicate a condition
of lack of cure of the resins, voids in the
insulation, or some unknown condition.
As the authors have pointed out, the di-
electric strength and the voltage endurance
of an insulation system are important cri-
teria of its quality. Again, in both these
respects, modified bitumen insulations differ
from the authors' data for the asphalt and
synthetic resin systems. Figure 4 of this
discussion shows test results on modified
bitumen insulations on a similar plot to the
data given in Figure 15 of the paper. The
modified bitumen characteristic is not only
somewhat higher than either of those given
in the paper, but it also shows a distinct
tendency to flatten out at the longer values
of time. To substantiate somewhat this
latter characteristic, data on a few high-
potential breakdown tests on windings 18 to
34 years of age, which have recently been
tested, have been added to the endurance
characteristic.
These points are the 60-cycle-60-second
withstand voltages, and are of interest in
endurance principally as an indication of the
relative withstand value on this test, on new
insulations and on ones that that been
aged. The great divergence between these
values is associated with the operating his-
tory of the various machines as evidenced
by the physical state of the insulation when
these tests were made. The highest point
represents an insulation 19 years old, which
still possesses, because of conservative oper-
ation, about 80 per cent of its initial dielec-
tric strength. The lowest point is from a
machine 18 years old whose insulation was
badly charred from heat.
In a companion paper by Mr. Graham
Lee Moses,' one of the authors of this paper,
data are presented which are of interest in
connection with this paper. These data
concern tests on a batch of 50 specimens of
13,800-volt insulated bars, presumably
asphalt type, and presumably similar to
those used for turbine-generator bars, since
the data agree well with the endurance data
of Figure 15 of this paper. Some similar
data on 13,800-volt modified bitumen in-
sulated bars are available and will further
serve to illustrate the characteristics of this
insulation.
1. 1.5/40 microsecond 247-kv peak average
impulse ve =21.2
2. D-c rapid rise test to 291-kv maximum aver-
breakdown age held
l-Minute
3. -Miut step-by- 80.5kv
stp-b- 0.5kvrms r 21.2 average per cent, however, between low voltage and
step a-c tests to break- held
down a=4.21
4. Samples stressed con- Hours to failure:
tinuously at 57-ky a-c 3.0-4.25-4.5
~~~~~~~~(rms)
to failure
When the above data are studied there may
be some question about the consistency of
items (1) and (2), since the impulse and d-c
rapid rise values usually are closer together.
Item 1 is based on more test data thlan item
2, even though the latter data had a suffi-
cient number of points to permit probability
analysis. Perhaps the truth for item 2 may
be found closer to item 1 when more data
are available. Item 3 is based on a large
amount of test data and there is no question
as to its substantiation. In fact, if the
annual records of tests for this type of infor-
mation over the past years are inspected,
the value has shown a moderate but steady
increase with time.
In summary, it is believed that both the
physical and electrical characteristics that
an insulating system may possess are de-
pendent, not only on the materials used to
construct the system, but also upon the
manufacturitg methods and techniques used
in its production. Thus there may exist a
number of visually similar types of struc-
tures that possess quite different character-
istics. The strength or weakness of such
systems is inseparable from these character-
istics, and it is difficult, if not impossible,
precisely to predict these characteristics
based on the composition of the system.
Experience alone tells the whole story.
Work on new insulations is going on in
many places and experience is accumulating.
However, as the advantages of new systems
must be weighed against the benchmarks of
performance and experience available with
the existing systems, their introduction re-
quires very careful consideration. The au-
thors are to be congratulated upon the an-
nouncement of their realization of this goal.
REFERENCE
1. ALTERNATING AND DIRECT VOLTAGE ENDUR-
ANCE STUDIES ON MICA INSULATION, Graham Lee
Moses. AlEE Trantsactions, voltume 70, part I,
1951, pages 763-69.
Herman Halperin (Commonwealth Edison
Company, Chicago, Ill.): Regarding this
very interesting development of generator
insulation, I have the following questions
and points: Figures 9 and 10 of the paper
give movement in connection with the steep
temperature rise that obtained during the
first 45 minutes of the heating and cooling
cycle for the coils in a laboratory section of
a generator core. It would be of interest to
learn what indications the authors have for
such movement after the temperature be-
comes more or less steady, as applies for a
machine carrying a given heavy load for
several hours in service. Some measure-
ments made in the field on a somewhat simi-
lar situation, that is, underground cables in
ducts, indicate an increase in movement may
occur with time after reaching a given tem-
perature rise for the cable conductors above
ambient.
Figure 14 of the paper shows a smaller
rise in power factor as the test voltage is in-
creased for the resin-bonded insulation than
for the asphalt-rnica insulation. The rise
for the former still seems to be about one
operating voltage. Some ideas as to the
physical significance of this increase and its
effects in service would be of interest.
The data in Figure 15 of the paper show
13.3acosdrbedvngeiuitilcrc
a considerable advantage in unit dielectric
strength for the new insulation as far as the
tests have gone, and similar data for tests of
longer duration would be of interest. Have
any data on dielectric strength beenl ob-
tamned at elevated temperatures? Perhaps
the advantage indicated to date in Unlit di-
electric strength for the new insulation will
be utilized in the design of generator insula-
tion, especially for the higher voltage ma-
chines and for machines of very large ca-
pacity at a later date after more background
in operating and test experience has been
accumulated. Of course, reductions in in-
729
sulation thicknesses have the advantage of
reducing the thermal drop across the insula-
tion as well as permitting a small decrease
in dimensions throughout the stator.
C. M. Laffoon, C. F. Hill, Graham Lee
Moses, and L. J. Berberich: The operating
experience for high-voltage insulation on
rotating machinery has been good but not
perfect, as indicated by Mr. Kilbourne's dis-
cussion. Data which he presented apply to
equipment made by all manufacturers.
Recognizing that even a good record can be
improved, the authors' efforts have been
directed toward even greater reliability.
The development of this new insulation
covering as it did within a period of 10
years, with four years in the pilot plant
stage, has resulted in the accumulation of a
great deal of test data. No attempt has
been made to report all of these data. The
data presented indicate some of the types of
observations and are illustrative of the
general characteristics of the insulation.
The primary objective of the program has
been to develop a composite coil structure in
730 Latffoon, Hill, Moses, Berberichr-Insulat'ion for Stcttor Windings
which the insulation expands and contracts
elastically. This has been accomplished as
has been clearly demonstrated by model
tests and operation.
Discussions of the relative merits of com-
petitive insulations are welcomed, as this
will contribute to a better general under-
standing of insulation problems. The
availability of such information will permit
evaluation of competitive insulations on the
basis of facts that can be discussed openly
and frankly.
One point raised in discussion concerned
the mechanical forces and differential ex-
pansion of the various structures. There is
no simple answer, as the problem is very
complicated because of the mechanical sys-
tem which involves end winding structure as
supports as well as the core, copper of the
coil, and composite insulation. In connec-
tion with the criticism raised, it should be
noted that the data presented do not refer
to total movement of the insulation, but
relative surface movement of the insulation
as observed with respect to the ends of the
core. It is important to recognize that the
surface of the new insulation does not follow
the cyclic movement of the copper com-
pletely. This is attributed to the fact that
the resin bonds between mica flakes and
resin tape are established while the copper is
at an intermediate temperature (and
length).
Power factor data are presented as an
interesting sidelight which indicates degree
of cure of the resin and filling of the voids
for a particular resin. Differences between
Figures 1 and 13 of the paper are that the
first curve is for a pure void-free resin at
relatively low voltage where power factor is
largely a question of ionic conductivity. In
Figure 13 of the paper the composite insula-
tion is measured at high voltage and there-
fore power factor is determined by voids in
the structure as well as ionic impurities in-
troduced by the solid materials.
As indicated in the paper the new insula-
tion has considerable margins of quality
with respect to physical and dielectric
strengths, which may ultimately lead to re-
duced wall thicknesses for a given operating
voltage. However, this step lies ahead and
is dependent upon further operating experi-
ence.
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