Evolution of air-cooled turbine generator design

Recent market trends have seen air-cooled generators fulfilling application needs over an increasing range of power output ratings. While GE continues to provide and to further develop an extensive line of hydrogen-cooled generators, significant investment in the air-cooled product line has further enhanced the reliability and performance of the overall product structure. Concurrent with this demand for increased performance and range of product offerings, market demands for higher machine efficiency and cost effective design are increasingly driving the need for continuous product enhancement. To meet these demands, several new technologies and machine designs for the air-cooled product line have been developed. This paper describes these advances as applied to the air-cooled line of generator products.