Available online
Description
This programme explored a major problem in the manufacturing side of the electrical power industry The film was made at Parsons Ltd about the crack that appeared in the conductor bars of the 550 M...W generators manufactured in the 1960's. This was a new generation of machines of almost double the capacity of their previous generators. The industry was building machinery that was just outside the available engineering knowledge. The important message of the programme is how industry is organised to cope with design faults in such big systems. Taking part in the programme are Norman Parsons and Robert Hawley (Chief Electrical Engineer) of Parsons Ltd and David Blackburn.
This programme explored a major problem in the manufacturing side of the electrical power industry The film was made at Parsons Ltd about the crack that appeared in the conductor bars of the 550 M...W generators manufactured in the 1960's. This was a new generation of machines of almost double the capacity of their previous generators. The industry was building machinery that was just outside the available engineering knowledge. The important message of the programme is how industry is organised to cope with design faults in such big systems. Taking part in the programme are Norman Parsons and Robert Hawley (Chief Electrical Engineer) of Parsons Ltd and David Blackburn.
| Module code and title: | T100, The man-made world: a foundation course |
|---|---|
| Item code: | T100; 03 |
| First transmission date: | 30-01-1972 |
| Published: | 1972 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:23:36 |
| + Show more... | |
| Contributors: | David Blackburn; Robert Hawley; Norman Parsons |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Conductors; Generators; Manufacturing difficulties; Parsons Ltd.; Power industry; Turbines; Vibration problems |
| Footage description: | View of a 660 MW generator being assembled at C.A. Parsons & Co. Ltd, Newcastle. A crack in a copper conductor bar of one of the company's generators has occured. Shot of the cracked conductor bar. Generator being assembled. Shots of rotor being placed inside the stator core. N. Parsons tells why such large generators are built. N. Parsons describes the design and construction of large turbines needed to drive the new 660 MW generators. He discusses some of the technical problems involved. Turbine blades are examined and discussed. Parsons explains how the vibration problems in the turbines were overcome. Vibration problems with the generator are discussed. Vibration caused the cracking in the copper conductor bars. How this happened is taken up. Production of copper conductor bars is shown. Their installation in the stator core is shown. Blackburn explains why the completed generator cannot be tested before installation at a power station (Too much power is required for testing) Copper conductor bars are inserted into the stator. As they are installed the problems that might arise are discussed. High electromagnetic forces in the end windings, distortion of the stator core, interaction of electric currents of different strengths, etc. C.A. Parsons & Co' s solution to the problem, of the cracked conductor bar is examined. (The rigidity of the generator was increased with additional packings). |
| Master spool number: | 6LT/70389 |
| Production number: | 00521_2504 |
| Videofinder number: | 2147 |
| Available to public: | no |
