Winding and Insulation

ABB Motors
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WINDING AND INSULATION

Winding

Winding uses round enamelled wires, inserted into the slots and self supported on
overhang well tied to form a robust ring structure. The insulation materials used in the
winding, make up an insulation system which has class F or class H temperature rating
and mechanical strength high enough to withstand rapid auto-reclosing. The materials
withstand the abuse of the winding work, and the impregnating resin/ varnish adheres
strongly to them making a solid mass. The impregnating resin is an epoxy resin having a
long term temperature rating and mechanical characteristics which remain almost
unchanged over the entire operating temperature range.

About Insulating Materials

Important solid insulating materials

Aramid (e.g. Nomex)

• Aromatic polyamide
• Good thermal stability
• Good mechanical strength
• Thermal class H
• Typical form: sheet
• Typical application: slot and phase insulation

Polyester
• Polyethylenetherephthalate (PETP)
• Good electrical strength
• Thermal class F
• Form: Film, felt, sheet, woven or nonwoven etc.
• Relatively cheaper
• Combined typically with other insulating materials, e.g. Aramid

Resins
Resins are solventless, organic compounds which polymerize (cure) under suitable
circumstances. Polymerization can take place due to heat (most usual), UV- light or some
other ground. Room temperature curable resins exist also.

Typical representatives: polyester, epoxy and silicon resins.

Resins are applied mainly in the impregnation of winding insulations.

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Varnishes

Varnishes contain solvent typically 50 % and hence, are likely to leave bubbles in the
insulation after the curing, which makes them unsuitable for the impregnation of high
quality windings. FT-50 varnish currently in use in some of the machines is being phased
out by resins.

Insulation Systems

In the design and manufacturing of insulation systems, several aspects of different nature
must be considered in order to obtain a reliable and cost effective result.

Evaluation of Insulation Systems

Dimensioning and Compatibility

An insulation system is a typical example of an independent entity where even the
smallest details of the system must be tested carefully. As many of the deteriorating
mechanisms are very slow in service conditions, the test must usually be carried out in
accelerated manner. Despite this the testing time range from weeks to months. Further, as
the statistical variation of the results is considered, the number of test specimens must be
high.

Typical endurance test:

• Electrical aging
• Thermal aging
• Mechanical aging e.g. vibration
• Aging due to surrounding conditions
• Combined aging, e.g. thermal and electrical

Manufacturing of the insulation:

• Working methods
• Processing technology
• Process parameters

In additional to the technical compatibility of e.g. a new material with an insulating

system, the suitability of the candidate with the production is an important item. This is
usually tested with small scale production. It is fairly usual that material must be rejected
due to difficulties in the production, although it is technically acceptable.
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Impregnation Method

Flood Impregnation
Once fitted with its (unimpregnated) coils and provided with all necessary winding
overhang supports and end winding connections, the entire stator assembly is flooded
with resin and then cured at elevated temperature.

Vacuum Pressure Impregnation

This method is employed to obtain a nearly 100 % filling of the voids in the slot
guaranteeing the excellent moisture and mechanical strength.

IMO Insulations

S.No Description Material

1 Enamelled Wire
2 Slot Insulation
3 Slot Enclosure
4 Phase to phase
insulation
5 Coil to coil insulation
6 Insulation between
coils in the slot
7 Lead wire
8 Sleeve
9 Tying
10 Impregnating Resin
11 Slot Wedge
Class F Class H
As per IS:13730 part-3 (IS As per IS: 13730 part 13
4800 part 5, type 2)
Nomex-polyester-nomex Nomex-nomex polyester-nomex
+permacell p-212 adhesive tape
Nomex polyester- nomex Nomex
Unsaturated DMD Nomex
(polyester fleece)
Nomex
Nomex-polyester-nomex Nomex
Varnished fibre glass Fibre glass covered with silicon
cover rubber
Varnished fibre glass Fibreglass cover with silicon
elastomer of 1100 V grade as
per BS: 6195/69
Fibreglass/polyester tape Glass fibre tape
FT-1052 of Dr. beck FT-2005 of Dr. beck
Fibre glass laminate Fibre glass laminate

Quality control of windings

The quality control program of the windings includes as main items of the incoming tests
of the materials, intermediate voltage tests and final voltage test.

Voltage tests

Principle: The weak points of the insulation are revealed as early as possible. This
implies fairly high test voltage levels in the early phase of the production compared with
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final voltage test and decreasing voltage levels from one manufacturing phase to the
other. In the impregnation, the electric strength of the high voltage insulation is increased
remarkably which affects the test voltage levels before and after the impregnation.

Service and maintenance of the windings

In general, windings require very little maintenance. Usually it is most important to

prevent the moisture to getting into the machine. In open ventilated machines, it is
additionally important to ensure that the cooling ability of the winding is not reduced
excessively e.g. because of the dirt.

Storage Conditions

Usually it is important to prevent the condensation of the moisture in the machine (as
aggressive chemicals and other special conditions occur only seldom). This means that
the temperature inside the machine should be kept above the dew point of the ambient air.
This is done by energizing the anti-condensation heaters if the relative humidity exceeds
75 %. If the machine is not equipped with heaters, a 24 V supply is applied to one of the
phases of the machine.

Checking after storage and long term shutdown

The minimum value of the insulation resistance for safe starting is 5 Mohm

The condition of the temperature detectors should be checked.

Regular checkings

The interval and coverage of internal checkings depend on the type, location and
importance of the machine in question.