SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS

TECHNICAL NOTE TN11

INSULATION CLASS /
TEMPERATURE RISE CLASS

PREAMBLE
This technical note aims at :
••Clarifying Insulation Class and Temperature Rise Class notions.
••Comparing possible systems available (Insulation Class H / Temperature rise F vs. Insulation Class F /
Temperature rise B).
••Showing evidences on generator lifetime extension, by sizing the generator on a lower Temperature Rise Class.

INSULATION CLASS

The IEC 60085 specifies that an Insulation system permanently submitted to its Insulation Class temperature has a life expectancy
of 20 000h.
It defines the Insulation Class temperatures as follows :

Insulation class H F B

Temperature 180 °C 155 °C 130 °C

(Reference Document: IEC 60085)

All LEROY-SOMER generators windings are manufactured with Class H insulation system.

TEMPERATURE RISE CLASS

The temperature rise class is the maximum allowed difference between the measured temperature, after temperature
stabilisation, of one of the active generator components (stator or rotor copper) and the cooling fluid temperature (e.g. ambient
air temperature for instance, at 40°C).
In other words, this is the maximum allowed temperature increase, from cold to warm condition, when the alternator is running
at rated values.

The IEC 60034-1 defines the temperature rise class as follows :

Temperature rise Class H F B

Temperature limits 125 K 105 K 80 K

(Reference Document: IEC 60034-1 - Table 7, Resistance method of measurement)

Note : Temperature rise data are stated in Kelvin (K).

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 INSULATION CLASS AND TEMPERATURE RISE CLASS
T°
We define the following :
Insulation Class T°

Thermal Margin = Insulation Class Temperature Thermal Margin

— Operating Temperature

Where :
Operating Temperature = Temperature Rise Class Temperature Rise
+ Ambient Temperature Class (K)

Operating
Temperature
Note :
When a generator system is designated as “H / F”
The 1st letter defines the Insulation Class. Ambient
The 2nd letter defines the Temperature Rise Class. Temperature (°C)

H / F VERSUS F / B
Thermal margin = Insulation Class Temperature – Total Temp erature
Thermal margin = Insulation Class Temperature - Total Temperature

200
Temperature defined by H
180
Thermal Insulation Class : 180°C
Temperature defined by F
155 Margin: 35 K
Thermal Insulation Class: 155°C
Margin: 35 K
Op. Temperature: 145 °C

120
Temperature (°C)

Op. Temperature: 120 °C

Class F Class B
Temp . Rise: Temp . Rise:
105 K 80 K

40
Ambient Ambient
Temperature Temperature
0
Insulation class H Insulation class F
and and
Temperature Rise class F Temperature Rise class B

In other words :

LEROY-SOMER Usual requirement

Insulation class H / Temperature Rise class F Insulation class F / Temperature Rise class B

Thermal margin : 180-(105+40) = 35 K Thermal margin : 155-(80 +40) = 35 K

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»»Generators designed as F / B or H / F have the same thermal margin, and hence the same insulation system lifetime.
»»Using H / F designs enables the selection of more compact and economic generators with the same design life time.
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 GENERATOR INSULATION LIFETIME EXTENSION POSSIBILITIES

The « Rule of 10 » (c.f. Arrhenius Equation) can be adapted to approximate the relationship between insulation lifetime
and operating temperature. This rule states that if a generator’s operating temperature is reduced by 10°C, the
insulation system lifetime is doubled.

EPG
Using - Orleans
a higher TECHNICAL
Insulation Class, associated with NOTE
a lower Temperature Rise Class, allows a drastic increase the insulation
lifetime. NOTE TECHNIQUE

InInsulation
su lat io n Class
ClassHH && F vs. Operating
F vs. Op er at in gTemperature
Tem p er at u r(OT
e (OT in °C)
in °C)

10 000 000

1 280 000
Co nt in uo us o p erat ing t im e (H ours)

IEC 6 0 0 8 5 d esig n valu e fo r

226 274 an Insulation Class F

100 000
IEC 6 0 0 8 5 d esig n valu e, fo r
56 569
40 000 an Insulation Class H

20 000
1000

Insulation Class F Insulation Class H

100
Op . T. Class B Op . T. Class F Op . T. Class H
100 155 165 180 200 220
1 2 0 °C 1 4 5 °C 1 6 5 °C
Tem p erat u re (°C)
Op er at in g Tem p er at u r e o f t h e co n sid er ed Tem p er at u r e Rise Class
(IC01 Cooling - 40°CAmbient Temperature)

H & F insulation lifetimes, depending on the selected Temperature Rise Class :

Insulation Class H Insulation Class F

System Lifetime (Years) System Lifetime (Years)

Operated at Class H Temperature rise H/H 6.5 N/A N/A

Operated at Class F Temperature rise H/F 26 F/F 4.6

Operated at Class B Temperature rise H/B 146 F/B 26

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»»H / B designed generators have oversized insulation lifetime. At least 5 times the expected lifetime of F/B design for the same
active part size and mass.

This design can be offered by Leroy-Somer.

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