loss reduction, switched and Many of the topics are basic ones in
fixed capacitors, controls and distribution, but there is also a lot of
reliability issues.
✔ Faults: statistics, fault calcula-
tions, asymmetrical currents, sec-
ondary faults, and faults in
equipment.
✔ Short-circuit protection: covers
the basic overcurrent protective
devices used on a distribution
system and discusses the coordi-
nation issues. Also included is a
discussion of reclosing practices
and fuse-saving.
✔ Reliability: a discussion of the
various reliability indices and
their calculation, reliability
improvements, and distribution
automation.
✔ Voltage sags and momentary
interruptions: a discussion of
what causes voltage sags on dis-
tribution and what steps can be
taken to improve the impact on
customer equipment. The chapter
includes a discussion of the com-
puter business ITI curve along
with power quality monitoring.
✔ Other power quality issues: in
addition to voltage sags and
momentaries, these other PQ
issues include grounding, tran-
sients, harmonics, voltage flicker,
and voltage unbalance.
✔ Lightning protection: fundamental
lightning background, traveling
wave theory, surge arrester applica-
tion, basic insulation coordination.
It also includes material on surge
protection for underground circuits
and ways to improve the lightning
protection of overhead distribution
circuits.
✔ Grounding and safety: covers
what effective grounding means,
how different grounding systems
behave under fault conditions,
ground rod fundamentals, and
protective grounding for person-
nel safety.
✔ Distributed generation (DG):
characteristics of DG, grounding
considerations, relaying concerns,
and how voltage regulation and
flicker problems can develop.
july/august 2005
Chapter 1 gives a nice, cursory and
clear overview of synchronous machine
hard-to-find information included. For
example, in the lightning protection
chapter, a topic in which Short did
quite a bit of work, in addition to the
basic fundamentals of lightning and
equipment protection, you’ll find
information on such specialized topics
as low-side surges as well as the arc
quenching ability of wood. I found the
material on faults and short-circuit
protection to be a good lead-in to the
later sections on reliability and power
quality, which go hand in hand with
the system design and operating chal-
lenges of distribution engineers.
The book includes an extensive
amount of figures and photos that really
add clarity, complement the text, and
better orient the reader to the particular
topic. The intended audience is practic-
ing distribution engineers, so you won’t
find this book to be one to use with stu-
dents unfamiliar with distribution sys-
tems and practices.
This was no small undertaking.
Short did a remarkable job in pulling
this together, and I’m glad I had the
opportunity to review it.
Daniel J. Ward
Operation and
Maintenance of Large
Turbo-Generators
by Geoff Klempner and Isidor
Kerszenbaum, John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
This excellent text should be titled
Design Considerations, Inspection,
Operation, and Maintenance of Large
Turbo-Generators. This is an outstand-
ing book on the construction features of
the generator; things to look for during
an inspection; operation issues; mainte-
nance; and testing of large cylindrical
rotor (two and four pole) synchronous
generators. This book is clearly written
and provides a plethora of practical data
not found in other sources. It contains
very useful information for both the
power plant engineer and the corporate
engineer involved with rotating electri-
cal machinery. The authors provide a
balanced and objective approach to
operation and maintenance issues.
theory. Chapter 2 covers design and
construction, and if it weren’t for the
poor quality photos it would be out-
standing. The explanations are brief and
concise. There is just enough detail to
introduce the novice to the components
of the synchronous generator. The
information introduced here is covered
in more detail in subsequent chapters.
Chapter 3 gives a brief discussion of the
major generator auxiliaries, lubrication
oil, hydrogen, seal oil, stator cooling
water, and excitation. The chapter is
rich in numerical guidance for many of
the general operating conditions associ-
ated with these auxiliaries.
The heart of this text begins at
Chapter 4, “Operation and Control.”
This chapter is very good and worth
reading twice. The first part of the
chapter discusses the basics of a syn-
chronous generator and its operating
characteristics and design capabili-
ties. The second part of the chapter
describes the fundamental interaction
of the generator with the transmission
system. The chapter ends with a
generic “Generator Operating Instruc-
tion,” which includes information for
relay protection considerations. Chap-
ter 5 offers a thorough review of
machine monitoring. There is a good
description of several monitoring
techniques including partial discharge
for the stator and the flux probe for
the rotor. This chapter also addresses
the machine auxiliaries, bearings,
lube oil, hydrogen, the seal oil sys-
tem, and the stator cooling water sys-
tem. Chapter 6 provides a very good
overview of the basics of generator
protection. It offers enough informa-
tion for the novice to ask relevant
questions of the relay engineer when
a problem develops.
Chapter 7 is a primer for machine
inspection. It discusses the basics of
inspections, including simple tools,
and presents a variety of inspection
forms and test forms that could be
used or modified to fit specific user
needs. Chapter 8 discusses the stator
inspection in superb and thorough
IEEE power & energy magazine 61
 detail. It begins with the stator frame
and foundation; these structural items
are often overlooked during routine
inspections. There is excellent infor-
mation on the stator core iron. The sta-
tor end winding support system and
stator bars are also covered. Crevice
corrosion is discussed with respect to
water-cooled copper windings. The
62 IEEE power & energy magazine
photos and illustrations are particularly
helpful. Like Chapter 8, Chapter 9
covers the rotor in the same superb and
thorough detail. There is excellent
information on the collector rings.
Read this book carefully to get some
of the authors’ personal observations,
such as this comment on the future use
of magnetic bearings: “things will never
be the same in the area of bearing oper-
ation and maintenance.”
Auxiliaries are addressed in Chap-
ter 10. Bullets identifying the major
components of the lube oil system,
hydrogen system, seal oil system, stator
cooling water system, and the excitation
system are provided. Testing is covered
in Chapter 11. Like most chapters in this
book, the topic is covered thoroughly,
from major issues to minor issues. In
many cases acceptance criteria is sug-
gested. The core iron EL CID test is dis-
cussed in detail, almost to the point of
reading like the EL CID manufacturers’
sales literature. Chapter 12 is mistitled
and might more appropriately be called
“Maintenance Philosophies.” It is a bit
disappointing because it offers no spe-
cific recommendations or suggestions
on maintenance intervals or frequencies.
In the interest of constructive criti-
cism, far too many of the photos in this
text are of extremely poor quality, while
the illustrations and sketches are more
than satisfactory. The text is sometimes
redundant from chapter to chapter. This
redundancy is not necessarily a negative
for the reader that is just browsing, look-
ing for one item at a time. In Chapter 11
the authors imply that an ac Hi-Pot test
on a water-cooled winding must be
done with the winding completely “dry.”
It is this reviewer’s experience that this
is misleading. Most Hi-Pot tests on
water-cooled windings are performed
with the stator water system in service
and conductivity at rated values.
This book fills the large void between
the academic classroom textbook on
synchronous machinery theory and the
often-marginal manufacturer’s instruc-
tion manual. The chapters are filled with
the experiences and industry activities of
the authors. The text provides numerical
guidance for many of the issues facing
the utility engineer assigned to follow
synchronous generators. The informa-
tion contained in this text is useful for
the trainee and the experienced plant
engineer. This unique book should be
purchased by every electric utility power
plant and industry facility that operates a
synchronous generator.
James R. Michalec p&e
july/august 2005