Dynamoelectric machine sealing oil monitoring system, computer program product and related methods

1. A system comprising:

at least one computing device configured to monitor a sealing oil from a dynamoelectric machine by performing actions including:

establish a baseline flow rate for the sealing oil through the dynamoelectric machine for designed operating conditions;

calculate a plurality of average flow rates for the sealing oil through the dynamoelectric machine from a set of measured flow rates in each of a plurality of successive designated periods;

provide an alert suggesting action in response to at least one of the average flow rates deviating from a threshold flow rate, the threshold flow rate derived from the baseline flow rate to indicate a fault in the sealing oil; and

calculate an expected sealing life for the sealing oil based upon a pattern in the plurality of average flow rates for the plurality of successive designated periods.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to provide an expected failure alert prior to expiration of the expected sealing life.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold flow rate includes a range of flow rates.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the range of flow rates includes a statistical variation from the baseline flow rate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pattern includes a trend in the plurality of average flow rates moving relative to the threshold flow rate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the designed operating conditions include a range of rated operating conditions for the dynamoelectric machine.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamoelectric machine includes a hydrogen-cooled generator.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a flow meter fluidly coupled with the sealing oil in the dynamoelectric machine, the flow meter providing readings of the plurality of measured flow rates.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the successive designated periods include separate successive periods of between approximately one minute and approximately five minutes.

10. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which when executed by at least one computing device, causes the at least one computing device to monitor a sealing oil from a dynamoelectric machine by performing actions including:

establish a baseline flow rate for the sealing oil through the dynamoelectric machine for designed operating conditions;

calculate a plurality of average flow rates for the sealing oil through the dynamoelectric machine from a set of measured flow rates in each of a plurality of successive designated periods;

provide an alert suggesting action in response to at least one of the average flow rates deviating from a threshold flow rate, the threshold flow rate derived from the baseline flow rate to indicate a fault in the sealing oil; and

calculate an expected sealing life for the sealing oil based upon a pattern in the plurality of average flow rates for the plurality of successive designated periods.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the program code causes the at least one computing device to further provide an expected failure alert prior to expiration of the expected sealing life.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the threshold flow rate includes a range of flow rates, wherein the range of flow rates includes a statistical variation from the baseline flow rate.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the pattern includes a trend in the plurality of average flow rates moving relative to the threshold flow rate.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the designed operating conditions include a range of rated operating conditions for the dynamoelectric machine.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the successive designated periods include separate successive periods of between approximately one minute and approximately five minutes.

16. A computer-implemented method of monitoring a sealing oil from a dynamoelectric machine, performed on at least one computing device, the method comprising:

establishing a baseline flow rate for the sealing oil through the dynamoelectric machine for designed operating conditions;

calculating a plurality of average flow rates for the sealing oil through the dynamoelectric machine from a set of measured flow rates in each of a plurality of successive designated periods;

providing an alert suggesting action in response to at least one of the average flow rates deviating from a threshold flow rate, the threshold flow rate derived from the baseline flow rate to indicate a fault in the sealing oil; and

calculating an expected sealing life for the sealing oil based upon a pattern in the plurality of average flow rates for the plurality of successive designated periods.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing an expected failure alert prior to expiration of the expected sealing life.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the threshold flow rate includes a range of flow rates, wherein the range of flow rates includes a statistical variation from the baseline flow rate.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pattern includes a trend in the plurality of average flow rates moving relative to the threshold flow rate.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the successive designated periods include separate successive periods of between approximately one minute and approximately five minutes.