Method for ultrasonic inspection of generator field teeth

1. A method for ultrasonically inspecting a generator field tooth for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of cracks thereat, the generator having a rotor with an axis of rotation, the rotor having a plurality of field teeth extending radially outward with respect to the axis of rotation and having an elongated profile that extends parallel to the axis of rotation, the rotor having a plurality of sets of wedges disposed between adjacent teeth, a set of wedges having at least two wedges disposed end to end parallel to the axis of rotation so as to form a butt joint between adjacent ends, the teeth having an outer surface, and a load surface having boundaries that define a horizontal centerline at a vertical distance down from the outer surface, each wedge having a bearing surface disposed proximate the load surface such that in response to rotation of the rotor, the bearing surfaces bear against the load surface of the tooth, whereby the wedge is restrained from outward radial movement and the load surface experiences a load stress whereat fretting of the load surface may occur, the method comprising:

selecting an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) productive of a test signal having a defined angle of refraction with respect to the tooth material;

positioning the EMAT at the outer surface of the tooth absent a fluid couplant;

orienting the EMAT so as to direct the test signal to propagate through the tooth toward the load surface where the butt joint is disposed; and

activating the EMAT so as to test the load surface proximate the butt joint for cracks thereat.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT so as to cause the test signal to propagate through the tooth toward the horizontal centerline of the load surface where the butt joint is disposed.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the outer surface of a tooth being a continuous outer surface, defining an axial distance that is a function of the defined angle of refraction of the EMAT; and

positioning the EMAT at the outer surface of the tooth such that the test signal propagates through the axial distance.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

defining a skew angle and an angle of refraction for the test signal such that the test signal in the tooth has a defined direction vector; and

positioning the EMAT at the outer surface such that the test signal follows the defined direction vector.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the outer surface of a tooth being a stepped surface with land and groove outer surfaces at a defined pitch p in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, defining an axial distance that is a function of the pitch p; and

positioning the EMAT at a land or a groove outer surface such that the test signal propagates through the axial distance.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

defining a skew angle and an angle of refraction for the test signal such that the test signal in the tooth has a defined direction vector; and

positioning the EMAT at one of the land and the groove outer surface such that the test signal follows the defined direction vector.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate a land outer surface, allowing the EMAT to be positioned at a groove outer surface at a distance of about p/2 from the butt joint, and allowing the EMAT to be positioned at a land outer surface proximate the butt joint; and

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate a groove outer surface, allowing the EMAT to be positioned at a land outer surface at a distance of about p/2 from the butt joint, and allowing the EMAT to be positioned at a groove outer surface proximate the butt joint.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the teeth include land and groove outer surfaces having a defined pitch “p” in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the land outer surface being at a defined elevation with respect to the groove outer surface, the method further comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate the middle of a land outer surface, positioning the EMAT at a groove outer surface proximate the longitudinal centerline of the tooth at a horizontal distance of about p/2 from the butt joint, wherein the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT such that the test signal has a defined angle of refraction and defined skew angle; and

establishing a test orientation of the EMAT with respect to the defined angle of refraction and the defined skew angle;

wherein the activating the EMAT comprises activating the EMAT disposed at the groove outer surface.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate the middle of a groove outer surface, positioning the EMAT at a land outer surface offset from the longitudinal centerline of the tooth at a horizontal distance of about p/2 from the butt joint;

wherein the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT at the test orientation; and

wherein the activating the EMAT comprises activating the EMAT disposed at the land outer surface.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate the middle of a land outer surface, positioning the EMAT at the same land outer surface offset from the longitudinal centerline of the tooth;

wherein the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT at an orientation other than the test orientation; and

wherein the activating the EMAT comprises activating the EMAT disposed at the land outer surface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the teeth include land and groove outer surfaces having a defined pitch “p” in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the land outer surface being at a defined elevation with respect to the groove outer surface, the method farther comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate the middle of a groove outer surface, positioning the EMAT at a land outer surface offset from the longitudinal centerline of the tooth at a horizontal distance of about p/2 from the butt joint, wherein the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT such that the test signal has a defined angle of refraction and defined skew angle; and

establishing a test orientation of the EMAT with respect to the defined angle of refraction and the defined skew angle;

wherein the activating the EMAT comprises activating the EMAT disposed at the land outer surface.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate the middle of a land outer surface, positioning the EMAT at a groove outer surface proximate the longitudinal centerline of the tooth at a horizontal distance of about p/2 from the butt joint, wherein the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT at the test orientation;

wherein the activating the EMAT comprises activating the EMAT disposed at the groove outer surface.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

in response to the butt joint being disposed proximate the middle of a groove outer surface, positioning the EMAT at the same groove outer surface proximate the longitudinal centerline of the tooth;

wherein the orienting the EMAT comprises orienting the EMAT at an orientation other than the test orientation; and

wherein the activating the EMAT comprises activating the EMAT disposed at the groove outer surface.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting an EMAT capable of a pulse-echo mode of testing.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the outer surface of a tooth being a stepped surface with land and groove outer surfaces at a defined pitch p in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, and in response to the land outer surface having a slanted inlet groove to form an inlet groove surface therein, defining an axial distance that is a function of the pitch p;

defining a skew angle and an angle of refraction for the test signal such that the test signal in the tooth has a first direction vector in response to the test signal being directed to one side of the tooth, and a second different direction vector in response to the test signal being directed to the opposite side of the tooth; and

position the EMAT at an inlet groove surface such that the test signal propagates through the axial distance at one of the first and the second direction vectors.

16. A method for ultrasonically inspecting a generator field tooth for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of cracks thereat, the tooth having a length, the tooth having a radial height with an outer surface, the tooth having a load surface that runs lengthwise with boundaries that define a horizontal centerline at a defined distance down from the outer surface, the method comprising:

positioning an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) productive of a test signal at the outer surface of the tooth;

orienting the EMAT so as to direct the test signal to propagate through the tooth from a point of entry at the tooth outer surface toward a region of interest on the horizontal centerline of the load surface at a defined distance from the point of entry; and

activating the EMAT so as to test the load surface for cracks at the region of interest.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the test signal from the EMAT has a characteristic angle of refraction with respect to the material of the tooth, the method further comprising:

defining a skew angle and an angle of refraction for the test signal such that the test signal in the tooth has a defined direction vector; and

selecting an EMAT with a characteristic angle of refraction capable of providing the test signal at the defined direction vector.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the outer surface includes land and groove outer surfaces at a defined pitch p in a lengthwise direction; and

the defined direction vector is a function of the pitch p and the distance down from the outer surface to the horizontal centerline.

19. A method for selecting an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) capable of producing a test signal for inspecting a generator field tooth for the detection, characterization and/or sizing of cracks at a region of interest of the tooth, the tooth having a length, the tooth having a radial height with an outer surface, the tooth having a load surface that runs lengthwise and has boundaries that define a horizontal centerline at vertical a distance down from the outer surface, the method comprising:

defining a direction vector for the test signal in the tooth such that the test signal is directed firm a point of entry at the tooth outer surface to the region of interest;

defining a skew angle and an angle of refraction that results in the test signal that follows the defined direction vector; and

selecting an EMAT with the desired angle of refraction capable of providing the test signal at the defined direction vector.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the outer surface includes land and groove outer surfaces at a defined pitch p in a lengthwise direction; and

the direction vector is a function of the pitch p and the distance down from the outer surface to the horizontal centerline.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the angle of refraction of the EMAT is a function of the direction vector.