In hydropower generating plants the reliable operation of the hydropower unit (hydraulic turbine and generator) is a critical issue. Unexpected failure of the hydropower unit lead to high economic costs. A dynamic model of this type of machine is useful for condition monitoring which allows to detect failures in an early stage without the need to stop the machine. Most hydropower units over 20 MW of power has a vertical rotor and are mounted on hydrodynamic journal bearings. In vertical rotors, the load on the bearings is mainly rotatory and to provide stability tilting-pad journal bearings are used. An accurate dynamic model of hydropower unit must consider vertical tilting-pad journal bearings. The present study proposes a dynamic model of hydropower unit that considers the geometrical characteristics of vertical rotor and the behavior of the vertical tilting-pad journal bearing. The dynamic model is validated in two studies found in literature showing good agreement with published data (laboratory vertical rotor and actual hydropower unit). Then, the dynamic model is used to simulate an actual hydropower unit that was operating with an irregular pad clearance. Dynamic model was able to adequately predict waveform, orbits and spectrums of hydropower unit during operation at different power, startup, and during shutdown. It is concluded that dynamic model correctly predicts the failure in the pad clearance.

在水力发电厂中，水力发电机组（水轮机和发电机）的可靠运行是至关重要的问题。水力发电机组意外故障会导致高昂的经济成本。这种类型的机器的动态模型可用于状态监视，该状态监视可在不停止机器的情况下及早发现故障。大多数功率超过20兆瓦的水力发电机组都有一个垂直转子，并安装在水力动轴颈轴承上。在垂直转子中，轴承上的负载主要是旋转的，并且为了提供稳定性，使用了可倾瓦式轴颈轴承。一个精确的水力发电机组动力学模型必须考虑垂直的倾瓦轴颈轴承。本研究提出了一种水电机组的动力学模型，该模型考虑了垂直转子的几何特性和垂直可倾瓦轴颈轴承的性能。该动态模型在两项研究中得到了验证，这些研究表明与已公开的数据（实验室垂直转子和实际水力发电机组）具有很好的一致性。然后，使用动态模型来模拟实际的水力发电机组，该设备以不规则的垫片间隙运行。动态模型能够在不同功率运行，启动和停机期间充分预测水力发电机组的波形，轨道和频谱。结论是，动态模型正确地预测了垫间隙的故障。该动态模型在两项研究中得到了验证，这些研究表明与已公开的数据（实验室垂直转子和实际水力发电机组）具有很好的一致性。然后，使用动态模型来模拟实际的水力发电机组，该设备以不规则的垫片间隙运行。动态模型能够在不同功率运行，启动和停机期间充分预测水力发电机组的波形，轨道和频谱。结论是，动态模型正确地预测了垫间隙的故障。该动态模型在两项研究中得到了验证，这些研究表明与已公开的数据（实验室垂直转子和实际水力发电机组）具有很好的一致性。然后，使用动态模型来模拟实际的水力发电机组，该设备以不规则的垫片间隙运行。动态模型能够在不同功率运行，启动和停机期间充分预测水力发电机组的波形，轨道和频谱。结论是，动态模型正确地预测了垫间隙的故障。启动和关机期间。结论是，动态模型正确地预测了垫间隙的故障。启动和关机期间。结论是，动态模型正确地预测了垫间隙的故障。