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Larger generators requiring higher field amperages often had three or more water-cooled bridges connected in parallel with N+ 1 redundancy in the event of bridge failure. To isolate a defective bridge and allow
maintenance, each bridge included a five-pole manual disconnect switch to isolate the AC input and DC output.
Today, 30-40 years later, the water-cooled mechanism to cool the power semiconductors have deteriorated to the point where water leaks are prevalent in the Alterrex system. Elbow and tube leaks are typical issues,
along with Teflon carbonizing that leads to eventual isolation of the rectifier bridge, requiring repair. For some plants, two or more leaks may be common in a year’s time.
Existing technology leaves you:
- Tired of water leaks and plumbing repairs
- Coping with nuisance field grounds due to water leaks
- Dealing with obsolete parts
- Fearing long lead times/ down times
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