Synchronous Generator
EEE 3107
Electrical Machine II
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Synchronous Generator Construction
How to excite the rotor?
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Synchronous Generator Construction Cont.
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Synchronous Generator Construction Cont.
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The Speed of Rotation & Internal Generated Voltage
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Equivalent Circuit of a Synchronous Generator
• The angle between BR and Bnet is known as the internal
angle or torque angle Δ (gr Δ) for the machine.
• This angle is proportional to the amount of power being
supplied by the generator
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Equivalent Circuit of a Synchronous Generator Cont.
• The voltage Estat lies at an angle of 90° behind the plane of maximum current IA. Second, the voltage Estat is directly
proportional to the current IA.
• The armature reaction voltage can be modeled as an inductor in series with the internal generated voltage.
• In addition to the effects of armature reaction, the stator coils have a self inductance and a resistance.
• The armature reaction effects and the self-inductance in the machine are both represented by reactance, and it is
customary to combine them into a single reactance, called the synchronous reactance of the machine
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Equivalent Circuit of a Synchronous Generator Cont.
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Measuring Synchronous Generator Model Parameter
• Three quantities that must be determined in order to completely describe the behavior of a real synchronous generator
• The first step in the process is to perform the open-circuit test on the generator.
• To perform this test, the generator is turned at the rated speed, the terminals are
disconnected from all loads, and the field current is set to zero.
• Then the field current is gradually increased in steps, and the terminal voltage is
measured at each step along the way.
• With the terminals open, IA = 0, so EA is equal to Vϕ. The plot is called OCC.
• The second step in the process is to conduct the short-circuit test.
• To perform the short-circuit test, adjust the field current to zero again and short-
circuit the terminals of the generator through a set of ammeters.
• Then the armature current IA or the line current IL is measured as the field current
is increased. Such a plot is called a short-circuit characteristic (SCC)
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Measuring Synchronous Generator Model Parameter
• Since Bs almost cancels BR, the net magnetic field Bnet
is very small
• Since the net magnetic field in the machine is so
small, the machine is unsaturated and the SCC is
linear.
Measuring Synchronous Generator Model Parameter Cont
• The answer given by this approach is accurate up to the point of
saturation (up to the linear portion of OCC)
• The value of the synchronous reactance to be used in a given problem
should be one calculated at the approximate load on the machine
• the resistance can be approximated by applying a dc voltage to the
windings while the machine is stationary. The use of dc voltage means
that the reactance of the windings will be zero during the measurement
process
• The AC resistance is approximately 1.4 times of DC resistance
Phasor Diagram of Synchronous Generator
• for a given phase voltage and armature current, a larger internal generated voltage EA is needed for lagging loads than for
leading load
• for a given field current and magnitude of load current, the terminal voltage is lower for lagging loads and higher for
leading loads 12
Power & Torque in Synchronous Generator
• The input mechanical power is the shaft power in the generator Pin = τappωm
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Power & Torque in Synchronous Generator Cont.
• The vertical segment bc can be expressed as either EAsinδ or XSIAcosθ
• It we let no electrical losses in this generator, and this equation is both Pconv and Pout
• If VΦ is assumed constant, then the real power output is directly proportional to the
quantities IAcosθ and EAsinδ, and the reactive power output is directly proportional to
the quantity IAsinθ
• Because Pconv = τindωm, the induced torque can
be expressed as
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Characteristics of Synchronous Generator Operation Alone
The Effect of Load Changes on a Synchronous Generator Operating Alone
• Let the, flux ϕ & the prime mover speed ω is
constant.
• So the, the magnitude of the internal
generated voltage, EA = Kϕω is constant.
• How can terminal voltage variations be corrected for?
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The Effect of Load Changes on a Synchronous Generator Operating Alone
• The voltage regulation (VR) of a generator is defined by the equation
• A synchronous generator operating at a lagging power factor has a fairly large positive voltage
regulation,
• A synchronous generator operating at a unity power factor has a small positive voltage regulation,
• A synchronous generator operating at a leading power factor often has a negative voltage
regulation
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Frequency-Power Characteristics of a Synchronous Generator
• For all prime—as the power drawn from them increases, the speed
decreases.
• The decrease in speed is in general nonlinear, but some form of governor
mechanism is usually included to make the decrease in speed linear with an
increase in power demand.
• The governor mechanism will always be adjusted to provide a slight
drooping characteristic with increasing load. The speed droop (SD) of a
prime mover is defined by the equation.
• Most generator prime movers have a speed droop of 2 to 4 percent.
• most governors have some type of set point adjustment to allow the no-
load speed of the turbine to be varied
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Voltage-Reactive Power Characteristics of a Synchronous Generator
• when a lagging load is added to a synchronous
generator, its terminal voltage drops.
• When a leading load is added to a synchronous
generator, its terminal voltage increases.
• The plot of terminal voltage versus reactive
power has a drooping characteristic
• The characteristic curve can be moved up and
down by changing the no-load terminal voltage
set point on the voltage regulator
The situation found in isolated generators in remote field environments:
• The real and reactive power supplied by the generator will be the amount demanded by the attached load
• The governor set points of the generator will control the operating frequency of the power system
• The field current (or the field regulator set points) controls the terminal voltage of the power system
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Parallel Operation of AC Generator
Why are synchronous generators operated in
parallel? There are several major advantages to
such operation:
• Can supply a bigger load than one machine by
itself.
• Increases the reliability of the power system
• Allows one or more of them to be removed for
shutdown and preventive maintenance.
• The ones that do operate are operating near
full load and thus more efficiently
The Conditions Required for Paralleling:
• The rms line voltages of the two generators must be equal.
• The two generators must have the same phase sequence.
• The phase angles of the two a phases must be equal.
• The frequency of the new generator, called the oncoming generator, must be slightly higher than the frequency
of the running system.
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The General Procedure for Paralleling Generators
• Using voltmeters, the field current of the oncoming generator should
be adjusted until its terminal voltage is equal to the line voltage of the
running system.
• The phase sequence of the oncoming generator must be compared to
the phase sequence of the running system. If all three bulbs get bright
and dark together, then the systems have the same phase sequence
• The frequency of the oncoming generator is adjusted to be slightly
higher than the frequency of the running system. When the three light
bulbs all go out, the voltage difference across them is zero and the
systems are in phase
• A better approach is to employ a synchroscope. A synchroscope is a
meter that measures the difference in phase angle between the a
phases of the two systems
• If the oncoming generator or system is faster than the running system
(the desired situation), then the phase angle advances and the
synchroscope needle rotates clockwise.
• When the synchroscope needle is in the vertical position, the voltages
are in phase, and the switch can be shut to connect the systems
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Operation of Generators in Parallel with Large Power Systems
• An infinite bus is a power system so large that its voltage and
frequency do not vary regardless of how much real and
reactive power is drawn from or supplied to it
• When a generator is connected in parallel with another
generator or a large system, the frequency and terminal
voltage of all the machines must be the same.
• their real power- frequency and reactive power-voltage
characteristics can be plotted back to back (a house diagram),
with a common vertical axis. 21
Operation of Generators in Parallel with Large Power Systems
• When the generator has just been paralleled with the infinite bus as (fg>fi).Then the generator will be essentially “floating”
on the line, supplying a small amount of real power and little or no reactive power.
• When the generator’s no-load frequency is less than the system’s operating frequency (fg<fi), the generator actually
consumes electric power and runs as a motor.
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Operation of Generators in Parallel with Large Power Systems
• The effect of increase of governor set point is to shift the no-load
frequency of the generator upward. Since the frequency of an
infinite bus cannot change, the power supplied by the generator
increases.
• In the phasor diagram, EA sin δ (which is proportional to the power
supplied as long as VT is constant) has increased, while the
magnitude of EA (= Kϕω) remains constant, since IF and ω are
unchanged.
The effect of increasing the governor’s set points on (a) the house
diagram
• The generator is actually operating at a
slightly leading power factor, consuming
reactive power.
The effect of increasing the governor’s set points (b) the phasor
diagram. 23
Operation of Generators in Parallel with Large Power Systems
• If the generator’s speed does not change and the governor set points have not been changed, the power supplied by the
generator must remain constant.
• If the power supplied is constant as the field current is changed, then the distances proportional to the power in the phasor
diagram (IA cos θ and EA sin δ) cannot change.
• When the field current is increased, the flux Φ increases, and therefore EA (= KΦ↑ω) increases. If EA increases, but EA sin δ
must remain constant, then the phasor EA must “slide” along the line of constant power
• Since Vϕ is constant, the angle of jXSIA changes as shown, and therefore the angle and magnitude of IA change.
• Notice that as a result the distance proportional to Q (IA sin θ) increases.
• So increasing the field current in a synchronous generator operating in parallel with an infinite bus increases the reactive
power output of the generator. 24
Operation of Generators in Parallel with Large Power Systems
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Operation of Generators in Parallel with Other Generators of the Same Size
• The basic constraint is that the sum of
the real and reactive powers supplied by
the two generators must equal the P
and Q demanded by the load.
• When the governor set points of G2 are
increased, system operates at
frequency f2 is higher than f1
• G2 supplies more power than before,
and G1 supplies less power than before.
Increase in the governor set point:
Increase in the field excitation:
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Operation of Generators in Parallel with Other Generators of the Same Size
• How can the power sharing of the power system be adjusted independently of the system frequency, and vice versa?
• To adjust power sharing without changing the system frequency,
• increase the governor set points of one generator and simultaneously decrease the governor set points of the other
generator
• To adjust the system frequency without changing the power sharing,
• simultaneously increase or decrease both governor setpoints
Operation of Generators in Parallel with Other Generators of the Same Size
• It is very important that any synchronous generator intended to operate in parallel with other machines have a drooping
frequency-power characteristic.
• If two generators have flat or nearly flat characteristics, then the power sharing between them can vary widely with only the
tiniest changes in no-load speed
• To ensure good control of power sharing between generators, they should have speed droops in the range of 2 to 5 percent.
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Synchronous Generator Ratings
• Typical ratings on a synchronous machine are voltage, frequency, speed, apparent power (kVA), power-factor, field current,
and service factor
• The rated frequency & rated speed of a synchronous generator depends on the power system to which it is connected
• A generator’s voltage depends on EA (= KΦω) . Heating in the rotor coil (𝑷𝑹𝑪𝑳 = 𝑰𝟐𝑭 𝑹𝑭 ) limits maximum allowable field
current. Breakdown value of the winding insulation also limits the rated voltage
• Power limits of electric machines comes from the mechanical torque on the shaft of the machine, and the heating of the
machine’s windings.
• For heating the armature windings (𝑷𝑺𝑪𝑳 = 𝟑𝑰𝟐𝑨 𝑹𝑨 ) , the power factor of the armature current is irrelevant thus these
machines are rated in kilovoltamperes (kVA) instead of kilowatts (kw)
• The effect of having a maximum IF and a maximum EA restricts the
lowest acceptable power factor of the generator when it is
operating at the rated kVA.
• For some current angles the required EA exceeds EA,max. If the
generator were operated at the rated armature current and these
power factors, the field winding would burn up
• The angle of IA that requires the maximum possible EA while Vϕ
remains at the rated value gives the rated power factor of the
generator
• The service factor is defined as the ratio of the actual maximum power of the machine to its
nameplate rating. A generator with a service factor of 1.15 can actually be operated at 115 percent of
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the rated load indefinitely without harm.
Synchronous Generator Transients
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Short-Circuit Transients in Synchronous Generators
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