UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
POWER SYSTEMS DYNAMICS AND CONTROL
DP 622
Module: 3
Rotor Angle Stability
Instructor
Dr. Peter Makolo
Module 3
Rotor Angle
Stability
Rotor Angle Stability
Rotor Angle Stability refers to the ability of synchronous machines in the
system to remain in synchronism with each other or with grid after a
disturbance.
It deals with maintaining equilibrium between the mechanical torque and
the electrical torque of generators.
There are two types of rotor angle stability
Transient Stability
Small signal stability
Rotor Angle Stability
Transient stability refers to the system’s ability to maintain synchronism
immediately after large disturbances, such as faults, short circuits, or
sudden generator outages.
It is assessed over short time frames (milliseconds to seconds),
It involves large changes in rotor angles.
If synchronism is not restored quickly, it can lead to system separation or
cascading outages.
Small-signal stability refers to the ability of the power system to maintain
synchronism under small perturbations, such as minor load fluctuations
This stability type involves oscillations in rotor angles and focuses on the
damping of these oscillations.
Power-Angle Relationship
Consider a single machine infinite bus (SMIB) system
𝑋 = 𝑋 𝑔 + 𝑋 𝑇𝑟 + 𝑋 𝑇𝐿
In p.u.
Power-Angle Relationship
To find the real power output of the machine:
Power-Angle Relationship
Applying Trig Identities
Since the system is assumed lossless, the real power delivered at the infinite bus
is also the same
Power-Angle Relationship
Where
𝑷𝒆
is the mechanical
power input
Power-Angle Relationship
For a given mechanical power (), there are two operating angles
is a stable equilibrium point
is an unstable equilibrium point
Power-Angle Curve
Power-Angle Relationship
Two operating points:
1: Stable
2: Unstable
System is operating at point-1
If Pm is increased, rotor angle will not change
immediately → more power input than output → rotor
accelerates → angle δ between SG and grid increases
(grid angle remains const.) → Pe increases → system
moves from point 1 to point 1’
→ Stable
Power-Angle Relationship
Two operating points:
1: Stable
2: Unstable
System is operating at point-2:
– If Pm is increased, rotor accelerates, angle δ increases
→ Pe decreases (since it is operating at point-2) → speed
increases even more → Unstable → relay protection
will trip the unit out for protection.
SG behavior during faults
Power transfer and angle between a synchronous machine
and the infinite grid during and after a fault close to the
machine
SG behavior during faults
Before the fault, the system is operating at an angle δ1 with
a mechanical power Pm. The mechanical power is assumed
constant during and after the fault.
At the instant of fault initiation, power angle curves
changes from the top curve to the bottom curve.
The angle will not change immediately, but the electrical
output power becomes suddenly much smaller than the
mechanical input power
The system jumps from position 1 to position 2
During the fault, the turbine-generator speeds up and the
angle increases gradually from δ1 to δ2
The system moves from position 2 to position 3
SG behavior during faults
At fault clearing time, the angle has increased to δ2.
If we assume that the system is immediately restored to
its pre-fault configuration, the upper curve gives again
the relation between angle and electrical output power.
As the angle does not instantaneously increase, the
system jumps from position 3 to position 4.
After fault clearing the electrical output power is larger
than the mechanical input power, so that the speed of
the turbine - generator starts to decrease.
SG behavior during faults
Initially the speed is still higher than the synchronous
speed of the grid the angle continues to increase.
The system moves from position 4 to position 5.
The angle reaches its maximum value when the speed
of the turbine-generator has come down to the
synchronous speed of the infinite grid (50 Hz).
The maximum angle δ3 should be less than the angle
of the instable operating point, δ4 = 180° − δ1 to be
stable.
SG behavior during faults
There is still a surplus of electric output power turbine-
generator will continue to slow down angle decreases until
point 1 is reached again.
Here the angle will decrease further because now the speed
has become less than the synchronous speed.
Finally the system will oscillate back to its stable operating
point.
If the instable operating point is reached before the speed
reaches 50 Hz, the turbine-generator will continue to
accelerate and lose synchronism with the infinite grid.
To prevent this the fault-clearing time should be such that
even for the worse-case fault, the maximum angle is less
than the angle of the instability point: δ3 180 − δ1 = δ4
SG behavior during faults