Parallel operation of synchronous
generators
Most of synchronous generators are operating in parallel with other synchronous
generators to supply power to the same power system. Obvious advantages of
this arrangement are:
1. Several generators can supply a bigger load;
2. A failure of a single generator does not result in a total power loss to the load
increasing reliability of the power system;
3. Individual generators may be removed from the power system for maintenance
without shutting down the load;
4. A single generator not operating at near full load might be quite inefficient. While
having several generators in parallel, it is possible to turn off some of them when
operating the rest at near full-load condition.
Conditions required for paralleling
A diagram shows that Generator 2
(oncoming generator) will be
connected in parallel when the switch
S1 is closed. However, closing the
switch at an arbitrary moment can
severely damage both generators!
If voltages are not exactly the same in both lines (i.e. in a and a’, b and b’ etc.), a very large
current will flow when the switch is closed. Therefore, to avoid this, voltages coming from
both generators must be exactly the same. Therefore, the following conditions must be
met:
1. The rms line voltages of the two generators must be equal.
2. The two generators must have the same phase sequence.
3. The phase angles of two a phases must be equal.
4. The frequency of the oncoming generator must be slightly higher than the frequency
of the running system.
Conditions required for paralleling
If the phase sequences are different,
then even if one pair of voltages
(phases a) are in phase, the other two
pairs will be 1200 out of phase creating
huge currents in these phases.
If the frequencies of the generators are different, a large power transient may occur
until the generators stabilize at a common frequency. The frequencies of two
machines must be very close to each other but not exactly equal. If frequencies
differ by a small amount, the phase angles of the oncoming generator will change
slowly with respect to the phase angles of the running system.
If the angles between the voltages can be observed, it is possible to close the
switch S1 when the machines are in phase.
General procedure for paralleling
generators
When connecting the generator G2 to the running system, the following steps should be
taken:
1. Adjust the field current of the oncoming generator to make its terminal voltage equal
to the line voltage of the system (use a voltmeter).
2. Compare the phase sequences of the oncoming generator and the running system.
This can be done by different ways:
1) Connect a small induction motor to the terminals of the oncoming generator and
then to the terminals of the running system. If the motor rotates in the same
direction, the phase sequence is the same;
2) Connect three light bulbs across the
open terminals of the switch. As the phase
changes between the two generators, light
bulbs get brighter (large phase difference)
or dimmer (small phase difference). If all
three bulbs get bright and dark together,
both generators have the same phase
sequences.
General procedure for paralleling
generators
If phase sequences are different, two of the conductors on the oncoming
generator must be reversed.
3. The frequency of the oncoming generator is adjusted to be slightly higher than
the system’s frequency.
4. Turn on the switch connecting G2 to the system when phase angles are equal.
The simplest way to determine the moment when two generators are in phase is by
observing the same three light bulbs. When all three lights go out, the voltage
across them is zero and, therefore, machines are in phase.
A more accurate way is to use a synchroscope – a meter
measuring the difference in phase angles between two a
phases. However, a synchroscope does not check the
phase sequence since it only measures the phase
difference in one phase.
The whole process is usually automated…
Operation of generators in parallel
with large power systems
Often, when a synchronous generator is added to a power system, that system is
so large that one additional generator does not cause observable changes to the
system. A concept of an infinite bus is used to characterize such power systems.
An infinite bus is a power system that is 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. The power-frequency and reactive power-voltage characteristics are:
Operation of generators in parallel
with large power systems
Consider adding a generator to an
infinite bus supplying a load.
The frequency and terminal voltage of all
machines must be the same. Therefore,
their power-frequency and reactive
power-voltage characteristics can be
plotted with a common vertical axis.
Such plots are called sometimes as house
diagrams.
Operation of generators in parallel
with large power systems
If the no-load frequency of the oncoming
generator is slightly higher than the
system’s frequency, the generator will be
“floating” on the line supplying a small
amount of real power and little or no
reactive power.
If the no-load frequency of the oncoming
generator is slightly lower than the
system’s frequency, the generator will
supply a negative power to the system:
the generator actually consumes energy
acting as a motor!
Many generators have circuitry
automatically disconnecting them from the
line when they start consuming energy.
Operation of generators in parallel
with large power systems
If the frequency of the generator is
increased after it is connected to the
infinite bus, the system frequency
cannot change and the power supplied
by the generator increases.
Notice that when EA stays constant (field
current and speed are the same), EAsin
(which is proportional to the output power
if VT is constant) increases.
If the frequency of the generator is further increased, power output from the
generator will be increased and at some point it may exceed the power consumed by
the load.
Operation of generators in parallel
with large power systems
After the real power of the generator is adjusted to the desired value, the generator
will be operating at a slightly leading PF acting as a capacitor that consumes
reactive power. Adjusting the field current of the machine, it is possible to make it to
supply reactive power Q to the system.
Summarizing, when the generator is operating in parallel to an infinite bus:
1. The frequency and terminal voltage of the generator are controlled by the
system to which it is connected.
2. The governor set points of the generator control the real power supplied by the
generator to the system.
3. The generator’s field current controls the reactive power supplied by the
generator to the system.
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
When a generator is working alone, its real and reactive power are fixed and
determined by the load.
When a generator is connected to an infinite bus, its frequency and the terminal
voltage are constant and determined by a bus.
When two generators of the same size
are connected to the same load, the
sum of the real and reactive powers
supplied by the two generators must
equal the real and reactive powers
demanded by the load:
Ptot Pload PG1 PG 2
Qtot Qload QG1 QG 2
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
Since the frequency of G2 must be slightly
higher than the system’s frequency, the
power-frequency diagram right after G2 is
connected to the system is shown.
If the frequency of G2 is next
increased, its power-frequency
diagram shifts upwards. Since the total
power supplied to the load is constant,
G2 starts supplying more power and
G1 starts supplying less power and
the system’s frequency increases.
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
Therefore, when two generators are operating together, an increase in frequency
(governor set point) on one of them:
1. Increases the system frequency.
2. Increases the real power supplied by that generator, while reducing the real
power supplied by the other one.
When two generators are operating together,
an increase in the field current on one of
them:
1. Increases the system terminal voltage.
2. Increases the reactive power supplied by
that generator, while reducing the
reactive power supplied by the other.
If the frequency-power curves of both generators are known, the powers supplied by
each generator and the resulting system frequency can be determined.
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
Example: Two generators are set to supply the
same load. Generator 1 has a no-load
frequency of 61.5 Hz and a slope sp1 of 1
MW/Hz. Generator 2 has a no-load frequency
of 61.0 Hz and a slope sp2 of 1 MW/Hz. The two
generators are supplying a real load of 2.5 MW
at 0.8 PF lagging.
a. Find the system frequency and power supplied by each generator.
b. Assuming that an additional 1 MW load is attached to the power system, find the
new system frequency and powers supplied by each generator.
c. With the additional load attached (total load of 3.5 MW), find the system
frequency and the generator powers, if the no-load frequency of G2 is increased
by 0.5 Hz.
The power produced by a synchronous generator with a given slope and a no-load
frequency is
P s p f nl f sys
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
When two generators of the same size are working in parallel, a change in
frequency (governor set points) of one of them changes both the system frequency
and power supplied by each generator.
To adjust power sharing without changing
the system frequency, we need to increase
the frequency (governor set points) of one
generator and simultaneously decrease the
frequency of the other generator.
To adjust the system frequency without
changing power sharing, we need to
simultaneously increase or decrease the
frequency (governor set points) of both
generators.
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
Similarly, to adjust the reactive power
sharing without changing the terminal
voltage, we need to increase
simultaneously the field current of one
generator and decrease the field current of
the other generator.
To adjust the terminal voltage without
changing the reactive power sharing, we
need to simultaneously increase or
decrease the field currents of both
generators.
Generators in parallel with other
generators of the same size
It is important that both generators being paralleled have dropping frequency-
power characteristics.
If two generators have flat or almost
flat frequency-power characteristics,
the power sharing between them can
vary widely with only finest changes in
no-load speed. For good of power
sharing between generators, they
should have speed drops of 2% to
5%.
Determination of the parameters of the equivalent
circuit from test data
• The equivalent circuit of a synchronous generator that has been
derived contains three quantities that must be determined in order
to completely describe the behaviour of a real synchronous
generator:
– The saturation characteristic: relationship between If and f (and
therefore between If and Ef)
– The synchronous reactance, Xs
– The armature resistance, Ra
•
• The above three quantities could be determined by performing the
following three tests:
– Open-circuit test
– Short-circuit test
– DC test
Open-circuit 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.
• It is thus possible to obtain an open-circuit characteristic of a
generator (Ef or Vt versus If) from this information
If
+
Vdc Vt
Short-circuit test
• Adjust the field current to zero and short-circuit the terminals of
the generator through a set of ammeters.
• Record the armature current Isc as the field current is increased.
• Such a plot is called short-circuit characteristic.
If
+ A
Vdc A
Isc
DC Test
– The purpose of the DC test is to determine Ra. A variable DC voltage
source is connected between two stator terminals.
– The DC source is adjusted to provide approximately rated stator current,
and the resistance between the two stator leads is determined from the
voltmeter and ammeter readings
VDC
– then RDC
I DC
– If the stator is Y-connected, the per phase stator resistance is
RDC
Ra
2
– If the stator is delta-connected, the per phase stator resistance is
3
Ra RDC
2
Determination of Xs
• For a particular field current IfA, the internal voltage Ef (=VA) could
be found from the occ and the short-circuit current flow Isc,A could
be found from the scc.
• Then the synchronous reactance Xs could be obtained using
V A E f
Z s ,unsat R X
2
a
2
s ,unsat
I scA
Ef or Vt (V) Air-gap line
OCC Isc (A) X s ,unsat Z s2,unsat Ra2
Vrated
SCC
: Ra is known from the DC test.
VA
Isc,B
Since Xs,unsat>>Ra,
Isc, A
Ef Vt , oc
IfA IfB
If (A) X s ,unsat
I scA I scA
Xs under saturated condition
Ef or Vt (V) Air-gap line
OCC Isc (A)
At V = Vrated, Vrated SCC
Vrated E f VA
Isc,B
Z s , sat R X
2
a
2
s ,sat Isc, A
I scB If (A)
IfA IfB
X s , sat Z s2, sat Ra2 : Ra is known from the DC test.
Short-circuit Ratio
Another parameter used to describe synchronous generators is the
short-circuit ratio (SCR). The SCR of a generator defined as the
ratio of the field current required for the rated voltage at open
circuit to the field current required for the rated armature current
at short circuit. SCR is just the reciprocal of the per unit value of
the saturated synchronous reactance calculated by
Ef or Vt (V) Air-gap line
Isc (A)
OCC I f _ Vrated
Vrated
SCC SCR
I f _ Iscrated
Isc,rated
1
X s _ sat in p.u .
If (A)
If_V rated If_Isc rated
Example 1
A 200 kVA, 480-V, 60-Hz, 4-pole, Y-Connected synchronous
generator with a rated field current of 5 A was tested and the
following data was taken.
a) from OC test – terminal voltage = 540 V at rated field
current
b) from SC test – line current = 300A at rated field current
c) from Dc test – DC voltage of 10 V applied to two terminals,
a current of 25 A was measured.
1. Calculate the speed of rotation in r/min
2. Calculate the generated emf and saturated equivalent circuit
parameters (armature resistance and synchronous reactance)
