Induced field-system transients in synchronous generators

having unidirectional forms of excitation supply

W.D.Humpage, B.Sc, Ph.D., CEng., F.I.E.E., J.R. Smith, M.Sc, Ph.D., CEng., M.I.E.E., and G.J.Rogers, B.Sc.(Eng.), F.I.M.A.

Indexing terms: Exciters, Overvoltage, Synchronisation, Synchronous generators, Transients

ABSTRACT
Synchronous-generator excitation supply systems that a r e based on a.c. exciters operating in conjunction with
rectifiers, a s is now widely the practice, give rise to particular modes of generator operation that do not occur
when d.c. exciters a r e used. In the case of a d.c. exciter, the field current can reverse, if it is required so to
change by stator operating conditions, whereas an a.c. exciter and a rectifier system provide an essentially uni-
directional form of supply. A preclusion of field-current r e v e r s a l s by the rectifiers introduces a constraint into
the interaction between the rotor and stator circuits of the generator for which the excitation system provides a
supply. For a wide range of generator operating conditions, the constraint is inactive, and so no adverse effects
arise,but credible circumstances can combine to cause the constraint to become active. When this is the case,
the transition of the constraint from inactive to active is accompanied by a pulse of induced voltage in the field
system. The paper reports a study of field-system overvoltages that might be generated in this way for the p a r t i -
cular conditions encountered in synchronising. A mathematical model suitable for use in computer studies in this
a r e a of applied analysis in power systems is summarised, and the validity of the model is checked by comparing
computer study results with those available from fullscale tests on a 120 MW turbogenerator unit. Numerous
synchronising studies have been based on this model, and representative results from them a r e collected together
in the paper, together with the synchronising conditions that can give rise to overvoltages. When synchronising
is achieved within the close limits typical of British practice, the hazard of induced field voltages of substantial
magnitude should be avoided altogether, but the continuously recurring nature of synchronising generator units
with a parent system suggests a general study of the conditions. It is a general study of this kind to which the
paper is devoted.

LIST OF PRINCIPAL SYMBOLS ^d> k m d, L mdr etc.as defined here in their application to
the d axis.
Variables and matrices
v = vector of axis voltages
i = vector of axis currents 1 INTRODUCTION
Te = electromagnetic torque One of the principal considerations in supplying the excita-
u)T = rotor speed tion requirements of synchronous generators from a.c. ex-
ws = departure from nominal speed citers operating in conjunction with rectifier systems is
6 = rotor angle that of the peak-inverse voltage that rectifiers are required
L = inductance matrix to withstand in service. Of particular concern are operating
G = torque matrix conditions in which, if the supply were of a bipolarity form,
R = diagonal matrix of winding resistances the field current would reverse; for this is precluded by
Inductance coefficients the essentially unidirectional form of supply that an a.c.
exciter and a rectifier system provide. If, for example,
Ld = stator total inductance in d axis generator operating conditions cause a progressively de-
L
md = magnetising inductance in d axis creasing field current, and a point is reached at which, with a
L
mdr = mutual inductancen between d axis stator or field d.c. exciter, the field current would reverse, then, in the
winding and r* equivalent d axis eddy-current case of an a.c. exciter and a rectifier system, this reversal
circuit in field current would be blocked. A momentary disturbance
tn
L
kdr = total inductance of r d axis equivalent eddy- to the m.m.f.balance between rotor and stator arising in
current circuit this way causes a rapid rise in rotor flux linkages and a
tn tn
L
idr = mutual inductance between the i and r equiva- transient pulse of voltage in the field system. It is this
lent eddy-current circuits in d axis induced voltage, when the rectifiers are in a nonconducting
mode, that makes particular demands on the peak-inverse-
Resistance coefficients voltage rating of rectifiers.
= stator-winding resistance Site tests 1 have been carried out to assess overvoltage
a = field-winding resistance magnitudes that field-current blocking by rectifiers might
Rfd = resistance of r t n d axis equivalent eddy-current in practice cause, and computer studies of the site-test con-
Rdr
circuit ditions have been made. In predicting the greatest over-
voltages likely to arise, it appears generally to be the view
Field solution from Green's function that the most onerous conditions are those of generator
c = semipole pitch pole slipping. There is no doubt that, should pole slipping
g = airgap length, m occur, conditions can arise that lead to severe field-system
Hr = relative permeability of rotor steel overvoltages, and this leads to the question of whether there
o = conductivity of rotor steel fi-m may be other, perhaps more generally encountered, modes
of operation, that can in some measure reproduce the con-
Subscripts s and r identify stator and rotor circuits, res- ditions of pole slipping in so far as they influence field-
pectively. The term 'total inductance' is used to denote the system overvoltages. Depending on the precise circum-
sum of the magnetising and leakage inductances. Q-axis stances, this can be the case during synchronising, in that
inductance coefficients Lq, L m q, L m q r etc. correspond to the incoming unit may momentarily operate in either motor-
ing or generating modes. Accepting this, a series of studies
has recently been carried out specifically to assess the
extent to which there may be the hazard of field-system
Paper 7173 P, first received 1st November 1973 and in overvoltages when synchronising from different conditions.
revised form 18th March 1974 The studies confirm that, when synchronising within the
Dr.Humpage is with the Power Systems Laboratory, Univer- limits typical of British practice, no adverse effects are
sity of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology ,PO likely to arise for a wide range of units of differing ratings
Box 88, Sackville Street, Manchester M60 1QD, England. and construction. At the same time, the constantly repeat-
Dr. Smith and Mr. Rogers are with the Department of Elec- ing nature of generator synchronisation suggests extending
trical Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, the study to locate, in representative cases, the combinations
Hants. SO9 5NH, England of circumstances during synchronising, where field-system
PROC. IEE, Vol. 121, No. 7, JULY 1974 647
overvoltages could be generated. The paper seeks to report
investigatory work in this area, together with the computer
simulation methods on which it has been based.
2 SYNCHRONISING
There can be few more basic aspects of system operation
than that of synchronising an incoming generator unit to the
system with which it is to operate in parallel. Automatic
methods of checking that conditions are favourable for syn-
chronisation have found increasing application, but, irrespec-
tive of the precise mode of working, the essential require-
ment is one of securing small, and preferably diminishing,
discrepancies between the phase, frequency and magnitude
of the voltage phasors, of the incoming machine and of the
parent system. Any mismatch between the two sets of pha-
sors gives rise to a transient period of operation immedia-
tely following the instant at which electrical connection
between the machine and the system is made, and bounds
are imposed on these discrepancies to limit the transients
that might in this way be generated. Typical limits in prac-
tice for phase, frequency and voltage errors are given in
Table 1.
Approaches to this have previously been given,2 together
with the curve-fitting techniques3 for incorporating para-
meter updating into computer solution.
Beyond this, the mechanical axes of the turbogenerator must
of course be included, together with the interaction between
the electrical and mechanical axes; and the account of the
model on which the studies of the present paper have been
based is confined principally to the electrical and mechani-
cal axes. The study application is one that makes no special
demands on prime-mover, governor and excitation-con-
troller representations, and those of the kind previously
reported should meet the requirements of the present study.
3.2 Electrical axes
Expressed in the 2-axis rotor frame of reference, the volt-
age equations in the electrical axes may be convieniently
used in the vector-matrix form:
v = Lpi + Gcori + Ri (1)
Partitioning eqn.l to separate the stator and rotor variables
then gives:

TABLE 1 _L_srl . r ? U l M [Gssj G sr ]w r Rs

TYPICAL SYNCHRONISING LIMITS J
rs pi r

Mismatch Limit Re
(2)
Phase displacement ±5°
Frequency ±0-75% In this form
Voltage ±6% (3)

and
No tendency towards the generation of field-voltage tran-
sients has been found within this spectrum of synchronising ikqi> (4)
conditions: it remains to locate the limits for which over-
voltages can arise. In one aspect, this will allow the mar- where the rotor eddy-current paths are represented by n
gins associated with particular limits used to be quantified equivalent circuits in each of the d and q axes. Each equi-
with respect to conditions where field-circuit overvoltages valent circuit is short-circuited, and so the only nonzero
may constitute an unacceptable hazard. Equally, it will allow entry in the vector of rotor voltages, v r , is the first entry
potential overvoltage conditions to be evaluated where, for corresponding to the field-winding voltage. The vector of
one reason or another, synchronising limits less exacting stator voltages, v s , is given by:
than those of Table 1 are considered. In this latter case, the
possibility of field-circuit overvoltages may be a principal v s = v d ,v q (5)
consideration in choosing safe limits. Computer simulation
methods provide flexible and reliable means of undertaking 4
In recent work, rotor eddy-current-path representations
definitive studies in this area. have been sought from applying Green's function to a simpli-
fied electromagnetic model for the solid rotor of a uniform
airgap machine. Correlations between site test and com-
COMPUTER SIMULATION puter results in the recent work4 support the general validity
of the approach, the outcome of which can perhaps be best
3.1 Particular requirements summarised in the explicit forms of the coefficient matrix
partitions of eqn. 2.
Turbogenerator models for use in dynamic-analysis studies
have been widely developed, 2 ' 3 ' 4 and are now in general For the stator-rotor partition of the generator inductance
application, but it is worth referring to the aspects of models matrix,
that become emphasised in their application to overvoltage
\ fd kdl kql kdn kqn
calculations. As field-system overvoltages arise from field-
current blocking, and as the field system cannot contribute L
to maintaining the rotor-stator balance when this occurs, Lmd mdi Lmdn
the representation of the remaining rotor circuits has a Lsr —
special importance. Depending on the rotor construction, the
rotor circuits other than the field winding are those of the L ^mqn
mqi
amortisseurs, where separately provided, or, in the case of (6)
uniform airgap machines, the eddy-current paths in the The mutual coefficients in eqn. 6 are given by:
solidly forged rotor body. The present work has been con-
fined to solid-rotor machines, but, whatever the rotor con-
L
struction, the calculation of rotor overvoltages is a particu- mdr = L md (7)
lar study application for which a careful representation of
the rotor paths other than that of the field winding is re- and
quired.
As rotor overvoltages arise from a disturbance to the nor- — L mq (8)
mal m.m.f. balance between rotor and stator, the stator
operating level at the time of the disturbance strongly in- for
fluences the magnitude of subsequent field-system over- (9)
voltages. This focuses attention on the mutual coefficients r=l,2.
that link the rotor and stator equation sets, and by which
stator operating levels are reflected into the rotor circuits. and where
A judicious choice of parameter values might be attempted (10)
for different operating conditions, but perhaps the most Cr= -
satisfactory arrangement here is one of continuously re-
calculating coefficient values as the solution proceeds.
648 PROC. IEE, Vol. 121 ,No.7, JULY 1974
and and

{(2r- k)
J (25)
mq

Of the remaining partitions of the inductance matrix relating for

to the rotor circuits, r = 1, 2, (26)
,n
L L (12)
rs - sr It will be seen from this summary of the matrices of the
formulation that, beginning with the magnetising inductances
and, for the rotor submatrix, in the d and q axes, all coefficients are calculated directly
in terms of the dimensions of the rotor and the conductivity
Lrr = and permeability of the rotor steel. The association of scal-
ing factors with subtransient parameters as a means of cal-
fd kdl kql kdn kqn culating the coefficients of the rotor equivalent circuits is
fd L L
mdi L avoided altogether.
fd i j
mdn
u .|r i 1
kdl ^mdi L
kdi ^idn 3.3 Mechanical axes
1
r L
kql L idn In terms of the G matrix of eqn. 1, the electromagnetic
kqi
L
i 1
r torque T e is formed from

T e = itGwpi (27)
kdn Lmdn L
ndi L
kdn
i The instantaneous departure from fundamental speed w
kqn L
nqi L
kqn and the rotor angle 6 are then available from:
(13)
= ^ [Ti - T e ] (28)
For the diagonal elements of the rotor submatrix L r r other M
than that corresponding to the field circuit,
and

L
kdr = md L (14) (29)

(1 + k) 2 (15)
k
O
for

r=l,2, (16) b
For the offdiagonal elements of L r r other than those relat-
ing to the field circuit, if 200
o >
a
L
idr — L md (17) i ioo
k
1+k (18)
Liqr — 1-25

for >< 1°
r=l,2, (19)
&1 ° 7 5
and 9 3 o-5
i = 1, 2, (20) ^ £ 0 25
The stator partition of the inductance matrix is the orthodox
submatrix of d-q models:
S1 300
qs _^
200
ds o
(21) 100
b
qs
1 0
6
The G matrix is formed from the inductance coefficients, and
the explicit form of this matrix is given in Appendix 10.1. 4
Finally, in summarising the coefficient matrices in the
electrical axes, 2
0
R s = diag (Ra, Ra) (22)

and 62 64 6-6 6-8 70 72 7-4 76 78

time, s
R r = diag (Rfd, Rdi, Rqi, , Rdn,: (23)
Fig.l
In the rotor resistance matrix R r , Comparison between site test and computer study results
2 2 — from recordings during site tests at Belvedere power
2 r - I) + 1}(1 + k) " L
md (24) station
— computer study results
PROC.IEE, Vol. 121,No. 7, JULY 1974 649
P 12
4 VALIDATION OF MODEL FOR ROTOR OVER-
VOLTAGE CALCULATIONS
Based on the representations in the electrical and mechani-
cal axes given in Section 3, comparisons have been made in
Reference 4 between available site-test results and com-
puter-study results. The correlation achieved in this work
should go some way towards verifying the method of rotor
modelling developed, although the site-test conditions used
for checking purposes did not include modes of operation
evolving from field-current blocking, and which is central
to the present study. For the purposes of providing a mea-
sure of validation for the model of Section 3, as applied to
rotor overvoltage calculations, the formulation of that Sec-
tion has been incorporated in a simulation of conditions in
the earlier site tests 1 ' 3 at Belvedere power station, and
which specifically sought to evaluate the consequences of
rectifier constraints on field current. On using two equiva-
lent eddy-current paths in each axis, the computed re-
sults compare with the site-test results in the way shown
in Fig. 1. The close correlation between calculated and
measured values that Fig. 1" reflects should indicate the
accuracy with which generator site-test conditions may be
reproduced, particularly in relation to the induced field
voltage during field-current blocking. On the basis of this
correlation, the model proposed appears to be a suitable one
for overvoltage calculations during synchronising.
5 REPRESENTING SYNCHRONISING CONDITIONS
Eqn. 1 of Section 3.2 can be rearranged for solution by
numerical integration to the 1st-order form:
pi = -L" 1 (Gw r + R)i + L-!v (30)
incoming machine is to be synchronised is related to them
by
Vb =
(36)
For a given percentage-magnitude error at synchronisation
kv, the system voltage is recalculated from
(37)
The initial-condition calculations are completed by forming
the vector v in eqn. 30 from
1
v,,t_
= Vb sin 60, Vb cos 60, vfd, 0, 0, . . . . , 0 (38)
where 6 0 is the specified displacement error, and Vb is
calculated from eqn. 37.
Using the vector of axis currents, i, from eqn. 35 and the
corresponding vector of voltages in eqn. 38, the r.h.s.of
eqn. 30 can now be formed. In eqn. 31, pws = 0, for Tj = 0
and r^Gc^i = 0, and, in eqn. 32, p6 is set to the specified an-
gular frequency mismatch. Eqns. 30-32 can now be integrated
to give the generator response immediately following syn-
chronisation. In the present work, the algorithm used for
numerical integration is a 4th-order Runge-Kutta scheme
with Gill's coefficients. Owing to the rapid changes in field
voltage immediately subsequent to field-current blocking,
a step-length setting of 0*5 ms has been found necessary in
achieving a correct solution. There is scope for step-length
control here, as a substantially longer step length may safe-
ly be adopted before and after the field-voltage pulse. Step-
length changing may be incorporated into the solution by
relating the step length to the solution for field current. As

The equations in the mechanical axes then complete the • instant of switching
formulation:

pw s = — (31)
M
and

p6 = (32)

Synchronising from different conditions is evaluated by solv-

ing the differential-equation set of eqn. 30, together with the
differential equations in eqns.31 and 32, starting from
initial-condition values that are in turn calculated from
specified mismatches between the incoming machine and its
parent system at the instant of making electrical connection
between them. Where required, prime-mover input torque
to the generator rotor, Tj, may be formed from a differential
equation set for the prime mover and governor, and, similarly,
the entry in vector v in eqn. 30 corresponding to field voltage
may be formed from an equation set for the excitation con-
troller; but the principal model constituents as applied to
synchronising studies are those summarised in eqns. 30-32.
Immediately prior to synchronisation, the rotor acceleration,
or retardation, with respect synchronous running conditions
will always be small, and, if its correspondingly small effect
on rotor overvoltage magnitudes is discounted, the initial-
condition setting for eqn. 31 is given by
pws = 0 (33)

A specified frequency mismatch is set in as the initial-

condition value for ws in eqn. 32, and, similarly, a displace-
ment error is brought into the evaluation by setting the
initial value of rotor angle to the displacement error speci-
fied.
Discounting the slow changes in axis variables prior to
synchronisation, the initial-condition values in the electrical
axes are formed from
(34)
v= time, s
Fig. 2
where
Stator and field current transients during synchronising:
it = 0, 0, ifd , 0,0, ,0 (35) Belvedere machine
Mismatch: parent system 5° in advance of incoming genera-
On calculating the components of stator terminal voltage tor unit; system-voltage magnitude 10% greater than genera-
from eqns. 34 and 35, the voltage of the system to which the tor voltage
650 PROC.IEE, Vol. 121,No. 7, JULY 1974
the field current approaches zero, the step length is reduced depends on the short-circuit ratio of the generator. In these
to a setting compatible with the rate of change of field terms, reducing short-circuit ratios will be accompanied
voltage during field-current blocking, and then lengthened as by reducing mismatch conditions for which overvoltages
the field current increases following the overvoltage. might occur. The Belvedere machine has been considered
Rotor-stator mutual-inductance coefficients are updated at here, as site-test results are available for it for the con-
each integration step following polynomial curve fitting to ditions of field-current blocking, but its short-circuit ratio
the open-circuit magnetisation characteristic. 3 is high compared with those of machines that have come
into service during the last few years. Computer simula-
tion results for a machine of lower short-circuit ratio are
shown in Fig. 4. With a displacement angle of 10° in this
6 SYNCHRONISING STUDIES latter case, the magnitude" of the voltage pulse is some four
Retaining the parameter values of the generator included in times that of the ceiling voltage of the main exciter.
the earlier power-station tests 3 at Belvedere power station,
and as summarised in Appendix 10. 2, a wide range of syn- — instant of synchronising
chronising studies have been carried out based on the model
and solution method here summarised. In Fig. 2 are shown 4- 08
the principal variables in the electrical axes following
synchronisation within the limits given in Table 1 of Section > Q.
2. No adverse conditions of operation arise from this. At * 3
C
no time is the field current reduced to zero, and so the field
ai
en" (_ -field
remains energised at constant voltage through the forward- o L.
conducting path of the rectifier system. current
o 2 -°O-4
XI
On going beyond the limiting values of Table 1, and particu- 0)
0)
larly on increasing the displacement error, momentary re-
ductions in field current towards zero occur. Fig. 3 indi- - 02
cates the substantial voltage pulse that can then be generat-
ed when a condition of field-current zero is reached. To
represent this correctly in computer simulation, field- OL 0
current solutions are predicted two or three integration 0-1 02
steps ahead, and the condition of field-current constraint is time, s
introduced in the step for which it has been predicted. In
addition, the field-current values that would apply if the
field current could reverse are calculated, and the constraint
is released when the field current returns to positive values.
Apart from the mismatch conditions at the instant of syn-
chronising, the likelihood of field-current blocking turns 20
to an important extent on the initial field current from which
the reduction following synchronisation begins. This in turn

— instant of synchronising
40 -

0P 10
-field current } ||-field voltage
•I 'I

0 0-1 0-2
time, s
Fig. 4
Field-system overvoltages: Goldington machine
Mismatch: parent system 12° in advance of incoming genera-
tor unit; system-voltage magnitude 12°/0 greater Hum genera-
tor voltage

7 CONCLUSIONS
The studies that the paper seeks to report confirm that,
synchronising within close limits, such as those of Table 1,
avoids altogether the possibility of unexpected induced-
voltage pulses in the field system of generator units excited
from a.c. exciters through rectifier systems. They also
indicate the areas of hazard where, for one reason or another,
extended synchronising, or resynchronising, limits might
arise. More generally, the computer simulation methods on
which the paper has drawn allow the margins of safe syn-
chronising with respect to field-system overvoltages to be
quantified. They provide means of carrying out a compre-
hensive search for those combinations of conditions for
which field-system overvoltages might arise.
O 01 0-2
time, s Although study results have been reported here for turbo-
generator units of significantly differing sets of parameters,
Fig. 3 there may now be scope for seeking to correlate overvoltage
Field-system overvoltages: Belvedere machine magnitudes with machine ratings and constructions. Care is
Mismatch: parent system 12° in advance of incoming genera- needed in this owing to the essentially discrete groupings
tor unit; system-voltage magnitude 12% greater than genera- of parameters for individual machines, but useful patterns
tor voltage might well emerge from a series of wide-ranging studies.
PROC. IEE, Vol. 121,No. 7, JULY 1974 651
Apart from this, any particular case, or set of conditions, and
may be very directly evaluated using the analysis methods
given in the paper. fd kdl kql kdn kqn

ds ~ L mqi
8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Gsr =
qs L
_ L m d |L m di mdn
The authors are grateful to Prof. L.M.Wedepohl, Head of
the Department of Electrical Engineering & Electronics, (41)
University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology,
for his support and encouragement in this work and for the 10.2 Principal data of generator unit in
facilities in the UMIST Power System Laboratories. J.R. site tests at Belvedere power station
Smith and G.J.Rogers are similarly grateful to Prof.P.
Hammond, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering Data item Value
at the University of Southampton.
Rating 120 MW, 13-8 kV
09 pF (lag), 3000 rev/min
REFERENCES
Ld 3-97 x 10"3
HUMPHRIES, H. J., and FAIRNEY,W.: 'Excitation recti-
fier schemes for large generators', Proc.IEE., 1972,
L
q 3-62 x 10-3
L
md 3-58 x 10-3
119, (6), pp. 661-671
SHACKSHAFT, G.: 'General-purpose turboalternator Lmq 3-24 x 10-3
Lfd 3-97 x 10"3
model', ibid., 1963,110, (4), pp. 703-713
HUMPAGE, W.D.,and SAHA, T.N.: 'Digital-computer Rfd 0-000862
Ra 0-002
methods in dynamic-response analyses of turbogenera- M
tor units', ibid., 1967,114, (8), pp. 1115-1130 0-0246
ROGERS, G. J., and SMITH, J. R.: 'Synchronous-machine w0 314 rad/s
Mr 100
model including eddy currents', ibid., 1973,120, (4),
pp.461-468 a 28 x 10-8 nm

10 APPENDIXES 10.3 Principal data of generator unit in

site tests at Goldington power station
10.1 Explicit form of torque matrix
As in eqn. 2 of Section 3. 2, the torque matrix G partitions Data item Value
to the form
Rating 30 MW, 11-8 kV
0-8 pF (lag), 3000 rev/min

Ld 5-77 x 10-3
G= sr (39) 5-23 x 10-3
Lq
L
md 5-33 x 10-3
Lmq 4-79 x 10-3
The explicit form of the stator partition G s s and the stator- '"4
5-77 x 10-3
rotor partition G s r are then: Lfd 1-07 x 10-3
Rfd
Ra 2-10-3
M 0-0288
w0 314 rad/s
Mr 100
(40)
CT 28 x 10" 8 fim

652 PROC.IEE, Vol. 121,No. 7, JULY 1974