AC Generator Operation

learning outcome 4
Control of AC generator excitation
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA Next slide
due!!

•Explain the need for a responsive excitation control

system

•Develop a basic excitation system

•Explain various excitation systems in common use.

•List the AC electrical system conditions that modern

excitation system are required to assist
As stator current increases - terminal voltage must fall due to
the synchronous impedance increase- because of I increase
Internal ‘voltage drop’ across
winding synchronous
impedance Zs = ( XL + R ) Next slide
due!!
Inductive Winding
reactance resistance
Stator
XL R
current I

A
C
AC generator
Eg AC generator terminal L
‘generated voltage Vt O
EMF’ A
D

AC generator Terminal voltage Vt = E g - I X Z s

 Next slide
AC power system requirements: due!!
• Power (MW) is regulated by governor action and
alteration to governing system SLC to hold
frequency of electrical supply in limits.
- power requirements is set by consumer demand
• Reactive (MVARS) needs
- satisfied by the combined ‘terminal voltage’
regulation operation of all the system AC
generators
- Reactive (watt less power) is required by every
inductive type system load
-Capacitive loads are less common
- Reactive requirements set by consumer demand
Permanent Magnet AC generator
Next slide
due!!
Permanent Generator CB
Red 
magnet Rotor

White 

Blue 

Neutral
CB R W B
Excitation from a battery Next slide
due!!

Generator
CB
Red 
Battery DC coil Rotor

N
+
White 

- Slip
rings S
Blue 

Neutral
CB
Excitation from a battery - with rheostat! Next slide
due!!
Generator CB

Variable
rheostat Red 
DC coil Rotor

N
+
White 

Slip
-
rings S
Blue 
Battery

Neutral
CB
 DC exciter supplying excitation
Next slide
due!!
Generator
Variable CB
rheostat Red 
DC coil Rotor

N
+
White 
DC
Gen
Slip
- rings S
Blue 
Shunt field
winding
Neutral
CB
DC exciter supplying excitation - now with
pilot exciter Next slide
due!!

Generator
Pilot exciter
CB
variable rheostat Field Red 
CB DC coil Rotor
N
+
Main White 
Pilot Exciter
Ex.DC DC Gen
Gen
- S
Blue 
Self Field
excited discharge Neutral R W B
resistor CB

Note inclusion of field CB & discharge resistor!

Use of Amplidyne control system Next slide
due!!
Generator
Manual Auto/Man Field CB
rheostat switch CB Red 
DC coil Rotor

N
+
Main White 
Pilot Exciter
Ex.DC DC Gen
Gen

S
Blue 

Neutral R W B
CB

Generator
Rectifier Terminal
& voltage
Magnetic input
amplifier Automatic
set point
Amplidyne rheostat
‘Boost’ ‘Buck’ field
field winding
winding
Introduction of AC Exciters
AVR Main exciter Generator Generator
control Field CB Field CB Red  CB
signal Three phase
AC exciter - DC coil Rotor
(field on rotor) N
+ +
Variable 3 phase White
3 phase full- 
full-wave wave
rectifier rectifier
- - S
Blue 

3 phase Neutral RWB

full- CB
wave
rectifier
Pilot Exciter Flashing Generator
field switch contacts Terminal
voltage

Station AVR
input
Battery
source
Next slide
due!!
Pilot Exciter (self excited
- field on rotor)
 External supply for Excitation Next slide
due!!

Generator Generator
Field CB Red  CB
DC coil Rotor
Excitation
transformer + N
Variable White 
3 phase
full-wave
rectifier
External - S
AC Blue 
supply

Neutral R W B
AVR
control CB
signal
Automatic Voltage Generator
regulator (AVR) Terminal
voltage

AVR set point

 Brushless Excitation Next slide
due!!

AVR Main exciter Rotating AC Exciter generator, Generator

control Field CB rectifier and DC rotor Red  CB
signal

+ N
+
3 phase White
Variable
3 phase full-wave 
rectifier
full-wave
rectifier
- - S
Blue 
DC coil Rotor
Three phase AC exciter - Neutral R W B
(field on Stator) CB
3 phase power supply
to rectifier
(either external supply AVR Generator
or from a pilot exciter) input Terminal
voltage
 Automatic Voltage Regulator AC GENERATOR OUTPUT
3 Phase, 4 pole, 50 Hz
Voltage Mode 3 Phase Voltage reference
- Set point
AVR 415 Volts
AVR Mode 1206 KVA
(Gen CB open)
Selector Control Load Current reference 965 kW
- Gen CB 1740 AC amps
Power Factor open/close Unit
mode -Set point
(Gen CB closed)

AVR
Controlled
3 Phase
Thyristor

DC Current to exciter stator

1500 RPM Engine drive shaft

PILOT EXCITER Rotating 3 phase

Permanent magnet poles. AC to DC rectifier
MAIN EXCITER
3 phase stator winding. - with voltage surge
AVR controlled DC stator.
75 Hz Constant output protection
AC rotor 3 phase. 75 Hz
42 Volts
9.3 amps
Module neutral bus Generator Neutral
SIMPLIFIED GENERATOR SET - CATERPILLAR RATINGS USED Reactor or resistor
Car 3 phase AC generator - rectified to DC Next slide
Uses solid state regulator to hold DC voltage due!!
AC System demands on modern AVR’s
Next slide
•Manual control is now largely impractical due!!

•New level of continuous and instantaneous

response regulate an AC generator terminal voltage

•AC system stability requirements largely dictated

the AVR performance levels

•Duplicated AVR system are normal

on large AC generators

•Digital microprocessor technology used

•AVR fine tuning is required on commissioning to

suit the AC system and the AC generator situation.
 Main AC Generator Output
Pilot exciter transformer
400 Hz exciter generator Voltage System
3 phase Rotor transformer grid
Exciter rectifier field
field
Generator
Rotor Current main CB
Frequency angle trans-
detector detector former

Thyristor
controlled Power
rectifier system
stabiliser
Overflux
Man/Auto excitation
selector Incoming alarm & trip
MVAR
AVR limiter
Channel
A

Steady voltage reference (Auto set point)

Manual Manual Rotor current limit
set point control Fine tune damping &
response adjustments

Channel
selector AVR
Channel B

Next slide
Modern AVR due!!
 Modern AVR requirements
•Auto follow on the dual channel controls

•Manual control

•AVR protection & auto trip to standby channel

Main AC Generator Output

•Thyristor protection
Pilot exciter transformer
400 Hz exciter generator Voltage System
3 phase Rotor transformer grid
Exciter rectifier field
field
Generator

•Fuse failure protection Rotor Current main CB

Frequency angle trans-
detector detector former

Thyristor
controlled Power
rectifier system
stabiliser
Overflux
Man/Auto excitation
selector Incoming alarm & trip
MVAR
AVR limiter
Channel

Next slide A

Steady voltage reference (Auto set point)

Manual Manual
due!! set point control
Rotor current limit
Fine tune damping &
response adjustments

Channel
selector AVR
Channel B
 Modern AVR operational limits
•Rotor current limiting
•Incoming MVAR limiter
•Over-fluxing limiter
run-up mode for underfrequency / over-excitation
on transformers) Pilot exciter Main AC Generator Output
exciter generator transformer
400 Hz Voltage System
3 phase Rotor transformer grid
Exciter rectifier field
field

•Speed reference controller –

Generator
Rotor Current main CB
Frequency angle trans-
detector detector former

may initiate auto excitation Thyristor

controlled Power
rectifier

of AC Generator when
system
stabiliser
Overflux
Man/Auto excitation

approaching rated speed selector

AVR
Incoming
MVAR
limiter
alarm & trip

Channel
A

Steady voltage reference (Auto set point)

Manual Manual Rotor current limit
set point control Fine tune damping &
response adjustments

Next slide Channel

selector AVR
Channel B

due!!
 AC system Stability - AVR role

•System (external) faults can drop AC generator terminal

voltage to 50%
•Potential to lose magnetic coupling between stator and
rotor fields - allows ‘pole slipping’

•AVR to provide an immediate boost to rotor excitation

- rapid boosting is called ‘field forcing’
- need to ‘hang on’ until external protection systems
operate and clear fault.

Next slide
due!!
 AC System Oscillations
•Can be power (MW) or reactive (MVAR) swings
Note: Real MW and real MVAR transfer takes place

•Inter area
- large generating centres linked by relatively weak
transmission ties (POWER & REACTIVE TRANSFER)
•Local mode
- e.g. single AC generator linked by a high reactance
transmission line (POWER & REACTIVE TRANSFER)
•Intra plant
- 2 or more local AC generators having AVR’s that over-
react with each other. (REACTIVE TRANSFER)
Next slide
due!!
 Cure - for AC System Oscillations

•Immediately increase synchronous torque (excitation)

- Power system stabiliser feature in modern AVRs

•Fine tuning of AVR damping and reaction features

- Tuning of AVR to suit local AC generator conditions

Next slide
due!!
 Summary

•Basic excitation system development

•Increased AVR response requirement
•AVR role in system oscillations

Last slide