Abnormal conditions in an Alternator

Failure of Prime-mover
Field failure
Over Current
Over Speed
Over Voltage

Unbalanced Loading
Stator winding faults
11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Failure of Prime-mover
When input to the prime-mover fails, the
alternator runs as a synchronous motor and
draws current from the supply system. This
motoring condition is called as Inverted
Running

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Field failure
The chances of field failure is very rare.
If field failure occurs no immediate damage
will occur to the generator for short period.
With in that period the substation attendant
has to disconnect the generator from the
busbars.

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Over Current:
It occurs mainly due to partial breakdown of
winding insulation
Due to over load on the supply system

Over Speed:
The chief cause of over speed is the sudden
loss of all or a major part of the load on the
alternator
11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Over Voltage:
Over voltage in an alternator occurs when
speed of the prime-mover increases due to
sudden loss of alternator load.

Unbalanced Loading:
Unbalanced loading arises from faults to
earth or faults between phases on the circuit
external to the alternator.
11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Stator winding faults

These faults mainly occur due to the
insulation failure of the stator windings. The
main types of stator winding faults,
Fault between phase and ground
Fault between phases
Inter-turn fault involving turns of the same phase
winding

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Abnormal conditions and Protective system

1

Abnormal Condition
Failure of Prime-mover

Protective System
Reverse Power Relay

2
3
4

Field failure
Over current
Over Speed

Field failure relay

Speed sensors

5
6

Over Voltage
Unbalanced loading
Stator winding faults
Phase to Phase
Phase to Earth
Inter-turn

Lightning arresters
Negative phase sequence relay

Sl. No.

11/4/2014

Biased Differential Protection

Sensitive Earth-fault Protection
Inter-turn fault Protection
Dept. of EEE

Percentage (or) Biased Differential Protection

Fig. 1. % Differential protection of a STAR connected Alternator

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Percentage (or) Biased Differential Protection

Fig. 2. % Differential protection of a DELTA connected Alternator

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

Restricted earth Fault Protection

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

10

Stator Inter-Turn fault Protection

11/4/2014

Dept. of EEE

11

Differential protection CTs Connections