Generator protection

1. 1. A Presentation on “generator protection” By, Keshar Rawal (42044) Sabin Tandukar

(42054) Suman Shrestha (42048) Sachin Ranjit (42056) Karuna Adhikari () Aprameya
Khakurel() 9th may 2014
2. 2. What a Generator looks like
3. 3. Generator protection  Generator must be protected from electrical, mechanical generator,
going of out of step with the rest of system, loss of field winding etc.  Protection time
depends on the system fault type. Type of fault  Internal Faults  Phase and /or ground
faults in the stator and associated protection zone  Ground faults in the rotor (field winding)
 Abnormal Operating Conditions.  Loss of field.  Overload.  Overvoltage.  Under and
over frequency  Unbalanced Operation e.g. single phasing.  Loss motoring i.e. loss of
prime mover.  Loss of synchronization (out of step).  Sub synchronous oscillation.
4. 4. Fault Current Behavior of a Synchronous Generator
5. 5. Fault Current Behavior of a Synchronous Generator
6. 6. Percentage-differential relaying for a wye- connected generator.
7. 7. Percentage-differential relaying for a delta-connected generator
8. 8. LOSS OF EXCITATION PROTECTION  Loss of excitation is an abnormality rather than
a fault  In case of total loss, synchronous generator acts as an induction generator  This
mode of operation is possible only in the presence of adequate reactive power to the
generator  A generator suddenly drawing reactive power instead of supplying it may cause
a major system blackout  Round rotor generator may overheat due to induced currents,
salient pole generators do not
9. 9.  Due to overcurrent, stator of any generator may overheat  Automatic-quick acting
relays should be used to trip the generator’s field and main breakers  In systems in which
severe disturbances may or may not follow loss of excitation in a given generator, the
generator must sometimes be tripped when the system does not require it, merely to be sure
that the generator will always be tripped when the system does require it
10. 10. STATOR TO GROUND FAULT PROTECTION
11. 11. LOW IMPEDANCE GROUNDING  Impedance selected to limit line-to-ground fault
current (normally between 100A and 1000A as defined by IEEE std. 142-2007 section
1.4.3.2)  Possible to engineer zero sequence differential protection  Compares the sum of
three phase currents with the neutral current  Difference in the two currents indicates fault
12. 12. ADVANTAGES  High sensitivity  Eliminates high transient voltages  Limits shock to
personnels
13. 13. DISADVANTAGES  High fault current flows so damage to equipment may occur if the
fault is not cleared quickly  Line-Neutral loads cannot be used AØ BØ CØ 3Ø Load HRG
480V Wye Source N
14. 14. HIGH IMPEDANCE GROUNDING  Impedance selected to limit line-to-ground fault
current (normally < 10A as defined by IEEE std. 142-2007 section 1.4.3.1)  Most utilized on
Low Voltage  Many 600V systems  Some 5kV systems  Has been utilized on up to 15kV
systems (rare)
15. 15. ADVANTAGES  Eliminates high transient overvoltage's  Limits damage to faulted
equipment  Reduces shock hazard to personnel  Faulted circuit allowed to continue
operating
16. 16. DISADVANTAGES  Nuisance alarms are possible since even small amount of currents
are detected as the result of faults.  Line-to-neutral loads cannot be used (same as low
impedance grounding)
17. 17. Over Voltage Protection(why)  Terminal voltage controlled by an (AVR).  If load current
(I) on the generator reduces, the AVR reduce the field current, so as to reduce open circuit
emf ‘E’ to maintain constant terminal voltage V.  Loss of a VT fuse, incorrect operation of
 AVR, etc can lead to over voltage.  Overvoltage lead to saturation of iron, both for generator
and the unit transformer connected to it.  Leads to large magnetizing currents,
unacceptable flux patterns, over-heating, which can damage the power apparatus.
18. 18. Over voltage protection(how)  Generator overvoltage may occur without necessarily
exceeding the V/Hz limits of the machine.  Protection for generator overvoltage is provided
with a frequency-compensated (or frequency insensitive) overvoltage relay.  The relay
should have both an instantaneous unit and a time delay unit with an inverse time
characteristic.  Two definite time delay relays can also be applied
19. 19. V/f Protection  During start-up or shut down speed of generator deviate from normal
speed.  E = 4.44f mN), over fluxing of the core occur when V/f ratio exceeds its nominal
value.  Over voltage protection is implemented after normalizing the terminal voltage by the
frequency of the generator.
20. 20. Out-of-Step Protection  Un Synchronization of the parallel connected generator  To
detect this condition, distance relay looking into the transformer-generator unit should be
installed.  Even a distance relay used for loss-of-field protection will pick-up on such power
swing. If the swing moves out of the relay characteristic, before the timer runs down, then, no
trip action will be initiated.  If the swing persists for sufficient time, the loss-of-excitation
distance relay will operate on power swing.
21. 21. PROTECTION AGAINST STATOR OPEN CIRCUITS  An open circuit or a high-
resistance joint in a stator winding is very difficult to detect before it has caused considerable
damage.  Split-phase relaying may provide such protection, but only the most sensitive
equipment will detect the trouble in its early stages.  Negative-phase-sequence-relaying
equipment for protection against unbalanced phase  Currents contains a sensitive alarm
unit that will alert an operator to the abnormal condition.  It is not the practice to provide
protective-relaying equipment purposely for open circuits.  Open circuits are most unlikely in
well-constructed machines
22. 22. OVERSPEED PROTECTION  If speed governor is provided, to shut down the prime
mover.  It should also trip the generator circuit breaker to prevent over frequency operation
of the generator.  Over frequency relay, direct-connected centrifugal switch may suitable. 
The over speed element should usually be adjusted to operate at about 3% to 5% above the
full-load rejection speed.
23. 23. EXTERNAL-FAULT BACK-UP PROTECTION  Common practice to provide protection
for faults outside of the generator zone of protection.  Voltage supervised time-overcurrent
or distance relaying may be used.  Distance relay set to include generator step up
transformer and reach beyond, into the system.  Time delays must be coordinated with
those of the system protection to assure that system protection will operate before back up. 
CTs on neutral side of generator will also provide backup protection for the generator.
24. 24. BEARING-OVERHEATING PROTECTION  Can be detected by a relay actuated by a
thermometer-type or by a resistance-temperature- detector relay  Or, where lubricating oil is
circulated, the temperature of the oil may be monitored if the system has provision for giving
an alarm if the oil stops flowing.  Such protection is provided for all unattended generators
where the size or importance of the generator warrants it.  Such protection for attended
generators is generally only to sound an alarm.
25. 25. REVERSE POWER PROTECTION  Prevents generator from motoring on loss of prime
mover  From a system standpoint, motoring is defined as the flow of real power into the
generator acting as a motor.  With current in the field winding, the generator will remain in
synchronism with the system and act as a synchronous motor. If the field breaker is opened,
the generator will act as an induction motor.  A power relay set to look into the machine is
therefore used on most units.  The sensitivity and setting of the relay is dependent upon the
type of prime mover involved.
26. 26. PROTECTION AGAINST MOTORING  Steam Turbines:  Overheats when the steam
supply is cut off and it starts running as a motor  Modern condensing turbines will overheat
at outputs less than approximately 10% of rated load.  Sensitive power directional-relaying
equipment has been widely used.  The protective equipment should operate on somewhat
less than about 3% of rated power.  Sufficient time delay should be provided to prevent
undesired operation on transient power reversals such as during synchronizing or system
disturbances.
27. 27.  Hydraulic Turbines:  Motoring protection may occasionally be desirable to protect an
unattended hydraulic turbine against cavitation of the blades.  Protection can be provided
by power-directional relaying equipment operating on motoring current less than about 2.5%
of the generator’s full-load rating.
28. 28.  Gas Turbines:  The power required to motor a gas turbine varies from 10% to 50% of
full load rating, depending on turbine design and whether it is a type that has a load turbine
separate from that used to drive the compressor.  Protective relays should be applied
based primarily on the undesirability of imposing the motoring load on the system.  There is
usually no turbine requirement for motoring protection