ALTERNATOR PROTECTION

Large MW Generator Protection

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Problems that demand Protection

Stator electrical faults
Overload
Overvoltage
Unbalanced loading
Over fluxing
Inadvertent energisation
Rotor electrical faults
Loss of excitation
Loss of synchronism
Failure of prime mover
Lubrication oil failure
Over speeding
Rotor distortion
Difference in expansion between rotating and stationary parts
Excessive vibration
Core lamination faults

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Stator Electrical Fault Protection

Stator Earth Fault
Using Overcurrent relay
Using Overvoltage relay
Using Third Harmonic voltage
By low frequency voltage injection

Phase-Phase Fault
Differential Protection

Inter Turn Fault

Overcurrent protection

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Stator Earth Fault Protection using Overcurrent Relay

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Stator Earth Fault Protection using Overvoltage

Relay

Vph

95% 0%

Protection is achieved against

the faults occurred from 0% to 95% of the winding

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Restricted Earth Fault Protection

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Stator Phase to Phase fault protection using
Differential protection

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Generator Differential Protection

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Stator Inter-turn fault protection

Effect: Unnecessary heating & Unbalanced Flux

distribution

If Generator is with Parallel wdg, - Opposed connected

Diff. Relay can be used

If Generator is without access to parallel winding.

Third Harmonic Measurement can be used

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Stator Inter-turn Fault Protection-Using Inst
over current relays

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Stator Inter-turn Fault Protection-Using 3rd
Harmonic measurement

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Loss of excitation

Cause :
Short or Open-circuit of the exciter.

A failure of automatic voltage regulator

An operator error under manual control

Opening the excitation switch by mistake

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Loss of excitation
Effects
Falling out of synchronism

Runs as Induction Generator drawing Reactive

power from grid causing deficiency in grid
reactive power.

Local hot spots in stator and rotor

Due to super synchronous speed >105% of

Synchronous speed, rotor gets damaged.

Damage to rotor insulation

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Behavior of Generator impedance during Loss
of excitation
Swing Curves and Loss of Synchronism locus

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Protection against Loss of excitation

Loss of Excitation Protection using impedance relays

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Rotor Earth Fault Protection

To avoid unbalanced flux distribution and excessive

vibration.

Current Balance relay can be used to detect.

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Rotor Earth Fault Protection

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Rotor Earth Fault Protection- Operating principle

An ac voltage stepped down to 48 Volts from 100 V or 230 V is set up
via coupling capacitors to the rotor circuit towards earth

This ac voltage forms a small charging current to flow via the
coupling capacitor, resistances of the brushes and earth capacitance of
field circuit, depending upon the value of earth capacitanceCE the value
of this current varies.

The value of this current depends upon the value of earth capacitance,CE
which is a few mA during normal no fault operating condition

If an E/F arises in the field circuit this current increases and this current
is amplified up to 10 times by the CT T2

A sensitive definite time O/C relay is used to measure this current , and
an alarm/trip is generated from the relay

The relay selected should be insensitive to harmonics since there will
be considerable harmonics especially with thyristor excitation and
rotating rectifier system

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Over Voltage Protection

Cause:
Power frequency switching Over voltages & High
frequency Lightning Strokes.

Effect:
Stator Insulation failure.

 Time delayed over voltage protection relay can be

used

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Negative Phase Sequence Current

Cause:
Unbalance loading of the three phases of a
generator results in NPS current
generation.
(Negative Sequence Current is given by:
I2 = Ia + a*Ib + a2 *Ic
a = 1 120o
a2 =1 240o
It is clear that for any Unbalance loading I2 will be present.

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Negative Phase Sequence Current

Effects:
Associated negative-sequence component in the
stator current induces currents at double the
power system frequency in the rotor

Temperature rise mainly in the rotor retaining

rings

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Negative Phase Sequence Protection

Typical negative phase

sequence current
withstand of cylindrical
rotor generators:

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Negative Phase Sequence Protection

Trip time t for a typical relay element
characteristic:
Modern numerical
relays derive the
negative sequence
current level by
calculation.

For protection a true

thermal replica
approach is followed.
With trip time t

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Reverse Power Protection

This is also known as Protection against motoring of

Generator

Cause:
Supply of energy (steam, water or gas) to the
primover fails.

Effects:
In case of steam turbine: overheating of turbine
blades.
In case of Diesel generator turbine: Explosion
may occur.
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Reverse Power Protection

Generator Reverse Power problems:

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Reverse Power Protection

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Pole Slipping Protection

Requirements To avoid cascade tripping.

Concept Tracking of system impedance.

Problems Tracking the transient nature of System

Impedance.

Solution use Blinder Relay.

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Differential Protection for Generator transformer

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Overall Differential Protection for TG,GT & Unit
transformer

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Overfluxing in Generator transformer

Cause:
Increase in the voltage
Decrease in the frequency

Basic governing equation for both the cases:

V *f

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Overfluxing in Generator transformer

Effects:

Saturation of Core

Heating of iron core

Flux leaks into other parts of Transformer,

producing eddy currents, which in-turn causes
more heat in windings and structural parts

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Protection against Overfluxing in Generator

transformer
Measure of degree of overfluxing of the transformer is the
Ratio of Saturation flux BS to rated flux BN

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Types of Protection
Class A Protection Operation Sequence
Gen Breaker Trips

Gen Field Breaker Trips

Incomers of UATs are tripped

Tie Breaker between Aux. Station Bus & Aux. Unit

Bus are closed.

Boiler Trips

Prime Mover Trips

Class A Annunciation will appear.

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Types of Protection

Class B Protection - Operating Sequence

Boiler Trips

Turbine Trips

Class A protection will operate through low

forward power relay.

Class B Trip Annunciation will appear.

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Types of Protection

Class C Protection
Trips Generator Breaker only.

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Class A Protection

Differential Protection
Stator Earth Fault Protection
Interturn Fault Protection
Rotor Second Earth Fault Protection
Over Voltage Protection
Reverse Power Protection
Pole Slipping Protection

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Class B Protection

Negative Phase Sequence Protection

Field Failure Protection

Back Up Impedance Protection

Under Frequency Protection

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Class C Protection

Generator Transformer Back up Over Current

Generator Transformer Back up E/F

Protection

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Effect of Neutral Grounding through transformer

With a step down transformer of turns ratio n:1

The resistance size will be reduced by a factor of

(1/n2)

Current Transformer size will be reduced by a factor

of (1/n)

Electrical isolation is provided for the protection

equipment.

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NGR Calculations

Earth fault current is limited to three different values:

Rated current
200A-400A (low impedance earthing)
10A-20A (high impedance earthing)
For limiting Earth fault current to Ifr the NGR required
is given by:
Vph
NGR =
Ifr

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NGR Calculations

When it is earthed through Transformer of turns ratio

= n:1

Then, Resistance required is

Vph
NGR = n2 x Ifr

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Thank You

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