Dead bus synchronizing

White paper TN004

Author:
Florian Blazak
Head of special projects
Engineering department

The synchronization of generators in a Applications

powerplant can be done by two different
ways:
- The classic method commonly named “live Deadbus synchronization involves dissociating
the start of the diesel engine from the
bus synchronization”
alternator excitation. This technique can be
- The advanced method named “dead bus used for four main applications:
synchronization”

Dead bus synchronizing is a technique that - Magnetizing a high voltage loop

comprising several step-up/step-down
has been used by KOHLER-SDMO for many
transformers and long cables
years on hundreds of critical plants such as
hospitals or data center. - Synchronizing as many generators as
possible in less than 15 seconds

- Starting a significant power in the

minimum time

- Starting loads with a high inrush current

Dead bus synchronizing Applications justifying dead
sequences bus synchronizing
To realize dead bus synchronization, it is necessary to
1.1 Transformer magnetization
use an advanced genset controller such as the APM802
and to use the same voltage regulator on all the When magnetizing an HV plant including a large number
gensets. of step-down transformers, the magnetization current
for these transformers depends on several factors:
The dead bus synchronizing technique is as follows:
- Power plant starting order - The position of the voltage sinusoidal
- Mains breaker opens waveform in relation to the zero crossing. The
- Stand-by breaker closes magnetization current is at its maximum when
- All generator breakers close the voltage meets the zero point, and may be 9
- Diesel engines start with alternator excitation to 10 times the nominal current at full load for
off this transformer.
- When the last engine reaches its nominal
speed, generator excitation order is done - The remanent magnetization status of the
simultaneously on all the generators transformers after the grid voltage has
- Gradual voltage increase in approximately 2 to disappeared. This remanent magnetization may
3 seconds (adjustable on new digital voltage be in phase opposition to the magnetization
regulators) flow and generate currents which may exceed
15 times the nominal current at the
If one or more generators have not reached their transformer's full load.
nominal speed following a delay, these are uncoupled
(their breakers open) and will later be synchronized Magnetization under nominal voltage generates high
using the conventional live bus synchronizing. currents in the alternator with high droops on voltage
and frequency.
While the speed is increasing, without excitation, the
alternators deliver a remanent voltage corresponding The dead bus synchronizing technique avoids these
to approximately 10 % of the nominal voltage at problems by ensuring gradual magnetization of the
nominal speed. With such voltage values, the electrical transformers during the alternator voltage increase.
synchronizing torque is not strong enough to Circulating currents in the alternators are lower than
synchronize alternator together. the nominal value, reducing stress on equipments and
avoiding modifying electrical protections settings.
When the excitation order is executed simultaneously
on the generators, the voltage is built up smoothly on
all the generators, synchronizing them together
naturally. Note:
This magnetization relates to reactive power.
This smooth synchronization at reduced voltage avoids
high current circulation between generators. For active power, the loads can be left connected
to the power plant (see 1.3 "Starting a significant
power in the minimum time" application) or
gradually restored.

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 1.2 Synchronizing as many generators as possible in less than 15 seconds

For some applications, the voltage must be quickly In general, the power plant does not directly supply
available on the busbar. the load: changeovers switch when the power plant
voltage is available, or when the power plant is
started.

1 1 1 1

3
1 Power plant dead bus synchronizing
2 Changeover contact switching
3 Gradual loading

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On large-scale power plants, live bus synchronizing can Using the dead bus synchronizing
take too much time. Indeed, the conventional live bus technique, the entire power plant
synchronizing technique for several generators in is available in 10 to 12 seconds,
parallel involves production equipment deployment since it is not necessary to synchronize
time which is difficult to reduce.
the generators individually.
For example, consider live bus synchronization for 10
generators:
With this method, the voltage will be quickly available
- Generator starting time after the starting
on the busbar. However, the power plant will receive
order: 10 seconds
a load impact at the changeover, which causes
- Time for synchronization between each
frequency and voltage drop according to the load
generator: 1 to 3 seconds
shedding plan. Because they comply with the G3
application class, KOHLER-SDMO generators can
Successively parallel 9 generators to the first one can
absorb these impacts very quickly.
take an average time of 25 seconds.
Note:
This time can be a little bit reduced if the
On a power plant with dead bus synchronizing, the
synchronization of all the generators is done
live bus synchronizing technique for individual
simultaneously, provided that no load is applied on
generators is still available and can be used for the
the plant during this sequence.
power management to adjust the number of
generators in operation according to the site
consumption.

1.3 Starting a significant power in the minimum time

The conventional method, which involves applying a

load when the power plant is stabilized, causes a drop Combined together, the advantages of dead
in the frequency and/or voltage and a long recovery bus synchronizing are:
time which can disturb some equipment.  Magnetize many transformers
 Have all the generators available quickly
With dead bus synchronizing, most of generators can
 Immediately supply high loads on the
supply the full power in less than 15 seconds.
power plant at one time
The power increases gradually with the voltage
reducing the frequency drop.

Example with a KD900-UF supplying a 900 kW load through a step-up transformer:

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 For driven mechanical loads with a parabolic resistive
1.4 Starting loads with a high inrush torque (fans, pumps), the torque supplied by the
current asynchronous motor at nominal voltage is very high
compared to the torque required to drive this load.
Dead bus synchronizing can be used to directly start a The current impact is therefore very large.
load with a very high inrush current, such as an
asynchronous motor (6 to 7 times the nominal A reduced voltage supply lowers the motor torque
current). and therefore the current absorbed at start-up. This
technique prevents oversizing of the alternator to
This application is specific since it requires to supply support the peak current when the asynchronous
only this load. Otherwise, all the other connected machine is started.
loads would have to be shut down if the asynchronous
machine needed to be restarted later.
Applications where dead bus
synchronizing is optional
AVR with
programmable The dead bus synchronizing option is sometimes used
ramp on sites where it is not really necessary. It’s often the
case when the loads or the starting sequence are not
Voltage
established during the project phase.
variator
Examples of power plants on which dead bus
synchronization is optional:
- LV power plant with changeover: if the
changeover time is not a matter, the dead bus
Dead bus synchronizing is similar to starting with a soft synchronizing option is not necessary since
starter with a fixed frequency (generator frequency) the time will be sufficient for live bus coupling
and a voltage ramp provided by the voltage regulator. of the power plant before the changeover
The current impact on the generator is much lower than switches, thanks to the reactivity of our
for direct starting with nominal voltage. regulation modules.
- Production power plants (for any number of
generators).
For many production power plants, the
generators are started individually with
gradual increase of the load.

There is no restriction on the starting time for

production power plants: dead bus synchronizing is
therefore not mandatory.

Figure 1

Figure 1 shows the torque/speed characteristics for an

asynchronous machine depending on the voltage
supply.

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Power plant extension and
dead bus synchronizing
For power plant extensions, all of the voltage
regulators must be identical to enable dead bus
synchronizing.
In fact, different regulators have different excitation
ramp time, which causes exchanges in reactive power
between the machines and can lead to activate
electrical protections.

For dead bus synchronizing with alternators

of different brands and power ratings, it is
preferable to have the same digital regulator
to get the same ramp for all the generators.
The same regulator allows to get uniform
ramp more easily.

To realize dead bus synchronizing with digital

regulators of different brands, tests must be carried
out to determine whether it is possible to obtain
identical ramps.

If these solutions cannot be provided, the machines

must be coupled with live bus synchronizing.

Copyright 2018

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