Automatic Generation and

VOLTAGE CONTROL
Semester – VIII
Saifee Kanjetawala

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

BABARIA INSITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
BITS EDU CAMPUS-VARNAMA
Introduction
 Introduction
• This chapter deals with the control
mechanism needed to maintain the
system frequency.
• The topic of maintaining the system
frequency constant is commonly known
as AUTOMATIC LOAD FREQUENCY
CONTROL (ALFC).
• It has got other terms such as Load
Frequency Control, Power Frequency
Control, Real Power Frequency Control
and Automatic Generation Control.
 Introduction
The basic role of ALFC is:
•To maintain the desired megawatt
output power of a generator matching
with the changing load.
•To assist in controlling the frequency of
larger interconnection.
•To keep the net interchange power
between pool members, at the
predetermined values.
 Introduction
• The ALFC loop will maintain control
only during small and slow changes in
load and frequency.
• It will not provide adequate control
during emergency situation when
large megawatt imbalances occur.
 Introduction
Reasons for the Limits on system Frequency
variation:
•The under frequency operation of the power
transformer is not desirable.
•For constant system voltage if the
frequency is below the desired level then the
normal flux in the core increases.
•This sustained under frequency operation of
the power transformer results in low
efficiency and over-heating of the
transformer windings.
 Introduction
• The most serious effect of insufficient
frequency operation is observed in the case of
Thermal Power Plants.
• Due to the poor frequency operation reduce the
generation power in the thermal plants.
• This phenomenon has got a cumulative effect
and in turn is able to make complete shutdown
of the power plant if proper steps of load
shedding technique is not engaged.
• It is related to mention that, in load shedding
technique a large portion of load from the
power system is disconnected from the
generating units so as to restore the frequency
to the desired level.
 LOAD FREQUENCY CONTROL
• If a change in load is taken care by two
generating stations running at parallel then
the complexity of the system increases.
The possibility of sharing the load by two
machines is as follow:
• Suppose there are two generating stations
that are connected to each other by tie line.
If the change in load is either at A or at B
and the generation of A is alone asked to
regulate so as to have constant frequency
then this kind of regulation is called Flat
Frequency Regulation.
 FREQUENCY CONTROL
• The other possibility of sharing the load the
load is that both A and B would regulate
their generations to maintain the constant
frequency. This is called parallel frequency
regulation.
• The third possibility is that the change in the
frequency of a particular area is taken care
of by the generator of that area thereby the
tie-line loading remains the same. This
method is known as flat tie-line loading
control.
 FREQUENCY CONTROL
• In Selective Frequency control each
system in a group is takes care of the load
changes on its own system and does not
aid the other systems un the group for
changes outside its own limits.
• In Tie-line Load-bias control all the power
systems in the interconnection aid in
regulating frequency regardless of where
the frequency change originates. The
equipment consists of a master load
frequency controller and a tie line recorder
measuring the power input on the tie as for
the selective frequency control.
 FLAT FREQUENCY CONTROL

• In fig.
• The frequency of the whole system is
maintained constant by controlling the
speed of any one generator G1 without any
regulation of another generator G2.
• Therefore, station G1 is called master station
where the generation is loaded on the
system .
• This type of frequency control is known as
Flat Frequency Control.
• Under such situation, station G2 is said to be
operating on base load.
 FLAT FREQUENCY CONTROL
• The major draw back of Flat Frequency Control
is that G1 must absorbs all load changes for the
either system there by the tie line between the
two generating station would have to absorb all
load changes at station G2 since the generator
G2 would maintain its constant output.
• In this method the frequency controller is
placed at station G1 & to maintain the
frequency constant.
• Advantage: New and more efficient generators
can be made to carry the base load and the
less efficient generator carry the load variation.
• Disadvantage: Uneconomic operation of
master generator.
 SELECTIVE FREQUENCY CONTROL

• This method is used when a small system and

large system are interconnected through a tie
line.
• The large system maintain the system
frequency constant while the small system
keeps the tie line power constant.
• In this method, the interconnected system
assigns frequency control to a central system,
the other system are then controlled on the
basis of system frequency and tie-line loading.
• Each system in the group takes care of the
load change on its own system & does not
support other system in the group if group is
outside its limits.
 SELECTIVE FREQUENCY CONTROL

• Equipments: master load frequency

controller and tie-line recorder.
• The tie-line instrument biases the load
frequency controller by changing the
control point until the desired relationship
occurs between tie-line loading and system
frequency.
• As shown in fig., solid line aa and bb
represents governor and constant
frequency characteristics respectively.
• Station is trying to maintain constant
frequency by changing tie-line loading.
 SELECTIVE FREQUENCY CONTROL
• The actual operating point in tie-line load bias
control lies between bb and cc.
• Consider that there is increase in load on
generating station G1 as a result is reduction in
frequency, the control at generator G2,
beginning immediately response to frequency,
increase its generation to restore frequency to
normal state.
• The amount of load picked up depends on the
bias for which the regulating equipment has
been set.
• If initially x is operating frequency & if it is drop
to y due to increase in load, the picked up on
 SELECTIVE FREQUENCY CONTROL

• Disadvantage: not suitable when two or

more large systems are interconnected.
 TIE-LINE LOAD BIAS CONTROL

• Modern day power systems are divided into

various areas. For example in India , there
are five regional grids, e.g., Eastern Region,
Western Region etc. Each of these areas is
generally interconnected to its neighboring
areas.
• The transmission lines that connect an area
to its neighboring area are called tie-lines .
• Power sharing between two areas occurs
through these tie-lines.
• This is most widely used method for large
interconnected power system.
TIE-LINE LOAD BIAS CONTROL
 TIE-LINE LOAD BIAS CONTROL
• This is the modification of above two control
method.
• In this method, the main principle is that all
operating pool member must contribute their
share to frequency control in addition to
taking care of their own net interchange.
• During the change in load, the frequency falls
from fs to f΄, in order to control the frequency,
the characteristic 1 is shifted upwards to
1΄and the curve 3 to 3΄.
• The inter change increases to I΄΄ while the
frequency is regulated.
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM
• The real power control mechanism of
a generator is shown in above Fig. The
main parts are:
1) Speed governor
2) Speed changer
3) Hydraulic amplifier
4) Control valve
TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM
• They are connected by linkage mechanism.
• Their incremental movements are in vertical
direction.
• In reality these movements are measured
in millimeters; The movements are
assumed positive in the directions of arrows.
• Corresponding to “raise” command,
linkage movements will be:
• “A” moves downwards; “C” moves
upwards;
• “D” moves upwards; “E” moves
downwards.
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM

• This allows more steam or water flow

into the turbine resulting incremental
increase in generator output power.
• When the speed drops, linkage point
“B” moves upwards and again
generator output power will increase.
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM
Speed governor:
•It is purely mechanical, speed sensitive device
coupled directly and builds directly on the prime
mover to adjust the control valve operating via
linkage mechanism.
•It sense the speed deviation or a power change
command and converts it into appropriate valve
action.
•Hence, this is very important for the system,
which control the change in system
•As the speed is increases, the fly-ball move
upwards and the point B on linkage mechanism
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM
Linkage Mechanism:
•It provides a movement of the steam control
valve in proportional to change in speed.
•It also provides a feedback of steam valve
movements. ABC and CDE are the rigid links
provided at B and C represented in the fig.

Hydraulic Amplifier:
•It is single-state hydraulic servomotor
interposed between the governor and valve.
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM

• It consist of a pilot valve and main

piston.
• With this arrangement, hydraulic
amplification is obtained by converting
the movement of low-power pilot
valve into movement of higher-power
level main piston.
• In hydraulic amplification, a large
mechanical force is necessary so that
the steam valve could be opened or
closed against high-pressure inlet
 TURBINE SPEED GOVERNING
MECHANISM

Speed changer:
•The speed changer provides steady
state power output setting for the
turbine.
•The upwards movement of the speed
change open the upper pilot valve so
that more steam is admitted to the
turbine under steady condition.
•The reverse happens when the speed
changer moves downward.
AUTOMATIC LOAD FREQUENCY CONTROL