FREE GOVERNOR MODE OF

OPERATION
(FGMO)
FOR
STEAM TURBINES
Presented By:
K B Batra
C&I Engineering

ORGANISATION OF PRESENTATION
What is FGMO ?
IEGC guidelines
Facilities available in KWU design sets of BHEL
Problems in implementation of FGMO
Modifications carried in control scheme
Conclusion

FREE GOVERNOR MODE OPERATION

(FGMO)
It means that the governor is free to govern as per
its regulation/droop characteristics
There are no constraints imposed on it like
- Valve kept wide open
- frequency influence switched off
- dead band for frequency influence
- delibrate time delays

OBJECTIVE OF FREE GOVERNOR MODE OF

OPERATION
To arrest transient swings in grid frequency
To maintain national grid frequency within IEGC
band of 49 to 50.5 Hz
Free governor operation allows the machine to load
or unload depending upon whether frequency is
lower than or more than the reference frequency
Variation in grid frequency can be minimized by
putting all the generating stations on free
governor mode of operation

STEADY STATE SPEED REGULATION

(DROOP)
IT IS THE CHANGE IN STEADY STATE SPEED
EXPRESSED IN % OF RATED SPEED,
WHEN
THE OUTPUT OF THE TURBINE IS GRADUALLY
REDUCED FROM RATED POWER DOWN TO
ZERO POWER
WITH IDENTICAL SETTINGS OF ALL ELEMENTS
OF THE SPEED GOVERNING SYSTEM

DROOP CHARACTERISTICS

Speed(rpm)

3200

3150

3000

3000

5% droop

2800
2600
2400
0

20

40
60
Load %

80

100

Droop = (3150-3000) /3000 *100 = 5%

EXAMPLE OF NORTHERN GRID

Total installed capacity= 28000 MW
Normally available power (approx.) = 17000 MW
Peak load demand in a day (approx.) = 19000 MW
Hence total shortfall in a day = 2000 MW (approx.
10%)
Therefore, variation in grid frequency should not be
more than 0.25 Hz (=0.1*2.5Hz). But in actual the
variation in frequency is of the order of 1-1.5 Hz.
ASSUMPTION :- DROOP = 5 %

THIS MEANS THAT

Governors are operating in locked condition
To enforce grid discipline, CERC issues

guidelines for implementation of FGMO

INDIAN ELECTRICITY GRID CODE (IEGC)

SECTION 6.2 (E)
ALL GENERATING UNITS, WHICH ARE SYNCHRONISED
WITH THE GRID, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR OWNERSHIP,
TYPE AND SIZE, SHALL HAVE THEIR GOVERNORS IN
NORMAL OPERATION AT ALL TIMES. IF ANY
GENERATING UNIT OF OVER FIFTY (50) MW SIZE (10 MW
FOR NORTH EASTERN REGION) IS REQUIRED TO BE
OPERATED WITHOUT ITS GOVERNOR IN NORMAL
OPERATION, THE RLDC SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY
ADVISED ABOUT THE REASON AND DURATION OF SUCH
OPERATION. ALL GOVERNOR SHALL HAVE A DROOP OF
BETWEEN 3% AND 6%

INDIAN ELECTRICITY GRID CODE

BHEL sets meet the requirement of droop
LMW Turbine - 4%
Siemens Turbine - 2.5% to 8% in EHC mode
5% in Hydraulic mode

INDIAN ELECTRICITY GRID CODE (IEGC)

SECTION 6.2 (F)
FACILITIES AVAILABLE WITHIN LOAD LIMITERS,
AUTOMATIC TURBINE RUN UP SYSTEM, TURBINE
SUPERVISORY CONTROL, CO-ORDINATED CONTROL
SYSTEM ETC. SHALL NOT BE USED TO SUPPRESS THE
NORMAL GOVERNOR ACTION IN ANY MANNER. NO
DEAD BAND AND / OR TIME DELAYS SHALL BE
DELIBERATELY INTRODUCED.

INDIAN ELECTRICITY GRID CODE (IEGC)

SECTION 6.2 (G)
ALL GENERATING UNITS, OPERATING AT / UP TO 100%
OF THEIR MAXIMUM CONTINOUS RATING (MCR) SHALL
NORMALLY BE CAPABLE OF (AND SHALL NOT IN ANY
WAY BE PREVENTED FROM) INSTANTANEOUSLY
PICKING UP FIVE PERCENT (%) EXTRA LOAD FOR
ATLEAST FIVE (5) MINUTES OR WITHIN TECHNICAL
LIMITS PRESCRIBED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHEN
FREQUENCY FALLS DUE TO SYSTEM CONTNGENCY.

INDIAN ELECTRICITY GRID CODE (IEGC)

SECTION 6.2 (H)
THE RECOMMENDED RATE FOR CHANGING THE
GOVERNOR SETTING, I.E. SUPPLEMENTARY CONTROL
FOR INCREASING OR DECREASING THE OUTPUT
(GENERATION LEVEL) FOR ALL GENERATING UNITS,
IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR TYPE AND SIZE, WOULD BE
ONE (1.0) PERCENT PER MINUTE OR AS PER
MANUFACURERS LIMITS. HOWEVER, IF FREQUENCY
FALL BELOW 49.5 Hz, ALL PARTY LOADED GENERATING
UNITS SHALL PICKUP ADDITIONAL LOAD AT FASTER
RATE, ACCORDING TO THEIR CAPABILITY

REALISATION OF DROOP
CHARACTERISTICS
In hydraulic control mode these are

inherent in the governing system (as the

system acts to control speed)
In electrical controller, these are built-up

through frequency influence on load

setpoint (as the system acts to control
load)

CHARACTERISTICS OF FREQUENCY INFLUENCE

+50 %
p
oo
Dr
=4
%
Frequency (in Hz)

48

49

51
Dr
oo
p
=

50

- 50 %
Load

52
8%

FREQUENCY INFLUENCE SCHEME

(ORIGINAL)

LOAD
SETPOINT

CORRECTED
LOAD SETPT

+
+

TSE
INFLUENCE

50 Hz

F-ACT.

LOAD
GRADIENT

FREQUENCY
INFLUENCE

FREQUENCY INFLUENCE SCHEME

(ORIGINAL)
525MW
500MW

500MW
500MW
LOAD
SETPOINT

CORRECTED
LOAD SETPT

+
+

TSE
INFLUENCE

+25 MW
0 MW
LOAD
GRADIENT

FREQUENCY
INFLUENCE

FREQ. = 50Hz
FREQ. = 49.875Hz
LOAD CHANGE = 5% i.e. 25MW

DIFFICULTIES FACED BY UTILITIES

NTPC, AGENCO, MSEB PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING
VIEWS
Under FGMO, there is a lot of load cycling and
corresponding fatigue in equipment
Parametric variations are beyond allowable limits ,
leading to unsafe operation.
Utilities find it very difficult
supplementary control manually

to

implement

Boiler is the weak link, it does not have the

necessary reserves and there is an inherent delay

STEERING COMMITTE
A high level committee set up by CEA to
examine the issue
View points of Utilities, OEMs, PGCIL and
CERC heard by the committee
After deliberations, certain actions were
suggested to BHEL and NTPC to address
the issues raised by utilities

RECOMMENDATIONS BY COMMITTEE
To develop a control scheme with floating frequency
as the frequency can vary between 49 to 50.5 Hz. The
scheme should also automate the process of
supplementary control i.e. Load change after 5
minutes
The modified control scheme to be tested at
simulator
To suggest suitable changes in the existing control
logic of EHC and CMC for safeguarding the boiler,
turbine, generator from the effect of rapid changes in
frequency

MODIFIED CONTROL SCHEME OBJECTIVES

Reference frequency shall be floating between 49.0
to 50.5 Hz, depending on operating frequency
For any frequency change, load change shall be
immediate and limited to +/-5%.
Load change is to be sustained for approx. 5
minutes. If frequency varies during this period,
corrective action to be taken again

Contd.

OBJECTIVES
Load shall be brought back to the setpoint in a
ramped fashion after five minutes
For frequency < 49.0 and >50.5 Hz , load change to
be as per droop characteristics and limited to +/10%

MODIFIED SCHEME
First scheme developed by BHEL and tested at
Simhadri simulator at Corporate R&D on
17/07/2004
Step and ramp change in load were simulated
Parameter variations were within allowable limits
It met the set objectives. However, certain changes
were suggested
Results were presented to NTPC/ CEA/ PGCIL etc. In
4th and 5th committee meetings. 5th meet was held at
Hardwar
It was suggested by Chairman that the scheme be
tested at Simhadri site by BHEL & NTPC

Floating Frequency Setpoint

Fref
Fact
Fdev

FREQUENCY INFLUENCE SCHEME

(PROPOSED)
CORRECTED
LOAD SETPT

LOAD
SETPOINT

+
TSE
INFLUENCE
F-PREV
F-ACT.

(49-50.5)
FREF=49/ 50.5
F-ACT
<49/>50.5

LOAD
GRADIENT

TO CC

+5%

+
-

FREQUENCY
INFLUENCE

F
+
-

TO CC

CC- COMBUSTION CONTROL

+10%

BLOCK DIAGRAM - CONTROL SCHEME

SIMHADRI SITE TRIALS

Scheme was further fine-tuned before and during
field trials
Dead band of 0.03Hz was introduced
Trend curves were plotted
These were analyzed and parametric variations
were deduced

SUMMARY OF TEST RESULTS

Approx. 45 load
cycles in a day for
SR frequency

With full thermal reserve,

the max. load increase is 3
%

LOAD
+ 15 Deg C
variation

+ 10 Deg
C
variation

M.S.
TEMP

H.R.
TEMP

REVISED
FGMO
SCHEME

THROTT
LE
PRESSU
RE

RH METAL
TEMPS

5 kg/sq.cm
variations

Nearing Alarm
Values

Turbine metal temperatures hardly undergo any change for

this load variation

CONCLUSION
Modified scheme has been accepted by CEA and
NTPC
Final report of the committee has been released
directing utilities to implement FGMO
Scheme to be implemented by utilities for KWU
design sets
Utilities have to place order on BHEL for this work
As of now, LMZ design sets to be put in FGMO
(without any modification) and controlled manually

Broad features of Scheme implemented at Nasik

The scheme with following basic features was
implemented in unit 4 (210 MW LMZ m/c) at Nasik
Load and Turbine inlet Pr changes with frequency
variation.
Pressure correction through pulse command to speeder
gear motor to restore load when rate of pressure variation
is more than 0.2 Kscm/min
Pressure correction through continuos command when
pressure variation is more than 2 Kscm
No changes in fuel firing.
A team led by Member, CERC visited Nasik and was
satisfied with the response of the scheme

SCHEME IMPLEMENTED IN NASIK (MSEB)

SPEEDER GEAR
RAISE COMMAND

MS. Pr. > (SET POINT + 2)

LOOP IN AUTO
MS. Pr. > (SET POINT - 2)
S
R

LOOP IN AUTO

8 SEC.

PR. RAMP > 0.1 KG/CS. in 30 SEC

THIS RELATES TO THE CASE OF FREQUENCY RISE

SCHEME IMPLEMENTED IN NASIK (MSEB)

EFFECT OF OFF FREQUENCY OPERATION

Off frequency operation eats away the safety margins
of the machine and total number of hours available
for trouble free operation
Off frequency is one of the major factor for turbine
blade failures
Off frequency operation trigger resonance condition
in machine which may lead to following problems
Shaft / bearing vibration
Rubbing of glands
Bending of shaft
Piping vibration

UI PRICE AND FREQUENCY

448

49 HZ

420
392
364
336
308

49.5 HZ

49.5 HZ CORRESPONDS TO RS.2.80

PAISE/UNIT

280
252
224
196
168

50 HZ

140
112
84
56
28

FREQUENCY

FREQUENCY vs UI PRICE

48.5

48.6

48.7

48.8

48.9

49

49.1

49.2

49.3

49.4

49.5

49.6

49.7

49.8

49.9

50

50.1

50.2

50.3

50.4

50.5

50.6

50.7

50.8

50.9

0
51

50.5 HZ