Synchronous Generator

Capability Curve
EE341 Energy Conversion
Ali Keyhani
Synchronous Machines
lecture #4
1
•Generator Pmech to Pelec
•Motor Pelec to Pmech
Synchronous
machines
•A.C machines
Induction
machines

2
 a
a
b’ c’
N
If
a’
c’ b’
S
c b
Pelec c b
a’
Pmech P=2 •Armature windings
are located on the
I stator
f
V
f
•Field windings are
located on the rotor
Fig. 1 3
•By rotating the field windings in
the air gap, a rotating magnetic
field is established in the
machine. A balanced set of
voltages is induced in the
balanced three - phase windings
located in the stator.

4
  2
a 
2 ele
0
I N 2 mech
f
If
ele = mech

S S
mech

N ele = 2 mech
ele = P mech
a’ 2
Fig. 2 5
d elec P d mech

dt 2 dt
P
 elec   mech
2
P
2f elec   mech
2
2
 mech  n n : rpm
60
P n 2 Pnsyn 120 f
f   Hz nsyn 
2 2 60 120 P

6
 V
T

R V
a E
Ra +Jx s T
I
f
VVf J
x
E  line - line
Vt  line - line
E X s  synch. reactance
a
Ra  armature resistance
Ec E
b

7
c
 E JX V
T
S

E P + JQ

1
7-1 Develop a table showing the speed of
magnetic field rotation in AC machines 2,4 and
6 poles operating at frequencies 50,60 and
400Hz.

120 f e
nsync 
P 8
Principle of Machine Operation:
•If a three-phase set of currents, each with equal magnitude
and differing in phase by 120 degrees, flows in an armature
winding, then it will produce a rotating magnetic field of
constant magnitude.

The flux wave will travel in the air gap at the speed
of n
120 f e
sync 
P where fe is the frequency of the three
phase currents. a’
a c
b
V Magnetic axis ref.
a
D x

b’ c’

a 9
Assume:
P
Ba ( x , t )  B ( t ) cos( x)
D
B ( t ): time changing flux produced by the
applied voltage v a ( t )
B ( t )  Bm cos  s t  s  2f s

P
cos( x ): winding distribution around the
D
stator periphery
P: number of poles
P
x: angle in radians
D
x: distance travelled from the ref.
D: diameter of stator 10
 P
Ba ( x , t )  Bm cos  s t cos x
D

Ba(x,t) = B Flux will pulsate

m with the same fs
When X=0
Ba (x,t) as applied voltage

Flux
density
varies
D
P around the
stator
0 x
2 D periphery.
P 11
Note:

1
cos  cos   [cos(   )  cos(   )]
2
Bm Px Bm Px
Ba ( x, t )  cos(   st )  cos(   s t )]
2 D 2 D
Ba ( x, t )  Ba  ..  Ba
Similarly coils b s  b s and c s - c s
2 Px 2
Bb ( x, t )  Bm cos( s t  ) cos(  )
3 D 3
4 Px 4
Bc ( x, t )  Bm cos( s t  ) cos(  )
3 D 3
3 Px
Btotal ( x, t )  Ba ( x, t )  Bb ( x, t )  Bc ( x, t )  Bm cos(  s )
2 D 12
 a

b’ c’
N

S
Pelec
c b

a’
T  kBr  Bs  kBr Bs sin 
Rotor Stator Angle between B and B s
R

Bnet  Br  Bs Bs  Bnet  Br
T  kBr  ( Bnet  Br )  k ( Br  Bnet )  k ( Br  Br )
T  k ( Br  Bnet )  kBr Bnet sin  13
For the previous figure:

•Magnetic field waves are rotating in a

counterclockwise direction.
•By applying the right hand rule, the induced torque
is clockwise, or opposite the direction of rotation of
the rotor.

•Machine acting as generator.

14
EE341 Energy Conversion

Synchronous Generator Capability

Curves
Lecture #6
Ali Keyhani
15
 Volts 3E AV
B DE 
 AB Xs I
I

A
3V P  3V I A cos

A
jX S volts
S=

 V o A 
IA OA Q  3V I A sin 

The generator phasor diagram Derivation of a synchronous generator capability

curve: The corresponding power units
AB
cos 
XsIA
AB  X s I A cos
OA
sin   or OA = X s I A sin 
XSIA
Real Power Reactive Power
16
P3  3V I A cos Q 3  3V I A sin 
Apparent Power
S3 |3V I A |
•The vertical and horizontal axes of Fig 1(a) can be
recalculated in terms of real and reactive power.
•The conversion factor needed to change the scale of the
axes from volts to voltampres (power units) is 3V
Xs
3V
P3  3V I A cos  X s I A cos
XS
3V
Q3  3V I A sin   ( X s I A sin  )
XS
17
The origin of the phasor diagram is at V on the
horizontal axis, so the origin on the power diagram
is at
3V V2
Q3  ( V )  3
Xs XS
The field current is proportional to the machine’s flux,
and flux is proportional to E A  km

The length of E A on the power diagram is 3E AV

DE 
Xs
The armature current I A is proportional to X S I A ,
and the length corresponding to X S I A on the power
diagram is S  3V I A

18
 Q, kvar
•The armature current Rotor current
limit
unit appears as the
circle corresponding
to the rated IAor KVA
P, kW

•The field current unit

appears as the circle Stator current
corresponding to the limit
2
rated If or EA 3V
Xs

Any point that lies within

both circles is a safe Generator capability
operating point for the curve
generator.

19
 Q, kvar

P, kW

Prime mover
power limit

origin of the rotor 2

3V
current circle
Xs

A capability diagram showing the prime mover

power limit.

20
 Example
A 480 V, 50 Hz Y-connected six pole synchronous
generator is rated at 50kVA at 0.8 PF lagging. It has a
synchronous reactance of 1.0 ohm per phase. Assume
that this generator is connected to a steam turbine
capable of supplying up to 45 kW. The friction and
windage losses are 1.5 kW, and the core losses are 1.0
kW.
(a) Sketch the capability curve for this generator,
including the prime mover limit.
(b) Can this generator supply a line current of 56 A at
0.7 lagging? Why or why not?
(c) What is the maximum amount of reactive power
this generator can produce?
(d) If the generator supplies 30 kW of real power, what
is the maximum amount of reactive power that can be21
simultaneously supplied?
The maximum current in this generator is given by:

S rated  3V I A. max

The voltage V of the machine is
VT
V   277 V
3
50kVA
I A. max   60 A
3( 277 V)
With this information, it is now possible to answer the
questions.

22
(a) The maximum permissible apparent power is 50 kVA,
which specifies the maximum safe armature current. The
center of the E A is at:
2
3V 
Q
XS
2
3(277 V)
  230 kVAR
. 
10

23
 The maximum size of E A is given by:
E A  V  jX S I A
 277 0 V + (j1.0)(60

- 36.87 A)


= 277 0 V + 60

53.13 V

= 313 + j48 V = 317 8.7 V 

Therefore, the magnitude of the distance proportional to E A is

3E AV
DE 
XS
3(317 V)(277 V)
  263 kVAR
.
10 24
The maximum output power available with a prime-
mover power of 45kW is approximately
Pmax.out  Pmax.in  Pmechloss  Pcoreloss
 45kW -1.5kW - 1.0kW = 42.5kW
(This value is approximate because the I 2R loss and
the stray load loss were not considered.)

The resulting capability diagram is shown below

25
 31.5 Q, kvar
39.8 (32.6 kW,
kVAR kVAR 33.2
kVAR)

30kW

P, kW

Maximum
Prime mover
power limit

origin of the
maximum rotor
current circle
- 230 kVAR

26
(b) A current of 56 A at 0.7 PF lagging produces a
real power of

P  3V I A cos
 3(277 V)(56 A)(0.7)
= 32.6 kW
And a reactive power of

Q  3V I A sin 
=3(277 V)(56 A)(0.714)
= 33.2 kVAR

27
Plotting this point on the capability diagram shows
that it is safely within the maximum I curve but
A
outside the maximum I F curve. Therefore, this point is
not a safe operating condition.

(c) When the real power supplied by the generator is

zero, the reactive power that the generator can
supply will be maximum. This point is right at the
peak of the capability curve. The Q that the
generator can supply there is
Q = 263kVA - 230kVA = 33kVAR

28
(d) If the generator is supplying 30 kW of real
power, the maximum reactive power that the
generator can supply is 31.5 kVAR. This value can
be found by entering the capability diagram at 30
kW and going up the constant kilowatt line until a
limit is reached. The limiting factor in this case is
the field current-the armature will be safe up to
39.8 kVAR

29