Generator

Capability
Curve
By Kittipong Anantanasap
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What is a Generator Capability Curve?
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Contents 0
2
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve

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Summary
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01: What is a Generator
Capability Curve?
What is a Generator Capability Curve?
 The Generator Capability Curve defines the
permissible region of operation which can operate
safely.

Over Excited
 Any point that lies within the 3 limits circular (lagging PF)
sections is a safe operating point for the generator.

 The Factors which are limited for properly operating

generator
Under Excited
(leading PF)
1. Apparent Power

2. Active Power

3. Reactive Power Fig 1 A Generator Capability Curve

What is a Generator Capability Curve?
 The Factors which are limited for properly operating
generator

1. Apparent Power: should not exceed the

Over Excited
generator rating, which is determined by the (lagging PF)
armature of the stator heating by the armature
current.

2. Active Power: should not exceed the rating

of the maximum prime mover power.

3. Reactive Power: is governed by three limits: Under Excited

(leading PF)
Armature Heating Limit, Field Heating Limit Prime-mover power limit
and Stator-End-Core Heating Limit.

Fig 2 A Generator Capability Curve

with Prime-mover power limit
02: How to draw the Generator
Capability Curve
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Armature Heating Limit
Rated MVA and
 Circumference is drawn an apparent power Over Excited ∅ Power Factor = cos

X
capability (MVA) with the center at origin, which (lagging PF)
represents curve of constant stator current.

 From the apparent power is given as eq.1

Under Excited
(1) (leading PF)
Prime-mover power limit

(2)
= Armature Heating Limit
 Eq.2 is an equation of circle with center at origin and
radius VI as shown in eq.3 Fig 3 The Armature Heating Limit

(3)
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit

 From the equivalent circuit of synchronous generator

with Ra neglected, in real synchronous machines of
any size, the armature resistance << , is shown as
eq.4

(4)

E : no load excitation voltage Fig 4 Steady-state

: terminal voltage equivalent circuit of
I : load current Synchronous Generator
: Synchronous Reactance of Generator
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit

 The eq.4 can be represented by the phasor as

shown in fig 5

𝑖 (4) 𝑉𝑡

 The load angle () indicate the angle between

the terminal voltage () and the excitation
voltage (). Fig 5 The Phasor Diagram of
Synchronous Generator
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit

 From the phasor in fig 5,

(5)
Y-axis
𝑉𝑡
(6)

(7) Fig 5 The Phasor Diagram of

X-axis Synchronous Generator
(8)
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit

 active power delivered by Generator

𝑎 𝜃 (9)

𝑉𝑡

from eq.6: 𝑎 𝜃 𝑖 𝛿

Fig 5 The Phasor Diagram of

𝑖 𝛿 (10) Synchronous Generator
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit

 Reactive power delivered by Generator

𝑎 𝛿
𝜃 (11)

𝑉𝑡

from eq .8: 𝜃 𝑖 𝑖𝛿
𝑎

Fig 5 The Phasor Diagram of

𝑖 𝛿 (12) Synchronous Generator
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit
Over Excited
(lagging PF) Field Heating Limit
 Squaring (10) and (12) and then adding gets,

𝑖 (13)

Under Excited
(leading PF)
 From equation (13), the center is at -
Fig 6 Field Heating Limit
With the radius as 𝑖
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Field Heating Limit

Additional method

 Drawn after the intersection of the rated MVA

circumference and the rated PF line at the point
of rated MVA X SCR (Short Circuit Ratio).

 Typical values of SCR specified are usually in the

range of 0.35 to 0.58. If not specified by the
manufacturer, the minimum SCR shall be 0.35.
Refers to IEEE Std C50.13-2014.

 Rated MVA X SCR = Maximum permissible MVAR

in zero pf leading. Fig 7 Field Heating Limit of
additional method
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve

Over Excited
(lagging PF)
Stator-End-Core Heating Limit

 The leading (bottom) part of the curve is too dependent on

the specific machine design to be drawn by any general
algorithm, such as

1.The Stator end-core heating limit: limits the reactive

Under Excited
power which is imported to the generator

(leading PF)
2.Type of Generator

For example: Salient-pole generators only

have two line limits.

Fig 8 End-Core Heating Limit by

any Generator
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Stator-End-Core Heating Limit

 The leading (bottom) part of the curve is too dependent on

the specific machine design to be drawn by any general
algorithm, such as

3.The Stability Limit Line ( ).

Fig 9 End-Core Heating Limit by

the stability limit line
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
MVAR (PU)

Stator-End-Core Heating Limit

Over Excited
(lagging PF)
3.The Stability Limit Line.

How to draw the Stability Limit Line.

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 MW (PU.)
i. Draw a perpendicular line to Y-axis at D,
which is Rated MVA x SCR and called the
“Theoretical Stability Limit Line”, as
shown in fig 10.
D °
𝛿=90

Under Excited
Theoretical stability line

(leading PF)
ii. Draw a parallel line from MW (PU.) line
to Theoretical Stability Limit Line from 0.0
to 1.0 PU.

Fig 10 Theoretical Stability Limit Line of

Generator Capability Curve
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
Stator-End-Core Heating Limit Power Rating Margin in PU.
MW (PU.)+
MW
3.The Stability Limit Line. Power Load Angle Limiter Power Rating
(PU.)
factor Margin in % Margin in PU.
How to draw the Stability Limit Line.
0.0 0.85 12.5 0.106
iii. Plot the Practical Stability Limit Line 0.1 0.85 12.5 0.206
from 0.0 to 1.0 p.u by point D as the center 0.2 0.85 12.5 0.306
and power in p.u + power rating margin in
… … … …
p.u as radius, as shown in table 1.
1.0 0.85 12.5 1.106
Table 1 The calculation of the radius

Power rating margin in PU = Power factor X (Load Angle Limiter

Margin in % / 100)
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
MVAR (PU)

Stator-End-Core Heating Limit

Over Excited
(lagging PF)
3.The Stability Limit Line.

How to draw the Stability Limit Line.

From the table 1, 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 MW (PU.)
For 0.0 PU.: make an arc, D is the center and
radius equals to table 1, from theoretical
stability line to 0.0 MW (PU.) line in Y-axis which E
cuts the Y-axis at E.
D °
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 𝛿=90

Under Excited
For 0.1 PU.: make an arc, D is the center and

(leading PF)
radius equals to table 1, from theoretical
stability line to 0.1 MW (PU.) line in Y-axis which
cuts the Y-axis ( mark a dot ).
 Repeat the same up to 1.0 MW (PU.) Fig 11 Each dot of The Stability Limit Line
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
MVAR (PU)

Over Excited
Stator-End-Core Heating Limit

(lagging PF)
3.The Stability Limit Line.
Practical Stability
Limit Line
How to draw the Stability Limit Line.
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 MW (PU.)
iv. Connect all the dots by drawing a line which is
called “Practical Stability Limit Line”, as shown in
fig as green line.
E

D °
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 𝛿=90

Under Excited
(leading PF)
Fig 12 The Practical Stability Limit Line
of Generator Capability Curve
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
MVAR (PU)
turbine limit line

Over Excited
Stator-End-Core Heating Limit

(lagging PF)
3.The Stability Limit Line.

How to draw the Stability Limit Line.

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 MW (PU.)
 The practical stability limit line cuts the turbine F
limit line and this point is marked as F. The
𝛿
angle from Y-axis to practical stability limit line E
with E as center is called “Load Angle ()” in
degrees. D
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

Under Excited
(leading PF)
Fig 12 The Practical Stability Limit Line
of Generator Capability Curve
How to draw the Generator Capability Curve
The Combination of three limits.
MVAR (PU)
Over Excited
(lagging PF)

The permissible region of

= generator operation.

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 MW (PU.)
Fig 13 The permissible operational region of
F
The Generator Capability Curve
𝛿
E

D
Under Excited

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
(leading PF)
03: Summary
Summary
MVAR (PU) A
B

Over Excited
(lagging PF)
 Generator must operate within the limits of
its capability curve, composing of 3 sections.

 “Curve A-B” is a field heating limit. 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
MW (PU.)
F C
𝛿
 “Curve B-C” is an armature heating limit. E
D 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

Under Excited
(leading PF)
 “Curve C-E” or “Curve E-F” is a stator-end-
core heating limit.

Fig 13 The permissible operational region

of The Generator Capability Curve
Summary
MVAR (PU) A
B

Over Excited
(lagging PF)
 The generator should be operated at
Point B under lagging condition.

 Capability Curve is all about heating of 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
MW (PU.)
different parts. If the cooling of machine F C
is increased, each limit of generator
𝛿
operation will increase. The operation E
boundary is broadened.
D 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

Under Excited
(leading PF)
Fig 13 The permissible operational region
of The Generator Capability Curve
Summary
 The factor for drawing each limit line of the generator capability curve.

Heating Limits Factors

Rated MVA
Armature Power Factor

Excitation Voltage ()
Terminal Voltage () Method 1
Synchronous Reactance ()
Field
Rated MVA
Short Circuit Ratio (SCR) Method 2
Power Factor
Hydro Generator (Salient Pole Rotor)
Steam or Gas Turbo Generator (Cylindrical Rotor) Type of Generator

Stator-End-Core Rated MVA

Short Circuit Ratio (SCR)
Load Angle Limiter Margin (%) Stability Limit Line
Power Factor

Table 2 The factor for drawing the generator capability curve