HYDROGEN COOLED GENERATOR

RECOMMENDED GENERATOR ELECTRICAL PROTECTION

Generators are highly utilised machines and for securing the best possible continuity of power supply, in
addition to a suitable technical design and responsible mode of operation, provision should be made for
automatic protection facilities. This protective equipment serves for quick and selective detection of any
faults and for minimizing damage to generator during faults.

The protective equipment should be designed so that on occurrence of any serious fault the generator will
be disconnected from the system and de-excited immediately. Faults, which do not result in any direct
damage, are to be reported to the operating staff, permitting the unit to be operated outside the critical
range or to take precautionary measures for shutdown.

Generators may be endangered by short circuits, earth faults, over voltages and excessive thermal
stresses. To guard the generator against any damage the following protective equipment is recommended:

1.0 DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION

Breakdown of insulation between the stator winding paths of different phase results in an internal
short circuit. The fault is detected by a differential relay, which initiates immediate isolation and de-
excitation of the generator. In order to obtain a high sensitivity, the protected area should include
the generator only.

Operating value : 0.2 to 0.4 IN

Relay time : ≤ 60 m sec

In certain cases the generator may also be included in the differential protection for the main trans-
former and station service feeder, resulting in the detection of generator faults by two differential
protection devices.

2.0 STATOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION

Breakdown of insulation between the stator winding and frame results in a stator earth fault. If
possible, the stator earth fault protection should cover the complete winding range, including the
neutral point of the generator. The protection is to initiate immediate isolation and de-excitation of
the generator.

Relay time ≤1 sec.

The load resistance of an earthing transformer and any required boost to raise the neutral point
potential should be selected so that in the event of a fault the earth current will amount to less than
15 amps.

3.0 ROTOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION

Rapid fault detection is necessary for the following reasons:-

• An interruption of the field circuit with arcing releases high amounts of energy in the form
of heat which may cause severe burning.

• A single line to ground fault may develop to a double earth fault resulting in magnetic
unbalance.

To minimize the consequential damage, it is recommended to provide generator with a protection

having delayed response. The relay time is about 1 sec.

4.0 UNDER-EXCITATION PROTECTION

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 HYDROGEN COOLED GENERATOR

Failure of the automatic voltage regulator, mal-operation of the generator or transformer control
systems, and generator operation in a system with capacitive load may result in a reduction of the
excitation required to ensure system stability below a predetermined minimum value. Short circuits
or interruptions in the field circuit result in a complete loss of field and thus in asynchronous
running of the generator. The consequences are, higher temperature rises in the rotor & stator
windings and core end portions, rotor over voltage and system swings.

A momentary excursion beyond the steady state stability limit must not necessarily result in a loss
of stability. Therefore, it is advisable to design the under excitation protection so that an alarm will
be given on reaching the steady-state stability limit, with shut down of the generator being effected
after a delay of a few seconds only.

If on reaching of the steady state stability limit a loss of excitation occurs at the same time instant
tripping will be required.

If the loss of excitation cannot be detected directly (eg. exciters with rotating diodes), it is recom-
mended to introduce a second stator criterion covering the range of the permeance values 1/Xd
and 1/X'd and to provide for instant tripping when this criterion is exceeded.

5.0 OVER-CURRENT PROTECTION

System short circuits may result in inadmissible thermal stressing of the generator. For this reason,
an over current protection should be provided to operate on failure of the system protection. For
this purpose a definite time lag over current relay may be used, the relay time of which should
however, be longer than that of the system protection.

Operating value : 1.3 IN

Relay time : 6 - 8 Sec. max.

For avoiding longer relay times, it is recommended to equip larger generators with an inverse- time
-lag (impedance) relay, which will be energized on over current and operate with long or short time
setting dependent on the location of the short circuit. Please refer to current overload curve TGE-
THRI-019.

If connected to the generator neutral point, the over-current protection serves as back up
protection for the differential protection.

6.0 LOAD UNBALANCE PROTECTION

Generators operating in an interconnected system are subjected to small load unbalances only.
However, all one and two-line-to-earth faults occurring in the system, phase breakage or circuit
breaker failures are in fact load unbalances which may result in unduly high thermal stressing of
the rotor.

It is recommended to provide a two-stage load unbalanced protection. When the continuously

permissible load unbalance is reached an alarm is given, while time- dependent tripping occurs
when this value is exceeded.

In case of large units, it is recommended to provide a protection with unbalanced load/time

characteristic applicable to the particular generator.

The Negative Sequence Capability of the generator is:

- Continuous I2 = 8%

- Short Time I22t = 10 sec.

7.0 RISE IN VOLTAGE PROTECTION

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 HYDROGEN COOLED GENERATOR
Rejection of partial or complete system loads causes a voltage rise followed by an increase in the
prime mover speed. This may result in the generator and the apparatus connected to it being
endangered by unduly high voltages. Mal-operation during manual voltage regulation of the
generator may like-wise result in inadmissible voltage stressing of this apparatus. Due to the
sudden voltage variations occurring on switching operations, it is advisable, at least in case of
large units, to provide a two-stage rise in voltage protection i.e.

a) With high operating value (1.45 x UN) : Instant tripping.

b) With low operating value (1.2 x UN) : Delayed tripping with time setting of 2 sec.

8.0 UNDER FREQUENCY PROTECTION

Major disturbances in an interconnected system may result in operation of the generator at under-
frequency. At rated voltage, the generator can be continuously operated at rated KVA up to 95%
of rated frequency.

For avoiding excessive magnetic and thermal stressing, it is recommended to provide an under-
frequency protection.

Since the frequency variation due to a system disturbance is normally accompanied by a voltage
variation, the protection should be designed on the basis of the permissible load characteristic of
the generator on frequency and voltage variations.

9.0 REVERSE POWER PROTECTION

A rise in system frequency for any reason whatsoever, finally results in closing of the governer
valves, the turbine being driven by the motoring generator. Since the turbine is then no longer
supplied with the cooling steam, the turboset must be disconnected from the system. The Reverse
Power Relay must be provided with a time delay to prevent undesired operation on system swings.

Faults in the turbine interior initiate emergency tripping, resulting in interruption of steam supply to
the turbine. A reliable criterion of perfectly tight closure of the emergency stop valves is the flow of
power from the system back into the generator.

Disconnection of the generator from the system by the generator circuit breaker is only permissible
after the generator has drawn this reverse power

Operating value : approx. 50-80% of reverse power

Relay time : high setting 20 sec.

low setting 4 sec.

10.0 OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION

The use of surge diverters on the high-voltage side of the unit transformer is considered sufficient
for protecting the generator against atmospheric over voltages and switching surges in the system.

With a view to a possible flashover from the high voltage winding to the low voltage winding in the
unit transformer, it is, however, advisable to provide surge diverters for the generator too, which
should be connected between the phases and earth.

Normally, the surge diverters are installed in the direct vicinity of the unit transformer, assuming
that switching surge resulting from any load isolator or circuit breaker arranged between generator
and transformer will not endanger the generator.

Care should be taken to provide explosion proof surge diverters or suitable constructional
measures in order to avoid danger to persons or near by plant components on over voltage.

Design voltage : approx 1.2 to1.4 UN

(allowing for power frequency over-voltage on load rejection)

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Power frequency : approx. 2xUN (i.e. less than test voltage for stator
spark over voltage winding, where test voltage for stator winding , as per VDE 530 is
= 2UN +1KV)

Impulse sparkover : less than 4 x UN voltage

Voltage

11.0 BACK UP PROTECTION

Back up protection for generator main breaker failure shall be provided.

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