ApplicationNotes Information from the Application Engineers at Waukesha Engine/Waukesha Power Systems

No. WPS7/89

GROUNDING AND HARMONIC PROBLEMS IN GENERATORS

Many design engineers and consultants have expressed
concern over paralleling synchronous generators to an
BUS
electric utility or to another synchronous generator. A
short explanation of generator design may be helpful in
GEN. 1
removing some of these concerns. Most generators can be
paralleled to each other, or to a utility; however, there are
some technical system coordination requirements which
must be addressed.
When power is distributed at the generator voltage, it is
GEN. 2
convenient to use the generator neutrals as grounding
points. Since the system should be grounded, no mat-
ter how many generators are running, it seems logical
to ground each generator; however, when there is more
than a single-point ground — such as multiple generators
grounded individually, or a generator and a step-up trans- TRANSFORMER
former — neutral circulating currents may be present.
Modern synchronous generators of the same voltage and
frequency can be operated in parallel if the neutrals are
not connected either directly or through ground connec-
tion. By not connecting the neutrals to ground, no harmful
circulation currents can flow. However, for stabilizing volt- Figure 1.
ages to ground and to provide ground paths for protective
relaying, most electrical power systems are operated with To produce voltage, a synchronous generator has a DC ex-
grounded neutrals. citation structure consisting of alternating north and south
Due to the nature of synchronous generator design, there poles (rotor). When the windings of the stator are exactly
will always be harmonics in the generator voltage. Har- opposite the north and south poles, maximum voltage is
monics are the multiples of the fundamental wave form produced. This is referred to as a full pitch generator. Very
frequency produced by all generators. Only odd-order few machines are wound as full pitch as the windings re-
harmonics, such as third, fifth, seventh, ninth, etc. are quire excessive end-turn copper, which adds both weight
present due to the half wave symmetry of the generated and cost. On the other hand, fractional-pitched machines
voltage wave form. With the balanced three-phase system, (those in which stator windings are less than the span
only the tripler harmonics such as third, ninth, fifteenth, etc. from north to south poles) require longer stack lengths to
will appear between the line to neutral voltage. If a path is compensate for voltage loss.
provided in the neutral circuit — such as multiple grounded All generators will produce harmonics in the output volt-
neutrals — harmonic currents will flow. age.
If non-identical generators — or a generator and a star- Some of these harmonics produce undesirable effects
connected (wye) transformer — are operated on the same on generators and other electrical machinery in the form
bus with all neutrals grounded, there may be substantial of unnecessary heating in the coils. A generator rating
circulating neutral currents. A common arrangement likely — as is the case with most rotating electrical equipment
to have such a current flow is shown in Figure 1. — is limited by allowable temperature rise. Harmonics are,
One way to eliminate/reduce some orders of harmonics is therefore, in effect, a de-rating factor.
by choosing the appropriate generator winding pitch. The choice of winding pitch and the grounding scheme
What is winding pitch? It is the angle at which coil sides of have a direct effect on the harmonics generated. A 2/3 pitch
the stator relate to the poles of the rotor. generator, for example, eliminates 3rd order harmonics,
 ApplicationNotes
while a 4/5 pitch generator eliminates 5th order harmon- conclusion
ics. Unfortunately, coil pitch cannot eliminate all harmonics There is no perfect solution to the system design prob-
simultaneously. As one harmonic is eliminated another is lems of neutral ground currents and associated harmonic
increased. This table illustrates the effect of winding pitch problems, only pro’s and con’s that need to be weighed in
on given odd-ordered harmonics. Third, 5th and 7th order developing generator pitch and grounding schemes.
harmonics produced by the generator are multiplied (fac-
tored) by percentage factor shown. Each application must be designed in its own context, tak-
ing into account generator pitch, type of grounding (or the
percentage factor of lack of grounding), and fault currents. Waukesha Power
harmonic voltage Systems application engineering experience can be help-
pitch ful to the consultant and design engineer in resolving the
3rd 5th 7th
Order order order problems and selecting the right combination of equipment
and design decisions to produce a system that gets maxi-
2/3 0% 87% 87% mum performance and minimal problems.
4/5 59% 0% 59% Consult your local Waukesha Distributor for system application assistance. The manufacturer re-
serves the right to change or modify without notice, the design or equipment specifications as herein
5/6 71% 26% 26% set forth without incurring any obligation either with respect to equipment previously sold or in the
process of construction except where otherwise specifically guaranteed by the manufacturer.
6/7 76% 43% 0%
If a 4-wire, non-2/3 pitch wye connected generator is not
grounded — or if the neutrals are not connected — the
3rd order harmonics have no current path through the
neutral leg. They do have a current path in a grounded
wye system.

Why use 2/3 pitch generators?

Generators with two-thirds pitch windings are specified for
two reasons. First, switchgear designers and manufactur-
ers prefer them because for certain systems the design
is less expensive and the potential for nuisance tripping
of ground fault relays is reduced. Second, the system ap-
plication may dictate a preference to use two-thirds pitch
generators.
Generators with 2/3 pitch do not solve all problems; indeed,
they create special challenges for the system designer.
The low zero sequence impedance of 2/3 pitch windings
— a factor in determining fault currents — makes parallel-
ing several 2/3 pitch generators susceptible to excessive
system fault currents.

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