Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Monday, August 27, 2018

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SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS, INC.

Two Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, N. Y. 10001

Precise Control of
Diesel Generating Sets

C. F. Feindt and B. B. Barnes

Woodward Governor Co.

SOCIETY OF A U T O M O T I V E E N G I N E E R S

SAE National Combined Farm Construction and

Industrial Machinery, Powerplant, and
Transportation Meetings 680577
Milwaukee, Wis.
September 9-12,1968
Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Monday, August 27, 2018
 Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Monday, August 27, 2018

680577

Precise Control of
Diesel Generating Sets

C. F. Feindt and B. B. Barnes

Woodward Governor Co.

ENGINE GENERATOR SETS are used either singly, or with CURRENT

TRANS-

two or more generators in parallel in an isolated installation, T" FORMERS

or paralleled to a relatively large generating system to pro­

"FT
vide power during periods of peak output demand. Since a BURDEN
RESISTORS

given application may involve operation in all three modes AMPLIFIER CHASSIS

it is necessary that the control have that flexibility designed

INTESRATINS AND
LOAD SENSOR
into it. Many generating sets are used in an unattended POWER AMPLIFIER

system and consequently the speed and load control should

FREQUENCY SETTIN9
be compatible with an automatic system. POTENTIOMETER
FREQUENCY
REFERENCE
CIRCUIT
DESCRIPTION OF CONTROL SYSTEM

This control includes electrical circuits for sensing speed FREQUENCY

and load and an electrohydraulic actuator which converts
electrical signals from the amplifier into useful mechanical,
motion for operation of an engine fuel control. Fig. 1 is
a block diagram showing the relationship of the various com­
ponents of the system. The block diagram in Fig. 2 shows
the electrical control amplifier in more detail. Fig. 3 is
a schematic representation of the electrohydraulic actuator.
Basically, the electrical control senses generator frequency
and load current. If the frequency is in error with respect
to a reference value, an electrical signal is applied to the
electrohydraulic actuator, causing its terminal shaft to change
the engine fuel flow and thus correct the speed. Any elec­
trical load change on the generator results in a corrective
SENSOR
Fig. 1 - 2301 load and frequency sensing control
pulse signal useful in minimizing transient offspeed. This
pulse is always present when sensing generator frequency
due to the change in relationship between the voltage sine
wave and the mechanical position of the rotor at different
loads. In the case of paralleled generators the loads are
compared and a load difference signal is effective in chang­
ing the fuel to the engines in order to equalize load.
The electrical portion of the control is a solid-state de­
vice. The control amplifier shown in Fig. 2 consists of in-

ABSTRACT■
In speed control of prime movers, precise steady-state
and transient control of frequency and close control of elec­
trical load division among paralleled generators are a chal­
lenge to the control designer. The inherent adaptability of
an electrical device to control these electrical character­
istics, makes it a good choice for this type of application.
The electrical speed-control system discussed in this paper
fulfills these requirements.
Components include electrical circuits for sensing speed
and load and an electrohydraulic actuator which converts
electrical signals from the amplifier into useful mechanical
motion for operation of an engine fuel control. This system
has been used with all type engine-generator sets. It is also
readily adaptable to high speed compressors and pumps.
Reliability is a proved feature as its design is very conserva­
tive and all components being used are well within their
ratings.
 Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Monday, August 27, 2018
SPEC!
SETT I K
CLOSE FH 1
Fig. 2 - Electric control amplifier
Fig. 3 - Electrohydraulic actuator schematic
tegrating and power amplifiers to convert the generator
frequency and load current into appropriate voltage signals
which in turn operate the actuator. The input signals to
the amplifier include an adjustable speed reference voltage.
SENSING CIRCUITS
The three-phase voltage of the generator is a required
input to the control circuit to provide a voltage phase ref­
erence which is needed for computing real load on the gen­
erator for load sharing. Power supply and speed signals are
taken from one phase only.
A d-c voltage is developed in a speed-sensor circuit
which is proportional to the frequency of the generator out­
put. This is accomplished by means of a saturable trans­
former and rectifier. The circuit is designed with the core
area limited so that the core will saturate at approximately
the halfway point of each half-cycle of the input. When
this occurs at point A in Fig. 4, the rate of change of core
flux falls off to zero and with it the secondary voltage. The
primary current, which determines the amount of flux, in­
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Fig. 4 - Evolution of speed signal
CURRENT
TRANSFORMER
Fig. 5 - Load-sensor circuit (for one phase)
creases greatly after saturation because the inductive re­
actance in the primary becomes very small. This high pri­
mary current maintains saturation until point B. Then the
direction of flux reverses, as does the voltage, and satura­
tion is again reached at point C. These pulses are rectified
and filtered to give a d-c voltage level proportional to the
number of pulses per second, or frequency. It should be
noted that a change in the magnitude of input voltage makes
the pulses higher, but narrower, keeping the area under the
curve (average d-c) the same. Consequently, the d-c level
is essentially unaffected by reasonable variations in input
voltage. This voltage proportional to frequency is applied
to the amplifier input with a polarity tending to reduce en­
gine speed.
The foregoing signal is opposed by the speed-reference
voltage which is also applied to the amplifier input. The
speed-reference voltage tends to increase engine speed.
When the speed or frequency matches the speed setting, the
signals cancel and no speed correction is made. Accurate
speed-reference voltage is obtained from a Zener diode
circuit. The power for this circuit is available from the rec-
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Fig. 6 - Typical elec­

trical control assembly

tified single phase power supply included in the electrical units and a selector switch is set to the "normal" position.
control. A voltage signal proportional to load from one unit is com­
A load-sensor circuit is used to produce a d-c voltage pared to a similar signal from the other unit or units. The
proportional to real load. A burden resistor is connected difference voltage, proportional to load unbalance, biases
across each current transformer to produce a voltage drop the speed setting of each unit and adjusts fuel to equalize
proportional to, and in phase with, load current for each the loads, while maintaining a constant system frequency.
generator phase. As shown in Fig. 5, the voltage, V . from If an engine-generator set is operated in parallel with a
large system it must have speed droop in order to hold a fixed
the burden resistor is applied to transformer T . The vol­
load. A selector switch is set to the "droop" position for
tage V adds vectorially to V and V to give resultant this type of operation. The d-c voltage proportional to real
H A B
load is applied to a variable resistor in the droop circuit
voltages V and V R2 . These voltages are half wave rec­
and results in an adjustable amount of voltage change with
tified and subtracted to provide d-c voltage, V , which is real load. This signal biases the speed setting as a function
o of load level resulting in a droop governor. This is similar
proportional to load on that phase. When the load is zero, to the action of the output servo adjusting the spring speed
V andV are zero. This circuit measures current mae-
c 1 o reference in a mechanical flyball governor. In this manner
nitude and phase angle of the current with respect to the stable load conditions exist in parallel since a load increase
voltage. The voltage V is, therefore, approximately pro­ on the generator will be effective in lowering the speed
setting and thereby reducing the load until equilibrium is
portional to I cos e. In the normal system the regulated reached. The droop is adjustable in the range of 0-10%.
voltage is essentially constant and thus V is proportional to The amount of load on the generator is controlled with the
o speed-setting potentiometer.
EI cos 6 or kilowatts. The V from each phase is added to
o r A typical electrical control assembly for engine-generator
give a d-c voltage approximately proportional to the total control is pictured in Fig. 6.
three phase load. AMPLIFIER
The d-c voltage proportional to load is used in different
ways depending upon the mode of operation. For isochronous The speed and load signals which have been discussed
load sharing between two or more engine-generator sets previously are added together at the input of a solid-state
operating in parallel in an isolated load system, paralleling amplifier. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the amplifier is built
lines are connected, through the circuit breaker, between
 Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Monday, August 27, 2018

in two stages -- one being a voltage amplifier, and one a

power amplifier.
A capacitor and potentiometer are connected across the
voltage amplifier to give an adjustable reset (integrating)
rate. Gain is set with another potentiometer connected
across the output of the power amplifier which sets the amount
of negative feedback and also determines the amount of
delay in the feedback system.
The amplifier is designed for low output drift due to am­
bient temperature change or input voltage change.
An adjustable frequency reference is also included with
the amplifier.
ELECTROHYDRAULIC ACTUATOR
The electrical signal from the amplifier circuit must
be converted into mechanical force and motion in order to
become useful in the manipulation of engine fuel control.
The electrohydraulic actuator, shown schematically in Fig.
3, serves this purpose.
The control elements in the actuator include an electri­
cal coil, a pilot valve plunger with a permanent-magnet
attached, and a servo which positions the output terminal
shaft with a feedback to the pilot valve plunger. A current
in the coil causes a magnetic field which reacts with the
field of'the permanent magnet to produce a force on the Fig. 7 - Electrohydraulic actuator
plunger. This force is opposed by the force of the springs
inite position for a given current input, since the individual
which urge the plunger to its center position. The direction
actuator electrical coils are connected in series across the
of movement is a function of the change of current flow.
output of a single control amplifier. This latter actuator
The displacement is proportional to the magnitude of cur­
is used for sophisticated control systems requirements and
rent. Any change in magnitude of current applied to the
is also used with relay hydraulic power amplifiers that give
coil will result in movement of the plunger and porting of
as much as 1000 ft-lb of work output.
fluid to displace the servo piston and output shaft. The rate
The rotating bushing in this actuator may be engine driven
at which the output shaft travels initially is a function of the
and develops its own operating pressure with an internal
magnitude change of the current applied to the coil. As
pump or it may be driven with an integral oil motor and
the servo moves, the feedback linkage forces the pilot valve
be supplied with high pressure oil from an external source.
plunger back to center. At the new servo position a new
These alternates make it readily adaptable to prime movers
current is required to hold the plunger centered.
without a suitable drive pad arrangement for a flyball gov­
Fig. 7 shows a proportional actuator with a nonrotating ernor.
pilot valve bushing. There are other proportional actuators This control system is also adaptable to high speed com­
with relative rotation between the pilot valve plunger and pressors or pumps or for wide speed range requirements. For
bushing. these applications, speed is sensed with a magnetic pickup
APPLICATIONS and a gear. Load sensing may or-may not be incorporated
in these systems.
The discussion of this electrical control system has been PERFORMANCE
in conjunction with engine-generator sets including diesel
engines, gasoline engines, and gas-turbine engines. The ac-> Steady-state frequency is controlled within limits of
tuator with a nonrotating pilot valve bushing was designed ±1/4%. Transient frequency on a typical high-speed engine-
specifically for low cost installation on small engine-gen­ generator set is controlled to within 1.5% deviation for a
erator sets. Since the electrical portion of the control is an 100% step load change. Recovery time may be less than
integrating circuit, a small amount of hysteresis in the ac­ 1 sec. Load sharing of paralleled units is controlled to a
tuator is not objectionable. load difference of less than ± 5% of rated power on each unit.
The actuator with rotating bushing is more friction free Reliability is also a performance feature of this electrical
and is used where hysteresis is objectionable. This would control. Electrical design is very conservative, with all
include applications where two or more engines are driv­ components being used well within their ratings. The ac­
ing a single load, and must share the burden. In this case, tuators utilize design principles proved in field service on
a proportional actuator is required that will obtain a def- mechanical governor applications.
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