Synchroscope

4s6ggs.blogspot.com/p/a-synchroscope-is-instrument-used-to.html

Synchroscope

A synchroscope is an instrument used to establish phase angle and frequency

synchronization between alternating current (AC) power supplies. This is a critical safety
measure when AC power networks or generator outputs are merged or connected together
When combining AC power supplies, it is of critical importance to ensure both are the same
voltage, frequency, and in perfect phase with each other. Connecting AC supplies when they
are not balanced in this way may lead to severe damage to the network.
The voltage of AC power supplies are generally fairly stable and easy to indicate with
conventional instrumentation. The phase angle and frequency relationship between supplies,
however, is seldom balanced without some adjustment. When generator or network supplies
are combined, a synchroscope indicates any differences between the two. If there are
discrepancies, generator speeds can be adjusted until the synchroscope indicates a perfect
balance. At that point, the supplies may be safely combined.
There are two basic types of synchroscope. The first is the electro-mechanical type which
indicates phase and frequency relationships with a pointer and dial indicator.
• The synchroscope consists of a small motor with coils on the two poles connected across
two phases. Let’s say it is connected in red and yellow phases of the incoming machine and
armature windings supplied from red and yellow phases from the switchboard bus bars.
• The bus bar circuit consists of an inductance and resistance connected in parallel.
• The inductor circuit has the delaying current effect by 90 degrees relative to current in
resistance.
• These dual currents are fed into the synchroscope with the help of slip rings to the
armature windings which produces a rotating magnetic field.
• The polarity of the poles will change alternatively in north/south direction with changes in
red and yellow
• phases of the incoming machine.
• The rotating field will react with the poles by turning the rotor either in clockwise or
anticlockwise direction.
• If the rotor is moving in clockwise direction this means that the incoming machine is running
faster than the bus bar and slower when running in anticlockwise direction.

• Generally, it is preferred to adjust the alternator speed slightly higher, which will move the
pointer on
synchroscope is in clockwise direction.
• The breaker is closed just before the pointer reaches 12 o clock position, at which the
incoming machine
is in phase with the bus bar

The second type of instrument is the electronic synchroscope. This type utilizes a
microprocessor designed to sample and compare two AC power supplies for phase and
frequency characteristics. Any differences between the two are then calculated and indicated
on either a digital liquid crystal display (LCD) or by means of LEDs. The latter type
synchroscope typically has a circle of LEDs on its front panel which illuminate in a set pattern
to indicate the presence and magnitude of phase and frequency differences.
Before synchronization, following conditions must be satisfied:

(1) EQUALITY OF VOLTAGE

The terminal voltage of both the systems i.e. the incoming alternator and the bus bar voltage
or other alternator must be same.

(2) PHASE SEQUENCE

The phase sequence of both the systems must be same.

(3) EQUALITY OF FREQUENCY

The frequency of both the systems must be same. The condition (1) can be checked with the
help of voltmeter and the condition (2) and (3) by any synchronizing method.

There are two synchronizing methods -

a. Using incandescent lamp
b. Using synchroscope.

(a) Using Incandescent lamp

Let machine G2 be synchronized with machine G1 which is already connected with the bus
bar, using three lamps (L1, L2 and L3) method. These lamps are known as synchronizing
lamps connected as shown in Fig.1
If the speed of machine 2 is not brought upto that of machine 1 then its frequency will also be
different, hence there will be a phase difference between their voltages as shown in Fig.2.
Due to difference in frequencies the resultant voltage will under go changes similar to the
frequency changes of beats produced when two sound sources of nearly equal frequencies
are sounded together.

Fig. 1 Synchronization using three lamp method

The resultant voltage is sometimes maximum and sometimes minimum. Hence, the lamps
will flicker, sometimes dark and sometimes bright. Synchronization is done at the middle of
the dark period. This method of synchronizing is known as dark lamp method.Fig. 2
Waveforms when two systems operating at different frequencies
Lamp L1 is connected between A1 and A2, L2 between B1 and C2 and L3 between C1 and
B2. These three lamps slowly brighten and darken in cyclic successor in a direction
depending upon whether incoming machine 2 is fast or slow. The synchronizing switch will
be closed at the moment when lamp L1 will be completely dark. This

transposition of two lamps suggested by Siemens and Aalske helps to indicate whether the
incoming machine 2 is running too slow or too fast. If lamps were connected symmetrically,
they would dark out or glow up simultaneously (if phase rotation is same.).

This method has following drawbacks:

1. The lamps become dark at about one third of the rated voltage. Hence, faulty
synchronizing may be done in dark period.
2. Using this method it is not possible to find out that how much the machine is slow or fast.
3. This method is not applicable for high voltage alternators, because lamp ratings are
normally low. For such situations we need an extra transformer to step down the voltage.

(b) SYNCHRONIZING BY SYNCHROSCOPE:

Synchroscope is a device that shows the correct instant of closing the synchronizing switch
with the help of a pointer which will rotate on the dial. The rotation of pointer also indicates
whether the incoming machine is running too slow or too fast. If incoming machine is slow
then pointer rotates in anticlockwise direction and if machine is fast then pointer rotates in
clockwise direction.
The synchroscope consists of a two-phase stator. The two stator windings are at right
angles to one another, and by means of a phase-splitting network, the current in one phase
leads the current of the other phase by 90°, thereby generating a rotating magnetic field.

The stator windings are connected to the incoming generator, and a polarizing coil is
connected to the running generator. The rotating element is unrestrained and is free to rotate
through 360°. It consists of two iron vanes mounted in opposite directions on a shaft,
one at the top and one at the bottom, and magnetized by the polarizing coil.

If the frequencies of the incoming and running generators are different, the synchroscope
will rotate at a speed corresponding to the difference. It is designed so that if incoming
frequency is higher than running frequency, it will rotate in the clockwise direction;

if incoming frequency is less than running frequency, it will rotate in the

counterclockwise direction. When the synchroscope indicates 0o phase difference, the
pointer is at the "12 o’clock" position and the two AC generators are in phase