EENG 95A

LAB 1: SYNCHRONIZATION OF
ALTERNATOR WITH INFINITE BUSBAR

CONDITIONS FOR SYNCHRONIZATION

Equality of Voltage
- Terminal voltage of both systems
should be the same
- By voltmeter
Phase Sequence
- Phase sequence should be equal
- By any synchronization method
Equality of Frequency
- Frequency should be the same
- By any synchronizing method
SYNCHRONIZING METHODS
 Using incandescent lamp
 Synchroscope
o Shows correct instant of closing
the synchronizing switch with a
pointer that rotates on a dial
STEPS:
1. Make connections
2. Start one alternator to rated voltage
and close bus bar switch
3. Start 2nd machine to equal speed with
the running alternator
4. Synchronize the 2nd machine using a
synchronization method
OBSERVATIONS:
1. Adjust 2nd machine (Vg) and bus bar
(Vs) until Vg=Vs
2. Adjust speed of 2nd machine until
synchroscope needle creeps
3. Close synchronizing switch

USING INCANDESCENT LAMP

a. Synchronizing lamps
- 3 lamps connected to bus bar
- If speed is unequal, then frequency is
different creating phase difference in
voltages
- Lamps will flicker, darken, or brighten
- Synchronization is done when it is dark
- Synchronization is achieved when the
lamps darken or brighten
simultaneously
- DRAWBACKS
o Lamps darken at about 1/3 of
rated voltage causing faulty
synchronization to be done
o Not possible to know how much
faster/slower the machine is
o Not applicable to high voltage
alternators
 Uses step down
transformer when
needed
b. Synchronizing by synchroscope
- Pointer indicates if machine is too fast
or too slow
- Machine is slow = anticlockwise
- Machine is fast = clockwise
 LAB 2: DIRECT AXIS REACTANCE (Xd)
AND QUADRATURE AXIS REACTANCE
(Xq) OF SYNCHRONOUS MACHINE
(for salient pole synchronous machine)
WHY MEASURE Xq AND Xd?
- 3-phase dead short circuit at terminals
of synchronous generator, it gives high
transient and steady state flow current
- Current limited by sub-transient
reactance in a short time decreases
transient value limited by transient
reactance
- Steady state value limited by
synchronous reactance
No load voltage
Sub-transient Reactance =
oc
No load voltage
Transient Reactance =
ob
No load voltage
Synchronous Reactance =
oa
- Where:
o a = steady state peak current
o b = transient period peak
current
o c = sub-transient period peak
current
DETERMINATION OF Xd AND Xq
1. Slip Test
2. Maximum Lagging Current Test for
Determination of Xq
3. Static Test for Determination of Sub-
transient Reactance
Slip Test
1. Check phase sequence and voltage
synchronous machine and bus bar
2. Remove field excitation
3. Connect RYB of machine to RYB of
bus bar with 3-phase VARIAC
4. Start DC motor near to synchronous
speed
5. Apply small voltage with AC supply
o Voltmeter should fluctuate and
remain in rated value if slip is
small and rotation is correct
o Armature current also fluctuates
6. Increase AC voltage to make max
current near equal to rated full load
current of armature
7. Get max and min value of armature
voltage and current
8. Find voltage per phase (V p=V 1 / √ 3)
Maximum lagging current test for
determination of Xq
1. Run synchronous machine as
alternator with help of DC machine and
synchronize it with bus bar
2. Turn off DC supply to motor to run
synchronous machine as synchronous
motor
3. Reduce excitation to zero
4. Reverse field connection with DPDT
switch
5. Slowly increase excitation in negative
direction until machine shows sign of
falling out of step
- Note field and line current
Static test for determination of sub-
transient reactance
1. Apply single-phase voltage to rotor of
synchronous machine at standstill
- Field is short circuited by
ammeter
2. Rotate rotor manually so 2 positions of
flux linking are apparent from induced
field current
3. Let armature voltage and current of
min induced field current be Vq and Iq
4. Let armature voltage and current of
max induced field current be Vd and Id
5. Record readings for different applied
voltages
Slip Test
Static Test
STEPS:
1. Set output to 0
2. Switch on DC supply
 - Run dc motor close to alternator
synchronous speed but slower
3. Turn on AC supply
- Observe voltage and current
4. Adjust speed of DC motor to get max
swings on ammeter and voltmeter
5. Note max and min readings of voltage
and current
6. Do the same with different VARIAC
outputs
7. Adjust DC motor speed a little higher
than synchronous speed and take
similar readings above

CALCULATION OF Xd AND Xq SLIP TEST

V maxphase
- Z d=
I min
V max
- V maxphase =
√3
- X d=√ Z d−R2a
2

Vminphase
- Z q=
I max
V min
- V minphase =
√3
- X q=√ Z q −R2a
2

Typical Values:
Ra =0.75 ohms
X d=11 ohms
X q=8 ohms

CALCULATION OF Xd AND Xq STATIC

TEST (was not done in observation table)
-
Z d = {{V} rsub {max}} over {2* {I} rsub {min}
2}¿
- X d = sqrt {{Z} rsub {d} rsup { 2 ¿−R a
-
Z q = {{V} rsub {min}} over {2* {I} rsub {max}
2} ¿
- X q = sqrt {{Z} rsub {q} rsup { 2 ¿−R a
LAB 3: POSITIVE SEQUENCE, NEGATIVE
SEQUENCE AND ZERO SEQUENCE
REACTANCES OF AN ALTERNATOR
A balanced 3-phase system only contains
positive sequence current
Negative sequence and zero sequence is
only found in unbalanced systems
If system is unbalanced, all three can be
found in the system
Vector sum of positive and negative
sequence currents is zero
In 3-phase 4-wire unbalanced system, zero
1 o Where:
sequence current =
3∗neutral current
If there is no neutral leg, zero sequence
current is zero
- This means that delta connections has
no zero sequence reactance
Magnitude of negative sequence current
cannot exceed positive sequence current, if
that happens, resultant is reversed
DETERMINATION OF POSITIVE
SEQUENCE REACTANCE (X1)
- Positive sequence reactance of
synchronous machine = direct axis
synchronous reactance at steady state
condition
- Positive sequence impedance
o Impedance by machine to the
flow of positive sequence
currents
E measure voltage (V0) and current (I0)
o X1=
I SC
1. Open Circuit Test
a. Run machine at rated speed
b. Connect voltmeter and ammeter
as open circuit diagram]
c. Note readings
2. Short Circuit Test
a. Short circuit diagram
b. Run machine at rated speed
c. Apply low voltage to field circuit
so exciting current is small
i. Connect high resistance
in field circuit with full
applied voltage
d. Apply 3-phase short circuit at
synchronous machine terminal
with connected ammeter
e. Measure short circuit current
DETERMINATION OF NEGATIVE
SEQUENCE REACTANCE (X2)
- Obtained by running machine at rated
speed with low excitation
- Negative sequence impedance (Z2)
V OS
- Z 2=
3∗I SC
- X 2 =Z 2 sinθ
 θ=cos
−1
( P
V SC I SC)
1. Make connections
2. Run machine at rated speed
3. Short circuit 2 phases of alternator
4. Connect voltage coil of wattmeter and
voltmeter at open phase
5. Gradually increase excitation so short
circuit current does not exceed rated
value
6. Note reading of voltage, current, and
power
DETERMINATION OF ZERO SEQUENCE
REACTANCE (X0)
- Machine is driven at rated speed
- Connect all 3 phases in parallel
1. Connect armature winding in parallel
2. Run machine at rated speed
3. Apply low voltage from VARIAC and
taken by armature windings
3∗Z 0
- X 0=
I0
 LAB 4: DIELECTRIC STRENGTH OF
TRANSFORMER COIL
Portable Testing Set
- Designed for periodical testing of
insulating oils from plants on site to
test dielectric strength of new oils
PROCEDURE
1. Place high voltage transformer unit
about 7 (?) away from control unit
2. Control unit is connected to supply
voltage
- Make sure that earth
connections are effective
3. Multiple point control switch is set at its
lowest point
4. Push button on control unit is pressed
firmly for at least 5 seconds
- If no breakdown, release button
with no delay
- Breakdown – indicated by
continuous discharge across
the gap
 Bubbling oil in cell
indicates sudden voltage
drop
FROM SIMULATION:
 Usual breakdown is at 31.8 kV
 At 29 kV, voltage increase is slowed
down
 Oil/fluid should be changed after 3
breakdowns
LAB 5: EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SHAPE
OF ELECTRODES ON DIELECTRIC
BREAKDOWN
BLOCK DIAGRAM
MEASUREMENT OF HIGH ALTERNATING
VOLTAGE
- Measurement is done with
sphere gaps
 It measures peak value
of voltage
- Breakdown of spark gap occurs
within a few microseconds once
applied voltage exceeds static
breakdown discharge voltage
- Breakdown in gases will occur
on peak low frequency AC
votlages
ARRANGEMENT OF SPHERE GAPS
1. Horizontal Arrangment
 Used for sphere with diameters
<50 cm
 Used for lower voltage range
2. Vertical Arrangement
 Larger spheres
 Measure voltage with reference
to earth potential only
PROCEDURE:
1. Place high voltage transformer unit
about 7 (?) away from control unit
2. Control unit is connected to supply
voltage
 Make sure that earth
connections are effective
3. Multiple point control switch is set at its
lowest point
4. Push button on control unit is pressed
firmly for at least 5 seconds
 If no breakdown, release button
with no delay
  Breakdown – indicated by
continuous discharge across
the gap
FROM SIMULATION:
 Highest breakdown voltage is
spherical
 Lowest breakdown voltage is pointed
 Electrodes does not require
replacement when used (?)
LAB 6: THE GAS ACTUATED BUCCHOLZ
RELAY FOR OIL FILLED TRANSFORMER
Buchholz Relay
- Gas actuated relay
- Important protective device for oil
immersed transformer
- Operates based on oil or gas pressure
- Has hinged float and mercury switch
for both alarm and trip circuit
- Detects 2 faults; minor and major fault
- Minor Faults – alarm circuit will be
actuated to switch on buzzer
o Faults in core laminations
o Overheating windings
o Bad connections
o Low oil levels
- Major Faults – trip circuit will close due
to enormous amount of gas bubbles
o Internal short circuit between
phase and earth
o Phase to phase fault
o Insulation breakdown
- When oil level decreases, float switch
moves down to touch the contact
- For major faults, gases generated in
transformer bank rush to conservator
tank through Buchholz relay
o This reduces oil level which
affects the float switch
- If pressure is high in transformer tank,
trip circuit will activate
Valve V1 - Buchholz Relay to transformer
tank
Valve V2 - Conservator to Buchholz Relay
Valve V3 - Reservoir to transformer tank
Valve V4 - Oil release in the Buchholz Relay
(left side)
Valve V5 - Air release in the Buchholz Relay
(right side)
PROCEDURE:
1. Keep all front panel switches off
2. If pressure is present in relay, release
it by using air release and hand valve
of reservoir
3. Main power supply is connected at
back side of Buchholz relay
4. Close all valve except conservator
valve
 5. Fill oil using foot pump by opening air
release valve little
6. Switch on power supply
7. Switch on buzzer toggle switch
8. Open Buchholz relay valve slightly and
decrease oil level manually below
particular level by carefully seeing oil
level in Buchholz relay.
- Alarm contact will be closed and
buzzer will operate in control
panel
9. When it alarms, close Buchholz relay
valve
10. Release Buchholz relay and reservoir
valve and collect oil to reservoir then
repeat steps 2-8
11. When done, open all valves except oil
release and air release valve to
release air pressure.

FROM SIMULATION:
Minor Faults
- When level is >100 c. cm., buzzer will
alarm
Major Faults
- When level is >300 c. cm., trip circuit
will bling