Hydro Electric Generator

and Excitation System

By: Sanjay Kumar Sharma

Hydro Electric Generator,

Excitation System
Hydro electric generators, their types (Synchronous, Induction
generators), advantages and disadvantages, selection and
sizing of generator
Generation of voltage level, rating and electrical
characteristics, guide and thrust bearings, generator
efficiencies,
Excitation system and their types, power system stabilizer,
VAR or PF control system
Types and rating (brushless excitation system, static excitation
system )
Generator Protection System, Relay Types
Overall protection system of electrical components (Earthing,
Lightening Arrestors, Over/Under Voltage and Frequency, Over
Current)

Hydro electric generators, their types (Synchronous, Induction generators),

advantages and disadvantages, selection and sizing of generator

AC Generators
Synchronous Generators(SG)
Cylindrical Rotor Generators
High Speed Generators(Steam Turbine powered)

Salient Pole Generators

Low Speed Generators(Hydro Turbine powered)

Induction Generators
Induction Motors used as Generators(IMAG or IG)
Three Phase Squirrel Cage induction motors are
used
Excitation through Capacitor banks or through
national grid

Exploded View of a Synchronous

Generator

Exploded View of an Induction Motor

Comparison between SG
and IG
Synchronous
Salient Pole rotor
Generator
High efficiency (92%95%) in Mini Hydro
range
Costlier
High Inertia
Suitable for highly
fluctuating load
Reactive power
capability

Induction Generator
Squirrel Cage rotor
Low efficiency(82%86%) in Mini Hydro
range
Low cost
Low Inertia
Not suitable for
fluctuating load
No reactive power
capability

Comparison between SG and IG

contd
Synchronous
Generator
Adjustable voltage(+5%)
Higher maintenance
mainly due to
excitation & control
Sustained fault
currentundershortcir
cuit conditions.

Induction Generator
No voltage adjustment
Low maintenance due
to rugged squirrel
cage rotor
Rapid decay of current
in case of fault and
hence no contribution
to sustained fault
current

Selection of the Generator

Selection of the type of generator to suit the specific site
conditions can be decided based on the consideration of
the relative merits of each.
The type of generator to be used depends on the
characteristics of the grid to which the generator will be
connected and also on the generators operational
requirements.
Generators are selected keeping the capital cost of the
plant and the cost of generation as main factors.
SGs are used in the case of standalone schemes (isolated
networks).

Selection of the Generator contd

For grid connected schemes, both
types of generator can be used.
In case of weak grids where the unit
may have significant influence on the
network, SG are used.
In case of stronger grid, IGs up to
6000 kW are used.

SIZINGOFGENERATOR
kWratingofgeneratorshouldbecompatiblewithkW
ratingofturbine.
Withoutexceedingitsratednameplatetemperature
rise,thegeneratorshouldhavesufficientcontinuous
capacitytohandlethemaximumkWavailablefromthe
turbineat90%gateopening.
Anypossiblefuturechangestotheprojectsuchas
raisingtheforebaylevelandincreasingturbineoutput
capability should be considered whiledeterminingthe
generatorcapacity.
Forvariableheadpowerplant,thegeneratorisrated
forturbineoutputatratedhead.

kVA RATING,POWERFACTORAND
FREQUENCY

Fixedbyconsiderationoftheanticipatedloa
d,
thelocationoftheplantrelativetothepower
systemloadcenters,thetransmissionlines,
substationsanddistributionfacilitiesinvolved.
InNepal,3phasepowersupplywith
frequencyof50Hzisthe standard norm.

Generation voltage level, rating and

electrical characteristics, guide and
thrust bearings, generator efficiencies
GENERATORTERMINALVOLTAGE
Upto400kW(orkVA) 415V
>400kW 2500kW(orkVA)
3.3kV
>2500kW 5000kW(orkVA)
6.6kV
>5000kW(orkVA) 11kV

Open Circuit and Short Circuit

Characteristics of an SG

OCC: Curve of the open circuit voltage as a function of

field excitation
SCC: Short Circuit armature current as a function of
field excitation

Bearings
Vertical Shaft Machines
Thrust and Guide Bearing at NDE side

NDE thrust bearing is assembled into a housing, which is

bolted at the upper end shield, and the upper end shield is
bolted against the stator frame.NDE guide bearing works in
contact with a thrust block, which is the piece that connects
the rotor shaft to the thrust bearing surface, by means of a
key connection in the shaft.

Only Guide Bearing at DE Side

DE guide bearing is assembled at the lower end shield,
together with its support, and it works in contact with a
track built in the rotor shaft.
Lower end shield is bolted against the stator frame, and it is
positioned at the inner side of the stator frame.

Vertical
Machine

Bearings contd..
Horizontal Shaft Machines
There are normally two sleeve bearings,
each mounted on a pedestal that is
bolted to the base.
Each bearing liner is made from steel,
lined with white metal and is split on the
horizontal centerline.

Generator Efficiencies
Generator Efficiency is defined as the
ratio of Electrical power output to
mechanical power input

Typical Full Load efficiency of Generators in the

Mini Hydro range varies from 92% to 94%

Brushless Excitation System

Static Excitation System

Voltage, VAR and PF control

system
An isolated generator is operated in voltage
control system in which a reference voltage is
set and AVR acts to make actual voltage same as
set point voltage(within +-0.5% or +-1%)
For grid connected generator, AVR of a single
generator can not alone adjust grid voltage
In such a case generator is either operated in
VAR control mode or PF control mode.
Generator is set to generate a particular value of
reactive power(VAR) or made to operate at a
particular power factor(PF)

Network instability
Network Instability can be caused by
Local oscillations between generators of the
same power plant
Oscillations due to neighboring power plants
Global oscillations caused by unstable
generators connected to the same network

System disturbances can be caused by

Power imbalance between electrical and
mechanical power mainly due to fault or sudden
load changes
Accelerating or decelerating torque produced

Power System Stabilizer(PSS)

The Power System Stabilizer (PSS) is a
supplementary excitation controller
used to damp generator electromechanical oscillations in order to
protect the shaft line and stabilize the
grid.
Input signals to PSS can be
accelerating torque, change in
angular speed or change in frequency

Protective Relays
A relay is an automatic device which senses
an abnormal condition of electrical circuit
and closes its contacts. These contacts in
turns close and complete the circuit breaker
trip
coil
circuit
hence
make
the
circuit breaker tripped for disconnecting the
faulty portion of the electrical circuit from
rest of the healthy circuit.

Circuit Breaker Control for Tripping

Operation

Types of Relays
Electromagnetic Relay
Uses electromagnet

Solid State Relay

Uses Electronic Circuit( No moving parts)

Digital/Numerical Relay
Uses software based protection algorithms
to implement various protection functions
Multifunction unit and may include metering
, communication and self diagnostics

Different Relays

Electromagnetic
Relay

Solid State
Relay

Digital Relay

Generator Protection for Mini Hydro

Generators

S.
No. Element

1Stator temperature
2Over current (stator and rotor)
3 Earth fault (stators & rotor)
6Over and Under voltage
7 Reverse Power
8 Over/ under frequency
9Oil level in bearing sumps

Alarm & annunciation Trip

First alarm and
annunciation

Then tripping

Alarm and annunciation

Immediate
tripping

Alarm and annunciation

Immediate
tripping

Alarm and annunciation

Immediate
tripping

Alarm and annunciation

Immediate
tripping

Alarm and annunciation

Immediate
tripping

Alarm and annunciation

Immediate
tripping

10 Pad & oil temperature of bearings

First alarm and

annunciation

Then tripping

11 Cooling air temperature

First alarm and

annunciation

Then tripping

Lightning Arresters
Alightning arresteris a device
used on electrical power systems and
telecommunications
systems
to
protect the insulation and conductors
of the system from the damaging
effects oflightning. The typical
lightning arresterhas a highvoltage terminal and a ground
terminal.

Typical 3kV, 10kA, Gapless Polymer

Lightning Arrester

Earthing(Grounding) System
Grounding is critically important to
achieve
equipment
and
personnel
protection in Mini Hydropower (SHP)
station.
The performance of any electrical or
electronic system is greatly affected
by the state of earthing.

Earthing System contd

Purpose

Personnel safety
Equipment and building protection
Electrical noise reduction
To establish a reference

Earthing System contd

Principles of Earthing
All metallic enclosures on equipment and exposed
noncurrent-carrying conductive materials capable of
becoming energized due to either insulation failure,
inadvertent contact with an energized conductor, or
building up of a static or induced voltage should be
grounded.
The grounding arrangement should ensure a deliberate
ground fault current return path, so that the earth fault
protection system will sense the fault and either trip the
faulty circuit or provide an alarm to the station operator.

The grounding should limit the step and touch voltage to

acceptable limits under all climatic conditions and also
during faults.

Earthing System contd

Principles of Earthing

The grounding conductors and connections should withstand

the ground fault current for the duration of the fault, without
being
damaged
by
thermal, thermo mechanical or
electromechanical stresses.
The grounding conductors should be continuous, i.e no switching
device should be inserted in the grounding conductors
(except where the operation of the switching device will also
automatically disconnect all power sources from the
equipment grounded by that conductor).
The grounding conductors should be mechanically reliable or
protected in order to withstand any possible mechanical stress
imposed on them.
The grounding system should be designed to minimize corrosion
to adjacent structures, equipment and enclosures. To
minimize the effect of lightning strikes on personnel, equipment
and structures

Earthing System contd

Principles of Earthing

The grounding conductors and connections should withstand

the ground fault current for the duration of the fault, without
being
damaged
by
thermal, thermo mechanical or
electromechanical stresses.
The grounding conductors should be continuous, i.e no switching
device should be inserted in the grounding conductors
(except where the operation of the switching device will also
automatically disconnect all power sources from the
equipment grounded by that conductor).
The grounding conductors should be mechanically reliable or
protected in order to withstand any possible mechanical stress
imposed on them.
The grounding system should be designed to minimize corrosion
to adjacent structures, equipment and enclosures. To
minimize the effect of lightning strikes on personnel, equipment
and structures

Types of Earth Electrode

Rod Electrode: These electrodes can consist of rod, pipe etc. and are
driven or buried to depth usually from 3 m to 30 m.
Strip Electrode: These are generally used for interconnection of
electrodes and equipment. Cable with exposed metal sheath or
amour behaves similar to a
strip-type earth electrode.
Ground Plate: These electrodes are in form of plates
generally of copper or
aluminium.
Chemical-type Electrode: It consists of a copper tube filled
with a salt. Holes in the tube allow moisture to enter, dissolve
the salts, and allow the salt solution to
leach into the ground. These electrodes are installed in an augured
hole and typically back-filled with soil treatment.
Foundation Earth Electrode: These electrodes are formed from
conductive structural parts embedded in concrete

Thank You