Generator protection

Agenda
Over fluxing protection -24

Low forward and reverse power protection – 32F / 32R

Loss of excitation – 40

Voltage restraint overcurrent protection-51 V

Over frequency / under frequency – 81

Earthing of synchronous generator

Generator protection settings in

 Problems in generator

stator electrical faults overload overvoltage unbalanced loading

inadvertent
overfluxing rotor electrical faults loss of excitation
energisation

loss of synchronism failure of prime mover lubrication oil failure overspeeding

difference in expansion
rotor distortion between rotating and parts excessive vibration
stationary

core lamination faults

 GENERATOR DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION

• To protect generator winding against internal faults such as phase-to-phase and

three phase-to-ground faults.
• This type of fault is very serious because very large current can flow and
produce large amounts of damage to the winding if it is allowed to persist.
• One set current transformers of the generator on neutral and phase side, is
exclusively used for this protection.
• Upon the detection of a phase-to-phase fault in the winding, the unit is tripped
with out time delay.
• impedance is usually inserted in the stator earthing connection to limit the magnitude of earth fault
• current. There is a wide variation in the earth fault current
• chosen, common values being:
• rated current
• 200A-400A (low impedance earthing)
• 10A-20A (high impedance earthing)
• The main methods of impedance-earthing a generator are
• shown in Figure 17.3. Low values of earth fault current may
• limit the damage caused from a fault, but they simultaneously
• make detection of a fault towards the stator winding star point
• more difficult.
 Negative sequence or current unbalance protection
• The system unbalance may be due to opening of lines, breaker failures or system faults.
• The negative sequence current in the stator winding creates a magnetic flux wave in the air gap
which rotates in opposite direction to that of rotor synchronous speed.
• This flux induces currents in the rotor body, wedges, retaining rings at twice the line frequency.
• Heating occurs in these areas and the resulting temperatures depend upon the level and duration of
the unbalanced currents.
• Any machine as per design data will permit some level of negative sequence currents for continuous
period.
• An alarm will annunciate at annunciation panel if negative sequence currents exceeds a normal level.
 Effects of negative seq. current

Double
Stator armature
Negative frequency
MMF due to
sequence Relative speed = currents
neg.sequence Additional heat
component in a 2Ns induced in rotor
currents rotates
generator core and
at –Ns (rpm)
winding
 Protection settings
• The rate of heat generation = I22R

• Heat energy = I22Rt

• Capacity of the particular machine to safely dissipate heat energy I22Rt = K

• Assume R constant : t < K/I22

• The relay should be a extremely inverse characteristic

 STATOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION
• Normally the generator stator neutral operates at a potential close to ground. If a faulty phase
winding connected to ground, the normal low neutral voltage could rise as high as line-to-neutral
voltage depending on the fault location. Although a single ground fault will not necessarily cause
immediate damage, the presence of one increases the probability of a second. A second fault even if
detected by differential relay, may cause serious damage. The usual method of detection fault is by
measuring the voltage across the secondary of neutral grounding transformer (NGT). Here are two
over lapping zones to detect stator ground faults in a high impedance grounded generator system,
the two zones are put together cover 100% stator winding for earth faults. A fundamental frequency
neutral over voltage relay covers about 0-95% of the stator zonal winding for all faults except those
near the neutral. Another third harmonic neutral under voltage relay covers remaining 96-100% of
the stator zone 2 winding on neutral side.
 Over fluxing protection -24

Setting: Causes:
• Over fluxing normally can be caused by over speed of the turbine or
• Per unit voltage divided by per unit frequency commonly called
over excitation during Off-line condition
Volts/Hertz is a measurable quantity that is proportional to flux in
• Load rejection or AVR mal-functioning during On-line condition.
the generator or step-up transformer cores.
• Moderate over fluxing (105-110%) increases core loss resulting in
increase of core temperatures due to hysterics & eddy currents loss.
• Long term operation at elevated temperatures can shorten the life
of the stator insulation.
• Severe over fluxing can breakdown inter-laminar insulation followed
by rapid local core melting.
 Reverse Power Protection of Generator
If the turbine i.e. prime mover fails the Generator / Alternator connected to the system will continue to
operate as synchronous Motor drawing active power from the system.

The consequences of generator motoring and the level of power drawn from the power system
will be dependent on the type of prime mover as under this condition prime mover acts as a load for
synchronous Motor.

For steam turbines, the motoring power is around 0.5-3 % of rated power of Generator.
 LOSS OF FIELD OR EXCITATION PROTECTION
• Steam MW
• Field MVar

It establishes Machine is Acts as a

Active power Acceleration Speed>sync.sp
Emf decays the magnetic excited from induction
will fall down of the rotor eed
field the grid generator

Grid loss
Effects

Net current through the stator

Rotor heating
 Conditions
• It has to remain for some time
• The generator voltage should drop
• The reactive power drawn by the generator
must higher
 Protection settings
• impedance element diameter Xb1 = Xd
• impedance element offset Xa1 = -0.5X’d
• time delay on pick-up, td1 = 0.5s – 10s
• time delay on drop-off, tdo1 = 0s
• If a fast excitation system is employed, typical settings would be:
• impedance element diameter Xb1 = 0.5Xd
• impedance element offset Xa1 = -0.75X’d
• time delay on pick-up, td1 = 0.5s – 10s
• time delay on drop-off, tdo1 = 0s
 OVER FREQUENCY PROTECTION
• Abnormal frequency operation is a result of a severe system disturbance.
• The generator can tolerate moderate over frequency operation provided voltage is
within an acceptable limits.
• The machine operated at higher speeds at which the rotor material no longer
contain the centrifugal forces imposed on them resulting in serious damage to the
turbine-generator set.
 UNDER FREQUENCY PROTECTION

• The machine operated at lower higher speeds causes severe over fluxing in the
generator-transformer.
• The abnormal under frequency on the machine may be due to improper speed
control adjustment or disoperation of the speed controller.
 Voltage restrained overcurrent relay

The purpose of the relay is to allow the To accomplish this, the relay pickup must be to
generator to operate, and to provide backup the left of the generator armature steady state
fault protection for the generator and cable. current.

Also, the relay time delay characteristics must

be above and to the right of the generator
The time delay must also be set to be selective
decrement curve and to the left and below the
with downstream feeder relays.
generator overload and feeder damage
curves, and the amp rating of the cable.
MV Generator Switchgear Feeder Unit with Voltage Controlled 51V

Device Function Recommendations Comments

CT Size 125-150% of FLA  

51V Pickup 80-90% of Id = 1/Xd Assume Xd = 1.5 ê p.u. if Xd

unknown.

Above knee of
generator
Set above downstream feeder
51 Time Dial decrement curve relays.
with constant
excitation

      Set below cable damage curve.

 MV Generator Switchgear Feeder Unit with Voltage Restrained 51V
The relay pickup at 0%V restraint must be to the left of the generator armature steady state current, and at
100%V restraint must be to the right of the generator full load amps.

Device Function Recommendations Comments

CT Size 125-150% of FLA  

@ 100% Voltage Restraint

51V Pickup 125-150% of FLA
Set below Overload Curve

Above knee of
generator decrement Set above downstream feeder
51 Time Dial
curve with constant relays.
excitation

      Set below cable damage curve

LV Generator Molded Case Circuit Breaker or Power Circuit Breaker Feeder
Unit
Device Function Recommendations Comments

CB LTPU 115-125% of FLA Set at or below cable ampacity.

LTD, STPU & Set to intersect with generator decrement

CB STD Minimum required curve.

CB I2T Out If I2T in the breaker may never trip.

200% of AC decrement
CB INST Set below cable damage curve.
curve

Cable damage curve must be above the

point defined by the maximum fault
      current and the CB instantaneous clear
curve.
 Voltage Controlled Overcurrent Protection
• At normal voltage, the current setting must be greater than the maximum generator load current of 328A.
• A margin must be allowed for resetting of the relay at this current (reset ratio =95%) and for the measurement tolerances of
the relay (5% of Is )

• The maximum sustained close-up phase fault current (neglecting AVR action) is 145A, so that a setting chosen to be
significantly below this value will suffice.
• A value of 87.5A (60% of the close-up sustained phase fault current) is therefore chosen, and hence K = 0.6.
 Voltage Controlled Overcurrent Protection
• The operating time of the downstream protection for a three-phase fault current of 850A is 0.682s,
so the voltage controlled relay element should have a minimum operating time of 1.09s (0.4s grading
margin used). TMS is :
 Stator Earth Fault Protection
• The maximum earth fault current, is 200A.
• Protection for 95% of the winding can be provided if the relay is set to detect a primary earth fault current of 16.4A
• This equates to a CT secondary current of 0.033A. The nearest relay setting is 0.04A, providing protection for 90% of the
winding.
• At an earth fault current of 200A, the downstream protection has an operation time of 0.73s.
• The generator earth fault protection must therefore have an operation time of not less than 1.13s.
• TMS is :
Reverse Power Protection