THE PARALLEL DRIVING OF SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR

OBJECTIVES:
To synchronize a generator to infinite bus-bars
To investigate the behavior of parallel driven generators on the distribution of load
APPARATUS:
i. 3 Ammeters
ii. 2 Voltmeters
iii. Power factor meter
iv. Wattmeter
v. 6 Bulbs
vi. Switches
vii. 2 Current transformers(10A/5A)
viii. 2Voltage transformers (440V/110V)
ix. Connecting wires

THEORY:
When generators are supplying power to the load, they are all connected in parallel. The
bus-bar connecting these generators to the load is termed as infinite bus-bar. To connect a
generator to an infinite bus-bar is called synchronizing. The following conditions must be
satisfied by the incoming generator:
I. phase rotation should be the same as the others
II. terminal voltage must be the same as the others
III. frequency must be the same as the others
IV. the wave form of the voltage and current is the same as the others
There are several advantages of connecting generators in parallel:
1. Continuity of service: If a single large generator is used in the power plant, then in
case of its breakdown, the whole plant will be shut down.
2. However, if power is supplied from a number of small units operating in parallel,
then in case of failure of one unit, the continuity of supply can be maintained by
other healthy units.
3. Efficiency: Generators run most efficiently when loaded to their rated capacity.
Therefore, when load demand on power plant decreases, one or more generators
can be shut down and the remaining units can be efficiently loaded.
4. Maintenance and repair: Generators generally require routine maintenance and
repair. Therefore, if generators are operated in parallel, the routine or emergency
operations can be performed by isolating the affected generator while load is being
supplied by other units. This leads to both safety and economy.
5. Increasing plant capacity: In the modern world of increasing population, the use of
electricity is continuously increasing. When added capacity is required, the new unit
can be simply paralleled with the old units.
6. Non-availability of single large unit: In many situations, a single unit of desired large
capacity may not be available. In that case a number of smaller units can be
operated in parallel to meet the load requirement. Generally a single large unit is
more expensive.
7. Reliability: operating more than one alternator ensures continuity of service when
one is OFF for routine servicing or when it is faulty.
The additional oncoming generators must be synchronized properly to ensure:
1) Minimal disturbance to the bus.
2) Minimal shock to the generator, mechanical and electrical.
3) Rapid loading of the oncoming generator to take on its share.
SYNCHRONIZING:
When the phase rotation of the incoming generator is not the same as the others, a big
impact is induced to the incoming generator since many others are already synchronized.
To avoid impact, synchronizing bulbs are used.
REACTIVE POWER:
If the voltage is greater than the bus-bar voltage, reactive cross current flows from high
voltage side. This current gives a magnetizing action to the low voltage side (leading p.f. to
the low voltage generator) and demagnetizing current to the high voltage side (lagging p.f.
to the high voltage generator). This action in effect keeps the voltage constant while the p.f.
as well as the phase angle changes. The opposite happens when the field excitation of the
generators is reduced.
LOADING THE GENERATOR:
After synchronizing the generator to the infinite bus-bars, the load connected to it is that
seen by all generators connected to those bus-bars. Loading the generator then would be
achieved by increasing the prime movers energy.
PROCEDURE:
1) Parallel driving (lamp sequence method):
The circuit was connected as shown in the figure below.
The DC motor was driven to synchronous speed. The terminal voltage of the
generators was adjusted to bus-bars voltage by varying the field current. When the
phases agreed (bulb B3 turned OFF and the other two had equal brightness) switch
S3 was turned ON to make the incoming generator to run in parallel with infinite
bus-bars generators.

2) Loading:
The generator was loaded from zero to the rated capacity by increasing the DC
motor output by varying the field current of the DC motor. The instrument readings
were noted at each step.

3) Reactive power
The generator was driven at the rated current (rated load). The field current was
varied (under excited and over excited conditions) and each time the instrument
readings were noted.

RESULTS:
2) Loading:
Vm(V) Vg(V) Ifg(A) Ig(A) W(*80) P.F Iam(A)
100 400 1.2 0.3 1 1 3.25
100 400 1.2 0.6 4 0.98 leading 6
100 400 1.2 0.9 7 0.94 leading 8.75
100 400 1.2 1.4 10 0.91 leading 12
100 400 1.2 1.7 13 0.91 leading 15
100 400 1.2 2.1 16 0.91 leading 18.25
100 400 1.2 2.5 19 0.91 leading 22
100 400 1.2 2.9 22 0.90 leading 25.5
100 400 1.2 3.3 25 0.89 leading 29

3) Reactive power:
Vm(V) Vg(V) Ifg(A) Ig(A) W(*80) P.F Iam(A)
100 400 0.9 3.7 22 0.7 leading 26
100 400 1.1 3.1 22 0.82 leading 25.25
100 400 1.3 2.6 22 0.83 leading 24.5
100 400 1.5 2.6 22 0.97 lagging 24.5
100 400 1.7 3.0 22 0.84 lagging 24.5
100 400 1.9 3.8 21 0.66 lagging 24.5
100 400 2.1 4.8 20 0.52 lagging 24.5
100 400 2.3 5.9 19 0.40 lagging 24.75

Plot Vg, Ig and p.f against Ifg.
INVESTIGATIONS:


0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
H
u
n
d
r
e
d
s

Hundreds
Ig (A)
Ig (A)

Investigate the kind of synchronizing indicator commonly used in practice.
Draw phasor diagrams to explain what happens when:
(i) The voltage of two generators are different. Sketch also the current
(ii) The phase of two generators running in parallel are different
Include any other deductions made on this experiment.

Discussion:
If the rotor accelerates due to some disturbance the load angle increases, resulting in an
increase in electrical power output .The extra output power is derived from the stored
kinetic energy of the rotor; consequently the rotor slows down as the rotor mechanical
energy is being extracted, and the generator will return to synchronous operation.
Synchronizing power Ps is defined as the power per electrical radian of rotor displacement;
in other words:

The synchronizing torque Ts is given by:
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
H
u
n
d
r
e
d
s

Hundreds
PF(Angle)
Iam (A)
Ig (A)

From the equations it is clear that the synchronizing power is a maximum for no load ( = 0) and
decreases as the load on the machine increases. For a load angle of 90 electrical degrees, the
synchronizing power is zero, meaning that the machine is on the verge of instability. The larger the
load angle, the less stable the synchronous machine becomes.
The system is constrained in that the total power supplied by the two generators together
must equal the amount consumed by the load.
To adjust the real power sharing between generators without changing system frequency,
simultaneously increase the governor set points on one generator while decreasing the
governor set points on the other. The machine whose governor set point was increased will
assume more of the load.
To adjust frequency without changing the real power sharing, simultaneously increase or
decrease both generators governor set points.
To adjust the reactive power sharing between generators without changing VT,
simultaneously increase the field current on one generator while decreasing the field
current on the other. The machine whose field current was increased will assume more of
the load.
To adjust VT without changing the reactive power sharing, simultaneously increase or
decrease both generators field currents.
Note that the sum of the real and reactive powers supplied by the two generators must
equal the real and reactive powers demanded by the load:

If the speed of second generator (G2) is increased, its power-frequency diagram shifts
upwards. This will in turn:
Increase the real power supplied by G2
Reduce the real power supplied by first generator (G1).
Increase the system frequency.
To bring the frequency down, the speed of G1 must be reduced.
Similarly, an increase in the field current of G2 will result in:
An increase of the reactive power supplied G2.
A reduction of the reactive power supplied G1.
An Increase of the system terminal voltage.
To bring the voltage down, the field current of G1 must be reduced.