Electrical Engineering in Japan, Vol. 146, No.
1, 2004
Translated from Denki Gakkai Ronbunshi, Vol. 122-B, No. 10, October 2002, pp. 10961103
Sudden Short Circuiting of Synchronous Machines by EMTP
EIICHI HAGINOMORI and SHINYA OHTSUKA
Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
SUMMARY
Applying ATP-EMTP for the purpose of better un-
derstanding of rotating machine transients, several kinds of
model synchronous machines with typical features were
analyzed in the time domain with respect to sudden short
circuiting, and the calculated currents and flux linkages
during transient time interval were plotted on the dq
domain planes. Many interesting current/flux vector traces,
representing rotating machine transients during short cir-
cuiting, were obtained. These may be helpful for under-
standing transients in rotating machines. 2003 Wiley
Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 146(1): 7888, 2004;
Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.
wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10228
Key words: transient phenomena in synchronous
machine; sudden short circuit; EMTP; ATP.
1. Introduction
In relatively small power systems such as those of
IPPs, rotating machinesgenerators and motorsmay in-
troduce significant effects on system transients, and there-
fore rotating machine transients must be thoroughly
understood. Nevertheless, because the analysis is generally
based on numerical calculation of multidimensional or
multistage differential equations including time-varying
parameters associated with rotation angles, understanding
the physical model for transients from calculated results
such as time-varying currents, voltages, and flux linkages
is not easy. The process is much like dealing with a black
box.
Lately ATP-EMTP has made significant progress in
rotating machine calculation [13], and efficient graphical
programs have been developed [5, 6]. In these publications,
for the purpose of understanding the physical image of
rotating machine transients, calculations were made by
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applying these programs, introducing several machines
with typical features, and the results were plotted on the dq
plane as vector traces. The manipulation of equations was
minimized here, and strictly theoretical analysis is limited
due to space constraints.
2. Synchronous Machine Analysis by ATP-EMTP
For engineers not familiar with EMTP, and espe-
cially, with rotating machine analysis, a brief description of
synchronous machine analysis in EMTP will be given. Both
No. 58 and No. 59 synchronous machine programs were
applicable in the investigation. No. 58 has some special
advantages [3], but for the purpose of this paper, No. 59 is
more suitable for the following reasons.
1. The analyses were mainly based on dq domain
two-axis theory, which is suitable for observing the internal
phenomena of the machine. No. 59 is based on this theory,
so that the output variables can be directly used to explain
the phenomena. In No. 58, the calculations are performed
in the phase domain, so that the variables must be converted
to the dq domain.
2. A bug is known in No. 59 regarding the magnetiz-
ing saturation, but in the phenomena considered here, less
influence of saturation was found. Therefore, the influence
of the bug is excluded by applying machine parameters
without saturation characteristics.
In No. 59, calculations are based on the model layout
shown in Fig. 1(1). The rotor rotates counterclockwise, and,
the d- and q-axes are based on the rotor pole axis. In the
rotors d-axis, two coils existthe exciting coil (F) and the
damper coil (KD). As for the q-axis, the so-called eddy
current coil (G) and damper coil (KQ) exist. On the other
hand, in the stator, the d-axis coil (DW) and q-axis coil
(QW) are assumed to exist in the positions of the d- and
q-axis, respectively. These coils are assumed not to have a
velocity relative to the real stator phase coils. Converting
2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fig. 1. Synchronous machine modeling in ATP-EMTP
(synchronous machine No. 59).
the actual phase domain variables to the dq domain, the
following matrix is obtained:
(1)
3. Three-Phase Simultaneous Sudden Short Circuit
by Perfectly Round Rotor Machine
As the first example, applying the following highly
simplified model machine, the basic phenomena of three-
phase simultaneous sudden short circuiting are surveyed.
Field exciting control is not applied. The machine has
perfectly symmetrical d- and q-coils on the rotor without a
damper coil. The machine parameters are: 3.3 kV and 1
MVA, two poles, 50 Hz, exciting current = 100 A for
no-load rated voltage, armature resistance = 0.002 pu,
leakage reactance = 0.15 pu, Xd = Xq = 1.5 pu, Xdg = Xqg = 0.2
pu, Tdg = Tqg = 1.0 s, X0 = 0.16 pu, high-ohmic resistor
earthing, moment of inertia = 100 kg-m2.
These values are the input data to the EMTP calcula-
tion. Such machines are not common, but wound-rotor
induction machines or machines of variable speed for
pumping stations have similar characteristics. In the calcu-
lation, the following constants are produced (values con-
verted to MKS units).:
F, G coil self-inductance 0.24485 H
Mutual inductance between F/G
and DW/QW 0.105 H
Armature (DW, QW) self-
inductance 0.052 H
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F/G coil resistance 0.03265
DW/QW coil resistance 0.02178
Figure 2 shows the three-phase armature coil currents
associated with a three-phase simultaneous short circuit. In
one phase (phase a) the DC component is approximately
zero, while in the other two phases, high-level DC compo-
nents exist with gradual damping.
In Fig. 3, flux linkages in the DW and QW coils are
shown in the dq axis plane. In the three-phase short circuit,
the armature is short-circuited in all directions, and the
instantaneous flux (with gradual damping) is trapped.
Therefore, the trace of the flux linkage vector in the dq
plane is a clockwise rotating spiral.
Figure 4 shows the rotor flux linkage (TACS in
ATP-EMTP used for the calculation), which exhibits grad-
ual damping only on the d-axis interval where the initial
flux exists. In both figures the flux linkages are expressed
in Wb-turn, so that conversion to turn ratios is needed for
direct comparison of both flux relationships. Damping will
be discussed later. In Figs. 5 and 6, the currents in the
armature and the rotor are plotted in the dq plane. Study-
ing the current traces, even conceptually, at least a few
equations must be introduced. Assuming two coupled in-
ductors, the self-inductances (two kinds) and mutual induc-
tances are denoted L1, L2, and M respectively, and the
currents and fluxes in these are denoted i1, i2, 1, and 2.
The following equations are introduced:
(2)
(3)
Rewriting these two equations, we obtain
(4)
(5)
Fig. 2. Short-circuit currents in three-phase
simultaneous short circuit of round rotor machine.
Fig. 3. Armature coil flux linkage in dq domain.
Fig. 4. Rotor coil flux linkage in dq domain.
Fig. 5. Armature coil current in dq domain.
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Fig. 6. Rotor coil current in dq domain.
Assuming the turn ratio to be unity for simplicity, we can
write (L1 = L2, = L) and (M = kL), obtaining the following:
(4)
(5)
From Eqs. (4) and (5), it is understood that each coil
current corresponds to canceling the induced flux from the
other coil and to sustaining the self-flux value. This rela-
tionship also holds in the dq two-dimensional plane. Gen-
erally the value of k is approximately 0.9 (for the machine
discussed in this section, k = 0.93), and therefore the traces
of the current vectors approximately correspond to the
difference of the two flux traces. Conversion to turns ratio
is of course, to be applied. Since the rotor flux (correspond-
ing to 2 in these equations) change is relatively small in
the case shown in Fig. 4, i1 changes mainly in proportion to
1s change and i2 changes mainly in proportion to the
Fig. 7. El-Mg torque when three-phase simultaneously
short-circuiting.
induction produced by the change in 1s. Figure 7 shows
the air gap torque at a sudden short circuit. Under such
short-circuiting, from Figs. 3 and 4, the two fluxes corre-
sponding to the magnets seem to show relative rotation. The
phenomena correspond to the high amplitude of the torque
swing in Fig. 7. As for damping phenomena, physically
precise modeling seems to be highly complicated and dif-
ficult, so in this paper, only a conceptual study will be made.
The radius of the armature current trace circle in Fig. 5
corresponds to the DC component in the armature phase
current, the damping of which is shown to depend on the
inductance seen from the armature and the armature coil
resistance. Introducing a transformer in which the primary
side self-inductance, the secondary side self-inductance, Fig. 8. Symmetrical short-circuit currents.
and the mutual inductance are L1, L2, and M, respectively,
and in which the secondary side is short-circuited, the
inductance from the primary side is rical. Therefore, such a current is often called a symmetrical
(6) short-circuit current. On the other hand, a current such as
that in Fig. 2 is sometimes called an asymmetrical short-cir-
cuit current. The armature flux change during such a short
Regarding the machine as a transformer and using in this
circuit is shown in Fig. 9. Compared with Fig. 3, only a few
section the machine parameters shown earlier, inductance
milliseconds of timing difference in short-circuiting pro-
= 0.00697 H and time constant = 0.32 s were calculated as
duces a drastic difference. In this case, after the three-phase
the armature side values. These values correspond to the
damping of the circle radius in Fig. 5. Likewise, the rela- short circuit, no flux exists in the armature. The armature
tionship between movement of the center of the circle in flux change can be investigated by using Fig. 10. Up to the
Fig. 6 (DC component damping), the inductance seen from short circuit, the flux 0 exists as induction from the rotor
the rotor side, and the coil resistance can be explained. Also, field. By short-circuiting between phases b and c when the
the damping of the DC component of the rotor current flux in the q direction is zero, the flux in the direction of the
corresponds to the movement of the centers of the circles armature is kept zero. By relative rotation of the armature
in Figs. 5 and 6. by from the d-axis, the armatures flux becomes 1 due to
Flux damping is based on Eqs. (2) and (3) and an induction, because the flux in the direction of phases b and
accurate explanation seems to be very complicated. How- c is still zero and the armature is magnetized only in
ever, from Eqs. (4) and (5), as an approximate approach, direction d1, the only direction in which the armature coil
it is found that the armature flux amplitude corresponds to is open-circuited. After 90 rotation, with the 1 vector trace
the armature current, that is, the DC component of the drawing a half circle as in Figs. 9 and 10, 1 becomes zero,
armature phase current, and the rotor flux corresponds to
the AC component of the armature phase current.

4. Short-Circuit Current without DC Component

Henceforth, for ease of comparison between various

conditions, a common graduation scale is applied for each
kind of graph. The machine considered in this section has
identical parameters to that in the previous section. In Fig.
1, when the direction of phases b and c in the armature
agrees with the q-axis, these two armature coil terminals are
short-circuited. (For high-ohmic-resistor earthing or the
isolated neutral case, two-phase earthing yields the same
result.) Then, after a 90 electrical-angle rotation, three
phases, including phase a, are short-circuited. By this short-
circuit process, the short-circuit current without a DC com-
ponent such as that in Fig. 8 is produced. The wave shape, Fig. 9. Flux linkage in armature coil by symmetrical
with respect to positive and negative polarities, is symmet- short-circuit current.

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 Fig. 10. Armature coil flux when creating symmetrical
short-circuit current.

Fig. 12. Armature coil current by symmetrical

short-circuit current.
and by three-phase short-circuiting at that moment, the
trapped flux is maintained at zero. Therefore, during the
presence of the three-phase short-circuit current without
DC component, the trapped flux in the armature is zero. The
flux in the rotor is mostly the same as in the previous case
with an asymmetrical short-circuit current. See Figs. 4 and
11.
The armature current trace in the dq plane is shown
in Fig. 12. Equations (4) and (5) are still valid in this case.
Therefore, corresponding to the change of flux, after draw-
ing a half circle with half the radius of that in Fig. 5, the
current trace shows damping DC in the d direction. For the
rotor current, as shown in Fig. 13, a similar trace is ob-
served, that is, after drawing a half circle, the current trace
exhibits damping DC in the d direction.
Figure 14 shows the air gap torque during such short-
circuiting. Since in the short-circuit time interval no flux
Fig. 13. Rotor coil current under symmetrical
exists in the armature, even though the rotor with trapped
short-circuit current.
flux rotates in the armature, no air gap torque is produced.

Fig. 11. Rotor coil flux linkage by symmetrical Fig. 14. El-Mg torque under symmetrical short-circuit
short-circuit current. current.

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This is a great contrast to the case shown in Fig. 7. For the
readers reference, in most kinds of power frequency phasor
domain analysis such as transient stability calculation, only
short-circuiting with symmetrical short-circuit current
cases is considered. An asymmetrical short-circuit current
cannot be involved in phasor domain analysis. Therefore,
only the air gap torque such as that shown in Fig. 14 is
considered. In real cases, some DC component in the short-
circuit current exists, producing a high-amplitude air gap
torque swing as shown in Fig. 7. Such swing may influence
transient stability.

5. Short Circuit under Load

In this section, we consider a three-phase simultane-

ous sudden short circuit of the same generator as in the
previous section, but under full load with 100% power
factor. Let us consider the under-load condition before the
short circuit in Fig. 1. Care should be taken that in EMTP
both the voltage and current are taken in the generator
direction. Neglecting the armature coil resistance, the volt-
age vector is induced in a direction advanced by 90 clock-
wise from the flux direction, so that by assuming a 100%
power factor of the load (such as a pure-resistance load
circuit), the load current vector direction is the same as that
of the voltage. The relationship is shown in Figs. 15 and 16.
The angle of the original point X in Fig. 16 (current) is
advanced by 90 clockwise from that in Fig. 15 (flux).
Before the short circuit, both the rotor field current and the
armature load current dominate the flux. Therefore, com-
pared to the no-load condition, the original flux position X
deviates clockwise from the d-axis toward the q-axis. In this
case, assuming the same terminal voltage for both the
no-load and under-load conditions, the absolute values of
the flux are not very different, due to less influence of the
voltage drop in the leakage inductances (see Figs. 3 and 15).
Fig. 16. Armature coil current by on-load short circuit.
After short-circuiting, the overall variations of the flux and
current are almost the same as for the no-load case, except
that the traces begin to depend on the initial flux position
angles. The rotor flux in Fig. 17 also turns clockwise but,
observing very accurately, the rotor flux position is ad-
vanced in the rotor turning direction (counterclockwise) by
approximately 10, corresponding to the load torque. The
armature and rotor current traces are shown in Figs. 16 and
18, respectively. Equations (4) and (5) are also valid for
short circuit under load. Since the flux variations are the
same for the no-load and under-load conditions, the same
current traces are produced other than the position angle;
see Figs. 5, 6, 16, and 18. Nevertheless, since the initial field
current must be higher than in the no-load condition, the
final steady-state center position of the armature current
trace circle must be different, resulting in a different ampli-
tude of the armature steady-state short-circuit phase cur-
rent. Very close observation of Figs. 15, 16, and 18 shows

Fig. 15. Armature flux linkage by on-load short circuit. Fig. 17. Rotor flux linkage by on-load short circuit.

83
 Fig. 18. Rotor coil current by on-load short circuit.
Fig. 19. Armature coil current by no-load short circuit
of salient pole machine.

that the initial rotor d-axis position advances counterclock-

wise by approximately 55 relative to no-load case based
on the terminal voltage, and the average air gap torque that in the d direction, so that vertically elongated ovals are
during short-circuiting is also approximately zero for the produced as shown in Figs. 19 and 20. Such an oval-shaped
under-load case (figure not shown), and therefore owing to current trace in the dq plane corresponds to phase current
the higher mechanical driving torque the rotor rotates 20 amplitude fluctuation of two times/cycle, causing the sec-
more than in the no-load condition during short-circuiting ond harmonic to be involved in the short-circuit current of
(approximately 0.2 s).
the salient pole machine. In calculating the Fourier series
of the short-circuit current (phase current), 6% of the sec-
6. Salient Pole Machine Three-Phase Simultaneous
ond harmonic is obtained as shown in Fig. 21. The current
Short Circuit in No-Load Case
in the dq domain does not involve any harmonics.
A salient pole machine without damper coil with the
following parameters is considered (the other parameters
are the same as in the previous case):
Xq = 1.0, Xqg = 0.25, Tqg = 0.05 s
The following coil constants are calculated:

QW coil self-inductance 0.03466 H

GQW coil mutual inductance 0.066138 H
G coil self-inductance 0.16825 H
G coil resistance 0.841258

In both the armature and the rotor, the fluxes at the

instant of short-circuiting are to be maintained, and there-
fore, the flux traces after short-circuiting are almost the
same as in a round rotor machine, though a slight difference
exists in the damping due to the difference in the d/q time
constant, that is, as a result of coil resistance. Equations (4)
and (5) are still valid. Nevertheless, the inductance and
coupling factor are not equal in the d and q directions.
Therefore, the current traces are not circles but ovals. Gen- Fig. 20. Rotor coil current by no-load short circuit of
erally the coupling factor in the q direction is lower than salient pole machine.

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 Fig. 21. Fourier spectrum of armature phase domain
current.

Fig. 23. Armature current by on-load short circuit of

salient pole machine.
7. Salient Pole Machine Short-Circuit under Load
(100% Power Factor)

Short-circuiting in a 100% under-load condition

centers of the ovals rather quickly shift toward the d-axis in
(power factor = 100%) of the same machine as in the
parallel with the q-axis.
previous section is now considered. The armature flux trace
In the dq plane, the center position of the armature
describes the same centripetal spiral as in the absence of
current oval trace corresponds to the amplitude of the AC
load, with only the exception of clockwise turning of the
component of the armature phase current, so that quick
initial point. The flux difference between the no- and un-
movement of the center to the zero point corresponds to
der-load conditions is the same as in a round rotor machine.
quick damping in the phase current amplitude.
The rotor flux shows higher damping in the q direction. This
In Fig. 25 a comparison of phase currents in no-load
is due to the lower time constant in the q direction corre-
and under-load short-circuiting is shown for one phase. In
sponding to a higher G coil resistance than in the d direc-
under-load F short-circuiting, the damping of the AC am-
tion, corresponding to a lower F coil resistance, as shown
plitude is clearly higher than in the no-load condition.
in the previous sections. Therefore, as shown in Figs. 23
Setting equal initial terminal voltages for the no-load
and 24 for both the rotor and armature current traces, the
and under-load conditions, that is, a higher field current

Fig. 22. Rotor coil flux linkage by on-load short circuit Fig. 24. Rotor coil current by on-load short circuit of
of salient pole machine. salient pole machine.

85
 Fig. 25. On/no-load short-circuit phase currents of
salient pole machine.
under load, the short-circuit current in the presence of a load
during the transient time interval is lower than in its ab-
sence. The reason is that owing to the lower q-axis transient
time constant, the quicker damping in the q-axis component
is significant. In the absence of load, no movement in the q
direction occurs. Care should be taken that the lower lag
power factor of the load (e.g., < 90%), due to the signifi-
cantly higher field current for the same initial terminal
voltage, reaches the short-circuit current under load condi-
tion higher than that in the absence of load.
8. Round Rotor Machine with Arbitrary Parameters
To conclude, as the most general case, a short circuit
of a round rotor machine with damper coils under load is
considered. As shown in Fig. 1, the rotor involves two kinds
of coils in the d and q directions. Such a model is known to
represent an arbitrary synchronous machines dynamic per-
formance with sufficient accuracy. The machine in this
Fig. 26. On-load short-circuit currents of round rotor
machine with damper windings.
86
Fig. 27. Armature current of round rotor machine with
damper winding.
section has the following specifications: armature resis-
tance = 0.002 pu, leakage reactance = 0.2 pu, Xd = 1.5 pu,
Xq = 1.45 pu, Xdg = 0.38 pu, Xqg = 0.50 pu, Xdgg = Xqgg = 0.25
pu, Tdg = 1.0 s, Tqg = 0.1 s, Tdgg = 0.03 s, Tqgg = 0.025 s, X0 =
0.20 pu. The other specifications are the same as for the
previously considered machine without damper coil. As a
general trend, the transient time constant in the q direction
is far lower than that in the d direction. The following
constants are calculated [for coil symbols, see Fig. 1; the
self-inductance (H)/resistance for each coil and the coil
coil mutual inductance (H) are shown]:
F : 0.283/0.0758, FDW : 0.105, FKD : 0.245, DW :
0.052/0.0218, KDDW : 0.105, KD : 0.258/1.023, G :
0.369/1.767, GQW : 0.101, GKQ : 0.235, QW :
0.0503/0.0218, KQQW : 0.0101, KQ : 0.246/1.375
Care should be taken that the field coil (F) is the actual
one but that the others, (i.e., KD, G, and KQ) are not actual
Fig. 28. Rotor current of round rotor machine by short
circuit.

Fig. 29. Currents in the rotor windings of round rotor
machine with damper windings.
ones but are equivalent representations as virtual coils. In
Fig. 26, the initial load and short-circuit currents in the
armature phase are shown. After short-circuiting, the am-
plitude of the AC component decays in two steps: subtran-
sient and transient decay. The armature flux trace is almost
the same as in the machine without a damper coil. No
significant differences exist for the rotor flux, so that the
plot can be omitted. For the armature current, damping in
the q direction is quick, and during the intermediate time
interval, the trace in the dq plane is first oval in shape and
then is a circle. The transient/subtransient parameters and
time constants for the d/q axes dominate these phenomena
(see Fig. 27). The currents in the four coils of the rotor are
shown in Fig. 28. The wave shape aspect is complicated,
transferring current between the coils in each direction.
Nevertheless, toward the outside of the machine, the sum
of the two coils magnetic motive forces in each axis comes
into play. Fortunately, in the No. 59 program of EMTP, all
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rotor coils are modeled with uniform turn numbers. Thus,
the magnetic motive force is proportional to the sum of the
relevant coil currents. In Fig. 29, the rotor current trace in
the dq plane, where each d/q current component is the sum
of the two coil currents, is shown. Comparing Fig. 27
(armature current trace) and Fig. 29 (rotor coil current
trace), a similar relationship to that in machines without
damper coils discussed in the previous sections is found.
9. Conclusions
For a thorough understanding of rotating machine
transients, several kinds of synchronous machines with
peculiar characteristics were considered and transients un-
der sudden short-circuiting were analyzed by applying
EMTP. The vector traces of the resultant fluxes and currents
were drawn in the dq plane. The results seem to be helpful
for physical visualization of the phenomena. These results
are expected to provide a tool for education and for under-
standing of rotating machine transients.
REFERENCES
1. Alternative transient program rule book. Japanese
EMTP Committee, 2000.
2. Meyer WS. Electro-magnetic transient program the-
ory book. Portland, Oregon; 1987.
3. Cao X, Kurita A, Mitsuma H, Tada Y, Okamoto H.
Improvement of numerical stability of electro-mag-
netic transients simulation by use of phase-domain
synchronous machine model. Trans IEE Japan
1997;117-B:594.
4. Sekine Y. Power system transient analysis. Ohm
Press; 1984. (in Japanese)
5. Hevia OP. GTPPLOT.EXE 2003 (graphics program).
6. Massimo C. PLOTXY.EXE 2002 (graphics pro-
gram).
 AUTHORS (from left to right)

Eiichi Haginomori (member) received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT)
in 1962 and joined Toshiba Corporation. He received his D.Eng. degree from TIT in 1986. He was engaged in the development
and design of air blast and SF6 gas circuit-breakers and also GIS at the Toshiba Hama-Kawasaki Works. Beginning in 1988, he
engaged in engineering research in the Power Transmission and Substation Engineering Division. From 1991 to 1996 he was
a visiting professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of TIT. He has been a professor in the Department
of Electrical Engineering of Kyushu Institute of Technology since 1998. In 1976, he became a member of IEC-17A-WG10,
WG21, and MT36 for circuit-breaker standards.

Shinya Ohtsuka (member) received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Kyushu University in 1994 and 1996, and completed
the doctoral program in the Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering in 1998. He was a Research
Fellow (DC1) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) from 1996 to 1998, and a JSPS Research Fellow (PD)
in 1999. He then became a research associate on the Faculty of Engineering at Kyushu Institute of Technology. He has been
engaged in research on the insulation properties of environmentally benign gases to serve as SF6 substitutes, partial discharge
detection techniques for insulation diagnosis of power apparatus, and superconductivity engineering. He holds a D.Eng. degree.
He is a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, the Institute of Engineers on Electrical Discharges in Japan,
and the Cryogenic Association of Japan.

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