TUMA 1 Undervoltage shutdown due to generator remanent voltage loss Initial Information:
The turbine suddenly opens the Generator CB, not being
able to resynchronize. The customer found a problem in the switchgear. After the repair in the SW, during the start up of the turbine around 90% NGP shuts down due under voltage protection relay. What was found:
During the Start Up there is no AC
voltage coming from the excitation system. The AVR is not turning on. At 90% NGP, the KA59i7 (AVR power) contactor closes but there is no voltage in the excitation system What was found:
The loop coming from the
excitation system is checked: Loss wires retighten Dirty contacts When searching for magnet is found that these generator doesn’t work with PMG So how it works? AREP:
Stands for Auxiliary Winding Regulation Excitation Principle
Consist in 2 coils adjacent to the generator stator.
Its voltage is built from the remanent magnetic field of the rotor (Self excited generator). These voltage is dependant of the RPM of the generator. It goes into a regulator (AVR), which will control the amount of current and voltage to the generator exciter. AVR:
In these case the AVR is a R610 from
Leroy Somer:
Bridge Rectifier (AC to DC).
Supply to the Exciter Analog/electronic Cards for Tuning AVR:
The AVR also measure voltage from the grid and the generator.
In Turbomach packages those measurements includes a
contactor that will close at 90% NGP AREP + AVR schematic Troubleshooting process
Disconnect Under voltage
protection digital output:
AP38B1 Module Channel 3
Inhibits the under voltage
shutdown. No AC Voltage in the auxiliary windings
The multimeter is used to
measure the voltage coming from the windings
Points 112 and 113 of
XT403
Then we put the engine on
crank (25% NGP) No AC Voltage in the auxiliary windings
Voltage would increase with
rpm it is expected to have between 22 to 27 Vac at crank Speed.
Will increase to 120 Vac at idle
speed (100 % NGP).
In Mexichem showed 525 mVac
at crank and 6,25 Vac at idle. Flashing Usually it is not required (long stop or specific problem) .
Put 12 to 24 Vdc in the flashing
terminals (2 to 3 seconds), At idle Speed until voltage appears
If voltage doesn’t maintain when
the source is removed AVR could be damaged. Flashing
Once the voltage is obtained:
Check Exciter current in HMI (Approx 1.5 A)
Generator Voltage (Nominal for idle speed) Leave the generator running for 20 min to stabilize the remanent.
After that Stop the unit and normalize the undervoltage
protection, and the restart to do final adjustments in the AVR (if required). Additional checkings for AREP system During the restart check:
• At crank speed the voltage coming from the windings (22 to 27
Vac) • At 75% NGP the -15Vdc LED in the AVR turns on Additional checkings for AREP system
At 90 % NGP check that KA59i7
contactor closes, supplying 120 Vac to the AVR.
At the same moment
Iexc 1.5 to 1.7 amp 4.160 Vac in the generador. Final Checking before synchronization IMPORTANT: It is necessary to check the comparison between generator voltage and grid voltage:
• Inhibit Undervoltage protection
• Force the KA36b7 contactor
KA36B7, Is where the grid voltage
is measured (120 VAC). Final Checking before synchronization • Put a bridge between terminal 31 y 32 of the AVR Final Checking before synchronization • If the synchronization differential voltage is to high is P1 Potentiometer in the main card of the AVR to reduce it as close as possible to zero. • Normalize everything and proceed with the synch.