Generation System Protection – PROT 409

Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Generation System
Protection

Other Generator Protection

For Abnormal Operating
Conditions

Copyright © SEL 2004

Recommended bibliography:

IEEE Power Engineering Society. (1995) IEEE Tutorial on the Protection of

Synchronous Generators. Piscataway, NJ.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. (1998) SEL-300G Multifunction Generator

Protection Instruction Manual. Pullman, WA.

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 Generation System Protection – PROT 409
Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Generator Abnormal Operating

Condition Protection
z Motoring, Reverse Power, Loss of Prime
Mover Protection
z Current Unbalance Protection
z Generator Over/underfrequency
Protection
z Generator Breaker Failure Protection
z Inadvertent Energization Protection
z Synchronizing

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Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Motoring
Reverse of Power

Loss of Prime Mover

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Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Power Generation
System
Prime Equivalent
Mover Generator

E/δ
P
δ

Transformer V/0
E/δ Zg ZT Zs I /−ϕ

I /−ϕ V/0 Es / β

The figure reviews the concept of generated power.

This section analyzes cases where a synchronous machine functioning as a generator or

partially loses its prime mover, resulting in the generator operating as a motor.

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Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Complex Power Plane

Q
Overexcitation Normal Operation

P<0 P>0
Q>0 Q>0

P<0 P>0 P
Q<0 Q<0

Underexcitation

Motor Generator

Generator' s output complex power in per unit :

S = V I* = P + jQ = S/ ϕ = VI cos ϕ + jVI sin ϕ

The complex power plane shown serves to analyze the active and reactive power
flow to and from the generator.

The diagram shows that the machine works as a motor when it absorbs active power.

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Generator Prime Movers

z Steam Turbines
z Gas Turbines
z Diesel Engines
z Hydroelectric Turbines

There are four main types of prime movers for generators. These are the steam turbine,
hydroelectric turbine, gas turbine, and diesel engine.

Steam turbines are used in plants where the main fuel is a fossil fuel such as coal, gas, oil, or
in nuclear plants. In all cases, the high-pressure (4000 PSI) and temperature (>1000oF) steam
is produced by a heating process.

Gas turbines work directly with a specific type of fuel. Diesel plants are moved by a diesel
engine (diesel fuel) and hydroelectric turbines are moved by the force of water, which
depends on different hydroelectric designs and on the height of the dam head.

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Generator Motoring
Causes and Effects

z Steam Supply is Shut Off

z Water Supply is Shut Off
z Fuel Supply is Shut Off
z Generator Acts as a Synchronous
Motor

Sometimes the prime mover power energy is lost. This can happen regardless of the
type of prime mover used.

If prime mover power energy is lost during normal machine operation, the generator
starts to consume active power from the system, as if it were a motor. This condition
is sometimes called “motoring.”

In steam turbines, motoring occurs when the steam supply is shut off. In gas and
diesel turbines, the motoring condition will appear when the fuel supply is shut off. In
hydroelectric turbines, the partial or total loss of water coming from the main
penstock will result in a reduction of input power to the generator.

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Generator Reverse Power

Concerns

z Prime Mover Damage

 Steam turbine blade overheating
 Gas turbine gear damage
 Explosion of unburned diesel fuel
 Hydro blade cavitations

Motoring can cause turbine damage.

As the normal steam flow is lost, the natural cooling it produces will also be lost,
producing overheating of turbine rotor and blades.

In gas turbines, the gears that couple the turbine with other elements, such as the
compressor, will sustain damaged when the turbine is rotated by the power taken from
the electrical system.

In a diesel engine, if some power is applied from a generator in a motoring condition,

the engine can experience serious mechanical coupling damage.

In hydroelectric turbines, motoring can result in cavitations, which can produce damage
in the blades. In some cases, the hydroelectric turbine can be designed to operate as a
synchronous condenser, and the resulting damage is insignificant. In these cases, no
protection against motoring is needed.

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Typical Values of Reverse Power

Required to Spin a Generator at
Synchronous Speed
50+%
z Steam Turbines
0.5–3%
±25.0% z Hydro Turbines
0.2–2+%
0.2-2+%
0.5-3%
z Diesel Engines
Steam Hydro Diesel Gas 5-25%
Turbines Turbines Engines Turbines
z Gas Turbines
50+%

The figure shows a comparison table of typical values of reverse power required to spin a
generator at synchronous speed. These are typical values; actual numbers should be
provided by the manufacturers. These values are of great importance in choosing the type of
protection scheme and the settings necessary to minimize machine damage.
Diesel and gas plants require a large amount of power from the system to spin at
synchronous speed when the prime mover is lost. With diesel engines, moving the shaft
with no cylinder firing represents a significant mechanical load, as much as 25 percent of
nominal capacity.
Because gas turbines have a compressor connected to the shaft, moving this load plus the
action of other friction forces at 3600 rpm for a two-pole machine requires as much as 50
percent of the rated machine power.
Both diesel and gas plants determine motoring conditions by monitoring the active power,
or magnitude and power factor. This is accomplished through use of a reverse power relay,
reverse power element, or directional power element.
In steam turbines, the machine can be moved with only 0.5 to 3 percent of rated power.
Moreover, steam turbines can sustain damage even when the machine is generating, but the
amount of generated power is very small.
Some hydroelectric turbines require high reverse power. Some of these turbines may
require 0.2 to 2 percent of rated power to move the machine at synchronous speed. A relay
to detect this condition must be very sensitive.
These values are known as motoring powers.

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Reverse Power Element

Field
64 Ex.
Wdg. High
GENERATOR Voltage
Bus

63
50/ 50G
87G 32 24 51
49
46
40 27 50N/
51N 87T
21 78 81 Service Transformer

51V 59

87

The ANSI number for directional power relays is 32. This element measures the
following active power:

P = 3·V·I·cosφ .

Depending on relay design, the relay can have a definite-time or inverse-time delay
curve.

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Directional Power Element

Q

32P1

32P2
P

P1

P2

This figure shows the characteristic of a reverse power protection element in the complex
power plane. This particular protection has two elements, called 32P1 and 32P2. Both
elements have definite-time delays.

Element 32P1 detects reverse power. Set the element threshold to 50 percent of motoring
power, with a delay between 15 and 30 seconds, to avoid operation during transient
power swings. These values can change depending on the recommendations of the turbine
manufacturer.

The second element is used to protect steam turbines from damage that can occur for low
values of output power. The particular steam turbine in use will determine the second
element threshold and time delay.

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Reverse Power Tripping

Minimum Requirements

z Trip Main Generator Breakers

z Trip Field Breaker
z Trip Prime Mover

The main generator breaker, field breaker, and the prime mover should trip for reverse
power events.

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Generator Unbalanced Currents

and Negative-Sequence Protection

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Rotor Types
Stator

Stator

Rotor
Rotor

Cylindrical Rotor Salient-Pole

DWG: M300G002

As mentioned before, there are two types of rotors in synchronous machines: cylindrical
and salient-pole.

Most cylindrical rotors have only two poles (3600 rev/min at 60 Hz). A few have four
poles (1800 rev/min at 60 Hz). Salient-pole rotors can have more than 100 poles and
have speeds slower than 1800 rev/min.

Hydroelectric generators always have salient poles.

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Generator Unbalanced Current

z Produces Negative-Sequence Currents

z Magnetic Flux Produced by Negative-
Sequence Current Is Seen as Double
Frequency by Rotor
z Skin Effect Causes Negative-
Sequence Current to Flow in Rotor
Wedges and Retaining Rings

Unbalanced current in the stator windings generally implies the existence of negative-
sequence currents. The negative-sequence current produces a rotating field in the
machine gap, which rotates at about synchronous speed, but in the reverse direction
compared to the normal positive-sequence field.

This new field induces currents in the rotor, whose frequency is twice the synchronous
frequency. These currents produce rotor overheating and can eventually cause rotor
damage.

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Negative-Sequence Current Damage

z Rotor Wedging Damage as a Result of

I22R Heating
z Rotor Retaining Rings Damaged as a
Result of I22R Heating
z Results in Significant Generator
Downtime for Repairs

The rotor wedging, the rotor rings, and the iron core can heat up to intolerable values.
The resulting damage can cause a prolonged generator outage and significant repair
time.

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Unbalanced Current Causes

z Single-Phase Transformers
z Untransposed Transmission Lines
z Unbalanced Loads
z Unbalanced System Faults
z Open Conductor

Unbalanced short circuits are not the only cause of imbalances in the generator
windings. Series faults, such as those one or two open conductors, can also produce a
relatively large amount of negative sequence.

Different conditions, such as unbalanced loads and transmission line asymmetry, can
also cause imbalances in the stator windings.

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Negative-Sequence Capability
Continuous

Type of Generator I Max %

2

Salient Pole
Connected amortisseur windings 10
Unconnected amortisseur windings 5
Cylindrical Rotor
Indirectly Cooled 10
Directly Cooled, to 960 MVA 8
961 to 1200 MVA 6
1201 to 1500 MVA 5

This table shows the continuous steady-state negative-sequence current that a typical
generator can withstand.

When this capacity is specified, the ANSI Standard C50.13 establishes that it must be
valid for situations where the generator does not exceed rated kVA, and that the currents
in each phase cannot be larger than 105 percent of the rated current.

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Negative-Sequence Capability
Short Time
I 22t = K 2
Type of Generator I22t Max
Salient Pole 40
Synchronous 30
Cylindrical Rotor
Indirectly Cooled 20
Directly Cooled, to 800 MVA 10
Directly Cooled, 801 to 1600 MVA→

This table shows the unbalanced fault short-time capability of generators with different
rotor constructions. The capacity is given by the following well-known expression:
I2 t = K2

It is usual in this equation to have the current and the thermal capability constant, K2,
in per unit.

For the cylindrical rotor in directly cooled generators above 800 MVA, the unbalanced
current capability is reduced, as shown on the next page.

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Negative-Sequence Capability
Short Time
I 22t = K 2
I22t = 10
10

I22t = 10 - 0.00625 • (MVA - 800)

I22t Capability

400 800 1200 1600

Generator MVA Rating

Directly Cooled Cylindrical Rotor

The plot shows the capability constant, K2 , for directly cooled machines with a rated
capacity greater than 800 MVA.

For example, to determine the thermal capability constant for a 1200 MVA machine, we
use the following formula:

K2 = 10 - (0.00625)(1200-800) = 7.5

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Example of a Negative-Sequence
Short-Time Damage Curve
1
10

I 22t = K 2 = 10 ( p.u .)2 ⋅ s

0
10

-1
10
For a 13.8 kV,
Damage Time in Seconds

-2
68.9 MVA Generator
10

-3
10

-4
10

-5
10
3 4 5 6
10 10 10 10
Negative Sequence current in Amps

As indicated previously, the constant is given in per unit. Thus, I2 is in per unit for the
rated machine current.

For example, a 13.8 kV, 68.9 MVA machine with K2=10, will actually have a time vs I2
curve as follows:

t = K2/I2 = 10/(I2[amps]/Irated[amps])2 seconds

For the machine in this example, the rated current is:

Irated = (68.9) (1000)/((1.7321)(13.8)) amps = 2882.5 amps

The damage time in seconds is:

t = (8.3 x 107)/(I2[amps])2

The curve is shown above.

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Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Negative-Sequence Overcurrent
10000
Time
DIal =
100
1000
50
30
100 10
Operating Time Pick
(seconds) up 5
min = 2% 2
10

0.1

0.01
1% 10% 100% 1000% 10000%
DWG: M300G150

I2 (Percent of Inom)

It is common practice to provide generator protection for external, unbalanced

conditions that might damage the machine.

Modern microprocessor relays are capable of detecting negative-sequence currents as

low as the continuous capability of a generator.

This plot shows the typical characteristics of such protection. The minimum pickup can
be set to 2 percent of the generator nominal current.

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Negative-Sequence Overcurrent
Protection
10000.00

1000.00

100.00
TIME (Seconds)

Protective Relay
10.00
Capability

1.00

0.10

0.01
1.00 10.00 100.00 1000.00 10000.00
NEGATIVE SEQUENCE CURRENT (%)

Generator protection with a continuous negative-sequence capability of 8 percent and a

short-time capability of 10 is shown in the diagram.

The protective relay should be set just below these limits to provide the best protection
for unbalanced currents. A very low-level definite-time alarm set to pick up around 3
percent with a 60-second time delay will warn the operator of unbalanced currents
caused by an open conductor.

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Unbalanced Current Tripping

Minimum Requirements
Trip Main Generator Breakers
Field
64 Ex.
Wdg. High-
GENERATOR Voltage
Bus

63
50/ 50G
87G 32 24 51
49
46
40 27 50N/
51N 87T
21 78 81 Service Transformer

51V 59

87

Excessive unbalanced current will result in equipment failure and should be treated as a
severe electrical problem.

The main generator breakers should be tripped for excessive unbalanced currents.

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Generator Over/Under
Frequency

Source: IEEE Std C37.102-1987

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Prime Mover Under/Overfrequency

Concerns

z Problem for Steam and Gas Turbines

z Turbine Blades Designed For Rated
Frequency
z Off-Nominal Frequency Causes
Turbine Blades to Resonate
z Stresses Cause Blades to Fatigue

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Under/Overfrequency Causes

z Underfrequency Caused by Loss of

Generation or Importing Intertie
z Overfrequency Caused by Loss of
Load or Exporting Intertie
 The machine governor takes control

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Steam Turbine Off-Frequency

Operating Limitations

60 Continuous
Frequency (Hz)

59
Restricted
58

57
Prohibited

0.001 0.01 0.10 1.0 10.0 100.0

Time (Minutes)
8362

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Underfrequency Protection

z IEEE C37.106 Standard “Scheme 2”

 Alarm at 59.5 Hz with 1.5-sec. delay
 Trip at 58.5 Hz with 3.5-min. delay
 Trip at 57.0 Hz with 1-sec. delay

z Unit Must be On-Line for Trip to Occur

z Protection Must Be Coordinated with Load-
Shedding Schemes

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Underfrequency Protection

z IEEE C37.106 Standard “Scheme 1”

 Alarm at 59.5 Hz with 1.5-sec. delay
 Trip after 60 minutes of accumulated time
between 59.5 Hz and 58.6 Hz
 Trip after 6 minutes of accumulated time
between 58.6 Hz and 57.6 Hz
 Trip after 8 seconds of accumulated time
between 57.6 Hz and 56.8 Hz
 Trip at 1 second of accumulated time < 56.8
Hz

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Under/Over Frequency Tripping

Minimum Requirements
z Trip Generator Main Breakers

Field
64 Ex.
Wdg. High-
GENERATOR Voltage
Bus

63
50/ 50G
87G 32 24 51
49
46
40 27 50N/
51N 87T
21 78 81 Service Transformer

51V 59

87

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Generator Breaker Failure

z Local Breaker Failure Required

z Similar to Transmission
z Must Consider Bus Arrangement

If the circuit breaker of a generator or a generator-transformer group fails to respond to a

trip order coming from one of the generator protective relays, the local backup circuit
breakers must be automatically opened to clear the fault that originally caused the
operation of the protection devices. Breaker failure protection provides such automatic
opening of breakers to clear faults.

Basically, a breaker failure relay (50BF) is a definite time-overcurrent device whose

operation is initiated by the main protection (the same that trips the main circuit
breaker). If the overcurrent and the trip order persist beyond a certain time (for example
0.2 seconds) the main breaker is considered to have failed and the 50BF issues a trip
over all the local backup circuit breakers.

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Breaker Failure
Straight Bus

1 3

2 4

For a straight bus, if Breaker 1 is called upon to trip and does not, the breaker failure
scheme must open Breakers 2, 3, and 4.

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Breaker Failure
Ring Bus

1 3

2 4

For a ring bus, only one additional breaker at the station needs to be tripped. With this
scheme, if a fault occurs in the generator on the left, the protection will issue a trip signal
to Breakers 1 and 2.

If Breaker 1 fails to operate, the associated breaker failure scheme should trip Breakers 2
and 3.

Additionally, the breaker failure scheme should also send a direct transfer trip signal to
the remote terminal of the line terminating between Breakers 1 and 3.

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Breaker Failure
Breaker and a Half

1 2 3

In the case of a breaker-and-a-half arrangement, the breaker failure scheme depends on

the breaker involved. In the scheme above, if there is a fault in the generator, the
protection will issue a trip to Breakers 1 and 2.

If Breaker 1 fails to operate, the breaker failure scheme should trip Breakers 2, 4, and
any additional breakers that are connected to the left bus. If Breaker 2 fails to operate,
the breaker failure scheme should trip Breakers 1 and 3.

The scheme should also send a direct transfer transfer trip signal to the remote terminal
of the line terminating between Breakers 2 and 3.

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Breaker Failure Protection

System Logic

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Basic Scheme

62
Relay Trip A 62PU
AND
OR BF Trip
50 0

IA

B-Phase Logic
C-Phase Logic

This logic diagram shows the basic breaker failure scheme logic. The basic scheme is for
a single-bus, single-breaker arrangement. During a fault, the 50 element and the line
protective relay assert. The AND output goes high and the 62 timer starts. If the trip
input and 50 element both remain asserted until the timer expires, a breaker failure is
declared.

The scheme resets when either element drops out.

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Multi-Breaker Scheme

62
62PU
Relay Trip A
0 AND
OR BF Trip

50

IA

B-Phase Logic
C-Phase Logic

This scheme is recommended for single breaker, breaker-and-a-half, and ring-bus

arrangements. In a complex bus arrangement, each breaker must have an associated
timer or timers.

When the trip input is asserted, the 62 pickup timer starts. If the 50 element is asserted
when the 62 timer expires, the scheme declares a breaker failure. If the trip input is de-
asserted before the 62 timer expires, the timer resets. In this scheme, timing begins with
the trip command. In the previous scheme, timing does not begin until the 50 element
also asserts.

In a breaker-and-a-half or ring-bus application, the 50 element for one breaker may not
assert until the companion breaker opens. In those instances, this scheme will reduce
overall breaker failure clearing time.

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Scheme “A”

62 Timeout (Timeout = 0 - Switch Open;

62 Timeout = 1 - Switch Closed)
62PU
Relay Trip A
1 CY
50

IA BF Trip
OR
Switch

B-Phase Logic
C-Phase Logic

Scheme A is intended for use in single-breaker, ring-bus, or breaker-and-a-half

installations.

When the relay trip input is asserted, the 62 pickup timer starts. After the pickup time
elapses, the 62 timer output asserts and closes the switch. The timer output remains
asserted for one cycle. The scheme declares a breaker failure if the 50 element asserts
during the one-cycle window. This scheme was invented to eliminate problems with
slow dropout of the fault detector in non-numerical relay designs.

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Typical Timing, Multi-Breaker Scheme

Fault Normal
Operation
Trip Input
Protective
Relay
Operate
Time
Breaker
50 Asserts 50 Safety
Interrupt
Reset Margin
Time

t
62 Timer

Trip Input
Remains Asserted
Breaker
Failure
Operation

This is a typical breaker failure timing diagram for the logic described as a multi-breaker
scheme logic. In this logic, the protective relay BFI (Breaker Failure Initiate) logic is
solely responsible for starting the timer. The 50 element supervises the timer output.
Protective relay dropout can stop the timer, but the protective relay reset time may be
slow. This can cause the timer to continue timing after the fault clears. The 50 element
has two purposes: to provide independent confirmation that a fault is occurring and to
provide a fast reset characteristic to prevent tripping.

If the 50 element is asserted when the timer expires, the scheme declares a breaker
failure and backup tripping occurs. Thus, for normal operation, the timer setting must be
longer than the worst case breaker interrupt time plus the dropout time of the 50 element.
The time remaining is called the safety margin.

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Subsidence Current

Schemes for detecting breaker failure to clear a fault must be able to detect as quickly as
possible not only the pickup but also the dropout of fault-detecting overcurrent elements.
Half-cosine filtering is often used to accelerate the detection of element pickup and
dropout. However, a phenomenon known as CT subsidence current can delay dropout
detection. This current may appear as a small, exponentially decaying dc current with a
fairly long time constant.

The effect of this current upon the half-cosine filter may be to create artificial phasor
magnitudes large enough to prevent the filter from properly detecting interruption of
primary ac current. This failure to detect interruption of the primary ac current may
delay detection of overcurrent element dropout by some fraction of a cycle. As a result,
the breaker failure logic must use longer time coordination intervals to preserve security.

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Fault Current Magnitude

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Inadvertent Energization

z Operating Errors
z Breaker Flashover
z Control Circuit

When a generator coasts to a stop, or is off-line while on a turning gear, it will act as an
induction motor if energized accidentally.

Such inadvertent energization can cause damage within a few seconds to the generator
and generator turbine. The costs associated with such damage can be substantial, in
both repair costs and replacement power costs.

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Inadvertent Energization
Operating Errors

1 2 3

When generators are tied into a breaker-and-a-half or ring bus, operating flexibility
increases. However, such schemes also increase the opportunity for an operating error
that results in accidental energization of the generator.

The operating flexibility from a breaker-and-a-half or ring bus configuration allows a

breaker to be removed from service for maintenance while the generator remains online.
When the generator is taken offline, the breakers are generally returned to service to
complete a row or complete the ring. In such cases, a disconnect switch isolates the
generator. Control schemes must be designed carefully to prevent closing the disconnect
switch at inappropriate times.

To compound the issue, when the generator is taken offline, some protection may also
be removed from service for maintenance.

Although not shown above, a generator can also be energized accidentally through an
auxiliary system.

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Inadvertent Energization
Breaker Flashover

z Either
 Just Prior to Synchronizing
 Just After Removal

z Voltage May Be Two PU

z Unbalanced Currents

Severe dielectric stress can occur in high-speed breakers that have close spacing
between contacts. The likelihood of flashover is greatest just prior to synchronization or
just after the breaker opens.

At these times, there can be as much as two per-unit voltage across the breaker contacts
as the unit slips in comparison to the system. When a flashover occurs, it involves
generally one or two poles, resulting in a significant flow of unbalanced current. This is
a type of breaker fault that must be detected and isolated quickly.

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Inadvertent Energization
Generator Protection

z Loss of Field
z Reverse Power
z Negative-Sequence
z Breaker Failure
z System Backup

Listed are several protection devices, or schemes, that can be used to detect the
inadvertent energization of a generator.

A key point is that protection for inadvertent energization needs to be in service when
the generator is out of service. Application of normal protection is directly opposite.
Before you can relay upon this protection for inadvertent energization, you must take
into consideration all standard operating practices. For example, if you use a 52a
contact to enable protection, that protection will be unable to detect an inadvertent
energization.

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Inadvertent Energization

z Loss of Field
 Voltage dependent
 Often enabled by 52a

z Reverse Power
 Voltage dependent
 Slow

Loss-of-field protection needs voltage information from instrument transformers.

Therefore, if an operating practice removes the VT source, the protection will not detect
an inadvertent energization condition. Likewise, loss-of-field protection is often
controlled by a 52a contact, which will prevent the loss-of-field protection scheme from
detecting an inadvertent energization condition.

Reverse power relays are generally sensitive enough to detect inadvertent energization
of a generator. However, the time delay is generally too long to prevent damage
resulting from unbalanced currents that occur because of a breaker flashover. Reverse
power relays are also under the same operating constraint as loss-of-field relays. That is,
these relays also require a VT source.

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Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Inadvertent Energization

z Negative-Sequence Relay
 May be sensitive enough to detect
 Often enabled by 52a

z Breaker-Failure Relay
 Depends on BFI
 Fault detector may be sensitive enough
to operate

Negative-sequence relays may be set with enough sensitivity to detect an inadvertent

energization condition that results in unbalanced currents. These relays may be
supervised by a 52a contact, which will prevent the relays from operating during
inadvertent energization.

Breaker failure relaying may be able to operate during an inadvertent energization

condition if the fault detector is sensitive enough. However, breaker failure relaying
relies on an initiate signal from another protective device.

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Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Inadvertent Energization

z System Backup
 May be sensitive enough to detect
 May be voltage-dependent
 Slow

System backup relaying will generally be sensitive enough to detect three-phase

inadvertent energization, but such relaying may not detect unbalanced energization.
Depending on the type of system backup, a relay may require a voltage source and is,
therefore, constrained by the same operating conditions as loss-of-field and reverse-
power relaying.

Because system backup relaying is strictly for backup, the time delay for this relaying
may be too long to prevent generator damage. If the time delay is shortened to prevent
generator damage resulting from inadvertent energization, the system backup relay can
misoperate because of a lack of time coordination with the devices for which it is
providing backup.

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 Generation System Protection – PROT 409
Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Inadvertent Energization
Dedicated Protection

z Frequency Supervised O/C

z Voltage-Supervised O/C
z Directional O/C
z Impedance

When a unit is taken offline, the frequency declines and the output for the underfrequency
relay asserts. The output will stay closed until the unit operates at the system frequency
again. The output contact of a sensitively set overcurrent relay can be placed in series
with the output of the underfrequency relay. During an inadvertent energization
condition, the operation of the overcurrent relay can be used to isolate the generator.

Likewise, undervoltage relays can also be used to supervise a sensitively set overcurrent
relay.

A directional overcurrent relay can also be used. However, the directional characteristics
should be chosen carefully so that the underexcited loading capability of the generator is
not compromised.

The overcurrent elements should be checked to ensure that the thermal limits for these
elements are not exceeded during periods of maximum generation.

An impedance relay can be placed in the switchyard to look into the generator and
provide protection for inadvertent energization conditions. You should perform a
thorough stability study to ensure that the relay will not operate during stable power
swings.

Because these solutions require a voltage source, you must examine operating practices.
You may find it necessary to use a separate voltage supply for the inadvertent
energization protection.

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 Generation System Protection – PROT 409
Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Synchronizing

z Magnitude Comparison
z Phase Comparison
z Frequency Comparison

When connecting a generator to the system, take care that you avoid damage to the
generator. The conditions you must meet to avoid generator damage are:

1) The magnitude of the system voltage and the generator voltage must be
equal.

2) The generator voltage must be in phase with the system voltage.

3) The frequency of the system and the generator must be equal.

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 Generation System Protection – PROT 409
Section 15 - Other Generator Protection

Synchronizing

z Automatic
z Manual
z Synchronizing Check

An automatic synchronizing system senses system conditions and issues signals to the
generator controls to alter generator behavior to establish synchronizing conditions.
When the the system meets all necessary conditions, the system issues a close signal to
the generator breaker. The system may also consider the breaker operating time in the
issuance of the close signal.

Manual synchronization is performed by an operator who issues signals to the generator

control to establish the conditions necessary for synchronization. Generally, the operator
is observing a synchroscope and other devices, such as meters or lamps, to determine
when the proper conditions are satisfied.

Synchronism-check relays do not assist in the synchronization of a generator. Rather, they

only prevent closing of the breaker if conditions are outside the limits for the breaker.
These relays often provide supervision for manual synchronization.

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