Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

Topic 7

Synchronous Generator-Load Sharing upon Parallel Operation

Load sharing upon parallel operation

Total real and reactive power delivered to the load connected across the common bus bars are shared
among the synchronous generators operating in parallel based on the following factors.
Prime mover characteristic
Prime mover input level
Excitation level
Synchronous impedance

Prime mover characteristic

Prime mover characteristic (governor characteristic) of a synchronous generator is the graph showing
its frequency (or speed) variation with respect to the real power shared by it. Hence the real power
shared by each synchronous generator operating in parallel shall be the real power corresponding to
the grid frequency as per its prime mover characteristic. A few examples shown below illustrate the
real power sharing between two machines as per their prime mover characteristics.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

Examples
1. The governor characteristics of two 300kVA alternators show that the frequency drops uniformly
from 50Hz on no load to 48Hz on full load in the case of the first machine and from 50Hz on no
load to 48.5Hz on full load in the case of the second machine. How will those two machines share
a load of 400kW at unity power factor and what will be the maximum load at upf that can be
delivered by the two machines without overloading either of the two, when they operate in parallel?

For machine 1, P1 = 300 (50-f)/ (50-48) and For machine 2, P2 = 300 (50-f)/ (50-48.5).

P1 + P2 = 400kW. Hence, f = 48.857Hz, P1 = 171.45kW and P2 = 228.55kW.

Maximum load will be at 48.5Hz when P2 = 300kW.

For f = 48.5Hz, P1 = 225kW and Pmax = P1 + P2 = 525kW.

Prime mover input level

The effect of change in prime mover input (or fuel supply) on Load sharing between two synchronous
generators is discussed here with reference to the phasor diagram for two identical generators
operating in parallel. It is assumed that the two generators share the total load equally prior to an
increase in the prime mover input of generator 1. The phasor diagram and the power triangle shown in
(a) and (b) below correspond to that initial stage of operation. All relevant quantities corresponding to
generators 1 and 2 are indicated therein with double suffix notation where the first suffix corresponds
to the machine numbers 1 and 2 while the second suffix corresponds to the operating points 0 and 1.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

As and when the prime mover input to generator 1 is increased, its emf phasor E11 takes a leading
direction as shown in (c). This causes a resultant emf Er and a circulating current Ic1 flowing from
generator 1 to generator 2. Phasor Er takes almost a vertical direction while phasor Ic1 lags Er almost
by 90º, since Zs is made to be highly inductive. Hence Ic1 causes the active component of I1 to increase
and that of I2 to decrease. Thus an increase in the prime mover input to generator 1 causes the real
power shared by it to increase and the real power shared by generator 2 to decrease correspondingly
as shown (d). The change in reactive power sharing is not at all appreciable here. In addition to the
changes listed along with the phasor diagrams, the frequency of the bus bar voltage will also show a
slight increase here.

Similarly, a decrease in prime mover input to any one of the generators will cause the real power
share of that generator to decrease and the real power share of other generator to increase
correspondingly, followed by a slight decrease in the frequency of the bus bar voltage.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

Excitation level
The effect of change in excitation (field current) on Load sharing between two synchronous generators
also is discussed here with reference to the phasor diagram for two identical generators operating in
parallel. It is assumed that the two generators share the total load equally prior to a decrease in
excitation of generator 1. The phasor diagram and the power triangle shown in (a) and (b) above
correspond to that initial stage of operation. All relevant quantities corresponding to generators 1 and 2
are indicated therein with double suffix notation where the first suffix corresponds to the machine
numbers 1 and 2 while the second suffix corresponds to the operating points 0 and 1.

As and when the excitation of generator 1 is decreased, the magnitude of its emf gets decreased as
shown by phasor E11 in (e). This causes a resultant emf Er and a circulating current Ic2 flowing from
generator 2 to generator 1. Phasor Er takes almost a horizontal direction while phasor Ic2 lags Er
almost by 90º, since Zs is made to be highly inductive. Hence Ic2 causes the reactive component of I2
to increase and that of I1 to decrease. Thus a decrease in excitation of generator 1 causes the reactive
power shared by it to decrease and the reactive power shared by generator 2 to increase
correspondingly as shown in (f). The change in real power sharing is not at all appreciable here. In
addition to the changes listed along with the phasor diagrams, the bus bar voltage will also show a
slight decrease here.

(e) Decrease in excitation of G1 (f) Change in load sharing

Similarly, an increase in excitation of any one of the generators will cause the reactive power share of
that generator to increase and the reactive power share of other generator to decrease
correspondingly, followed by a slight increase in the bus bar voltage.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

Active and reactive power control

Above discussion clearly reveals that the active power control is to be achieved by way of changing
the prime mover input to the generators while the reactive power control is to be achieved by way of
changing the excitation of the generators in a suitable fashion.

Synchronous impedance
Two generators operating in parallel for supplying power to a load are considered here. Let their
generated emfs be E1 and E2 and synchronous impedances be Zs1 and Zs2 respectively as shown
below.

Taking the terminal voltage as V, their current shares as I1 and I2 respectively and the load current as
IL when the load impedance is ZL, IL = I1 + I2, V = IL ZL, E1 = V + I1 Zs1 and E2 = V + I2 Zs2.
On substitution for V and IL,

E1 = (I1 + I2) ZL + I1 Zs1 and E2 = (I1 + I2) ZL + I2 Zs2.

Hence,

E1 = (ZL + Zs1) I1 + ZL I2 and E2 = ZL I1 + (ZL + Zs2) I2.

Multiplying LHS and RHS with relevant terms,

E1 ZL = (ZL + Zs1) ZL I1 + ZL2 I2 and

E2 (ZL + Zs1) = (ZL + Zs1) ZL I1 + (ZL + Zs2) (ZL + Zs1) I2.

Then, E2 Zs1 + (E2 - E1) ZL = (ZL + Zs2) (ZL + Zs1) I2 - ZL2 I2 = [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL] I2

Or, I2 = [E2 Zs1 + (E2 - E1) ZL]/ [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL]

Similarly, I1 = [E1 Zs2 + (E1 - E2) ZL]/ [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL]

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

Then, IL = I1 + I2 = [E1 Zs2 + E2 Zs1]/ [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL] and

V = IL ZL = [(E1 Zs2 + E2 Zs1) ZL]/ [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL]

= [(E1/Zs1) + (E2/Zs2)]/ [(1/ZL) + (1/Zs1) + (1/Zs2)]

When there are n generators operating in parallel, V becomes

V = [(E1/Zs1) + (E2/Zs2) + …….. + (En/Zsn)]/ [(1/ZL) + (1/Zs1) + (1/Zs2) + …….. + (1/Zsn)]

Examples
2. Two generators operate in parallel to supply (i) a lighting load of 2000kW and (ii) motor loads
aggregating to 6000kW at a power factor of 0.707. If one of them is loaded to 3600kW at a power
factor of 0.8 lagging, find the power delivered by the second generator and its power factor.
Lighting load:
Pl = 2000kW, Cos ∅l = 1
ISlI = 2000/1 = 2000kVA, Sl = (2000 + j 0)kVA
Motor load:
Pm = 6000kW, Cos ∅m = 0.707 lagging, ∅m = 45º
ISmI = 6000/0.707 = 8486.56kVA, Sm = 8486.56∠45º = (6000 + j 6000)kVA
Total load:
St = Sl + Sm = (2000 + j 0) + (6000 + j 6000) = (8000 + j 6000)kVA
Generator 1:
P1 = 3600kW, Cos ∅1 = 0.8 lagging, ∅1 = 36.87º
IS1I = 3600/0.8 = 4500kVA, S1 = 4500∠36.87º = (3600 + j 2700)kVA
Generator 2:
S2 = St - S1 = (8000 + j 6000) - (3600 + j 2700) = (4400 + j 3300) = 5500∠36.87ºkVA
P2 = 4400kW, Q2 = 3300kVAR, (power factor)2 = 0.8 lagging.

3. Two generators operate in parallel to deliver a total real power of 1800kW at 11kV and a power
factor of 0.85 lagging, sharing it equally. If the excitation of one generator is then increased such
that its line current becomes 60A lagging, find (i) the line current delivered by the second generator
and (ii) the real and reactive power delivered by each generator.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

PL = 1800kW, IVLI = 11kV, Cos ∅L = 0.85 lagging

IILI = 1800000/ (√3 x 11000 x 0.85) = 111.15A

IL = 111.15 (0.85 - j 0.527) = (94.478 - j 58.576)A
I11 = I21 = IL/2 = (47.239 - j 29.288)A
Since the prime mover input is unaltered, the active component of current remains the same.
2 0.5 0.5
Ia12 = Ia11 = 47.239A, Ir12 = (II12I - Ia122) = (602 - 47.2392) = 36.993A
I12 = (47.239 - j 36.993)A
I22 = IL - I12 = (94.478 - j 58.576) - (47.239 - j 36.993) = (47.239 - j 21.583) = 51.936∠-24.56ºA
IVI = 11000/ √3 = 6350.85V
*
S12 = 3 V I12 = 3 (6350.85 + j 0) (47.239 + j 36.993) = (900 + j 704.811)kVA

P12 = 900kW, Q12 = 704.811kVAR.

*
S22 = 3 V I22 = 3 (6350.85 + j 0) (47.239 + j 21.583) = (900 + j 411.211)kVA

P22 = 900kW, Q22 = 411.211kVAR.

4. Two generators operate in parallel to supply a load of 12MW at a power factor of 0.8 lagging. (i) If
the prime mover input and the excitation of one generator are adjusted such that its power output
is 7MW at a power factor of 0.9 lagging, find the power factor of the second generator. (ii) If the
prime mover input is left unchanged and the excitation of second generator is reduced so that its
new power factor becomes 0.9 leading, find the new power factor of the first generator.
PL = 12MW, Cos ∅L = 0.8 lagging
ISLI = 12/0.8= 15MVA, SL = (12 + j 9)MVA

P11 = 7MW, Cos ∅m11 = 0.9 lagging

IS11I = 7/0.9 = 7.778MVA, S11 = (7 + j 3.39)MVA
S21 = SL - S11 = (12 + j 9) - (7 + j 3.39) = (5 + j 5.61) = 7.515∠48.29ºMVA
P21 = 5MW, Q21 = 5.61MVAR, (power factor)21 = 0.665 lagging.

P22 = P21 = 5MW, Cos ∅m22 = 0.9 leading

IS22I = 5/0.9 = 5.556MVA, S22 = (5 - j 2.422)MVA
S12 = SL - S22 = (12 + j 9) - (5 - j 2.422) = (7 + j 11.422) = 13.396∠58.498ºMVA
P12 = 7MW, Q12 = 11.422MVAR, (power factor)12 = 0.523 lagging.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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Course: EE2013E ELECTRICAL MACHINES II Semester: Winter/ 2024-’25

5. Two synchronous generators, the impedances of which are Zs1 = (0.2+j3.6) and Zs2 = (0.4+j6.4)
have a per phase generated emf of 2000V. For a phase divergence of 10º electrical, find the
terminal voltage, load current and power outputs of the generators when they supply a load with an
impedance of (4+j3) per phase.

IE1I = IE2I = 2000V, Zs1 = (0.2 + j 3.6), Zs2 = (0.4 + j 6.4), ZL = (4 + j 3)
Since the phase divergence is given as 10º electrical, E1 = IE1I∠0º and E2 = IE2I∠-10º

I1 = [E1 Zs2 + (E1 - E2) ZL]/ [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL] = (141.472 - j 157.911)A

I2 = [E2 Zs1 + (E2 - E1) ZL]/ [Zs1 Zs2 + (Zs1 + Zs2) ZL] = (25.783 - j 86.886)A

IL = I1 + I2 = (167.255 - j 244.797) = 296.479∠-55.658ºA

V = IL ZL = (1403.411 - j 477.423) = 1482.395∠-18.788ºV
*
S1 = 3 VI1 = 3 (1403.411 - j 477.423) (141.472 + j 157.911) = (819.2 + j 463.6) = 941.3∠29.51ºkVA

P1 = 819.2kW, Q1 = 463.6kVAR, (power factor)1 = 0.87 lagging.

*
S2 = 3 VI2 = 3 (1403.411 - j 477.423) (25.783 + j 86.866) = (231.7 + j 329.4) = 402.8∠54.88ºkVA

P2 = 231.7kW, Q2 = 329.4kVAR, (power factor)2 = 0.575 lagging.

SL = S1 + S2 = (819.2 + j 463.6) + (231.7 + j 329.4) = (1050.9 + j 793.0) = 1316.6∠37.04ºkVA
PL = 1050.9kW, QL = 793.0kVAR, (power factor)L = 0.8 lagging.

P Ananthakrishnan, EED, NIT Calicut

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