Electric Machines and Power Systems, 28:663–675, 2000

C opyright s c 2000 Taylor & Francis

0731-356X / 00 $12.00 + .00

EŒects of Synchronous M achine Saturation,

Circuit Parameters, and Control Systems
on Transient Stability

NARAYAN C. KAR
TOSHIAKI MURATA
JUNJI TAMURA
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Kitami Institute of Technology
Koen-cho 165, Kitami
090-8507 JAPAN

The eŒects of synchronous machine iron saturation, circuit parameters, and

control systems on the power system transient stability phenomena are pre-
sented in this paper. EŒect of saturation is considered to be very important on
the power system steady-state and transient performances when it is required to
calculate the power system stability characteristics accurately. For solid round
rotor body synchronous machines, saturation eŒects are signiŽcant in both d-
and q-axis, and because of this nonlinearity, the d- and q-axis magnetizing re-
actances are depressed to a considerable degree from their unsaturated values
under both steady-state and transient operations. The system stability perfor-
mance is also greatly inuenced by the machine control system and damper
circuit parameter variations.

K eywords synchronous machine, d- and q-axis equivalent circuits, satura-

tion, critical clearing time, transient stability

1 Introduction
In [1] we have presented the eŒects of magnetic saturation, circuit parameters,
and control systems on the power system steady-state stability phenomena. The
saturated synchronous machine reactances are smaller than the unsaturated re-
actances, and the steady-state stability limit computed with control systems ne-
glected is smaller than the stability limit with control systems present [1]. The
term “ saliency” is used for all types of synchronous machines (round-rotor and
salient-pole) in which the electromagnetic parameters are signiŽcantly diŒerent in
the direct and quadrature axes because of the presence of the Želd winding on the
d -axis only. It has also been shown in [1] that the eŒect of saturation is much more
important than that of the saliency. The value of the saturated reactance varies with
the saturation. Several methods of Žnding the values of the synchronous machine d-
and q -axis saturated reactances have been advanced by various writers [2–8]. These
methods diŒer in their simplicity and in their accuracy. The importance of con-

Address correspondence to Dr. Narayan C. Kar.

Manuscript received in the Žnal form September 23, 1999.

663
664 Kar et al.

sidering magnetic saturation, circuit parameters, and control systems on the power
system transient stability is presented in this paper. Transient stability is the ability
of the power system to maintain synchronism when subjected to a severe transient
disturbance. A power system is transiently stable for a particular steady-state oper-
ating condition and for a particular large disturbance if, following the disturbance,
it reaches an acceptable steady-state operating condition. The resulting system re-
sponse involves large excursions of generator rotor angles and is inuenced by the
nonlinear power-angle relationship. A conventional transient stability measure of
the system robustness to withstand a large disturbance is its corresponding criti-
cal clearing time (CCT )—the maximum time between the fault initiation and its
clearing such that the power system is transiently stable. To understand the eŒects
of synchronous machine iron saturation, circuit parameters, and control systems on
the system critical clearing time, the following four diŒerent synchronous machine
model systems have been used:
M odel 1: no control system and no saturation
M odel 2: with control system and no saturation
M odel 3: no control system and with saturation
M odel 4: with control systems and with saturation

Steady-state stability depends on both the generator control systems and satura-
tion. It is our objective to investigate the inuences of the control systems and
saturation on the system transient stability as a function of the damper circuit
parameters. We will consider an IEEE3.3 detailed synchronous machine model [9].
The transient stability model, as described in reference [2], has been used for anal-
ysis. The control systems and saturation functions used in steady-state stability
studies have also been used here in transient analysis [1].

2 Synchronous M achine Transient Stability M odel

2.1 Synchronous M achine M odel
Development of the mathematical models for the diŒerent components of a power
system is required for studying transient stability problem. Power systems are inher-
ently nonlinear because of the nonlinearities associated with the generator magnetic
circuit. The performance of a power system is highly aŒected by these nonlinear-
ities. Transient stability studies also involve analysis of the dynamics associated
with the machine rotor during the transient period. The diŒerential equation de-
scribing this motion is called the swing equation because of the swinging nature,
under disturbed conditions, of the rotor angle (with time) measured with respect to
an arbitrary synchronously rotating reference frame. The generator swing equation
which describes the motion of the rotor is of primary importance for any stabil-
ity calculations. Expressions for generator electrical power output and developed
torque are required to solve the swing equation. We then need to calculate the
changes in various rotor ux linkages. In practical power system simulations, the
time derivative terms of the ux linkages and the variation in the rotor speed are
often neglected in stator circuit equations. d = q -Axis model of a synchronous ma-
chine is widely used in transient stability programs. A synchronous machine model,
described in reference [2], has been used in this paper to study the basic nature
of the transient stablity phenomena. The machine model is an IEEE3.3 model [9],
 Transient Stability 665

Figure 1. Single generator-inŽnite bus system.

and hence, it has a Želd winding and two damper windings in the d -axis and three
damper windings in the q -axis. Numerical analysis has been performed on a sin-
gle generator inŽnite bus system connected through a double circuit transmission
line, as shown in Figure 1 and Table 1. The owchart in Figure 2 describes the
structure of the transient stability program. First the initial values of generator
terminal quantities and damper circuit ux linkages are calculated; however, this
is a repeated process because the q -axis synchronous reactance, X q , depends on
saturation. The owchart of reference [1] describes the procedure to calculate the
initial values, such as generator load angle, damper circuit ux linkages, magnetiz-
ing currents, etc. During switching ( i.e., fault occurence, circuit breaker opening,
and circuit breaker reclosing), the network parameters should be modiŽed. Auxil-
iary currents [2], which represent saturation level have been used as a convergence
criterion. For an unsaturated generator, auxiliary current is zero, and this current
increases as the machine becomes more and more saturated. Then we can determine
the power system transient stability characteristics as described in the owchart for
the above-mentioned four models.

2.2 M agnetic Saturation

It has been observed that the values of the magnetizing reactances in both the
d - and q -axis are depressed signiŽcantly from their unsaturated values as a re-
sult of nonlinearities introduced by synchronous machine saturation under both
steady-state and transient operation. EŒect of machine saturation is considered
to be very important on the power system steady-state and transient performances
when it is required to calculate the power system stability characteristics accurately.
Synchronous machine saturates extremely under normal operating conditions. For
round rotor body synchronous machines, experience has shown that the q -axis sat-

Table 1
System parameters

Parameter PU value

Active power output, P 0.90

Terminal voltage, V T 1.00
InŽnite bus voltage, V B 1.00
Transmission line resistance, R 0.01
Transmission line reactance, X 0.10
Transformer reactance, X t r 0.10
666 Kar et al.

Figure 2. Simulation owchart.

urates appreciably more than that of the d -axis because of the presence of the rotor
teeth in the magnetic path of the q -axis. The eŒect of saturation in synchronous
machine analysis is represented by varying the magnetizing reactances X m d and
X m q . In most of the mathematical analyses, it has been assumed for convenience
that even after the machine saturates, the leakage ux will not change signiŽcantly,
(i.e., the leakage ux will remain approximately linear functions of their respective
currents). To simulate synchronous machine saturation, the d - and q -axis saturation

Figure 3. Saturation characteristics for the d- and q -axis.

 Transient Stability 667

Figure 4. AVR and governor systems.

characteristics described in [1] have also been used in this paper and are presented
in Figure 3.

2.3 Control Systems

The automatic voltage regulator (AVR ) and governor systems raised the steady-
state stability appreciably above that obtainable without these control systems [1].
To observe its eŒect on the power system transient stability, we have used the same
AVR and governor control systems described in reference [1]; these systems are
presented in Figure 4 for convenience.

3 Numerical A nalysis
3.1 Simulation Procedure
Figure 1 shows a single-line diagram in which a generator is connected to an inŽ-
nite bus system through a double-circuit transmission line. The generator node is
a PV node, and the inŽnite bus voltage has been assumed to be the reference bus
voltage. The transmission system parameters are presented in Table 1. Nanticoke
generator detailed model parameters have been used for numerical analysis [10] and
are presented in Table 2. The governor and AVR gains K 1 and K 2 are 25 and 20,
respectively, and time constants T g and T a v r are 2.0 and 0.5 seconds, respectively.
To simulate saturation in the synchronous machine, Žfth-degree polynomials have
been used for the d - and q -axis saturation characteristics described in Figure 3.
We have used 0.00169 pu for r a [2]. A three-phase short circuit at the sending end
of line 2 has been simulated. The fault occurs at t = 0 .0833 seconds (5 cycles),
then disconnecting the line at t = (0 .0833 + FCT ) seconds (where FCT is the
fault clearing time) and Žnally reclosing it at t = 1.0 seconds (for a 60 Hz system).
The removal of a faulted element requires a protective relaying system to detect
that a fault has occurred and to initiate the opening of circuit breakers, which will
isolate the faulted element from the system. The total fault clearing time is, there-
fore, made up of the relay time and the breaker interrupting time. For numerical
integration, 4th-order Runge-Kutta method has been used, and the time step for
simulation is 1/ 600 seconds. Then we can determine the power system transient
stability characteristics for the above-mentioned four diŒerent models.
668 Kar et al.

Table 2
Generator parameters

Parameter PU value Parameter PU value

X1 0.172 X k q1 1.4475
H ( rad ) 1,319.47 R k q2 2.342
Rf d 0.0969 X k q2 0.056
Xf d 0.2785 R k q3 0.0017
R k d1 0.013 X k q3 0.4064
X k d1 5.182 Xmd 2.152
R k d2 0.00083 Xmd 2.057
X k d2 0.0369 X f k d1 0.0403
R k q1 0.00433 X f k d2 0.0

3.2 Numerical Results

To observe the eŒect of the variation in rotor circuit parameters on system transient
stability performance, we have varied the parameters from 70% to 130% of standard
values with a 3% step. The post-disturbance behavior of a synchronous machine may
be stable or unstable. In the stable case, the rotor angle increases to a maximum,
then decreases and oscillates with decreasing amplitude until it reaches to a steady-
state as shown in Figure 5. The resulting system responses involving large excursion
of the generator rotor angle are presented in Figure 5 for the four models when the
fault clearing time ( FCT ) was 0.08333 seconds. In the unstable case, when the fault
clearing time is bigger than the critical clearing time, the rotor angle continues
to increase steadily until the synchronism is lost. There are other unstable cases,
however, where the system is stable in the Žrst swing but becomes unstable as a

Figure 5. Excursions of the rotor angle for the four diŒerent model systems.
 Transient Stability 669

Table 3
Critical clearing times (seconds) and initial load angles for
the four diŒerent models

Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 4

CCT 0.185 0.195 0.19167 0.20167

±0 (deg. ) 69.67 62.97 69.67 62.97

result of growing oscillations. Critical clearing times for 21 cases of each circuit
parameter have been calculated for the four diŒerent model systems. The critical
clearing times for the four models are presented in Table 3. Figures 6 to 13 show the
variation in critical clearing times for a range of 70% to 130% of the damper circuit
standard values for the four diŒerent models. The following can be concluded from
Table 3 and Figure 5:
· Inclusion of control systems increases the critical clearing time of the system
to a considerable degree (as seen from Table 3) , and the excursion of the load
angle is improved by 2 degrees (as seen from Fig. 5). It is an indication of
system transient stability enhancement.
· Inclusion of saturation causes a decrement in the initial load angle, and the
excursion of the load angle is improved by a considerable amount, as can be
seen from Table 3 and Figure 5. Saturation inclusion also causes an increment
in the critical clearing time. Thus the transient stability is greatly enhanced
by the inclusion of saturation.

Figure 6. Change in the crtical clearing time as a function of the Želd reactance,
Xf d.
670 Kar et al.

Figure 7. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the d -axis Žrst
damper circuit resistance, R k d 1 .

Figure 8. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the d-axis second
damper circuit resistance, R k d 2 .
 Transient Stability 671

Figure 9. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the d-axis diŒerential
leakage reactance, X f k d 1 .

Figure 10. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the q -axis Žrst
damper circuit reactance, X k q 1 .
672 Kar et al.

Figure 11. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the q -axis second
damper circuit resistance, R k q 2 .

Figure 12. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the q -axis third
damper circuit resistance, R k q 3 .
 Transient Stability 673

Figure 13. Change in the critical clearing time as a function of the q -axis third
damper circuit reactance, X k q 3 .

The synchronous machine model is an IEEE3.3 model. Therefore, in total, there

are 13 rotor circuit parameters. Critical clearing time does not show wide variations
for some of them, and those characteristics are not presented for simplicity. The
accumulated results for all the damper circuit parameters are presented in Table 4.
Table 4 summarizes the change in critical clearing times for the four models for

Table 4
Total change in CCT (in seconds) for a 70% to 130% variation of damper circuit

Parameter Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 4 Total Fig. No.

Rf d 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 —

Xf d 0.01 0.01 0.01333 0.01 0.04333 Fig. 6
R k d1 0.00333 0.00333 0.005 0.00333 0.015 Fig. 7
X k d1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 —
R k d2 0.00333 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.00833 Fig. 8
X k d2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00167 0.00167 —
X f k d1 0.00333 0.00167 0.00333 0.00333 0.01167 Fig. 9
R k q1 0.0 0.00167 0.00167 0.0 0.00333 —
X k q1 0.00333 0.00167 0.00167 0.0 0.00667 Fig. 10
R k q2 0.0 0.00333 0.00167 0.00167 0.00667 Fig. 11
X k q2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 —
R k q3 0.00333 0.00333 0.00333 0.00333 0.01333 Fig. 12
X k q3 0.00667 0.005 0.00333 0.00333 0.01833 Fig. 13
674 Kar et al.

diŒerent generator model parameters. Total change in CCT for a particular param-
eter for four models has been shown in the column “ Total.” Observing the charac-
teristics presented in Figures 6 through 13 and Table 4, the following conclusions
can be made:

1. The power system critical clearing time is most sensitive to Želd circuit
leakage reactance among all the rotor circuit parameters.
2. The system critical clearing time reaches its maximum value when saturation
is considered and machine is equipped with control systems.
3. EŒect of control systems on the power system critical clearing time is bigger
than that of saturation.
4. For most of the rotor circuit parameters, critical clearing time varies less as
a function of rotor circuit parameter when control systems and saturation
are considered.

4 Conclusion
The eŒects of synchronous machine iron saturation, circuit parameters, and control
systems on the power system transient stability phenomena have been presented in
this paper. Inclusion of saturation causes a decrement in the initial load angle, and
the excursion of the load angle is improved by a considerable amount. Saturation
inclusion also causes an increment in the critical clearing time. Inclusion of control
systems increases the critical clearing time of the system to a considerable degree,
and the excursion of the load angle is improved by 2 degrees. Thus the transient
stability is greatly enhanced by the inclusion of saturation and control systems. The
power system critical clearing time is most sensitive to Želd leakage reactance among
the rotor circuit parameters. The system critical clearing time reaches its maximum
value when saturation is considered and machine is equipped with control systems.
EŒect of control systems on the power system critical clearing time is bigger than
that of saturation. For most of the rotor circuit parameters, critical clearing time
varies less as a function of damper circuit parameter when control systems and
saturation are considered.

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 Transient Stability 675

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