AC Generator Operation

learning outcome 3
Basic principles of the Governing & Control that change
power output of an AC generator Next slide
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA due!!

•Define governing and control terminology

•Explain basic governor principles

•Describe how a governing control system reacts to

system frequency changes

•Show operator intervention via the speed load

changer control
 Next slide
due!!
Definitions
Power control devices
Drive typeDefinitions
NOTE: Normalare
control Emergency
primarily to set the device
correct terminology for functions associated
Stationary engines Fuel
with a hydraulic rack
governing Overspeed governor
system.
Hydro powered Penstock valve Trip valve??

Gas turbine Gas control valve Gas emerg shut-off

Steam turbines Control/Governor vv Steam emerg trip vv

In this module:
•Main or emergency stop valve = MSV
•Controlling valve = Governor valve
•High pressure hydraulic oil = power oil
•Turbine sensing oil = Governor oil

Next slide
due!!
 Governor principles
•Any sort of rotating machine, needs a governing
device to:

•Take corrective action to maintain speed of the

machine at some constant level.

•It does this by balancing out the energy input to the

rotating shaft, to balance the energy output of the
shaft

Next slide
due!!
 Next slide
Governor principles - cont’d due!!
•Input can be steam, water, or other drive energy.
Output can be electrical power output, or other
power-consuming device. , E.g. pumped output,
drive belts to other machinery.
•For turbo-generators: Energy input is the steam
input
•Energy output is the generated megawatts
•Note: other energy losses are incurred in running a
turbine, such as windage and power to drive
auxiliary pumps.
• These should be considered as part of the shaft
energy output.
 Simple Governor
As turbine
First speed
governor wasincreased
a vertical
Linkage to governor valve
device
•Weights
was - with
moveweights
provided that fly
outwards
out against gravity
•Governor valve was closed in

Steam
Steam
supply
supply

Governor
Governor
valve
valve

Simple governor did not

Next slide have enough force to move
due!! larger governor valves
 Early Governor design

Turbine shaft

•More advanced design

SIMPLE using spring tension
GOVERNOR
between the weights
•Still not enough force
to move large governor
valves

Next slide
Steam to turbine due!!
 Next slide Power cylinder Need for
due!!
Governor oil
-opens against
spring tension
Power Oil
signal - or linkage

Hydraulic
HP Power oil Amplifier
supply
HP governor
positioning oil
Hydraulic
Oil drain to main power oil was
oil tank
Governor
introduced -
valve to provide the
HP ‘muscle’
A governor
Power oil to
moves a
power ismove
signal cylinder larger
applied- to
move theGovernor
an hydraulic
governor
amplifiervalves
valve
Governor - proportional properties

AsAScale
simple
the ongovernor
governor
this is is ingovernor
simple
rotated fact
it a
device
will that
linkage
assume awill
could always
position adopt to
be calibrated
the same
directly
show position
proportional
speed for
of the aitsgiven
togovernor
speed
speed
shaft

0 rpm
10 rpm
20 rp
m
Next slide
due!!
Governor Droop The most common
Diagram shows the
proportional controller
inlet valve position on
isa the
full tank
tank and
levelfloat
Tank level system

(inlet valve fully closed

Full level

Next slide
due!!

Zero out 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Tank out flow

Droop - cont’d Float falls and:
IfTank
10 units
levelorsettles
outflowout
• tank
occurs: level starts to fall
at a new lower level
Tank level •Inlet valve will be
•marked on graph
opened to allow 10 units
of flow into the tank
inlet valve slightly open

Full level

Next slide
due!!

10 in 10 out 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Tank out flow

Droop - cont’d Next slide Red curve indicates the
due!! Repeat
Tank level
the settles
exercise
‘Proportional out
band’ator
intervals
at‘Droop’
a new uplower
of to 100
level
this simple
units
each of
time
flow
controller
Tank level

Proportional
band or
DROOP

Full level

(inlet valve fully

opened)

100 in 100 out 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Tank out flow

Droop - cont’d To make the tank level
This
Solidresults
controller Redmore in a
curve more
indicates
sensitive to the
sensitive
‘more
level changes controller
sensitive thatof the
‘Droop’
- the fulcrum
Changed fulcrum point
response
altered
point much quicker to
controller
is changed
level changes
Tank level

New Proportional
band or DROOP

Full level

inlet valve fully

opened- on less
level drop
Previous
droop or
proportional
band
Next slide
due!!

100 in 100 out 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Tank out flow
Now, Substitute: Next slide
due!!
Speed of turbine shaft for: Level of tank
Turbine MW output for: Tank outlet
Turbine steam input for: Tank inlet
Turbo-generator for : Tank
Turbine speed sensing governor for : Tank Float
Droop - applied to turbine
Turbine governor :
•activates the speed sensing rod and lever
•and adjusts the steam input of the turbine
Turbine speed
Speed sensing rod
and lever

rated rpm

Governor

Energy in = Energy out =

Steam input generated
megawatts

Next slide 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

due!! % of full load MW’s

 Energy balance = Constant speed

If the energy in (Steam input) does not

equal energy out (generated MW)
• then there will be a speed rise or fall in the
turbine speed
(depending on the energy balance)

To hold the turbine at a given speed;

•Steam input (energy in) must equal energy out
(generated MW)
Next slide
due!!
Governor Droop - effect on speed fall

Consider a 100MW steam turbine spinning at 3000 RPM:

•Attached AC generator is connected to AC system
•with no other generators connected
•no load on the generator (no customers) Next slide
•Perfect 50 Hz on the generator output due!!

•Endless steam supply available

•Small amount of steam used to hold 3000 RPM
•Operator not to touch turbine governor controls
A consumer switches on a 20 MW load to the AC generator
What will happen??
Load - applied to the Generator
••The
•Turbine
More 20
Another MW
ACspeed applied
generator
20 MW drop load
120slows
is applied
loading
is RPM the
(total 40 turbine
is applied
from MW)
no
until
loaddown
100toMW
full load.
is
••The
•applied
This governor
Turbine
is 4% slows senses
of 3000
down the speed drop and opens the
rpmagain
steam
•Turbine inlet
•Governorslowsvalve
is siad down
responds
to haveagain
and
a 4%
opens
governor
steamdroop
inlet valve
characteristic
further
••Turbine
Turbine speed
•Governor settles
responds
speed andat
settles a
a lower
atopens value
steam
lower than
valueinlet 3000torpm.
valve
again.
maximum Turbine speed settles @ 2880 rpm
Turbine speed

Turbine Governor Proportional

band or DROOP
3000 rpm

2880 rpm
governor valve fully open
at a 4% drop in turbine
speed (120 rpm)

Energy in = Energy out =

Steam input generated
megawatts
Next slide 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

due!! Electrical % of full load MW’s

system
A 4 % fall in turbine speed would mean:
• that the customer would be receiving an AC supply
at 4% less hertz
(ie 50 hz - 4% = 48 hz.)
This would not be satisfactory for most AC
appliances
• What if we change the fulcrum point on the
governor system speed sensing lever??
This would reduce the speed fall when the turbine
was subjected to full AC generator loading.
Next slide
due!!
 Adjusting the speed sensitivity of turbine
governors has been tried. Next slide
•the effect is over reaction to the speed due!!
drop by the governor system
Turbine Effect is speed oscillation
speed (termed governor hunting)
change
+
Governor is to sensitive

Rated Time
turbine
speed
In practice it is found that
a 4% governor droop is
- ideal for AC generator
Speed oscillation
(governor hunting) drive governors to ensure
stable speed control
Speed Load Changer
••the
If theOperator
AC was can
full adjust
loaded the linkage
(100MW) the operator could
••An
TheIf the turbine
adjustable
linkage had
adjustment
linkageexperienced
is has
inserted abetween
50 MW
effectively load
raised
the application
the droop -
Operator
further
the continues
adjust
turbine the
speed to
speed adjust
falls load
as the linkage
changer
normal for until
linkage
the 4% tothe
again
droop
•curve
in thisto
connectingcase,
a newshortening
(floating)
position
arm the linkage
and the will make
steam inlet the
valve
turbine
raise the
setting.speed
droop iscurve
3000 rpm at the 50 MW load
turbine speed rise slightly
Speed load changer Turbine
adjustment added. speed

3120 rpm

3000 rpm

2880 rpm
Governor valve droop
curve raised to
intersect the 3000
rpm line at any
turbine loading (0-
100%)
Energy in = Energy out
Steam input = generated
megawatts
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Next slide Electrical % of full load MW’s
due!! system
 Governor Characteristic summary
A speed governor will have:
Next slide
•A governor droop due!!

•Droop is the turbine speed fall from no load to

full load, i.e. from governor valves being full
closed to fully open.

•Droop is necessary for stability

•A speed load changer is required to move the

droop characteristic up or down to restore the
turbine speed to the desired level.
 Sharing Electrical Demand
No No112Turb.
turbine
continues
sensesSLC a speed
adjustment
increase until
andoutput
backs is
off150
to MW
NoBoth turbine
AC generator
increases drives
outputhaveto 110
a 4% MW
droop characteristic
System
Consider
lower
Operator demand
Two
generation
on No large
1 increases
figure
turbine is to 200 MW connected
turbo-generators
instructed towould
adjustbe together
the SLC to
This
Totalis typical
generation of how
is nowtwo AC
210 MWgenerators managed
Result
100
increase
- MW
connected: both
of
system turbine
system
togetherspeed speed
loading governors
is
(frequency)
via a commonpresent
AC react
system and pick up
No Total
2 turbine
What generation
backs tois off
nowto 50
200was
MW
MW as the system speed rises.
50 MWhappens
- Energy
Particularly
each, if No
each the
1 each
turbine
generator ACnowgenerator
required
in (210 MW) is above energy out (200 MW)
output?
to
supplies handle
100 MW to
System
-Energy
immediate
50 MW
What
with Energy
in (200each
from
system
happens?
consumers isMW)
balanced
equals
loading
machine
attached energy out (200 MW)
increase.
System speed rises - What happens Next??
System
Systemspeed speedhas settles
returned
on a toslightly
50 Hz lower figure
500 MW 500 MW
capacity capacity
50 MW
100
110
150 MW 100
50
90MW
MW

No 1 No 2

Energy in Energy in
= Steam = Steam
input input

Electrical system
Energy out =
System frequency
Next slide
system demand consumers
due!!
100 MW
200 49.85
50.00
49.80
49.83Hz
Hz
 More Sensitive Governor
The moreTwo
The(Blue) A different
turbine
speed
speed turbines
sensitive
isfall
typical of the
occurs operate
turbine response
(Blue)
- both on a AC
picks
turbinesrate upsystem
for
followtwice
atheir
hydro
machine
the loading(Red
- (Red) is 4% droop
increase
turbine comparedand to
is typical Blue
ofthe isother
a pick2%
steam droop)
droop characteristics and upset
turbine
response
loading (Red)
Turbine speed

Initial operating New operating point

point for both for 2 % droop turbine
turbines
3000 rpm

Speed fall

New operating point

for 4 % droop turbine

20%

40% Next slide

due!!

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% of full load MW’s
Isochronous Governing Mode
AWith
governor
the is isochronous
advent of mode
electronic cannotsystems,
governing share AC
This mode of mode
Isochronous governor
- control
means isthe
that only useable
drive unit when
generator
any % loadings
droop with other
characteristic machines,
may be as each
overridden
the
(eg AC generator
turbine) will is not
hold a connected
given speed any other when
toregardless AC
of
isochronous
operating in machine would
isochronous fully loadmode.
governing or unload
generator
the AC (ie any other
generator interconnected AC system)
loading.
itself on the smallest variation of system electrical
frequency change.
Turbine speed

3000 rpm

Isochronous Governor action sees the speed

drop - takes corrective action to steadily restore
shaft Speed back to 3000 RPM - with no droop
characteristic

Next slide
Time due!!
Governing systems - Main points :
If energy in (generation) does not met increased electrical
demand- Next slide
• System speed (frequency) falls due!!
All turbines on the AC system see the speed fall and -
•Their governor react and increase MW out put.
The amount the turbine increases output is determined by:
•The droop characteristic of their governing system
What could limit this MW pick-up?
•Drive unit cannot supply any more energy (are on Maximum)
•Turbine ‘load limiter’ has been adjusted to prevent MW pick-
up
NOTE: load limiter is a adjustable feature of
most larger turbine governing systems to
limit MW in this type of situation
Managed Electrical systems - Control
If a total AC system speed gradually begins to fall:
•System Control will give instructions for individual AC
generator to increase their out (use SLC device)
AC generator are usually loaded up in a merit order
•This is now based on a $ price of their MW’s
Automatic control of system frequency is done by
•Central monitoring the system frequency and sending
signals to remote AC generator (via a motorised SLC)
On a sudden speed RISE or FALL:
•Initial Governor reaction is expected by all AC generator on
the system
•Follow-up ‘control signals’ from System Control would
attempt to restore frequency back to normal. Next slide
due!!
 Next slide
Key points: due!!
The primary role of the governor is to maintain the speed of
the turbine at the preset speed via the Speed Load Changer.

•If speed falls - governor response opens the governor valve

•If speed rises - governor response closes the governor valve

All is done by the CHANGE IN TURBINE SPEED.

•If system speed is steady, the governor will not move.

•If a turbine losses some of it’s energy input (i.e. steam

supply pressure falls ) the governor system will not change
its setting (assuming a large electrical system speed is
unaltered because of your turbine generation change)
•If the system speed were effected, all other turbines would
react to the speed change.
Sudden disconnection from the AC system:

If a generator is disconnected from the electrical system

•The Speed rise of the AC generator shaft will essentially

follow the DROOP characteristic curve

Adjustment of the SLC when disconnected will:

•Alter the operating speed of the turbine.

Next slide
due!!
When a turbine (or drive) is at rest
The governor will see the turbine speed as low, and
•the governor valve will be fully open if allowed to do so.
On resetting the turbine oil supplies-
Next slide
•the governor valves go full open. due!!
To prevent such a rapid steam admission
•Most Turbines MSV’s are arranged to remain fully closed
on a turbine reset, then they are slowly opened
•This is to control the turbine speed rise back up towards
the desired 3000 rpm.
Note: other turbine may use other valves to control speed
rise from rest - but are still fully closed to prevent a
sudden shaft acceleration to rated speed
Shaft Speed rise
The shaft speed rise via the turbine MSV’s continues
•until the governor speed range is approached.
I.e. ‘comes onto governor control’ Next slide
due!!
The SLC position on a run-up situation is set at .…
•always set to minimum speed
The operator via the SLC can raise or lower the governor
droop curve up or down a specified range:
•range is + or - 6% of normal turbine speed rating.
•This gives a ‘unsynchronised’ turbine speed range of
•2820 to 3180 rpm on most turbines.
Turbine at near Synchronous speed Next slide
due!!

Once speed control via governor control is established

• the MSV’s are then fully opened.
Note: Some turbine now have moved this ‘valve control
transfer’ to after generator synchronising to assist in turbine
warming.

The governor control system is then used to

• match the turbine speed to the electrical system speed.

After synchronising, the SLC adjustment will

•change the turbine generation level as described earlier.
Two Turbines disconnected from system - but
still connected electrically to each other
If all consumer demand is totally lost,
•The turbines would experience the same speed rise,
•All would be expected to reduce their energy
(eg steam) input under pure governor action.
If all turbines were fully loaded at the time, they all should
settle out at speed level of
• 4% above there rated speed.
Combined operation of SLC’s by all turbines would be
required to Next slide
•bring speed levels back to rated speed. due!!
Note: any one turbine that does not unload under this
circumstance will by their electrical connection cause all the
turbines to operate higher than the 4% above rated speed.
 Governor dead band
The
Governors
Governor
normalsystems
Mechanical droop
willhydraulic
and not
curve
may
react
will
have
toeffectively
speed
lack of
systems changes
cansensitivity
widen wear
suffer - and
in is
termed
in the
linkages ‘Dead
widened
etc. Band’
and ‘band’ wider dead-bands than desirable
develop
Turbine speed

Dead
band
3000 rpm
Next slide
due!!

Turbine governor
insensitive to speed
changes between the
droop curves

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% of full load MW’s
Variable droop setting Next slide
due!!

4% droop in this region

10 to 15% tail off
Governor opening

droop in this region

Some more advanced governing and control

•The last 10 to 15 % of governor operation will
systems may also have a droop setting that
adopt a larger droop setting of up to 10% droop
change depending on the % of generation
•output
This is to restrict load pick-up as a turbine
reaches
•Most ofitthe
maximum
governorcapability -- be
range will to prevent
at a
overloading
standard droopproblems
setting of 2 to 4 %
% Output
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
 Building a Governor system
Emergency Turbine Speeder
Governor Load Other Governing Devices eg. Low
Shaft driven oil pumps Overspeed Governor
oil relay Changer vacuum unloader, Load limiter,
Governing & Lubrication, trip device setting Low steam pressure unloader, ….
all located on turbine stub device
shaft

d d d d d
Turbine
Governor or pilot oil
trip
(regulated oil pressure)
HP solenoid
oil
preset Next slide
d
valve Power oil supply
due!!
MSV GOV. valve.

d
HP oil
pump MSV resetting
Lube oil
device and run- STEAM TO
system
up controller TURBINE INLET
NOZZLES
STEAM SUPPLY
LP FROM BOILER
lube Turbine main stop Turbine Governor
oil valve- with hydraulic valve- with hydraulic
positioning/trip gear positioning/trip gear
Elec. Elec.
Motor Motor
Simplified - Governing and Power oil system.
Start-up oil pumps.
Electro Hydraulic Governor system
To convert to a electro-hydraulic governing system:
•Draining of pilot oil pressure is via an electric controller
•may be on a common oil system
•or at the governor valves.
Next slide
Speed sensing detection by toothed wheel due!!
•use of 3 circuits for safety and reliability

Electronic box of tricks.

•add droop control input
•add Speed control set point
•allows for turbine auto run-up and synchronising input
•add load limiter, vacuum unloader, steam pressure
unloader, acceleration detection (overspeed limiting gear)
Electro Hydraulic Governor system -cont’d
Use higher pressure power fluid Next slide
• increase response speed on valves due!!
Use fire retardant fluids
•to reduce fire risk on high-pressure power oil system.
Electro-hydraulic governing systems follow all the hydraulic
governing and control principles
•but substitute electronic control, sensing and
servomotors to provide more precise & flexible governing.
This enables quicker response to emergency situation, eg
•a energy in balance between the turbine steam input and
a low or nil generator output
•which would lead to a rapid acceleration of shaft speed,
•and a possible turbine overspeed.
Additional Governing Components
Devices/terms on turbine governing and control system are:

•MSV Next slide

due!!
•Governor valve
•SLC
•Overspeed trip
•Acceleration anticipatory device
•Load limiter
•Vacuum unloader
•Low steam pressure unloader
Additional Governing Components
Devices/terms on turbine governing and control system are:
Turbine protection trips
•Lubricating Oil pressure low trip Next slide
•Differential expansion trip due!!
•High bearing trip
•Thrust bearing failure trip
•Electrical protection trips
•High condenser trip
•Vacuum trip
•Stator water trip
•H2 purity trip
•Reverse power trip (also steam off interlock trip)
Additional Governing Components
Devices/terms on turbine governing and control system are:
•Automatic Run-up control
•Bypass steam system control
•Shut down operation
•Ventilator (steam relief) valves
•Non return valves on bled stem lines
•Gland steam regulator/isolator
•Vacuum breaker
•Auto start of oil pumps etc.

Next slide
due!!
 Summary
In this learning outcome we have discussed:
Basic turbine governing principles
Examined a simple proportional controller,
Learnt how governors enable generators to share loading.

Each governing & control system has specific manufacturers

specialised devices/system to carry Gov & Control functions

Basic principles apply to any drive units designed to

•operate together in a AC power system,
•or on their own, Next slide
•and have stability in operation. due!!

Study you’re own AC generators governing and control

system in more specific detail, to see how the manufacturer
has approached the tasks required.