GENERATOR

PROTECTION
P P Francis,
ppfrancis@rediffmail.com
TYPES OF GENERATORS
•DC Generators or Dynamos
•Edison System
•AC Synchronous Generators or Alternators
•Most common in utility generation
•AC Induction Generators
•Limited use; Wind Turbines
•Direct Power Generators
•Solar PV, MHD, ….
•A host of special application machines
•Rosenberg generator in Railways
Our Discussion today will be limited to
AC Synchronous Generators or Alternators
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TYPES OF SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
• Salient Pole Machines
• Used with low speed prime movers, like Hydro
Turbines and some Diesel Engines
• Cylindrical Rotor Machines
• Used with high speed prime movers, like Steam
Turbines, Gas Turbines and some Diesel Engines
Today’s discussion will be primarily with reference to
Cylindrical Rotor Machines,
mostly apply to Salient Pole machines too.
Some capabilities do differ

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SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
•Permanent Magnet Generators
• Limited application: Pilot Exciters, WTGs
•Separately excited Generators
• DC Excitation
• Static Excitation
• Separate Coil placed in the Generator
Stator itself for excitation power
• AC Exciter Machine, shaft driven
• Brushless Excitation
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WORKING PRINCIPLE
• Faraday’s Laws of Induction
• A conductor moving perpendicular to a magnetic field, or a
conductor lying perpendicular to a moving magnetic field gets a
voltage induced
• The 3 phase armature winding (usually on stator) is space
distributed
• When a revolving (rotor) magnetic field (perpendicular to the
coils) is produced, a three phase balanced voltage is induced
• When the stator winding is connected to a 3 phase balanced
supply system, a revolving magnetic field is produced in the
stator
• The magnetic fields produced by the rotor and the stator,
lock by magnetic attraction and tend to revolve in
synchronism
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 RED

Stator magnetic axis

N
ROTOR Rotor
magnetic axis
δ

S
N YELLOW

S
STATOR Synchronous
BLUE
Generator
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ROTOR
• In Synchronous Machine, the rotor body (normally) experiences
only a stationary magnetic field, and no eddy currents result
• The rotor body hence, is a solid alloy steel forging, into which field
winding slots are milled
• This makes the rotor capable of withstanding the centrifugal forces
associated with high speed prime movers
• Excitation (field) winding bars are inserted in the slots and held
in place by the wedges
• The Aluminum Alloy wedges themselves or separate bars in slots, form
the damper winding with a shorting arrangement at the end
• Damper Windings counter-act hunting
• The overhang portion of a rotor winding is held against
centrifugal forces by the Retaining (End) ring
• Retaining Ring is the most critical mechanical component of the
generator

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STATOR
• Built by stacking Silicon Steel stampings compressed
and held by core bolts
• Huge cross section bar conductors are placed in the
slots (usually 2 bars per slot) and held by ripple
springs and wedges
• The overhang portion of the winding is strongly held
as one mass, by binding (susceptible to vibration
and mechanical forces)
• The bars are pre-insulated by cast epoxy (Class F)
• The highest voltage of generation is usually limited
to <30kV (L-L) due to the solid insulation
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 GT
G

Xd XT

G EF VT Vbus

Generator + Generator Transformer

(Simplified Equivalent Circuit)
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 EF

IL.Xd

 VT

IL.XT
ф Vbus

IL
Phasor Diagram of
Generator and GT connected to an infinite bus
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 Locus of P = const.
•Steam Flow constant;
•Excitation increased
•Power output Constant EF2
EF1

Locus of
1 ф2 Constant
2
O Vbus Excitation
ф1
I1

I Cos ф = Constant
I2
P P FRANCIS, NTPC SIMHADRI 11
 P2
•Excitation constant;
•Steam flow increased EF2 P1
•Power output P1 to P2
EF1

Locus of
1 ф2 Constant
2
O
Vbus Excitation
I2
ф1
I1

P P FRANCIS, NTPC SIMHADRI 12

 Generator Capability Diagram

1pu
0.85pu Stator Limit
Turbine Limit
EF

Rotor Angle Limit IXD

Rotor Limit
Min. Extn. Limit
VT
0.27pu 0.53pu
0.5puQ (Lead) 0pu Q (Lag) 0.72pu

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 GENERATOR CONNECTIONS/TRIPPING ZONES
BUSSED AT TERMINAL VOLTAGE

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TRIPPING ZONES GENERATOR CONNECTIONS
BUSSED AT TRAFO. HV SIDE
UNIT CONNECTED

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TRIPPING ZONES GENERATOR CONNECTIONS
CIRCUIT BREAKER AT
GENERATOR TERMINAL VOLTAGE

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EHV BUS SWITCHING SCHEMES
TO GENERATOR
TRANSFORMER

SINGLE BUS SINGLE BREAKER

DOUBLE BUS SINGLE BREAKER

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EHV BUS SWITCHING SCHEMES M T
TO GENERATOR
TRANSFORMER

SINGLE BUS & TRANSFER MI MII T

DOUBLE MAIN BUS & TRANSFER

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EHV BUS SWITCHING SCHEMES

6 CT scheme
shown.
Variants with
5, 4, 3 CT are
in vogue. Ideal
scheme (J L
Blackburn) is
8 CT.

BREAKER AND HALF; A TYPICAL ARRANGEMENT

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 GENERATOR NEUTRAL GROUNDING
Type of Grounding Ground Fault Current Effect
Ungrounded Capacitive Current only Ground Fault close to neutral not
detectible
Solid/Effective Very High Current (>>10kA); Easy fault detection
Grounding Core damage certain

Low resistance High Current (400-800A); Easy fault detection

Grounding Core damage likely

High Resistance Low Current (5-15A); Core Loss of grounding possible.

Grounding damage unlikely Flimsy ribbon conductor
Distribution Low Current (5-15A); Core Heavy, low resistance conductor
Transformer damage unlikely on the transformer secondary
Grounding:
Peterson Coil Very low current (nearly Over voltages likely during HV
zero); No core damage at all system ground faults.

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DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER
HIGH RESISTANCE GROUNDING
Generator Winding

Distribution
Resistor To Relaying
Transformer

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GENERATOR TRIPPING
• Generator Tripping involves
• Disconnection of Generator from the Power System
• De-excitation & field suppression
• Prime Mover Stoppage
• Depending on the trigger for tripping these are sequenced in
three distinct ways
• Class-A: Cases where all actions need to be accomplished together
and immediately. e.g. Electrical Short Circuits, low lube oil pressure
• Class-B: The prime mover is tripped first and after a time delay
and/or a low-forward / reverse power interlock (verifies positive
valve closure) the generator is tripped. Saves energy, avoids over-
speeding ….. e.g. thermal protections, prime mover process
• Class-C: The generating unit is disconnected from the power system
for system induced problems, allowing quick return to service. Open
the Generator Circuit Breaker alone. e.g. Low frequency, negative
sequence current
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CONFIGURATION VARIANTS
• For larger machines, protection schemes are grouped into two
• Each group cover all faults and zones
• Operates on separate DC supply for reliability
• Class-A tripping is further segregated into two, in the case of scheme
with Terminal voltage CB
• One requiring tripping of Terminal Voltage CB and Generator stoppage
• Other requiring opening of EHV CB as well.

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 TYPICAL PROTECTION TRIP LOGIC
186C/286C (u/f trip)
1
GT Trip >1 TRIP EHV CB

UTA Trip >1 186A1/286A1

UTB Trip

Gen. Elec. Prot. >1 TO TRIP

TURBINE
Critical Turbine Trip
>1 186A2/286A2
>1 Generator Trip
t>15s Trip GCB
Enable GCB LBB

P < 0.5% (37G1/37G2) De-excite

t>2s Trip FCB
Turbine Trip Ch#1 186B/286B Trip Turbine
Turbine Trip Ch#2 &
>1
ESV/IV Closed

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 GENERATOR DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
• Generator Differential Protection (87G1/2)
• Against Phase to Phase faults
• Duplicated for large machines
• Low impedance, biased differential protection preferable
due to DC offset in fault current
• High impedance, differential protection, if used will require
significantly large operating current setting

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DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION PRINCIPLE

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 GENERATOR AND/OR TRANSFORMER
DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
• Overall Differential (87GT) for Phase to Phase faults
• Low impedance, biased differential protection preferable
• Transformer Differential Protection relay to be used
• Zone of coverage
• Generator Neutral to EHV CB (Unit Connected)
• GCB to EHV CB (where terminal voltage CB used)
• Poor sensitivity to HV side earth faults; separate Star Side REF
protection (64GT/87NT) normally required

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ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF
GENERATOR + GEN. TRANSFORMER
DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION
• Fairly large minimum operating current setting
• Suitable Bias; preferably increasing with increasing through
current
• High-set over current protection to clear close high current
faults, quickly
• Second Harmonic restraint, to prevent tripping on Inrush
• Large 2nd Harmonic content in Inrush
• 5th Harmonic Blocking, to prevent tripping during over-fluxing
• Magnetizing current is rich in odd Harmonics
• 3rd Harmonic cannot be used as it circulates in “Delta” connected
transformer/CT

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87GT CT CIRCUIT (CONVENTIONAL)
‘D’ connected Ynd11 ‘Y’ connected

87T

I0 eliminated in CT secondaries, on either side.

Hence insensitive to earth fault.
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09/02/2021 P P Francis 30
 Single phase
Generator Transformer Bank

+
87T
• Turret CTs used, exclusive coverage for transformer
• Zero sequence currents present on both sides, no zero sequence filtering
• Sensitive to Earth Faults; separate REF protection necessary
• Phase-wise HV differential instead of REF possible in single phase banks

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Single phase
Generator Transformer Bank

SOURCE
87T

Bushing CT only at one terminal, Source neutral Grounded

Illustration of unprotected terminal fault

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Single phase
Generator Transformer Bank

SOURCE
87T

Source is ungrounded or high resistance grounded, say Generator

Terminal Fault on Blue Phase, along with external fault on source
Illustration of Unprotected Fault
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5 Inputs for a GT Differential
Scheme
GT 152 B-1
G
1 4

2
252
3 5

352 B-2

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09/02/2021 P P Francis 35
RESTRICTED EARTH FAULT
PROTECTION
• High Impedance Differential Relay can be realised
using over-current relay and external resistor
• The resistor is then called Stabilizing Resistance
• High Current through faults; CT may saturate
• Secondary winding will now act as a small resistance
• Through fault current, driven by the other CT will flow
and voltage VS = IF * (RCT+2RL) will appear across the relay
• Operating current set IS to be low, to allow high
sensitivity
• IS > VS/RSTAB or RSTAB = 1.1 * VS/IS = 1.1 * IF * (RCT+2RL)/IS

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Numerical Transformer Protection

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 STATOR EARTH FAULT PROTECTION
• 100% Stator Earth Fault Protection (64G1)
• Earth fault current (ignoring the capacitive current) is limited to less than
10A, by high resistance neutral earthing
• Employed for almost all large Generators; Peterson coil is the other
option
• Neutral Voltage operated:
• ≈ 95% winding from HV terminal protection by fundamental frequency
voltage relay
• 5% towards the neutral end protection by drop off of 3rd harmonic voltage
relay
• External low frequency ac voltage Injection (Across NGT) preferred
• Protection functional on dead machine and during run up too.
• Broken Delta Voltage Stator Earth Fault Protection (64G2)
• ≈95% coverage; Realized by broken delta voltage
• Can be applied to ungrounded neutral case as well
• Protects GT LV winding and Bus Duct when Generator TVCB is open
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GENERATOR STATOR EARTH FAULT
PROTECTION

21kV Bus

NGT R Relaying

100 & 95% EARTH FAULT SECOND 95% EARTH FAULT

(64G1) (64G2)

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GENERATOR CURRENT UNBALANCE (NPS)

•Negative Phase Sequence Protection (46G)

• Current unbalance among phases amounts to presence of
NPS currents and rotor heating.
• Withstand capability is expressed as I 22t = k;
• k<10 for cylindrical rotors and as high as >40 for salient pole
rotors
• The rotor rotates normally in synchronism with the stator
magnetic field
• Negative sequence current in the stator winding produces a
magnetic field revolving at the power frequency in the reverse
direction
• Rotor rotates at double speed with reference to this magnetic
field, thus setting up currents in the rotor body (solid steel)
which causes heating.
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GENERATOR O/V PROTECTION
• Over-voltage protection (59G)
• At full load and rated power factor, the field current can
be as high as 300% of no-load excitation for rated voltage
• When the Generator Breaker trips (load throw off), the
terminal voltage will rise
• AVR will prevent the voltage from rising, even in case of full
load throw off
• If the machine is in manual excitation control a high risk, of
dangerous over voltage exists
• Dual AVR channel hence usual on large machines
• Manual channel of excitation control should not be used,
normally
• Typical setting: 115% Un, 2-3 sec

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 INTER-TURN FAULT PROTECTION
• Current unbalance (Transverse differential) protection is possible,
• Only if all 12 winding ends are brought out separately; but rarely the
case
• When possible, 6 neutral winding ends are brought out
• The two neutrals are separately formed and joined outside
• A simple over current relay on the neutral interconnection can
provide the protection
• Sensed by broken delta voltage after elimination of earth-
fault contribution (Primary elimination better, but has other
issues) is used otherwise
• Interturn fault will reduce the phase voltage of the faulted phase
and will create an imbalance on VT secondary. An earth fault will
create a similar voltage imbalance
• The difference between the Broken Delta voltage with the neutral
Voltage duly offset (either primary or secondary) is used to derive
the protection input

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GENERATOR INTER-TURN
PROTECTION (95G)
Generator Winding

Resistor To E/F Relaying

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GENERATOR INTER-TURN
PROTECTION (95G)
Generator Winding

95G

Resistor 64G

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 GENERATOR OOS PROTECTION
• Loss of Synchronism/Out of Step /Pole Slipping Protection
(78G)
• Normally, south pole of rotor operates magnetically locked
with the north pole of the revolving magnetic field of the
stator.
• The angle between the two magnetic axis is the load angle “δ”
• Due to changes in the power balance, the rotor may advance
far ahead of the stator field and fail to return.
• Load angle δ may increase so much that it cannot attain another
equilibrium
• South pole will then come face to face with south pole, repel
and approach the north pole again. This is one pole slip.
• The condition can be sensed and machine tripped, using
impedance (ohm) blinders

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 GENERATOR OOS PROTECTION
X

ZSYS

XT
-R R
Xd’

-X

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 GENERATOR LOFE PROTECTION
• Loss of Field Excitation /Field Failure (40G)
• If excitation is lost, the electrical power output
becomes zero,
• Remember, {PE=(|E|*|V|/X)*Sin δ}; |E|=0
• Rotor accelerates to above synchronous speed
(negative slip), operating as an Induction Generator
• Solid steel rotor of generator limits its ability to
operate as an induction generator, as the solid rotor
will carry the slip frequency rotor current
• An offset impedance relay, in the negative X-axis of
impedance plane, provides protection against this
condition

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GENERATOR LOFE PROTECTION
X

R
-R
Xd’/2

Xd

-X
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GENERATOR PROTECTION
• Power Interlock (32/37G) to trip Generator
• After the turbine Stop Valves have closed, the shaft power drops slowly due
to the trapped steam.
• Eventually, the Generator power will become zero and then start motoring
(Reverse Power)
• The Generator can then be safely tripped on Reverse Power interlock
following a turbine trip
• There is a small problem in using Reverse Power Relay for the purpose
• The motoring power of the turbine with full vacuum is only 1-2% of rated;
Risk of not sensing with relay, CT & PT errors
• A Low Froward Power Relay would avoid this problem
• The power relay setting should be below the no load power corresponding to
maximum overspeed of 120%
• Advantages of using the interlock
• Uses trapped steam to do work
• Avoids over speeding
• Verifies positive closure/safe level of passing of Stop Valve

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GENERATOR PROTECTION
• Dead Machine Protection (50DM)
• Employed for protection against accidental energization of
Generator
• Accidental closing of Generator CB
• Flash Over across Generator CB
• Operates if current appears before voltage is established
for a small length of time
• Reverse Power (Motoring) Protection (32G)
• Also named motoring protection.
• Protection for turbine;
• Generator is capable of motoring (synchronous)
continuously
• Some times Low Forward Power relay with a longer time
delay is employed, though not a correct practice

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 GENERATOR PROTECTION
• Under Frequency (81G)
• Under frequency Protection (f = 47.5Hz long time delay)
• VT Fail detection (60G)
• Voltage Balance to detect VT failure. Blocks voltage operated
relays, transfer AVR channel etc
• Auto-synchronizer (25A)
• Matches speed, voltage and phase angle and issues command
to Breaker closing. Can compensate for Breaker closing time
• Synchronism check (25C)
• For manual synchronizing operation, checks voltage, frequency
and phase angle matching
• Synchronism check guard (25G)
• Prevents Breaker closing if operator issues and holds command
before synchronism is achieved
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 GENERATOR BACK UP PROTECTION
• Back-up Impedance Protection (21G)
• Protection for un-cleared system line to line faults
• Reach to be limited and time to be more than the largest
protection time ahead
• GT Standby Earth Fault Protection (51NGT)
• Employed for protection against un-cleared system line to
ground faults
• Wired to CT on GT neutral: IDMT characteristic to allow grading
with other protection ahead
• Breaker Fail Protection/Local Breaker Backup (50LBB)
• Protection against Breaker failing to open on command
• Sensed by current in the circuit after elapse of set time (~200ms)
of trip command (Breaker Opening time < 100ms)
• Trips all other Breakers directly connected to the failed breaker.
Can issue re-trip to the primary CB as well
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 GENERATOR PROTECTION
• Over Head Line Differential (87HV)
• Differential protection covering GT HV neutral side to
switchyard CT.
• Biased Differential relay/High Impedance Relay
• Unit Transformer Differential Protection (87UT)
• Differential protection for UT covering Generator bus tap off
to Unit bus I/C.
• Biased Transformer Differential relay
• Restricted earth Fault Protection for UT (87NUT)
• Ground fault Differential Protection covering UT LV Neutral
CT to Unit Bus I/C CT
• Low imp. Biased differential /high impedance differential

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 GENERATOR PROTECTION
• Over Fluxing Protection (24GT/99GT)
• From voltage equation for transformer,
E = 4.44 ø fT, it follows that ø = k x E / f,
• The ratio E/f (in per unit terms) compared to the set value,
operates the relay.
• Inverse time tripping characteristic and a definite time alarm
element preferred
• UT Back-Up Over Current protection (51UT)
• Provided on UT HV side for back up against un-cleared unit bus
short circuits.
• Time graded, with the down stream short circuit protection.
• UT Back-Up Earth Fault protection(51NUT )
• Time graded definite time low set earth fault relay at the UT
neutral CT as back up for un-cleared faults
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GENERATOR PROTECTION
•Stator Water Cooling System:
• Primary (Stator Winding) Water Flow Low (Loss
of cooling): Main Winding/Terminal Bushing
• Primary water conductivity high
•H2 / H2 Sealing System:
• Seal Oil / Hydrogen DP low
• Cold Gas Temperature High / Low
•Abnormal conditions
• Hydrogen purity low
• Liquid in Generator casing
• Stator winding overhang vibration high
P P Francis
04-12-2020 55
BUCHHOLZ’S PROTECTION
• Operates by the gases produced by Electrical
discharges/arcing inside the transformer oil
• Located in the oil pipe line (slightly tilted upwards) from
the tank to conservator
• Alarm element operates by the slow collection of gas
in the gas trap of the relay
• The collected gases displaces oil downward and a float
switch operates.
• Alarm element also now wired for trip, in NTPC
• Trip element operates by the rush of oil and gases to
the conservator, for a severe fault.
• Pushes a flap in the flow path to close a switch
• Also, trips for very low oil level in Transformer.
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Buchholz Relay

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 Buchholz Relay

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OTHER MECHANICAL PROTECTIONS
•Sudden Pressure Rise (SPR) protection:
• Must for transformers without conservator;
Buchholz Protection cannot be applied
• Optional in breathing transformers
• Operated by the rapid pressure rise during an
internal fault
•Oil Surge protection:
• Normally provided for OLTC Chamber
• Similar to Buchholz’s relay, but with only oil surge
element (no gas collection chamber and float)

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Sudden Pressure Rise Relay

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Sudden Pressure Rise Relay

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OTHER MECHANICAL PROTECTIONS
•Oil Temperature
• Conditions like sustained over load or loss of cooling
will cause abnormal temperature rise which can
reduce the life of the transformer
• Mercury switches mounted on the temperature
indicating dial gives alarm and trip outputs
• Integrated normally with a temperature indicator
•Winding Temperature
• Top oil temperature corrected for I2R heating by
proportional current in a replica resistance,
otherwise functionally identical to OT
• Integrated normally with a temperature indicator
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SAFETY DEVICES
• Pressure Relief Device
• Operates for excessive pressure rise
• Operation can be detected by limit switch and wired to
trip, if desired
• Avoids costly rupture of tank in case of an internal fault,
allowing oil to flow out
• Explosion Vent used to be the conventional alternative
• Oil level (MOG) alarm
• Operates on Conservator oil level low, well before
Buchholz’s relay trip occurs, to give early warning
• Oil level cannot be directly seen in units with air-cell
• Fire Protection
• Mostly Water spray, triggered by fire sensor
• Operation detection can be used to trip, if desired
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Pressure Relief Device

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Pressure Relief Device

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Magnetic Oil Guage

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Magnetic Oil Guage

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Transformer Fire Water Sprinkler

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 Thank You

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