978

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 4, JULY/AUGUST 2000

Asynchronous Motor Protection

Against Dynamic Instabilities
Jorge Martnez, Associate Member, IEEE, Carlos Dortolina, Member, IEEE, Haroldo Villamediana, Willyams Pea,
and Jos Beuses

AbstractThis paper deals with the dynamic behavior of

the electric power system of a Venezuelan oil refinery (El Palito
Refinery, Puerto Cabello, Venezuela), which includes a 6000-hp
asynchronous motor working as a motor or generator (M/G)
coupled to the power recovery unit (PRU) shaft at the fluidized
catalytic cracking plant (FCC). Problems associated with inappropriate maintenance at the external power utility, whose system
is linked with the national interconnected grid, have decreased the
electric power system reliability at the refinery. Critical failure
events, up to third-order contingency events, have been occurring
at the refinery frequently over the past few years. Once these
kind of events take place, the 6000-hp motor tends to balance
the system generating or consuming electric power, but due to
the large equivalent inertia in the external utility, the 6000-hp
motor trips before the refinery normal operating conditions have
been restored. Then, both the FCC and PRU shut down, the FCC
Plant being a vital process unit within an oil refinery. This paper
involves a dynamic study of those critical failure events in order to
properly set protective relaying schemes and, thus, ensure a safe
and reliable operation of the refinery electric power system, while
establishing dynamic stability limits for the M/G.
Index TermsAsynchronous motor protection, dynamic instability.

I. INTRODUCTION

HE electric power service quality in the area close to the El

Palito Refinery, Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, over the past
few years has worsened as a result of a critical operation and
maintenance situation of the external utility. As a consequence,
the refinery electric power system has been experiencing failure
events that previously were considered unlikely to occur. Additionally, these failure events have lasted longer than expected
because of inappropriate operation of the primary protective relaying schemes, and as a result of breaker failure due to low
gas pressure circuit breakers as well.
The main objective of this work was to properly set the existing protective relaying schemes both in the interconnection
tie with the external power utility and in the power recovery
unit (PRU) of a major refinery process plant. The PRU and the
Paper ICPSD 9935, presented at the 1999 Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, October 37, and approved for publication in the
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS by the Power Systems Engineering Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society. Manuscript submitted for review October 8, 1999 and released for publication March 3, 2000.
J. Martnez, C. Dortolina, and H. Villamediana are with the Department of
Electric Power Studies, INELECTRA, Caracas, Venezuela (e-mail: jorge.martinez@inelectra.com; dortoc@ieee.org; haroldo.villamediana@inelectra.com).
W. Pea and J. Beuses are with PDVSA, Manufactura & Mercadeo, El
Palito Refinery, Puerto Cabello, Venezuela (e-mail: penaw@pdvsa.com;
beusesj@pdvsa.com).
Publisher Item Identifier S 0093-9994(00)05431-1.

electrical system are electromechanically tied through an asynchronous machine (6000 hp) working as a motor or generator
(M/G) depending on the slip defined by the motor speed and
the electrical system frequency. The refinery underfrequency
load-shedding scheme was implemented and also set.
II. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM
The refinery electric power system comprises, basically, a
three-unit generation plant at 13.8 kV, one main substation at
13.8 kV (designated as Planta Elctrica), a distribution system
and several power delivery substations (at 13.8/4.16 kV and
13.8/0.48 kV) located in the different process plants at the refinery.
Additionally, there is an interconnection at 115 kV with a
power utility through the refinery substation (#16), which has
two power transformers (both 115/13.8/13.8 kV and 15/20/25
MVA). The simplified electric power system of the refinery is
shown in Fig. 1.
The generating plant includes three steam-turbine generating
units, each of them with a generation capacity of 13 MW. Those
units are connected to the refinery main substation at 13.8 kV,
in a double busbar configuration.
Recent reliability data showed that the refinery had a system
failure rate (loss of load) of 7.39 faults/year, with a mean duration of 1.57 h/fault and an availability level of 99.87%. These
indexes include up to third-order failure events, which represent a failure rate of 3.69 faults/year with an availability level of
96.97%.
III. STEADY-STATE SYSTEM ANALISYS
Load-flow studies were performed to evaluate different operating configurations for the electric power system of the refinery, and to establish initial operating conditions for the dynamic stability studies. The critical condition considered for the
study was the simulation of the system at maximum load of 35
MW.
According to the results obtained, voltage levels in the refinery system are satisfactory (between 0.951.05 p.u.) for each
considered condition. It was also determined that, in order to
maintain the interconnection power factor above 80%, the reference voltage at voltage regulators of the refinery generators
must be set above 1.00 p.u., approximately at 1.015 p.u. (i.e.,
14 kV in a 13.8-kV system).
For a broad range of normal operating conditions, it turns out
that the power factor seen by the generating units was above
0.95.

00939994/00$10.00 2000 IEEE

MARTNEZ et al.: ASYNCHRONOUS MOTOR PROTECTION AGAINST DYNAMIC INSTABILITIES

979

Fig. 1. El Palito Refinery one-line diagram.

IV. DYNAMIC STABILITY STUDY

Dynamic stability studies were performed using a digital
computer program (SDBC) which has been fully developed by
INELECTRA, Caracas, Venezuela, and has been extensively
tested and used as a planning tool for numerous industrial
power systems, as well as for transmission system studies [1].
This program has the following features:
simulates the generator response to disturbances caused by
momentary short circuits, sudden load/generation unbalance, and frequency oscillations within the power system;
simulates the operation of both underfrequency and
inverse power relays [area or islanding disconnection
scheme (ADS)] located at the interconnection with the
power utility;
supervises both the direction and magnitude of the power
flow and trips the power utility interconnection ties when
the ADS operating conditions are met;
computes load demand variations, comprised mainly in industrial power systems by induction motors, due to voltage
and frequency fluctuations;
simulates, using an extensive library of equipment models
incorporated to the program, the dynamic response of governors, excitation systems and electric machines, both synchronous and induction.
Important aspects related to the dynamic modeling of the
electric power system are described as follows.
The external electrical utility is considered as an infinite
busbar with constant terminal voltage since it behaves as

a large (or infinite) inertia generator with regard to the

equivalent inertia of the refinerys own generators.
The generators are represented with the equivalent model
axes, including the transient effect of the field
in
and an equivalent damping
windings in the direct axis
[2]. The excitation
winding in the quadrature axis
system response was modeled using a voltage and excitation regulator model (type AC1A exciter model) [3].
The governorturbine dynamic response was also considered. The block diagram corresponds to that of the generic
governorturbine model [4].
Both power lines and transformers were modeled with the
equivalent circuits also used in the load-flow study.
Every medium-voltage induction motor (greater than
500 hp) was dynamically simulated through the classical
model of the induction motor [5]. Simulations using static
loads for typical refinery loads, comprising major
induction motors, were not implemented since these do
not lead to representative results [1].
Low-voltage loads (motors at 480 V) were grouped in
low-voltage motor control centers (LVMCCs) and simulated dynamically through replacing every group of small
motors with one equivalent bulk induction motor.

As a result of these guidelines, 108 induction motors were

required to properly model the dynamic behavior of the refinery
load.
The main objectives of the dynamic studies were to determine
and analyze the following:

980

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 4, JULY/AUGUST 2000

El Palito Refinery electric power system response after the

occurrence of severe or critical events that lead to sudden
load/generation unbalances;
protective relaying behavior associated to the ADS and the
asynchronous M/G as well [6];
perform the control system tuning associated to the PRU
(refer to Figs. 4 and 5), in order to achieve a safe and
reliable operation of the FCC unit and the entire electric
power system;
adjust the load-shedding scheme, including both the magnitude and location of the load to be shed as well as the
underfrequency relay sets [7], [8] (automatic tripping of
the interconnection link due to high-frequency conditions
caused by the external electrical grid was also studied);
study the dynamic behavior of the system once
three-phase faults, as well as one-phase, double-phase,
and double-phase-to-ground faults, occur at the main
refinery busbars.
Additionally, the PRU of the FCC was also modeled dynamically, considering all four major pieces of rotating equipment
coupled to the same shaft rotating at the same speed (turbine,
compressor, induction machine working as motor/generator,
and the expander), as shown in Fig. 2.
Dynamic modeling of the PRU with the Dynamic Simulation Program from INELECTRA, Caracas, Venezuela, was
validated with the help of MATLAB/SIMULINK. Since the
6000-hp induction motor/generator cannot be started directly
across the line, a steam turbine is required. This steam turbine
contributes with the necessary energy to accelerate the common
shaft until 3540 r/min, the speed at which the M/G is connected
to the grid, providing this M/G the additional torque to increase
the shaft speed to 3600 r/min. Once the fluidized catalytic
cracking process (FCC) reaches normal steady-state operating
conditions, and the catalyzer regeneration gases pass through
the expander (for more details, refer to Section V), the turbine
steam flow and power output is minimized while the expander
goes into service.
To properly set both the ADS and the refinery load-shedding
scheme, several failure events were considered (only the more
important ones are described below) taking into consideration
the output results of the frequency, voltage, and interconnection
power flows.
Additionally, severe disturbances evaluated in the refinery
electric power system were useful when determining dynamic
stability limits in the system, including the M/G operating safe
range of the PRU. Among those analyzed events are the following:
sudden loss of the interconnection link to the external
utility;
severe overfrequencies and underfrequencies occurring as
a result of faults at the external power utility;
occurrence of three-phase, single-phase, double-phase and
double-phase-to-ground short circuits at the main substations (i.e., the power utility, substation #16, and Planta
Elctrica);
sudden disconnection of the M/G of the PRU.

Fig. 2.

PRU model.

Most of the simulations were performed for different PRUs

M/G operating modes (i.e., operating as a generator or as a
motor).
V. PRU
The PRU includes one steam turbine, an air compressor, an
M/G, and the expander. All of these devices share a common
shaft. The compressor supplies pressurized air to the process
of the FCC unit while the expander collects the combustion
gases to recover energy from the process. On the other hand,
the 6000-hp induction M/G balances the net power of the PRU
shaft regulating and keeping the speed around 3600 r/min. If
the frequency were different from 60 Hz, the M/G would vary
its own reference speed accordingly. When there is an energy
deficit in the PRU, the M/G will deliver energy from the power
grid to the system, as a motor. Otherwise, the M/G will deliver
energy from the system to the power grid, as a generator. The
steam turbine is used to supply energy to the unit during startup
or when the M/G goes out of service and when the shaft speed
drops below 3570 r/min. Fig. 2 shows a schematic model of the
PRU.
The compressor, the M/G, and the steam turbine are all installed on the same frame, while the expander is mounted on a
separate base. The PRU is designed to supply compressed air
to the FCC process, at the lowest energy consumption and cost.
The compressor can be powered from any side. From the discharge side, it can be powered by the M/G and the expander, or
from the vacuum side, by the steam turbine.
When the FCC process reaches steady-state operation, hightemperature gases from the process are used to move the expander. Once the expander reaches steady-state operation, the
M/G behaves as a generator, which translates into large energy
savings. Overspeed tripping of the M/G of the PRU was initially
set to 3780 r/min.
The in/out control settings for both the turbine and the expander are as follows.
To keep the shaft speed close to the nominal speed, the
turbines governor goes into service only when the shaft
reaches 3540 r/min or when the M/G is suddenly tripped.

MARTNEZ et al.: ASYNCHRONOUS MOTOR PROTECTION AGAINST DYNAMIC INSTABILITIES

Fig. 3.

981

PRU shaft dynamic model.

Fig. 5.

Turbine/governor dynamic model.

Fig. 6. Compressor dynamic model.

Fig. 4.

Expander dynamic model.

Actual modeling considers that once the AND condition is

met and the turbine power increases, and resets only when
it stabilizes close to 3600 r/min, being the governor control
manually disconnected by the operator,
The expanders valve (SV-01) goes into control mode
when the shaft reaches the maximum limit of 3660 r/min.
Actual modeling considers that once this condition is met
the expander valve starts to regulate the flow of hot gases,
and only resets to manual mode when the operator resets
it properly.
Fig. 7.

Fig. 3 shows the model (block diagram) adopted for the PRU
dynamic modeling, while Figs. 47 show the expander, turbine,
compressor, and M/G models, respectively.

M/G dynamic model [5].

TABLE I
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDIED CASES

VI. RESULTS OBTAINED

The cases studied are classified according to the event that
cause the disturbance. These cases have been grouped in series,
as shown in Table I.
Among the most relevant results are the following.
1) LU Series: This series of simulations was carried out to
study the effect of a sudden disconnection of the refinery from
s. To assess the electrical system
the external utility in
performance for different initial conditions, some cases consider
that the M/G was initially operating as a generator (750 kW)
and others as a motor (500 kW). These values correspond to
the most likely operating conditions of this induction machine.
Fig. 8 shows both generators and shaft speeds of the PRU, as
the M/G was initially generating 1.2 MW.
Among the most important results, the following should be
mentioned.

Transient voltages remain within the range between

0.901.04 p.u. in the refinery main busbar (Planta Elctrica).
The final steady-state voltage value is above 0.99 p.u. in
Planta Elctrica.
The first step of the load-shedding scheme operates only
when two of the three generators are in service at Planta
Elctrica (Table II). The final frequency value drops
around 59.1 Hz. No load-shedding scheme is required

982

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 4, JULY/AUGUST 2000

Fig. 8.

Both generators and pru speed. LU series.

when three generators are operational in Planta Elctrica

while the transient and final frequency value is above
59.3 Hz.
The speed variations of the M/G for all cases of this series
remain between 35223603 r/min.
2) MOS Series: This series studies the effect of a sudden disconnection of the M/G of the PRU, while the M/G was initially
operating as a generator under different power output values.
Fig. 9 shows both the refinery generators and the shaft speed
plots of the PRU for this disturbance.
Among the most important results, the following should be
mentioned.
Transient voltage fluctuations range between 1.001.01
p.u. in Planta Elctrica.
The final steady-state voltage value reaches 1.005 p.u. in
Planta Elctrica.
The frequency variation led to the conclusion that no load
had to be shed.
When the M/G generates 1.0 MW or more, the shaft
reaches 3780 r/min, which could lead to risky overspeed
conditions. In this sense, the limit was set at 3780 r/min,
although the maximum permitted overspeed is 3960 Hz.
3) OF Series: This series of cases studies the refinery electric power system dynamic response as a result of a utility generation surplus which caused an overfrequency (61.45 Hz), due
to a sudden loss of 900 MW in the national power grid, which
finally led to the shutdown of the FCC PRU. Fig. 10 shows both
generators and the shaft speeds of the PRU, while Fig. 11 shows
the output power and current of the M/G of the PRU.
The initial system conditions were as follows. The M/G was
generating 1.6 MW to the national power grid at approximately
3606 r/min. El Palito Refinery was importing 5 MW from the
external grid. The refinery local output generation was 24 MW.

TABLE II
LOAD-SHEDDING SCHEME

Among the most important results obtained, we mention the

following.
Transient voltages remain within the range between
1.001.01 p.u. in Planta Elctrica.
The post-fault steady-state voltage values are above 1.008
p.u. in the Planta Elctrica busbar.
The operation of the underfrequency load shedding was
not required since system frequency never drops below
59.7 Hz.
The only cases studied for which the shaft speed of
the PRU exceeds 3780 r/min are those with the M/G
initially generating 1.2 MW or more with the expander
valve (SV-01) simulated as blocked (i.e., without gas
flow control capability). For the remaining cases, which
consider that the M/G generates 1.0 MW or less, the shaft
speed does not reach 3780 r/min.
4) UF Series: This series studies the effect of a sudden frequency decay (until 58.5 Hz) at the external utility system, while
the refinery still remains connected to it. The M/G shuts down
(operating initially as a generator) in 1.5 s. Fig. 12 shows both
generators and shaft speed plots of the PRU.
Among the most important results obtained, the following
should be mentioned.
Transient voltages are kept within the range between
0.991.01 p.u. in the refinery main busbar (Planta Elctrica).

MARTNEZ et al.: ASYNCHRONOUS MOTOR PROTECTION AGAINST DYNAMIC INSTABILITIES

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

983

Refinery generators and shaft speeds of the PRU. MOS Series. M/G generates 1.2 MW.

Refinery generators and shaft speeds of the PRU. OF Series. Expander valve blocked. M/G generates 1.6 MW.

The steady-state voltage value reaches 1.004 p.u. in Planta

Elctrica.
The first two steps of the automatic load-shedding scheme
had to operate. The final frequency is close to 58.5 Hz.
The shaft speed of the PRU oscillates between 35183600
r/min for every case in which the M/G generates less than
or equal to 1 MW.
The shaft speed of the PRU exceeds the maximum speed
limit of 3780 r/min for those cases in which the M/G is
initially generating more than 1 MW.
When the M/G operates as a motor, the speed in the shaft
of the PRU remains between 34463599 r/min.

Considering that the lower frequency limit for the generators

is 59.4 Hz in steady state, the settings recommended for the ADS
are the following:
primary (or first) underfrequency relay (FLFR) set at 59.6
Hz;
backup (or secondary) underfrequency relay (SLFR) set at
59.2 Hz;
inverse power relay at the interconnection link (IPR) set at
4.00 MW.
Both the FLFR and IPR tripping contacts are connected in
series, while the SLFR is in parallel. Since some disturbances

984

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 4, JULY/AUGUST 2000

Fig. 11.

Power and current [pu] at M/G of PRU. OF Series.

Fig. 12.

Generators and shaft speeds of the PRU. UF Series.

in the external utility also led to overfrequency condition, the

frequency relay of the SLFR was also set to trip at 61.5 Hz.
The underfrequency load-shedding scheme must be coordinated with the ADS. This means that, when the external utility
system is overloaded, the ADS should operate before the first
step of the refinery underfrequency load shedding does. After
extensive simulation of disturbances under different operating
conditions, the load-shedding scheme proposed and already implemented in the refinery is shown in Table II.

VII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Stability limits for the shaft of the PRU of the FCC were established to ensure that, for any given operating condition, a
sudden M/G trip would not cause a speed fluctuation exceeding
the permitted range. Extensive analysis led to the valuable information regarding stability limits (operating range) for the main
devices of the PRU of the FCC, especially the M/G, which is
capable of balancing from an energy point of view, the power
input (turbine and expander) and output (compressor).

MARTNEZ et al.: ASYNCHRONOUS MOTOR PROTECTION AGAINST DYNAMIC INSTABILITIES

As long as the M/G power consumption/generation remains

-MW range (if the maximum allowed overspeed is
within the
MW range (if the maximum permitted
3960 r/min), or the
overspeed were 3780 r/min, the 6000-hp induction M/G performance does not jeopardize either FCC plant operation or El
Palito Refinery electric power system security. Regarding transient voltage, it only drops below 0.90 p.u. for those fault events,
i.e., three phase, double line, and double line to ground.
Additionally, the underfrequency load-shedding scheme was
split into three steps, in order to make it more selective, as follows: 59.0 Hz (7 MW); 58.7 Hz (2.5 MW); and 58.4 Hz (7 MW),
respectively, and coordinated with an ADS which isolates the
refinery electrical system from the utility, when critical operating conditions occur due to severe disturbances at the external
utility.
Once the refinery personnel implemented the recommendations summarized in this publication in June 1997, a significant improvement in the refinery electrical system availability
records was achieved. During the last two years of operational
experience, the FCC power plant has never been shut down due
to the sudden trip of the induction M/G of the PRU, after severe
disturbances have occurred at both the refinery and the external
utility system.

Jorge Martnez (A91) was born in Caracas,

Venezuela, in 1962. He received the Electrical
Engineering degree (summa cum laude) and the
M.S.E.E. degree from the Universidad Simn
Bolvar, Caracas, Venezuela, in 1984, and 1990,
respectively.
He is currently the Manager of the Electric
Power Studies Department, INELECTRA, Caracas,
Venezuela.

Carlos Dortolina (S89M91) was born in

Maiqueta, Venezuela, in 1966. He received the
Electrical Engineering degree from the Universidad
Simn Bolvar, Caracas, Venezuela, the M.S.E.E.
degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy,
NY, and the M.B.A. degree in economics from
the Universidad Catlica Andrs Bello, Caracas,
Venezuela, in 1990, 1995, and 1999, respectively.
He is currently a Discipline Leader in the Electric
Power Studies Department, INELECTRA, Caracas,
Venezuela.

Haroldo Villamediana was born in Valencia,

Venezuela, in 1964. He received the Electrical Engineering degree from the Universidad Metropolitana,
Caracas, Venezuela, and the M.S.E.E. degree from
the Universidad Simn Bolvar, Caracas, Venezuela,
in 1988 and 1995, respectively. He is currently
working toward the M.B.A. degree in economics
at the Universidad Catlica Andrs Bello, Caracas,
Venezuela.
He is currently a Discipline Leader in the Electric
Power Studies Department, INELECTRA, Caracas,

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are grateful to El Palito Refinery (PDVSA, Manufactura & Mercadeo), in particular, to the process, instrumentation, and rotating equipment personnel, for the useful information given that made this work possible.

985

Venezuela.

REFERENCES
[1] J. Martinez and C. Dortolina, Dynamic simulation studies on industrial
power systems for designing and adjusting load shedding schemes, in
Proc. 1994 IEEE I&CPS Tech. Conf., May 1994, pp. 2329.
[2] IEEE Joint Working Group on Determination and Application of Synchronous Machine Models for Stability Studies, Current usage & suggested practices in power system stability simulations for synchronous
machines, IEEE Trans. Energy Conversion, vol. EC-1, pp. 7788, Mar.
1986.
[3] IEEE Recommended Practice for Excitation System Models for Power
System Stability Studies, IEEE Standard 42.1, 1992.
[4] IEEE Committee Report, Dynamic models for steam and hydro
turbines in power system studies, IEEE Trans. Power App. Syst., vol.
PAS-92, pp. 19041915, Nov./Dec. 1973.
[5] G. J. Rogers, J. DiManno, and R. T. H. Alden, An aggregate induction
motor model for industrial plants, IEEE Trans. Power App. Syst., vol.
PAS-103, pp. 686690, Mar. 1984.
[6] Applied Protective Relaying, 1st ed., Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA, 1982.
[7] H. Lokay and V. Burtnyk, Application of underfrequency relays for
automatic load shedding, IEEE Trans. Power App. Syst., vol. PAS-87,
pp. 776783, Mar. 1968.
[8] J. A. Pinnello and S. T. Naumann, Review of an underfrequency protection scheme using a large transient stability program, in Proc. American
Power Conf., 1983.

Willyams Pea was born in Acarigua, Venezuela,

in 1950. He received the Electrical Engineering
degree from the Universidad de Carabobo, Valencia,
Venezuela, in 1979.
He is currently the Manager of the Electric Power
Engineering Department, El Palito Refinery, Puerto
Cabello, Venezuela.

Jos Beuses was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela,

in 1969. He received the Electrical Engineering
degree in 1992 from the Universidad Simn Bolvar,
Caracas, Venezuela, where he is currently working
toward the M.Sc. degree in industrial engineering.
He is currently a Project Engineer in the Electric
Power Engineering Department, El Palito Refinery,
Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.