',J.

Hensel

,\UTO!'L\'r IC CONTROL 3YSTEMS OF RECTIFIER-LOADED S YNCHRONOUS

Avr";RN;,'TOR3 AND OF D.C. n UrOH3 IN TH,C; CONSTAN'I' -CURllliNT
LOO P ,\BOAHD A P IPELA YING BARGE

,J. Hensel
Diplo ming enieur
A.2;G S chiffba u
Homburg De utschl a nd

ZUSAI'1l'1ENFA3 3UNG
ryer vorlie g ende Aufs a tz beschreibt den S i g n a lflu B d er Re-
geleinrichtung en, die fur die Speise f, enera toren und die
Antriebsmotoren in einem Konst a nt-S tro m-KTei s a n Bord ei-
nes g roBen Rohrverlegers konzipiert wurden. Einleitend
wird die Anordnung der speisenden und verbra uchenden KOQ-
ponenten innerha lb des Konst a nt-3trom-Systemes erl a utert.
Der erste H '~uptabschni tt behandel t die Struktur der Kon-
sta nt - Strom-Regelung mit der ihr unterl ag erten Leistungs-
re g elung . Die charakteristischen Verbraucher dieses Kon-
sta nt-Strom - Kreises sind die Antriebs motoren der Posi -
tionierungswinden, deren Drehzahl- und Drehmomenten-Re-
gelung im zweiten Hauptabschnitt erl iiutert wird. Auf die
in der Gener3.tor- und 'Jindenregelung entha ltenen Elemente
zur selbstt a ti g en Be g renzung der Knotenpunktspotentiale
wird besonders hingewiesen. Die Regelkonzepte der An-
triebsmotoren fur die Bordnetzumformer und die H~draulik­
Pumpen der Rohr-Ha lteeinrichtung (Pipetensioners) sind
aus der,Jindenregelung a b g eleitet, wie abschlieBend er-
liiutert wird .

3 UMM" RY
This p a per de a ls with the signal flow of control devices
which were developed for the alternators a nd motors in a
const a nt-current loop abo a rd a large pipe l a yer. In the
introduction, the a rrangement of the feeding and the fed
components within the constant-current system are des-
cribed. The first main p a ragraph o f the paper deals with
the structure of the constant-current control with it's
subsidiary power control. The chara cteristic consumers
of this consta nt-current loop a re the motors which drive
the positioning winches. Their speed a nd torque controls
are described in the second ma in pa r ag raph of the paper.
Speci a l reference is ma de to the elements contained in
the alterna tor a nd winch controls for the a utomatic limi-
tation of the node potentia ls. The control concepts of
the motors driving the mains converters a nd the hydraulic
pumps of the pipe - tensioners a re derived fro m the winch
control, a s expla ined in the final pa r ag r a ph of this
pa per.

1. ARRANGEMENT OF COMPONENTS 'JITHIN THE CONSTANT-CURRENT

LOOP
The arrangement of the power g enerators a nd power con-
sumers which are included in the const a nt-current loop

231
'd . Hensel

is shown in Fip;ure (1) . 'rhe eight synchronous a ltern" tors

( 2 ) which are driven by the diesel en~ ines (1) a re adap -
ted to the opera tion with se ries-connected se miconductor
rectifiers (6) by being spe ci a lly rated (hi~h st 'ltor
strqy re' l ctance , no subtra nsient response due to missing
da mper winding) . Ea ch a lterna tor a nd its coordin ~ ted
rectifier sets f OIl,;] a construc tion'Oi l unit , with the coo-
ling 3. ir of the il terna to r flowinG throuF-;h the rectifier
sets (self-cooling ) . These synchronous a lterna tors ( 2 )
(power: 1 7 00 kJ) ha ve t wo electrica lly insulated windinf,
syste:ns in the sta tor . Each of these winding systells
feeds :i se ::J iconductor rectifier (6) in three-ph:l se bridr; e
c o=ection . In order to assure Cl f a vour:J ble distribution
of the node point potenti a Is despite the continua lly
ch ~ n s in ~ oper !ting conditions in the loop , the two rec -
tifier sets of everyone a lternator a re co=ected to the
loop '!t different feed pOints .
One or two consumers a re a rr~ nged between the d . c . current
outputs of the 16 rectifier sets (6) . The consta nt-cur -
rent loop cOllprises three d ifferent consumer broups: -
1) Five d . c./3-pha se a . c. converters (3) with unconpen-
s 'J ted , separ:l tE:ly excited drive ::Jotors (power: 770 k'd)
~ re provided to produce the central power of the ba r g e .

2 ) The 14 a nc hor winches (4) required for the propulsion

~ nd positioning of the pipel a yer a re d rive n by cO ::Jpen-
s ~ ted , sep A ra tely excited d . c . ::Jotors (power : 1470 kJ) .

3) The pipe-tensioners ha ve hydraulic drives . The r ~ tinr;

of t he three pUllP motors (5) (power : 370 kJ) of this
hydra ulic dri ve i s the s a me ~s that of the converter
moto r s .
The excit a tion windinf,s of the synchronous a ltern ~ tors
~re fed by unidirectiona l s .c.r. units in three-pha se
bridge co=ection. The units 'i re co=ected by tr3.nsfor-
mers to the 440 V, 60 cls ::J':, ins syste:n .
All drive Clotors h'l ve one co:nmon feature: 'r heir exci -
t,tion f i elds s re fed by two - directiona l s . c . r . un i ts
wi th low circulo.r current in a six - o:.tlse , 'l nti-p~r& llel
co=ection . liere the " fo:,w 'l rd" 3nd " oa ckw :l rd" c roups of
the s . c . r . units a re electric 'l lly insul 3. ted by ::J e~ ns of
tr'l nsfor::Jers with two secondq ry windinGs . The pri::J,ry
windin; slre fed fro;n the 440 V, 60 cls ::J ~ ins syste :n .
The potent i ~ ls of 311 node pOints in the const a nt-current
loop ::Je ~ sured 3gJ inst the cO::J::Jon reference point of the
auto:na tic control devices (ground) ~ re ba lanced in such
a w ~ y th a t the 3bsolute v a lues of the hi ghest positive
:l nd the highest ne S::l tive potenti :,l h'"ve the s ~:n e 'J::Jount
durins a ll opera ting conditions of the syste ::J .

232
 :,./. Hensel

Figure(2)shows that the maximu.ll values of the potenti:lls

in the pos i tive as well as in the ne ga tive direction 3re
selected by diode circuitries which are co~~ected to the
referred node points of the loop . The est ab lished maximum
values of the node point potentials a re bal'lnced by two
i dentically rated resistors which are connected between
reference point (1) or (2) and the ground. Th is balancing
system is an import a nt assu~ption referring to the auto-
matic potential control device, which is expl a ined in
the following parag r aphs .

2. THE AL'r.2RNATOR ' S CLOS.r;D-LOOP CONTROL SYSTeM

The following expl a nations are based on the flow diagrall
Fi~ure (3), by means of which the co mp onents of the
auto::mtic alternator control which co mb ines four closed -
loop control-systems are described.

2.1 Automatic control of excit a tion current

By controlling the excitation current a utoma tically,
the protective functions required in c a se of overlo a d
a nd short-circuit can be easily re 3 lized.

The set ~ nd the actual v a lue of the excitution current

a re cOllpa red a t the input of the excitation current
controller (10) . The control devi at ion resulting from
this cOllparison is amplified and used a s 3 control signal
for the pulse unit (11) , by means of which the i ~ nition
pulses are generated for the thyristors of the excitation
converter (12) synchronously with the mains volta g e a nd
controlled according to the require ments of the over-
ridin g control systems.

The actual excitation current is lle~s ured at the a .c. -

input of the thyristor brid~e by 2 e a ns of measuring
transformers; it is then rectified by means of the a ctua l
value transmitter, adapted to the si~n'll level of the
control systell a nd smoothe d .

~ithin the line ~r r s n~~ of the c0~tro1 , the set v~lue

of the excit a tio:1 current con trol i s DroDor;, ionrd to the
control deviation of the overridin~ v~lti'·e control . The
set v a lue limitation (9) j3S tc li;i t tjedesired ex -
citation current vqlue to it's ~ .· l xi ~u~ which is Der~is­
sible for the excit~tion windi L~ . 3~ ~his functi~n block
the alternator is de-excited du~in~Vstopp~~e or in the
event of SO:le extern'~ l ·discurb·: ,nce . I:1 these C'ises the
de - excitation device (~1) c ',us es t~e ma ximu m v al ue of
the desired excitin ~ current to be set at zero without
delay. .

The function un it ( 20 ) causes tje e cit , tion current of

the sync::ronous 3.1tprr.c" tor t o ":-'2 '·"1 o~ ,tic ",lly reduced
if the current in oDe 0 f t:--,C C'IC c: C t:,c' wiejin:· systeJls
exceeds Cl defi"ite th"es;-:01d V,llC. l",j::; !lnit is :ncJ. inly

233
W. Hensel

conceived as a short-circuit protection. For this re ason

the d.c. measuring tr~nsformers for the registration of
the currents in both partial systems of ffialternator are
arranged between the d.c. outputs of the rectifiers and
the d.c. terminals of the alternator in the terminal box.
If there is a terminal short-circuit at one or at both
systems of the alternator , the higher of the two partia l
currents causes the excitation current to be reduced by
means of the ma ximum value selection (16) and the thres-
hold value amp lifier (20).

The overcurrent relay (22) is actuated as soon as the

exciting current exceeds the value permissible for the
alternator, which is then disconnected upon expiry of a
time delay and an ala rm is actvated.

2.2 Automati c control of alternator volt aGe

The volta ge control of the alte rnator overrides the
exciting current control and is to achieve the following :

1) Via the set value ch ~ nnel of this control the

power, required by the consumers in the constant current
system is evenly distributed between the alte rnators .

2) The maximum load of the alternators is limited to

admissible values by means of the voltage control.

The elements marked with suffix (8) in the signal flow

dia g r'.l:n symbolize the volta g e controller and its tran-
sient response. The alterna tor volta g e is measured se-
parately for e a ch p a rtial system (14) by means of volta g e
dividers which a re connected between the alternator 's
ter':lin<l ls and r:; round. The actual value required for the
control is obtained by the , ':laxi mum va lue selection (15)
between these two partial signals. The set v a lue of the
vol t 'l;o:e control is the arith metica l me;ln va lue of the
control deviations which are the resulting output si g -
nals of the eight current controllers in the constant
current circuit. The :!lean v a lue is formed a t the sU:J-
:na tion point (6) which connects the control device of all
a lterna tors. The output signa ls of al l current control-
lers are sumJl1ed up in point (6). i3y 'Je.'~ns of the input
evaluations of the voltag e controllers ( 8 ), the 'Je ~ n
v a lue of the portion for e:i ch alterna tor is c'llcul :1 teci
from this sum sic;nG. l. :C; ince the alternator 's current is
constant in t!':le steady st,te condition, the vo lt'lC"e
controller may , wit h cert ~ in restrictions, be re s ~ r cied
" S '3, power controller.

2 .3 C: 05ed 1000 const ~ nt-current centrol

The do:nin ~ tin c controller in the syste m of the ~ lter­
n a tor's control device is the const'J. nt-current controller,
which is shown in the flow di a~ ram with the symbols
marked by suffix (5).

234
 w. Hensel

As described in Section 2.1, the current flowin g in the

two rectifiers of each alternator is measured seperately
in both partial systems. As for the voltage control, the
maximum value of these two signals is found by a selec-
tion circuit (16) and led to the controller as an a ctua l
value. Each alternator controller contains a network to
obtain the desired value. This consists of a resistance
divider which is fed from the 15 V-source of the control
electronics. A changeover device (3) controlled from
the winch console is used to change the partial ~atio in
such a way that the set value signal is reduced from
100 ~ (1) to 90 ~ (2). This cha ngeover is necessary for
a continuous opera tion of the winch motors.

2.4 Automatic potentia l control

The control device for limiting the node potenti a Is in
the loop is based on the f a ct that the const a nt-current
system is balanced by a network of diodes and resistors,
as it is described in section 1. Fundament a lly, the
reducing interventions affect a t first the exciting de-
vices of the relevant a lterna tors. It is only a fter the
a lternators are either reduced or loaded up to 100 ~
that the winch motors are reduced.

The automatic potential control has the t a sk to li mit

the potential, measured to ground a t the "+"-terminals
of the alternators, a uto ma tic a lly by me a ns of the a lter-
n a tor's excitation to the v a lue a~~issible for the in-
sula tion. For this purpose the maximum v a lue of the
potentials measured a t the "+"-terminals of the two
p a rti a l systems of each a lterna tor by me a ns of voltag e
dividers to ground a re selected in block (17). This
ma ximum value selection includes also those potential
values which are measured a t the coordina ted consumer
nodes. To each a lternJ tor those consumers a re coordi-
nated which - counted in the direction of the current
flow - are directly pla ced behind the a lterna tor. If
the motors are regenera ting, the potenti a l a t the nodes
behind these consumers is more positive than a t t h e
"+" terminOl. ls of the coordinated a lterna tors. In this
c a se the potenti a l at the releva nt consu mer node is
limited by the potential control of the coordina ted
a lterna tor.

The maxi mum v a lue a scert a ined from the a bove mentioned
node potentia ls is compa red a t t h e input of the poten-
tial controller (1 8 ) with the limit va lue of the poten-
tial a dmissible for the insula tion. ~s long a s the
for mer v a lue is sma ller, the limita tion of the excita-
tion current in block (9) will not be affected by the
potenti a l control. If, however, the potenti a l at one of
the nodes coordinated to the controller (18) exceeds
the a dmissible limit v a lue, the potential controller(1 8 )
reduces its output signal as much as it is necessary to

235
·w. Hensel

keep the potential at the respective nodes within the

admissible limits. By intervention of the potential
controller, the voltage controller (8) is therefore
released until the potentials at the controlled nodes
h a ve decreased again. By this potential intervention,
the power output of the respective alternator is
temporarily limited. The constant-current controllers
of the remaining alternators ensure automatically that
the share of power of the reduced alternator is evenly
distributed among the alternators which are not reduced.
If the alternators arranged in the circuit cannot take
up any more power, either because they are loaded up to
100 10 or are reduced by potential intervention, the
power intake of the winch motors is reduced by a limit-
ing controller. Thus it is assured that the constant-
current level is not endangered by an excessive power
demand in the circuit. The limiting controller of the
winch motors is described in the third chapter of this
paper. The c·ontrols of pump- and converter motors have
no such limiting interventions.

2.5 Overload Protection of Alternators

Apart from the limiting controllers described in the
previous paragraph, each alternator controller is pro-
vided with an overlo ~ d measuring and signalling device.
This consists of a flip-flop (19) which changes its
output condition as soon as the maximum value of the
two alternator voltages - selected in block (15) - is
exceeded. At overload, the output signal of the flip-
flop (19) causes the non-essential consumers to be cut
off. In addition, the winches,operating in the high-
speed mode-reha uling the anchors-,are reduced to 30 % of
their rated power by changing the desired value limi-
tation of the speed controllers accordingly. The motor
torquffiand consequently the line pulls are not affected
by this intervention, i.e. during steady state operation.

The disconnection of non-essential consumers as well as

the reduction of the winches during high-spe'ed-operation
has to be reset m~ nually.
3 .,JINCHI10TOR I S CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM
The following explanations are based on the flow diagram
Fi~(4)by means of which the components of the winchmotor
control are described.

3.1 Aut<T.!latic control .Ot, excitation current

At the input of the excitation current controller (8)
the set value and the a ctual value of the excitation
current will be compared. The amplified deviation is
the control si g n a l for the succeeding pulse unit (9)
which controls the thyristor bridge (10) and therewith
the excitation current.

236
 W. Hensel

The actual excitation current is measured at the a.c.-

input of the thyristor bridge by means of current
transformers; it is than adapted to the signal level of
the excitation controller by means of the actual value
transmitter (7) and smoothed.
The excitation current set value will b~ produced by the
deviation of the dominating speed control. This devi-
ation is limited by the unit (6); the output signal of
block (6) may be considered as a torque set value. By
means of extern potentiometers (11) the limitations of
the torque in both directions will be adjusted.

3.2 Closed loop speed control

At the input of the speed controller (5) the speed

actual value (4) and the speed set value (3) will be
compared.
The actual value transmitter (4) forms an analogous
signal depending to the speed and the sense of ro-
tation given by a three-phase tacho alternator which
is coupled to the winch motor.

By an extern speed set value potentiometer (1) the

speed and the sense of direction will be adjusted.
This signal is limited by the unit (2). In case of
overload in the constant-current system the winchmotors
running in "High-Speed-Mode" will be reduced to 30 10
of rated speed by an extern instruction signal to
block (2). The output signal of block (2) is led to the
set value integrator (3). By means of a variable in-
tegration period there is a possi~ility to adjust the
dynamic range according to the necessary working
conditions.

The output signal of this integrator (3) is the set

value of the speed controller (5).

3.3 Automatic mooring operation

The automatic mooring equipment ensures that in case of
overload and stalled motor (llM=o) the current doesn't
flow for a longer time at the same part of the commu-
tator and thereby the admissible temperature will be
exceeded.
By a trigger circuit (16) the signal "speed=O" will
by monitored and by the resulting output a timing
circuit is excited (17). Thereby the excitation con-
troller (8) gets an additional set value by which the
excitation current will be reduced and the motor starts
running in direction "payoff". At a definite speed
in this direction the trigger will be automatically
reset, and the cyclic operation can start again till
the overload condition has ended.

237
'W. Hensel

3.4 Overspeed, overtorgue

In case of overspeed or failure of tachoalternator the
drive will be stopped immediately by a trigger (18).
The actual value transmitter (7) supplies a further
trigger (not shown in Ghis Fig.4) by means of which the
condition "overload" is monitored and effects that the
drive will be swit~hed off after a time of 90 s.
3.5 Potential control
The effect of potential control is described in details
in chapter 2.4 (alternator control).
To prevent,that the maximum of admissible negative vol-
tage will-be exceeded, the potential on node "B" of the
winchmotor's armature will be measured and compared
with a reference voltage at the input of the potential
controller (15).
The out~ut signal of unit (15) is led to the limitation
unit (6) by means of which the winch motor will be
reduced.
In block (13) the total available power supplied by the
alternators, which are c~cted to the constant-current-
system, will be measured. By the characteristic of the
function block (14) a reference signal will be produced
and compared with the armature voltage of each winch
motor which gives an information upon the power con-
sumption of the motor.
In case of overload for the alternators the controller
(12) engages the limitation unit (6) by means of which
the power consumption of the winch motor will be re-
duced.
4. REMARKS ON THE CONTROL nEVICES OF MAINS CONVERTERS
AND PU11P MOTORS FOR PIPETENSIONERS
The drive motors of the d.c./three-phase a.c. mains
converters and the hydraulic pumps for the pipeten-
sioners are controlled in basically the same way as the
winch motors described in Chapter 3, i.e. the principle
of speed control with second-loop torque control is
used also for these consumers. Therefore this final
chapter deals only with the differences of these control
devices from those for the winches.
The hydraulic pumps and the mains converters are ope-
rated at constant speed, and fixed value transmitters
are incorporated for the desred speed values. 'With the
converter control it is possible to vary the desired
speed value within a narrow margin around rated value
by means of an external potentiometer. This is

238
 ~. Hensel

necessary for frequency and active load adjustment.

For both controls the maximum desired torque values are
permanently set to correspond with the overloading
capacity of the motors. An external setting facility
is not provided.
The power outputs of the drive motors for the mains
converters and the hydraulic pumps must not be reduced
in view of the importance of these consumers for a
correct performance of the pipelayer. Therefore the
concept of the control devices does not include any of
the interventions described under the winch control, by
means of which the output of the winch motors is limited
in the event of an overload in the constant-current loop
or of excessive potentials. Since the stoppage at a
definite load torque does not occur during operation of
the drive dealt within this chapter, the elements of
the socalled mooring qutomatic (standstill protection)
included in the winch control are also dispensed with.
The control device of the pump motors permits the
reverse power operation at rated torque, while the re-
verse power capacity of the converter motors is limited
to a few percent of rated power~· in order to comply
with the requirements of the mains operation as well as
of the classification societies.

239
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Figure 1: Const a nt - current - system

with rectifierloaded synchronous
alterna tors
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lr ~
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UG, L\;, \"", 1

L _ .___ ._ ._ ._ ._ ._ . ._ ._
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(1)
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Figure 2: Potential - control circuitry of t::S
....
.... the constant - current - system en
(1)
f-'
 :0::
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(1)
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----(1)

Figure 3: Flow diagramm of alternator - control

 w. Hensel

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