UNDERSTANDING GENERATOR CAPABILITY CURVE

BASICS OF GENERATOR CAPABILITY CURVE

Each & Every Synchronous Generator are running on Capability Curve. Capability curve of Generator is provided by
the manufacturer & the curve has been decided during the type test of the Machine during manufacturing process.

— A Synchronous Generators are rated in terms of the maximum MVA output at a specified voltage & power factor
(Usually 0.8 to 0.9 Lagging) which then carry continuously without overheating.—The active power output is
limited by the prime movers capability to a value within the MVA rating.The continuous reactive power output
capability is limited by three consideration ( - Armature Current Limit , - Field Current Limit, - End Region Heating
Limit).

Armature Current Limit: The armature current results in an I2R Power Loss and the energy associated
with this loss must be removed so as to limit the increase in temperature of the conductor & its immediate
environment. There for one of the limitation on generator rating is the maximum current that can be carried out by
armature without exceeding the heating limitations. Therefore in P-Q plane the armature current limit appears as
a circle with centre at the origin & radius equal to the MVA rating. The per unit complex power output is

S = P + JQ

Armature Current Limit

Field Current Limit: Because of the heat resulting from the Ifd2Rfd power loss, the field current
imposes a second limit on the operation of the generator.
 Field Current Limit
End Region Heating Limit:The localized heating in the end region of the armature imposes a third limit
on the operation of a synchronous machine. This limit affects the capability of the machine in the under
excited condition. When Generator running at Over excited region then high current induced in rotor field,
that's why rotor retaining remains in saturated condition. However in the under excited region the field
current is low & the retaining ring is not saturated; this permits an increase in armature end flux. Also in the under
excited condition, the flux produced by the armature currents add to the flux produced by the field current;
there fore, the end turn flux enhances the axial flux in the end region & the resulting heating effect
may severely limit the Generator output, particularly in the case of a cylindrical rotor machine.

End Region Of a Generator

 End Region Heating Limit

Capability Curve Of a Synchronous Generator:

CAPABILITY CURVE OF GENERATOR

Detail of Generator Capability curve will be studied in upcoming blogs (RRS)