As for starting a GE-design heavy duty gas turbine, that topic, too, has been covered MANY

times before on control.com, and all of those threads can be found using the 'Search' feature of
control.com. But, for now, we'll start with the basics (until you provide some more information as
requested above).

--Operator initiates START

--The starting means starts

(the starting means is used to break the turbine-generator shaft away from zero speed (get it
turning from an at-rest condition; on Frame 9E units the starting means is almost always an
electric motor, a very high voltage, medium horsepower electric motor) and to accelerate it to
purge speed

--The turbine goes through a purge, using the starting means to rotate the axial compressor
shaft (which is part of the turbine shaft) to cause air to move through the compressor, turbine
and exhaust to remove (purge) any combustible gases from the unit to prevent an explosion
when the ignitors are energized

--At the completion of the purge (on most, but not all, Frame 9E units) the unit is allowed to
decelerate to approximately 9.5% speed, at which point the starting means begins to re-
accelerate the unit slowly

--At approximately 10% speed the ignitors are energized and fuel is admitted to the turbine's
combustors; flame should be established in less than 30 seconds (usually much less than 30
seconds, especially for natural gas fuel)

--Once flame is established fuel is cut back a little and the unit continues to accelerate from the
torque of the starting means to allow the unit to warm up slowly (more slowly than if the fuel
were held constant); this helps to prevent thermal stresses to the internal turbine parts

--Once the warm-up period is complete the fuel is ramped up to achieve a desired acceleration
rate (if the turbine has a Mark V, Mark VI or Mark VIe control system); the starting means is still
providing torque to help the turbine to accelerate because there is not enough energy from the
hot combustion gases flowing through the turbine to sustain speed or to accelerate the turbine

--Once a Frame 9E reaches 60% speed the starting means is uncoupled from the turbine-
generator shaft and the unit will accelerate based on the torque produced by the combustion of
fuel and the hot combustion gases flowing through the turbine section of the unit

--When the unit reaches approximately 70-80% speed the IGVs (Inlet Guide Vanes) will open
from their "closed" position (usually 34 DGA (DeGrees Angle) to the minimum operating angle
(usually 57 DGA)

--When the unit reaches approximately 95% speed the Aux. L.O. and Auxiliary Hydraulic pumps
will be shut down, the compressor bleed valves will close, some compartment vent fans will
start, the generator exciter will be started and generator terminal voltage will start increasing
very quickly to rated and the unit will continue accelerating to approximately 100% speed
(usually 100.3% speed to be exact)

At that point the operator decides to synchronize the unit. Most turbines have both a manual-
and an automatic synchronization mode; most sites use automatic synchronization (which does
everything an operator would do and then close the generator breaker). At this point the
without any operator action, the unit goes to what's called "Spinning Reserve" which is a
minimum amount of load (electrical power output). NOTE: Once the generator breaker closes
the turbine-generator speed and frequency are held to whatever the grid frequency is (speed
and frequency are directly related). If the electrical load of the machine is increased or decreased
when the unit is synchronized to the grid the unit speed will not change (unless the grid
frequency changes). To produce more electrical power, the turbine control system increases the
fuel flowing into the turbine's combustors. To decrease the electrical load, the turbine control
system decreases the fuel flowing into the turbine's combustors.

That's about it. We need to more about your unit, as requested above. The basic steps are:
START; purge; fire; warm-up; accelerate to FSNL (Full Speed-No Load); synchronize; load/unload
as required.

How is generator manually synchronized onto a live bus.

Nothing like a simple question.

Prior to synchronization, the generator needs to be at or very near rated speed, because
speed and frequency of the generator output are directly related.

Prior to synchronization, the generator terminal voltage needs to be at or very near

rated voltage (which should be approximately equal to nominal grid voltage).

The generator breaker needs to be in the racked-in position with the primary and
secondary disconnects made up (connected) and ready to synchronize.

All lock-out relays must be in the reset position.

There should be a switch or handle on the generator control board/panel to select
MANUAL or AUTOMATIC synchronization, and MANUAL synchronization needs to be
selected.

The operator then needs to manually adjust the prime mover speed (which adjusts the
generator speed and frequency) to make the generator frequency just slightly greater
than the frequency of the grid the generator is being synchronized to. Usually, there is a
a scope with a moving needle called a synchroscope which is used during
synchronization. When the needle is rotating in the clockwise direction, the frequency of
the generator is faster than the frequency of the grid the generator is being
synchronized to; the faster the needle is rotating the higher the generator frequency is
with respect to grid frequency. When the needle is rotating in the anti-clockwise
direction, the frequency of the generator is slower than the frequency of the grid the
generator is being synchronized to; the faster the needle is rotating in the anti-clockwise
direction the slower the generator frequency is with respect to the grid frequency. The
general rule is that immediately prior to synchronization the synchroscope needle
should be rotating in the clockwise direction at the rate of one rotation every five or six
seconds. It could be a little slower, or it could be a little faster, but it should be rotating
"slowly" in the clockwise direction during manual (or even automatic synchronization).

Then the operator uses the AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator) adjust switch to make
the generator terminal voltage equal to or just slightly higher than the voltage of the
grid the generator is being synchronized to. It could actually be a little lower than grid
voltage, but that's not the general rule for synchronizing--it should be equal to or
slightly greater than grid voltage.

Then, the operator puts his (or her) hand on the generator breaker close switch handle.
Watching the synchroscope needle rotate (slowly in the clockwise direction) the
operator waits for the needle to approach the 11 o'clock position (just slightly before 12
o'clock/straight up) and then rotates the generator breaker close switch handle in the
CLOSE direction and holds it in the CLOSE position for a couple of seconds and releases
the handle (it should return to mid-position by spring action). Once the generator
breaker is successfully closed, meaning the generator is synchronized to the grid, the
synchronization selector switch should be placed back in the OFF position.

In the "background" there should be a synchronizing check relay which is monitoring

the frequency of the generator and the frequency of the grid the generator is being
synchronized to--and newer, more modern synch check relays monitor BOTH frequency
and voltage of both the generator and the grid. The synchronizing check relay WILL
NOT allow the operator to close the generator breaker with the generator breaker close
switch handle if the frequency and phase angle of the generator and grid are not within
allowable limits. This is to prevent damage to the generator breaker, the generator, the
coupling between the generator and the prime mover, and the grid by closing the
generator breaker out of phase with the grid voltage sine waves.

Now, why do we do all these things? First, it is CRITICAL that the generator voltage sine
waves be properly matched (in phase) with the grid frequency voltage sine waves (most
synchronous generators are three-phase generators). If the sine waves of the phases of
the generator are NOT "aligned" or very nearly aligned with the sine waves of the
phases of the grid, then VERY GREAT mechanical forces--and electrical forces, too--can
result which can cause mechanical and electrical damage to BOTH the generator and it's
prime mover, and the grid components also. When the synchroscope needle is pointing
at 12 o-clock (straight up--vertical) this means the phases are perfectly in alignment.
"So," you ask, "you said to close the breaker BEFORE the synch scope needle reached 12
o'clock/straight up--which means the sine waves are NOT exactly in phase (aligned)?!?!
WHY??!!?!" Because, the breaker has some mechanical linkages in the operating
mechanism which take some time to actually operate and close the generator breaker
contacts. So, we send the command to close the breaker slightly ahead of the 12
o'clock/straight up needle position so that when the breaker's main contact do close
they will be as close as possible to in phase and aligned.

Why does the operator adjust the generator terminal voltage to be equal to or slightly
greater than the grid voltage? Because, if the generator terminal voltage is equal to the
grid voltage when the generator breaker closes there will be zero VAr (Volt-Ampere
Reactive) current flow across the generator breaker between the generator and the grid.
When the generator terminal voltage is slightly greater than the grid voltage when the
generator breaker closes there will be a slight amount of VAr current flowing out of the
generator breaker and to the grid--which is okay. Most generators are designed to
produce reactive current and supply reactive current to the grid. And, a small amount of
"positive" reactive current during synchronization and initial loading is desirable. As
opposed to "negative" reactive current (VArs) flowing into the generator from the grid if
the generator terminal voltage is less than the grid voltage when the generator breaker
is closed. There are protective relays monitoring the generator which may open the
generator breaker if the magnitude of VAr current flowing into the generator is
"excessive" at the time the generator breaker is closed during synchronization. So, it's
desirable to have a small amount of VAr (reactive) current flowing out of the generator
at the time of synchronization, to prevent a possible breaker trip.

Finally, by having the synchroscope rotate in the clockwise direction, the operator is
making the generator frequency be just slightly higher than the grid frequency. This
means that the prime mover is producing slightly more torque than is required to keep
the generator spinning at the exact speed (frequency) of the grid. When the generator
breaker closes during synchronization the generator rotor is "captured" by the grid and
slows down <i>immediately</i> to match grid frequency. BUT, the prime mover
governor still maintains that slight extra energy flow-rate into the prime mover. This
cause the Watts (or kW or MW) being produced by the generator to increase to some
positive level flowing out of the generator at the time of synchronization.

If the synchroscope was rotating slowly in the anti-clockwise direction when the
generator breaker was closed, that means the generator frequency is less than grid
frequency and the prime mover is not producing enough torque to keep the generator
spinning at the same frequency as the grid. When the generator breaker is closed with
the prime mover not producing the required power to keep the generator spinning at
grid frequency the grid will still "capture" the generator rotor and will speed up the
generator rotor to make it match grid frequency--and to do that will require that power
from the grid (Watts, kW, MW) will be flowing from the grid into the generator to keep
the generator rotor (and the prime mover!) spinning at grid frequency/speed. This is
called "reverse power", and most generators can tolerate reverse power--but some
prime movers (like steam turbines and reciprocating engines) can NOT tolerate reverse
power. So, there is at least one reverse power protective relay monitoring the direction
of real power (Watts, kW, MW) into and out of the generator to protect the prime mover
and generator against the effects of reverse power. By having the generator rotor
spinning a little faster than grid frequency when the generator breaker is close during
synchronization that ensures that no reverse power will flow into the generator from the
grid, possibly opening the generator breaker.

Most, but not all, automatic synchronization relays/schemes do exactly the same as
above--adjust generator frequency and phase angle and voltage (sometimes called
"speed matching" and "voltage matching") when synchronizing; some only match
frequency and phase angle. Prior to the first synchronization of any generator, it is
critical to verify the three phases of the generator output are matched to the grid
phases, and that all of the metering signals (from PTs (Potential Transformers) and CTs
(Current Transformers)) are all providing the proper signals in the proper directions.
And, any time those metering circuits are disturbed during any kind of maintenance or
upgrade they should be re-checked as they are critical to proper synchronization and
unit (and personnel!) protection.

Hope this helps! Synchronization is VERY CRITICAL to the proper operation of a power
plant. Done improperly, it can have disastrous and deadly effects. That's why, as was
noted above, there is almost always a synchronizing check relay in the manual
synchronization generator breaker close circuit to prevent an operator from
unintentionally closing the generator breaker when the phases are not aligned--which
can cause the most damage to equipment (and personnel if they are too close!).