Tutorial on the

Protection of
Synchronous
Generators

By: Hugo Davila, P.Eng
IEEE- PES
Sponsored by
Power System Relaying Committee (PSRC)
Power Engineering Education Committee
Why This Tutorial Was
Undertaken
Surveys indicate little understanding of the subject
Older generators not being upgraded to C37
Guidelines
New protection concepts not being implemented

Response of PSRC
Update C37 Guidelines
Prepare this tutorial
Tutorial Approach
Use expertise within PSRC to educate
Task force effort
Prepare regional relay program
Tutorial Scope
Section
1
2

3

4

Subject
Fundamentals
Stator Phase Faults
Field Ground
Protection
Stator Ground
Protection
Tutorial Scope
Section
5

6
7
Subject
Abnormal Frequency
Overexcitation
VT Signal Loss
Tutorial Scope
Section
8
9

Subject
Loss of field
Out of step
Tutorial Scope
Section
10

11

Subject
Current Unbalance
System Backup
Tutorial Scope
Section
12

13

14

Subject
Inadvertent
Energizing
Generator Breaker
Failure
Generator Tripping
Fundamentals
Fundamental Section
Basic Synchronous Generators
Connections to the system
Short Circuits
Generator Grounding
C37 Guidelines
Device Numbers

Basic Synchronous Generator
Synchronous Generator Types
Direct Connected Generator
to Power System
Unit Connected Generator to
Power System
Symmetrical Trace of a Generator
Short-Circuit Current
Generator Short-Circuit Currents Phase B
Generator Terminal Fault Current
Low Impedance Grounding
High Impedance Grounding
Device Function Discussed in
Tutorial Section
21
Distance Relay. Backup for system
and generator zone phase faults.
11
24
Volts/Hz protection for generator
overexcitation.
6
32
Reverse power relay. Anti-motoring
protection.
14
40
Loss-of-field protection.
8
46
Negative sequence unbalance
current protection for the generator.
10
Device Function Discussed in
Tutorial Section
49
Stator Thermal Protection.
14
51GN
Time overcurrent ground relay.
4 & 11
51TN
Backup for ground faults.
4 & 11
51V
Voltage-controlled or voltage-
restrained time overcurrent relay.
Backup for system and generator
phase faults.
11
59
Overvoltage protection.
6
59GN
Overvoltage relay. Stator ground
fault protection for a generator.
4
Device Function Discussed in
Tutorial Section
79
Loss-of-synchronism protection.
9
81
Frequency relay. Both
underfrequency protection.
5
86
Hand-reset lockout auxiliary relay.
14
87G
Differential relay. Primary phase-
fault protection for the generator.
2
87N
Stator ground fault differential .
4
87T
Differential relay. Primary
protection for the transformer.
2
87U
Differential relay for overall
generator and transformer
protection.
2
Typical Unit Generator Transformer Configuration
ANSI/IEEE Guides
C37.102 AC Generator Protection
Revision Underway
C37.101 Generator Ground Protection
C37-106 Abnormal Frequency Protection
Generator Stator
Phase Fault
Protection
Introduction
High Fault Current
Long Repair Time
$$$
High Speed Relays
Percentage Differential
High Impedance Differential
Self-Balancing Differential
Percentage Differential
Variable Slope Percentage
High-Impedance Differential
Self-Balancing Differential
Split-Phase Protection Using Separate
Current Transformers
Split-Phase Protection Using a Single
Window Current Transformer
Split-Phase Protection Using Double-Primary
Single Secondary Current Transformer
Back-up
Overall Differential Relay
System Backup Relay
Negative Sequence Relay
Transformer Backup Relay
Generator Phase Fault Backup Overall
Differential Scheme
Field Ground Protection
Introduction
Detection of ground faults in the field circuits
Field Ground
A single ground fault will not:
Affect the operation of a generator
Produce any immediate damaging effects
The first ground fault will:
Establish a ground reference for induced voltages
Increase stress to ground at other points in the field winding
Field Ground
A second ground fault will:
Be more likely to occur
Be a whiz bang of a fault
It will result in:
A portion of the field winding being short circuited causing
vibration
Rotor iron heating from the unbalanced currents
Arcing may heat the rotor locally
Time Delay Ground Relays
Prevent misoperation from temporary grounds
caused by system transients
Some utilities have changed from alarm to trip
Protection Methods
Ground relays usually are supplied by the generator
manufacturer.
Field Ground Detection
Using a dc Source
Field Ground Detection Using a
Voltage Divider
Field Ground Detection Using Pilot
Brushes
Tripping Practices
Are not well established
Some utilities trip
Others alarm risking a second ground fault and
major damage
Generator protection survey
82% of generators employ field ground relays
Only 30% trip for a field ground
Backup Protection
Vibration detection equipment
A brush seating verification scheme
Stator Winding
Ground Fault
Protection
Introduction
The Method of Generator Neutral Grounding
Determines its Performance During Ground Faults
Solidly Grounded
Low Impedance
High Impedance
Ungrounded
Low Impedance Stator Grounding
Industrial
Smaller Sized Units
Low Impedance Grounding Generators
Bussed Together
Generator Ground Differential Using
Product Type Relay
High Impedance Stator Grounding
Conventional Protection Scheme
100% Protection Scheme
100% Stator Ground Fault
Protection Methods
3rd Harmonic
Voltage Injection
High Impedance
Grounded Generator
Third Harmonic Voltages for Different
Conditions in a Typical Generator
Third Harmonic Residual Terminal Voltage
Based Ground Fault Protection Scheme