GOVERNING SYSTEMS

Dr M.S.R.Murty

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Governing system is an important control system in the power plant as it regulates the turbine
speed, power and participates in the grid frequency regulation. For starting, loading governing
system is the main operator interface. Steady state and dynamic performance of the power
system depends on the power plant response capabilities in which governing system plays a
key role. With the development of electro- hydraulic governors, processing capabilities have
been enhanced but several adjustable parameters have been provided. A thorough
understanding of the governing process is necessary for such adjustment.

In this paper various aspects of the steam turbine governing system arepresented. The role of
governing system in frequency control is also discussed.

2.0 GOVERNING SCHEME FOR UTILITY TURBINES

Need for governing system

The load on a turbine generating unit does not remain constant and can vary as per consumer
requirement. The mismatch between load and generation results in the speed (or frequency)
variation. When the load varies, the generation also has to vary to match it to keep the speed
constant. This job is done by the governing system. Speed which is an indicator of the
generation – load mismatch is used to increase or decrease the generation.

Basic scheme for Utility turbines

Governing system controls the steam flow to the turbine in response to the control signals like
speed error, power error. It can also be configured to respond to pressure error. It is a closed
loop control system in which control action goes on till the power mismatch is reduced to
zero.

As shown in the basic scheme given in Fig. 1, the inlet steam flow is controlled by the control
valve or the governor valve. It is a regulating valve. The stop valve shown in the figure ahead
of control valve is used for protection. It is either closed or open. In emergencies steam flow
is stopped by closing this valve by the protective devices.

The electro hydraulic governing system is schematically shown in Fig.2. The electronic part
output is a voltage or current signal and is converted into a hydraulic pressure or a piston
position signal by the electro- hydraulic converter (EHC). Some designs use high pressure
servo valves. The control valves are finally operated by hydraulic control valve servo motors.

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 SV SV : stop valve
Steam CV contr. valve
CV ST : steam
G : generator

Grid
GOVERNING
G
Reference SYSTEM ST
Speed

Power

Fig. 1 STEAM TURBINE GOVERNING SCHEME

Steam
ELECTR
Speed ONIC HYDRAULIC
E
& PART Control
H PART
MW Valve

Electro-hydraulic
Converter
· Sensing · Hydraulic ST
G
Amplification
· Processing
· Primary · Actuation of Valve
Amplification (Servomotor)

Fig 2 ELECTRO – HYDRAULIC GOVERNOR SCHEME

In no load unsynchronized condition, all the power is used to accelerate the rotor only (after
meeting rotational losses) and hence the speed changes. The rate of speed change is governed
by the inertia of the entire rotor system. In the grid connected condition, only power pumped
into the system changes when governing system changes the valve opening.

When the turbine generator unit is being started, governing system controls the speed
precisely by regulating the steam flow. Once the unit is synchronized to the power system
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grid, same control system is used to load the machine. As the connected system has very large
inertia (‘infinite bus’), one machine cannot change the frequency of the grid. But it can
participate in the power system frequency regulation as part of a group of generators that are
used for automatic load frequency control. (ALFC).

3.0 GOVERNING SCHEME FOR INDUSTRIAL TURBINES

In extraction steam turbine, steam after expansion in few stages is drawn for the process at
the required pressure and temperature. As shown in Fig. 3, steam is admitted to the high
pressure (HP) turbine through HP control valves (HPCV). After HP part steam goes to the
process and remaining steam enters the low pressure (LP) part through LP control valve
(LPCV).
The governing system controls both the control valves HPCV and LPCV. When the turbine is
driving a generator, speed control, power control and extraction pressure control are
performed by the governing system. This job is quite complicated as the openings of HP and
IP control valves for power control purpose will disturb the extraction steam flow and hence
extraction steam pressure also. Similarly when extraction pressure is being controlled, power
output varies.

STAEM

HPCV

HPT LPT N

SPEED

LOAD GOV.
SYSTEM
Extraction LPCV
Steam
Pressure
CONDENSER

TO PROCESS

Fig.3 EXTRACTION TURBINE CONTROL SCHEME

Assume that there is an increase in power demand. Then HPCV is opened more to admit more
steam flow and HP turbine generates more power. With LPCV remaining in its position,
extraction steam flow increases thus increasing extraction steam pressure. To avoid this LP
control valve is also opened more so that extraction flow remains the same as per demand.
The process goes on till the powers generated by HP and IP turbines together matches with
the demand.

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When there is an increase in the steam demand without any change in the power demand,
situation is different. To cater to the increase in extraction steam flow demand, HPCV is
opened more to pass additional steam flow required. But this additional steam flow through
HP turbines also causes more power generation by the HP turbine thus power mismatch can
occur. To avoid the simultaneous response of power controller also, LP control valve opening
is reduced so that steam flow through LP turbine (and hence power contribution by LPT) is
less and total power generation is same as the demand. Thus for any extraction steam demand
change or power demand change both the control valves – HP and LP – are controlled. This is
accomplished in the electronic governor by a combination logic or mixer logic.

4.0 COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT SCHEME

The combined cycle power plant consists of Gas Turbine , a heat recovery steam generator
(HRSG) in one train. Several such trains may be there in a Captive Power Plant. A typical
CCPP scheme is shown in Fig. 4. The gas turbine (GT) exhaust heat is used in HRSG to
generate steam. The supplementary firing system augments the heat input. The GT exhaust is
connected through a diverter damper to HRSG or bypass stack.
Header

HRSG
Damper
C s

STG
G
G

GAS TURBINE

Figure 4 COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT SCHEME

In some cases, steam is of paramount importance and steam generation should not stop even
when the gas turbine is not in operation. In such a case supplementary fuel alone is used to
generate steam and a forced draft (FD) fan is provided to provide the combustion air.

In the gas turbine control system , the fuel demand signal is generated by a digital control
system based on speed, load and temperature considerations. The control action is generated
in such a way that G.T. exhaust temperature does not exceed the permissible limit.

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To meet HRSG requirement, GT exhaust temperature should have certain minimum value,
which is difficult to be achieved at part loads. Inlet guide vanes (IGVs) are adjusted to
maintain the exhaust temperature.

The steam turbines are essential components of combined cycle power plants. Governing
system of steam turbine acts in coordination with gas turbine control.

5.0 ELECTRO HYDRAULIC GOVERNING SYSTEM

Basically the steam turbine controls can be described as i) speed control when the machine is
not connected to the grid or in isolation and ii) load control when the machine is connected to
the grid.

Speed controller and load controller

In the era of mechanical- hydraulic governors (MHG), the control action is mainly
proportional. That is valve opening command is just proportional to the speed error. In the
isolated operation where speed control is active and in the inter connected operation where
power output or MW only is controlled same control action is present. In the electronic
governors it has become easier to realize complex control logic. Separate control actions are
incorporated for speed control and load control, as shown in Fig. 5.

SPEED
Speed + CONTROLLER
Ref. (PDP)

– SELECTION
VALVE
LOGIC
Speed OPENING
(MIN – MAX)
COMMAND
LOAD
Load CONTROLLER
Ref. (PI)
+
–
Load

Fig 5 SPEED CONTROLLER AND LOAD CONTROLLER IN EHG

Speed control loop demands additional capability to dampen the speed oscillations. This is
obtained using so called proportional derivative (PD) controller. In this the valve opening
command is proportional to the rate of change (or derivative) of the error also. This can
improve the dynamic response considerably.

Load control loop deals only with MW error, which is obtained using a MW- transducer and
is mainly a proportional integral (PI) controller. This loop is active when the steam turbine
generator is connected to the grid.
There is a selection logic which decides which control loop should prevail.
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6.0 PERFORMANCE ASPECTS

Regulation or droop characteristic

Whenever there is a mismatch in power, speed changes. As seen earlier, the governing system
senses this speed change and adjusts valve opening which in turn changes power output. This
action stops once the power mismatch is made zero. But the speed error remains. What should
be the change in power output for a change in speed is decided by the ‘regulation’. If 4 %
change in speed causes 100 % change in power output, then the regulation is said to be 4 %
(or in per unit 0.04).

The regulation can be expressed in the form of power – frequency characteristic as shown in
Fig. 6. At 100 % load the generation is also 100 %, frequency (or speed) is also 100%. When
load reduces frequency increases, as generation remains the same. When load reduces by 50
%, frequency increases by 2 %, in the characteristic shown. When load reduces by 100 %,
frequency increases by 4 %. In other words 4 % rise in frequency should reduce power
generation by 100 %. This 4 % is called ‘droop’ of 4 %. The characteristic is of ‘drooping’
type. Droop or regulation is an important parameter in the frequency regulation. In thermal
power plants droop value is generally 4 % or 5 %.

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Frequency
(Hz) 4% Drop

50

0% 50% 100% Load

Fig 6 REGULATION OR DROOP CHARACTERSTIC

In terms of control system steady state gain it is expressed as inverse of droop: gain of 25 in
per unit corresponds to 4 % (or 0.04 p.u) droop.

Transient performance
The governing system, as noted earlier is a closed loop control system. Stability is an
important parameter in any feedback control system. Stability and speed of response depend
on the signal modifications done by various blocks in the loop. The closed loop gain depends
on the individual block gains and the adjustable gains provided in the speed controller and
load controller. The gain at the steady state and during the transient is important in deciding
the performance.

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Even when the control valves are closed steam remaining in the steam volumes of reheater
piping, turbine cylinders (‘entrained steam’) continue to do the work and increase the speed
for few seconds.

There is an emergency governor provided to stop the turbine if the speed crosses its setting,
usually 112 %. The standards specify that the TSR value should be less than the emergency
governor setting. That means when there is a full load throw-off, governing system should act
fast so that turbine does not trip.

There are other devices provided in the governing system which help in minimizing transient
speed rise like load shedding relay (LSR) which cause feed forward action to close governing
valves before speed variation is sensed by the speed transducer.

Governor insensitivity or dead band

The governing system action depends on speed sensing. There is a minimum value of speed
which cannot be picked by the sensing mechanism and hence may remain uncorrected. This
minimum value is called governor insensitivity or dead band.

Sometimes due to wear and tear dead band increases over a period of time. This is detrimental
to the frequency regulation. In control system analysis, it is well known that dead band or
hysteresis in a closed loop causes instability or limit cycle oscillations. Governor hunting may
occur. At the same time, governor should not react for very small changes in frequency, so
dead band is introduced intentionally in the electronic governor which is an adjustable feature.

7.0 DIFFERENT MODES OF OPERATION

Boiler Follow mode

When power system frequency changes, governing systems of the steam turbines, hydro
turbines etc., act first to correct the frequency deviation. Steam generation is also to be
adjusted in thermal power plants. This is done by the boiler control later based on the pressure
deviation. This mode of operation is called Boiler follow mode (boiler follows turbine
mode).

Turbine follow mode

There are circumstances when it is necessary to control pressure with the governor valves.
This is normally referred to as turbine follow mode. In this mode the valves respond to the
throttle pressure error by closing the valves to increase pressure and vice versa.

Turbine follow mode is normally used when in an emergency condition and it is important to
immediately balance the boiler with the turbine.
Turbine follow mode is automatically initiated when the throttle pressure drops below a
dangerously low limit. This is done to protect the turbine from water induction.

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Co-ordination control Mode

The operation of turbine and boiler are regulated in coordinated manner in coordinated
control mode regulating the variations in frequency, steam pressure precisely by the Unit
coordinated control system (UCC). When a command is given for increasing or decreasing
power generation, UCC generates command signals for boiler as well as turbine based on
various considerations like boiler storage time constant, boiler thermal stresses, availability of
auxiliaries etc., The governing system thus interfaces with the UCC. It is also referred to as
coordinated master control system (CMC) in some power plants. In the BHEL/ABB UDC, the
command to change boiler generation and turbine power are simultaneously given. But the
governing system actually receives the command after a time delay equivalent to the time
taken by the boiler to increase its generation. This is shown by the steam flow coordinator
block in Fig. 7.

BLSP to Boiler combustion

Controller
Boiler Load
Unit Load Set Point
Load
Set Point UC C
(ULSP)

STEAM Turbine
FLOW Load to Governing
CO-ORDINATOR Set Point System
(TLSP)

Time delay based on boiler

storage constant

Fig 7 UNIT CO-ORDINATED CONTROL SYSTEM

8.0 FREE GOVERNOR MODE OF OPERATION (FGMO)

When frequency changes in the grid every TG unit reacts and adjusts its generation as dictated
by power frequency or droop characteristic. For instance when frequency falls by 0.1 %,
generation has to be increased by 20 % with droop of 5 %. In Indian situation most of the
generating units operate at their peak values and no additional generation is possible. With the
result many units do not increase their generation and load shedding is resorted to. In some
cases, due to various operational reasons generating companies do not like to their machines
to respond, even though spare capacity is available. The governing is bypassed. If most of the
generating stations in a grid do not respond naturally, there is a danger of grid becoming
unstable also.

In the recently approved Grid code it has been made mandatory for each generator to be
provided with capability to allow up to 105 % MCR( maximum continuous rating capacity)
generation whenever situation demands. This is called Free Governor Mode of operation
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(FGMO). It has been reported that after introduction of FGMO, frequency profile has
improved considerably.

9.0 AUTOMATIC LOAD FREQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM (ALFC)

The turbine control valve opening changes either by changing the reference setting or by the
change in speed (or frequency). This is called primary regulation as shown in Fig. 8. . The
reference setting can also be changed remotely by power system load frequency control. This
is called secondary regulation. Only some generating units in a power system may be used
for secondary regulation.

The responsibility of maintaining grid frequency is given to Automatic Load Frequency

Control (ALFC) system or automatic generation control (AGC) system. Whenever there is a
mismatch between generation and load in a grid or an area of a power system (such as
Regional electricity Board in India), the grid frequency varies and ALFC gives commands to
adjust the generation through the governing systems, as shown in Fig. 8. Due to the absence
of thermal rate limits hydro units are preferred. But the generations of many large thermal
units are also increased/ decreased. The governing system must respond quickly for such
requests. The load controller of electro hydraulic turbine control system has provision for
such interfacing.

Set point
○ Secondary regulation
AUTOMATIC
LOAD REQUENCY
CONTROLLER
To
Other
Machines
Generator Total
Power Other m/c
Load
○
Set point + GRID Area
○ Governor Turbine + - INERTIA Freq-
uency
- +
○ + Total Generation
Frequency
Primary regulation

Fig 8 AUTOMATIC LOAD RFEQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM

Automatic generation control (AGC) system

In the Energy Management Systems (EMS) of Power Systems Control ALFC is implemented
as part of Automatic Generation Control (AGC) system which has components

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 i) ALFC
ii) Economic Despatch (ED)
iii) Interchange Scheduling (IS).

10.0 CONCLUSIONS

The governing system plays an important role in the start up, synchronization and loading of a
steam turbine generating unit. It has to ensure stable and secure operation. With the
developments in technology, digital governors are increasingly being used. In this paper a
process overview of the governing system is given. Though BHEL/KWU design is mainly
dealt with, the concepts are applicable to the governing systems of other manufacturers also.

11.0 REFERENCES

i) Retrofitting steam turbines with modern control platforms by Ronald Hitzel

and Fred Block available at
http://www.energy.siemens.com/hq/pool/hq/energy-
topics/pdfs/en/service/2_Retrofitting_Steam_Turbines.pdf
ii) Governing System Overview by Dr M S R Murty
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6152992/Steam-Turbine-Governing-Systems-
Overview

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