GENERATOR OPERATION LIMITS

By Pradeep Yadav,
Dy. Director.

When a manufacturer designs & construct an

alternator, It will specify the MCR ( max.
continuous rating )of the machine in terms of;
1. Stator current. (9050A)
2. Stator voltage. (15.75KV)
3. Rotor current. (2600A.DC)
4. Rotor voltage. (310V.DC)
5. MW. (210MW)
6. MVA. (247MVA)
7. Power factor. (0.85 lagging)
The operation of the generator must be such that
none of the design limitations are exceeded as
otherwise damage to the generator may result.

There are 5 principal limitations on the

generator operation.
Principal limitations:
1. Stator current limit.
2. Rotor current limit.
3. MW limit.
4. Stability limit.
5. Stator end heating limit.

A convenient way of presenting these

limitations is in the form of a diagram
called as Capability curve.

Capability curve :

Assumption: Generator terminal voltage is

maintained constant
Erect a voltage vector OA.

Principal limitations:

1. Stator current limit : Heat developed in the

winding is limited by the class of Insulation.
At higher current, overheating may damage
insulation.
Class B Insulation - 130 Deg. Cel.
Class F or H

- 180 Deg. Cel.

2. MW limit
The Max. continuous MW rating is
dictated by the steam generation
capability of boiler & the H.P rating of the
turbine.
In theory, generators are capable of
generating an output equal to MVA rating.
MW = MVA X Cos =MVA at unity p.f.
= V X I X Cos
But generators are designed to operate at a
lagging p.f. ( 0.85 ). So that max.output is
achieved at max.stator current & at rated p.f.

A horizontal line line drawn from point B

will give MW limit boundary

3. Rotor current limit:

Same reasoning as in case of stator current
limit.
Short Circuit Ratio( SCR ) is the ratio of field
current required to induce rated nominal
voltage in the Gen.terminal in open circuit
condition
TO
the field current required to circulate rated
stator current in the Gen. terminals with the
terminals short circuited.

Select a point G, such that OG/OB = SCR of

the generator.
Then, GB will represent full load rotor current or
total field current. With GB as radius , draw an
arc. It will be locus of rotor current and its limit.
Angle between GO & GB will be Rotor angle or
stability angle ().

4. Stability limit/Minimum rotor current

limit:
For every load condition of the generator, a
minimum rotor current has to be supplied
to maintain magnetic coupling in the air
gap between stator & rotor.A reduction in
field current without any change in steam
admission will lead to break in magnetic
coupling ( increase in rotor angle) with the
subsequent loss of machine stability.
Rotor angle or stability angle () < 90for
stable Gen. Operation.

5. Stator end heating limit:

With high values of stator
current at leading power factor , heating
of the end sections of the stator core tend
to occur.
The end heating limit would normally only
be reached if the stability limits were
exceeded.
Coolent:

Normal

Limit

Property

Cold Hydrogen gas temp. 44 Deg.cel

55Deg.cel 3.5Kg/cm2. 99% pure

Stator water temp.

48 Deg.cel 27m3/hr.

45 Deg.cel

Rotor angle ()= 90 - Theoritical stability limit.

Practical stability limit () = 75.

1.Variation of terminal voltage:

Voltage(KV)
14.18 14.96 15.75 16.54 16.7 16.85 17.01 17.17 17.32
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stator Current(KA)9.5

9.5

9.05

8.6

8.37 8.14

7.92

7.56

7.24

2.Frquency variation: +5%, -5%

3. Overloading:
Stator current(KA) 9.95 10.41 10.86 11.31 11.76 12.22 12.67 13.57
Rotor current(KA) 2.75 --

--

---

3.12 --

3.9

5.2

Time ( Sec. )

360

300

240

120

60

3600 900

180

4.Operation at different Hydrogen pressure:

Hydrogen Pr.(Kg./Cm2)

M.W.

Duration

3.0

200

Continous

2.5

170

Not more than 5 Hrs.

2.0

140
Operation in air medium is not permitted

-------do------

6.One gas cooler out of service 175 MW continously.

More than one gas cooler out operation not permitted.
Coolent:

Normal

Limit

Property

Cold Hydrogen gas temp. 44 Deg.cel

55Deg.cel 3.5Kg/cm2. 99% pure

Stator water temp.

48 Deg.cel 27m3/hr.

45 Deg.cel