Stand-alone Operation
In stand-alone operation a generator is not
connected with other generators or the utility.
As an isolated unit it supplies power to all
connected load. Examples are emergency
generators, aggregates or portable diesel
generator sets.
Stand-alone Operation the governor and voltage
regulators determine frequency and voltage.
Features:
more / less fuel will raise / lower the
frequency (Hz)
more / less excitation current will raise /
lower the voltage (kV)
the total load determines the generator
output power (MW, MVAr)
engine fuel control options:
isochronous speed control, droop speed
control
excitation current control options: constant
voltage control, droop voltage control
power management system could keep bus
frequency and voltage constant if droop
control modes are active (else not
necessary)
load flow analysis model: Slack Bus (also
Reference Bus, Swing Bus)
Paralleled With The Utility
If a generator is paralleled with the utility grid
and it is considered as an infinite bus, the utility
grid will determine the generator frequency,
speed and voltage. An example is an industrial
generator used for cogeneration. In practice
such an engine generator set can not change
the frequency, but it can slightly change the
generator terminal voltage.
Paralleled With Utility Operation if considered as an
infinite bus, the utility grid will determine the generator
frequency, speed and voltage.
Features:
more / less fuel will raise / lower the
generator active power (MW)
more / less excitation current will raise /
lower the generator reactive power (MVAr)
the utility determines the frequency (Hz),
speed (rpm) and voltage (kV)
the difference between the total plant load
and the generator output power will be
imported or exported (MW, MVAr)
engine fuel control options: droop speed
control, base load (MW) control
excitation current control options: droop
voltage control, VAR control, PF control
power management system could keep the
imported or exported power (MW, MVAR)
or power factor constant
load flow analysis model: PQ bus (also Load
Bus), PV bus (also Generator Bus)

Island Operation
In island operation a generator is connected
with other generators, but not with the utility.
As an isolated system the generators supply all
power to the connected load. Examples are
power systems on ships, on offshore platforms
or in the desert.
load flow analysis model: at least one
generator (or a fictive untility) must be slack
bus, the other generators may be PQ or PV
buses
Note that cross-current compensation is
sometimes used to share reactive power, while
maintaining the bus voltage constant. I prefer a
power management system or VAr Load Sharing
devices.

Mode Of Operation Changes

All modes of operation are possible after closing
or tripping breakers in the configuration in the
image below. During the power system
engineering, this should be taken into
consideration. I highly recommend to use
a power management system in this
Island Operation all generators together determine
frequency, speed and voltage. The total load (MW, MVAr)
configuration.
should be shared.

Features:

more / less fuel will raise / lower generator

active power and the bus frequency (MW,
Hz)
more / less excitation current will raise /
lower the generator reactive power and the
bus voltage (MVAr, kV)
the total plant load determines the sum of
the power of all generators (MW, MVAr)
engine fuel control options: droop speed
control
excitation current control options: droop Mode Of Operation Changes all modes are possible after
voltage control closing or tripping breakers.
power management system keeps the bus
frequency and voltage constant, while
sharing the load (MW, MVAr) proportional
or cost optimised over all engine generator
sets
Isochronous and Droop Speed Control
In the isochronous speed control mode the speed will return to the original speed setpoint after a load
has been applied or rejected. However in parallel operation this would cause instability as explained
above.

In the droop speed control mode the speed will decrease by a fixed percentage when the generator is
loaded from no-load to full load. This provides a stable working point for each load in case of parallel
operation.

Isochronous Speed Control speed and frequency Droop Speed Control speed and frequency will
return to speed setpoint after a load change. decrease when the load increases.

The droop slope is a fixed setting mostly between 3 and 5%. But the operator or power management
system can adjust the speed setpoint in order to:

return to the rated frequency in stand-alone operation

change the generator active power (MW) in parallel operation

Constant Voltage Control and Reactive Droop Compensation

In the constant voltage control mode the voltage will return to the original voltage setpoint after a load
has been applied or rejected. However in parallel operation this would cause instability as explained
above.

In the droop voltage control or reactive droop compensation mode the voltage will decrease by a fixed
percentage when the generator is loaded from no-load to full load. This provides a stable working
point for each load in case of parallel operation.
 Constant Voltage Control voltage returns to the Droop Voltage Control voltage will decrease if the
voltage setpoint if reactive load changes. reactive load increases.

The droop slope is a fixed setting mostly between 2 and 4%. But the operator or power management
system could adjust the voltage setpoint in order to:

return to the rated voltage in stand-alone operation

change the generator reactive power (MVAr) in parallel operation