powerEDGE

Introduction to Excitation
Systems

Douglas Cope

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1. Synchronous Generators

2. Excitation Control Systems

3. Brushless and Rotating Excitation

4. Static Excitation

5. The Generator Capability Diagram

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Synchronous Generators

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What is a synchronous machine ?

An electrical machine that has a rotor

with a DC excited winding

The rotor ‘locks onto’ or ‘synchronises’

with the rotating magnetic field of the
stator

Rotor speed always remains constant

under constant frequency operation

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Useful Definitions:

Rotor: The rotating part of an alternator, generator, dynamo

or motor.

Stator: The stationary part of an alternator, generator,

dynamo or motor.

Armature: The power-producing component of an alternator,

generator, dynamo or motor. The armature can be on either
the rotor or the stator

Field: The magnetic field component of an alternator,

generator, dynamo or motor. The field can be on either the
rotor or the stator and can be either an electromagnet or a
permanent magnet.
.
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How does the synchronous machine

produce electricity ?

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How does the synchronous machine

produce electricity ?

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How does the synchronous machine

produce electricity ?
If an electrical conductor such as a copper wire is
moved relative to a magnetic field flux, or, if
conversely a magnetic field flux is moved relative to
a stationary wire, the magnetic field flux will induce
an electromotive force (EMF) or voltage into the
wire.

The strength of the EMF will be proportional to the

rate of change of the flux of the magnetic field and
(if the wire is wound into a coil) the number of turns
of the coil.

The rotor (field) of a synchronous machine is an

electromagnet.

The effect of the rotating flux on the stator

(armature) windings produces an induced voltage.

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Simplified synchronous machine:

180°

360°

( N  P)
f 
120

(1500  4)
 50 Hz
120

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4 Pole Machine – Cross Section

What would the rotor speed be if this was a 60Hz machine?

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6 Pole Machine – Cross Section

What would the rotor speed be if this was a 50Hz machine?

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(many many turns!)
North Pole Single phase machine
(of Rotor) (simplified)
This is a single phase machine. In
generators, rather than permanent
magnets as used here, there are three
pairs of electromagnets distributed
evenly around the core* of the machine.
We call these electromagnets ‘poles’,
just like poles on a magnet, with one
being north, and the other south. The
coils that create these poles connect
directly to the grid, at a voltage
between 11 and 23.5kV.
The rotor is made to spin by a ‘prime
Rotor mover’ (i.e. the turbine) at 3000rpm
Windings (50Hz). A DC current is applied to the
windings buried within the rotor,
setting up a magnetic field that spins
inside the stator. Because the coils in
the stator don’t move, they experience
a constantly changing magnetic field,
which in turn induces a current in them.
South Pole This is seen at the terminals of the
machine as a voltage.
(of Rotor)
Applied DC * The core is the iron of the stator on to which
current the stator windings are wound

(to Rotor)
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Single Phase

1.5

v(t) I(t)
1

0.5
Current in-phase with
voltage
Voltage

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Power (W) = Volts (V) × Current (I)
Example: 1V × 0.75A = 0.75W
-0.5
In this case, Imax × Vmax = W,
because the current is in phase
with the voltage.
-1

Full oscillation (360°/

-1.5
6.283Rads) at 50Hz /
Rads 3000rpm
The output voltage waveform from
the generator is generated by the
spinning rotor. One full oscillation
of the output voltage waveform for
one full revolution of the rotor.

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In large three-phase rotating machines,
pairs of north and south poles are A-Phase NORTH
physically wound 120° apart on the
stator core (i.e. A-phase NORTH is 120°
apart from B-phase NORTH, as is
phase-C NORTH from phases A and B).
The NORTH and SOUTH poles of any
pair of coils are always 180° apart (i.e. B-Phase SOUTH
A-phase NORTH and A-phase SOUTH)

S
C-Phase SOUTH
Rotor C-Phase NORTH

Just like the single phase generator, the

B-Phase NORTH rotor is fed with a DC current, effectively
creating an electromagnet. As the poles
of the rotor pass the stator poles, the
rotor magnetic field induces a current in
the stator coil.

A-Phase SOUTH This is maximum as the pole of the rotor

passes the pole of the stator coil. It is
minimum when the rotor pole is 90° to
the stator pole. See how it looks on the
next slide…
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1.5

0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

-0.5

-1

-1.5

Looking at the yellow B - phase

first, Vzero occurs when the rotor
is at 90° to the stator pole.
Vmax (negative) occurs as the
pole of the rotor passes directly
past the pole on the stator.
Rotor Pole 90° Rotor Pole 0° to Rotor Pole 90° Rotor Pole 0° to
+Vmax (now positive) occurs
to Stator pole Stator pole to Stator pole Stator pole
again when the rotor pole
B-phase = 0 B-phase = -Vmax B-phase = 0 B-phase = +Vmax passes the stator pole.

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v1(t)

1.5

0.5
Voltage

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

-0.5

-1 v1(t)

-1.5

Watch an animation of the

blue B-Phase as the rotor
rotates! Watch to see when
the Voltage peaks at both
+ve, –ve and passes
through zero…

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1

0.5
Voltage

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

-0.5

-1
v1(t)

v2(t)

v3(t)
-1.5

Now watch all three phases

as the rotor rotates. Each
phase is 120° out of phase
to one another.

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Generator Stator:

Mechanical layout Electrical connections

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Generator Rotor:

Mechanical layout Electrical connections

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Generator Rotor:

Salient Pole Rotor Cylindrical Rotor

The salient pole rotor is typically used on machines

below 1500rpm.

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Generator Rotor:

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Generator Rotor:

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Generator Rotor:

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Basic Electrical Configuration:

Stator
The current to the rotor can
be provided by either
rotating or static excitation
equipment.

Rotor (field) Rotor current is typically

very high, so on many
machines a smaller
generator called an exciter is
used to provide field
current. The exciter acts as a
current amplifier.
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Synchronous Machine Examples…

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 Drax – UK 660MW - Coal powerEDGE

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 Hunstown, UK. 230MW - Gas powerEDGE

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 4th Thermal PP, Mongolia. 100MW - Coal powerEDGE

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 Surry USA. 1055MW - Nuclear powerEDGE

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Any
Questions ?

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Excitation System
Fundamentals

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What is an excitation system?

The group of components that apply DC to the

rotor (field) of a synchronous generator or
motor.

Used to control generator output voltage or MVar

level.

Also referred to as an Automatic Voltage

Regulator (AVR)

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There are two control systems that act

directly on the generator:

GENERATOR

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The two control

systems are the AVR
AVR GOVERNOR and governor.

The AVR can only

control volts and
MVars, the governor
G can only control
speed and MWatts.
GENERATOR

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As we have already
seen, the generator
AVR GOVERNOR voltage is controlled by
the DC current in the
rotor.

The AVR controls

G generator voltage (or
MVars) by altering the
GENERATOR
rotor (field) current.

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Simplified Excitation System

The excitation system
can be broken down
into a controller and
CONTROLLER
output stage.

The controller
OUTPUT
STAGE measures the generator
PT
parameters and
calculates the level of
field current required.

G+E PMG
Due to the high field
currents required on
larger machines, many
have rotating exciters
that act as current
amplifiers.
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Simplified Excitation System

Most AVR’s have two
feedback inputs –
one for generator
CONTROLLER
terminal volts and
one for AVR output
current.
OUTPUT
STAGE

PT

G+E PMG

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Simplified Excitation System

Typically everything
inside the line is
CONTROLLER
found within the AVR
cubicle.

OUTPUT
STAGE

PT

G+E PMG

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Simplified Excitation System

The AVR controller
can be simplified to a
system with just two
inputs and one
PT AVR output.

For AVR’s with small

FIELD I output currents
(<25A) the output
stage is typically in
the same housing as
OUTPUT the controller.

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Simplified Excitation System

FROM PMG
VOLTAGE
SETPOINT

VOLTAGE +
A FEEDBACK - ERROR
D AUTO
+
CURRENT D
SETPOINT A

CURRENT + +
A FEEDBACK - ERROR MANUAL
D

PT

G+E

Most AVR’s have two control loops – one for Auto (voltage
control) and one for Manual (field current control)

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Generator Equivalent Circuit

As the output current
of the generator
If
increases, so does
the volt drop across
Uf Ug Uf Ug the internal
Ep impedance of the
stator.
ROTOR STATOR ROTOR STATOR

The rotor current

must be increased
Ug with load to maintain
Ep the generator
voltage.
STATOR

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Any
Questions ?

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Brushless and Rotating

Excitation

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GENERATOR RECTIFIER MAIN EXCITER

CIRCUIT BREAKER PMG

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows an excitation system with PMG,

rotating exciter and static rectifier bank.

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GENERATOR RECTIFIER MAIN EXCITER

CIRCUIT BREAKER PMG

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows an excitation system with PMG,

rotating exciter and rotating rectifier bank – this is
commonly called a ‘brushless’ excitation system.

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DC EXCITER

GENERATOR

CIRCUIT BREAKER PMG

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows an excitation system with PMG and

rotating DC exciter – this system is common on older
small machines.

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GENERATOR RECTIFIER MAIN EXCITER SECURE SUPPLY

CIRCUIT BREAKER

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows an excitation system fed from a

secure supply, with rotating exciter and rectifier bank –
this is also a brushless system.

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EXCITATION
TRANSFORMER

GENERATOR RECTIFIER MAIN EXCITER

CIRCUIT BREAKER

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows a self powered system with rotating

exciter and rectifier bank.

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GENERATOR RECTIFIER MAIN EXCITER

CIRCUIT BREAKER PILOT EXCITER PMG

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows an excitation system with PMG,

pilot exciter, rotating exciter and static rectifier bank.

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OEM Examples for small excitation…

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Backplate Excitation For Small Machines
(typically <50MW)

ABB Unitrol

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Backplate Excitation For Small Machines
(typically <50MW)

Brush Prismic A10

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Backplate Excitation For Small Machines
(typically <50MW)

Basler DECS200

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Backplate Excitation For Small Machines
(typically <50MW)

Alstom DX21

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OEM Examples for medium excitation…

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ND-90.1-PP-6-S

Alstom RVD MkIII

Excitation Cubicle (one channel)

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Siemens RG3

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ABB Unitrol 6000

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Any
Questions ?

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Static Excitation

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Before. After.
On this generator the exciter and PMG have been
removed and replaced with a static excitation system.

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With the static excitation system, the output of the AVR

is connected directly to the generator field (main rotor)
via slip rings.

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EXCITATION
TRANSFORMER

GENERATOR

CIRCUIT BREAKER

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

This diagram shows a typical static excitation system –

note that the exciter and rectifier bank are absent and
that the excitation supply is derived from the generator
output.

What do you think are the pros and cons of the static
system against the PMG powered system?
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EXCITATION
TRANSFORMER

GENERATOR

CIRCUIT BREAKER

STATION DC
SUPPLY

SENSING CT’s

SENSING VT/PT

SHUNT

VA VB VC IA IB IC N 1 2 X1 X2 H1 H2 H3

AVR OUTPUT STAGE

It is normally necessary to use field flashing to initiate

excitation on a static system – unless the excitation
transformer is connected to the grid side of the circuit
breaker, or the generator residual volts are very high
(> 10%)

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OEM Examples for static excitation…

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Siemens Thyripol – Static Excitation System

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Alstom RVD – Static Excitation System

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ABB Unitrol 5000 – Static Excitation System

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Any
Questions ?

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The Capability Diagram

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Reactive Power
Reactive energy is tricky to understand,
and even harder to explain! Here’s a
handy analogy that might help:
A horse pulls a wagon down a railway
track. The horse walks to the side of
the track. The power required to move
the wagon down the track is the
working (REAL) power. The effort the
horse puts in is the total (APPARENT)
power. However, not all the horse’s
power goes directly into pulling the
wagon; some is not used because of
the horse’s angle to the wagon. This is
the non-working (REACTIVE) power.
The REACTIVE power does not move the
wagon, but is required.

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Real Power
“P” (Watts)

Real Power  100kW

Apparent Power Reactive Power Apparent Power  150kW
“S” (VA) “Q” (VAr) 100
Power Factor (pf)   0.67
150

In this instance, the horse would have to put in

150kVA (KiloVoltAmps) worth of work, for the
wagon to see 100kW worth of moving power.
Real Power Using some trig, we calculate that this system
Power Factor  ‘consumes’ 112kVAr (KiloVoltAmps reactive)
Apparent Power worth of reactive power.

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Large Motor

Large Transformer

Any machine that creates a magnetic field as part of its operation (e.g. Transformer,
Motor, Inductor, etc) will consume reactive power. This is as a result of the current
LAGGING the voltage that feeds that machine.
Power stations are required to produce VArs (reactive energy) to offset those consumed by
users on the grid. Large industrial sites will be charged an additional rate if they consume
a lot of VArs.
Machines have their power factor rating written on its nameplate which can be used to
calculate the amount of VArs it will consume in operation.

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HV Capacitor Bank

In order to control or limit the amount of VArs consumed, ‘capacitor banks’ are often built in
to the grid system feeding industrial sites. Capacitors (or other devices that use an electrical
field to operate) causes the current to LEAD the voltage. Capacitor banks effectively cancel out
the lagging currents caused by large machines.

Generators over a certain size must be able to produce either LEADING VArs, or LAGGING VArs
at the request of the national grid. VArs effect the voltage on the grid. If not enough VArs are
being generated, the voltage drops. Too many, and the voltage raises. If no VArs were
generated, the voltage would eventually collapse and black out the country.

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Basic Sinewave

0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

 
 
   3 
 
2 
2  2 

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Basic Sinewave and Phasor
The current produced by the sinewave behaves differently for
different types of load.

The phasor is a ‘complex’ quantity, in that it has both a

magnitude and an angle.

90°

45.0°
180° 0°
0° 90° 180° 270° 360°
 
 
   3 
 
2 
2  2 

270°

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Resistive Load Phasor

V
+v

0
V 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v

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Resistive Load Phasor
For a resistive load, the current is in phase with the voltage.

V
+v

0
I V 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v

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Inductive Load Phasor

V
+v

0
I 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v
V

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Inductive Load Phasor
For an inductor, the current lags the voltage by 90°

V
+v

0
I 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v
V

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Capacitive Load Phasor

V
+v

0
I 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v
V

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Capacitive Load Phasor
For a capacitor, the current leads the voltage by 90°

V
+v

0
I 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v
V

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Mixed Load Phasor
Usually the load is a mixture of resistive, and inductive or
capacitive elements.

V
+v

0
I 0° 90° 180° 270° 360°

-v
V

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The Power Triangle
This vector diagram shows the relationship between voltage
phasors and their resulting sum.

V sin Ø V

V cos Ø I

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The Power Triangle
This diagram can be easily manipulated into a triangular form.

V sin Ø V V

V sin Ø

Ø Ø

V cos Ø I V cos Ø

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The Power Triangle
By multiplying the voltage phasors by current, we can derive a
power triangle, showing MVA, MWatts and MVars.

V sin Ø V V

S = VI
V sin Ø
Q = VI sin Ø

Ø Ø Ø

V cos Ø I V cos Ø P =VI cos Ø

S = MVA
P = MWatts
Q = MVars

Use this method to calculate the MW and MVar of :

1. An 11kV, 50MVA, 0.8pf machine
2. A 23.5kV 1055MVA 0.9pf machine

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The Power Triangle
The power triangle shows values in the same format as the
generator capability diagram.

700

600

LAGGING
500

400

300

S
200 Q

100 Ø
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
P
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

The capability diagram

(sometimes known as the
700
operating chart) gives
LAGGING
600
information about the
generator rating and some
500

400

300 of the main protection

200
functions used in the AVR.
100
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

MVA magnitude is plotted

in polar form on the
700
diagram as the hypotenuse
600
of the power triangle.
LAGGING 500

400

300

A
MV
200

100
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

The power factor is the

cosine of the opposite
700 angle. Here an angle of
600
25.8º gives a power factor
LAGGING

of 0.9.
500

400

300

A
MV
200

100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

The MWatts (P) and MVars

(Q) can be plotted as
700 rectangular coordinates.
600

LAGGING 500

400

300

A
MV
200

100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

As stator current is
proportional to MVA, the
700 maximum stator current of
600
the machine can be plotted
LAGGING

by moving the MVA line

500

400

300 through 180º.

A
MV
200

100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

The maximum power

STATOR
CURRENT output of the machine is
determined by the prime
LIMIT

700

600
mover.
LAGGING 500

400

300

A
MV
200

100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

The maximum power

STATOR
CURRENT output of the machine is
determined by the prime
LIMIT

700

600
mover.
LAGGING 500

400

300

A
MV
200
POWER
LIMIT
100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

As excitation is increased
STATOR
CURRENT the rotor gets hotter,
continued operation in this
LIMIT

700

600
region will cause the rotor
LAGGING

to overheat.
500

400

300

A
MV
200
POWER
LIMIT
100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

As excitation is decreased
STATOR
CURRENT the synchronising torque
reduces, if it becomes too
LIMIT

700

small the machine will pole

ROTOR
600 THERMAL
LIMIT
LAGGING

slip. This occurs when the

500

400

300 rotor speeds up due to a

loss of synchronism.
A
MV
200
POWER
LIMIT
100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500

600

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The Capability Diagram

The safe operating area of

STATOR
CURRENT the machine is shown by
the blue line.
LIMIT

700

ROTOR
600 THERMAL
LIMIT
LAGGING 500

400

300

A
MV
200
POWER
LIMIT
100
25.8°
MVARS

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
MWATTS
100

200

300

400
LEADING

500 UNDER
EXCITATION
600 LIMIT

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Capability Diagram – Style 1

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Capability Diagram – Style 2

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In summary, the capability diagram shows:

1. The generator rating information – MVA, MW and MVar

2. The safe operating area.

3. The over excitation limiter

4. The under excitation limiter

5. The stator current limiter

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Any
Questions ?

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