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Excitation
Excitation
Emerson’s Rich Dennis provided a basics presentation on excitation control at the 2017 Ovation User Group meeting.
Excitation control includes synchronous machine regulation, exciter, and synchronous machine for the power system. The regulator is the
source of control and the exciter system is the source of power. The regulator system includes voltage control, current control, power factor
control, limiters & protection, power system stabilizer, field flashing control, de-excitation control, and field breaker control. Exciter systems
can be rotating or static. Rotating includes brushless and brushed types and static includes compound sources and potential sources.
A generator has a prime mover like a turbine or diesel generator. The excitation system creates the electromagnetic field in the rotor. The
stator has the armature winding that has the electrical energy induced.
The stronger the magnetic field created, the stronger the electrical power produced. The strength of the magnetic field is adjusted by
controlling the current to the rotor. Three-phase electrical energy is created by three separate wire windings in the stator.
The current to create the electromagnetic field is direct current (DC) which can range from 50amps to 9000amps and more depending on the
generator’s size. Modern excitation systems are static where DC current is created by rectifying AC power using saturable current transformers
(SCTs) and power potential transformers (PPTs). A source is required to create excitation before it can be self-sustained from the generator.
Subsystems for the excitation system includes the processors and I/O devices that monitor generator terminal voltage and current, field
voltage and current, rotating exciter field voltage and current, control switches, breaker status and safety permissive. Outputs include
annunciation, alarms, meters, and a full range of data for the distributed control system. A power bus is required to feed the exciter current to
each end of the rotor coil.
Field breakers are used to protect both the AC and DC sides of the generator. Power rectifiers convert AC power to DC power. Cooling systems
maintain operating temperatures required for reliable operations. Field discharge system is required to remove the energy from the rotor
while the mechanical power source is slowing down. The field flashing equipment is used to generate the initial electromagnetic field until the
generator creates enough voltage to self-excite and sustain the mechanical to electrical power conversion.
Rich described Ovation Excitation solutions to provide the upfront interface and equipment design, engineering all the way to installation and
ongoing testing. Ovation Excitation Controller is IEEE 421 compliant and fits many custom and retrofit options to fit the application.
DEFINITION
The basic function of an excitation system is to provide continuous (DC) current to the field winding of a synchronous machine. Without
excitation current, the machine operates without field current and consequently, no voltage is generated (induced) in the stator windings. The
excitation system is responsible for controlling the terminal (stator) voltage of the synchronous machine. However, it also carries out essential
control and protection functions, as follows:
1. Control functions
o Terminal voltage control
o Field current control
o Reactive power control
o Power factor control
2. Protection functions:
o Ensure synchronous machine operation within capability limits as shown on the capability curve
o Ensure operation of the excitation system and other equipment within their design limits
EXCITATION SYSTEM FUNCTIONS
An excitation system has the functions listed below:
1. Maintain the terminal voltage of the machine at the value set by the operator;
2. Maintain the terminal voltage within the acceptable working limits, including during load rejections and other severe disturbances in
the power system;
3. Provide rapid excitation during unit start-up, without overshooting the terminal voltage;
4. Respond appropriately to operator commands or to the automatic synchronizer, when synchronizing the unit to the grid;
5. Provide a high response speed, in order to handle the terminal voltage variations introduced by variations in load, generation, or
switching in the system;
6. Maintain excitation voltage levels, even during a short circuit, exceeding the nominal value at full load.;
7. Apply positive and negative ceiling voltages, to compensate for the acceleration torque in order to keep the machine in sync with the
power system, even during severe disturbances of the power system.
8. Provide stable parallel operation of generators between themselves or with the network, based on reactive current sharing.
Compensate part of the reactance of the step-up transformer;
9. Dynamically limit the excitation current to ensure that the current limit of the rotor is respected;
10. Dynamically limit the operation of the machine in regions near the stability limit;
11. Contribute to the damping of the electromechanical oscillations from the power system or the unit itself;
12. Limit the stator (armature) current to avoid overheating of the stator windings.
Other related functions, protections, alarms:
In an AC excitation system, the main power rectifier supplies an intermediary AC exciter. This AC exciter contains an internal power rectifier,
which then supplies the field winding of the synchronous machine.
1.2. DC EXCITATION SYSTEM
In a DC excitation system, the power rectifier supplies an intermediary DC exciter, which in turn supplies the field winding of the synchronous machine.
2. STATIC EXCITATION SYSTEM
In a static excitation system, the power rectifier directly supplies the field winding of the synchronous machine. There is no pilot exciter.
A static excitation system is bus-fed when the supply is taken from the machine itself through a power potential transformer (PPT). The
primary of the PPT is connected to the stator of the machine and the secondary supplies power to the rectifier.
Static excitation systems are not inherently self-exciting, so they require an external supply to jump-start the excitation process and build up
sufficient magnetic flux. This process is called field flashing.
2.1. ADVANTAGES OF STATIC EXCITATION SYSTEMS