Generator Operation Mode: kovalan.

What is Generator Operation Mode or control mode

When paralleled to the utility bus, synchronous generators can be
controlled using either terminal voltage or VAr, power factor (PF) control
Operating Modes:
 Voltage Control Mode
 MVAr Control Mode
 Power Factor Control Mode
 Swing Mode

Operating Mode P Q V ⱷ
Voltage Control
Mode
MVAr Control
Mode
Power Factor
Control Mode
Swing Mode

Whereas,
P- Active Power, Q- Reactive Power, V-Voltage magnitude, ⱷ-Voltage Angle

Swing Mode:
There is a generator connected to the swing bus. The Swing/Slack Bus is
a designated bus in the power system that makes adjustments on real
and reactive power needs and changes in the system through injection of
real and reactive power from the connected generator.
Voltage Control mode:
A generator can be selected as a voltage control (regulated) system,
which means that the generator will adjust its VAr output to control the
voltage. Therefore, the generator’s terminal voltage magnitude,
operating real power (MW), and minimum and maximum allowable
reactive power supply (Max Q and Min Q) must be entered for voltage
control generators. A voltage control generator means that the generator
 Generator Operation Mode: kovalan.s

is base loaded (droop mode with fixed MW) with an Automatic Voltage
Regulator (AVR) controlling the field excitation for a constant voltage
operation. During load flow studies, if the calculated generator Mvar
falls outside the generator MVAr capability limits (Max Q or Min Q
limit), the value of the Mvar will be set equal to the limit and the
generator mode is changed to Mvar control( Reference : ETAP)
MVAR Control Mode:
MVAr control mode you can specify the amount of fixed MW and Mvar
generation. An Mvar control generator means that the generator is base
loaded (droop mode with fixed MW) with a fixed field excitation (no
AVR action).
Power factor Control Mode:
In this mode, the governor is operating in Droop mode, based loaded;
therefore, the MW output is fixed to the MW setting. On the other hand,
the exciter AVR adjusts to the Power Factor Setting. The generator’s
MW and %PF settings must be given.
 Generator Operation Mode: kovalan.s

Generator in V-control Mode

CASE: 01 shows the ETAP load flow result for system with transformer
and generator operating in parallel. Grid connected to transformer is
operating in swing mode and generator in V-control mode & real power (P)
setting as 3.6MW. In this case load flow result shows that the power factor
at generator is unity and power factor at grid is less than 0.8 lagging.
Because transformer secondary side voltage (6.9kV) is approximately 105%
higher than system voltage but generator rated voltage (6.6kV) is equal to
the system voltage. Hence grid + transformer voltage is higher than
generator terminal voltage. If voltage of generator is less than grid voltage
then generator reduces the reactive power generation. This problem can be
solved by adjusting the tap setting of transformer (CASE: 02)
One-Line Diagram - OLV1 (Load Flow Analysis)
CASE-01 CASE-02

GRID-2
GRID-01 0 MVAsc
0 MVAsc

2.13 MVA
3.39 MVA 111.6 A
178.1 A 85.01% PF
53.62% PF

6.6 kV 6.6 kV
411.7 A 411.7 A
4 MW 4 MW
Gen1 Gen3
2.5% TapP
T3
T1
5 MVA
5 MVA 11/6.9 kV
11/6.9 kV

3.25 MVA 3.6 MVA 3.6 MVA 2.09 MVA 3.92 MVA 3.92 MVA
315 A 315 A Bus3 343.3 A 343.3 A Bus7
Bus1 283.9 A Bus8 182.4 A
6.6 kV 55.47% PF -99.97% PF -99.97% PF 6.6 kV 6.6 kV 86.33% PF 91.73% PF 91.73% PF 6.6 kV

6 MVA 6 MVA
524.9 A 524.9 A
90% PF 90% PF

Lump1 Lump4
6 MVA 6 MVA

page 1 19:12:06 Mar 31, 2022 Project File: Generator operating mode
 Generator Operation Mode: kovalan.s

PF/MVAr Control Mode

CASE: 03 shows the ETAP load flow result for system with generator and
grid operating in parallel. Generator is operating in PF-control mode with
PF setting of 0.85 & real power setting (P) of 4.2MW. Grid is operating in
swing mode. The result shows that the power exported to grid with the
power factor of 0.68. This is due to the load power factor (0.9) is higher
than generator terminal power factor (0.85). Due to this the power factor at
grid is less than 0.8. This problem can be mitigated by providing proper PF
setting value to generator. CASE:04 shows the ETAP load flow result for
same system with change in generator PF setting from 0.85 to 0.9 (all the
other parameter are same for all equipment). The power factor exported to
grid is increased to 0.9 due to change in PF setting at generator. This
scenario is applicable for MVAR control also.
One-Line Diagram - OLV1 (Load Flow Analysis)
CASE-03 CASE-04

GRID-2
GRID-01 0 MVAsc
0 MVAsc

0.95 MVA
1.2 MVA 49.8 A
62.7 A 90.49% PF
68.84% PF

6.6 kV 6.6 kV
617.5 A 617.5 A
6 MW 6 MW
Gen1 Gen3
T3
T1
5 MVA
5 MVA 11/6.6 kV
11/6.6 kV

1.21 MVA 4.24 MVA 4.24 MVA 0.956 MVA 4 MVA 4 MVA
365.5 A 365.5 A Bus3 347.4 A 347.4 A Bus7
Bus1 104.6 A Bus8 83.1 A
6.6 kV 68.11% PF 85% PF 85% PF 6.6 kV 6.6 kV 90% PF 90% PF 90% PF 6.6 kV

3.08 MVA 3.04 MVA

266 A 264.3 A
90% PF 90% PF

Lump1 Lump4
3 MVA 3 MVA

page 1 19:25:39 Mar 31, 2022 Project File: Generator operating mode
 Generator Operation Mode: kovalan.s

Swing and Voltage control Mode

CASE: 05 shows the ETAP load flow result for system with three
generators (Gen 1, Gen B4& Gen 5) operating in parallel. Gen 1 is
operating in swing mode. Gen 4 & Gen 5 are operating in V-control mode
with P setting of 3.67 MW. The results shows that Gen 1 is absorbing
power (acting as motor). This problem is due to sum of power generated by
Gen 4 & Gen 5 (2 x 3.67MW) is higher than load consumption. This
problem can be mitigated by reducing the P setting of Gen 4 and Gen 5.
CASE: 06 shows the ETAP load flow result for same system with change
in P setting of Gen 4 &5
One-Line Diagram - OLV1 (Load Flow Analysis)
CASE-05 CASE-06

6.6 kV 6.6 kV 6.6 kV 6.6 kV

6.6 kV 6.6 kV 617.5 A
617.5 A 617.5 A 617.5 A 617.5 A 617.5 A
6 MW 6 MW 6 MW 6 MW
6 MW 6 MW Gen5 Gen10
Gen1 Gen4 Gen11 Gen9

3.86 MVA 3.67 MVA 3.67 MVA 1.22 MVA 1.39 MVA 1.39 MVA
Bus3 Bus14
338 A 320.9 A 320.9 A 106.9 A 121.6 A 121.6 A
6.6 kV -98.33% PF 98.15% PF 98.15% PF 6.6 kV 81.83% PF 86.3% PF 86.3% PF

4 MVA 4 MVA
349.9 A 349.9 A
85% PF 85% PF

Cable1 Cable3

4 MVA 4 MVA
349.9 A 349.9 A
85% PF 85% PF

Lump5 Lump7
4 MVA 4 MVA

page 1 19:40:20 Mar 31, 2022 Project File: Generator operating mode