Synchronous Generator Tests
Synchronous Generator Tests
To obtain the parameters of a synchronous generator, we perform three simple tests as described below.
With the terminals open, IA=0, so EA = V. It is thus possible to construct a plot of EA or VT vs IF graph. This plot is called open-circuit characteristic (OCC) of a generator. With this characteristic, it is possible to find the internal generated voltage of the generator for any given field current.
The OCC follows a straight-line relation as long as the magnetic circuit of the synchronous generator does not saturate. Since, in the linear region, most of the applied mmf is consumed by the air-gap, the straight line is appropriately called the air-gap line.
SCC is essentially a straight line. To understand why this characteristic is a straight line, look at the equivalent circuit below when the terminals are short circuited.
When the terminals are short circuited, the armature current IA is:
From both tests, here we can find the internal machine impedance (EA from OCC, IAfrom SCC):
Example:
The following data are taken from the open- and short-circuit characteristics of a 45-kVA, 3, Y, 220V, six-pole, 60-Hz synchronous machine. From the open-circuit characteristic : Line-to-line voltage = 220 V Field current = 2.84 A From the short-circuit characteristic:
From the air-gap line: Field current = 2.20 A Line-to-line voltage = 202 V
Compute the unsaturated value of the synchronous reactance, its saturated value at rated voltage, and the short-circuit ratio. Express the synchronous reactance in ohms per phase and in per unit on the machine rating as a base.
Solution : At a field current of 2.20 A the line-to-neutral voltage on the air-gap line is :
and for the same field current the armature current on short circuit IA.sc = 118 A
in per unit
The saturated synchronous reactance can be found from the open- and short-circuit characteristics
In per unit
Finally, from the open-and short-circuit characteristics, the short-circuit ratio is given by
The inverse of the short-circuit ratio is equal to the per-unit saturated synchronous reactance