Parallel Operation of Synchronous Generators:

In the power systems generators are connected to the nodes of o large grid composed of a network of
transformers and transmission lines. A national grid may comprise hundreds of generators and hundreds
of kilometers of transmission line. Here we will consider parallel operation of two finite size synchronous
generators

When two generators are connected in parallel , they

have an inherent tendency to remain in step, on account
of the changes produced in their armature currents by a
divergence of phase. Consider two identical generators 1
and 2 are operating in parallel, as shown in fig. (a). with
respect to the load their EMF-s are in phase; but respect
to the local circuit formed by the two generators the EMFs
are in phase opposition.

Suppose there is external load. If due to some reason

machine ‘1’ accelerates, E1 goes ahead of E2. The resulting
phase difference is 2δ. EMFs are no longer in phase
opposition in the local circuit., so there will be a local EMF
Es, which will circulate a current Is. As the local circuit is
predominately reactive, Is lags Es by 90o. So, machine ‘1’
produces power P≈E1Is as a generator and supplies power
to machine ‘2’ acting as a motor. So, machine ‘1’
decelerates and machine ‘2’ accelerates. Within the limits
therefore it is not possible to destroy synchronism of two
synchronous generators operating in parallel, as
divergence of their angular position results in production
of synchronizing power, which loads the forward machine
and accelerates the backward machine.
The development of synchronizing power is due to predominating reactive circuit. If the circuit was
resistive, then the synchronizing current will be in phase quadrature with the generated EMFs and
would not contribute any power to slow the faster and speed up the lower machine.

If the machines are equally loaded, the synchronizing power is developed to reduce the load of the
lower machine and to increase the load of the faster machine; as shown in fig. (c).

Actually in practice the machines are not identical. Actually it is not essential for the machines to be
identical, nor to have equal excitation or power supplies. In general machines will have different
synchronous impedances Zs1 and Zs2; different EMFs E1 and E2 and different speed regulations. When
two machines are operating in parallel, active and reactive power supplied to the common load are
controlled by their prime mover inputs and field excitations respectively. The outputs from the prime
movers are controlled by governors. The speed governors belong to the class of regulating system which
are of type zero, a reduction of speed is necessary to increase the developed power. As the speed
(frequency) droops, an error signal is generated. This error signal is utilized to control the throttle for
regulating the turbine speed. Unless the governor speed – load characteristics are identical, the
machines can never share the load in accordance with their ratings, the load will be shared accordance
to the relative load values at the running frequency, as the synchronous machines must run at same
speed.

From fig. (b), the common terminal voltage is

𝑉 =𝐸 −𝐼 𝑍 = 𝐸 −𝐼 𝑍 = 𝐼𝑍 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 + 𝐼 = 𝐼

𝐸 −𝐸 +𝐼 𝑍
∴ 𝐸 −𝐸 = 𝐼 𝑍 −𝐼 𝑍 𝑜𝑟 𝐼 =
𝑍

𝐸 = 𝐼 𝑍 + 𝐼𝑍 = 𝐼 (𝑍 + 𝑍) + 𝐼 𝑍

𝐸 = 𝐼 𝑍 + 𝐼𝑍 = 𝐼 (𝑍 + 𝑍) + 𝐼 𝑍

𝐸 −𝐸 +𝐼 𝑍
𝐸 = 𝐼 (𝑍 + 𝑍) + 𝐼 𝑍 = (𝑍 + 𝑍) + 𝐼 𝑍
𝑍

𝑜𝑟, 𝐸 𝑍 = (𝐸 − 𝐸 + 𝐼 𝑍 )(𝑍 + 𝑍) + 𝐼 𝑍 𝑍

𝑜𝑟, 𝐸 𝑍 = (𝐸 𝑍 − 𝐸 𝑍 + 𝐼 𝑍 𝑍 ) + (𝐸 𝑍 − 𝐸 𝑍 + 𝐼 𝑍 𝑍) + 𝐼 𝑍 𝑍

𝑜𝑟, (𝐸 − 𝐸 )𝑍 + 𝐸 𝑍 = 𝐼 𝑍 𝑍 + 𝐼 𝑍 (𝑍 +𝑍 )

(𝐸 − 𝐸 )𝑍 + 𝐸 𝑍
𝑜𝑟, 𝐼 =
𝑍 𝑍 + 𝑍 (𝑍 + 𝑍 )

(𝐸 − 𝐸 )𝑍 + 𝐸 𝑍 𝐸 𝑍 +𝐸 𝑍
∴ 𝐼 = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 =
𝑍 𝑍 + 𝑍 (𝑍 + 𝑍 ) 𝑍 𝑍 + 𝑍 (𝑍 + 𝑍 )

𝐸 𝑍 +𝐸 𝑍
∴ 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑍 =
𝑍 𝑍 ⁄𝑍 + (𝑍 + 𝑍 )

𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜, 𝐼 = (𝐸 − 𝑉)⁄𝑍 ; 𝐼 = (𝐸 − 𝑉)⁄𝑍 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 = (𝐸 − 𝐸 )⁄(𝑍 + 𝑍 )

Active Power Sharing of Two Generators with Similar Speed-Power Characteristics:

The active power sharing depends on the slop of the Speed-Power characteristics. These characteristics
can be slided up or down by adjusting the set points of the governors.

For characteristics PM1 and PM2 the total

load PL is shared by the alternators are P1
and P2 at rated frequency. If we want to
increase the load on generator 2, then its
power frequency characteristics must be
raised and if we want to keep the frequency
constant then characteristics of generator 2
must be lowered. Such that new sharing is
P and P . P − P = P − P = ∆P
amount of load is transferred from
generator ‘1’ to generator ‘2’. If the
generator setting of only one machine is
changed, then the frequency will change.
During the process the system undergoes
load frequency transients which would soon
die out (assuming the governors are
properly damped) and steady load
frequency conditions established with new
load sharing.

Changing excitation of the parallel operating generators with constant prime mover input, affects the
terminal voltage and the reactive power flow.

let us consider two generators with same excitation

E1=E2, are operating in parallel. If Zs1=Zs2 then I1=I2.
Now if excitation of generator 1 is increased to 𝐸
and that of generator 2 is decreased to 𝐸 , then
circulating current Is will start flowing and currents
of the two generators will be
I and I , such that I = I + I . As the mechanical
input is constant the active power is constant. The
reactive power supplied by machine ‘1’ increases
and that by machines ‘2’ decreases. If the excitation
of one of the machines is only changed, the
terminal voltage will change.
Problem 1:

Two generators operating in parallel have following characteristics:

Alternator 1: capacity 700 kW; frequency drops from 50 Hz to 48.5 Hz at full load

Alternator 2: capacity 700 kW; frequency drops from 50.5 Hz to 48.0 Hz at full load

Speed regulations are linear. Calculate:

a) How a load of 1200kW is shared and what is the bus bar frequency?
b) What is the maximum load these two units can deliver
Solution:

𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦𝑧 = 1200 𝑘𝑊

∆𝐴𝑎𝑏 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∆𝐴𝑥𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑟

𝑥𝑦 𝐴𝑦 𝑥𝑦 𝑜𝐴 − 𝑜𝑦 50.5 − 𝑓 700
∴ = ; ∴ = ∴ 𝑥𝑦 = × 700 = (50.5 − 𝑓)
𝑎𝑏 𝐴𝑏 700𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝐴 − 𝑜𝑏 50.5 − 48 2.5

∆𝐵𝑐𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∆𝐵𝑦𝑧 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑟

𝑦𝑧 𝐵𝑦 𝑦𝑧 𝑜𝐵 − 𝑜𝑦 50.0 − 𝑓 700
∴ = ; ∴ = ∴ 𝑦𝑧 = × 700 = (50.0 − 𝑓)
𝑐𝑑 𝐵𝑐 700𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝐵 − 𝑜𝑐 50.0 − 48.5 1.5
700 700
𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦𝑧 = 1200 𝑘𝑊 ∴ (50.5 − 𝑓) + (50.0 − 𝑓) = 1200
2.5 1.5
12 151.5 − 3𝑓 + 250 − 5𝑓
∴ = ∴ 𝑓 = 48.58 𝐻𝑧
7 7.5
 700
𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 2 = 𝑥𝑦 = (50.5 − 48.58) = 537.6 𝑘𝑊
2.5

𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 1 = 1200 𝑘𝑊 − 537.6 𝑘𝑊 = 662.4 𝑘𝑊

(b)

Observation reveals that alternator 1 will be loaded first. Max. load on alternator 1 is for point ‘d’.
cd=700 kW is obtained at 48.5 Hz. Corresponding to this output of alternator 2 will be cc’

∆𝐴𝑎𝑏 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∆𝐴𝑐𝑐 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑟

𝑐𝑐 𝐴𝑐 𝑐𝑐 𝑜𝐴 − 𝑜𝑐 50.5 − 48.5 700

𝑠𝑜 = ; ∴ = ∴ 𝑥𝑦 = × 700 = × 2 = 560𝑘𝑊
𝑎𝑏 𝐴𝑏 700𝑘𝑊 𝑜𝐴 − 𝑜𝑏 50.5 − 48 2.5

∴ 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 700𝑘𝑊 + 560 𝑘𝑊 = 1260 𝑘𝑊

Problem 2:

Three alternators are operating in parallel. Bus frequency is 50 Hz. Loads are:

Alternator 1- 40 MW; Alternator2– 40 MW and Alternator3 – 60 MW

Rating of each alternator 100MW. Governor setting for alternators are such that frequency drop from
no load to full load are

Alternator 1- 1.25 Hz; Alternator2– 1.50Hz and Alternator3 – 2.00Hz

How will the three alternators share a total load of 250 MW? What is the bus frequency?

Solution:
For alternator 1

.
= 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 = =

4
∴ 𝑦 = × 1.25 = 0.50 𝐻𝑧 ∴ 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 50 𝐻𝑧 + 0.5 𝐻𝑧 = 50.5 𝐻𝑧
10

For alternator 2
.
= 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 = =

4
∴ 𝑦 = × 1.5 = 0.60 𝐻𝑧 ∴ 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 50 𝐻𝑧 + 0.6 𝐻𝑧 = 50.6 𝐻𝑧
10

For alternator 3

= 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 = =

6
∴ 𝑦 = × 2 = 1.2 𝐻𝑧 ∴ 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 50 𝐻𝑧 + 1.2 𝐻𝑧 = 51.2 𝐻𝑧
10

For load of 250 MW:

For alternator 1

40 𝑦 0.5 50.5 − 𝑓
= = ∴ 𝑥 = 40 ×
𝑥 50.5 − 𝑓 50.5 − 𝑓 0.5

For alternator 2

40 𝑦 0.6 50.6 − 𝑓
= = ∴ 𝑥 = 40 ×
𝑥 50.6 − 𝑓 50.6 − 𝑓 0.6

For alternator 3

60 𝑦 1.2 51.2 − 𝑓
= = ∴ 𝑥 = 60 ×
𝑥 51.2 − 𝑓 51.2 − 𝑓 1.2

𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥 = 250

50.5 − 𝑓 50.6 − 𝑓 51.2 − 𝑓

∴ 40 × + 40 × + 60 × = 250
0.5 0.6 1.2

𝑜𝑟, 80 × (50.5 − 𝑓) + 66.67 × (50.6 − 𝑓) + 50 × (51.2 − 𝑓) = 250

𝑜𝑟, 4040 − 80𝑓 + 3373.5 − 66.67𝑓 + 2560 − 50𝑓 = 250

𝑜𝑟, 196.67𝑓 = 9973.5 − 250 = 9723.5

∴ 𝑓 = 49.44 𝐻𝑧 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 84.8 𝑀𝑊; 𝑥 = 77.3 𝑀𝑊 ; 𝑥 = 88 𝑀𝑊