AVR AND ITS WORKING

Definition of AVR

• A voltage regulator is an electrical regulator designed to

automatically maintain a constant voltage level.

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 AVR Control System

There are two independent control systems

1. Auto control
2. Manual control

• The control is effected on the 3 phase output of the pilot

exciter and provides a variable DC input to the main
exciter
• The feedback of voltage and current output of the
generator is fed to AVR where it is compared with the set
point generator volts se from the control room

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 AVR Main Components

The main components of the voltage Regulator are two closed loop
control systems each followed by separate gate control unit and
thyristor set and de excitation equipment
Control system 1 for automatic generator voltage control
(AUTO) comprises the following :
• Generator voltage control
The output quantity of this control is the set point for a following.
Excitation current regulator, controlling the field current of
the main exciter

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 AVR

Circuits for automatic excitation build-up during start –up

and field suppression during shut-down

This equipment acts on to the output of the generator voltage,

control, limiting the set point for the above excitation current
regulator. The stationary value of this limitation determines the
maximum possible excitation current set-point (field forcing
limitation);
• Limiter for the under-excited range (under excitation limiter),
• Delayed limiter for the overexcited range (over excitation
limiter)

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UNDER EXCITATION STAGE

In the under excitation range, the under

excitation ensures that the minimum excitation
required for stable parallel operation of the
generator with the system is available and that
the under -excited reactive power is limited
accordingly

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SET POINT

The set-point adjuster of the excitation current

regulator for manual is tracked automatically (follow-
up control) so that, in the event of faults, change over
to the manual control system is possible without delay
Automatic change over is initiated by some special
fault condition. Correct operation of the follow-up
control circuit is monitored and can be observed on a
matching instrument in the control room. This
instrument can also be used for manual matching.

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AVR INDICATIONS

FAULT INDICATIONS

The following alarms are issued from the voltage

regulator to the control room.

• AVR fault
• AVR automatic change over to MANUAL
• AVR loss of voltage alarm

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AVR LIMTERS

The current feedback is utilized for active and

reactive power compensation and for limiters

There are 3 limiters :

1.Under excitation limiter
2.Over excitation limiter
3. V/F limiter

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 Preconditions for Excitation ON
Excitation Interlocks

Excitation ON command
N>90%

Protection Off
Excitation ON
FCB Off feedback 5s delay

External trip

GCB is OFF

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 Excitation OFF Interlocks

Exc. OFF from Field flashing

Exc OFF command

GCB OFF
Exc OFF
N>90% Delay 1sec

GCB OFF

External trip

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 Capability Curve
• Capability Curve relates to the limits in which a generator can
Operate safely.
• Boundaries of the Curve within with the machine will operate
safely
Lagging Power Factor/Overexcited region
Top Section Relates to Field Heating in Rotor Winding
• Right Section Relates to Stator current Limit
• Straight line relates to Prime Mover Output

Leading Power Factor/ Under excited region

• Lower Side relates to Stator end ring Limit

• Further down relates to Pole slipping

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 LIMITERS

• Over excitation limiter

• Under excitation limiter
• Stator current limiter
• V/F limiter

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 Over excitation limiter
• Line voltage drops due to more reactive power requirement ,
switching operations or faults
• AVR increases generator excitation to hold the voltage constant
Line voltage drops , thermal over loading of generator can result
OEL is automatic limitation of generator excitation by lowering the
generator voltage (otherwise the set point of generator voltage is
reduced in time or the transformation ratio of the GT is to be
adjusted )
• OEL permits excitation values above the normal excitation and
extended to max excitation (for field forcing) for a limited time, so
as to permit the generator to perform the grid stabilization in
response to short drops in line voltage
• When IF >110% of Ifn , the OEL and Field forcing limiter are
active

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 Under Excitation limiter

• Function is to correct the reactive power when the excitation current

falls below minimum excitation current value required for stable
operation of generator
• Activation of UEL takes over the control from the closed loop voltage
control, acting via a max selection
• The limit characteristic is adjustable (shifted parallel)
• I reactive ref is compared with the measured I reactive , the error is fed
to P- amplifier. When the value drops below the characteristic the
amplified diff signal causes the field current to increase
• For commissioning purpose provision is made to mirror the
characteristic in the inductive range, this allowing both the direction in
which the control signal acts and the blocking of the set point
generators is to be changed

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 Stator current limiter
• During operation at high active power P and / low voltage the
stator current of the generator tends to rise beyond its rated value
and can cause the thermal overloading of stator, in spite of the
action of the UEL
• An additional stator current limiting controller acting on the
generator excitation is provided as a safe guard against such states
of operation
• SCL always monitors the stator current measured value for
crossing the rated stator current
• SCL permits small time over load but comes in action thereafter
and influences the effective generator voltage set point- to reduce
the Q till the stator current is brought down below the rated value
• Change in generator voltage set point is not blocked when SCL
active
• SCL does not operate near the unity PF because near this value any
limiter would cause oscillations
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 V/F limiter
• Also known as over fluxing limiter
• It is the protection function for the GT
• V/F ratio , eddy current , the local eddy current causes thermal
over loading of GT
• In DVR mode V/F ratio is continuously monitors the limit violation
• In case V/F ratio crosses the limit characteristic, the upper limit as
the effective AVR set point is reduced as a function of V/F ratio
• This limiter is used when it is required to keep the unit operating
even in case of substantial frequency drops , for instance in order to
prevent complete breakdown of the system, a V/F limiter is used to
lower the voltage proportional with frequency drop

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Field failure protection

Loss of generator field excitation under normal running

conditions may arise due to any of the following condition.
• 1. Failure of brush gear.
• 2.unintentional opening of the field circuit breaker.
• 3. Failure of AVR.

When generator on load loses it’s excitation , it starts to operate

as an induction generator, running above synchronous speed.
Cylindrical rotor generators are not suited to such operation ,
because they don't have damper windings able to carry the
induced currents, consequently this type of rotor will overheat
rather quickly.

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EXCITATION SYSTEM

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