Comparison Between Voltage Control Structures of Synchronous Machines

This paper compares the behaviour of two different control structures of automatic voltage regulators of synchronous machines equipped with static excitation systems. These systems have a fully controlled thyristor bridge that supplies DC current to the rotor winding. The rectifier bridge is fed by the stator terminals through a step-down transformer. The first control structure, named ""Direct Control"", has a single proportional-integral (PI) regulator that compares stator voltage setpoint with measured voltage and acts directly on the thyristor bridge`s firing angle. This control structure is usually employed in commercial excitation systems for hydrogenerators. The second structure, named ""Cascade Control"", was inspired on control loops of commercial DC motor drives. Such drives employ two PIs in a cascade arrangement, the external PI deals with the motor speed while the internal one regulates the armature current. In the adaptation proposed, the external PI compares setpoint with the actual stator voltage and produces the setpoint to the internal PI-loop which controls the field current.

FEM based Virtual Prototyping and Design of Third Harmonic Excitation System for Low Voltage Brushless Alternators

Salient pole brushless alternators coupled to IC engines are extensively used as stand-by power supply units for meeting in- dustrial power demands. Design of such generators demands high power to weight ratio, high e ciency and low cost per KVA out- put. Moreover, the performance characteristics of such machines like voltage regulation and short circuit ratio (SCR) are critical when these machines are put into parallel operation and alterna- tors for critical applications like defence and aerospace demand very low harmonic content in the output voltage. While designing such alternators, accurate prediction of machine characteristics, including total harmonic distortion (THD) is essential to mini- mize development cost and time. Total harmonic distortion in the output voltage of alternators should be as low as possible especially when powering very sophis- ticated and critical applications. The output voltage waveform of a practical AC generator is replica of the space distribution of the ux density in the air gap and several factors such as shape of the rotor pole face, core saturation, slotting and style of coil disposition make the realization of a sinusoidal air gap ux wave impossible. These ux harmonics introduce undesirable e ects on the alternator performance like high neutral current due to triplen harmonics, voltage distortion, noise, vibration, excessive heating and also extra losses resulting in poor e ciency, which in turn necessitate de-rating of the machine especially when connected to non-linear loads. As an important control unit of brushless alternator, the excitation system and its dynamic performance has a direct impact on alternator's stability and reliability. The thesis explores design and implementation of an excitation i system utilizing third harmonic ux in the air gap of brushless al- ternators, using an additional auxiliary winding, wound for 1=3rd pole pitch, embedded into the stator slots and electrically iso- lated from the main winding. In the third harmonic excitation system, the combined e ect of two auxiliary windings, one with 2=3rd pitch and another third harmonic winding with 1=3rd pitch, are used to ensure good voltage regulation without an electronic automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and also reduces the total harmonic content in the output voltage, cost e ectively. The design of the third harmonic winding by analytic methods demands accurate calculation of third harmonic ux density in the air gap of the machine. However, precise estimation of the amplitude of third harmonic ux in the air gap of a machine by conventional design procedures is di cult due to complex geome- try of the machine and non-linear characteristics of the magnetic materials. As such, prediction of the eld parameters by conven- tional design methods is unreliable and hence virtual prototyping of the machine is done to enable accurate design of the third har- monic excitation system. In the design and development cycle of electrical machines, it is recognized that the use of analytical and experimental methods followed by expensive and in exible prototyping is time consum- ing and no longer cost e ective. Due to advancements in com- putational capabilities over recent years, nite element method (FEM) based virtual prototyping has become an attractive al- ternative to well established semi-analytical and empirical design methods as well as to the still popular trial and error approach followed by the costly and time consuming prototyping. Hence, by virtually prototyping the alternator using FEM, the important performance characteristics of the machine are predicted. Design of third harmonic excitation system is done with the help of results obtained from virtual prototype of the machine. Third harmonic excitation (THE) system is implemented in a 45 KVA ii experimental machine and experiments are conducted to validate the simulation results. Simulation and experimental results show that by utilizing third harmonic ux in the air gap of the ma- chine for excitation purposes during loaded conditions, triplen harmonic content in the output phase voltage is signi cantly re- duced. The prototype machine with third harmonic excitation system designed and developed based on FEM analysis proved to be economical due to its simplicity and has the added advan- tage of reduced harmonics in the output phase voltage.

A HPF AC-AC converter for Permanent Magnet Generator applications

This paper describes the design and development of a high input power-factor (HPF) AC to AC converter for naval applications using Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG). The proposed converter comprises an isolated three-phase uncontrolled multipulse rectification stage directly connected to a single-phase inverter stage, without the use of DC to DC intermediary stage, resulting in more simplicity for the overall circuitry, assuring robustness, reliability and reduced costs. Furthermore, the multipulse rectifier stage is capable to provide high power factor and input currents with low total harmonic distortion (THD). The output voltage of the PMG varies from 260V rms (220 Hz) to 380V rms (360 Hz), depending on load conditions. The output single-phase inverter stage was designed to operate with wide range of DC bus voltage, maintaining 120V rms, 60 Hz output. Measured total harmonic distortion for the AC output voltage represents less than 2%, at 3.6kW nominal linear load. © 2010 IEEE.

Proposal of a hybrid rectifier structure with HPF and low THD suitable for front-end trolleybuses systems supplied by AC distribution networks

This paper presents the development and the experimental analysis of a new single-phase hybrid rectifier structure with high power factor (PF) and low harmonic distortion of current (THDI), suitable for application in traction systems of electrical vehicles pulled by electrical motors (trolleybus), which are powered by urban distribution network. This front-end rectifier structure is capable of providing significant improvements in trolleybuses systems and in the urban distribution network costs, and efficiency. The proposed structure is composed by an ordinary single-phase diode rectifier with parallel connection of a switched converter. It is outlined that the switched converter is capable of composing the input line current waveform assuring high power factor (HPF) and low THDI, as well as ordinary front-end converter. However, the power rating of the switched converter is about 34% of the total output power, assuring robustness and reliability. Therefore, the proposed structure was named single-phase HPF hybrid rectifier. A prototype rated at 15kW was developed and analyzed in laboratory. It was found that the input line current harmonic spectrum is in accordance with the harmonic limits imposed by IEC61000-3-4. The principle of operation, the mathematical analysis, the PWM control strategy, and experimental results are also presented in this paper. © 2009 IEEE.

AC-DC three-phase multipulse converter with boost DC-DC stage and constant hysteresis control

This work proposes a new three-phase multipulse rectifier based on the delta autotransformer connection with DC-DC Boost stages and constant hysteresis control which has the objective of providing a reliable DC bus for on-board applications, electric motor drives and similars, always considering power quality issues. Thus, the proposal presents 0.99 power factor, 6% harmonic distortions in the currents from the mains and enhanced magnetic core utilization, which results in low weight and volume for the overall converter. The proposed control technique uses the simple constant hysteresis concept, thus leading to a low-cost but effective and reliable strategy. © 2011 IEEE.

Levantamento, reparação e beneficiação do simulador TERCO PST 2200 do Laboratório de Sistemas de Energia do ISEP

Este trabalho é baseado no simulador de redes PST2200 do Laboratório de Sistemas de Energia (LSE) pois está avariado com vários problemas conhecidos, designadamente: - Defeito de isolamento (disparo de diferencial), - Desregulação da velocidade da máquina primária (motor DC), - Circuito de excitação da máquina síncrona inoperacional, - Inexistência de esquemas elétricos dos circuitos do simulador, - Medidas desreguladas e com canais de medida com circuito impresso queimado. O trabalho executado foi: - O levantamento e desenho de raiz (não existe qualquer manual) dos esquemas dos 10 módulos do simulador, designadamente naqueles com avaria ou com desempenho problemático a fim de que se possa ter uma visão mais pormenorizada dos circuitos e seus problemas, por forma a intervir para os minimizar e resolver, - Foi realizado o diagnóstico de avaria do simulador e foram propostas soluções para os mesmos, - Realizaram-se as intervenções propostas e aprovadas. Nas intervenções realizadas, os princípios orientadores foram: - Aumentar a robustez do equipamento por forma a garantir a sua integridade a utilizações menos apropriados e manobras 'exóticas' próprias de alunos, que pela sua condição, estão em fase de aprendizagem, - Atualizar o equipamento, colocando-o em sintonia com o 'estado da arte', - Como fator de valorização suplementar, foi concebida e aplicada a supervisão remota do funcionamento do simulador através da rede informática. Foram detetados inúmeros erros: - Má ligação do motor de corrente continua ao variador, resultando a falta de controlo da frequência da rede do sistema, - Ligações entre painéis trocadas resultando em avarias diversas das fontes de alimentação, - Cartas eletrónicas de medidas avariadas e que além de se reparar, foram também calibradas. Devido ao mecenato da empresa Schnitt + Sohn participando monetariamente, fez-se o projeto de alteração e respetiva execução de grande parte do simulador aumentando a fiabilidade do mesmo, diminuindo assim a frequência das avarias naturais mais as que acontecem involuntariamente devido a este ser um instrumento didático. Além do trabalho elétrico, foi feito muito trabalho de chaparia para alteração de estrutura e suporte do material com diferenças de posicionamento. Neste trabalho dá-se também alguns exemplos de cálculo e simulação das redes de transporte que se pode efetuar no simulador como estudo e simulação de avarias num sistema produtivo real. Realizou-se a monitorização de dois aparelhos indicadores de parâmetros de energia (Janitza UMG96S) através duma rede com dois protocolos ethernet e profibus utilizando o plc (Omron CJ2M) como valorização do trabalho.

A true programmable HPF hybrid three-phase rectifier

In this paper is proposed and analyzed a digital hysteresis modulation using a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) device and VHDL (Hardware Description Language), applied at a hybrid three-phase rectifier with almost unitary input power factor, composed by parallel SEPIC controlled single-phase rectifiers connected to each leg of a standard 6-pulses uncontrolled diode rectifier. The digital control allows a programmable THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) at the input currents, and it makes possible that the power rating of the switching-mode converters, connected in parallel, can be a small fraction of the total average output power, in order to obtain a compact converter, reduced input current THD and almost unitary input power factor. The proposed digital control, using a FPGA device and VHDL, offers an important flexibility for the associated control technique, in order to obtain a programmable PFC (Power Factor Correction) hybrid three-phase rectifier, in agreement with the international standards (IEC, and IEEE), which impose limits for the THD of the AC (Alternate Current) line input currents. Finally, the proposed control strategy is verified through experimental results from an implemented prototype. ©2008 IEEE.

Hybrid three-phase HPF rectifier with programmable input current THD, using FPGA device and VHDL language

In this paper is proposed and analyzed a digital hysteresis modulation using a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) device and VHDL (Hardware Description Language), applied at a hybrid three-phase rectifier with almost unitary input power factor, composed by parallel SEPIC controlled single-phase rectifiers connected to each leg of a standard 6-pulses uncontrolled diode rectifier. The digital control allows a programmable THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) at the input currents, and it makes possible that the power rating of the switching-mode converters, connected in parallel, can be a small fraction of the total average output power, in order to obtain a compact converter, reduced input current THD and almost unitary input power factor. Finally, the proposed digital control, using a FPGA device and VHDL, offers an important flexibility for the associated control technique, in order to obtain a programmable PFC (Power Factor Correction) hybrid three-phase rectifier, in agreement with the international standards (IEC, and IEEE), which impose limits for the THD of the AC (Alternate Current) line input currents. The proposed strategy is verified by experiments. © 2008 IEEE.

Conversor CA-CA de elevado fator de potência para aplicações com geradores de Ímã permanente

This paper proposes and describes a high power factor AC-AC converter for naval applications using Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG). The three-phase output voltages of the PMG vary from 260 Vrms (220 Hz) to 380 Vrms (360 Hz), depending on load conditions. The proposed converter consists of a Y-/ΔY power transformer, which provides electrical isolation between the PMG and remaining stages, and a twelve-pulse uncontrolled rectifier stage directly connected to a single-phase inverter stage, without the use of an intermediary DC-DC topology. This proposal results in more simplicity for the overall circuitry, assuring robustness, reliability and reduced costs. Furthermore, the multipulse rectifier stage is capable to provide high power factor and low total harmonic distortion for the input currents of the converter. The single-phase inverter stage was designed to operate with wide range of DC bus voltage, maintaining 120 Vrms, 60 Hz output. The control philosophy, implemented in a digital signal processor (DSP) which also contains protection routines, alows series connections between two identical converters, achieving 240 Vrms, 60 Hz total output voltage. Measured total harmonic distortion for the AC output voltage is lower than 2% and the input power factor is 0.93 at 3.6kW nominal load. © 2010 IEEE.

Utilização de magnetorresistores no desenvolvimento de novas técnicas para aplicações em gastroenterologia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Excitation energies from ground-state density-functionals by means of generator coordinates

The generator-coordinate method is a flexible and powerful reformulation of the variational principle. Here we show that by introducing a generator coordinate in the Kohn-Sham equation of density-functional theory, excitation energies can be obtained from ground-state density functionals. As a viability test, the method is applied to ground-state energies and various types of excited-state energies of atoms and ions from the He and the Li isoelectronic series. Results are compared to a variety of alternative DFT-based approaches to excited states, in particular time-dependent density-functional theory with exact and approximate potentials.

Influence of double excitation AC/DC in the reactive power demand of 3-phase transformers

In this work it is discussed the performance of the reactive power demand in three-leg transformer core and three-phase transformer bank, under different conditions of AC/DC double excitation. In order to analyse the influence of double excitation in reactive power theoretically a mathematical model was developed considering the mutual coupling between phases and the magnetic nonlinearity. The validity of the proposed model is verified by means of the experimental and simulated results.

New On-Line Excitation-System Ground Fault Location Method Tested in a 106 MVA Synchronous Generator

In this paper, a novel excitation-system ground-fault location method is described and tested in a 106 MVA synchronous machine. In this unit, numerous rotor ground-fault trips took place always about an hour after the synchronization to the network. However, when the field winding insulation was checked after the trips, there was no failure. The data indicated that the faults in the rotor were caused by centrifugal forces and temperature. Unexpectedly, by applying this new method, the failure was located in a cable between the excitation transformer and the automatic voltage regulator. In addition, several intentional ground faults were performed along the field winding with different fault resistance values, in order to test the accuracy of this method to locate defects in rotor windings of large generators. Therefore, this new on-line rotor ground-fault detection algorithm is tested in high-power synchronous generators with satisfactory results.

Improved high-speed de-excitation system for brushless synchronous machines tested on a 20 MVA hydro-generator

Synchronous machines with brushless excitation have the disadvantage that the field winding is not accessible for the de-excitation of the machine. This means that, despite the proper operation of the protection system, the slow de-excitation time constant may produce severe damage in the event of an internal short circuit. A high-speed de-excitation system for these machines was developed, and this study presents the continuation of a previously published study. This study presents the design by computer simulation and the results of the first commissioning of this de-excitation system in a commercial 20 MVA hydro-generator. The de-excitation is achieved by inserting resistance in the field circuit, obtaining a dynamic response similar to that achieved in machines with static excitation. In this case, a non-linear discharge resistor was used, making the dynamic response even better.