2/14/22, 9:28 AM Manual Synchronization | Automation & Control Engineering Forum

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Manual Synchronization
 yawadu ·  Jul 22, 2019

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Thread Starter #1
yawadu
Y Jul 22, 2019

How is generator manually synchronized onto a live bus.

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CSA #2
Jul 23, 2019

yawadu,

>How is generator manually synchronized onto a live bus.

Nothing like a simple question.

Prior to synchronization, the generator needs to be at or very near rated speed, because speed
and frequency of the generator output are directly related.

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Prior to synchronization, the generator terminal voltage needs to be at or very near rated
voltage (which should be approximately equal to nominal grid voltage).

The generator breaker needs to be in the racked-in position with the primary and secondary
disconnects made up (connected) and ready to synchronize.

All lock-out relays must be in the reset position.

There should be a switch or handle on the generator control board/panel to select MANUAL or
AUTOMATIC synchronization, and MANUAL synchronization needs to be selected.

The operator then needs to manually adjust the prime mover speed (which adjusts the generator
speed and frequency) to make the generator frequency just slightly greater than the frequency
of the grid the generator is being synchronized to. Usually, there is a a scope with a moving
needle called a synchroscope which is used during synchronization. When the needle is rotating
in the clockwise direction, the frequency of the generator is faster than the frequency of the grid
the generator is being synchronized to; the faster the needle is rotating the higher the generator
frequency is with respect to grid frequency. When the needle is rotating in the anti-clockwise
direction, the frequency of the generator is slower than the frequency of the grid the generator
is being synchronized to; the faster the needle is rotating in the anti-clockwise direction the
slower the generator frequency is with respect to the grid frequency. The general rule is that
immediately prior to synchronization the synchroscope needle should be rotating in the
clockwise direction at the rate of one rotation every five or six seconds. It could be a little slower,
or it could be a little faster, but it should be rotating "slowly" in the clockwise direction during
manual (or even automatic synchronization).

Then the operator uses the AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator) adjust switch to make the
generator terminal voltage equal to or just slightly higher than the voltage of the grid the
generator is being synchronized to. It could actually be a little lower than grid voltage, but that's
not the general rule for synchronizing--it should be equal to or slightly greater than grid
voltage.

Then, the operator puts his (or her) hand on the generator breaker close switch handle.
Watching the synchroscope needle rotate (slowly in the clockwise direction) the operator waits
for the needle to approach the 11 o'clock position (just slightly before 12 o'clock/straight up)
and then rotates the generator breaker close switch handle in the CLOSE direction and holds it in
the CLOSE position for a couple of seconds and releases the handle (it should return to mid-
position by spring action). Once the generator breaker is successfully closed, meaning the
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generator is synchronized to the grid, the synchronization selector switch should be placed back
in the OFF position.

In the "background" there should be a synchronizing check relay which is monitoring the
frequency of the generator and the frequency of the grid the generator is being synchronized
to--and newer, more modern synch check relays monitor BOTH frequency and voltage of both
the generator and the grid. The synchronizing check relay WILL NOT allow the operator to close
the generator breaker with the generator breaker close switch handle if the frequency and phase
angle of the generator and grid are not within allowable limits. This is to prevent damage to the
generator breaker, the generator, the coupling between the generator and the prime mover, and
the grid by closing the generator breaker out of phase with the grid voltage sine waves.

Now, why do we do all these things? First, it is CRITICAL that the generator voltage sine waves
be properly matched (in phase) with the grid frequency voltage sine waves (most synchronous
generators are three-phase generators). If the sine waves of the phases of the generator are NOT
"aligned" or very nearly aligned with the sine waves of the phases of the grid, then VERY GREAT
mechanical forces--and electrical forces, too--can result which can cause mechanical and
electrical damage to BOTH the generator and it's prime mover, and the grid components also.
When the synchroscope needle is pointing at 12 o-clock (straight up--vertical) this means the
phases are perfectly in alignment. "So," you ask, "you said to close the breaker BEFORE the synch
scope needle reached 12 o'clock/straight up--which means the sine waves are NOT exactly in
phase (aligned)?!?! WHY??!!?!" Because, the breaker has some mechanical linkages in the
operating mechanism which take some time to actually operate and close the generator breaker
contacts. So, we send the command to close the breaker slightly ahead of the 12 o'clock/straight
up needle position so that when the breaker's main contact do close they will be as close as
possible to in phase and aligned.

Why does the operator adjust the generator terminal voltage to be equal to or slightly greater
than the grid voltage? Because, if the generator terminal voltage is equal to the grid voltage
when the generator breaker closes there will be zero VAr (Volt-Ampere Reactive) current flow
across the generator breaker between the generator and the grid. When the generator terminal
voltage is slightly greater than the grid voltage when the generator breaker closes there will be a
slight amount of VAr current flowing out of the generator breaker and to the grid--which is
okay. Most generators are designed to produce reactive current and supply reactive current to
the grid. And, a small amount of "positive" reactive current during synchronization and initial
loading is desirable. As opposed to "negative" reactive current (VArs) flowing into the generator
from the grid if the generator terminal voltage is less than the grid voltage when the generator
breaker is closed. There are protective relays monitoring the generator which may open the
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generator breaker if the magnitude of VAr current flowing into the generator is "excessive" at
the time the generator breaker is closed during synchronization. So, it's desirable to have a small
amount of VAr (reactive) current flowing out of the generator at the time of synchronization, to
prevent a possible breaker trip.

Finally, by having the synchroscope rotate in the clockwise direction, the operator is making the
generator frequency be just slightly higher than the grid frequency. This means that the prime
mover is producing slightly more torque than is required to keep the generator spinning at the
exact speed (frequency) of the grid. When the generator breaker closes during synchronization
the generator rotor is "captured" by the grid and slows down <i>immediately</i> to match grid
frequency. BUT, the prime mover governor still maintains that slight extra energy flow-rate into
the prime mover. This cause the Watts (or kW or MW) being produced by the generator to
increase to some positive level flowing out of the generator at the time of synchronization.

If the synchroscope was rotating slowly in the anti-clockwise direction when the generator
breaker was closed, that means the generator frequency is less than grid frequency and the
prime mover is not producing enough torque to keep the generator spinning at the same
frequency as the grid. When the generator breaker is closed with the prime mover not
producing the required power to keep the generator spinning at grid frequency the grid will still
"capture" the generator rotor and will speed up the generator rotor to make it match grid
frequency--and to do that will require that power from the grid (Watts, kW, MW) will be flowing
from the grid into the generator to keep the generator rotor (and the prime mover!) spinning at
grid frequency/speed. This is called "reverse power", and most generators can tolerate reverse
power--but some prime movers (like steam turbines and reciprocating engines) can NOT
tolerate reverse power. So, there is at least one reverse power protective relay monitoring the
direction of real power (Watts, kW, MW) into and out of the generator to protect the prime
mover and generator against the effects of reverse power. By having the generator rotor
spinning a little faster than grid frequency when the generator breaker is close during
synchronization that ensures that no reverse power will flow into the generator from the grid,
possibly opening the generator breaker.

Most, but not all, automatic synchronization relays/schemes do exactly the same as above--
adjust generator frequency and phase angle and voltage (sometimes called "speed matching"
and "voltage matching") when synchronizing; some only match frequency and phase angle. Prior
to the first synchronization of any generator, it is critical to verify the three phases of the
generator output are matched to the grid phases, and that all of the metering signals (from PTs
(Potential Transformers) and CTs (Current Transformers)) are all providing the proper signals in
the proper directions. And, any time those metering circuits are disturbed during any kind of
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maintenance or upgrade they should be re-checked as they are critical to proper

Hope this helps! Synchronization is VERY CRITICAL to the proper operation of a power plant.
Done improperly, it can have disastrous and deadly effects. That's why, as was noted above,
there is almost always a synchronizing check relay in the manual synchronization generator
breaker close circuit to prevent an operator from unintentionally closing the generator breaker
when the phases are not aligned--which can cause the most damage to equipment (and
personnel if they are too close!).
 mihai.midus and David_2

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Lin Chong #3
May 11, 2020

A running Synchronous generator can be manually synchronized to the grid bus by a three-
phase circuit breaker just in the condition that the four main and necessary conditions of
paralleling the generator with the grid are all certainly obtained. Checking that the condition of
having same phase sequence and no un-accepted difference in the voltage and frequency
values on both side of this circuit breaker have all been achieved then the moment of closing
this circuit breaker would just be when the voltages of same phases on both sides of any one of
the three arms of the circuit breaker have zero phase difference angle or very low accepted
phase difference angle. This last condition can be checked using the dark lamp method or the
synchroscope.

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CSA #4
May 11, 2020

Lin Chong,

You mention "... the four main and necessary conditions of paralleling the generator with the
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