MODELLING OF HIGH FREQUENCY EXCITATION SYSTEM FOR POWER

SYSTEM STABILITY STUDIES

Audrius JONAITIS
Kaunas University of Technology
Department of Electric Power System

generating units are not investigated. Parameters used in

stability and transient studies are estimated from
certificates or typical values are used. The paper
presents analysis of high frequency excitation system
equipped in Lithuanian power plant. This power plant
has one of the largest generating capacities in Lithuanian
power system and strongly affects on its operation. The
exciter design differs from ones that are described in
most literature and suggested dynamic models [1] may
not give good results. A new model is presented and
parameters estimation technique is described in this
study.

Summary: The paper presents modeling technique of

high frequency excitation system which is equipped in
Lithuanian power plant. The exciter design differs from
ones that are described in most literature. Operation and
design of excitation system is shown and new dynamic
model suitable for large system studies is presented.
Keywords: Excitation control, power systems, transient
stability analysis.
1. Introduction
Precision of power system transient processes analysis
depends on usable dynamic models accuracy.
Emergency operation conditions may occur in power
system due to wrong study results. Static and dynamic
stability limits depends at most on operation of
generating units excitation systems.
Excitation systems of Lithuanian power systems

2. High frequency excitation system design

Excitation system simplified circuit diagram is shown in
figure 1. The exciter is inductor type three-phase 500 Hz
synchronous generator all windings of which are fitted
on stator. The main field winding L1 is consequently

R1
R2

R3

uE

eR3

L3

L2

i3

i2

L1 u1

uRect

TA

eFD

i1
TV

eR2
OEL

ATV
MA2

MA3

Fig. 1. High frequency excitation system circuit diagram

connected with the main generator field winding. The

windings L2 and L3 are regulating windings and currents
i2 and i3 are fed by magnetic amplifiers MA2 and MA3.
Exciter output is three-phase 500 Hz voltage uE which is
converted to DC voltage uRect by rectifier bridge. The
OEL block represents over excitation limiter which does
not allow exciter output voltage to rise above two times
nominal (UEN). Magnetic amplifiers are fed by exciter
output voltage and the main input is generator voltage
and reference voltage difference.

U
Rg
UE

3. Modeling of high frequency excitation system

3.1. The exciter model
Excitation system output voltage eFD may be expressed
as a difference of rectifiers output voltage uRect and
exciter main field voltage u1:

eFD = uRect u1 .

(1)

Exciter main field voltage u1 and regulating voltages eR2

and eR3 equals

d1
;
dt
d 2
;
eR2 = R2i2 +
dt
d 3
;
eR3 = R3i3 +
dt
u1 = R1i1 +

N1i1+ N2i2 N3i3 F

Fig. 2. Exciter saturation characteristic

If exciter rotor rotation speed is constant, exciter output
voltage RMS value is proportional to exciter field flux
RMS value:

U E = K X .

(10)

(2)
(3)
(4)

where 1, 2 and 3 flux linkages intersecting the

main and regulating field windings of the exciter:
1=N11, 2=N22, 3=N33; N1, N2 and N3 turns
number of main and regulating field windings; 1, 2
and 3 magnetic fluxes, intersecting the main and
regulating field windings.
If leakage flux is neglected, equations (2) (4) may be
rewritten as

d
;
u1 = R1i1 + N1
dt
d
;
eR2 = R2i2 + N 2
dt
d
eR3 = R3 i3 N 3
.
dt

The relationship between excitation system output eFD

and regulating signals eR2, eR3 can be expressed by
following operations. Assuming that two regulating
circuits are identical and R2=R3=RR, N2=N3=NR, from (6)
and (7) equations we have:

e R2 e R3 = RR (i 2 i3 ) + 2 N R

d
.
dt

(11)

From equations (8) and (9), i2-i3 equals

i 2 i3 =

UE
S (U )
N
+ E E U E 1 i1 .
N R Rg
NR
NR

(12)

Then, from equations (10) to (12), we have:

(5)

e R2 e R3 +
(6)

RR N 1
RR
i1
(1 + Rg S E (U E ))U E =
NR
N R Rg

(7)

According to [2], exciter output voltage is a nonlinear

function of exciter field currents due to saturation of
exciter iron:
(8)

i = S E (U E ) U E ;

(9)

where UE RMS value of exciter output voltage; SE(UE)

the saturation function of UE (see figure 2); Rg air
gap line slope.

(13)

Exciter field voltage u1 can be expressed from equations

(5), (10) and (13):

u1 = R1i1 +

UE
= N1i1 + N 2i2 N 3i3 i ;
Rg

2N R d U E
.
KX d t

N1
2N R

R N
e R2 e R3 + R 1 i1
NR

RR
(1 + Rg S E (U E ))U E .

N R Rg

(14)

Rectifier bridge output voltage uRect is nonlinear function

of exciter voltage UE and depends on load current. The
analytical expressions of this function will be published
in section 3.2.

Equations (1), (13) and (14) can be written in per unit

system. Assuming that base quantities are Ub = eFDN,
Rb = Rg and Ib = Ub/Rb = eFDN/Rg, equations (1), (13) and
(14) are divided by Ub = RbIb:

eFD u Rect u1
;
=

Ub
Ub
Ub

the relationship between excitation system output eFD

and regulating signals eR2, eR3 in per unit is described
following:

eFD* = u Rect* u1* ;

e R2* e R3* + K D i1* ( K E + S E (U E* ))U E* =
d U E*
;
= TE
dt
u1* = K I i1* + K N (e R2* e R3* + K D i1*
( K E + S E (U E* ))U E ) .

(15)

e R2 e R3 RR N 1 i1
+

Ub
N R I b Rg

RR
U
2NR d U E
; (16)
(1 + Rg SE (U E )) E =
N R Rg
Ub
KX d t U b
u1
i
N
= R1 1 + 1
Ub
I b Rg 2 N R

e R2 e R3

+
U
b

RR N 1 i1
RR
U

(1 + Rg S E (U E )) E
N R I b Rg N R Rg
Ub

(22)

(23)

(24)

3.2. Non-linear rectifier bridge characteristic

. (17)

The saturation function of the exciter in per unit system

equals

S E* (U E* ) = Rg S E (U E ) .

Rectifier bridge output voltage depends on load current

and is described by static characteristics. Supposing that
inductance of main generator rotor winding is infinite,
neglecting voltage drop in rectifier valves and in feeding
source and feeding current waveform distortion, the
rectifier output voltage uRect is expressed as follows:
u Rect =

(18)

Then,

3 6
FRectU E ;

(25)

where FRect static rectifier characteristics:

eFD* = u Rect* u1* ;

e R2* e R3*

(19)

R N
RR
+ R 1 i1*
(1 + S E* (U E* ))U E* =
Rg N R
Rg N R

=
u1* =

2 N R d U E*
;
KX d t

R1
N
i1* + 1
Rg
2N R

Marking expressions in equations (20) and (21) as

KE =

RR
;
Rg N R

S E (U E * ) = S E * (U E * )

KN =

and

iN =
(21)

K C i1
;
UE

(27)

where parameter KC depends on the commutating

reactance. More detailed description of rectifier
operation is presented in [3]. Graphical representation of
rectifier static characteristic is shown in figure 3.

1 A
RR
;
Rg N R

RR N1
;
Rg N R

R
KI = 1 ;
Rg

(26)

FRect

2NR
;
TE =
KX

KD =

(20)

eR2* eR3* +

RR
R N
+ R 1 i1*
(1 + S E* (U E* ))U E* .

Rg N R
Rg N R

FRect

1.0 0.577iN , if i 0.433,

N

if 0.433 < iN < 0.75,

= 0.75 iN2 ,

1.732(1.0 iN ), if 0.75 iN 1.0;

0,75

0,433

N1
;
2N R

D
0

0,433

0,75

Fig. 3. Static rectifier bridge characteristic

iN

KN
uC

KA
1 + sTA

eR2-eR3
+

+ UFE

uREF

1
sTE
KE

UE

uRect

eFD

3 6

FRect

S E (U E )

FRect = f (i N )

KD

iN

iN =

KI

K Ci1
UE
i1

Fig. 4. Block diagram of high frequency excitation system model

3.3. Magnetic amplifiers model

4. Conclusions

The magnetic amplifiers are modeled according to

methodic presented in [1,2]:

K A u in* (eR2* eR3* ) = TA

d(eR2* eR3* )
;
dt

(28)

where KA and TA a gain and a time constant of

magnetic amplifier, uin* input signal.
3.4. Complete excitation system model
The excitation system model, based on (22) to (28)
equations, is shown in figure 4. The model input signals
are reference voltage uREF and generator terminal
voltage uC difference and field current i1, and the output
is main generator field voltage eFD.
The suggested model does not include overexcitation
and underexcitation limiters and power system
stabilizer. It is supposed that magnetic amplifiers are fed
by constant voltage and magnetic characteristics are not
accounted in the model, too. The model differs from
ones presented in [1]. The structure of the new model is
most similar to standard model AC1A, if feed back loop
in the AC1A is neglected. The new loops in presented
model are KN and KI. These loops allow to model
sudden initial decrease of field voltage during decrease
of generator terminal voltage. This phenomena can be
observed in the case of short circuit fault and is common
to high frequency excitation systems [4].

A new model of high frequency excitation system is

proposed to model power system transients. The model
can be included into power system transients and
stability simulation software libraries. A passive
experiment was performed in Lithuanian power plant to
investigate high frequency excitation system dynamics.
The parameters estimation technique is developing
based on analysis of sampled data.
5. References
1. IEEE Std 421.5-1992. IEEE Recommended Practice
for Excitation System Models for Power System
Stability Studies. N.Y.: IEEE, 1992.
2. Kundur P. Power System Stability and Control.
N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, 1993. 1176 p.
3. Bezrukikh, P.P. Ventilnye sistemy vozbuzhdeniya
sinkhronnykh mashin. MEI, Moscow, 1977. 43 p.
4. Solovyov I.I. Avtomatitcheskoe regulirovaniye
vozbuzhdeniya sinkhronnykh generatorov bolshoy
moshshnosti s mashinno polyprovodnikovymi
sistemami vozbuzhdeniya vypryamlennym tokom
povyshennoy tchastoty. MEI, Moscow, 1975. 47 p.