Abstract:
A shorted rectifying diode protection system for a synchronous generator (100) having a stationary exciter field which induces a voltage in a rotating exciter armature when energized by an exciter drive current, the voltage being rectified by a plurality of rotating rectifiers (108) and applied to a rotating field winding (114) to induce an output voltage in a plurality of main stator output phase windings (120), the output voltage being controlled by a voltage regulator (150) having peak excitation current protection means, comprises a circuit (162) for detecting actuation of the excitation current protection and generating a field protection monitor signal, a circuit for discriminating a shorted exciter field and generating a protection lock-out signal (182), and a logic circuit (168) responsive to the field protection monitor signal and the protection lock-out signal for generating a shorted rectifying diode protection signal (186). Upon generation of the protection signal, the system disables the voltage regulator (110) to preclude collateral damage to the generator. The method of detecting a shorted exciter field rectifying diode comprises the steps of a) monitoring the peak current supplied to the exciter field (112) from the voltage regulator (150), b) generating a field protection monitor signal when the peak current exceeds a given threshold, c) generating a protection lock-out signal (182) if the exciter field is discriminated as shorted, d) de-energizing the generator (100) in response to the protection monitor signal, and e) inhibiting the step of de-energizing the generator in response to the protection lock-out signal.
Abstract:
A shorted rectifying diode protection system for a synchronous generator (100) having a stationary exciter field which induces a voltage in a rotating exciter armature when energized by an exciter drive current, the voltage being rectified by a plurality of rotating rectifiers (108) and applied to a rotating field winding (114) to induce an output voltage in a plurality of main stator output phase windings (120), the output voltage being controlled by a voltage regulator (150) having peak excitation current protection means, comprises a circuit (162) for detecting actuation of the excitation current protection and generating a field protection monitor signal, a circuit for discriminating a shorted exciter field and generating a protection lock-out signal (182), and a logic circuit (168) responsive to the field protection monitor signal and the protection lock-out signal for generating a shorted rectifying diode protection signal (186). Upon generation of the protection signal, the system disables the voltage regulator (110) to preclude collateral damage to the generator. The method of detecting a shorted exciter field rectifying diode comprises the steps of a) monitoring the peak current supplied to the exciter field (112) from the voltage regulator (150), b) generating a field protection monitor signal when the peak current exceeds a given threshold, c) generating a protection lock-out signal (182) if the exciter field is discriminated as shorted, d) de-energizing the generator (100) in response to the protection monitor signal, and e) inhibiting the step of de-energizing the generator in response to the protection lock-out signal.