STATICCHECK

SYNCHRONISERS

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?:l ilr Measurements

o
STATICCHECK
SYNCHRONISERS
Large size and high electrical loading have design. One widely used equipmentof this type
traditionallybeen limitingfactors in the designof employed three wattmetric elementsto provide
c o m p r e h e n s i v ec h e c k s y n c h r o n i s e r s .T h e both phaseangle and slip speed measurements.
developmentof semiconductordevices,however, Although mechanicalcheck synchroniserswere
has enabled electronic circuits to be used voltagesensitiveand difficult to set up, they have
effectivelyfor this application.The new units have only beensupersededsuccessfullyin the last five
the advantagesof smallsize,light loadingand long years. Electroniccircuits employing thermionic
life. The variouscircuits used for the phase,slip valveshavebeenusedby one manufacturerin the
speed and voltage measurementsand for other USA to overcomethe voltagetransformerloading
functionsare describedin this article.Depending problem,but this advantageis outweighedby the
on the duty, some or all of these circuits are filament and anode voltage requirementsand
includedin the unit. Earlyproductionmodelswere limitedlife span of the valves.
field tested for six months, and since then large
numbers have been installed at home and Transistors enable economic circuits to be
overseas, designedfor eventhe most complexdutieswhich
can be envisagedfor check synchronisers.The
Systemswith low internalimpedancemay only voltage requirementis such that availablestation
be connectedtogether if, at the instant of con- auxiliarysuppliescan be used insteadof voltage
nection, the differencesin phase, voltage and transformersto drive the output switchingrelays.
frequency are small. Synchronisingis usually ln addition the expectedlife far exceedsthat of
performed by an operator who refers to thermionic valves. For these reasons semi-
instruments showing the voltages of the two conductortechniqueshavebeenusedin all recent
systems and to a synchroscope connected checksynchroniserdevelopments.
between the systems. The synchroscopeis, in
effect, a two-phase motor, the rotor of which
rotates at the difference frequency (or slip) Basic design features
betweenthe voltagesappliedto its two windings. A l l c h e c k s y n c h r o n i s e r si n c l u d e p h a s e
It informs the operator of both the phase and measurementcircuits which define the angular
frequencydifferencebetweenthe voltages.Once range over which closure may be attempted.
the three parametersare within acceptablelimits ldeallythisangularrangeshouldbe independent of
the circuit breakerclosingswitch can be operated absolute frequency, supply voltages and wave-
to connectthe two suppliestogether. forms, or slip frequency.
Where check synchronisersmust initiate the
Becausethe shock imposedon the plant as a actual closure of circuit breakers, as in auto-
resultof poorsynchronising can be considerable,it reclosing, it is usual to include means for
is usualto includea simplechecksynchroniser in measuringthe frequencydifferencebetweenthe
serieswith the closingcircuit. On interconnected systemsto be connected.Closureis preventedif
systemscheck synchronisersare also necessary this slip is greaterthan a presetmaximum,which
for duties other than merely permissiveapplica- dependson the permittedangle for closureand
tions such as the manualsynchronisation of a also on the closingperiodof thd circuit breaker.
generator-For example,on high voltagesystems To prevent closure when abnormal voltage
delayedauto-reclosing equipmentmust include conditionsexist, variousvoltage lock-outcircuits
checksynchronising relayswhich allow reclosure have been devised.For auto-reclosingduties the
of the circuitbreakersonly if all the synchronising voltage lock-out gives a permissivesignalif both
conditionsarewithinacceptable limits.On modern voltagesarewithin presetpercentagelimitsof their
mesh-typesubstations it is commonto includeup nominalvalue.Another type permitsoperationof
to twelve check synchronisersto supervisethe the phase measurementcircuits if the difference
auto-reclosing of both high and low voltagecircuit betweenthe two voltagesis lessthan the setting.
breakers. Sometimesfurther safeguardsare includedfor
Anothersystemduty, as opposedto a generator synchronisinggenerators,in case the operator
duty, is that of checkingthe synchronisation when closesthe controlswitch prematurelyand relieson
a further link is being made betweentwo parts of the synchroniserto perform the actual closure'
an already interconnected system. Here the Thesesafeguardscan be either part of the check
system loading may be such that an appreciable synchroniser itself or in the form of external
phase shift exists between the sections to be
auxiliaryrelays.They decidewhether the switch
connected.As no frequencydifferencecan exist, was operated before or after the acceptable
the check synchroniser,used as a permissive
conditionswere reachedand prevent closure if
element in conjunction with manual synch- necessary.
ronising,consistsof a circuitfor phasedifference
measurement alone.
The range of static check synchronisers
The development of check synchronisers A range of static check synchronisershas been
Checksynchronising equipmenthasbeenmade designed to meet the varying requirementsof
in the United Kingdomfor about forty yearsand users in the power supply, marine and general
has developedthrough various stages of com- industrialfields. Eachunit containsthe following
plexity. Until the developmentof semiconductor standard equipmentr isolatingtransformers,stabil-
devices in recent years, complex designscould ised d.c. power supply. a.c. voltage monitor,
only be realisedat the expenseof large physical preset phasecomparator,and electromechanical
size and with excessiveloading on the voltage non-sensitiveoutput relay. The simplestvariant
transformersused to drive the equipment.Early contains an alternative angle setting. Another
synchroniserswere therefore constructedusing versionincludesa short time delaywhich permits
the established principles of protective relay phasemeasurementto take placefor a periodof
 phase angle
comparator and
common integrating
amPlifier

from running slip speed

voltage measuremenl
transformer timer

auxiliary
d.c. supply
flr f,"l
Figure L A block diagram of the check synchroniser circuits.

50 ms after manual operation of the closing modulatedbeat waveform envelopewith a d.c.

srryitch.ff the phasesof the two voltagesarewithin reference voltage, Figure 3. The intersections
limits for the duration of this period, a 100ms betweenthe referencevoltage and the envelope
output pulselatchesin an auxiliaryrelayacrossthe are symmetrical aboutthe in-phaseconditions.
synchronisercontacts and causesclosureof the In practicethe incomingand runningvoltages
circuit breaker. Should the phase limits be from the generator and system voltage trans-
exceededat the instant of operatingthe switch, formers are subtracteddirectly by transformers.
closurewill not result even if the switch is not The resultingwaveformis then full-waverectified
returnedto the'open position.A static time delay thus assistingthe followingsmoothingcircuitby
relay operatingin conjunctionwith the standaril effectively doubling the high frequency
equipment provides slip speed measurement. componentof the waveformwithout affectingthe
Either one of two calibrated voltage lock-out required low frequency term. The rectified
circuitsmay alsobe included.A blockdiagramof waveformis then passedto a gate, the output of
the completeequipmentis givenin Figure1. which is determinedby the most positiveapplied
All versions of the check synchroniserare signal. The gate will be describedlater; it does
housedin a standardcasemeasuring6 in x 5 in x not affect phase measurementunder normal
5 in intendedfor back-of-panelmounting. An operation.
exampleof one of the synchronisers with its cover
removedis shown in Figure2.

Phasemeasurement
It is necessaryto determineelectricallywhether
or not the phase angle differencebetween two
sinusoidalvoltagesof similar amplitudeand the
same frequencyis within specifiedangularlimits
symmetricalabout the in-phasecondition.One of
the simplestways of doing this is to subtractthe
voltagesalgebraicallyand comparethe resulting

Figure 3. The beat waveform envelope produced by

subtracting the incoming and running voltages. The
intersections at +0o, obtained when the envelope is
compared with a d.c. reference voltage. are also
shown.

The unidirectionalpulsatingbeat waveform is

appliedto a singletransistorintegratingamplifier,*
there being three advantagesin doing this. The
requiredtime constantcan readilybe achieved
evenwith smallcapacitors;the output impedance
of the amplifieris sufficientlylow, becauseof the
transistorgain,to beableto drivean outputcircuit;
and the same amplifier can be used as the
comparatorby feedingthe d.c. reference voltage
directlyinto the emittercircuit.
Most synchronisers employingbeat waveforms
as a basis of phase measurement make no
allowancefor the transformervoltagesdiffering
Figure 2. The static check synchroniser with its case either from nominal or from each other. lt is
removed, showing the two isolating transformers, the unlikelythat synchronising would be permittedon
output relay, the transistorised circuits and the preset
vohage tolerance and time delay adjustments. *British PatentApplicationNo. 265f//U.
generatorswith voltagesdifferingby morethan a on completion of its timing cycle provided the
few per cent becauseof encroachmenton the output from the phase measurementcircuit
stabilitylimits, particularlywhen the generatoris persists.
under-excited. Thereis a realpossibility,however, The timer usesthe constantcurrentdischargeof
that synchronisingmay be requiredwhere the a tantalum capacitor and introduces a precise
voltages,though equal,both differfrom nominal delay over a wide range of temperaturesand
by as muchas 20o/o.Sincea changein amplitude supplyvoltages.
of the beatwaveformis equivalentto a phaseshift The extra delays introducedby point-of-wave
in this type of synchroniser,it is apparentthat effectsand integrationin the phasemeasurement
errors in the setting angle will occur at voltages circuitproducea smallangleerrorproportional to
other than that for which the equipment was slip speed.With slip speedsgreaterthan zerothe
initiallycalibrated.Accordingly,steps have been pick-up and drop-off limits of the phase angle
takento makethe checksynchronisers insensitive measurement changesuchthat theyare no longer
to equal supply voltagesdiffering from nominal. symmetricalabout the in-phasepoint. However,
The type of correctionrequiredcan be determined the total angle traversed between these limits
from a considerationof the method used to remainsthe same, and the accuracyof the slip
measurephaseangle. speed measurementis independent of delays
introducedby the phasemeasurement.
lf o9 and tl>sarethe angularfrequenciesrespec-
tivelyof the incominggeneratorvoltageVsand the Typically,the time settingsrequiredfor an angle
system voltage %, the instantaneousdifference setting of 35o are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 seconds,
voltageu is givenby corresponding to 0.19,0.13,0.09,0.08,0.06and
r'"e+ @s)f (rn ,")t 0.04 per cent slip with a 50 Hz supplyfrequency.
t : 2Vrcos,y , As the time is inherentlylinear,a semi-logarithmic
2 "in 2 potentiometeris usedto expandthe lower portion
where Vt : Vs : % for equalvoltages. of the scale.
After rectificationand smoothing,eachcycleat
the differencefrequencyis of the form Voltage measurement
vr : 2vt"in!9erI9dr Two distinct types of voltage lockout circuit
were developedto meet differing requirements.
Hence to ensure a constant phase angle for The first had to preventsynchronisingif eitherthe
variationsof signalvoltage runningor incomingsupplywas lessthana preset
vo:2Vtk percentageof the nominalin the range80-907o,
wherek is the sineof that angle,and and the secondhadto preventsynchronisingif the
differencesbetween the incoming and running
vnq,2Vt suppliesexceededa presetpercentagein the range
lVg+ Vsl 2-'l0o/o,with an overridinglock-outif both supplies
were lessthan 507oof nominal.
T h u s a d . c . r e f e r e n c ep o t e n t i a l m a d e For the former, a stabilisedvoltage reference
proportionalto the sum of the peakvoltagesof the supplyis availablefrom the powersupplycircuitof
two supplies will accurately compensatefor the synchroniser.Voltages proportionalto the
systemvoltagevariationsand will maintaina well incomingand runningsuppliesare rectifiedand
defined angle setting provided that the two smoothed, Figure 4, and the resultingd'c.
voltagesremainequal.The referenceisfed directly voltages are separatelycompared with the
into the integrating amplifier.Compensation is not stabilGedd.c. power supply, the magnitudeof
perfect with differing supply voltages but any which represents the nominalsupplyvoltage.The
differencetends to reducethe permittedangleof differencevoltage in each case causesa defined
closure, and this is therefore an inherentlysafe currentto flow througha presetresistorRt and a
feature. similarcurrentto flow in a fixed resistorRr, the
The voltageoutput of the integratingamplifier voltageacrosswhich is fed into the gate of the
changes over an angle of approximately30 phasemeasurement circuit.
electrical.Over this angle the output signal Positivevoltagesgreaterthan the d.c. reference
containsan appreciable amountof ripplevoltage inhibitthe gate,which is now controlledby both
which, if fed directlyinto the output relay,would the phaseand the voltagesignals.The backlash
causevibrationand consequential burningof the circuit againpreventsrelaychatter causedby the
contacts.The output circuitthereforeincludesa smallamountof ripplein the voltagecircuit.The
measureof backlashsufficientlylargeto prevent calibration of R.,takesinto accountany changeof
vibrationdue to the ripple.Uncertaintyin angle the d.c. referencevoltagedue to variationof the
settingdue to this backlashis only 0.50electrical. incomingand runningsupplies.
The secondtype of voltagelock-outcircuit,the
Slip speed measurement voltagedifferencelock-out,shouldideallyrespond
The simplestmethod of determiningwhether to percentage differences between the actual
the differencefrequencybetweentwo suppliesis magnitudesof each supply. The measurement
lessthan a certainvalueis to checkthat the phase should not be related to the nominal supply
angletraversedin a definedperiodis lessthan an voltage, as occurs when the differencebetween
appropriatepredeterminedvalue. In the check the two voltagesis comparedwith a fixedvoltage.
synchroniser, phaseanglemeasurement is already lf, instead, the difference is compared with a
available,henceslipspeedmeasurement is readily voltage proportionalto the mean signalvoltagea
achieved.The output from the phase measure- substantiallytrue measureof percentagevoltage
ment circuit is arrangedto drive an accurately discrepancyis obtained. This method has been
calibratedtimer, which operatesthe closingrelay adoptedfor the checksynchroniser.
 By rearrangingthe voltagelock-outcircuit of inhibited.Lossof the other supplyaloneresultsin
Figure 4, as shown in Figure 5, a voltage is an unmodulatedsine wave of half the previous
producedacrossthe fixed resistorR, proportional amplitudebeing suppliedto the phase measure-
to the difference between the two supply ment circuit.This halfamplitudesinewavewould
voltages.This voltageis fed to the gate and is be equivalentto an anglesetting of 600, about
then comparedwith the voltageproportionalto twice that normallyused.
the sum of the incomingand running supplies However,by usinga referencelevelproportional
which is alreadypresentat the comparator.The to the sum of the voltagetransformersupplies,as
result is an almost true measureof percentage alreadydescribed,lossof the unmonitoredsupply
voltagedifferencein the requiredrange. automatically reducesthe anglesetting,and the
relay is unconditionallystable under these
conditions.
Operationalexperience
The first productioncheck synchroniserswere
givento an independent authorityfor evaluation.
After laboratorytests,they were usedon a 60 MW
steam turbine-generator set for six months, and
then re-testedin the laboratory.As a result of
these tests the synchroniserswere fully type
approved for use throughout the authority's
systems.
Largenumbersof the synchronisershavesince
Figure 4. The arrangement of the voltage lock-out
circuit used to compare the incoming and running
been successfully commissioned both in the
voltages with a fixed nominal voltage. United Kingdom and abroad. Operationalex-
periencehas been most satisfactory.

Rr In conclusion
to gate
I Staticcircuitryis not alwaysan idealreplacement
for electro-mechanicalrelays, and considerable
I
I

runnrng .tn!
voltage \ . J
R,-
,r-Fl*
\l,t
lr€
)1i I
incoming
voltage
experiencebasedon both theoreticaland experi-
mental investigationsis necessaryif satisfactory
--l----r equipmentis to be produced.
However,wherea smallnumberof signalsmust
be applied to severalprocesseswithout unduly
Figure 5. The voltage difference lock-out circuit which loadingthe signalsources,static circuitryhas the
determines the percentage difference between the advantage.In additionthere are savingsin size,
incoming and running voltages. weight, tooling and sometimescost. The most
complexof the synchronisersdescribedoccupies
Additional circuits lessthan a quarterof the spaceof its mechanical
Oneof the ancillarycircuitsprovidesstabled.c. counterpart,is easierto set up and adjust, and
power from the usual tripping or alarm circuit costs much less.
batteryand removespotentiallyharmfultransient Although the instruments were primarily
voltagespikesin the stabilisingprocess.Another intendedfor check synchronising, a pair used in
circuit, which includes only one transistor, back-upfashionin conjunctionwith a simplespeed
monitors one of the two voltage transformer and voltagecontrollercould form the basisof an
supplies{see Figure 1}. Loss of the monitored automaticsynchroniser suitablefor most industrial
supply is detectedwithin 5 ms and the gate is and marineusers.
Reprintedfrom an articleby G.W. Pickard,B.Sc.and
J. Hofdenpublishedin AEI Engineering.

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