10349_ROTOR GROUND FAULT DETECTION HOW IT WORKS

12/6/24, 10:45 PM How It Works: Rotor Ground Fault Detection
Rotor Ground Fault Detection: How

it Works
Modeling a Ground Fault for a Generator or Motor
with Brushless Exciter
A field ground fault can occur when

insulation damage creates an electrically
conductive path from anywhere on the
field winding (or elsewhere on the
excitation circuit) to the rotor forging. In
this diagram, we represent those faults as
resistors. If two faults occur at different
locations along the winding, excitation
current is diverted through the forging, and
severe burning of both insulation and rotor
steel can occur rather quickly. Figure 1 - Field Ground Fault on a
Generator or Motor with Brushless
In figure 1, we represent those faults as Exciter. Resistors (RL) can become fault
resistors. As insulation on the field locations as resistance drops
windings degrades, resistance (RL) drops
toward 0, and a fault occurs.
https://www.accumetrix.com/learn/rotor-ground-fault-protection/rotor-ground-fault-how-it-works 1/3
Figure 2 - Classical DC Voltage Injection Figure 3 - Advanced Pulse Injection

Method Method
Two Methods of Ground Fault Detection

Most field ground detectors in service today use the classical DC Voltage Injection
Method (figure 2). Notice the excitation circuit with an exciter that supplies current to the
field winding. When a ground fault occurs, it is represented by a resistance (RL) from
some location on the winding to the rotor ground. The voltage potential at the fault
location relative to the negative field terminal is K*VX, where K is called the location
factor, and VX is the excitation voltage. K takes a value between 0 and 1 for locations
between the negative terminal and the positive terminal. The ground detector circuit
makes a connection between the rotor ground and the excitation circuit, usually on the
negative terminal as shown here. A small DC voltage is injected across this connection,
and the current flow through the circuit is measured. If a ground fault, RL, occurs, a
current will flow through the ground detector circuit. When that current exceeds a fixed
current threshold, a ground fault alarm is triggered. The injection voltage insures that
some current will flow when a ground fault occurs, even if the fault occurs at the negative
excitation terminal. Faults occurring closer to the positive terminal along the field winding
will occur at higher fault resistance. In other words, the severity of fault that will cause an
alarm is dependent on the fault location.
The above plot demonstrates a limitation of classical detection methods. The three
curves on this plot show the sensitivity at the alarm point: for a fault at the negative
terminal in blue, the midpoint of the field in red, and the positive terminal in green. You
see that for a field voltage of around 300 volts, the severity of the fault at the alarm point
will vary by more than an order of magnitude.
Unlike the classical ground fault detection technique, advanced ground fault detection
using the Pulse Injection Method (figure 3) can determine the severity and location of the
fault. This method is similar to the classical method in that the measurement involves
making a connection between the negative excitation terminal and rotor ground and
measures the current flowing through that connection. Rather than just a DC injection
voltage, a low frequency pulse is injected into the circuit. Instead of just alarming when a
current threshold is exceeded, advanced systems continually measure the current flow
with a high precision. The pulsing action provides two steady state current levels. This
method provides the system enough data to solve two simultaneous equations to
calculate values for the two unknown variables: the insulation resistance, RL, and the
location factor, K. Operators use this data to determine the true severity and approximate
location of the fault, allowing them to make the best decisions about how and when to
repair or replace the motor or generator.

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12/6/24, 10:45 PM How It Works: Rotor Ground Fault Detection

Rotor Ground Fault Detection: How

A field ground fault can occur when

Figure 2 - Classical DC Voltage Injection Figure 3 - Advanced Pulse Injection

Two Methods of Ground Fault Detection

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