Application Note: Co-Generation

Co-generation is becoming an increas-

ingly important issue in the electricity
market.
For some companies it is benecial
always to utilise a certain amount of
their own power generating capacity
and only import the excess power from
the grid. This is also called base-load.
See g. 1.
In case of limited grid capacity,
companies sometimes have to pay a
penalty fee when they exceed a certain
agreed amount of power, and then it is
benecial to import only this amount of
power from the grid, and produce the
excess power with own power
generating equipment. This is also
called peak-lopping or peak-
shaving.
Another important factor is the
increasing liberalisation of the
electricity market in many countries. It
is now more and more common to be
permitted to operate in parallel with the
grid, when proper generator control
equipment is used. Also many countries
now have a policy for exporting excess
power to the grid.
SELCO has equipment for control,
protection and monitoring generators
operating in parallel with each other or
with the grid.
The SELCO load sharers provide
automatic load sharing for generators
running in parallel. When applied with
the SELCO B9300 Power Reference
Unit, one or several generators in
parallel operation with the grid can be
controlled.
The SELCO T4900 VAr (Voltage
Ampere reactive) Load Sharer provides
automatic VAr load sharing for parallel
running generators. The VAr Load
Sharer can also be used for power factor
control (cos ) on a generator in
parallel operation with the grid.
The SELCO synchronizers perform
automatic synchronisation of incoming
generators.
By Erik Mikkelsen, Product Manager Ms. Sc., SELCO A/S
Fig. 1. Illustration of base-load
Fig. 2. Illustration of peak-shaving
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
LOAD DEV. % SYS. FREQ.
Hz
STABILITY
FREQ.
OUT
FREQ.
IN
FREQ.
IN
SYNC.
UNLOAD
WATT
IN
-
TEST
OUT
-
PARALLEL
LINES
COM +
INCR. DECR.
1
0
10
LOAD SHARER
T4800
AUTO TRIP
5 %
REV.
POWER
5 sec.
50 60
-20 +20
I
N
U
N
Fig. 3. The SELCO T4800 Load Sharer.
Fig. 4 shows an application diagram for
co-generation with constant generator
load and optional power factor
regulation using SELCO equipment. On
the Power Reference Unit B9300 the
setting determines the amount of power
(in % of generator capacity) to be
produced. An output voltage to
terminals 12 and 13 on one or more load
sharers will cause a constant load on the
generators. There is one load sharer for
each generator. In case of more than
one generator, the load sharers will
share the load proportionally. If the load
is larger than the produced power, the
system imports from the grid. If the load
is lower than the produced power, the
system exports to the grid.
The load sharer is supplied from two
phases of the busbar on terminals 3 and
2 (1). The current from the generator is
measured (on the third phase) via a cur-
rent transformer connected to terminals
5 and 6. From the current and voltage the
power from the generator is determined.
If the power is higher than corresponding
Base-load with one or more Generators
to the setting on terminals 12 and 13,
decrease pulses will be applied to
governor. If the power is lower than
corresponding to the setting, increase
pulses will be applied to the governor.
If more than one generator is connected,
each generator will produce power
according to the setting on terminals 12
and 13 on the corresponding load sharer.
When the grid is off, the supply to the
reference unit is off. Terminals 12 and
13 of each load sharer are now used for
communicating power and frequency
balance between the paralleled
generators.
An unloading facility is available on the
load sharer. When terminals 7 and 12
are interconnected, the load on the
generator is reduced and maintained on
a low value (< 5%).
For power factor regulation one VAr
load sharer per generator can be added
as illustrated in g. 4. Inputs to the VAr
load sharer are similar to the inputs to
the load sharer.
When the grid is on, terminals 12 and 28
are interconnected, and this will set the
VAr load sharer in power factor mode.
The power factor setting is determined
by an external potentiometer across
terminals 29 and 30. Increase and
decrease pulses control a motorized
potentiometer, connected to the genera-
tors AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation).
This will cause the generator to produce
the amount of reactive power according
to the power factor setting.

When the grid is off, the VAr load
sharers will cause the generators to
share the reactive load proportionally.
Terminals 12 and 13 of each VAr load
sharer are now used for communicating
reactive power and voltage balance
between the paralleled generators.

An unloading facility is available on the
VAr load sharer. When terminals 7 and
12 are interconnected, the reactive
power on the generator is reduced to
zero. If the grid is on, the unit is in
power factor mode. In this mode the
power factor will be adjusted to unity.
Fig. 4. Co-Generation Application Diagram. One or more generators with constant generator load and generator power factor regulation
VAr -
UNLOAD
GEN.
MOTOR
SUPPLY
M
MOTORPOT.
E7800
1 2 3
D
E
C
R
E
A
S
E
I
N
C
R
E
A
S
E
16 14 15
4
DROOP
AVR
5
6
GEN.
L
2
3
L
L
1
POWER FACTOR
REGULATOR
one per gen.
VAr LOAD SHARER
T4900
13
12
28
7
29
INDUCTIVE PF SET
12
FROM
T4900
13
12
TO NEXT
T4900
13
2
1
5
6
30
3
GRID
UNLOAD
GEN.
DROOP
M
MOTOR
SUPPLY
14 15
IN-
CREASE
DE-
CREASE
16
CONSUMER
LOAD SHARER
T4800
2
1
6
5
3
7
12
13
LOAD
REGULATOR
one per gen.
12
FROM
T4800
13
POWER
REFERENCE
B9300-xx-10
+
2 1
5 3
12
13
GENERATOR
LOAD SET
only one
TO NEXT
T4800
BUS
T0199- 51E
Fig. 5 shows an application diagram for
co-generation with constant grid load.
In this case the regulation is based on
measuring the current from the grid
rather than the current from the
generators. Thus we can keep the grid
load constant. Due to the fact that the
input is now the current from the grid,
there is only one measuring current, so
in the set-up in g. 5 we can only
regulate one generator.
The guidelines are similar to those of
base-load. On the Power Reference Unit
the setting determines the amount of
power to be imported (or exported if
you change terminals 3 and 5). An
output voltage to terminals 12 and 13 on
the load sharers will cause a constant
grid load.
The load sharer is supplied from two
phases of the busbar on terminals 3 and
2 (1). The current from the grid is
measured (on the third phase) via a
current transformer connected to
Peak-shaving with one Generator
terminal 5 and 6. From the current and
voltage the power from the grid is
determined.
If the power from the grid is higher
than corresponding to the setting on
terminals 12 and 13, increase pulses will
be applied to the governor. If the power
from the grid is lower than
corresponding to the setting, decrease
pulses will be applied to the governor.
An unloading facility is available on the
load sharer. When terminals 7 and 12
are interconnected, the load on the
generator is reduced and maintained on
a low value (<5%).
If power factor regulation is wanted, a
VAr load sharer can be added as
illustrated in g. 5. Inputs to the VAr
load sharer are similar to the inputs to
the load sharer.
When the grid is on, terminals 12 and
28 are interconnected, and this will set
the VAr load sharer in power factor
mode. The power factor setting is
determined by an external
potentiometer across terminals 29 and
30. Increase and decrease pulses control
a motorized potentiometer, connected
to the generators AVR (Automatic
Voltage Regulation). This will cause the
generator to produce the amount of
reactive power according to the power
factor setting.

An unloading facility is available on the
VAr load sharer. If the grid is on, the
power factor will be adjusted to unity.
D
E
C
R
E
A
S
E
L
L
L
SUPPLY
MOTOR
I
N
C
R
E
A
S
E
GEN. AVR
1
2
3
5
6
3
2
1
14
VAr LOAD SHARER
T4900
12
VAr -
UNLOAD
GRID
7
28
16 15
30 29
POWER FACTOR
REGULATOR
INDUCTIVE PF SET
5
6
3
2
1
GRID
D
E
C
R
E
A
S
E
SUPPLY
M
I
N
C
R
E
A
S
E
MOTOR
CONSUMER
14 16 15
LOAD SHARER
T4800
12
UNLOAD
GRID
7
13
LOAD
REGULATOR
POWER
REFERENCE
B9300-xx-10 3
5
IMPORT
POWER SET
BUS
T0799- 51E Fig. 5. Co-Generation Application Diagram. Single generator with constant grid load and power factor regulation
Fig. 6 shows an application diagram for
co-generation with constant grid load
using multiple generators. When the
grid is on there will be constant grid
load (within set limits). When the grid
is off, the generators will have active
load sharing.
The Load Reference Unit is a special
version (-1V to +1V). The setting on this
determines the amount of power to
import or export (minus for import and
plus for export). The current to the grid
is measured and fed to terminals 5 and
6 on the upper load sharer. From the
current and the voltage the power to the
grid is calculated. The increase and
decrease signals from this load sharer
will adjust a motorized potentiometer.
The output voltage from the motorized
potentiometer will tell the lower load
sharers how much power to be
Fig. 6. Co-Generation Application Diagram. Multiple generators with constant grid load.
Peak-shaving with Multiple Generators
produced by the generators. The inputs
to the lower load sharers are the current
from the generators. From the current
and voltage the generated power is
calculated. With increase and decrease
signals to the governor on the
generators, the generator output is
controlled so that it corresponds to the
required power.
Note that there is an adjustment on the
motorized potentiometer, where one can
adjust the generator maximum limit (in
order to protect the generators from
overload). The output from the
motorized potentiometer can not go
below zero (thus avoiding power to the
generators from the grid).
In g. 6 it is also indicated on the load
sharers how an optional trip for reverse
power and unload can be used.
The system can also be equipped with
VAr load sharers in a similar manner to
that shown in g. 7.
When the grid is on, power factor
regulation is obtained according to the
setting of the potentiometer on
terminals 29 and 30 on the upper VAr
Load Sharer. The lower VAr load
sharers will control the generators to
produce the required reactive power.
When the grid is off, the lower VAr load
sharers will perform reactive load
sharing and voltage control.
T0699- 51E
E7800-90
UNLOAD
GRID
TRIP
GEN.
LOAD SHARER
T4800-31
M
DROOP
UNLOAD
GEN.
DECREASE
LOAD SHARER
T4800-31
P
O
W
E
R

D
I
R
E
C
T
IO
N
IM
P
O
R
T
EXPORT
TRIP
GRID
24V
+
M
REDUCED SPEED
-
GEN. MAX.
LIMIT
GRID ON: CONSTANT GRID LOAD
GRID OFF: ACTIVE LOAD SHARING AND
FREQUENCY CONTROL
TRIP
NEXT T4800
GEN.
LOAD SHARER
T4800-31
M
UNLOAD
GEN.
DROOP
DECREASE
SUPPLY
CONSUMER
- 24V
+ 24V
POWER REFERENCE
B9300-38-11
LOAD REF.
UNIT
BUS
Fig. 7. Co-Generation Application Diagram. Multiple generators with constant grid power factor regulation. T0599- 51E
E7800-90
AVR
(DROOP)
GEN.
MOTORPOT.
E7800
M
VAr UNLOAD
GEN.
SUPPLY
VAr LOAD SHARER
T4900
VAr
UNLOAD TRIP
VAr LOAD SHARER
T4900
IMPORT VAr
UNLOAD TRIP
P
O
W
E
R

D
I
R
E
C
T
I
O
N
IM
P
O
R
T
E
X
P
O
R
T
GRID
GEN. MAX.
LIMIT
VAr UNLOAD
GRID
REDUCED SPEED
M
24V
+
COS : 1.0 - 0.7 INDUCTIVE
-
(DROOP)
AVR
GEN.
MOTORPOT.
E7800
M
VAr UNLOAD
GEN.
SUPPLY
NEXT
T4900
VAr LOAD SHARER
T4900
VAr
UNLOAD TRIP
CONSUMER
GRID IMPORT OR EXPORT
GRID ON: CONSTANT GRID POWER FACTOR

GRID OFF: REACTIVE LOAD SHARING AND
VOLTAGE CONTROL
- 24V
+ 24V
(COS ) INDUCTIVE
BUS
T
0
8
9
9
-
5
1
E
The specifications are subject to change without notice.
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
China
Croatia
Czech Republic
Egypt
Finland
Main office:
Betonvej 10
DK-4000 Roskilde
Denmark
Phone: + 45 - 70 26 11 22
Fax: + 45 - 70 26 25 22
e-mail: selco.dk@selco.com
www.selco.com
Subsidiary:
3 Blackhorse Lane
Ipswich IP1 2EF
United Kingdom
Phone : +44 (0) 1473 210544
Fax: +44 (0) 1473 230439
e-mail: selco.uk@selco.com
www.selco.com
SELCO Worldwide
Korea
Malaysia
Morocco
Netherlands
Norway
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Italy
Japan
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
U.S.A.
Type Approvals and Certicates
The SELCO equipment has been thoroughly
tested by certified laboratories with regard to
high vibration levels, heat, cold, humidity, salt mist,
EMC emission and immunity as well as other
parameters.
SELCO products are in accordance with all
significant international standards and have been
approved and certified by the major marine
classification societies.
SELCO Denmark
SELCO subsidiary
SELCO representation
Area of supply