How to Adjust Power Factor When Two Generators Are Running Parallel

One at a time.

whats your KVAR meter say? nevermind, turn up the voltage on the generator that's got the lowest amp untill the amps are =. or turn down the voltage on the one that's high, whatever it takes to keep the volts near where you want them

If ampere [sic] is different then load is not the same. That is why your PF is different for each generator.

Either the voltage needs adjustment, control and/or sense circuitry is out of whack, you have a load difference being seen by one of the generators, or your generators are not manufactured to a very close tolerance.

There are many other reasons, but these are easy to check.

Are your meters calibrated?

You haven't told us if you're operating in "Island" or "Grid connected" mode, the size of the machines, and the nature of the load. As you have discovered, raising the voltage/power factor/reactive power on one machine causes an equal and opposite reaction on the other, typical when you have two controllers trying to regulate one variable without any coordination between them.

The first thing you need to do is RTFM (Read The Fine Manual), then enable "Paralleling" or "Cross Current Compensation" in your AVRs (Automatic Voltage Regulator), and adjust the settings accordingly.

Greetings -

RAMConsult's comments are good.

In the questions about your system.

1. Is this a new installation ?

2. Was one of the generators added to an existing installation ?

If so, the existing generator voltage regulator may not have paralleling provision.

3. Is this running in parallel with the grid ?

4. A generator runs at it's lowest amp's (coolest) when at Unity Power Factor, it is best to have both generator voltage regulators connected together (cross current compensation) when run in parallel, especially if the load is changing. It is also best to regulate Power Factor vs Vars, if the load is changing, a wrong Var setting as you see will cause the amps to be off.

5. Sometimes the generators are run by a controller independent of either generator, the controller determines load and vars from each generator, and can cycle gens to equalize operating hours.

6. NEVER switch modes with the generator running and under load unless the manual approves of this. NEVER open the excitation to a running under load generator. NEVER open a CT circuit when the generator is running under load. Even worse - NEVER - close the excitation circuit of a generator whose breaker is closed to the grid. NOTE: Some companies have done this as a paralleling method, but it is very hard on the machinery.

7. Do you have a Sync Check relay for paralleling ?

Reverse Power relay to open the breaker if power is lost ?

Over-Under Voltage, Over-Under Current, Loss of Excitation, ... ?

Specify whether the power factors are lagging or leading and whether the panel has auto synchronizing and auto load sharing modules. For manual sync nd load sharing machines, generally you need a proper droop adjustment for equal KVar sharing. It is always better to individually load the machine to 80% of its capacity with inductive load and adjust all the parameter including droop of both the machines equal. For this, run the machine single and adjust the no load parameters with zero droop setting. Then, load the machine individually to 80% of its capacity with inductive load and adjust the speed droop by governor nd voltage droop by AVR to 4%. Note: both the machines should be adjusted precisely to equal parameters. And most importantly, neutral breaker of only bus connected machine should be close while, neutral breakers of incoming machine should be open to avoid circulating current. Hope this article would be helpful to you. All the Best!!!

hi gurus

extremely sorry for late reply

observed generators running individually ,found one generator is taking 150ampers more than other two generators and also the generator which is taking more amper

and one more thing....

the ACB removed and checked the terminals at bus bar side having black carbon deposit.is it possible due to which it is taking more ampere, pls adivise

Now you are talking about 3 generators?!

Your observational report is not helpful. If you run each generator on its own, with the same exact load attached, you will notice the same power output!! The amps reading by themselves do not help us to understand your problem. You need to make a table where each generator's data are logged in, (volts, Amps, P.factor: Volts and amps for each phase, and the rpm of the genset or the frequency as read).

In any case, you need to adjust each genset voltage output separately before trying to synchronise them (in pairs I presume, from your 1st input). Then you must check what type of load sharing equipment you have and how to set them. If the 3 gensets are of the same capacity each, then they will be set to share the load equally.

Depending on the precision of the equipments, you might have to live with some circulating current (imbalance).

Better stil, get an expert to do the job at least once for you to learn the procedure for your setup.

depending on how the power is generated, transmissioned and distributed...

with digital energy, you would have modules like those in object oriented programming...

these physical models would have to be speced and schematiced to work under various inputs, transformations and processes, and outputs...

increase amperes velocity and storage capabilities would increase the power factor...

perhaps techniques such as proton core amperes injections, geometric infinity loops capacitors black holes and superconductivity materials would help...

I'll have some of what this guy is drinking!

Digital energy? Does that come in fits and bursts?

Speced and Schematiced...? Wouldn't that be Schematified? [sic...really sic]

If I increase the amperes velocity, does the retro-encabulator decrease the velocities of the voltages in direct inverse proportions? Especially when taking into account the storage capacities of greater electron densities?

I mean, with proton core injection...it kind of goes without saying here, but, infinity loop capacitors, ball bearings, and some 3-in-1 oil...everything should smooth out.

Right?

^{_{Hurry up, I need to turn in my homeworks!!!}}

This is exactly what Develop Service quoted. And this is the basic procedure for synchronising.

it may have some default from the generator´s output´s to the respective load, and you may want to check that.