Exciter Discharge Protection

An exciter in a synchronous generator is used to provide the DC supply to the

electromagnetic field winding which is mounted on the rotor of the generator. In order to
prevent damage being sustained to excitation systems during shut down, a suitable means to
discharge the energy stored in the field coil must be available.

For many years, Metrosil silicon carbide varistors have provided a reliable solution for
exciter discharge applications, being used by many leading OEMs in world flagship power
projects.

Depending on the discharge system configuration, Metrosil units may be switched or

permanently connected across the electrical supply:

For large static exciter discharge applications, it is common to switch in the exciter
discharge system at the same time as switching out the supply voltage. This may be
achieved via a thyristor crowbar control system or a field breaker. In these
applications, the Metrosil is not connected across the electrical supply under normal
operating conditions and as such considerations towards continuous power dissipation
in the discs does not have to be made. For these types of applications, discs may be
selected with higher current ratings, albeit with higher beta values and a lower degree
of non-linearity.

Both types are supplied as assemblies of 150mm diameter discs, electrically connected in
parallel. The number of discs and their thickness depends on the application details.

In the design of a Metrosil unit for an exciter discharge application, the following range of
parameters are taken into account:

Required protection voltage

Maximum discharge current from the field coil
Energy stored in the field coil

The required protection voltage is the voltage which the Metrosil discs limit the system to
when the maximum discharge current flows from the coil into the Metrosil unit. In the
discharge current - time characteristics, this maximum current occurs as soon as the discharge
resistor is switched in. Under normal discharge conditions, the magnitude of this current is
equal to the magnetising current used in the excitation of the field winding.

The discharge energy is the energy stored in the field winding, which is to be dissipated in the
Metrosil unit.

Considerations towards the protection voltage and energy to be dissipated in should also be
made with regards to three phase short circuit currents, which may be up to three times the
magnitude of the maximum discharge current.