Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689

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Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/simpat

Synchronous generator modelling and parameters estimation

using least squares method
Emile Mouni *, Slim Tnani, Gérard Champenois
University of Poitiers, Laboratoire d’Automatique et d’Informatique Industrielle, Bâtiment mécanique, 40, avenue du recteur Pineau 86022, Poitiers, France

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: In this paper, a technique for estimating the synchronous machine’s parameters using sud-
Received 19 April 2006 den short circuit test, is proposed. Before implementing estimation algorithms, a special
Received in revised form 17 March 2008 method of the machine modelling is given. This last one allows to perform tests such as
Accepted 8 April 2008
short-circuit, load impact and shedding test, in an easier way than the models usually
Available online 27 May 2008
developed in the literature. Thanks to the well known electrical equivalent circuit of the
generator, the relationships between parameters generally used in the industry (i.e.,
reactances and time constants) and those used in researcher’s domains will be given.
Keywords:
Synchronous generator
Finally, simulation results of the proposed method, allows to show that the algorithm is
Parameters estimation capable of providing very good estimated parameters fitting with the actual parameters.
Short circuit test Ó 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Park’s transformation
State space modelling

1. Introduction

A number of modelling of synchronous machine methods have been already developed. With the increasing cost of de-
tailed prototyping of electrical machine, it is becoming necessary to replace or supplement it with mathematical methods
and computer simulation. Early works, see [1–6] have shown the crucial importance of a good model of synchronous ma-
chine taking into account dampers and other elements which are sometimes ignored or neglected in simplified modelling.
In this paper, a new method of synchronous generator modelling taking into account an inside infinite resistance will be pre-
sented [7]. The particularity of such a modelling method is to make the performing of tests, usually used to validate or iden-
tify the machine, easy: short circuit test, load impact test, shedding test, etc. Once the synchronous machine has been
constructed, manufacturers use programs based on various parameters (e.g., reactances and times constants) which are been
graphically estimated to check the finest structural details of this one. To be in accordance with manufacturers methods,
relationships between transient and sub transient quantities on one hand and the modelling parameters such as mutual
and main inductances on the other hand,will be presented thank to the classical electrical circuits of the synchronous gen-
erator. In the last part of this work a numerical algorithm of synchronous machine parameters estimation based on least
squares method, will be presented. A discussion on the simulation results will be done at the end of this work to validate
the algorithm and the proposed modelling.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +33 549453506.

E-mail addresses: bowendnere.mouni@etu.univ-poitiers.fr (E. Mouni), slim.tnani@uni-poitiers.fr (S. Tnani), gerard.champenois@univ-poitiers.fr
(G. Champenois).

1569-190X/$ - see front matter Ó 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.simpat.2008.04.005
 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689 679

d-axis

q-axis b main eld

D
Q
θe

c
Fig. 1. Synchronous generator windings with dampers.

2. Synchronous generator modelling

Considering a synchronous generator with dampers at the rotor, the simplified scheme of the machine is given in Fig. 1:
D and Q represent, respectively, d-axis and q-axis dampers. a, b and c are the three phases of the synchronous generator
and he its electrical angle depending on the poles number.

2.1. Synchronous generator electrical equivalent circuit

As we can see on the figure above, dampers are synthesized by short circuited inductances. From this figure and adopting
generator convention, we can write machine equations in three axes frame as follows:
d
vabc ¼ r s  iabc þ Wabc
dt
d
vf ¼ r f  if þ Wf
dt ð1Þ
d
0 ¼ rD  iD þ WD
dt
d
0 ¼ rQ  iQ þ WQ
dt
where iD and iD are the direct and transverse dampers’ currents, WD and WQ are the direct and transverse dampers’ total flux,
Wabc is stator total flux, Wf is the main field total flux. r s is the stator resistance, rf is the main field resistance, r D and r Q are
the dampers resistances.
The study will be done in Park’s frame thanks to Park’s matrix defined below with the electrical angle of the machine he :
!
cosðhe Þ cosðhe  23pÞ cosðhe þ 23pÞ
Pðhe Þ ¼
 sinðhe Þ  sinðhe  23pÞ  sinðhe þ 23pÞ

such as:
Pðhe Þ  vabc ¼ vdq ð2Þ
Then, the global equation of the machine becomes
d
vd ¼ rs  id þ Wd  xe  Wq
dt
d
vq ¼ rs  iq þ Wq þ xe  Wd
dt
d
vf ¼ r f  if þ Wf
dt ð3Þ
d
0 ¼ rD  iD þ WD
dt
d
0 ¼ rQ  iQ þ WQ
dt
d
J xe ¼ T e  T r
dt
T e is the electromechanical torque depending on machine current and given by [8]
3
Te ¼ pðWd iq  Wq id Þ ð4Þ
2
680 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689

d-axis
Ψσ sd
Ψσ dD
Damper
{ΨΨσσDQ

Ψσ f D
q-axis Ψσ f
Ψσ sq

1
2
Legend
1 two poles rotor
2 stator armature
Fig. 2. Synchronous generator leakage and linkage flux.

T r is resistant torque depending on the external load 2  p is the machine’s poles number and J is the machine inertia. In
order to make the simulations in accordance with our future experimental conditions, the electrical speed is supposed to
be constant. Indeed, in the test bench which is being achieved for validating the algorithms and control laws that we devel-
oped, the synchronous generator is involved by a DC motor. This last one is controlled by a motor drive: VNTC4075 from
Alstom Company. Then, the state space equation of the machine will be given by using this assumption.
In order determine synchronous generator equivalent circuit, a two salient poles machine will be considered. The
scheme of this one is given in Fig. 2: where WrD and WrQ are the direct and transverse dampers leakage flux, Wrsd and
Wrsq are the direct and transverse stator leakage flux, WrdD is the linkage flux between direct axis and direct dampers,
WrfD linkage flux between main field and direct dampers, Wad and Waq are the direct and transverse main flux but implicitly
omitted in Fig. 2.
The effect of main field on the stator ðWrfs Þ is neglected, then the following relationships can be written
8
> Wd ¼ Wad þ Wrsd þ WrdD ¼ lad  ðid þ iD þ if Þ  lrsd  id þ lrdD  ðiD  id Þ
>
>
>
> Wq ¼ Waq þ Wrsq ¼ laq  ðiq þ iQ Þ  lrsq  iq
>
>
>
< Wf ¼ Wad þ Wrf þ WrfD ¼ lad  ðid þ iD þ if Þ þ lrfD  ðif þ iD Þ þ lrf  if
ð5Þ
>
> WD ¼ Wad þ WrfD þ WrdD þ WrD
>
>
>
> ¼ lad  ðid þ iD þ if Þ þ lrfD  ðif þ iD Þ þ lrD  iD þ lrdD  ðid þ iD Þ
>
>
:
WQ ¼ Waq þ WrQ ¼ laq  ðiq þ iQ Þ þ lrQ  iQ
From these equations, we can deduce the synchronous generator electrical scheme (Fig. 3) [9,10]: where lrsd and lrsq are
the direct and transverse stator leakage inductances, lrf is the main field leakage inductance, lad and laq are the direct and
transverse stator main inductances, lrdD is the linkage inductance between stator d-axis and the direct damper, lrfD is the
linkage inductance between rotor and the direct damper, lrD and lrQ are dampers leakage inductances.

rs lσ sd lσ f D rf lσ f i
f
rD
vf
lad lσ D
vd
lσ dD iD

id
ωe Ψq rs lσ sq
iQ
rQ
vq laq
lσ Q

iq
ωe Ψd
Fig. 3. d-axis and q-axis electrical equivalent circuits.
 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689 681

It is well known that reactance and inductance are linked by x ¼ lx; so thanks to the Eq. (5) we can deduce the following
relationships between main and mutual inductances on one hand and reactances on the other hand:
8 x
>
> l ¼ xad ; laq ¼ xaqe ; ld ¼ xxde ¼ xad þxrxsdeþxrdD
< ad xe
x x þx
lq ¼ xqe ¼ aqxe rsq ; lD ¼ xad þxrD þx
xe
rfD þxrdD
ð6Þ
>
>
: l ¼ aq rQ ; l ¼ xad þxrf þxrfD ; m ¼ xad ; m ¼ xaq
x þx
Q xe f xe sf xe sQ xe

The relations between main reactances and machines parameters are:

8 qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
>
< xad ¼ T 0d0  r f  xe  ðxd  x0d Þ
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ð7Þ
>
: xaq ¼ xq  r Q  xe  ðT 00q0  T 00q Þ

where xd is steady state reactance, x0d is the direct transient reactance, x00d is the direct sub transient reactance, x00q is the trans-
verse sub transient q-reactance, T 0d is the direct transient time constant, T 00d is the direct sub transient time constant, T 0d0 is the
open direct transient time constant, T 00q0 is the open transverse sub transient time constant, and xe is the machine electrical
speed corresponding to the time derivative of he .
Thus, from the expressions in (7), the machine can be represented by reactances and time constants and fluent relation-
ships between parameters usually used in industry and those form academic domains can be deduced.

2.2. Synchronous machine modelling by state equations

The model used in this paper is given by Fig. 4.

In this modelling, a star-connected ‘‘infinite” resistance rin ð106 XÞ is incorporated. This allows ones to generate three-
phase voltage and then to create terminals A, B and C on which a three-phase load can be connected. On Fig. 4, vf and
the output currents are used in the input vector. For this, inside currents ia , ib and ic are transformed into id and iq on one
hand and load currents isa , isb and isc into idl and iql on the other hand. Consequently, the output voltage in Park’s framework
can be expressed as
vd ¼ r in ðid  idl Þ
ð8Þ
vq ¼ r in ðiq  iql Þ
with
0 1
  isa
idl B C
¼ Pðhe Þ@ isb A
iql
isc
Finally the global equation is
0 1 0 1 0 1
rin idl id id
B C B C B C
r i
B in ql C i
B qC i
B qC
B C B C B C
B vf C ¼ R  B if C þ M a  d B if C ð9Þ
B C B C dt B C
B C B C B C
@ 0 A @ iD A @ iD A
0 iQ iQ

ia isa
A
rin
isb B
vf
rin rin
isc
ic C

x = Ax + Bu
y = Cx + Du
Fig. 4. Synchronous generator with infinite inside load.
682 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689

where 0 1 0 1
r s  r in l q xe 0 0 xe msQ ld 0 msf msD 0
B C B C
B ld xe r s  r in xe msf xe msD 0 C B 0 lq 0 0 msQ C
B C B C
R¼B
B 0 0 rf 0 0 C;
C Ma ¼ B
B msf 0 lf mfD 0 C
C
B C B C
@ 0 0 0 rD 0 A @ msD 0 mfD lD 0 A
0 0 0 0 rQ 0 msQ 0 0 lQ
Then, the synchronous generator state-space equation is given by
x_ ¼ Ax þ Bu
ð10Þ
y ¼ Cx þ Du  
rin 0 0 0 0
where A ¼ M 1a R is the state matrix, B ¼ M1
a , C¼ is the observation matrix,D ¼
  0 rin 0 0 0
rin 0 0 0  T T
, x ¼ id iq if iD iQ is the state vector, y ¼ ð vd vq Þ is the output vector and
0 rin 0 0
 T
u ¼ idl iql vf 0 0 is the exogenous inputs vector containing the excitation vector vf .

3. Sudden short circuit principle parameters determination

The aim of the modelling above is to perform some validation tests. The one that we will perform in this paper is the sud-
den short circuit. The principle is described below:
The machine is involved at the rated speed without load until the system reaches the steady state. During this steady
state, a short circuit is performed on its three phases and then, currents and voltage are measured. This test allows to deter-
mine synchronous machine parameters and then to validate or not the achieved model. Below are IEEE’s recommendations
according to direct and transverse axes of Park’s framework.

3.1. Direct axis parameters measurement

After the performing of sudden short circuit, the current on each phase can be described as following:
        
1 1 1 t 1 1 t
i ¼ Vm  þ 0  : exp  0 þ 00  0  exp  00  cosðx  t þ h0 Þ þ V m
xd xd xd Td xd xd Td
" !   !   #
1 1 t 1 1 t
 þ : exp   cosðh 0 Þ þ  : exp   cosð2 x  t þ h0 Þ ð11Þ
x00d x00q Ta x00d x00q Ta

where V m is the voltage maximum value prior the short circuit applying.
Notice that the above expression can be simplified in considering the current which aperiodic component is null (h0 ¼ p2 . If
the three currents contain aperiodic part, a little manipulation can be used to eliminate it. This manipulation consists in sub-
tracting the exponential curve included in the short circuit current and representing the aperiodic component’s contribution.
Among the parameters that we used in the simulation, transverse sub transient q-reactance x00q and direct sub transient
d-reactance x00d are the same. Definitely the Eq. (11) becomes:
        
1 1 1 t 1 1 t
i ¼ Vm  þ 0   exp  0 þ 00  0  exp  00 : cosðx  t þ h0 Þ ð12Þ
xd xd xd Td xd xd Td

envelope
1000 phase current
Current (Amperes)

500

–500

–1000

1 2 3
time (sec.)

Fig. 5. Current and envelope.

 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689 683

The IEEE standards, [12,13], recommend to draw an envelope which fits the best with output current. Then calculations are
made with this last one. The figure below shows this draw applied to simulated generator and corresponds to a current with-
out aperiodic component (see Fig. 5).
The envelope equation is obtained in considering the current peaks. Thus the Eq. (12) becomes:
        
1 1 1 t 1 1 t
ienv ¼ V m  þ 0  : exp  0 þ 00  0 : exp  00 ð13Þ
xd xd xd Td xd xd Td

3.1.1. Direct steady state reactance

This reactance is easy to calculate. It corresponds to the reactance of the machine when it works at steady state. In the Eq.
(13), as the exponential functions are decreasing, direct steady state reactance can be deduced as following:

Vm
xd ¼ ð14Þ
isteady

3.1.2. Direct transient reactance and time constant

Once the steady current value is found, it is subtract to ienv as presented below:
       
1 1 t 1 1 t
ienv  is ¼ V m :  : exp  þ  : exp  ð15Þ
x0d xd T 0d x00d x0d T 00d
The IEEE standards recommendations are about the use of semi logarithmic frame to determine reactances and time con-
stants. These recommendations allow to go from an exponential curve to a sum of real straight curves. This leads to have
easier calculations. Nevertheless an assumption is made on the time constants:
00
Assumption: Transient time constant is very high besides sub transient time constant ðT 0d  Td Þ.
Consequently The sub transient component decreases quickly in relation to the transient one. So its effects can be ne-
glected from a certain time. This assumption leads to make an approximation of the above current difference ienv  is . That
means:
   
1 1 t
ienv  is  V m :  : exp  0 ð16Þ
x0d xd Td
Using semi logarithmic method, we can say that it exists two quantities A and B such as
lnðienv  is Þ  A  t þ B ð17Þ
A is the slope and B the value at the frame origin.
The transient parameters can be then obtained by solving the following equations system:
8 0
< T d ¼  A1

ð18Þ
: ln V m : x10  x1 ¼B
d d

3.1.3. Direct sub-transient reactance and time constant

The last part of this section is about sub transient parameters calculation. The method is the same as described above.
Therefore, the approximation is made on the quantity below:
lnðienv  is  itrans Þ  A0  t þ B0 ð19Þ
where itrans is the transient current calculated above with steady and transient parameters.
This leads to the following new system of equations:
8 00
< T d ¼  A10

ð20Þ
: ln V m  x100  x10 ¼ B0
d d

Note that, several other methods are used to determine direct axis parameters, see [14–16]. The one presented in this paper
is easy to implement and the results we got are satisfactory.

3.2. Transverse axis parameters measurement

To determine q-axis parameters, a Park transformation on currents is used. In this part, only q-axis current is used. The
figure below shows this current after sudden short circuit application: (see Fig. 6)
According to IEEE standards the shape above can be represented by the following equation.
 
Vm t
iq ¼   exp   sinðx  t þ h0 Þ ð21Þ
x00q Ta
684 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689

1500
transverse current
1000

500

i (A)
q
0

–500

–1000
20 20.05 20.1 20.15 20.2
Time (sec)

Fig. 6. Current on q-axis.

We can use the same method as described above, but it is also simple to consider some peaks and to solve an equation sys-
tem as following
8

>
< iq1 ¼  Vxm00  exp  Tt1a
q

ð22Þ
>
: iq2 ¼  Vxm00  exp  Tt2
q a

Because of the easiness of the calculation of transverse parameters, we will only apply the least squares method to the direct
parameters.

3.3. Time constants in open circuit

These time constants are deduced from the above calculations. According to the IEEE standards, to calculate open circuit
time constants, the following relationships are used:

 Open circuit direct transient.

xd T 0d0
¼ 0 ð23Þ
x0d Td
 Open circuit direct sub transient.
x0d T 00d0
¼ 00 ð24Þ
x00d Td
 Open circuit transverse sub-transient.
00
xq T q0
¼ ð25Þ
x00q T 00q

4. Parameters estimation using least squares method

The Fig. 7 above shows the strategy used to implement the algorithm. Initially, a sudden short circuit test is performed on
the synchronous machine and the measured outputs are obtained. These data are used to make an estimation of synchronous
machine parameters. The estimation method is based on the IEEE standards described above. Each set of parameters is used
to simulate a new system. From this last one an error between the actual model and the simulated model is calculated such
as (for the kth set of parameters for instance):
vffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
u N
uX
JðkÞ ¼ t ðiactual ðiÞ  isim ði; kÞÞ2 ð26Þ
i¼1

where k is the iteration order or set of parameters order, iactual ðiÞ is the actual current value for ith sampling point, isim ði; kÞ is
the simulated current value for ith sampling point with the kth set of parameters, N is the number of sampling points, JðkÞ the
criterion value with the kth set of parameters.
 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689 685

Test data
loading

Parameters Simulated
Estimation System

no

Least squares
end? Recording Algorithm

yes
Minimum
estimation

Fig. 7. Parameters estimation framework.

For each iteration the criterion value, extended to the whole range of variation is stored in a vector. The operation is done
again until the instruction end is reached. From there, the vector J allows to get the optimal set of parameters. The following
flow chart given by Fig. 8 explains how the algorithm is performed:
First of all, initialization is done (imax , jmax , i ¼ 0; . . .), then steady reactance is calculated and some ranges are defined to
determine transient set of parameters. These ranges are chosen far enough from short circuit start point and their width de-
pends on the machine and the simulation step. For instance, the simulation we performed uses 1000 samples per transient
range and the simulation step is 0:25 ms. As regards to sub transient ranges they are chosen near the start point. Fig. 9 shows
the subdivisions made on the current envelope.
From the Fig. 8, we can notice that for each transient range, jmax sub transient parameters are calculated. At the end of the
process, the criterion J is a vector which length is imax  jmax . Each value of this vector corresponds to a particular set of param-
eters. Minimizing this criterion allows to get the parameters which fit the best with accurate values. When this criterion is
plotted, this leads to Fig. 10.
The Fig. 10 shows the different parts corresponding to transient ranges. For each transient range, a minimum can be found
as specified below by Fig. 11.
The algorithm, we elaborated, works in order to find a particular value kopt corresponding to the general minimum such as:
8vffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi9
<u
uX N =
Jðkopt Þ ¼ Min t ðiactual ðiÞ  isim ði; kÞÞ2 ð27Þ
: i¼1 ;
k2K

where K is the iterations group which length is defined above ðimax  jmax Þ, N the envelope length.
When this optimum iteration ðkopt Þ is found, the different validation curves can be plotted to check whether actual quan-
tities and estimated ones match each other.

5. Simulation results and discussion

Once the state space modelling with inside high enough load is done, the estimation algorithm based on the least squares
method is implemented. The data used to perform this algorithm are shown in the Table 1.
The machine involved in the modelling presents the following characteristics:
Rated phase to phase voltage U n ¼ 530 V,
Rated current In ¼ 243 A.
The rated impedance of the synchronous machine zn can then be deduced by
Un
zn ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ð28Þ
ð3Þ  In
This last value allows to convert reactances in per units (p.u).

5.1. Validation of machine modelling

The implementation of the synchronous machine is done by SimulinkTM/S-function. Before performing a short circuit on
the simulated machine, a load test is achieved. The results, corresponding to the steady state, are presented below (see Figs.
12 and 13.
The currents and the voltages shown by the figures above, are sinusoidal and well balanced.
686 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689

Initialization
imax jmax
k 0

i=0
xd

No end of the
i imax ?
process

Yes

j=0 i i 1
xd Td
Tdo

j=j+1
xd Td ”
Tdo

k k 1
J(k)

j jmax j jmax

Fig. 8. Flow chart for parameters estimation.

envelope (Amperes)

1500 j 1
sub transient
j jmax ranges

i 1 Transient
i imax ranges

isteady
0.4 2.4
Time sec
Fig. 9. Transient and sub transient ranges subdivision.

5.2. Parameters estimation results

As mentioned above, the simulated machine is involve until the steady state is reached. Then a sudden short circuit is
applied on its three phases. After this short circuit currents and voltages are recorded and the developed algorithm allows
to obtain reactances and time constants given in Table 2:
The error we calculated is referred to the accurate parameters values in Table 1 by using the following relation
ðaccurate valueÞ  ðsimulated valueÞ
error ¼ ð29Þ
accurate value
 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689 687

x 10 4
6

criterion J
3
zoom area

0
0 jmax 500 1000 1500
iterations (k)

Fig. 10. Criterion curve.

2500

2000
criterion J

1500

1000

optimum
500
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
iterations (k)

Fig. 11. Zoom on criterion curve.

Table 1
Table of Synchronous machine parameters

Parameters xd (%) x0d (%) x00d (%) xq (%) x00q (%) T 0d0 (s) T 0d (s) T 00d0 (ms) T 00d (ms) T 00q0 (ms) T 00q (ms)
Accurate values 176 36.1 26.5 150 26.5 3.12 0.64 41 30 41 7

s = second; ms = millisecond.

400 va
300 vb
vc
200
Voltage (V)

100
0
–100
–200
–300
–400
9.985 9.99 9.995 10 10.005 10.01
Time (Sec.)

Fig. 12. Steady state output voltage in abc frame.

688 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689

300 ia
ib
200 ic

100

Current (A)
0

–100

–200

–300
9.985 9.99 9.995 10 10.005 10.01
Time(sec.)

Fig. 13. Steady state output current in abc frame.

Table 2
Table of synchronous machine estimated parameters

Parameters xd (%) x0d (%) x00d (%) x00q (%) T 0d0 (s) T 0d (s) T 00d0 (ms) T 00d (ms)
Simulated values 175.7 34.5 23 26.8 3.28 0.645 39 26
Error% 0.09 4.1 12.9 1.5 5.1 0.8 4.9 13.3

accurate envelope
2000
estimated envelope

1500
ienv (A)

1000

500

0 2 4 6 8 10
time (sec.)

Fig. 14. Actual and simulated current envelopes.

5.3. Discussion on results

The Table 2 shows that the estimation of reactances by least squares method provide good results. The precision is such as
the error is less than 0.1% in the case of transient reactance. Neverthless, an error of 12.9% is found in the direct subtransient
reactance estimation. Even if this last value is high, it is less than those obtained with the traditional method which is widely
graphical and which errors sometimes reach 20% or 25% of accurate values, see [17]. As regards the estimated time constants,
they match very well with the accurate parameters. Even the sub transient time constant which is difficult to determine with
the traditional method, is satisfying. For this last value we got 26 ms instead of 30 ms. Globally, the obtained results are in
accordance with what we are supposed to get.
Below is the reconstructed envelope from the estimated quantities (i.e., reactances and time constants). In this figure, a
comparison with the actual short circuit envelope is done:
As we can see on the Fig. 14, there is an accordance between actual signal and the estimated one. This figure reinforces the
conclusions we made from Table 2 on the effectiveness of the algorithm we proposed.

6. Conclusion

In this paper, a complete modelling of synchronous machine taking in account of the existence of dampers and using only
reactances and time constants as parameters is presented. The Park’s framework is used and the modelling is performed with
 E. Mouni et al. / Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 678–689 689

the state space modelling. The particularity of this one is the use of an inside infinite resistance which allows to create ter-
minals on the model. Therefore a series of external loads can be connected and disconnected without modifying the proper
structure of the model. This model is handier than those found in literature which usually include load [7,11]. Indeed, thanks
to such a model, tests often performed on the machine to validate it [12] or to identify it [1], become easier to achieve.In the
second part of this paper, a statistical technique for determining synchronous machine parameters is proposed. This method
is based on only electrical quantities (currents and voltages), so it could be easily achieved by using standard equipments.
The method is very efficient and the obtained results suit strongly with those that we were supposed to get. Thus, the meth-
od presented in this paper allows not only to determine synchronous machine parameters but also to validate the model
built on Matlab/SimulinkTM ).

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