Influence of power factor on the performance of bulb tubular turbine generator

Background: In recent years, many patents have been dedicated to increasing the rated power factor of generators. However, hydro-generators often encounter uncontrollable factors, such as dry season, power network adjustment, and so on, resulting in low power factor operation. In other words, the generator is often in a low power factor operating state. In order to provide data reference for power plant in regulating power factor, it is necessary to analyze the performance of generator in low power factor operation. Objective: The performance of the generator is analyzed when the power factor decreases, and the influence of low power factor operation on the generator is obtained. Methods: Taking a 24MW bulb tubular turbine generator as an example, a 2D transient electromagnetic field model is established. The correctness of the model is verified by comparing the test data and the simulation data. The torque, eddy current loss and air gap flux density of the generator under different power factor are calculated. Results: When the power factor deceases from 0.99 to 0.85, the air gap flux density increases from 0.713 T to 0.749 T, the torque ripple increases from 150.5 kN⋅m to 179.9 kN⋅m, and the rotor eddy current loss increases from 17.48 kW to 18.15 kW. Conclusion: The results show that the torque ripple and eddy current loss will increase with the decrease of power factor when the generator lagging phase operation. The torque ripple and eddy current loss increase by 3.8 % and 1 % respectively with the power factor decrease by 0.02 % with power factor between 0.99 and 0.85.