Design and control co-ordination of compound generator sets

The author describes how the incorporation of a compound generator set into an electrical power system should not be undertaken lightly if satisfactory operation is to be expected and equipment cost is seldom found to be the most significant factor in selecting a suitable unit. There is a natural tendency to adopt an existing design solely on the basis that it has been proved in service and that a price advantage should be obtained as a result of duplication, but the system to which the set is to be connected may require quite different operational features and the environmental situation may be quite different to those required by the previous installation. He argues that the most suitable selection procedure requires a thorough application study to determine what are the most important aspects of operation and their relative merits. This includes basic generator loading together with its interactive effect on the system and the environment and the determination of a suitable energy management system