Modern Protection of Synchronous Generators Against Loss of Excitation: Trends, Challenges, and Hybrid Methodologies

ABSTRACT The problem of loss of excitation (LOE) in synchronous generators (SGs) is one of the most pressing threats to the stability of the electric power system. The increasing integration of inverter‐based resources (IBRs) and FACTS devices introduces operating conditions that can modify the voltage, reactive‐power, and apparent‐impedance trajectories used by conventional LOE protection, potentially affecting its dependability and security in specific network configurations. The current review seeks to systematically outline the protection against the problem of LOE, tracing its progression from the development of conventional protection solutions to the current state‐of‐the‐art intelligent solutions developed today. In this paper, the imperfections of the conventional solutions will be assessed, with the recent development of the most effective protection strategies that combine the physical interpretability of model‐based techniques, such as Dynamic State Estimation (DSE) and internal EMF modelling, with the adaptive pattern recognition of data‐driven methods, including machine learning (ML) and advanced signal processing. The article proposes a new taxonomy according to the logic of the detection, analyses performance benchmarks, and identifies gaps in current research, with special attention to the lack of validation in renewable‐dense grids. Finally, future directions, including sensorless detection, explainable AI (XAI), and PMU‐based real‐time solutions, are delineated.

Hali tarjima qilinmagan