US1486861A - Voltage regulator - Google Patents

Description

March 18 1924.

C- A. BO'DDIE VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1919 MM d N E0 M A m C 0 e r 0 WITNESSES:

M a Walk.

AZTTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. BODDIE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIO & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR.

Application filed August 26, 1919. Serial No. 319,905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. BODDIE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Voltage Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to voltage regulators and particularly to voltage regulators of the vibratory type for maintaining substantially-constant supply-circuit voltage.

One object of my invention is to provide a voltage regulator of the vibratory type that shall be compensated in accordance with the conditions obtaining upon the regulated circuit to maintain substantially-constant voltage on such circuit, irrespective of the load carried by the circuit.

In voltage regulators of the vibratory type now in'service, a main control element is operated in accordance with the voltage obtaining on a regulated circuit for shortcircuiting a resistor included in the fieldwinding circuit of an exciter generator to control the excitation of a main generator and, accordingly, the voltage of the regulated circuit. The short-circuiting of the resistor is effected at a substantially constant rate but the duration of the short-circuited condition in each cycle of operations varies in accordance with the operation of the main control element by the voltage obtaining on the regulated circuit. In a regulator of the type just mentioned, a minimum voltage is had upon the regulated circuit when a load obtains which maintains the resistor shortcircuited a greater portion of the time of each cycle of operations, and a maximum voltage is had on the regulated circuit when a load obtains which maintains the resistor short-circuited a minimum portion of the time of each cycle of operations.

Thus a low voltage obtains on the regulated circuit when the load is increased to practically maintain the resistor in a shortcircuited condition and a high voltage obtains on the regulated circuit when the load is lowered to such point as to practically constantly maintain the resistor in the exciter field-winding circuit. Between the maximum and the minimum-voltage limits above mentioned, the voltage of the regulated circuit variesin accordance with the load on the regulated circuit and, consequently, such regulator operates with a so-called drooping characteristic, that is to say, a regulator operating with a single vibratory control magnet controlling relays for short-circuiting the exciter field rheostat varies the time of contact engagement so that the voltage of the line is lower at full load than it iS when no load conditions obtain.

In a'voltage regulator constructed in accordance with my invention, means is provided for compensating the main control element in accordance with the load upon the regulated circuit so that the voltage of such circuit is maintained substantially constant, irrespective of the load conditions on it.

In practicing my invention, a main control element, comprising a main magnet operated in accordance with the regulated circuit voltage and a pair of contact members,

is provided for governing a resistor which The auxiliary electromagnet serves to assist the main magnet in operating the main contact members and is operated by the main contact members in accordance with the voltage obtaining on the regulated circuit and. accordingly, in accordance with the load obtaining on such circuit. The auxiliary electromagnet normally balances the pull upon thecontact lever arm to maintain it in a condition of equilibrium. The pull of the auxiliary magnet comprises the weight of its core member plus its magnetic pull. In a vibratory system of regulation, the effective magnetic pull is dependent upon the rate of vibrations which decreases with an increase in load. Since the auxiliary electromagnet is connected across the load. circuit, the energization thereof is less under.

circuit conditions,

the indicated conditions. Therefore, the magnetic pull of the auxiliary electromagnet is lessened.

In a system of regulation having a balanced control arm, removing a portion of the pull which balances the arm gives the resultant efi'ect of adding a force tending to actuate the arm to disturb the condition of equilibrium. Thus, upon engagement between the main contact members, the second relay serves to short-circuit the energizing winding of the auxiliary magnet and thus the auxiliary magnet assists the main mag.- net in holding the main contact members in engagement with each other. Inasmuch as the auxiliary magnet is controlled by the main contact members and is connected across the load circuit, the variations in the energization of the auxiliary magnet will be directly in accordance with the regulatedwhereby the periodicity of contact vibrations will be maintained irrespective of load conditions. Thus, the auxiliary magnet serves to vary ,tion of the main control element the operain a manner to compensate for all lead changes on the regulated circui The second relay also short-circuits the auxiliar resistor u on en a ement between the main contact members to vary the energization of the main magnet and, consequently, to effect vibration of one of the main contact members.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view of a regulatorsystem embodying my invention.

In the accompanying drawing, a generator 1, comprising an armature 2 and a field winding 3, is directly connected to a threephase supply circuit comprising conductors 4, and 6. The field winding 3 of the generator is energized by an exciter generator 4 comprising an armature 8 and a field winding 9. The field winding 9 is connected in circuit with a resistor 10 which is shortcircuited in a customary manner to be hereihafter set forth.

A main control element 11, comprising a main magnet 12 and an auxiliary magnet 13, is provided for governing the excitation of the generator 1 to maintain substantiallyconstant voltage upon theconductors- 4, 5 and 6. The main magnet 12 embodies a winding 14, which is connected in series with an auxiliary resistor 15 across the supply conductors 4 and 6, and a core armature 16 which is pivotally connected to a contact arm 17. The core armature 16 is provided with a dash pot 18 for adjusting its speed of operation.

lhe auxiliary electromagnet 13 comprises a winding 19, which is energized, as will be hereinafter set forth, for assisting the operation of the main magnet 12, and a core armature 20, which is connected to the contact arm 17 by means of the spring member 21. The core armature 20 is provided with a dash pot 22' for adjusting its speed of o ration. The contact arm 17 isfulcrume at 23, intermediate the points of connection of the core armatures 16 and 20, and carries a main contact member 24 which co-operates with a stationary main contact member 25. A spring member 26 is provided for counterbalancing a portion of the weight of the core armature 16.

Two relays 27 and 28 are controlled main contact members 24 and for varying the value of the resistor 10 and for compensating the main control element in accordance with the load upon the regulated circuit. Moreover, the second relay varies the energization of the main magnet 12 to constantly vibrate the main contact member 24.

The contact members 24 and 25 are connected in series with a resistor 29 across the armature of the exciter 7 and the energizing windings of the relays 27 and 28 are connected across such circuit so that, u on engagement between the contact mem ers 24 and 25, the windings of the relays are shortcircuited. The relay 27 is connected across the resistor 10 so that the resistor 10 is shortcircuited when the contact members 24 and 25 are in engagement with each other and is inserted in thecircuit of the field winding 9 when the relay 27 is energized by the separation of the main contact members 24 and 25 by the The relay 28, upon engagement between thecontact members 24 and 25, serves to short circuit the resistor 15 which is in cludedin the circuit of the windin 14 and toshort-circuit the winding 19 of t e auxiliary magnet 13. Thus, upon operation of the relay 28, the 'resistor 15 is short-circuited to increase the energization of the main magnet 12, and the winding of the auxiliary magnet is short-circuited to assist the main ma net 12 in maintaining the main contact mem rs 24 and 25 in engagement with each other.

In case a voltage below normal value obtains on the supply conductors 4, 5 and 6, the energization of the main magnet 12 is reduced to effect engagement between the contact members 24 and 25. U on engagement between the contact mem ers 24 and 25, the windings of the relays 27 and 28 are short-circuited. The relay 27 thereupon short-circuits the resistor 10 to increase the energization of the exciter 7 and the main generator 1 to raise the voltage obtaining upon the conductors 4, 5 and 6. The relay 28 short-circuits the resistor 15 to increase the energization of the main magnet and, accordingly, to effect a separation of the contact members 24 and 25. However, upon separation of the contact members 24 and separation of'the contact members 24 and 25, is reduced to correspondingly help the main magnet 12 in maintaining engagement between such contact members.

In the operation of the regulator, it will be noted the main magnet 12 determines the relative'time during which the resistor 10 is maintained in a short-circuited condition, and the relay 28, operating on the resistor 15, determines the rate of vibration of the contact member 24. Moreover, the operation of the auxiliary magnet 13 is varied in ac* cordance with the operation of the contact members 24 and 25, and, accordingly, in acand 6 carry a heavy 10a cordance with the load or voltage conditions obtaining on the supply conductors 4, 5 and 6. Thus, in case the sup 1y conductors 4, 5

(i and the energization of the main magnet 12 is reduced by reason of the reduction in voltage on the regulated circuit, the contact members 24 and 25 will bemaintained closed a greater v portion of each cycle of operation to main tain a short-circuit across the winding of the auxiliary magnet 13 a greater portion of the time, and, consequently, to assist the main magnet in maintaining the contact members 24 and 25 in engagement with each other. Such operation of the auxiliary magnet 13 is varied in accordance with the load upon the conductors 4, 5 and 6 and, consequently, the main control element is compensated to revent the so-called drooping characteristic now common in regulators of this type.

Modifications in the system and arrangement and location of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a voltage-regulator system, a main control element comprising a main magnet,

contact members operated by the main magnet, a resistor included in circuit with the main magnet and having the value thereof varied in accordance with the operation of said contact members, and an auxiliary magnot controlled by the contact members and adapted to assist the main magnet.

2. In a voltage'regulator system for maintaining a substantia ly constant supply-circuit voltage, a main magnet energized in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, contact members controlled by the main magnet,

energized in accordance with the supplyand an auxiliary magnet also said magnet to operate the contact members in accordance with supply circuit conditions.

4. In a voltage regulator of the vibratory type for governing the voltage on a supply circuit, a main magnet, contact members controlled by said magnet, means controlled by the contact members for varying the en- I ergization of said magnetto vibrate one of the contact members, and an auxiliary magnot controlled by the contact members for assisting the main magnet in accordance with the voltage conditions obtaining on the supply circuit.

5. In a voltage regulator of the vibratory type for governing the voltage on a supply circuit, a main magnet, a resistor in the energizing circuit of said magnet, contact; members controlled by said magnet, means for controlling the value of said resistor to vary the energization of the main magnet so as to vibrate one of the contact members, and means comprising an auxiliary magnet operated in accordance with the. supply-circuit voltage, and adapted to assist said main magnet.

6. In a voltage-regulator system, the combination comprising a supply circuit, a main magnet energized in accordance with the voltage obtaining on the supply circuit, contact members operated by the main magnet, means controlled by the contact members fdr vibrating one of the contact members and an auxiliary magnet controlled by the contact members and serving to assist the main magnet in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, to operate the contact members.

7 In a voltage regulator for a supply circuit, a main magnet operated in accordance ing the main magnet to operate the contact members in accordance with supply-circuit conditions.

' 8. In a voltage-regulator system, the combination with a suppl circuit. a main generator connected to t e supply circuit, an

exciter generator for energizing the main generator, and a variable resistor in circuit.

with the eXciter field windings, of a main control element for controlling said resistor to maintain substantially constant supplycircuit voltage, said element comprising a main magnet, contact members operated by the main magnet in accordance with the sup ply-circuit voltage, means controlled by the contact members for varying the energization of the main magnet to vibrate one of the contact members, and means comprising an auxiliary magnet for compensating the main control magnet in accordance with the supply-circuit conditions.

9. In a voltage regulator system for maintaining a constant supply-circuit voltage, a main magnet energized in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage, contact members controlled thereby, aresistor in circuit with said magnet, a shunt circuit for said resistor, means controlled by said contact 1nem bers and adapted tocontrol said shunt circuit, and an auxiliary ma net energized in accordance with the supply-circuit voltage and also controlled by said shunt circuit control means.

10. In a voltage regulator, a supply circuit, a main magnet energized in accordance with the voltage thereof, switch mechanism controlled thereby, means in circuit with said magnet and controlled by said switch mechanism for producing a vibratory action thereof, and an auxiliary magnet energized in accordance with the supply-circuit voltwith a power circuit and a dynamo'electric machine connected thereto, of regulator means therefor comprising a balanced contact arm, two electromagnets co-operating therewith, and means for controlling one of said electromagnets to compensate said regu lator. means for variations in load upon said power circuit.

12. In a regulator system, the combination with a power circuit and a dynamo-electric 4 machine connected thereto, of regulator means therefor com-prising a balanced con tact arm, two electroma ets co-operating therewith, one of sai magnets being adapted to compensate said regulator means for variations in voltage caused by load changes in said power circuit.

13. In a regulator system, the combination with a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected thereto, and a source of ex- 5 citation for said machine, of regulator means for controlling the excitation of said machine and comprising an electromagnet energized in accordance with the power-circuit voltage, contact members controlled thereby, and a second electromagnet energized in accordance with the power-circuit voltage, said second electromagnet co-operating with the first-mentioned electromagnet to compensate said regulator for load changes in said power-circuit.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of Aug.

age and adapted to assist said main magnet. 1919.

11. In a regulator system, the combination CLARENCE A. BODDIE.

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