Energy and Power Engineering, 2013, 5, 337-343
doi:10.4236/epe.2013.54B066 Published Online July 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/epe)
Reciprocating Engine Step Load Response in Islanded
Power Generation
Yun Tian, Rudie Crous
Power Group, WorleyParsons Ltd., Perth, Australia
Received April, 2013
ABSTRACT
The step load response of reciprocating engines is one of the key characteristics when cons idering its app lication in me-
dium to large scale stationary power generation especially with islanded generation. This paper discusses the impacts of
power frequency deviation on the generators and electrical equipment in the network and presents the relationship be-
tween step load capab ilities and generator operating parameters. For a power plant consisting of a number of generators
both step load and power output requirements must be satisfied. An analysis method is proposed to facilitate the d evel-
opment of an operation strategy which can meet both step load and power demand requirements in the full load range.
Typical reciprocating engine step load curves are used to demonstrate the analysis method and the results are further
optimised for lower operational cost. This analysis method provides a general approach to operation strategy of large
reciprocat i ng engin es used in islanded power generation.
Keywords: Step Load; Islanded Power Generation; Reciprocating Engine; Power Frequency Control
1. Introduction
Reciprocating engines have been widely used as power
sources or mechanical drives in both transportation (in-
cluding on-road and sea-borne) and stationary power
generation (including base load generation, emergency or
backup power generation). In recent years, reciprocat-
ing engines have seen its applications expanded to me-
dium and large scale stationary power generation markets,
including both islanded generation and commercial grid
connected power supply.
Reciprocating engine technology evolved at a fast pace
in the last decade, and this enab led larger capacity, better
efficiency, dual fuel capability, and higher availability
engines to be available to the market. Large recipro-
cating engines used for stationary power generation are
typically in the 6MW to 18MW capacity range per unit.
These engine generators typically operate at medium
speed (500 rpm to 1000 rpm, depending on capacity and
grid frequency) due to trade-offs between performance
and operational life / maintenance interval requirements
for base load or continuous operation. Lower speed en-
gines (<500 rpm), feature low dynamic performance and
massive physical size and weight, due to low power in-
tensity (output per unit of volume/displacement) related
to the low speed, are less attractive than medium speed
engines in stationary power generation applications.
These advantages have made large reciprocating en-
gines especially attractive for islanded power generation
where power quality requirements are not as stringent as
those for commercial power grid or utility power genera-
tion. However, reciprocating engines still have to meet
project requirements and in some cases, be suitable for
interconnection to a commercial power grid. These re-
quirements include emissions, availability, frequency
control, heat rate, etc. Among these requirements, fre-
quency control or engine’s step load response is often
neglected in manufacturer’s performance guarantee but
could prove to be a major issue for some applications.
Frequency response to load changes for gas turbines
and steam turbines are well known thanks to their domi-
nance in large scale power generation for more than a
century. With a short history in medium to large scale
stationary power generation, reciprocating engine’s per-
formance on frequency control is a relatively new area
for power engineers, planners and plant owner, although
it is an important issue for both grid connected and is-
landed po wer generat ions.
Frequency control is implemented through generator
governor control, assisted inherently by the power sys-
tem’s moment of inertia, frequency-dependent load re-
sponse and ancillary service. For commercial grid con-
nected application, any load/supply imbalance and sub-
sequent frequency control requirements could be shared
by the large generators connected to the network, espe-
cially gas turbines, together with contracted ancillary

Y. TIAN, R. CROUS
338
service [1]. The large capacity and inertia of a power grid
can often absorb most imbalances easily.
Compared to gas and steam turbines, reciprocating en-
gines has lower inertia to help overcome the initial fre-
quency/speed change, mainly due to its low speed. For
reciprocating engines operating in power island mode
where no gas/steam turbine or ancillary service is avail-
able, frequency control depends totally on the recipro-
cating engine’s capability th us network stability b ecomes
crucial to islanded generations that have large load varia-
tions.
This paper first discussed frequency requirements
from both power network and consumer equipment per-
spectives, followed by the relationship between operation
parameters and step load capability under design fre-
quency change limits for large capacity reciprocating
engines. The focus of this paper is to provide an analysis
method to identify reciprocating engine power plant op-
erating conditions based on individual engine generator
step load capability, fuel type, number of operating gen-
erators and power demand to satisfy frequency control
requirements. Typical reciprocating engine step load
curves have been used in the analysis and the results are
discussed. The analysis method also includes optimisa-
tion of operating conditions to minimise fuel cost.
2. Frequency Requirements for Power
Network and Island Power Generation
Frequency control is very important for the safe opera-
tion of a power network, mainly because of the strong
relationship between frequency change, supply/demand
imbalance and generator protection. Frequency changes
have the following impacts to the equipment in the net-
work:
 Generators connected to the power grid: When a
power demand/supply imbalance occurs, grid fre-
quency and generator speed will change as a re-
sponse to this imbalance because of time lag of
mechanical power input. Generators are designed to
operating within a certain speed range with auto-
matic protection to disconnect them from the grid
when frequency change is more than a predeter-
mined value.
 Rotating equipment driven by electric motors which
are essentially reverse of generators: There is a
fixed relationship between frequency, number of
poles in the induction motor field and the rotation
speed. Changes in grid frequency will change the
rotating equipment speed therefore its work load.
 Some electronic equipment or electric timers de-
pend on the grid frequency as a time reference.
 Harmonic filters. Component overstress may hap-
pen when impedance change significantly due to
frequency deviat i on .
Commercial power grid frequen cy deviation is usually
limited to a very small range by regulations in many
countries in the world. For example, in Australia, the
‘normal operating frequency band’ as provided by the
National Electricity Rules is set at 49.85 Hz to 50.15 Hz,
or 50±0.15Hz [2][3][4]. This frequency band was set
despite some studies on grid frequency finding that the
actual tolerance for frequency change are in general
much wider than the regulated limits from the perspec-
tives of generators, grid stability, timer control and con-
sumer equipment [5].
For islanded power generation, the frequency devia-
tion depends on contractual requirements, technology
selection and the possibility of future interconnection
with a commercial power grid. Considerations should be
given to generator speed co ntrol range for stability of the
power grid and motor maximum allowed speed for the
protection of mechanical driven equipment (motor, gear,
belt, etc.).
Motors built in accordance to National Electrical
Manufacturers’ Association (NEMA, US) standards are
designed to operate successfully at rated load and at rated
voltage with a variation in the frequency of up to 5%
above or below the rated frequency (MG1-12.42) [6].
Large motors used in industrial process are often con-
trolled by Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) which are in-
sensitive to frequency dev iation.
Frequency deviation will affect AC generator and
transformer performance. To avoid the overheating of
AC generator core laminations due to flux density, In-
ternational Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard
IEC 60034-1 requires industrial AC generators to be de-
signed to operate within a maximum ratio between volt-
age and frequency (the volts-per-hertz ratio). The fre-
quency deviation limits for temporary operation with re-
duced performance (Zone B) is between +3% and -5% [7].
AC Generators are diving by prime movers, e.g., tur-
bines or reciprocating engines, whose speed controls the
power line frequency. The speed of the prime movers
must avoid resonance and is controlled by the speed
governor. The maximum frequency change correspond-
ing to the governor response by changing the air or fuel
inlet vane/gate, or the governor droop, is typically set to
5% by manufacturers. Generator protection system will
disconnect the generator from network when frequency
deviation is outside of the allowed range, this may cause
instability of the power network as the power imbalance
may deteriorate. This is especially the case for an under
frequency situation.
A tighter range of frequency control limits can protect
equipment in the network and reduce the risk of system
collapse. It is also recognized that for island power gen-
eration, wider limits for voltage and frequency changes
are appropriate to accommodate the effects of a weak

Y. TIAN, R. CROUS
339
distribution network. The purpose of this paper is to es-
tablish an analysis method which can be used for step
load increase and step load decrease at any frequency
change limits. To facilitate the analysis, we assume ±4%
as the targeted frequency change limit.
3. Reciprocating Engine Step Load Response
Step loads are instantaneous load changes in a power
network. For an island power network, there are basically
three types of power imbalance that can occur instanta-
neously:
 Failure of one generator which causes insufficient
power supply;
 Failure of an electrical component in the electrical
network which causes either oversupply or under-
supply of power depending on the location of the
equipment;
 Large consumer load start-up or trip which causes
either sudden increase or decrease in power demand.
Generators respond to the imbalance of power de-
mand/supply by increasing or decreasing power output,
and in extreme situations, disconnecting from the net-
work. The response will not be instantaneous mainly du e
to time lag in the engine or turbine’s mechanical compo-
nents which control the fuel and air input. During this
transit time, the prime mover’s speed will increase or
decrease as the first response to the load imbalance and
the maximum speed or frequency change is a function of
its starting point and system inertia, i.e., mass and speed
of the rotor of engin e g en erators.
As discussed above, reciprocating engines have lower
inertia compared to gas or steam turbines. The speed/
frequency change of reciprocating engines depends on
engine design, load imbalance, engine load factor (ratio
between initial load and generator net capacity) and fuel
type (gas/diesel). The maximum step load allowed for a
specific reciprocating engine generator without exceed-
ing frequency limits can be determined by its load factor
and fuel type. Reciprocating engine generators step load
response has the following characteristics:
 Allowed step loads (increase or decrease) for a cer-
tain frequency limit vary with load factor and fuel
type;
 Dual fuel reciprocating engines operating in diesel
mode has a higher step load capability than in gas
mode;
 Reciprocating engines have a different capability
for step load increase and decrease. Engine gen-
erators typically allow equal or larger step load de-
crease than step load increase for the same speed
change.
 For a step load increase, an engine’s step load capa-
bility increases with the incr ease of load facto r until
it reaches its maximum value, then starts to de-
crease when load factor continues increase.
The analysis method proposed in th is paper focuses on
step load increase, because step load increase causes
more stress to the engine generator rotor and requires a
narrower operation range than step load decrease. To
meet the step load increase requirement, operating gen-
erators must maintain some level of spinning reserve
above actual power demand. A typical performance data
for step load increase with maximum speed change of
4% is presented in the Table 1 and illustrated in Figure 1.
This step load increase curve, not associated with any
specific engine generator model, is used as a start point
to demonstrate the analysis approach described in the
following sections. The same approach can also be used
for step load decrease analysis.
4. Analysis Approach for Power Plant
Operation Under Frequency Change
Limits
The step load curves provided individual engine genera-
tor’s step load capability under given speed/frequency
change limit. Maximum step loads can be conveniently
established for different power demand for each individ-
ual generator using the curves. For a power plant con-
sisting of a number of reciprocating engine generators,
the operation scenarios become more complicated than a
single generator. For a given power demand, the operat-
ing engine generators must satisfy the following two
contradicting re q uirem e nts:
 The net power output of all operating generators
must meet the power demand. The number of gen-
erators in operation will be determined based on the
power demand and should be operating at a load
factor as high as possible to obtain better efficien-
cies for the same fuel type;
 Power plant must have sufficient spinning reserve
to cope with a step load increase. The spinning re-
serve of all the operating generato rs shall be capable
of coping with a step load increase and maintain
frequency change under the limit.
Table 1. Typical reciprocating engine step load increase
capability.
Diesel Mode
Load
Factor %0%50%50%70% 100%
Step
Load %15% 15% 30% 30% 0%
Gas Mode
Load
Factor %0%20%20%40% 40% 60% 60%80% 100%
Step
Load %0%0%10%10% 15% 15% 5%5%0%

Y. TIAN, R. CROUS
340
Figure 1. Typical reciprocating engine step load increase curve.
During the engineering phase, for example, the fre-
quency limit and maximum step load, instantaneous
power demand from starting of the largest motor in a
process plant are typically defined in the Basis of Design
document. Power plant configuration will be determined
based on a number of criteria including both technical
and commercial requirements. The technical factors are
mainly contracted maximum power demand, plant avail-
ability, emission limits and step load capability.
4. Analysis Approach for Power Plant
Operation Under Frequency Change
Limits
The step load curves provided individual engine genera-
tor’s step load capability under given speed/frequency
change limit. Maximum step loads can be conveniently
established for different power demand for each individ-
ual generator using the curves. For a power plant con-
sisting of a number of reciprocating engine generators,
the operation scenarios become more complicated than a
single generator. For a given power demand, the operat-
ing engine generators must satisfy the following two
contradicting re q uirem e nts:
The net power output of all operating generators must
meet the power demand. The number of generators in
operation will be determined based on the power demand
and should be operating at a load factor as high as possi-
ble to obtain better efficiencies for the same fuel type;
Power plant must have sufficient spinning reserve to
cope with a step load increase. The spinning reserve of
all the operating generators shall be capable of coping
with a step load increase and maintain frequency change
under the limit.
During the engineering phase, for example, the fre-
quency limit and maximum step load, instantaneous
power demand from starting of the largest motor in a
process plant are typically defined in the Basis of Design
document. Power plant configuration will be determined
based on a number of criteria including both technical
and commercial requirements. The technical factors are
mainly contracted maximum power demand, plant avail-
ability, emission limits and step load capability.
Once the power plant configuration is determined,
power plant operation scenarios can be established for
the whole range of power demand to satisfy the above
technical requirements. The maximum step load allowed
for a power plant is a function of power demand, gen-
erator step load curve for giving frequency limit, fuel
type and generator net capacity. Among these parameters,
the power demand, number of operating generators and
fuel type are variables once plant configuration is fixed.
To determine the operating conditions, a two-step analy-
sis method is proposed in this paper. The first step is to
establish all possible operating conditions for the whole
range of power demand, which can be optimized in the
second step based on fuel cost. To simplify the analysis,
all generators are assumed to be identical, but the method
can also be applied to plants consist of generators in dif-
ferent capacity or technology.
In the first step, the relationship between power de-
mand, step load and load factors need to be established.
Load factor is the link between power demand and step
load capability in step load curves and can be determined
by:
(1)
where
LF - Load factor
n - Number of operatin g generators
PD – Power demand
CP – Individual generator’s net power output
Equation (1) can also be written as
(2)
For a specific reciprocating engine, the relationship
between individual generator’s load factor and step load
capacity for giving speed/frequency limit can be ex-
pressed as
(3)
where
SLG - step load capability of individu al generator, as a

Y. TIAN, R. CROUS
341
percentage of the generator’s design net power output,
and
FL - fuel type
Generator net power output using different fuels may
be slightly different even at the same load factor; there-
fore net full load power output for the specific fuel
should be used in the conversion to absolute values in
MW. To simplify the analysis, the slight difference in net
power output and heat rate for different fuel types at
same load factor is ignored.
For the whole power plant, plant step load capability
for the frequency limit can be calculated by
(4)
For a giving step load, or design step load, SLD, the
power plant step load capability under this operating
condition must satisfy:
(5)
Combining equations from (1) to (5), leads to the ex-
pression for the operating conditions to satisfy step load
requirement for a certain power demand and frequency
limit:
(6)
or
(7)
where n is restrained by:
(8)
where N is the number of installed generators in the
power plant.
The power output of operating generators shall also
satisfy power demand and maximum generator capacity
requirements:
(9)
for step load decrease, or
(10)
for step load increase.
For step load increase, because the instantaneous step
load is larger than the actual demand increase after stabi-
lisation, the power output will meet power demand if
equation 10 is satisfied.
Equation (7) shows that for a given power plant con-
figuration and design step load, the only variables are
fuel types Fl, number of operating generators n and pow-
er demand PD. The step load curves of generator are
fixed when generators are selected, and n is constrained
by equations (8), (9) or (10), depending on step load de-
crease or increase. This means power plant step load ca-
pability could either meet design step load for a certain
range of power demands, or may not be able to satisfy
the whole range of power demand, depending on the
gener ator’s step load cur ve characteristics and fuel type.
For a power plant consisting of 5 x10MW generators
and based on the typical generator step load curves
shown in Figure 1, the relationship between step load
capability and power demand can be illustrated in the
Figure 2, assuming design step load of 6.0MW and all 5
generators are in operation (n = 5).
Figure 2 shows the initial load (or initial power de-
mand) range that satisfies the design step load under fre-
quency change limit is from 20MW to 30MW in gas
mode, or from 0MW to 44MW in diesel mode.
The relationship shown in Figure 2 gives the possible
operational condition s for 5 operating generators, but for
a certain power demand, this may not be the best opera-
tion mode. The load factors, hence generator efficiencies,
may be lower than operating in modes, such as using 4
operating generators, which may also be able to cope
with the same design step load.
To establish an optimal power generation solution for
the whole range of power demand, it is necessary to de-
termine the heat rate or efficiency of all the operating
conditions that can satisfy both step load requirements
and power demand requirement. In order to do this, all
the power plant’s initial load ranges that can meet these
requirements at different operating scenarios are ex-
plored and the relationship between heat rate and power
demand established.
Figure 2. Relationship between step load, load factor and powe r demand.

Y. TIAN, R. CROUS
342
From results of the first step, initial loads satisfying
step load requirements under certain number of genera-
tors are obtained. Repeating the first step for all the other
operating scenarios with different number of operating
generators and fuel types, the relationship between power
demand and initial loads are determined. Table 2 below
summarizes the operating conditions that meet step load
requirement using different numbers of operating gen-
erators and fuel types. The operating conditions that
cannot meet the step load requirement for the whole load
range are not shown in the Table 2 including 1 generator
in either gas or diesel mode, and 2 or 3 generators in gas
mode.
The initial loads are plotted against power demand in
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows that for each power demand, there are
often more than one operation mode meeting all the re-
quirements, therefore optimisation is required to deter-
mine the best operation mode for each power demand.
Step 2 is to optimise the operation mode based on heat
rate and fuel price. A reciprocating engine generator’s
heat rate is a function of fuel type and load factors. Fuel
cost ($/MWH) is the product of heat rate and fuel price
($/GJ). Based on the results from step 1, using typical
heat rate curves for reciprocating engines at 10MW ca-
pacity range, and assuming fuel price of 6 $/GJ (gas) and
20 $/GJ (diesel), the heat rate and fuel cost can be estab-
lished against the power demand, as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4 shows that although reciprocating engine
plant in diesel mode dominates the suitable operation
conditions, the fuel costs for power plant operating in gas
mode are much lower than that in diesel mode, albeit at
lower load factors than in diesel mode, for example, a
power plant operating in gas mode with 4 or 5 generators
has lower fuel costs that it operating in diesel mode with
3 or 4 generators. However, optimal operating modes
should also consider other factors, e.g., maintenance cost,
which is related to the total engine firing hours and fuel
types.
5. Results and Discussion
The results show that suitable reciprocating engine power
plant operating modes for a giving step load depends on
a number of factors. While increasing the number of
operating generators may increase the initial load range,
this will also reduce load factors which will increase the
heat rate, i.e., reduce efficiency. Reciprocating engine
power plant operating in gas mode is limited to a small
range of initial loads with a higher number of operating
generators; while in diesel mode, the power plant has a
Table 2. Generator operating scenarios for step load.
Operating
Conditions Each Engine Step Load Increase (MW) Engine Load Change (%)
Engine Mode and Initial Load Factor
Requirement for maximum 4%
Speed Change
Required Plant Initial Load
for maximum 4% Speed Change
(Min/Max, MW)
2 Engines 3.00 30.00% Diesel Mode: 50.0% - 70.0% load factor 10.0 14.0
3 Engines 2.00 20.00% Diesel Mode: 50.0% - 80.0% load factor 15.0 24.0
Diesel Mode: 0% - 85% load factor 0.0 34.0
4 Engines 1.50 15.00% Gas Mode: 40% - 60% load factor 16.0 24.0
Diesel Mode: 0% - 88% load factor 0.0 44.0
5 Engines 1.20 12.00% Gas Mode: 40% - 60% load factor 20.0 30.0
0 2 4 6 8101214161820222426283032343638404244464850
2Eng inesinDies elMode
3Eng inesinDies elMode
4Eng inesinDies elMode
4En ginesinGasMode
5Eng inesinDies elMode
5En ginesinGasMode
Below
Initial
Load
InitialLoa d
Range
(MW )
Figure 3. Initial load range at different operating scenarios.

Y. TIAN, R. CROUS
343
Figure 4. Fuel cost at step load capable operation conditions.
larger initial load range with less operating generators.
For a certain power demand, less operating generators
can improve load factors, reduce emissions and mainte-
nance levels therefore diesel mode is more favourable
from step load response and frequency control perspec-
tive. The analysis results also show that when both fuels
are suitable for a certain power demand, the fuel costs of
power plant in diesel mode are much higher than in gas
mode based on the above fuel price assumptions.
6. Conclusions
Step load capab ility and freque ncy chan ge represen ts one
of the key issues for reciprocating engine’s application in
medium to large scale stationary power generation. This
paper reviews the frequency impacts to generators and
consumer equipment in the network and the influence
factors to step load response are discussed.
An analysis method is propos ed to establish the opera-
tion condition s for a given step load and to allow for op-
timisation of the operating conditions. The proposed
power plant step load capability analysis met hod includes
two steps. The first step is to identify all the operating
modes that can satisfy both step load and power output
requirements for the whole range of power demand.
The second step investigates the fuel cost for all the
suitable operating modes and allows for optimisation of
the operation the whole range of power demand.
The analysis method can be applied to any reciprocat-
ing engine step lo ad curv es and will h elp create o p eration
strategies for the whole range of power demand to meet
both step load frequency control and power supply re-
quirements. The optimisation of the operation conditions
can reduce the fuel cost while maintaining network sta-
bility. The results can greatly reduce the complexity of
frequency control in manual control procedure prior to
the occurrence of step loads, or could be programmed
into generator automatic control settings with an early
speed change detection system to control the frequency
changes in design limits.
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