Transformer

A transformer is an electrical device that transfers energy between two circuits through electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction is the production of a potential difference (voltage) across a conductor when it is exposed to a varying magnetic field.

It consists of two winding insulated from each other and wound on a common core made up of magnetic material.

Constructional details Transformer is a static device and has no moving parts. ain components of a transformer are! ". agnetic core #.$rimary and secondary windings %.Insulation of windings &.Expansion tan' or conservator (.Tan' ) oil ) cooling arrangement ) temperature gauge) oil gauge *.+uchhol, relay -..ilica gel breather

Tap changer A tap is a connection point along a transformer winding that allows a certain number of turns to be selected. This means) a transformer with a variable turns ratio is produced) enabling voltage regulation of the output. The tap selection is made with a tap changer mechanism. Transformation ratio This is the ratio of input voltage (/$) to output voltage (/.). It can also be expressed as the number of turns on the input or primary winding (0$) side of the transformer to the number of turns on output or secondary winding (0.) side of transformer.

The turns ratio of a transformer is the ratio of number of windings of each side of the transformer. A tap changer is a connection point selection mechanism along a power transformer winding that allows a variable number of turns to be selected in discrete steps. A tap is a connection point along a transformer winding that allows a certain number of turns to be selected.

The tap selection may be made via an automatic or manual tap changer mechanism.

Current transformer A current transformer (CT) is used for measurement of alternating electric currents. Current transformers) together with voltage transformers (/T) (potential transformers ($T))) are 'nown as instrument transformers. 1hen current in a circuit is too high to apply directly to measuring instruments) a current transformer produces a reduced current accurately proportional to the current in the circuit) which can be conveniently connected to measuring and recording instruments. $otential transformer!$otential transformers can be used with voltmeters for voltage measurements or they can be used in combination with current transformers for watt2meter or watt2hour meter measurements.

3osses of transformer Transformer losses are produced by the electrical current flowing in the coils and the magnetic field alternating in the core. The losses associated with the coils are called the load losses) while the losses produced in the core are called no2load losses. 1hat Are 3oad 3osses4 3oad losses vary according to the loading on the transformer. They include heat losses and eddy currents in the primary and secondary conductors of the transformer.

current or electrons. 0o2load losses are caused by the magneti,ing current needed to energi,e the core of the transformer) and do not vary according to the loading on the transformer. They are constant and occur #& hours a day) %*( days a year) regardless of the load) hence the term no2load losses. They can be categori,ed into five components! hysteresis losses in the core laminations) eddy current losses in the core laminations) I #6 losses due to no2load current) stray eddy current losses in core clamps) bolts and other core components) and dielectric losses. 5ysteresis losses and eddy current losses contribute over 778 of the no2load losses) while stray eddy current) dielectric losses) and I #6 losses due to no2load

agnetostriction!a change in dimensions of a ferromagnetic material that is sub:ected to a magnetic field

Transformer windings and coils can be broadly classified in to concentric coils and sandwiched coils. In core2type transformer construction) the windings are usually arranged concentrically around the core limb as shown above with the higher voltage primary winding being wound over the lower voltage secondary winding. .andwiched or ;panca'e< coils consist of flat conductors wound in a spiral form and are so named due to the arrangement of conductors into discs. Alternate discs are made to spiral from outside towards the centre in an interleaved arrangement with individual coils being stac'ed together and separated by insulating materials such as paper of plastic sheet. .andwich coils and windings are more common with

1inding material The type of wire used as the main current carrying conductor in a transformer winding is either copper or aluminium. 1hile aluminium wire is lighter and generally less expensive than copper wire) a larger cross sectional area of conductor must be used to carry the same amount of current as with copper so it is used mainly in larger power transformer applications. .mall '/A power and voltage transformers used in low voltage electrical and electronic circuits tend to use copper conductors as these have a higher mechanical strength and smaller conductor si,e than e9uivalent aluminium types. The downside is that when complete with their core) these transformers are much heavier.

Core material The core steel which has under gone through the both silicon alloying and cold rolling treatments) is commonly 'nown as C6=>. or Cold 6olled =rain >riented .ilicon .teel. This material is now universally used for manufacturing for transformer core.

The >il Temperature Indicator (>TI) measures the Top oil Temperature. It is used for control and protection for all transformers. 1inding Temperature Indicator The 1TI measures the hot2spot winding temperature of the transformers. The 1inding is the component with highest temperature within the transformer and) above all) the one sub:ect to the fastest temperature increase as the load increases. Thus to have total control of the temperature parameter within transformer) the temperature of the winding as well as top oil) must be measured. An indirect system is used to measure

Three phase transformer connections! There are only & possible transformer combinations! ?elta to ?elta 2 use! industrial applications ?elta to 1ye 2 use ! most common@ commercial and industrial 1ye to ?elta 2 use ! high voltage transmissions 1ye to 1ye 2 use ! rare) donAt use causes harmonics and balancing problems.

.tar B delta

?elta 2 star

three2phase transformer is effectively three interconnected single phase transformers on a single laminated core. Transformer load!Transformer load means the amount of electricity the transformer distributes.

Transformer losses refer to the electrical energy that is lost during the stepping up or stepping down of voltage. +asically two types! ". Copper losses!2 Copper loss is power lost in the primary and secondary windings of a transformer due to the ohmic resistance of the windings. #. Iron losses or core losses!2The losses that occur in the core are 'nown as core losses or iron losses. Two types of iron losses are! C eddy current loss C 5ysteresis loss.

TRANSFORMER NAMEPLATE (GENERAL REQUIREMENTS). T6A0.D>6 E6 0A E$3ATE (=E0E6A3 6EEFI6E E0T.). Dollowing are the minimum information and ?ata which to be shown on a transformer nameplate.The standards re9uire the following information and data for transformers rated above (GG '/A (.uppose "GGG'/A H " /A. I 0ame of manufacturer I .erial number I year of manufacture I 0umber of phases I '/A or /A rating I Dre9uency I /oltage ratings. I Tap voltages. I Connection diagram.

I Cooling class I 6ated temperature in JC I $olarity (for .ingle $hase Transformers) I $hasor or vector diagram (Dor $olyphase or Three $hase Transformers) I 8 impedance. I Approximate mass or weight of the transformer I Type of insulating li9uid. I Conductor material of each winding. I >il volume (of each transformer ContainerKCompartment) I Instruction for Installation and >peration

Transformer Insulation Materials T e insulation s!stem of a "o#er transformer is un$erstoo$ as t e %om"lete internal assem&l! of $iele%tri% insulatin' materials. T is in%lu$es "arts an$ su""ortin' stru%tures t at %o(er t e #in$in' #ires) insulate t e turns from ea% ot er in ea% #in$in') se"arate $ifferent #in$in' &o$ies from ea% ot er an$ from t e %ore an$ tan*. Su% insulation s!stems ma! &e $i(i$e$ to t#o main %ate'ories a%%or$in' to insulation material t!"es as follo#s+ Soli$ insulation materials Flui$ insulation materials

A good insulation material must have the following properties! 5igh dielectric strength. =ood mechanical properties. 3ong lifetime at operating temperature. Easily wor'able. Insulation materials must withstand the operating temperature that occurs in the transformer during the lifetime of the transformer.

"2 .olid insulation materials! .olid insulation materials include the following types! Cellulose materials 1ood $orcelain Enamels Epoxy resins $olyesters Aramid fiber

#2 Dluids! The fluid in a transformer has several functions @ the two most important are insulation and cooling. Another function is to carry information about the condition of the active part inside the transformer.
Insulation Dluids types! ineral oil ?imethyl silicone .ynthetic ester .ynthetic hydrocarbon Agricultural Ester

The insulation is used to separate or insulate iron core as well as the windings. There are two types of insulation used in transformer) a.) ma:or insulation b) minor insulation. the ma:or insulation is used to insulate or separate the windings from the iron core and insulate or separate the primary winding from the secondary winding. The minor insulation on the other hand is used to insulate or separate one layer of turns to the next layer.

A +uchhol, relay is used to detect ".loss of oil #.presence of gas generated by minor interwinding faults %.catastrophic insulation brea'down. Initially) a loss of oil initiates an alarm. If the oil loss continues) then the relay will initiate disconnection of the transformer. The presence of gas initiates an alarm. Catastrophic insulation brea'down initiates the disconnection of the transformer.

ethods of cooling of transformer +ased on the coolant used the cooling methods can be classified into! Air cooling >il and Air cooling >il and 1ater cooling

". Air cooling (?ry type transformers) Air 0atural(A0) Air +last (A+) #. >il cooling (>il immersed transformers) >il 0atural Air 0atural (>0A0) >il 0atural Air Dorced (>0AD) >il Dorced Air 0atural (>DA0) >il Dorced Air Dorced (>DAD) %. >il and 1ater cooling (Dor capacity more than %G /A) >il 0atural 1ater Dorced (>01D) >il Dorced 1ater Dorced (>D1D)

/ector group In electrical engineering) a vector group is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) method of categori,ing the high voltage (5/) windings and low voltage (3/) winding configurations of three2phase transformers.

The vector group provides a simple way of indicating how the internal connections of a transformer are arranged. In the system adopted by the IEC) the vector group is indicated by a code consisting of two or three letters) followed by one or two numeric digits. The letters indicate the winding configuration as follows!

? or d! ?elta winding) also called a mesh winding. Each phase terminal connects to two windings) so the windings form a triangular configuration with the terminals on the points of the triangle. L or y! 1ye winding) (also called a star). Each phase terminal connects to one end of a winding) and the other end of each winding connects to a common central point) so that the configuration resembles the letter L. The central point may be connected outside of the transformer to a system neutral.

M or ,! Mig,ag winding) or interconnected star winding. .imilar to a wye winding) but two windings form each phase are arranged so that the three legs are NbentN when the phase diagram is drawn. Mig,ag2wound transformers have special characteristics and are not commonly used where these characteristics are not needed. III or iii! Independent windings. The three windings are not interconnected inside the transformer) and must be connected externally. 0 (uppercase)! indicates that a system neutral is connected to the high2voltage side. n (lowercase)! indicates that a system neutral is connected to the low2voltage side.

In the IEC vector group code) each letter stands for one set of windings. The primary (input) winding is designated with a capital letter) while the other winding or windings are designated with a lowercase letter. The digits following the letter codes indicate the difference in phase angle between the windings) in units of %G degrees.

5/ winding!1inding connected to the circuit with higher voltage. 3v winding!winding connected to the circuit with lower voltage.

>n2load tap changers) as the name suggests) permit tap changing and hence voltage regulation with the transformer on2load. Tap changing is usually done on the 5/ winding for two reasons! a. +ecause the currents are lower) the tap changer contacts) leads) etc.) can be smaller. b. As the 5/ winding is wound outside the 3/ winding) it is easier to get the tapping connections out to the tap changer.

An Aoff loadA tap changer is one that can only be operated when the transformer is disconnected.

Inter connecting transformer The function of the inter2connecting transformer is 2 as the name suggests 2 to inter2connect two systems at different voltages. 0ormally) they will be either &GG'/K"%#'/ or ##G'/K""G'/) of say about "GG /A rating. They are bi2directional. ?uring the plant start2 up) they NimportN power from the grid either at &GG'/ or ##G'/ and step down to "%#'/ or ""G'/ to supply the station auxiliaries. >nce the plant is started and synchroni,ed to the grid) the same transformer can now be used to NexportN power to the grid.

$arallel operation of transformer Dor supplying a load in excess of the rating of an existing transformer) two or more transformers may be connected in parallel with the existing transformer. The transformers are connected in parallel when load on one of the transformers is more than its capacity.

Dor parallel connection of transformers) primary windings of the Transformers are connected to source bus2bars and secondary windings are connected to the load bus2bars. /arious conditions that must be fulfilled for the successful parallel operation of transformers! .ame voltage 6atio O Turns 6atio (both primary and secondary /oltage 6ating is same). .ame $ercentage Impedance and PK6 ratio. Identical $osition of Tap changer. .ame Q/A ratings. .ame $hase angle shift (vector group are same). .ame Dre9uency rating. .ame $olarity. .ame $hase se9uence.

.ome of these conditions are convenient and some are mandatory. The convenient are! .ame voltage 6atio O Turns 6atio) .ame $ercentage Impedance) .ame Q/A 6ating) .ame $osition of Tap changer. The mandatory conditions are! .ame $hase Angle .hift) .ame $olarity) .ame $hase .e9uence and .ame Dre9uency. 1hen the convenient conditions are not met paralleled operation is possible but not optimal.

8 impedance The percentage impedance of a transformer is the volt drop on full load due to the winding resistance and lea'age reactance expressed as a percentage of the rated voltage. All the flux in transformer will not be able to lin' with both the primary and secondary windings. A small portion of flux will lin' either winding but not both. This portion of flux is called lea'age flux. ?ue to this lea'age flux in transformer there will be a self 2 reactance in the concerned winding. This self2 reactance of transformer is alternatively 'nown as lea'age reactance of transformer.