Transformer Vector Groups

The three phase transformer windings can be connected several ways. Based on
the windings' connection, the vector group of the transformer is determined.
The transformer vector group is indicated on the Name Plate of transformer by
the manufacturer.
The vector group indicates the phase difference between the primary and
secondary sides, introduced due to that particular configuration of transformer
windings connection.
The Determination of vector group of transformers is very important before
connecting two or more transformers in parallel. If two transformers of different
vector groups are connected in parallel then phase difference exist between the
secondaries of the transformers and large circulating current flows between the
two transformers which is very detrimental.
The three phase transformer primary and secondary windings are mainly
connected in the following ways
Wye - Wye (also called Star-Star)
Wye - Delta (also called Star-Delta)
Delta -Wye ( also called Delta-Star)
Delta - Delta
The Star connection is also called Wye as it resembles the English letter 'Y'. As
both the names Star and Wye are equally used we have the freedom to use them
interchangeably. Of course some people also use the term 'Mesh' in place of
'Delta'. Let us first consider the Wye - Delta type where three primary windings
are connected in Wye and the three secondary windings in Delta.
For this whole article you have to remember few points below to enhance
learning. It is applicable for both single unit type and single-phase bank of
transformer type.
The windings A1A2 and a1a2 are wound on the same limb of core. So also the
other two sets of windings. (In case of 3-phase bank of transformers the two
windings correspond to same single phase transformer).
The primary and secondary windings on the same limb of the core are shown
with same color.
The windings on Delta and Star sides are diagrammatically rearranged in Delta
and Star like shapes(according to connection) respectively just to enhance
learning.

The voltage developed in the windings shown with same color(placed on same
limb of core) are in phase(or zero phase displacement). Hence the
corresponding phasors are drawn parallel to each other.
Wye - Delta (Star-Delta) transformer
The windings in the primary are connected in Wye(Star) and the secondary
windings are connected in Delta.
In the primary side the three windings are A1-A2, B1-B2 and C1-C2.
Similarly the three secondary windings are a1-a2, b1-b2 and c1-c2.

It should be noted that both the windings A1-A2 of primary and a1-a2 of
secondary are wound on the same limb of core. The naming of the terminals has
been done according to their polarity. Other wise you can imagine that when A2
is positive with respect to A1, then also a2 is positive with respect to a1. Think
similarly for the other windings.
See carefully the diagram below. A2,B2,C2 and a2,b2,c2 are respectively the
primary and Secondary side terminals taken out side of transformer.

In the primary side the three windings are connected in star. So we have shorted
A1, B1 and C1. This is the primary side (star side) neutral 'N'. In the secondary
side the three windings are connected in delta. Here windings a1-a2 and A1-A2
are wound on the same limb of the core, so the corresponding voltage waves are
in phase. Hence we have drawn a1-a2 parallel to A1-A2. similarly windings b1-b2
is drawn parallel to B1-B2 and c1-c2 drawn parallel to C1-C2. To see the actual
physical placing of the windings on the core limbs of transformer see my
(archived) article Three PhaseTransformer Basics. There also you can find one
example for a bank of three single phase transformers used as three phase
transformer.
In the phasor diagrams we have drawn primary side voltage phasors A1A2, B1B2
and C1C2. As usual for three phase system, these are the phasors displaced 120

degree from each other.Similarly in the secondary side voltage phasors a1a2,
b1b2 and c1c2 are drawn. Just observe that a1a2 is parallel to A1A2, b1b2 is
parallel to B1B2 and c1c2 is parallel to C1C2. I repeat here, that, this is because
a1a2 and A1 A2 are in phase (as they are wound on the same limb of core).
Similarly b1b2 and B1B2 are in phase and also c1c2 and C1C2 are in phase.
In the delta side we have so arranged that the phasors form the Delta. In the
winding connection diagram a2 is connected to b1 so in the phasor diagram a2
and b1 are joined. Similarly by joining other two phasors according to their
winding connection, we will automatically get the above phasor diagram.
The neutral (star point) physically exist in the star side . In the delta side
physically the neutral point does not exist so it cannot be brought out. The delta
side neutral is the imaginary point 'n' (geometrically found) which is equidistant
from a2, b2 and c2.
c2a2, a2b2 and b2c2 are the line voltages in secondary delta side. So na2, nb2
and nc2 are the phase voltages in secondary side.
Now compare the primary side vector diagram and secondary side vector
diagram. From the diagram it is clear that as if the secondary side phasor triad
has been rotated counterclockwise with respect to primary side. From the
geometry it can be confirmed that this angle is 30 degree. As the phasors
are rotating counterclockwise, so the secondary side phasor a2n (phase voltage)
lead the primary side phasor A2N (phase voltage) by 30 degree.
The transformers are classified into different Vector Groups depending on this
phase difference between the primary and secondary sides, obtained due to
different connection philosophy.
IEC has devised the standard code for determination of transformer vector group.
According to IEC the code for vector group consist of 2 or more letters followed
by one or two digits.
The first letter is Capital letter which may be Y, D or Z, which stands for High
voltage side Star, Delta orinterconnected Star windings respectively.
The second letter is a small letter which may be y, d or z which stands for low
voltage side Star, Delta orinterconnected Star windings respectively.
The third is the digits which stands for the phase difference between the high
voltage and low voltage sides.
From the above three points, the first two are quite straightforward. The third
one follows the clock convention as described below.
In this convention the transformer high voltage side phase voltage (line to

Neutral) represented by Minute hand is fixed at 12 O'clock position and the low
voltage side phase voltage (line to neutral) is represented by the Hour hand
which is free to move. Clearly when the minute hand is fixed at 12 position the
hour hand can take only twelve numbers of discrete positions 1, 2, 3 ... upto 12
(think it twice). The angle between any two consecutive numbers in a clock is 30
degrees (360/12). Hence the angle between hour and minute hands can only be
multiples of 30 degrees. See the figure.
Note: Remember that in star and zig-zag connection the neutral point exist
physically and in delta connection the neutral does not exist physically and
called virtual. But the line to neutral voltage can always be calculated
algebraically/geometrically.
Now back to our discussion of Star-Delta transformer. We have already shown
that the low voltage secondary side phasor a2n leads the high voltage primary
side phasor A2N by 30 degree. (remember that the comparison is between the
phase voltages). According to the clock convention this specific case represent
11 O' clock. So the above transformer connection can be represented by the
symbol Yd11(or YNd11). N or n may be used for a brought out neutral. Here we
will keep the material simple and will not mention the neutral symbol.
Let us change the connection slightly to get the Yd1 vector group. See Fig-B,
here the primary side is as before, but in the secondary side a1 is connected to
b2 etc. (compare with previous diagram).

In the above diagram the individual phasors are still the same as in Yd11 case.
Here we have only rearranged the phasors of delta side, only to satisfy the
connection changes in the secondary side. Here the clock face indicate One O'
clock. As a result we obtain the Yd1 vector symbol.
Let us consider another important connection, Primary in Delta and Secondary
Star connected.
Delta-Wye (Delta-Star) connection
Here the primary windings are connected in Delta and the secondary windings

are connected in Star or Wye. The naming convention is similar to the Wye-Delta
transformer.
In the figure-C see how the windings of primary and secondary sides are
connected in Delta and Star respectively. Also see the corresponding phasors. In
the Delta side each winding is subjected to line voltage, but in Wye side each
winding is subjected to phase voltage (V/1.73).

As already told and shown, although the neutral is not physically available in
Delta side, but neutral point 'n' can be found geometrically . The arrow NA2 is
the phasor representing phase voltage of high voltage side (primary). In the Star
side(low voltage side) arrow na2 is clearly the phasor representing the phase
voltage of low voltage side.
From the diagram applying school geometry it is clear that na2 phasor lags NA2
phasor by 30 degrees.
Applying IEC coding:
NA2 is minute hand fixed at 12 O' clock and na2 is hour hand at 1 O' clock (as
the angle between the two is 30 degrees)
So the transformer is identified with Dy1 symbol.

Similarly just slightly modifying the connection above we can get Dy11 notation.
Here we have rearranged the windings in the primary side for connection
modification and convenience. See Fig-D.

If you understand the above examples then identifying Star-Star and Delta-Delta
vector group are very easy. One can reasonably say that the phase difference
between the primary and secondary sides of both these cases is zero. The vector
group symbols will be Yy0 and Dd0.
Remember the connections can be two different ways. Consider the Wye-Wye
connection. In Yy0 (zero phase displacement between primary and secondary)
secondary side neutral is obtained by shorting the terminals a1, b1 & c1 and
a2,b2 & c2 are brought out terminals. In Yy6 (180 degree phase displaced) the
neutral is obtained by shorting a2,b2 & c2 and a1,b1&c1 are brought
out terminals. See Fig-E and Fig-F.

Transformer connections are categorised into four main groups as tabulated

below

Undoubtedly transformers belonging to the same group can be operated in

parallel without any difficulty.
It is impossible to run in parallel, transformers in Group1 and 2 with
transformers in Group3 and 4.You consider any one from group 1 or 2 and any
one from group 3 or 4 and see the phase difference, which inhibit their
paralleling.
Also transformers in group1 and group2 cannot be operated in parallel as there is
180 degree phase difference between the two secondary windings. This can only
be rectified by changing internal connection.
Similarly if group3 and group4 transformers will be connected in parallel then
there will be 60 degrees phase difference between their secondary windings. But
with transformer external connection modification the phase difference of
secondaries can be made zero. So group3 and group4 transformers can be
operated in parallel with some external modification.
Transformer Zig-Zag Connection
We have already discussed all the main configurations of transformer vector
groups. In the table of groups we also included transformer zig-zag connections.
Now I will show you how that is achieved. The transformer primary or secondary
can be connected in zig-zag . Zig-zag connection is sometimes desired as the
disadvantages in star and delta connection can be overcome by the use of zigzag connection of transformer. Here we discuss only the techniques of achieving
some connection.

Transformer connection is a good place for confusion. Applying these few points
that we adopted will help understand the connections better.

Coloring is done to boost the visualization.

Windings of same color are on the same limb of core. For example all the three
red color windings
are on one limb of core.
The voltage developed across the windings of same color are in phase (zero
phase displacement) so they are drawn parallel to each other.
The analysis is done here considering anti-clockwise ABC phase sequence.
In any limb of core, windings terminals marked with even subscript are of one
polarity and odd subscript are of other polarity. So for windings A1A2, a1a2 and
a3a4, the terminals A1, a1 and a3 are of one polarity and A2, a2 and a4 are of
other polarity.

Let us first consider delta-zigzag (Dz0) connection

Delta-zigzag (Dz0) connection

In zig zag transformer connection, there are three windings on each of the three
limbs of the core, one for primary and two for secondary. Both the windings of
secondary are of equal turns.

The windings A1A2, a1a2 and a3a4 are wound on the same limb of the core
hence they are all colored red. Similarly the other windings.

Although looking at the diagram and applying IEC coding, you can easily verify
the Dz0 connection, still you might find it difficult to draw. How can we obtain
Dz0 connection?

The easy way is first draw the phasor diagram and then derive the windings
connection required for getting the desired phasor diagram or vector group.

First question is what we need? Here for Dz0, the phase difference between
primary and secondary is 0 degree. We have to connect the windings in such a
way so that it will give zero degree phase displacement between the primary and
secondary (or say the primary and secondary are in phase).

See the diagram how connections are done to achieve a zigzag connection in the
secondary.

In the primary side A2, B2 and C2 are the terminals brought out at the
transformer bushings. In the secondary side a4, b4 and c4 are the terminals
brought out at the transformer bushings. Other terminals are internally
connected.

Actually for realizing the connection in secondary side the following sequence
will help you.

Connect the primary side in Delta as usual or as we did in last article.

Then draw Delta(primary) side phasors.

NA2 phasor corresponds to a phase voltage in primary side. N is the virtual

neutral, which does not exist physically in delta side, but found geometrically
from the diagram. For obtaining the Dz0 configuration, the secondary z side
phasor diagram should be such so that the corresponding phase voltage (na4
here) phasor should be parallel to NA2. This zero phase displacement can be
obtained by connecting the windings a3a4 with b2b1 (in other limb) in series.
Clearly b1 should be connected to a3 and not the other ways.

The resultant phasor is the sum of the two phasors.

na4 = b2b1 + a3a4

Voltage phasors b2b1 and B1B2 are out of phase (180 degree phase difference),
so the arrow head direction. Above addition is the phasor addition and not the
arithmetic one.

Similarly obtain the resultant phasors for other two phases by recognizing the
symmetry.

This way we get the secondary neutral point 'n' by connecting a2, b2 and c2
together. Of course unlike the primary side neutral 'N', here the secondary side
neutral 'n' is real and brought out at the bushing.

So in this way we can realize the connection of windings from the phasor
diagram. Accordingly the windings are connected. It is important that we realised
the connection from the phasor diagram and rearranged the windings in Delta
and Zigzag shape for better view.

Delta-Zigzag (Dz6) connection

Here the primary side connection is same as previous case. In the secondary side
we have just reversed the direction of phasors in previous case and

automatically get Dz6 vector group. Of course now the phasors are rearranged to
obey the rules of phasor addition.

For phase 'a', na3=b1b2+a4a3. Compare it with previous Dz0 case.

Now the phasors are reversed and b2 is required to be connected to a4 (in Dz0
case b1 is connected to a3
Terminal a3 not (a4) is brought out at the transformer bushing
Secondary side neutral 'n' is obtained by connecting a1, b1 and c1 together
Now the secondary side windings are connected as per the phasor diagram. See
fig-B

Star-Zigzag (Yz1) connection

Below (fig-C) is the connection and phasor diagram of Yz1 notation. It is left for
the reader to verify the vector group. The reader should also practice the
connections for other vector groups and corresponding phasor diagrams.