By Momo Malis

May 01, 2009

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 Overview
Current Transformer (CT) Basics
Terms in Which a CT Rating Shall be Expressed
Accuracy, Accuracy Class, Burden
Differences between Metering & Protection CT Classes
CT Tests
Saturation, Knee-Point Voltage
Effects of Remanent Flux
Altalink CT selection requirements
Relay Manuf. Recommendations Against CT Saturation

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 Purpose of CT
Electrical Isolation (Between primary
Voltage System and Metering & Relaying)
Reduction in Magnitude of the Primary
Current
Metering CT - Accuracy required for 5 A or
less
Relaying CT - Correct operation required
from low to very high fault currents

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 Construction
• Bushing (BCT)
• Window
• Bar
• Wound
• Free-Standing
• Auxiliary CT
• etc

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CT - Principles of Operation

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CT Equivalent Circuit

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 Terms in Which a CT
Rating Shall Be Expressed
• Basic impulse insulation level (BIL) voltage
• Nominal system voltage or maximum system voltage
• Frequency (in Hertz)
• Rated primary and secondary currents
• Accuracy classes at standard burden
• Continuous thermal current rating factor based on 30 °C
average ambient air temperature
• Short-time mechanical current rating and short-time thermal
current rating

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BIL Requirements

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Standard CT Ratio Ratings

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Accuracy Classes and
Burden of a CT

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 Metering
Metering Accuracy
Accuracy
xx-B-xx 1.012

1.009
Accuracy
Accuracy
1.006
••0.3
0.3
0.3%
0.3%@@100%In
100%In 1.003
0.6%
0.6%@@10%
10%In
In
••0.6 Ratio 1.000
0.6 Correction
0.6%
0.6%@
@100%In
100%In Factor 0.997
1.2%
1.2%@
@10%
10%In
In
0.994
••1.2
1.2
1.2%
1.2%@
@100%In
100%In 0.991
2.4%
2.4%@
@10%
10%In
In 0.988
-60 -45 -30 -15 0 +15 +30 +45 +60
lagging leading
Phase Angle (minutes)

Ref. ANSI/IEEE 57.13

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 Metering
Metering Accuracy
Accuracy (cont.)
(cont.)
 A CT accuracy of 0.3 means that the CT is certified by the manufacturer to
be accurate to within 0.3% of its rated ratio value for a primary current of
100% of rated ratio (100%In). For primary currents of 10% of rated ratio
the specified accuracy for a given classification is double that of the 100%
value or 0.6%.
 The accuracy is relatively linear between these two points.
 For example a CT with a rated ratio of 200/5 A and with accuracy class of
0.3 would operate within 0.45% of its rated ratio value for a primary
current of 100 A. Or to be more explicit, for a primary current of 100 A, the
CT is certified to produce a secondary current between 2.489 A and 2.511
A.

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Metering CT - ANSI/IEEE
Standard Burden

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Protection CT - ANSI/IEEE
Standard Accuracy

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Typical Accuracy Class of
Bushing CTs

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Protection CT - ANSI/IEEE
Standard Burden

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CT Excitation Curves

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Determining “C” Class from
Excitation Curves
Quick Arithmetic Method (assumes worst case)
Ie / Is = o.1 (10% error i.e. Is = 100 A (20*5 A) )
=> Ie = o.1*100 = 10 A
=> Vs ≈ 470 V (from curve, for 1200/5, Ie= 10 A)
=> Vb = Vs – Is*Rs = 470-61 V = 409 V

Therefore Class C400

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 CT Testing
Routine Tests at the Factory
Applied Potential Tests between Windings and
Ground
Induced Potential Tests
Partial Discharge Tests
Accuracy Tests
Polarity Tests

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 CT Testing (cont.)
Type (Design) Tests (IEEE Std) - for at least one CT in each
design group
Measurement and Calculation of Ratio and Phase Angle
Demagnetization
Impedance and Excitation Measurements
Polarity
Resistance Measurements
Short-Time Characteristics
Temperature Rise Characteristics
Dielectric Tests
Measurement of Open-Circuit Voltage of CTs

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 CT Testing (cont.)
In-Service Testing

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 CT Testing (cont.)
In Service Testing (cont.)

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CT Polarity

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SATURATION

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CT Saturation
CT Saturation
CT Saturation Calculator

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 Remanent Flux
When the primary current is interrupted on a
saturated CT, a substantial portion of the flux
present in the core just prior to interruption
remains in the core.
This flux does not dissipate (or decay) under
normal operating conditions.
CT can be de-rated for remanent flux
CTs are available that have low remanent flux
(lower grades of steel, gapped cores)

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 Criterion to Avoid
Saturation (Protection CT)
Rated CT Terminal Voltage > Calculated Secondary Terminal Voltage
To avoid saturation with a DC component in the primary wave and with a pure resistive burden, the
required saturation voltage shall be:

Rated CT Terminal Voltage > Isc*(1+X/R)*(RCT +RR+2*RL)/(CTratio)

Where:
RL - Cable Lead Resistance
RR - Relay Resistance RCT - CT resistance
Isc – Short Circuit current fault
X and R are the primary system reactance and resistance up to
the point of fault
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Criterion to Avoid
Saturation
Application : -Example
Protection CTs
Length (L) of cable lead = 70m.
Cross Section of Cable (A) = 8.37 mm2 (8-AWG size)
Cable Resistance (RL) = ρL/A = 0.02128 * 70/8.37 = 0.1779 Ω at 75 °C

Criteria: Rated CT Terminal Voltage > Calculated Secondary Terminal Voltage

To avoid saturation with a DC component in the primary wave and with a pure resistive burden,
the required saturation voltage is (IEEE C37.110-1996):
Rated CT Terminal Voltage > Isc* (1+X/R) * (RCT + RR + 2*RL)/(CT ratio)
Where: RL = Cable Lead Resistance (=0.1779 Ω at 75 °C), RR = Relay Resistance (= 0.008),
RCT = CT resistance (= 0.00169 Ω /turn*40 turn = 0.0676 Ω)
Isc – Short Circuit current fault (= 2900 A), X and R are the primary system reactance and
resistance up to the point of fault (X/R=3).
Calculated Secondary Terminal Voltage = 2900 *4* (0.0676 + 0.008 + 2*(0.1779)/40 = 125 V for 200/5
tap.
Therefore the CT 200/5MR ( C200 ) is adequately sized for tap 200/5.
If the tap is 150/5 the rated CT Terminal Voltage is 150/200*200=150V and
Calculated Secondary Terminal Voltage = 2900 *4* (0.0507 + 0.008 + 2*(0.1779)/150/5=160 V
Therefore the CT 200/5MR ( C200 ) is not adequately sized for 150/5 tap position but a solution could
be
to increase the cable lead size:
If Cross Section of Cable (A) = 13.3 mm2 (6-AWG) then the cable resistance
(RL) = ρL/A = 0.02128 * 70/13.3 = 0.1147 Ω at 75 °C
Calculated Secondary Terminal Voltage =
= 2900 *4* (0.0507 + 0.008 + 2*(0.1147)/150/5=111 V < 150 V (rated CT Terminal Voltage at tap
150/5)
 Burden Verification
(Metering CT)
CT Rated Burden > Secondary Connected Burden

Application : Metering Equipment

PML Meter Type: 7650 , Burden (PM) : 0.05 VA
CT Specification
Manufacturer : Instrument Transformer Inc. (ITI)
Model : 780-801, Ratio : 800/5A, Class : 0.3 B 1.8, Burden (Pn) : 45
VA
Cable Lead Resistance (RL) : 0.5 Ω

CT SIZING CALCULATION
Burden Verification
Criteria: CT Rated burden > Secondary Connected Burden (Pb)
Pb = PM + 2 *(In) 2 RL
Pb = 0.0625 + 2*(5)2 *0.5 = 25.0625 VA
Hence 45 VA > 25.0625 VA
Therefore the CT is adequately sized.
 Application Guidelines
Specifying CTs that will experience no saturation
for fully offset fault currents can result in
unreasonably large and expensive CT.
As a rule of thumb, CT performance will be
satisfactory if the CT secondary maximum
symmetrical external fault current multiplied by
the total secondary burden in ohms is less than
half the “C" voltage rating of the CT. (i.e. 2Vs ≤
Vx)
Verify relay manufacture requirements

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Relay Manufacture CT saturation
requirements –ABB Relays

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 Relay Manufacture CT saturation
requirements –SEL-351 & SEL-551
Family Relays

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Relay Manufacture CT saturation
requirements –GE Relays

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Optical Current Transducers
OCTs do not experience saturation problems
Measure magnetic field associated with
current flow by measuring phase shift in
polarized light

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 References
1. CSA C13 - Instrument Transformers
2. ANSI C57.13 - Instrument Transformers
3. IEC 60044-1 Instrument transformers - Part
1: Current transformers

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Questions?