Instrument

Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 1

 Introduction
• Transformers are used in a.c. systems for the
measurement of current, voltage, power and
energy.
• They are also used in connection with the
measurement of power factor, frequency and for
indication of synchronism.
• Instrument transformers find a wide application
in protection circuits of power systems for the
operation of over current, under voltage, earth
fault and various other types of relays.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 2
 Introduction
• In all the above applications, the transformer is put
for measurement purposes, the actual
measurements being done by measuring
instruments.
• Transformers used in conjunction with measuring
instruments for measurement purposes are called
"Instrument Transformers“.
• The transformer used for measurement of current is
called a "Current Transformer" or simply "C.T.“
• Transformers used for voltage measurements are
called "Voltage Transformers“ or "Potential
Transformers" or simply "P.T." in short.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 3
 Use of Instrument Transformers
• The extension of instrument range, so that current,
voltage, power and energy can be measured with
instruments or meters of moderate size which is of
very great importance in commercial metering.
• In power systems, currents and voltages handled are
very large and, therefore, direct measurements are
not possible as these currents and voltages are far
too large for any meter of reasonable size and cost.
• The solution lies in stepping down these currents and
voltages with the help of instrument transformers so
that they could be metered with instruments of
moderate sizes.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 4
Use of Instrument Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 5

Use of Instrument Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 6

 Disadvantages of Shunts
• The method of using shunts is limited to
capacities of a few hundred ampere at most,
since the power consumed by shunts at large
currents would be considerably large.
• The measuring circuit is not isolated
electrically from the power circuit.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 7

 Disadvantages of Multipliers
Multipliers for voltage measurements do not present
any serious difficulties below 1000 V. But their use
above this limit becomes impractical owing to the
following reasons :

• The power consumed by multipliers becomes large

as the voltage increases.
• The measuring circuit is not electrically isolated from
the power circuit.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 8

Advantages of Instrument Transformers
• The measuring circuit is isolated from the power
circuit. The fact that the meters in the secondary
circuit of an instrument transformer are isolated
electrically from the primary side is of great
importance in high voltage systems.
• There is low power consumption in metering circuit.
• In fact instrument transformers are so important for
insulating and range extension purposes that it is
difficult to imagine the operation of a high voltage
a.c. system without them.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 9

Ratios of Instrument Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 10

Ratios of Instrument Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 11

Ratios of Instrument Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 12

Current Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 13

Current Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 14

Current Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 15

Current Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 16

Current Transformers

17
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur
Current Transformers

18
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur
 Errors in Current Transformers
Phase angle (θ) of CT. The angle by which the secondary
current phasor, when reversed, differs in phase from the primary
current, is known as the phase angle of the transformer. This
angle is taken to be +ve if the secondary current reversed leads
the primary current. The angle is taken as -ve if the secondary
current reversed lags behind the primary current.

It is clear from Eqn. 10.14 that the value of the transformation

ratio (actual ratio, R) is not equal to the turns ratio (n). Also, the
value is not constant, but depends upon the magnetizing and loss
components of the exciting current, the secondary winding load
current, and its power factor. This means that the secondary
winding current is not a constant fraction of the primary winding
current but depends upon the factors listed above. This introduces
considerable errors in current measurements.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 19
 Errors in Current Transformers
In power measurements, it is necessary that the phase of the
secondary winding current shall be displaced by exactly 180° from
that of the primary winding current. It is seen that the phase
difference is different from 180° by an angle θ. Thus, owing to the
use of CT two types of errors are introduced one due to R being
different from n and the other due to secondary winding current not
being 180° out of phase with the primary winding current.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 20

 Effect of Secondary Open Circuit
Current transformers are always used with the secondary
winding circuit closed through ammeters, wattmeter current
coils, or relay coils.
Precaution:
Never open the secondary winding circuit of a current
transformer while its primary winding is energized.
The difference between a power transformer and a CT is that in
a power transformer, the current flowing in the primary winding
is largely the reflection of that flowing in the secondary circuit,
whereas in the current transformer, the primary winding is
connected in series with the line whose current is being
measured or indicated and this current is no way controlled or
determined by the conditions of the secondary winding circuit of
the CT.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 21
 Effect of Secondary Open Circuit
• Under normal operating conditions both primary
and secondary windings produce mmfs which act
against each other.
• The secondary mmf is slightly less than the primary
mmf and consequently, the resultant mmf is small
which is required for the maintenance of flux in the
core and to supply the iron losses.
• This resultant mmf is responsible for the production
of flux in the core and as this mmf is small, the flux
density is quite low under normal operating
conditions and hence a small voltage is induced in
the secondary winding.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 22
 Effect of Secondary Open Circuit
• If the secondary winding is open-circuited when the primary
winding is carrying current, the primary winding mmf remains the
same while the opposing secondary winding mmf reduces to zero.
• Therefore the resultant mmf is equal to the primary winding mmf
NpIp which is very large.
• This large mmf produces a large flux in the core till it saturates.
• This large flux linking the turns of the secondary winding, would
induce a high voltage in the secondary winding which could be
dangerous to the transformer insulation and to the person who
has opened the circuit.
• Also the eddy current and hysteresis losses would be very high
under these conditions and due to this the transformer may be
overheated and completely damaged.
• Even if it does not happen, the core may become permanently
magnetized and this gives appreciable ratio and phase angle
errors.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 23
 Numerical Example on CT
The resistance and leakage reactance of the secondary winding of a 500/5 A
current transformer with a bar primary are 0.02 Ω and 0.07 Ω respectively.
The magnetization characteristics of the transformer are as follows :

An ammeter and a wattmeter current coil are connected in series with the
secondary winding. Their respective resistances are 0.04 Ω and 0.06 Ω, and
reactances are 0.06 Ω and 0.03 Ω. Calculate the following when a current of 5
A passes through the instruments:
i. the primary winding current,
ii. the ratio error of the CT,
iii. the phase angle error of the CT, and
iv. the optimal number of turns in the secondary winding that minimizes the
ratio error for the given burden.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 24
 Numerical Example on CT
Solution: Nominal ratio, Kn = 500/5 = 100, Np = 1 (due to the bar primary)
In the absence of any other data, the turns ratio is taken equal to the
nominal ratio, n = 100. So, Ns = 100.
The total resistance of the secondary circuit = 0.02 + 0.04 + 0.06 = 0.12 Ω
The total reactance of the secondary circuit = 0.07 + 0.06 + 0.03 = 0.16 Ω
0.16
Total secondary circuit impedance = 0.122 + 0.162 ∠ tan −1 =0.2∠53.1301o
0.12
∴δ =53.1301o

Secondary winding induced voltage, Es = 5×0.2 = 1.0 V.

The characteristics of the CT are plotted in the Table. Corresponding to
Es = 1.0 V, we have Ie = 2.7 A and Im = 2.5 A.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 25
 Numerical Example on CT
Io = Ie2 + Im2 = 2.7 2 + 2.52 A = 3.6797 A
Ie −1 2.7
α −1
tan
= tan = 47.2026o
Im 2.5
n 2 I s 2 + 2nI s I o sin (δ +α ) + I o 2
Ip =

= (
1002 × 52 + 2 × 100 × 5 × 3.6797 sin 53.1301o +47.2026o + 3.6797 2 )
= 503.6204 A
I p 503.6204
Actual Ratio, =
R = = 100.7241
Is 5
Kn − R 100 − 100.7241
Ratio Error = × 100% = × 100% =
−0.7189%
R 100.7241
I o cos (δ +α )
Phase Angle Error , θ = tan −1

nI s + I o sin (δ +α )

= tan −1
(
3.6797 cos 53.1301o +47.2026o ) = −0.075087 o
(
100 × 5 + 3.6797 sin 53.1301o +47.2026o )
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 26
 Numerical Example on CT
To minimize the ratio error, the actual transformation ratio (R) should be
equal to the nominal ratio (Kn).
n 2 I s 2 + 2nI s I o sin (δ +α ) + I o 2
K n =R ⇒ 100 =
Is
Solving for n yields, n = -100.7239 (n can’t be -ve), 99.2759
So, Ns = nNp = 99.2759 ×1 which yields Ns = 99.2759 ≈ 99 (After rounding
off)

i. The value of primary current = 503.620432 A

ii. The ratio error is = -0.7189% which means that actual
transformation ratio is higher than the nominal ratio.
iii. The phase angle error is = -0.075087° which means that the
secondary current reversed lags the primary current by 0.075087°.
iv. The optimal number of turns in the secondary winding that
minimizes the ratio error for the given burden is 99.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 27
 Potential Transformers
• Potential transformers (PTs) are used to operate
voltmeters, the potential coils of wattmeters, and relays
from high voltage lines.
• The primary winding of the transformer is connected
across the line carrying the voltage to be measured and
the voltage circuit is connected across the secondary
winding.
• The design of a potential transformer is quite similar to
that of a power transformer but the loading of a
potential transformer is always small, sometimes only a
few volt-ampere.
• The secondary winding is designed so that a voltage of
100 to 120 V is delivered to the instrument load. The
normal secondary voltage rating is 110 V.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 28
Potential Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 29

Relationships in a Potential Transformer

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 30

Relationships in a Potential Transformer

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 31

Relationships in a Potential Transformer

The phase angle is taken as +ve when

secondary winding voltage reversed leads the
primary winding voltage. The angle is -ve
when secondary winding voltage reversed
lags the primary winding voltage.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 32
 Example 10.13
A potential transformer rated 6900/115 V has 22500 turns in the primary
winding and 375 turns in the secondary winding. With 6900 V applied to
the primary and the secondary circuit open-circuited, the primary
winding current is 0.005 A, lagging the voltage by 73.7°. With a
particular burden connected to the secondary, the primary winding
current is 0.0125 A, lagging the voltage by 53.1°.
Primary winding resistance = 1200 Ω
Primary winding reactance = 2000 Ω
Secondary winding resistance = 0.4 Ω
Secondary winding reactance = 0.7 Ω
i. Calculate the secondary current, terminal voltage, and load burden
using the applied primary voltage Vp = 6900 V as reference.
ii. Determine the actual transformation ratio and the phase angle of the
PT for the given burden.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 33
PT Connections in 3-φ AC Power System

Fig. : A simple diagram illustrating how the high phase and line
voltages of a three-phase AC power system may be sensed by
low-voltage voltmeters through the use of PTs
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 34
THE END
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 35