Transformers

Engr. Philip Caesar Ebit

Objectives
• Describe how a transformer operates.
• Explain how transformers are rated.
• Explain how transformers operate in a circuit.
• Describe the differences between step-up, step-down, and isolation
transformers.
• Describe how the ratio of the voltage, current, and number of turns
are related with a transformer.
• Describe applications of a transformer.
• Identify different types of transformers.
Transformers allow the transfer of an AC
signal from one circuit to another. The
transfer may involve stepping up the
voltage, stepping down the voltage, or
passing the voltage unchanged.
Electromagnetic induction
• If two electrically isolated coils are placed next to each other and an
AC voltage is put across one coil, a changing magnetic field results.
• This changing magnetic field induces a voltage into the second coil.
This action is referred to as electromagnetic induction. The device is
called a transformer.
• In a transformer, the coil
containing the AC voltage is
referred to as the primary
winding.
• The other coil, in which the
voltage is induced, is
referred to as the
secondary winding.
• The amount of voltage
induced depends on the
amount of mutual
induction between the two
coils.
• The amount of voltage induced depends on the amount of mutual
induction between the two coils.
• The amount of mutual induction is determined by the coefficient of
coupling. The coefficient of coupling (k) is a number from 0 to 1, with
1 indicating that all the primary flux lines cut the secondary windings
and 0 indicating that none of the primary flux lines cut the windings.
• The design of a transformer is determined by the frequency at which
it will be used, the power it must handle, and the voltage it must
handle.
• For example, the application of the transformer determines the type
of core material that the coils are wound on. For low-frequency
applications, iron cores are used. For high-frequency applications, air
cores are used. Air cores are nonmetallic cores used to reduce losses
associated with the higher frequencies.

Air-core Transformers
Iron-core Transformers
• Transformers are rated in volt-amperes (VA) rather than in power
(watts). This is because of the loads that can be placed on the
secondary winding. If the load is a pure capacitive load, the reactance
could cause the current to be excessive. The power rating has little
meaning where a voltampere rating can identify the maximum
current the transformer can handle.
• Figure 18–1 shows the schematic symbol of a transformer. The
direction of the primary and secondary windings on the core
determines the polarity of the induced voltage in the secondary
winding. The AC voltage can either be in phase or 180 degrees out of
phase with the induced voltage. Dots are used on the schematic
symbol of the transformer to indicate polarity.
• Transformers are wound with
tapped secondaries (Figure 18–2).
• A center-tapped secondary is the
equivalent of two secondary
windings, each with half of the
total voltage across them.
• The center tap is used for power
supply to convert AC voltages to
DC voltages.
Center tap transformers
• When a transformer is operated without a load (Figure 18–3) there is
no secondary current flow. There is a primary current flow because
the transformer is connected across a voltage source.
• The amount of primary current depends on the size of the primary
windings. The primary windings act like an inductor.
• Exciting current is the small amount of primary current that flows.
The exciting current overcomes the AC resistance of the primary
winding and supports the magnetic field of the core. Because of
inductive reactance, the exciting current lags behind the applied
voltage. These conditions change when a load is applied across the
secondary.
• When a load is connected across the secondary winding (Figure 18–4)
a current is induced into the secondary.
• Transformers are wound with the secondary on top of the primary.
The magnetic field created by the primary current cuts the secondary
windings. The current in the secondary establishes a magnetic field of
its own. The expanding magnetic field in the secondary cuts the
primary turns, inducing a voltage back into the primary.
• This magnetic field expands in the same direction as the current in
the primary, aiding it and causing it to increase, with an effect called
mutual inductance. The primary induces a voltage into the secondary
and the secondary induces a voltage back into the primary.
Turns Ratio
• The turns ratio of a transformer determines whether the transformer
is used to step up, step down, or pass voltage unchanged.
• The turns ratio is the number of turns in the secondary winding
divided by the number of turns in the primary winding. This can be
expressed as:
𝑁𝑆
𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 =
𝑁𝑃
Where:
𝑁𝑆 = number of turns in the secondary winding
𝑁𝑃 = number of turns in the primary winding
Turns Ratio
• A transformer with secondary voltage greater than its primary
voltage is called a step-up transformer. The amount the voltage
is stepped up depends on the turns ratio. The ratio of secondary
to primary voltage is equal to the ratio of secondary to primary
turns. This is expressed as:

𝐸𝑆 𝑁𝑆
=
𝐸𝑃 𝑁𝑃

• Thus the turns ratio of a step-up transformer is always greater

than one.
Example
• A transformer has 400 turns on the primary and 1200 turns
on the secondary. If 120 volts of AC current are applied
across the primary, what voltage is induced into the
secondary?
Turns Ratio
• A transformer that produces a secondary voltage less
than its primary voltage is called a step-down
transformer.
• The amount the voltage is stepped down is
determined by the turns ratio. In a step-down
transformer the turns ratio is always less than one.
Example
• A transformer has 500 turns on the primary and
100 turns on the secondary. If 120 volts AC are
applied across the primary, what is the voltage
induced in the secondary?
• Assuming no transformer losses, the power in the secondary
must equal the power in the primary.
• Although the transformer can step up voltage, it cannot step
up power. The power removed from the secondary can never
be more than the power supplied to the primary. Therefore,
when a transformer steps up the voltage, it steps down the
current so the output power remains the same. This can be
expressed as:

𝑃𝑃 = 𝑃𝑆
𝐼𝑃 𝐸𝑃 = 𝐼𝑆 𝐸𝑆
• The current is inversely proportional to the turns ratio.
This can be expressed as:

𝐼𝑃 𝑁𝑆
=
𝐼𝑆 𝑁𝑃
Example
• A transformer has a 10:1 turns ratio. If the primary
has a current of 100 milliamperes, how much current
flows in the secondary?

NOTE: THE FIRST NUMBER IN THE RATIO REFERS TO THE

PRIMARY, THE SECOND NUMBER TO THE SECONDARY.
• An important application of transformers is in
impedance matching.
• Maximum power is transferred when the
impedance of the load matches the impedance
of the source. When the impedance does not
match, power is wasted.
• For example, if a transistor amplifier can efficiently
drive a 100-ohm amplifier, it will not efficiently drive a
4-ohm speaker.
• A transformer used between the transistor amplifier
and speaker can make the impedance of the speaker
appear to be in proportion. This is accomplished by
choosing the proper turns ratio.
• The impedance ratio is equal to the turns ratio
squared. This is expressed as:

2
𝑍𝑃 𝑁𝑃
=
𝑍𝑆 𝑁𝑆
Example
• What must the turns ratio of a transformer be to match a 4-ohm
speaker to a 100-ohm source?
Applications
• Transformers have many applications. Among them
are stepping up and stepping down voltage and
current, impedance matching, phase shifting,
isolation, blocking DC while passing AC, and producing
several signals at various voltage levels.
Applications: Power Transmission
• Transmitting electrical power to homes and industry requires the use
of transformers.
• Power stations are located next to sources of energy, and electrical
power must often be transmitted over great distances. The wires
used to carry the power have resistance, which causes power loss
during the transmission. The power is equal to the current times the
voltage:

𝑃 = 𝐸𝐼
Transformer Applications in Power Transmission
Applications
• Ohm’s law states that current is directly proportional to
voltage and inversely proportional to resistance:

𝐸
𝐼=
𝑅
• The amount of power lost, then, is proportional to the
amount of resistance in the line. The easiest way to reduce
power losses is to keep the current low.
Example
• A power station produces 8500 volts at 10 amperes.
The power lines have 100 ohms of resistance. (a)
What is the power loss of the lines? (b) Using a
transformer to step the voltage up to 85,000 volts at 1
ampere, what is the power loss?
Applications: Phase Shifting
• How the transformer is wound determines whether it produces a
phase shift or not. The application determines how important the
phase shift is (Figure 18–5).

NOTE: THE PHASE CAN BE SHIFTED BY SIMPLY

REVERSING THE LEADS TO THE LOAD
Applications: DC Blocking
• If DC voltage is applied to a transformer, nothing occurs in the
secondary once the magnetic field is established. A changing current
is necessary to induce a voltage in the secondary. A transformer can
be used to isolate the secondary from any DC voltage in the primary
(Figure 18–6).
Applications: Isolation Transformer
• Transformers are used to isolate electronic equipment from 120-volts
AC, 60-hertz power while it is being tested (Figure 18–7). The reason
for using a transformer is to prevent shocks.
Applications: Isolation Transformer
• This condition is more likely to occur if the power cord can be plugged
in either way.
Applications: Isolation Transformer
• A transformer prevents connecting either side of the equipment to
ground. An isolation transformer does not step up or step down the
voltage.
Applications: Autotransformer
• An autotransformer is a device used to step up
or step down applied voltage. It is a special type
of transformer in which the primary and
secondary windings are both part of the same
core.
Applications: Autotransformer
• Figure 18–8A shows an
autotransformer
stepping down a voltage.
Because the secondary
consists of fewer turns,
the voltage is stepped
down.
• Figure 18–8B shows an
autotransformer
stepping up a voltage.
Applications: Autotransformer
• A special type of autotransformer
is a variable autotransformer, in
which the load is connected to a
movable arm and one side of the
autotransformer (Figure 18–9).
• Moving the arm varies the turns
ratio, producing a change in the
voltage across the load. The output
voltage can be varied from 0 to
130 VAC.
Assignments
1. What are the applications of transformers?
2. How are transformers used in transmitting electrical power to the
home?
3. How can a transformer produce a phase shift of the input signal?
4. Why are isolation transformers important when working on
electronic equipment?
5. What is an autotransformer used for?
Assignments
6. What determines whether a transformer is a step-up or a
step-down transformer?
7. Write the formula for determining the turns ratio of a
transformer.
8. Write the formula for determining voltage based on the
turns ratio of a transformer.
9. What is the secondary output of a transformer with 100
turns on the primary and 1800 turns on the secondary and
120 volts applied?
Assignments
11. How does loading a transformer affect its operation?
12. Define mutual inductance.
13. Describe how a transformer induces a voltage back into its primary.
14. How does a transformer operate?
15. What determines the design of a transformer?
16. Give an example of how the application of a transformer
determines its design.
17. How are transformers rated?
18. Draw and label the schematic symbol for a transformer.
End of presentation.