How to determine power transformer impedance for

calculation of short-circuit currents

electrical-engineering-portal.com/power-transformer-impedance

By Edvard January 25,

2019

Impedances of 3-Phase Transformers

In order to calculate short-circuit currents, it is obligatory to know conductor-specific
equivalent data and impedances of electrical operational equipment, which are usually
given by the respective manufacturer.

How To Determine Power Transformer Impedance

The calculation of short-circuit currents is based on the use of equivalent circuits for
the operational equipment.

In principle, the equivalent resistances and reactances must be determined for all
equipment. The impedances of generators, network transformers, and power plant
blocks should take account of the impedance corrections for calculating the short-circuit
currents.

For transformers, the impedances and reactances are given in the per unit (pu) or in
the %/MVA system.

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The impedance of a power transformer is described in detail in the following paragraphs:

Power transformers
To transport the electrical energy from the generator (power plant) to the end user
(households, industry, and public institutions), a chain of different electrical installations
is needed.

The last element before the consumer is usually the distribution transformer. A
transformer is an alternator – an alternating voltage and current, electromagnetic by
induction, that is between two or more windings at the same frequency. It transmits
different values of voltage and current.
Thus, it is a device for the transmission and transport of electrical energy.

At this point, it is useful to explain the transformer and its equivalent circuit for the case
of a short circuit (Figure 1).

Figure 1 – Transformer and equivalent circuit

The short-circuit voltage Uk, is the primary voltage at which a transformer with short-
circuited secondary winding already takes up its primary rated current. Uk is usually
expressed as a relative short-circuit voltage in percent of the primary voltage.

It is a measure for the loading of the voltage change occurring. The following condition
applies:

When a short circuit occurs during the operation of a transformer on the secondary side,
the peak short-circuit current i p, flows first, which then gradually decays to the steady-
state short-circuit current.
The magnitude of i p depends on the momentary value of the voltage and the magnetic
state of the iron core. The value of the steady-state short-circuit current Ik, depends on
the short-circuit voltage Uk, and the internal resistance Z.

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Short-Circuit Current on the Secondary Side
The equivalent circuit of the positive-sequence, negative-sequence, and zero-sequence
systems is given by the number and the circuitry of the windings. Due to the phase
angle, the negative-sequence impedance is identical to the positive-sequence
impedance.

The positive-sequence impedance of the transformer is calculated as follows:

For LV transformers, the equivalent resistances and the inductive reactances in the zero-
sequence and positive-sequence systems are as follows (Figure 2):

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 Figure 2 – Equivalent resistances and the inductive reactances in the zero-sequence
and positive-sequence systems

For the connection symbol Dyn5:

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For the connection symbols Dzn0 and Yzn11:

For the connection symbol YYn6:

Transformers with three windings are employed in auxiliary service for the internal
requirements of power stations, in the industrial sector or as network transformers.
The short-circuit impedances of transformers with three windings in the positive-
sequence system can be calculated as follows (in accordance with Figure 3):

Figure 3 – (a) Circuit diagram for a transformer with three windings and (b) equivalent circuit with side
C open

With side B open:

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With side A open:

With the positive-sequence short-circuit impedances:

The meaning of the symbols is as follows:

UrT – Rated voltage of the transformer on HV or LV side

IrT – Rated current of the transformer on HV or LV side
UnHV – Nominal voltage on HV side
InLV – Nominal voltage on LV side
Uk – Short-circuit voltage
SrT – Rated apparent power of transformer
PkrT – Total winding losses of transformer at rated current
ukr – Rated value of short-circuit voltage in %
uRr – Rated value of resistive voltage drop in %
R0T – Zero-phase equivalent resistance of transformer
RT – Equivalent resistance of transformer
X0T – Inductive zero-sequence resistance of transformer
XT – Inductive resistance of transformer.

The equivalent resistances and reactances of transformers can also be obtained from
Figure 4.

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 Figure 4 – Equivalent resistances and reactances of transformers for LV and MV networks

Voltage-Regulating Transformers
For the compensation of voltage fluctuations in networks, the windings of transformers
are provided with a tap so that the transformation ratios can be adjusted to keep the
voltage for certain sections constant.

Voltage-regulating transformers can be divided into two groups:

1. Controllable power transformers and

2. Series-regulating transformers.

Controllable transformers have several taps on the voltage side to be regulated with
which the transformation ratio can be increased or decreased in the same proportions,
usually in steps of 1% or 2%.

This is also known as in-phase voltage control since only the magnitude of the voltage is
regulated. Voltage regulation takes place stepwise with a switching device, which can be
described as a stepping switch or stepping switch device.
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Switchover between the steps must take place under load, since load-dependent voltage
fluctuations are regulated during operation.

The transformation ratio of the transformers is determined from the rated voltages.
With stepping switches, it is possible to match the transformation ratio to the load.

The transformation ratio can be calculated by taking into account the step setting:

where, for t r:

In addition to maintaining constant voltage levels, regulating transformers are used for
controlling the load flow. They too can be switched under load.

These can be divided into quadrature control transformers and phase angle control
transformers. For quadrature control transformers, an additional voltage is
generated, which is phase-shifted by 90° from the voltage of a conductor .

The additional voltage is added to the side on which the voltage is regulated. Phase
angle control transformers are a combination of quadrature control transformers and
in-phase control transformers.
Stepping regulators are implemented via power electronic components, which are fast
and require little maintenance. The most important features of HV transformers are
tabulated in Table 1.

Table 1 – Characteristic values of high-voltage (HV) transformers

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 Table 1 – Characteristic values of high-voltage (HV) transformers

Source: Short Circuits in Power Systems by Ismail Kasikci

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