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
• It is difficult to achieve accuracy with a shunt on a.c.,
since division of current between a meter and shunt
depends upon the ratio of reactance to resistance of
two paths.
• For proper measurements, the time constants of
meter and shunt should be the same. Therefore, a
separate shunt would be needed for each
instrument.
• Also since measurements are made over a wide
frequency range, it becomes difficult to obtain good
accuracy with shunts.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 7
 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 8

 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 9

 Advantages of Instrument
Transformers
• When instruments are used in conjunction with
instrument transformers, their readings do not depend
upon their constants (R, L, C) as is the case with shunts
and multipliers.
• The instrument transformers produce practically the
same instrument reading regardless of the constants of
the instrument or, in fact, the number of instruments
connected in the circuit.
• Current transformers have been standardized at 5 A
secondary winding current and the voltage transformers
at from 100 to 120 V secondary winding voltage. These
are very moderate ratings and the instruments for
measurements are rated near these.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 10
 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 11

Ratios of Instrument Transformers

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

Ratios of Instrument Transformers

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

Ratios of Instrument Transformers

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

Current Transformers

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Current Transformers

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

Current Transformers

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

Current Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 18

Current Transformers

19
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur
Current Transformers

20
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur
Errors in Current Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 21

Construction of Current Transformers
The current transformers may be classified as :
• Wound type: A current transformer having a primary winding of
more than one full turn wound on core.
• Bar type: A current transformer in which the primary winding
consists of a bar of suitable size and material forming an integral
part of transformer.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 22

 Turns Compensation
We have actual transformation ratio (R):

• Thus if we make the "nominal ratio (Kn)" equal to

the turns ratio (n), the actual transformation ratio
(R) becomes more than the nominal ratio.

• Now if we reduce the turns ratio and keep the Kn

equal to the earlier value, the R will be reduced.
This would make R nearly equal to the Kn.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 23
Turns Compensation
Usually, the best number of
secondary winding turns is one
or two less than the number
which would make actual
transformation ratio equal to
nominal ratio of the
transformer. The phase angle
error is effected very little by a
change of one or two turns in
the secondary winding.
The correction by reduction in
secondary winding turns, is
exact only for a particular value
200.2 of current and burden
impedance. The C.T. in this case
may be called "compensated".
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 24
 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 25
 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 26
 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 27
 Examples
See the following examples from Chapter 10 of
A Course in Electrical and Electronic
Measurements and Instrumentation by A. K.
Sawhney and Puneet Sawhney:

Example 10.1 - Example 10.10

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 28

 Examples

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

 Examples

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

 Examples

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

 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 32
Potential Transformers

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 33

 Difference between CT and PT
• The secondary winding of PT operates nearly under
open circuit conditions (parallel connection with the
measuring instrument) whereas the secondary circuit
of CT (series connection with the measuring
instrument) operates under virtual short circuit
conditions.
• While the primary winding is energized, the secondary
winding of a PT can be open-circuited without any
hazard to the operator or to the transformer. But, this
can’t be done for CT.
• A short circuit on the secondary side of a PT can lead
to complete damage to the transformer while the CT
secondary is always kept short-circuited.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 34
 Difference between CT and PT
• The primary winding current in a CT is independent of
the secondary winding circuit conditions while the
primary winding current in a PT certainly depends upon
the secondary circuit burden.
• In a PT, the full line voltage is applied across its terminals
whereas a CT is connected in series with one line and a
small voltage exists across its terminals. However, the CT
primary winding carries the full line current.
• Under normal operation, the line voltage is nearly
constant and, therefore, the flux density and hence the
exciting current of a PT varies only over a small restricted
range whereas the primary winding and excitation
currents of a CT vary over wide limits in normal
operation.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 35
Relationships in a Potential Transformer

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 36

Relationships in a Potential Transformer

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 37

Relationships in a Potential Transformer

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 38

 Example

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 39

 Types of PTs

Fig. : Electro-magnetic type

of potential transformer

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 40

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 41
 THE END

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