An Online Parameter Monitoring Method for Power

Transformers Based On DEA

Hasan Dirik 1, Muammer Özdemir 2
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Ondokuz Mayõs University
Kurupelit, Samsun, 55139, Turkey
1
[email protected]
2
[email protected]

Abstract—Transformers are the most prominent elements of identification of transformer has been described and lastly its
power systems. In some cases, it may be desired to monitor their simulation carried out in Matlab/Simulink environment.
equivalent circuit parameters in order to establish the electrical
models of them or to determine some of the potential failures in II. DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION ALGORITHM
advance. In this work, a novel method that provides online
monitoring of equivalent circuit parameters of transformer is
presented. This method is based on differential equation
algorithm (DEA) that uses a small number of voltage and
current samples. The effectiveness of proposed method is shown
by computer simulations.

I. INTRODUCTION
Transformers are the important elements of power
systems. As long as parameter values of these elements are
Figure 1. Single phase source-load circuit
known accurately, their computer models represent real
structure much better. During normal operation, some failures
If we take the single-phase model of the source-load
may be met on transformer windings for various reasons. If
system shown in figure 1 and write the differential equation,
these failures can be determined at the initial stage, then
we obtain
significant financial losses arising from these elements can be
prevented and safe operation of power systems can be
provided. Many studies have been done on the monitoring of dI(t) (1)
U(t) = R ⋅ I(t) + L ⋅
various parameters of transformers. [1-5] Equivalent circuit dt
parameters of transformers are the most important of them.
Conventionally, equivalent circuit parameters of a It is obvious that while the values of current and voltage
transformer can be calculated from the results of two seen in this equation is measured, the values of R and L that
transformer tests: open circuit and short circuit tests. But, this represent load can be easily calculated. Since derivative of
method requires disconnection of transformer from power measured quantities are difficult to obtain, a more tractable
system. So, a variety of methods estimating parameters of form of equation (1) can be used by integrating the equation
power transformers have been suggested in the literature. (1) over two consecutive intervals:
Some of them are least-squares method, phasor measurement
t1 t1
units method and frequency response analysis method. [6-9]
³ U(t)dt = R ³ I(t)dt + L ⋅ [ I(t1 ) − I(t 0 )]
(2)
t0 t0
In this study, online monitoring of equivalent circuit t2 t2
parameters of transformers by using differential equation
algorithm is presented. DEA method has been used in digital
³ U(t)dt = R ³ I(t)dt + L ⋅ [ I(t 2 ) − I(t1 )]
t1 t1
(3)

distance relays for transmission line protection and has

various forms. This method uses a small number of voltage The integrals in equations (2) and (3) must be approximated
and current samples. So, it is a fast and a very suitable from sample values. If the samples are equally spaced at an
method in transient situation for transmission line protection. interval ∆t and the trapezoidal rule is used for the integrals:
[10] Here, in the suggested method, three samples of voltage
and current obtained from the primary and secondary side of t1
∆t ∆t
transformer are used. These values of samples are used to
find parameter values of transformer by considering its
³ U(t)dt =
t0
2
⋅ [ U(t1 ) + U(t 0 )] = ⋅ [ U1 + U 0 ]
2
(4)

equivalent circuit. In the below, firstly DEA method has been

explained briefly, then its application on online parameter

978-1-4673-0784-0/12/$31.00 ©2012 IEEE 1133

Then equations (2) and (3) can be written at k, k+1 and k+2 In order to find referred values of secondary side currents to
as primary side, secondary side currents are divided by the turns
ratio of the transformer.
ª ∆t º ª ∆t º
« 2 (I k +1 + I k ) (I k +1 − I k ) »
ªR º « 2
(U k +1 + U k ) »
(5) Is
« » « » «
⋅ = » Is' = (9)
« (I + I ) (I − I ) » ¬ ¼ « (U + U ) »
∆ t L ∆ t N
¬« 2 ¼» ¬« 2 ¼»
k+2 k +1 k+2 k +1 k +2 k +1

A simplified equivalent circuit of transformer, when

The three samples of current and voltage are sufficient to secondary side leakage reactance and resistance are referred
compute estimated values of R and L as to primary side, is shown in figure 4.

ª (U + U k ) × (I k+2 - I k+1 ) - (U k+2 + U k+1 )× (I k+1 - I k ) º (6)

R = « k+1 »
¬ (I k+1 + I k ) × (I k+2 - I k+1 ) - (I k+2 + I k+1 ) × (I k+1 - I k ) ¼
∆t ª (I k +1 + Ik ) ⋅ (U k + 2 + U k +1 ) − (I k + 2 + I k +1 ) ⋅ (U k +1 + U k ) º (7)
L= « »
2 ¬ (Ik +1 + I k ) ⋅ (Ik + 2 − Ik +1 ) − (Ik + 2 + Ik +1 ) ⋅ (I k +1 − Ik ) ¼

This algorithm that is used in digital relay application for

Figure 4. Simplified equivalent circuit of the single phase
transmission protection is known as short window differential
transformer
equation algorithm. There are different versions of this
algorithm that uses more than three samples. In this case, it is
Here, equation (10) and (11) is valid for resistance and
named as long window differential equation algorithm. [11]
inductance of secondary side.
III. METHOD
General structure of the suggested parameter estimation R s' (10)
Rs =
method is shown in figure 2. N2
L' (11)
L s = s2
N

In figure 4, it is assumed that winding resistances and

leakage inductances of two sides are equal. That is, R p = R s'
and L p = L's . Considering that the value of magnetizing
Figure 2. General structure of the parameter identification branch current ( Im ) is very small, values of primary current
method
and secondary side current referred primary side will be equal
( Ip ≅ Is' ). This idea is approximately true for the amplitudes
but the difference between phase angles of these currents
causes significant errors in calculations. So, before starting
the calculations with the DEA, the average of the
instantaneous values of these currents must be found. New
current is computed by
Figure 3. Equivalent circuit of a single phase transformer
I p + I s'
Figure 3 shows an equivalent circuit for a practical single Ip−s = (12)
phase two winding transformer. In the proposed method, 2
winding resistances, leakage inductances of primary and
secondary winding ( R p , R s , L p and Ls ), magnetizing In the equivalent circuit given in figure 4, current flowing
between the points M and N has a very small value. So three
inductance ( L m ) and resistance for core losses ( R m ) of consecutive samples of voltages between P and S and the
transformer is computed. Input data of the method are three currents between the points M and N is given to the DEA
consecutive samples of voltage and current obtained from method as inputs. Here, instantaneous values of voltage
primary and secondary side. Firstly, the secondary side between P and S is given as
voltages are referred to the primary side by multiplying them
by turns ratio of the transformer. U p − Us'
U p −s = (13)
'
2
U = N ⋅ Us
s
(8)

1134
 R p −s and Lp −s parameters obtained from DEA by using with power factor of 0.707 lagging and a nominal voltage
applied to primary winding of the transformer.
three samples of I p −s and U p −s as inputs represent series
resistance and inductance between the points P and S. Actual Parameters of the simulated transformer are shown in
values of primary side resistance and leakage inductance are figure 5.

R p −s
Rp = (14)
2
L p−s
Lp = (15)
2

And, actual values of secondary side resistance and leakage

inductance are found by using equation (10) and (11).

To find magnetization resistance and inductance between

the points M and N, we need voltage ( U m − n ) and current
( I m ) between these two points. Voltage of magnetizing
branch is calculated by averaging the primary and the
secondary side voltages. Thus, in terms of both magnitude
and phase angle, much more approximated values are found.

U p + US'
U m− n = (16)
2

Magnetizing branch current ( Im ) is equal to the difference

between the primary current and secondary current referred
primary side.

Im = Ip − Is' (17)

Figure 5. Parameter values of the simulated linear transformer

By using three consecutive voltage and current samples of
magnetization branch we can find series equivalent of the
Appearance of simulation done in Matlab/Simulink and its
magnetization branch ( R ms and L ms ). In order to find parallel
results has been given in figure 6.
equivalence, equation (18) and (19) can be used.
Parameter values of the linear transformer obtained by
R 2 + (2 ⋅ π ⋅ f ⋅ L ms ) 2 simulation are nearly the same as that in its simulink model.
R m = ms (18) This means that we can measure the parameters of a
R ms
transformer online by using the suggested method.
R 2ms + (2 ⋅ π ⋅ f ⋅ L ms )2
Lm = (19) V. CONCLUSION
(2 ⋅ π ⋅ f ) 2 ⋅ L ms
Transformers are the most prominent elements of power
systems. Online monitoring of their parameters allows us to
In these equations, f denotes the frequency of the voltage
determine failures that may arise at the initial stage.
applied to the transformer.
Equivalent circuit parameters are the most important of them.
IV. SIMULATION In this work, online monitoring of these parameters by using
differential equation algorithm is explained. By doing a
In the Matlab/Simulink environment, parameters of a
simulation, model parameters of a transformer in
single phase linear transformer have been computed by Matlab/Simulink could be calculated precisely by the
applying suggested method to the transformer. The suggested method. This shows the validity of the suggested
transformer used in simulation is a linear transformer. In the
method.
simulation, transformer has been loaded by nominal loading

1135
Figure 6. Appearance of simulation done in Matlab/Simulink and its results

and protection," North American Power Symposium (NAPS), 2010 ,

VI. NOMENCLATURE vol., no., pp.1-5, 26-28 Sept. 2010
[2] Monteiro, T.C.; Martinz, F.O.; Komatsu, W.; Matakas, L.; , "A method
U-I : Load voltage and current of transformer parameters determination for power electronics
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[3] Zhou Ling; Yan Huimin; Li Bangyun; Cao Yonggang; , "Research on
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