Transformer

Principle and
Operations

Transformer Equivalent Circuits

Voltage Regulation
Efficiency

Losses

Ideal Transformers
Non-ideal Transformers

station because of low distribution voltage

Supply limited to relatively small distances from power

400 lamps, each consuming 83 W

DC supply

AC supply chosen as dominant mode of electricity

generation primarily due to invention of transformer

1886 William Stanley, Westinghouse

engineer installs first AC system using
transformer at Great Barrington in
Massachusetts

1882 Edison inaugurates first central

generating station in USA

Makes possible:
1. Power generation at the most economical level
2. Transmission and distribution at the most
economical level
3. Power utilisation at the most suitable level
4. Measurement of high voltages (potential
transformer) and high current (current
transformer)
5. Impedance matching, insulating one circuit from
another or insulating DC circuits from AC circuits

Two or more winding, coupled by a common magnetic core

A single phase transformer

!"

A time varying flux is produced in the core

Allows energy transfer from primary to secondary side

of transformer

Flux is maintained within the magnetic core & it

links the second winding
A voltage is induced in the secondary winding.
If a load is connected to the secondary
winding, a secondary current flows

One winding connected to an AC voltage

source,

!"

Fluxes produced by the primary and secondary currents

are confined within the core.

Applied voltage v1 equals the induced primary voltage e1

Similarly v2 = e2

Reluctance of the core is zero.

negligible current is required to set up the magnetic flux

The magnetic core is loss-less.

The core has infinite permeability

The windings have no resistance

Zero leakage flux

Let the mutual flux linking both windings be sinusoidal

m= p sint
Emf (voltage) produced in windings then given by:

"%

d1
dm
e1 =
= N1
= p N1 cost
dt
dt
d2
dm
e2 =
= N2
= p N2 cost
dt
dt

"%

RMS values of voltage produced

1
E1 = p N1 = 4.44 fp N1
2
1
E2 = p N2 = 4.44 fp N2
2

voltages

Induced voltages equal to corresponding terminal

For ideal transformer

[ E1/E2 ]= [ V1/V2 ] = [ N1/N2 ] = a

change (that created them)

EMFs induce currents that tend to oppose flux

Turns ratio
[ E1/E2 ]= [ N1/N2 ] = a
Polarities of induced voltages given by
Lenzs law

For ideal transformer magnetic field intensity

required in core negligible (due to high relative
permeability)
From Amperes law
HLc = N1I1 - N2 I2 = 0
Thus
[ I1/I2 ] = [ N2/N1 ]= [ 1/a ]
Because V1 =a V2 and I1 = I2/a, can then be shown
that
V1I1 = V2 I2 - Power invariance of ideal transformer
Power input is equal to the power output.

&
#

Z1 = a 2 Z 2

V1 I 2
Z1
= a2
=
=
V2 I1
Z2

V1
V2
(= Z1 ) (= Z 2 )
I1
I2

Can refer or move

parameters on primary
side to secondary side
E.g.

'

'

Flux leakage.

Hysteresis losses
Eddy current losses

Core of the actual transformer has finite

permeability
There will be core losses (iron losses)

Has resistances in the windings.

Not all of the flux produced by one winding will
link the other winding

Energy dissipated in process of moving

domain (small magnetic sections within
ferromagnetic material) walls past impurities
and strains in crystal structure
Proportional to area enclosed by B-H loop of
magnetisation curve
Loss per cycle a non-linear function of
maximum flux density within material
Total hysteresis loss proportional to frequency
of excitation

heating

Need to ensure uniform flux density across core using

either laminations in the core or ferrite material

and losses

Induces power dissipation within core causing

Sections of core experience varying flux density,

which produce circulating currents

Eddy current losses proportional to SQUARE

of frequency of excitation

Occurs in conducting magnetic material as a

result of rate of change of flux density with time

'

d m
di2
= R2i2 L2
+ N2
dt
dt

d 2
d12
d m
v2 = R2i2 +
= R2i2 N 2
+ N2
dt
dt
dt

d11
d m
di1
d m
v1 = R1i1 + N1
+ N1
= R1i1 + L1
+ N1
dt
dt
dt
dt

Primary winding flux 1= m+ 11

Secondary winding flux 2= m- 12

( "

e2 = N
e1
N
=
e2
N

e1 = N

= a

dm
dt
dm
dt

&

Core magnetisation and core losses can be

either in primary or in secondary.
The inductor Lm1 represents core
magnetisation (finite permeability)
The resistor Rc1 represents the core losses
(hysteresis and eddy current losses combined)
The core related elements are usually
determined at rated voltage and are referred to
the primary side

!"

&

&

Referred
to
secondary

Referred
to
primary

OR

&

If core losses and magnetisation losses neglected, equivalent circuit

reduces to simple series equivalent

Core losses/magnetisation losses assumed dependent on

primary voltage not magnetising flux

All impedances moved to primary side

Re1= R1+a2R2 and Xe1= X1+a2X2

'%%

&

OR

If core losses and magnetisation losses neglected, equivalent circuit

reduces to simple series equivalent

Core losses/magnetisation losses assumed dependent on load

voltage not magnetising flux

Re2= R1/a2 +R2 and Xe2= X1/a2 +X2

All impedances moved to secondary side

'%%

| V2, fl |

| V2,nl | | V2, fl |

100%

The voltage regulation of a transformer is defined

as the change in the magnitude of the secondary
voltage as the current changes from full load to no
load with the primary voltage held fixed
E.g.

regulation =

Indicator of size of copper losses and leakage reactance of

transformer windings

Approximate equivalent circuits for which core losses

and magnetization losses assumed dependent upon
terminal voltage allows use of these simpler formulae
Regulation provides a measure of transformers ability
to maintains voltage under load conditions

| V1 | | aV2 |
| V1 / a | | V2 |
regulation =
100% =
100%
| aV2 |
| V2 |

over-heating load and possibly also transformer

Constant power loads draw excessive current,

If voltage too low

Space heater over-heat

Magnetic loads saturate

If voltage too high

Most electrical apparatus designed to

operate at specified or rated voltage 5%

# %

=
Poutput

Poutput
100%
+ ( losses)

Poutput
=
100%
Pinput

The efficiency of a transformer is defined as the ratio of

the power output (POUTPUT) to the power input (PINPUT).
Generally, the output power will be governed by the
requirements of the loads, making it a more easily
specified term than input power

Losses= core losses + (I12R1+ I22R2 )

Losses= core losses + (I12Re1)
Losses= core losses + (I22Re2)

(constant voltage) conditions

Copper losses depend upon load current

Iron losses are constant for constant flux

Losses= core losses + copper losses

For constant power factor load however can be shown

that maximum efficiency achieved if:
Total copper losses = core losses

Design for maximum efficiency at or near AVERAGE load

Distribution class transformers connected 24 hrs/day but

experience significant load variations

Design for maximum efficiency at or near RATED load

High voltage transformers operating continuously near

rated capacity

Need to consider how transformer operated

Measure of efficiency only valid for specific load

at which calculation performed

+%

'