Vector group

A Vector group is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) method of

categorizing the primary and secondary winding configurations of three-phase
transformers. Within a polyphase system power transformer it indicates the windings
configurations and the difference in phase angle between them.

The phase windings of a polyphase transformer can be connected together internally

in different configurations, depending on what characteristics are needed from the
transformer. For example, in a three-phase power system, it may be necessary to
connect a three-wire system to a four-wire system, or vice versa. Because of this,
transformers are manufactured with a variety of winding configurations to meet these
requirements.

Different combinations of winding connections will result in different phase angles

between the voltages on the windings. This limits the types of transformers that can
be connected between two systems, because mismatching phase angles can result in
circulating current and other system disturbances.

Symbol designation
The vector group provides a simple way of indicating how the internal connections of
a particular transformer are arranged. In the system adopted by the IEC, the vector
group is indicated by a code consisting of two or three letters, followed by one or two
digits. The letters indicate the winding configuration as follows:

• D: Delta winding, also called a mesh winding. Each phase terminal connects
to two windings, so the windings form a triangular configuration with the
terminals on the points of the triangle.
• Y: Wye winding, also called a star winding. Each phase terminal connects to
one end of a winding, and the other end of each winding connects to the other
two at a central point, so that the configuration resembles a capital letter Y.
The central point may or may not be connected outside of the transformer.
• Z: Zigzag winding, or interconnected star winding. Basically similar to a star
winding, but the windings are arranged so that the three legs are "bent" when
the phase diagram is drawn. Zigzag-wound transformers have special
characteristics and are not commonly used where these characteristics are not
needed.
• III: Independent windings. The three windings are not interconnected inside
the transformer at all, and must be connected externally.

In the IEC vector group code, each letter stands for one set of windings. The primary
(input) winding is designated with a capital letter, while the other winding or
windings are designated with a lowercase letter. The digits following the letter codes
indicate the difference in phase angle between the windings, in units of 30 degrees.
For example, a transformer with a vector group of Dy1 has a delta-connected primary
winding and a wye-connected secondary winding. The phase angle of the secondary
lags the primary by 30 degrees.

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Transformers built to ANSI standards usually do not have the vector group shown on
their nameplate and instead a vector diagram is given to show the relationship
between the primary and other windings.

First symbol/symbols, capital letters: HV winding connection.

Second symbol/symbols, small letters: LV winding connection.
Third symbol, number: Phase displacement expressed as the clock hour number.
High Voltage Always capital letters
Delta - D
Star - Y
Interconnected star - Z
Neutral brought out - N

Low voltage Always small letters

Delta - d
Star - y
Interconnected star - z
Neutral brought out - n

for auto transformer - a

Phase displacement
Phase rotation is always anti-clockwise. (international adopted convention)
Use the hour indicator as the indicating phase displacement angle. Because there
are 12 hours on a clock, and a circle consists out of 360°, each hour represents
30°.
Thus 1 = 30°, 2 = 60°, 3 = 90°, 6 = 180° and 12 = 0° or 360°.
The minute hand is set on 12 o'clock and replaces the line to neutral voltage
(sometimes imaginary) of the HV winding. This position is always the reference
point.
Because rotation is anti-clockwise, 1 = 30° lagging (LV lags HV with 30°)and 11
= 330° lagging or 30° leading (LV leads HV with 30°)

To summarise:
Dd0
Delta connected HV winding, delta connected LV winding, no phase shift between
HV and LV.
Dyn11
Delta connected HV winding, star connected LV winding with neutral brought out,
LV is leading HV with 30°
YNd5
Star connected HV winding with neutral brought out, delta connected LV winding,
LV lags HV with 150°
YNa0d11
Star connected HV winding with neutral brought out, auto transformer with 0°
displacement. LV winding delta conected leading HV by 30°

The phase-bushings on a three phase transformer are marked either ABC, UVW
or 123 (HV-side capital, LV-side small letters)
Two winding, three phase transformers can be devided into four main categories
(Clock hour number and phase displacement of those most frequently
encountered in practice in brackets)

Group I - (0 o'clock, 0°) - delta/delta, star/star

Group II - (6 o'clock, 180°) - delta/delta, star/star
Group III - (1 o'clock, -30°) - star/delta, delta/star

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Group IV - (11 o'clock, +30°) - star/delta, delta/star

(Minus indicates LV lagging HV, plus indicates LV leading HV)

Group I
Example: Dd0 (no phase displacement between HV and LV)
The conventional method is to connect the red phase on A/a, Yellow phase on
B/b, and the Blue phase on C/c. Other phase displacements are possible with
unconventional connections (for instance red on b, yellow on c and blue on a) By
doing some unconventional connections externally on one side of the transformer,
an internal connected Dd0 transformer can be changed either to a Dd4(-120°) or
Dd8(+120°) connection. The same is true for internal connected Dd4 or Dd8
transformers.
Group II
Example: Dd6 (180° displacement between HV and LV)
By doing some unconventional connections externally on one side of the
transformer, an internal connected Dd6 transformer can be changed either to a
Dd2(-60°) or Dd10(+60°) connection.
Group III
Example: Dyn1 (-30° displacement between HV and LV)
By doing some unconventional connections externally on one side of the
transformer, an internal connected Dyn1 transformer can be changed either to a
Dyn5(-150°) or Dyn9(+90°) connection.
Group IV
Example: Dyn11 (+30° displacement between HV and LV)
By doing some unconventional connections externally on one side of the
transformer, an internal connected Dyn11 transformer can be changed either to a
Dyn7(+150°) or Dyn3(-90°) connection.
Additional Note
By doing some unconventional connections externally on both sides of the
transformer, an internal connected groupIII or groupIV transformer can be
changed to any of these two groups. Thus, an internal connected Dyn1
transformer can be changed to either a: Dyn3, Dyn5, Dyn7, Dyn9 or Dyn11
transformer, by doing external changes on both sides of the transformer. This is
just true for star/delta or delta/star connections.
Changes for delta/delta or star/star transformers between groupI and groupII can
just be done internally.