A note on transformer impedance

John Millar, January 2016.

This is perhaps too pedantic, but I have found three definitions:

The (p.u. or percentage) impedance of a transformer is [1], [2] and [3]:

 the voltage over the winding resistance and leakage reactance at nominal load divided by the
rated voltage
 the percentage of the normal terminal voltage on one side required to circulate full-load
current under short circuit conditions on the other side
 the ratio of the transformer’s full load current to the short circuit current

U impedance,MV , full _ load U HV ,test I max

Loosely: z pu    (p.u)
U MV ,nom U HV ,nom I SC

HV labs use the second definition to determine the transformer impedance:

 Short circuit the secondary winding(s), except for an ammeter(s) in series with the short circuited
winding(s)
 Raise the voltage (from 0) on the primary winding(s) until the rated (nominal, full load, “max”)
current is flowing in the secondary. Divide this voltage by the nominal primary side voltage to get
the impedance. Note that there is some confusion about using terms rated, nominal, maximum, full
load, etc. I suppose that the the nominal ratings given on transformer name plates are for a given
ambient temperature, and assume steady state operation. In reality, true ratings are based on the
actual (seasonally and locationally) dependent ambient temperature and the temporal load
characteristics – see the lecture material...
I hope this explains why the transformer impedance is sometimes given using the voltage symbol u, e.g., ux,
i.e., because it is a ratio of voltages that is used to determine the impedance, which actually has no units (it’s
either expressed as a per unit value or percentage)
When using the impedance in short-circuit calculations, the impedance should be referred to the appropriate
voltage, e.g. on the MV side, if the impedance is purely reactive (often assumed for large transformers):
2
U MV
xtransf  ju x ()
Stransf

If nothing is given to calculate the resistive component of the transformer impedance, assume it is a pure
reactance. Subscipts x means reactive, r means resistive, and k means short circuit (from kortslutning in
Swedish or kurzschluss in German?), which may be reactive and resistive, or only reactive...
Here are some examples of transformer nameplates:
References:
[1] e.g., http://www.transformerworld.co.uk/impedance.htm 

[2] http://www.electrotechnik.net/2010/01/calculating-percentage-impedance-of.html
[3] www.eaton.com (“Google” transformer impedance)
Another general reference for terminology is:
http://www.electropedia.org/iev/iev.nsf/welcome?openform