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TRANSFORMER DESIGN AND APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS

FOR NON-SINUSOIDAL LOAD CURRENTS


Linden W.Pierce, Member, IEEE
General Electric Company
1935 Redmond Circle
Rome, Georgia 30165-1319

Abszrucf-The use of adjustable speed drives requires a particular product or expertise. Failures have been reported [ 1,2]
transformers capable of withstanding high levels of harmonic in dry type transformers loaded at less than nameplate kVA. The
currents under normal operating conditions. Experience has K-factor rated transformer listed by UL has been advertised as a
been that overheating problems are much more common with solution for these applications. Manufacturers advertise their K-
dry type transformers than with liquid filled transformers. factor rated transformers while in their trade association (NEMA)
Transformer insulation life is determined by the hot spot correspondence to UL claim that it is an invalid approach.
temperature but confirmation of hot spot temperature rise is Problems due to harmonics started to be recognized in the early
one performance characteristic which is ignored in industry 1980's and articles such as those by Stratford [3,4,5] started to
standards. This is especially important for transformers rated appear in the IEEE Industry Applications Society Transactions and
for non-sinusoidal load currents. Hot spot allowances used in Conferences. Application considerations for handling the effects
IEEE standards for ventilated dry type transformers were of harmonics in cement plants were also reported in the paper by
developed in 1944 and recent data indicates that revisions are Smith and Stratford [6]. Indoor transformer alternatives for
required. The design of transformers for non-sinusoidal load industrial plants include ventilated dry type, cast resin, silicone,
currents should include an analysis of the eddy loss and high temperature hydrocarbon transformers. Outdoor units are
distribution in the windings and calculation of the hot spot usually oil immersed unless mounted near or on the roofs of
temperature rise. Calculations and thermal tests giving only buildings. For each of these transformer options, the cost or
average winding temperature rises are not sufficient. Thermal application advantages must be evaluated. McCann [q gives a
tests with non-sinusoidal currents and measurements of hot review of these options for cement plants.
spot temperature rises are extremely difficult on large
transformers. The combination of testing and analysis may be 11. DEVELOPMENT OF IEEE STANDARD C57.110
the only economically practical approach. Analysis indicates
that the dry type transformer hot spot temperature is very A. History
sensitive to the eddy loss magnitude and distribution. The UL
K-factor rated dry type transformer and the recommended In the March 1980 meeting of the Transformers Committee of
practices given in ANSIlIEEE C57.110 are reviewed. When the IEEE Power Engineering Society there was a discussion of the
purchasing transformers subject to non-sinusoidal load effect of non-sinusoidal load currents on transformer temperature
currents, considerations should be given to the manufacturer's rise. For industrial systems the non-sinusoidal load was a steadily
development program and capability to calculate the eddy loss increasing percentage of the total load of a load center transformer.
distribution and hot spot temperatures. It was suggested that some guide should be developed to assist in
estimating transformer loading capability based on the amount of
I. INTRODUCTION distortion. In May 1980 a study committee was formed and had
its first meeting in October 1980. After the first meeting the study
Common sources of harmonics in industrial electrical systems group was elevated to a IEEE Working Group of the Performance
are rectifiers, dc motor drives, uninterruptible power supplies, and Characteristics Subcommittee. 22 representatives from
arc furnaces. The use of adjustable speed drives requires manufacturers and users constituted the Working Group.
transformers capable of withstanding high levels of harmonic An IEEE paper by Alexander D. Kline [8] of Southem
currents under normal operating conditions. Heating due to non- Transformer Company was presented at the IAS Annual meeting
sinusoidal load currents has become and important (hot) topic in in 1981 and distributed to the Working Group membership. This
the last several years. Today almost every conference of the IEEE paper first presented the methodology used in the C57.110
Power Engineering or Industry Application Societies has a panel document by considering the eddy loss to vary as the square of the
session on power quality or harmonics. Many of the speakers at current and harmonic order. After several preliminary drafts the
the panel sessions are consultants who continue to present the same first draft for balloting of C57.1101D1, "Recommended Practice
information at conference after conference to promote their for Establishing Transformer Capability When Supplying
companies. Many trade press articles with erroneous information Nonsinusoidal Load Currents", was completed October 29, 1982.
have also appeared. Scare headlines and advertisements such as, The methodology was also described in a 1984 paper by Rice [9]
"Harmonics-cancer in the electrical body", and "Don't let the using information from a draft copy of the document. The
harmonic demon destroy your transformer", are used to promote document [101 was completed and issued as IEEE Std. C57.110 in
1986. In 1989 this Working Group received the IEEE Outstanding
Working Group Award recognizing contributiom-to the industry,
originality of work, and timeliness of publication. Kennedy and
Ivey [ll] in their 1990 paper described application and design
considerations for transformers containing harmonic currents based
on the IEEE (257.110-1986 Recommended Practice.

0-7803-2456-0195 $4.00 0 1995 IEEE-IAS 35


The intent of IEEE C57.110-1986was to give procedures to The eddy loss is assumed to vary with the square of the rms
determine the capability of an existing transformer for non- current and the square of the frequency (harmonic order h), i. e.,
sinusoidal load currents. The methodology determines the derated

2 [?]
k=h, 2
current magnitude to allow for the increased harmonics. The
symbolization used in the 1986 document is overly confusing to 'EC = 'EC,R h2 (4)
those not knowledgeable of transformer design or terminology.
For example, Balda [12]erroneously calculated that the more a
small single phase distribution transformer was derated the more where
load it could carry! An IEEE Working Group of the
Transformers Committee. has been formed to revise IEEE (37.110. h harmonic order, 1,2,3,etc.
It has produced a draft [13] for discussion but has not been L the greatest harmonic order to be considered
balloted. 1, current at harmonic order h, amperes
IR rated current, amperes
B. Review of Transformer Losses PER eddy loss at rated current and frequency.

Transformer losses consists of no-load or core loss and load Bewley [16]in discussing eddy loss stated, "Thus at very high
losses. This can be expressed by the equation below. frequencies it varies as the square root of the frequency, whereas
at low frequencies it varies as the square of the frequency."
Pr = Pc + PU Stigant and Franklin [lq stated, "Various formulae have been
propounded from time to time for calculating this lqs, but there
where are so many factors which enter into the calculation that it is more
usual and practical to add a percentage on to the IzR loss rather
PC core or no-load loss, watts than to attempt to calculate it by means of formulae. The
PLL load loss, watts percentages which it is customary to add are based upon experience
PT total loss, watts. with the particular type of transformer under consideration."
Similar statements are made about the stray loss.
Core or no-load loss is due to the voltage excitation of the core. The eddy loss depends on the square of the strand dimension
For non-sinusoidal load currents the primary voltage waveform is perpendicular to the leakage flux field. At the ends of the winding
assumed to be sinusoidal. There is no allowance in (37.110 for the flux field bends and the larger dimension of the rectangular
any increase in core loss for non-sinusoidal load currents. strand is perpendicular to a vector component of the leakage flux
Although the magnetizing current does consists of harmonics, these field. Equalking the height of the primary and secondary windings
are extremely small compared with the load current and their effect reduces the concentrated eddy loss at the winding ends. However
on the losses is minimal. the magnitude is still greater than the middle of the winding due to
Load losses consists of f R loss, eddy loss, and stray loss, or in this bending of the leakage flux field. This is illustrated by a
equation form, figure in the Tutorial of C57.110-1986. Approximately equal
heights of primary and secondary windings can be achieved with
pU. = I ~ R+ peC + pSL any winding design. Reducing strand size reduces the per cent
eddy loss but increases ohmic loss unless more than one strand per
where turn is used. If more than one strand per turn is used, eddy losses
may increase due to circulating currents unless the strands are
12R loss due to load current and d.c. resistance of the transposed throughout the winding. Small transformers inherently
windings, watts have small strand sizes due to low currents.
p, winding eddy loss, watts Stray loss occurs due to the stray flux which introduces losses
PSL stray losses in clamps, tanks,etc., watts. in the core, clamps, tank, and other iron parts. Stray loss may
raise the temperature of the structural parts. For dry type
The IZRloss is due to the currents in and the dc resistance of the transformers increased temperatures in these regions does not
windings. Surprisingly this group of terms has no name other than contribute to an increase in the winding hot spot temperature. For
IZR although "ohmic losses" has been suggested by Ravot and liquid immersed transformers, the stray loss increases the oil
Kreuzer [14] and Blume et. a1 [I51 refer to it as "(d.c) ohmic temperature and thus the hot spot temperature of the windings.
losses." The ohmic loss is affected by the magnitudes of the Kennedy and Ivey [111 state, "Even then manufacturers disagree on
harmonic currents but not the frequency. The ohmic loss is the methods to use in order to calculate these stray losses". In a
determined by measuring the d.c. resistances using a d.c. current proposed standard [18]for semi-conductor rectifier transformers
and voltage then a calculation is performed using the winding the stray loss is assumed to vary with the square of the current
currents. times the frequency (harmonic order), as shown by (5).
There is no test method to determine individual winding eddy
loss or to separate transformer stray loss from eddy loss. The total
stray and eddy loss is determined by measuring the total load loss
during the impedance test. The total stray and eddy loss is
determined by subtracting the ohmic loss from the load loss, i.e.,
C. Assumptions used in C57.110
PeC + = pU. - PR (3)
(37.110 was intended as a guide and the methodology uses data
from the transformer test report. The methodology is to determine
the per unit current with the harmonic load which gives the same
loss density at the hot s h t location as with rated sinusoidal load

36
current. The methodology applies to either liquid immersed or dry 2. I
type transformers. Since the individual winding eddy loss and
"The K-factor equals ~ Z , ( ~ Uh2) ~
stray losses cannot be determined from the test data, the following b -1
assumptions are made:
where:
1) Conservative Assumptions:
a) All stray loss is assumed to be winding eddy loss, I,(PU) = the rms current at harmonic "h" (per unit of
b) Eddy loss varies with the square of the current and rated rms load current) and
harmonic order (eq. 4),and h = the harmonic order."
c) The per unit eddy loss at the hot spot location is assumed
to be 4 times the average per unit eddy loss. 3. "K-factor rated transformers have not been evaluated for use
2) Other Assumptions: with harmonic loads where the rms current of any singular
a) The division of eddy loss between the primary and harmonic greater that the tenth harmonic is greater than l/h of the
secondary winding is assumed to be 60 96 in the inner fundamental rms current. "
winding and 40 % in the outer winding for transformers
having a turns ratio of 4:l or less and 70 % in the inner C. Relationship between K-Factor and C57.110
winding and 30 96 in the outer winding for transformers
having a turns ratio greater than 4:l and having one or The UL definition of K-factor is based on using the transformer
more windings with a maximum self-cooled current rating rated current in the calculation of per unit current in (6).
greater than 1 O00 amperes. Substituting the rated current into the UL equation for the K-factor
b) Although not stated, it is also assumed that the gives;
transformer hot spot temperature rise does not exceed
values given in the transformer standards.

111. K-FACTOR RATED TRANSFORMERS


E FACTOR = e["]
b=1 1~
2
h2

A. Introduction of K-Factor Rating of Dry Transformers where;


1, rated rms load current of transformer.
In a 1988 tutorial paper Kerszenbaum, Majur, Mistry, and
Frank [191 presented a tabulation based on C57.110 methodology Equation 7 is similar to (4)from C57.110-1986. Trade press
which produced a summation of per unit current squared times the articles and marketing brochures have contributed to much
harmonic order squared which the authors' called the "K confusion by giving examples of K-factor incorrectly calculated
coefficient". Winding eddy loss and average winding temperature using the fundamental current to calculate per-unit current instead
rises were calculated for transformers rated from 225 through 2 of the transformer rated current. When the harmonic currents are
500 kVA. Calculated and tested eddy loss at 60 HZ only were less than the rated current this results in a higher but inaccurately
compared. Hot spot temperatures were discussed but not calculated K-factor. If the definition by UL is used then the
calculated and eddy loss at the hot spot location also was not calculated K-factor for a given set of harmonic currents varies with
calculated. A temperature rise test was performed on a 15 kVA the transformer kVA. Bishop and Gilker [22,23,24]report on a
transformer connected to a rectified load at 58.3 96 rated. Average PC controlled meter which allows input of the transformer rated
temperature rise of the secondary winding was measured but the current to calculate the K-factor. K-factor alone is meaningless
hot spot temperature rise was not measured. For this small unless the rated current used to calculate the K-factor is also given.
transformer, at reduced load, the average temperature rise was A suitable statement would be, "A K-factor of -based on a
33.56 'C which was only a 2.31 'C increase above the rated current of amperes".
temperature rise with sinusoidal current. The paper received the
Ralph E. Lee award in 1990 from the Commercial Power System D. UL Testing Requirements
Department of the Industry Application Society of the IEEE and
was published in the Transactions in 1991. For K-factor rated dry type transformers UL requires that the
International Transformer approached UL and the term "K stray and eddy losses for rated sinusoidal current be determined by
coefficient" was changed to "K-factor" and ITC achieved a test and then multiplied by the K-factor. A thermal test is
marketing coup by convincing UL to adopt the K-Factor rathg permitted using additional sinusoidal current to generate load loss
approach in December 1990 and becoming the first manufacturer equivalent to that determined by the calculation and average
to obtain a UL listing for K-factor rated transformers. Presently temperature rises are measured. Sinusoidaltest current used for all
most manufacturers of dry type transformers below 500 kVA have but small units. The test method gives a lower hot spot rise than
UL listed K-factor rated transformer designs. Frank [20]reviewed with non-sinusoidal test current. With harmonic currents the added
the origin of the k-factor rated transformer in a 1994 pper. eddy losses are concentrated at bottom and the hot spot location at
the top of the windings. Current UL listing requirements require
B. UL Definition of K-Factor no substantiation that the hot spot temperature is less than the
rated insulation system temperature class for K-factor rated
The only d e f ~ t i o nfor the K-factor rating for transfora?efsis in designs. The effect of l d i eddy loss on the hottest spot
Underwriters Laboratory Standards 1561 and 1662 [21]. Per temperature is ignored. The National Electrical Manufacturer's
Paragraph 7B.l added to UL 1562 on May 12, 1992, UL defines Association (NEMA) (representingdry type manufacturerswith UL
K-factor as follows: K-factor listings) is on record with UL that the UL K-factor listing
requirements are inadequate since they ignore increased hot spot
1. "K-FACTOR -- A rating optionally applied to a transformer temperatures due to increased eddy losses caused by harmonic
indicating its suitability for use with loads that draw nonsinusoidal currents at the hot spot location.
currents. "
37
E. Scope of UL 1562 and 110-3 apply to all electrical equipment [34] and are not
specific to transformers. The information in these and related
UL 1562 covers single-phase or three-phase, dry type, sections is condensed (based on the NEC and NEC Handbook) as
distribution transformers provided with either ventilated or non- follows: "All equipment required or permitted by the NEC shall
ventilated enclosures and are rated for a primary or secondary be acceptable only if approved. Approval of equipment is the
voltage from 601 to 35 OOO volts and from 1 to 5 OOO kVA. UL responsibility of the electncal inspection authority. It is the
1562 does not cover arc furnace transformers, rectifier responsibility of the local authority enforcing the NEC to interpret
transformers, mining transformers, motor starting transformers, or the specific rules of the NEC. Listing or labeling is considered as
transformers under the exclusive control of electrical utilities. a means of establishing suitability." The 1993 NEC does include
one fine print note (FPN) after article 222-22, Feeder Neutral
F. Neutral Conductors Load, that states, "A 3-phase, 4-wire power system used to supply
power to computer systems or other similar electronic loads may
In 1988 Electrical Construction and Maintenance magazine necessitate that the power system design allow for the possibility
published and article [25] entitled "Double the neutral and derate of high harmonic neutral currents".
the transformer--or else", summatizing the Computer and Business A proposal was made for the 1996 NEC to require that all
Equipment Manufactures Association recommendations to prevent transformers be labeled with a K-factor rating even if it was 1.
damage to the distribution system. Gruzs 1261 presents a survey This was rejected. The 1994 NFPA Ad hoc Committee on
of the magnitude of the neutral current in three-phase computer NonLiear Loads in its report [35] agreed with the code making
power systems. Excessive neutral currents may also occur in panel action and stated, "The loading of a transformer must
three-phase fluorescent lighting circuits [27]. To address this account for the total load including the increased heating effects of
problem UL 1561 and 1562 contain special requirements for the nonlinear load currents. Several methods for dealing with the
sizes of the transformer neutral conductor to allow for the possible heating effects of nonlinear loads have been presented including;
additive nature of triplen harmonic currents. derating, oversizing, increased insulation ratings, thermal
protection systems, and K-factor transformers. The optimum
G. Trade Press and K-Factor method for dealing with transformer overheating will vary
depending upon several technical and economic factors, and should
When the first manufacturer obtained its K-factor listing from be considered in the design phase for the electrid system".
UL and began promoting its product, the industry did not The user must decide (based on the local inspection authority
understand the concept. A review of the only consensus industry and requirements) if the NEC applies to any electrical equipment
standard, C57.110-1986, did not reveal the definition. There is a in the instabtion. For an excellent discussion of this topic refer
K in the document but it is used to describe other parameters. to the recent pap& by Goldberg and Castenschiold [36]. The
After the K-factor rated transformer became well known, majority of the transformers supplied by manufacturers for variable
advertisements and trade press articles appeared and contributed to speed drive applications are not listed by UL. Generally these
the confusion about the K-factor. However, one of the better units are designed to sustain specified unique nonsinusoidal load
articles is that by Nallen [28]. It appeared that many consultants currents..
and manufacturers portrayed the K-factor concept as a complicated There are no ANSI standards which define K-factor. "K-factor"
and mysterious subject for which only they had particular is not defined in current IEEE standards. The letter "K" appears
expertise. In 1993 Electrical Construction and Maintenance 1291 in many iEEE standards to describe many other parameters. The
magazine published a series of articles from different Viewpoints term does appear in the 1994 IEEE Red Book [37] which states
and in the final article by Moravek and Lethert [30] (which was "An equation developed in IEEE Std C57.110-1986 produces a
suppose to clear up the mystery) the "H-factor" was introduced value referred to as the K-factor and has helped in rating a
without definition! transformer's ability to wry harmonic currents"; and, "An
equation presented in E E E Std. (37.110-1986 includes a
IV. APPLICATION OF K-FACTOR TRANSFORMERS tabulation of the per-unit current squared times the frequency
squared that, when summed up for each harmonic, produces a
.
A. K-Factor Rated Transformers in Codes and Standards

Statements which have appeared in advertising literature are:


value refmed to as the K-factor. The K-factor is related to the
eddy-current loss in the winding conductors."

"The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that if harmonic B. Application Considerations for Combining Non-Sinusoidal
currents are present, then transformers must be K-factor listed per Load Currents
the National Electrical Code sections 90-4 and 110-3", and
"Transformers ahead of a variable speed drive must be listed for According to the definition in UL standards, K-factor is a rating
the purpose to comply with the NEC sections !X-4 and 110-3". A applied to dry type transformers. In the UL definition the per unit
recent IEEE paper by Massey E311 stated, "The K-factor is the only current to be used to calculate K-factor is obviously the transformer
acceptable method for estimating harmonic content and for rated secondary current at rated kVA. However, the industry has
specdymg distribution transformers for use under non-linear load begun to assign K-factors to the various electricalequipment which
conditions according to ANSI, IEEE, the 1993 National Electrid produce harmonic load currents; computers, incandescent lights,
Code, and Underwriter's Laboratory". etc. Because these equipment "K-factors" are based on per unit
The facts are that K-factor is defined only in UL standards. currents different than the transformer per unit rated current, a
NEMA has stated to UL that the UL K-factor listing requirements method is needed to determine the required transformer rating for
are not adequate. The 1993 National Electrical code [32] and the new installations. Methods have proposed and some
National Electrical Code Handbook, sixth edition [33] contain no consultants claim particular expertise in this field and have
references to K-factor rated transformers or requirements for published magazine articles to publicize their names. Tests
transformers ahead of a variable speed drive. NEC sections 90-4 reportedby Arthur [38] show that when many individual harmonic

38
producing devices are present the combined load K-factor is less 24 hour ambient of 30 'C with a 40 'C maximum. The rated hot
than the individual K-factors of the devices. Methods are needed spot temperature based on the 30 'C ambient is 210 'C for 150 'C
to design systems with many different types of equipment of average winding rise system and the maximum hot spot
differing non-sinusoidal loading in order to specify the correct temperature is 220 "C. The life for the model would then be
transformer rating. One method has been proposed by Massey [3 11 expected to be approximately 80 OOO hours at 210 'C. The life to
however it has not been confirmed by testing. Present methods be demonstrated by model testing is thus one-half the life expected
consider the non-sinusoidal load current content to be constant with for full size equipment as shown in the 1989 loading guide [49].
time. Load diversity, load cycle variation during the day, week, This guide shows a life of 175 680 or 20.05 years at the rated the
and year should be considered and these topics are starting to be hot spot temperature of 210 'C.
addressed. The time duration of harmonics was addressed by
Kaprielian and Emanuel [39] using statistical methods. The C. Liquid Immersed Transformers
summation of randomly fluctuating loads produced by acldc power
converters has also been studied by Wang, Pierrat, and Wang [MI. For liquid filled distribution transformers thermal evaluations
Simple, practical methods, are needed. are conducted per C57.100 [51]. The present document states in
one place that a 60 OOO hour life is required to be demonstrated by
V. TRANSFORMER INSULATION LIFE AND model testing. This appeats to be a carry over from the first
RELIABILITY proposed method of thermal evaluation [52]. Initially the
principles in the liquid thermal evaluation and the dry type thermal
A. Introduction evaluation guides were similar. That is, that model aging tests
were overly pessimistic and that the life of actual eqspment would
In 1970 articles appeared in the trade press about the life be longer. After manufacturers conducted thermalaging programs
expected of dry type transformers. The first of these was by on distribution transformers, no failures occurred after aging times
Jerome M. Frank [41,42] of Sorgel Electric Corp. Frank claimed several times that shown in the loading guide. Currently the
a 2.3 year life at 220 ' C and a 4.6 year life at 210 'C. Franks's distribution transformer loading guide is based on a 20 year life at
conclusion was based on a premise (supposedly in industry rated hot spot temperature of 110 'C. For distribution
standards) that half-life was reached in 20 OOO hours at rated transformers industry experience [53] has also been to require a
temperature. Rebuttal articles appeared by Dutton and Antalis of safety factor of 5 times the life in the loading guide. The revision
General Electric [43] quoting industry standards and stating that of C57.100 [54] will also require that a life of 180 OOO hours at
service experience supported a longer life than that stated by rated hottest spot temperature be demonstrated by using full size
Frank. At the time of the articles, the loading guide [U] for dry units for distributions transformers and models for power
type transformers only gave a per unit life curve and the 150 'C transformers with a safety factor of 5 for distribution transformers
average temperature rise class applied to sealed gas transformers and 2 for power transformers.
only and not ventilated .dry units.
These articles must have caused confusion to specifyers of dry D. Cast Resin Transformers
type transformers. Lazar [45] (an electrical consultant) stated in
a 1977 article, "The weakest point of the class H insulation is its Dry type transformers with solid cast windings of epoxy resin
life expectancy at the ultimate temperature of 220 'C. Indeed were developed in Europe, and this transformer design began to be
Class H materials must withstand 150 'C rise for a minimum of widely accepted in the United States in the 1980's. The solid cast
20,000 hr. At full load and assuming a possible 40 'C ambient for or residencapsulated transformer was incorporated into the first
24-hr. continuous operation, the 20,000 hr would disappear in 2.3 IEEE standard [ S I in 1989. There are many cast-resin
years. Based on these assumptions, it would be good practice to transformer designs available with different insulation temperature
design for a Class H with 115 'C rise only." However Reason classes. Current practice by manufacturers has been to rely on
[&I, assistant editor of Power, wrote in 1980 about ventilated dry tests of individual materials to determine the rated insulation
type transformers, "Their normal life expectancy of 20 years can temperature class to assign to their designs. Operating experience
be drastically increased if they are operated at less than rated indicates this gives acceptable life when cast-resin transformers are
capacity. " operated at nameplate ratings. At the present time, the industry
Concerns about life of transformers is also evident in modem has not established Arrhenius insulation aging curves to give loss
times, In response to a 1990 readers quiz [47] in Electrical of insulation life for cast-resin transformer windings operated
Construction and Maintenance, one reader replied, "As a good above the rated insulation temperature class.
engineering practice the transformers should not be loaded more A trial use standard NEE (37.12.60 [Sa] for thermal evaluation
than 80 96 of the nameplate rating". Another response was, of insulation systems for solid cast-resin transformers will serve as
"A.A.G may add additional load of up to 450 A, thus bringing the a standard test method for life test models for d e " h b g the rated
transformer loading up to 1 800A. However, if this total load is insulation temperature class of cast-resin transformer windings.
continuous, the transformer will probably not last longer than ten The materials and coil design techniques used in cast-resin
more years, as transformers are generally not designed for full- transformers necessitated a document to recognize factors such as
rated continuous load." The quiz statement did not state whether the effect of glass transition temperature, higher resin to air and
the unit was a liquid or dry type. metal ratios, filler contents, and conductor identity on aging and
performance. An arbitrary extrapolation criteria of 40 OOO hours
B. Dry Type Transformers was selected for the evaluation.
In addition to determining the rated insulation temperatwe class,
Test procedures for thermal evaluation of dry type transformer thermal evaluation standards give data for preparing loading
models is documented in IEEE standard C57.12.56 [48]. A life of guides. At this time no test data in accordance with the trial use
40 OOO hours is to be demonstrated for the insulation temperature standard IEEE CJ7.12.60 bas been reporkd. There have been
class at the maximum rated ambient temperature. In dry type reports of difficulties in using the test methods of C57.12.60 and
transformers standards [55] the kVA rating is based on an average an IEEE Working Group of the Transformers Committee has been

39
formed to revise the document. The effect of cracking or softening B. Electromagnetic Analysis
of the epoxy due to thermal cycling to elevated temperatures could
be the limiting factor in overloading cast-resin transformers and not The subject of harmonics has received much publicity in recent
insulation aging. Due to the lack of aging data, the draft [57] times leading to the belief that the industry is only beginning to
guide for loading cast-resin transformers uses a concept of loading understand the effect of harmonics and to calculate the increased
above rating based on limiting hot spot temperatures to determine eddy losses. It seems that each generation must relearn the
loading capability of cast-resin transformers. engineering principles discovered by its ancestors. The facts are
that many companies and individuals have made significant
E. Transformer Reliability contributions to the design, construction, and testing of
transformers supplying non-linear loads. As early as 1906 Field
Dry type transformers are replacing liquid filled units in many [59] presented a paper giving analytical results for the eddy losses
industrial plants. Thermal failures have been reported on dry type in conductors located in a magnetic field. Although this was for
transformers subjected to non-sinusoidal load currents even when conductors located in an iron slot, this had similarity to transformer
the RMS current was below rated. The aging model thermal windings located within the window region of the iron core studied
evaluation requirements discussed previously indicate a longer life by B a g [a]. Eiarly investigations were highly mathematical such
expectancy for liquid immersed transformers. There is a difference as that by Roth [61] in 1928 or graphical flux plotting such as by
in philosophy between liquid and dry type thermal evaluation Stevenson and Park [62,63] in 1926 and 1927. The flux plots
standards. The dry type thermal evaluation requirement is that given in these early papers were every bit as detailed and probably
model aging demonstrate a life of one-half the 20 year life given as accurate as those produced by modem computer programs. An
in the loading guide. For liquid immersed transformers the next English language review and summary of the many French
thermal evaluation test requirement will be that a life of 2 or 5 language papers of Roth is given by Hammond [MI. Stephens
times the 20 year life in the loading guide be demonstrated. There [65] in 1934 and Kaul [66] in 1957 also developed methods to
is an argument that model aging testing is generic and that dry type determine eddy current losses in windings.
ageing models could also be expected to last 5 times the life given With the invention of the computer, methods were developed to
in the loading guide, similar to liquid units. Except for the limited use this machine to compute electrical fields and eddy losses in
Crouse and Hutchinson data [50] for inorganic systems which are transformers. Mamak and Laithwaite [67] used finite difference
no longer used, there is no published aging model data to support methods. The paper by Rabins [68] from 1956 is another example.
this conclusion for the organic insulation systems used currently in In a 1985 paper Konrad [69] reviewed 171 references about eddy
dry type transformers. curreats and modeling. Figures 3 and 5 from his paper illustrate
Although insulation life is based on the hot spot temperature, flux and current density plots for a prototype transformer
investigation of hot spot temperatures has been ignored until manufactured by the author’s company. Many commercial
recently. Hot spot temperature increments in excess of 30 C may computer programs are currently available and many run on a PC.
be a factor in failures of dry type transformers with non-sinusoidal A list is given in the 1989 ZEEE S p e c ” article by Cendes [70].
load currents and this needs further study. The last reliability These computer programs produce elegant plots however their
survey [58] of transformers in industrial plants was conducted in accuracy cannot be proven. One example is the paper by Pavlik,
1979. There is a need for an up to date reliability survey. Johnson, and G ~ g i [71].
s In a comparison of calculations with test
results, the total loss including the easily calculable ohmic loss
VI. TRANSFORMER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS which indicated a higher accuracy in the calculation of eddy and
stray losses than actually existed. The ohmic loss should be
A. Introduction subtracted from the total load loss to obtain the stray and eddy
loss. A comparison of test and calculated stray and eddy loss
Many transformer manufacturers have developed designs rated should then be made.
for nonsinusoidal load currents while optimizing their product Losses due to harmonic currents in rectifier transformers also
costs. In addition to material costs the optimizationdepends on the appears to be well understood as evidenced by the papers of
manufacturer’s labor rates, production volume, and investments in DeBlieux [72,73] in 1931 and 1937. More current papers are
expensive production equipment required for automated those by Crepaz [74,75] from 1970 and 1975. Crepaz used the
manufacturing. Every manufacturer claims its own specific design letter “k“as a ratio of eddy loss with harmonics divided by eddy
has features which reduce stray and eddy loss. loss with the fundamental harmonic only. Recently Ram, Forrest,
Design of transformers for non-sinusoidal load currents should and Swift [76], and Forrest [77] reported on test methods to
include an analysis of the eddy loss distribution in the windings and determine the variation of losses with frequency. Small currents
calculation of the hot spot temperature rise. Eddy losses due to the at different frequencies are input and the losses measured. A curve
leakage flux distribution are concentrated in the ends of the fit equation was developed to predict the eddy current and stray
winding. Thermal studies should be conducted using embedded loss variation with current and frequency. Manufacturers who
thermocouples installed in test windings and prototype transformers have attempted to use the methods have reported varied results.
to measure hot spot temperature to refine mathematical models to
calculate the hot spot temperature. A three dimensional C. Thermal Analysis
mathematical model should allow for eddy loss variation in
winding. Analysis of the eddy loss distribution may be performed Although hot spot temperature is a performance parameter [55]
using finite element or other type computer programs. to be met by the manufacturer, there are currently no test methods
Commercial programs are available. A combination of testing and or requirements that this parameter be measured on production or
analysis may be the only economically practical approach for large prototype transformers. This seems extremely peculiar since it is
transformers above about 300 kVA. the fundamental parameter determuun‘ ’ g the life of the equipment
and the thermal evaluation standards give test methods for
determining the rated hot spot temperature of an insulation system.
Most manufacturers of dry type transformers simply add 30 C to

40
the average temperature rise (calculated using empirical equations) VII. THERMAL INVESTIGATIONS FOR DRY TYPE
and claim this is "per the standards", although the IEEE standards TRANSFORMERS
do not state that this is permissible practice. IEEE standard
(37.12.01-1989 requires that both average winding temperature A. History of the 30 'C Allowance
rise and hot spot temperature are limits to be met at rated kVA.
The difference between these two limits is 30 ' C but the 30 " C Based on the 1944 experimental works of Stewart and
does not appear as a separate number. Whitman [82] and Satterlee [83], NEE standards used a hottest
Many dry type transformer manufacturers would like users to spot allowance of 30 * C for 80 'C average temperature rise. The
believe that the subject of dry type hot spot temperatures is a conclusion of Stewart and Whitman from 1944, that the ratio of
mysterious subject. They would like you to believe that almost hottest spot temperature rise to average temperature rise was
nothing is known on this subject with no published papers, etc. constant, appears to have been forgotten in present industry
They also claim that the hot spot temperature is difficult to standards for ventilated dry type transformers. The 30 'C hottest
measure and that since there is no IEEE test method, they are spot temperature allowance established in 1944 for 80 'C average
under no obligation to conduct testing, etc. They also convey the temperature rise was approximately correct. At that time average
impressionthat temperatures in transformer windings are somewhat kVA ratings were less than the present. The 150 ' C average
uniform and the 30 'C allowance is for localized heating at a spot winding temperature rise for the 220 'C insulation temperature
which cannot be predicted. They also try to give the impression class was extended to ventilated units initially in NEMA Standards
that the 30 ' C allowance was adopted in standards as a maximum [84] and later in IEEE standards [55] and the 30 'C hottest spot
number and that it is usually less that this value. Some even claim allowance incorrectly retained. The 1989 LEEE standard [55] used
that most manufacturers take steps to see that the allowance is a constant 30 'C hottest spot allowance for all insulation
always less than 30 "C in their designs. ANSIHEEE Standard 1 temperature classes and all size transformers. The IEC standard
[78] supports these arguments by stating that the hot spot allowance [85] uses a variable hottest spot allowance from 5 " Cto 30 'C.
value is arbitrary, difficult to determine, and depends on many
factors, such as size and design of the equipment. B. Recent Hot Spot Investigations-Dry Type Transformers
The hot spot is simply the highest temperature in the
transformer windings. It is a naturally occurring phenomena due The author and his company have conducted the following tests
to the generation of losses and the dissipation of those losses by the on dry type transformer windings and prototypes and the results
heat transfer mechanisms. All transformers have a hot spot since shared with the industry [86,87,88,89,90]:
at some place in the winding the temperature is the highest. Many
commercial computer programs are advertised to predict 1. 2 OOO kVA cast resin transformer, 300 imbedded
temperatures in equipment. Readers of magazines such as Muchine thermocouples, 22 test runs.
Design or Design News in which these programs are described 2. Six thermal test coils of different duct sizes, 142-171
would naturally expect manufacturers to have the capability to thermocouples, 97 test runs for fundamental heat
calculate the maximum temperature in the transformer windings. transfer data.
Similarly readers of magazines such as the IEEE Specfrutn would 3. 2 500 kVA prototype with disc high voltage windings and
naturally expect manufacturers to have the ability to calculate the embedded thermocouples.
eddy loss distribution within the windings. With modem computer 4. 2 500 kVA prototype with sheet conductor low voltage
technology it should be possible to predict the hot spot winding containing embedded thermocouples.
temperature. Dry type transformers have unique heat transfer
characteristics which are not well known. For this reason the The above investigations represent the most comprehensive
author developed a proprietary 3-D program for heat transfer investigation of dry type transformer heat transfer since that of
calculations in dry type windings. The program was refined by Stewart and Whitman [82] 50 years ago. The author is the only
tests on windings and prototype transformers with embedded investigator to determine the effect of core loss on the hot spot
thermocouples. temperature by conducting comparative loading back and short
There have been extensive investigations of liquid filled circuit heat run tests. The author discovered that the ratio of hot
transformer heat transfer phenomena with many published papers. spot rise to average rise was essentially constant for a given
Some companies have chosen not to publish their test results and winding and depended on duct size and winding height.
computer calculation methods and expertise depends on the
manufacturer. Harold Moore, a consultant, recently reported that C. Hot Spot Temperature of Cast Resin Transformers
information submitted by manufacturers of large transformers
during design reviews show that some have detailed computer The author's test data indicated a ratio of hot spot rise to
analysis of the thermal design but others calculate the hot spot average rise of 1.20 to 1.25 for the cast resin transformer design
simply by adding 15 'C to the average temperature rise. An tested. This is lower than the ratio of 1.4 to 1.5 for large
accurate electromagnetic and thermal analysis is essential for ventilated dry type transformers due to the extremely large cooling
transformers designed for non-sinusoidal load currents. An duct sizes and the large amount of winding surface area available
example of this type analysis for liquid immersed transformers is for radiation heat loss. Cast resin designs with smaller internal
given by the paper of Preiningerova, Kahoon, and Doiezel[79] and cooling ducts would be expected to have hot spot ratios similar to
in the book by Karsai, Kerenyi, and Kiss [80]. Heating due to ventilated dry type transformers.
harmonic currents may also occur in utility transformers [811.
D. Hot Spot Temperatures of Ventilated Dry Type
Transformers

The author discovered that there is a large thermal gradient


from the bottom to the top of the windings of large (above 500
kVA) drytype transfor". Thisgradientis dependant onthe

41
height (length) of the winding. IEEE standards utilize a constant The analysis was performed with the calculated average eddy
30 'C allowance between the hot spot temperature rise and the loss of 1.46 per cent of the ohmic loss for K-factors of 1 and 13.
average temperature rise. To meet hot spot temperature rise limits A calculation was performed with a slightly higher eddy loss of 2
requires that the average temperature rise be reduced below % to show the effect of the uncertainty on the hot spot rise and
guarantees because the difference between hot spot and average average rise. The results are summarized in Table I1 and the
temperature rise may be more than 30 'C. The recent data temperature distribution for eddy loss distribution case number 2
indicated that the hot spot increment may be up to 60 'C on large is shown in Figure 2. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the hot
transformers (generally above 500 kVA). A comparison of the spot temperature rise is influenced considerable more than average
author's test results with the IEEE assumed temperature gradient winding rise by changes in eddy loss magnitude and location. Test
for a typical winding is shown in Figure 1. methods which simply increase sinusoidal current to give the same
Changes in IEEE standards to more accurately reflect the losses will give approximately the same average temperature rise
relationship between average temperature rise and hot spot rise in but hot spot temperatures may vary considerable.
large (above 500 kVA) dry type transformers has been proposed.
An IEEE Working Group has been formed to review these TABLE I
proposals for a future revision of (37.12.01 Table 4A. It will be EDDY LOSS DISTRIBUTION
difficult to reconcile the divergent opinions on this subject and
most manufacturers are unwilling to change IEEE standards since DISTRIBUTION DESCRIPTION
it increases their transformer cost.
Case 1 Eddy loss was distributed throughout the
winding and the eddy loss at the top and
bottom five per cent of the winding was four
times the average eddy loss distribution.
-
TEST IEEE
..........
case 2 All the eddy loss was assumed to be at the
top and bottom five per cent of the winding.

U ................
TABLE I1
CALCULATED TEMPERATURE FUSE VARIATION
WITH EDDY LOSS MAGNITUDE AND DISTRIBUTION

[/-.cBOTTOU TEST 40 I K- DIST. EL AVE. HOT SPOT


FACTOR CASE % FUSE 'C RISE 'C
0 20 40 60 80 100
PER CENT HEIGHT 1 1 1.46 80.2 128.1
1 1 2.00 80.5 128.7
Fig. 1. Comparison of test data with IEEE standards. 1 2 1.46 80.2 129.7

VIII. EXAMPLE CALCULATIONS 13 1 18.98' 89.0 151.9


FOR VENTILATED DRY TYPE TRANSFORMER 13 1 26.0- 92.3 160.7
13 2 18.98' 87.5 176.9
A dry type transformer was required rated AA-T-60-300@
13800-950with a harmonic current content equivalent to a k-Factor '1.46 x 13 = 18.98 "2.0 x 13 = 26.0
of 13. Loss data was as follows:

PR LV 7 650 watts
1% HV 15 446 watts
Eddy Loss LV 326 watts K = l K = 13
0 - ----
Eddy Loss HV 225 watts
stray Loss 1 744 watts

For this transformer the high voltage winding had a higher hot spot
temperature even though the eddy loss was lower than the low
voltage winding. The low voltage winding used a sheet conductor
which provided good heat conduction from the high eddy loss
region. The electromagnetic analysis indicated a eddy loss of 1.46
% of the ohmic loss for the high voltage winding.
The three dimensional mathematical model [W] developed to
predict hot spot temperatures in ventilated dry type transformers
allows for eddy loss variation throughout the winding. The
computer program was used to perform a sensitivity analysis of the PER CENT HEIGHT
relationship of eddy loss magnitude and distribution on the average
and hot spot temperature rises. The distribution of the eddy loss Fig. 2. Effect of harmonic losses on temperature rise.
for two cases is described in Table I.

42
IX. HOT SPOT INVESTIGATIONS data and'the author's experience indicates that the location of the
FOR LIQUID FILLED TRANSFORMERS hot spot is difficult to determine. A recent CERE [97] survey
reported that two to eight sensors would be adequate if placed in
In the decade of the 1990's the technology focus in the the winding where the higher temperature is expected but for
transformer industry is on thermal performance and loadability. prototype transformers it was estimated that twenty to thirty
Many transformers undergo planned overloading by electric sensors would be required.
utilities to maximize the return on the investment in this expensive
equipment. As reported recently by W. J. McNutt [91], "...all X. EXAMPLE CALCULATION
loadability decisions are based on hottest conductor temperature, FOR LIQUID FILLED TRANSFORMER
but that parameter is never measured during a thermal test, and
some manufacturers never actually calculate what it would be for A oil immersed transformer rated OA-T-60-3600 kVA-22000Y-
rated loading. ....The thermal equations provided in the loading 575 was designed for a specified harmonic current content. After
guide are recognized to be grossly inaccurate for some cooling installation actual harmonic currents were measured and the current
modes and not precisely correct for others". spectrum supplied to the manufacturer with a request to check the
Since the loading guide equations were first proposed [92] in temperature rises. At rated load and 60 Hz.the tested losses were:
1945, many papers and trade press articles have been written on
transformer loading using these equations. It is generally stated No Load 4 072 watts
that the equations are conservative without giving test data to PR 27 821 watts
substantiate this statement. The equations have been incorporated Stray and eddy loss 4 060 watts
into computer programs by consultants and utilities. Until recently Total loss 35 953 watts
little research has been performed on measurements of hot spot
temperatures in windings of full size transformers during transient Temperature rises above ambient were:
loading. Thermal research has centered on computer modeling of
steady state performance with tests on model windings to obtain HV Ave. Rise 48.1 'C
data to validate the models. The purpose of these studies was to LV Ave. Rise 47.6 'C
more accurately predict thermal performance at nameplate ratings Top Oil Rise 47.2 'C
to minimize the manufacturer's cost. Hot Spot rise 55.3 'C
Transformer manufacturers have investigated liquid filled
transformer heat transfer phenomena for over a hundred years with A calculation using the harmonic current distribution gave;
many published papers. Many of the design equations are based
on proprietary test data obtained by many researchers. The author
[93] recently reparted on an investigation on a full size test
winding with embedded thermocouples to investigate transient
loading on the hot spot temperature. The tests indicated that the
industry loading guides were not valid for all modes of cooling and
all loading conditions. During overloads there is a time lag
between the top oil temperature rise in the tank and the oil rise in
the winding cooling ducts. Thermal tests were also performed on
a 5 600 kVA prototype transformer at various loads to compare the
hot spot temperature with oil and silicone fluids. The test data was Engineering analysis indicated the division of the eddy and stray
used to refine an analytical computer program to calculate hot spot loss to be;
temperature.
Modem computer technology now pertnits more refined eddy loss 316watts
calculations of loading capability. An improved system of stray loss 3 744 watts
equations was developed by the author [94]for inclusion in the
next loadiqg guide [95]. The improved system of loading With the harmonic load currents the losses are;
equations is based on the fluid flow conditions occurring in the
transformer during transient conditions. The equations and No Load 4 072 watts
computer program also incorporated an improved method of I* 27 821 watts
calculation for variable load cycles and variable ambient eddy loss 6.28 x 316 = 1 984 watts
temperatures. The properties of the low flammability fluids stray loss 1.62 x 3 744 = 6 065 watts
polydimethylsiloxane (silicone) and high temperature hydrocarbon Total loss 44 014 watts
(hthc) were also incorporated into the improved loading equations.
In the 1980s direct measurement of winding hot spot using As indicated by equations in the IEEE Loading Guide [95], for the
fiber optic detectors became feasible. In the 1990's thermal OA cooling mode, the top oil rise is proportional to the losses to
research is moving into studies of overload performance using the .8 exponent and may be estimated for the harmonic lossessfrom
these fiber optic hot spot detectors. Due to the high cost and poor the test data at rated load and losses as shown below:
reliability of the fiber optic devices their use appears to be
primarily as a research tool to measure hot spot during factory 014 %.2 = 55.5 -c
thermal tests on transformers and for use on selected units to obtain = [44M I
dynamic loading data under actual field conditions. Due to the
poor reliability, redundant probes must be used. Experience such The maximum per unit eddy loss occurred in the high voltage
as that reported in a recent Doble paper by Troisi [96] indicates winding and was calculated to be 2.0 per cent of the ohmic loss.
that even with extreme care in installation, about 25 to 33 percent Assuming that the maximum eddy loss at the hot spot region to be
of the probescanbe expected to failduetodamage. Reported

43
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46
BIOGRAPHY
1901 L. W. Pierce, "Predicting hottest spot temperatures in Linden W. Pierce (M'70) received the B. S. degree in
ventilated drv tvpe transformers," IEEE Tram on Power Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas, Austin in
Delivery. Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 1160-1172. April 1994. 1963. completed the General Electric Advanced Course in
1911 W. J. McNutt. "Notes from Bill McNutt". me Dobfe Engineering in 1966, and received the M. S. Degree in Mechanical
Exchange, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 9-10, Sept., 1992. Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1973.
1921 AIEE Transformer Subcommittee, "Guides for operation of He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Georgia.
transformers, regulators, and reactors," Trans. AIEE, Vol. In 1963 he joined the General Electric Company and since 1965
64. QQ. 797-805; disc. pp. 957-958, Nov. 1945. has worked for the Transformer Department at Rome, Georgia
1931 L. W. Pierce, "An investigation of the thermal performance with various positions in transformer design. development, and
of an oil filled transformer winding," IEEE Trans. on Power program management. He is currently Senior Engineer, Product
Delivery, Vol. 7, No. 3. pp. 1347-1358. July 1992. Technology. He holds eight patents and is the author of ten
I941 L. W. Pierce "Predicting liquid tilled transformer loading technical papers. His paper, "An Investigation of the Thermal
capability," IEEE Trans. on Industy Applicm'ons, Vol 30. Performance of an Oil Filled Transformer Winding", was selected
No. 1, pp. 170-179. JanJFeb. 1994. by the IEEE Transformers Committee for its 1992 Prize Paper
I951 IEEE Guide forbading Mineral Oil Immersed Transfomn. Award.
PC57.91, Draft 11.3, Oct. 24. 1994 Annex G. Mr. Pierce is a member of the IEEE Industry Applications.
[96] J. F. Troisi. "Experience with fiber optic hot-spot sensors Power Engineering, Magnetics, and Dielectrics &d Electrical
in 450 MVA SMIT autotransformer," Proc. I992 Doble Insulation Societies, and is also a member of CIGRE. He is a
Conference. member of the IEEE Transformers Committee. Chairman of the
[971 Working Group 09 of Study Committee 12. "Direct Working Group on Guides for Loading Liquid Filled
measurement of hot-spot temperature of transformers". Transformers, Chairman of the Working Group on Development
CIGRE Electra, No. 129, pp. 48-51. March 1990. of the Loading Guide for Cast-Resin Transformers, and Chairman
of the Insulation Life Subcommittee.

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