Texas A&M University

60th Annual Conference

for Protective Relay Engineers

Practical Considerations of
CT Performance
Mehdi Yahyavi, Farshid Vahedian Brojeni, Mohammad Vaziri

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

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 Agenda

1) CT FOUNDAMENTALS (Steady State Analysis)

2) SECONDARY VOLTAGE AND CT EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT

Example 1

3) EXITATION CURVE AND CT ERRORS

Example 2

4) CT PARAMETERS PER VARIOUS STANDARDS

Example 3

5) CONCLUDING REMARKS

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 1. CT FOUNDAMENTALS
FOR STEADY STATE ANALYSIS

• Basic Equations:
IS=IP / NR
VS= 4.44 f. NR.B.S. 10-8 IP NR =IP/IS

1 : NR-turns IS
Where:
• Ip=Primary current
• IS= Secondary current M
• VS=Secondary voltage B S Vs

• f=Frequency R
• NR=Rated turn ratio
• B=Flux density
• S= Core area cross section
Current Transformer

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 2. SECONDARY VOLTAGE &
CT EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT
• Circuit Equations IP IS IM
ZCT ZL
IM = IS – IE IE
VS= IM x ZT
VS ZR
ZE

Where:
IS= IP / NR Secondary current
IM= IP / NA Measuring current ZB
ZT = ZCT + ZB Total burden: 1:NR
(Ideal) ZT
CONNECTED
BURDEN
TOTAL
ZB = ZL + ZR Connected burden CT Equivalent Circuit BURDEN

IE = Excitation path Impedance

ZE = Excitation path Impedance
ZCT = CT winding burden
ZL = Lead wire burden
ZR = Relay & meters burden
NR = Rated turn ratio
NA = Effective ratio

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 Main Concerns

• Where is the
calculated VS
on the CT
characteristic
for a specific
fault?

• Is the CT error
acceptable
for this case?

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 Calculate CT Secondary Voltage VS
Seven Steps:

IP IS IM
1) Secondary Fault Current IS ZCT ZL
– Assuming: IM ~IS , IE
then: IM = IS= IP / NR
VS ZR
ZE
2) CT Winding Impedance ZCT
– Calculate per manufacturer
Ohm/turn values
1:NR ZB
(Ideal)
CONNECTED
3) Wires Impedance ZL ZT BURDEN
TOTAL
CT Equivalent Circuit BURDEN

– Calculate by having the wire

lengths and size
Utilizing empirical formula:

ZL= e(0.232 G -2.32) Milliohm/ft

Where:
G is the American Wire Gauge
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 Calculate CT Secondary Voltage VS (Cont.)

4) Total meter & relay impedance ZR

– Microprocessor relays: 0.5 Ohm including meters
– Electromechanical relays: calculate ZR for connected tap as:
ZR= Z0 (T0 / TR)2
In this formula, T0 is minimum tap, Z0 is relay burden at
minimum tap and TR is the selected tap

5) CT Connected Burden ZB
– Calculate for 3-phase system based on the table (IEEE/ANSIC.37.110)
CT connection 3Ph or 2Ph Fault Ph-to-Ground Fault
Wye at CT- terminal ZB = ZL + ZRP ZB = 2ZL + (ZRP + ZRG)
Wye at Switchboard ZB = 2ZL + ZRP (2-Ph) ZB = 2ZL + (ZRP + ZRG)

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Calculate CT Secondary Voltage VS (cont.)

IP
6) CT Total Burden IS IM
ZCT ZL
IE
ZT =ZCT + ZB
VS ZR
ZE

1:NR ZB
(Ideal) ZT
CONNECTED

7) Secondary Voltage CT Equivalent Circuit

TOTAL
BURDEN
BURDEN

VS= IM ZT

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Example 1:
Calculate CT Secondary Voltage for phase to ground
fault given the following:

– CT Maximum tap=6000:5 ZL+ ZRP ZM

– CT connected tap=1000:5 ZL ZRP ZM

– CT Wires =140 Feet of 12 ZL ZRP ZM

AWG (0.0016 Ohm/Feet)
– Winding resistance=0.00171
Ohm/turn
– Relay and meter burden
ZR=1.09 Ohm ZL ZRG

– CT connection= Wye- at CT
terminals CT connection in a 3Ph system with
– Primary fault current=16KA single phase fault

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 CT Characteristics by Manufacturer
• Manufacturer’s Data

• Excitation Curve
Secondary Voltage per
Excitation Current

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 Step by Step Solution
1) CT secondary current: IP IS IM

NR=1000/5 =200 IE
ZCT ZL

(secondary winding turns) VS ZR

ZE
IS ~=IM =IP/N=16,000/200= 80A

1:NR ZB
(Ideal) ZT CONNECTED

TOTAL BURDEN

2) Winding impedance of the CT: BURDEN

ZCT =200×0.00171=0.342 Ohm

3) CT Wire (leads) burden:

ZL = 140 feet×0.0016= 0.224
Ohm
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 Step by Step Solution (Continued)
4) Burdens for Phase relays ZRP , ZL+ ZRP ZM

Ground relays ZRG and any Meter ZM ZL ZRP ZM

ZR = ZRP + ZRG+ ZM ZL ZRP ZM

ZR =1.090 Ohm

5) Connected Burden
ZB =2ZL + ZR =2×0.224+1.09=1.538 ZL ZRG

Ohm

6) Total Burden: IP IS IM
ZT =ZCT + ZB =0.342+1.538 =1.880 ZCT ZL
IE
Ohm
ZE
VS ZR

7) CT secondary voltage for ground

fault:
1:NR ZB
VS= IM ZT ZT CONNECTE
D BURDEN
= 80×1.88=150.4V~150V TOTAL
BURDEN

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3. EXITATION CURVE AND CT ERRORS
VS Excitation Voltage (Secondary)

CT Characteristic 1000
VA
A
Vk Point of
K
• Operating Region (linear) 100
10% Error
VS S
Knee Point
• Knee point
45O Operating
10
Point
• Saturation Region
beyond the knee point 1

where errors increase

0
IA
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Exciting Amperes IE

CT Typical Excitation Curve

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 CT Characteristic by Open Circuit Test

CT characteristic can be generated by testing

• CT primary is in open circuit configuration

• Variable voltage source applied at the secondary
• Plot IE verses the secondary voltage VS
IE
Z CT A
VS

Open Variable
ZE V
Primary AC-Voltage

Test Circuit of the CT

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 CT Characteristics by Manufacturer
• Manufacturer’s Data

• Excitation Curve
Secondary Voltage per
Excitation Current

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 CT Ratio Error ER
• Difference between Measured secondary current IM and the
primary current caused by IE
• Defined as Ratio of the excitation current IE to the measured
secondary current IM :
ER = (IE / IM ) or as percentage: ER % = (IE / IM )x100

• Can also be expressed as differences between effective ratio NA

and rated ratio NR :
ER=( NA -NR) / NR then: NA = (ER x NR ) +NR
IP IS IM
ZCT ZL
IE

ZE
VS ZR

Errors may be significant

beyond the knee point 1:NR ZB
ZT CONNECTED

TOTAL BURDEN
BURDEN

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 Ratio Error in different taps “a”, “b”

• Ratio error varies as the CT tap changes

• It is inversely proportional to the square of tap ratios

ER-a / ER-b = (Nb / Na )2 or: ER-b = ER-a × (Na / Nb )2

In these formulas, ER-a and ER-b are ratio errors, Nb and Na are
turn ratios, both at taps “a” and “b” respectively

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 Example 2:

For the CT in the same circuit as example 1:

a) Calculate CT ratio error ER

b) Calculate effective CT ratio NA
c) Determine knee point voltage VK from the curve
d) Determine the Saturation Voltage VA at the 10%
error limit
e) Determine CT ratio error at the full tap (6000:5)

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Example 2 (Continued):
a) Calculate CT ratio error ER
From the manufacturer’s CT curve for tap (1000:5), IE = 1A corresponding to
VS=150V and IM=80A calculated in example 1

ER1% = IE / IM ×100 =(1/80) x100= 1.25%

1000 V

Vk=500

160 160 V
Vs=150

Vk=82

8A
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Example 2 (Continued):

b) Calculate effective CT ratio NA

NA =(ER× NR)+ NR

=(0.0125×200)+200= 202.5

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Example 2 (Continue):
c) Determine knee point voltage VK from the curve

VK=82V < 150V

1000 V

Vk=500

160 160 V
Vs=150

Vk=82

8A

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Example 2 (Continue):
d) Determine Saturation voltage VS at 10% error
IE = 80A ×10%= 8A
VA =160V (Max Allowable Voltage) >150V

1000 V

Vk=500

160 160 V
Vs=150

Vk=82

8A
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Example 2 (Continue):
e) Determine CT ratio error at the full tap (6000:5)
N1 / N2 = 200/1200= 0.167
ER-2 = ER-1×(N1 / N2)2 =1.25%×(0.167)2 =0.0348~0.035% <1.25%
ratio error reduces significantly at higher taps

1000 V

Vk=500

160 160 V
Vs=150

Vk=82

8A
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 4. CT PARAMETERS
PER VARIOUS STANDARDS

Three basic CT parameters are defined by

different standards for steady-state analysis:

• Accuracy Classes
• Knee point
• Burden

Let’s compare between ANSI/IEEE and IEC/BS

standards
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 CT PARAMETERS PER ANSI/IEEE

Accuracy Classes

A secondary terminal voltage rating which

CT produces (100, 200, 400 or 800 Volts)
without exceeding 10% Ratio Error at 20
times nominal current when it is connected
to an standard burden (1, 2, 4 or 8 Ohm at
0.5-Power factor).

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 CT PARAMETERS PER 45O K

ANSI/IEEE Knee point

IEEE

Knee Point

– One method to determine knee point on the curve

refers to the point where the tangent to the curve is at
45o to the abscissa
– Another definition specifies the knee point as the
cross section of continuation of the two linear sections
of the CT curve

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 CT PARAMETERS PER
ANSI/IEEE

Knee Point (Continued)

– manufacturer always defines the nominal knee point

of the CT based on the highest tap
– For the lower taps the knee point voltage should be
proportionally lower than nominal knee point
– knee point voltage varies almost linearly as a
function of tap ratio

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 CT PARAMETERS PER
ANSI/IEEE
• Burden

Standard burden in “Ohms” refers to the value

for which the voltage generated by 20-times
the rated current is below a level where the
Ratio Error is 10%

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 CT Parameter per IEC/BS

Accuracy Classes:

Class-P accuracy expressed as “xPy” means that the CT

may have “x” percent error for a secondary current equal
to “y” times the rated secondary current. ( P stands for
Protection)

(i.e. 5P20 means 5% error at 20 times secondary current )

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 CT Parameter per 1-5
K

IEC/BS Knee Point

(IEC)

• Knee Point
– The point on the magnetizing curve where a
10% increase in the voltage corresponds to a
50% increase in the magnetizing current

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 CT Parameter per IEC/BS
• Burden
– Connected burden: sum of all the impedances ZB connected to
the terminals of CT

– Nominal burden: maximum connected burden without exceeding

the error limit that creates an overload (or temperature rise)
above the specified limit

– The specified accuracy class is based on Nominal Burden of the

CT. Nominal burden is usually defined by the manufacturer and
can be verified by temperature rise test.

– According to IEC standard, nominal burden is a CT design

specification and maybe expressed in VA

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 Example 3:
For the same CT of examples 1 & 2,
assuming ANSI/IEEE class = C800

a) Determine the equivalent accuracy class, knee-

point voltage, and the nominal burden of the CT at
1000/5 tap

b) Determine the equivalent class of this CT per

IEC/BS standards:

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 Example 3 (Continued):

a) Determine the equivalent accuracy class, knee-point

voltage, and the nominal burden of the CT at 1000/5
tap
• Accuracy class: 800 × (1000/6000)= 133.3
>100 => equivalent to C100 for this tap
• Knee point: 500 (for max tap) × (1000/6000)
=82 V (see next slide)
• Nominal Burden at 100 V secondary is equal to:
1.0 Ohm, that is the standard “B-1” burden.

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 1000 V

Vk=500

160 V
160
Vs=150

Vk=82

8A

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 Example 3 (continued):

b) Determine the equivalent class of this CT

per IEC/BS standards:

• x =10 percent error for 100A current

• y=100A/5=20
• Equivalent IEC class= 10P20

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 CONCLUDING REMARKS
In this paper:

• Basic theory governing the operation of a CT

and a simplified circuit model for Steady State
analysis was reviewed.
• It was discussed that the simplified model can
be used to determine adequacy of CT
performance for most practical cases.
• It was shown that the generated voltage on the
CT secondary can be approximated using a 7
step procedure. A practical case (example 1)
was considered for illustrations.
• The "Ratio Error" in a CT was defined and a
sample calculation was presented in example 2.
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 CONCLUDING REMARKS (Continued):

• Despite some differences, between ANSI/IEEE and

IEC/BS standards, the main parameters of concern
affecting CT performance are;
Accuracy class,
Knee Point, and
Total Burden.
• It was shown (example 3) that a CT with
approximately equivalent accuracy designation in the
IEC/BS standard maybe identified from the accuracy
class its counter part in the ANSI/IEEE standard.

For additional information contact Mehdi Yahyavi at: mxyf@pge.com

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