Instrument Transformers

For currents greater than 100A and voltages higher than 500V, it is difficult to construct ammeters and current coils of wattmeters, energy meters and relays carrying alternating currents greater than 100A. Specially designed transformers known as instrument transformers are used for this purpose.

Instrument Transformers

Protection or metering devices have to receive data on electrical values (current or voltage) from the equipment to be protected. For technical, economic and safety reasons, this data cannot be obtained directly on the equipments. Intermediary sensors have to be used. Current transformers and Voltage transformers.

Instrument Transformers
For currents greater than 100A and voltages higher than 500V, it is difficult to construct ammeters and current coils of wattmeters, energy meters and relays carrying alternating currents greater than 100A. Specially designed transformers known as instrument transformers are used for this purpose.

Instrument Transformers
These devices carry out the functions of: Reducing the size of value to be measured Providing galvanic separation Supplying the power needed to process the data, or even for the protection device to work.

Instrument TransformersAs transformers, they are electromagnetic devices By using instrument transformers, electrical instruments have been standardized to operate on 110V and 5A or 1A. They are essential parts of many electrical systems, and are used for Measuring (metering) and Monitoring (relaying) devices.

Instrument Transformers (DO)

The quality of instrument transformers will affect directly the overall accuracy and performance of these metering and monitoring systems. Instrument transformer performance is critical in protective relaying, since the relays can only be as good as the instrument transformers.

Basic Function of Instrument Transformers

To change the magnitude (but not the nature) of the quality (voltage or current) being measured to a suitable level for use with standard instruments (protective relays, metering equipment, etc). To provide insulation between primary and secondary circuit for equipment and personnel safety

Types of Instrument Transformers

Instrument transformers are of two types,depending upon whether it is used to excite the current or voltage coil of the measuring instrument Current Transformers- CTs Voltage Transformers VTs (also referred to as Potential Transformers, PTs).

Types of Instrument Transformers (Contd)

Both of these types act as insulators between high-voltage primary and low-voltage secondary. The primary of the VT is connected either lineto-line-to-neutral, and the current that flows through its winding produces a flux in the core. The ratio of primary to secondary voltage is in proportion to the turns of ratio and will usually produce 110-120V at the secondary terminals with rated primary voltage applied.

Accuracy of Instrument Transformers

To be a useful part of a measurement system, instrument transformers must change the magnitude of the quantity being measured without introducing any excessive unknown errors. The accuracy of an instrument transformer must either be of a known value, so that errors may be allowed for, or the accuracy must be sufficiently high that errors introduced by the instrument transformer may be ignored.

Factors Affecting Accuracy of Instrument Transformers

Design of the instrument transformer Circuit conditions such as voltage, current and frequency Burden connected to the secondary circuit of the transformer

Burden of Instrument Transformers

In instrument transformer operations, the primary quantities are reduced by the turns ratio to provide a secondary current or voltage to energize protective relays and other equipment. The totality of the impedances of the loads connected to current or voltage transformers are referred to as burden.

Burden of Instrument Transformers (Do)

The burden consists of the impedances of the following: Secondary winding of the instrument transformer Interconnecting leads Relay and/or other connected devices.

Burden of Instrument Transformer (Do).

For the devices, the burdens are usually expressed in volt-amperes at a specified current or voltage. Thus for CTs or VTs, if Zb is the total connected burden impedance and is the volt-ampere burden, then the following burdens are obtained for CTs and VTs.

Rated Characteristics of CTs

Rated primary current. Rated short time current (primary) Rated secondary current. Rated exciting current. Rated burden. Insulation level (primary).

CTS Characteristics ( Do)

Current error or ratio error. Phase angle error. Composite error. Accuracy class. Over current factor.

Excitation Volts

Knee Point Volts

45 LINE

ANSI/IEEE KNEE POINT

IEC KNEE POINT

ANSI/IEE KNEE POINT

EX: READ THE KNEE POINT VOLTAGE

Example 1: Sample Calculation of CT Burden

A current transformer rated 30VA has a secondary rated current of 5A and impedance of 0.211 ohms. If this CT supplies a relay through as lead of resistance 0.4 ohm, calculate the relay burden.

Solution 1: Calculation of CT Burden

The

Permissible burden of the CT is ZB=VA = 30 = 1.2 12 5 2 ZB= relay burden+ lead resistance + CT Relay burden = ZB lead resistance-CT secondary
impedances = 1.2-0.4-0.-0.211 = 0.589

secondary impedance

CTs For Relay Applications

Current transformers, which step down primary currents to lower, safer, measurable values, are required for Indicating and graphic ammeters Energy meters and wattmeter (kWh and kW meters) Telemetering Protective relays.

CTs For Relay Application- (Do)

A CT has a high-current primary winding which is connected in series with the line or load whose current is to be metered, Whilst its secondary winding is connected in series with the current coil of the meter (e.g. ammeter, wattmeter, energy meter, relay, etc).

CTs For Relay Applications- (Do)

The primary current rating should be selected from standardized values. The value of the rated secondary current shall be either 1A or 5A.

Some Standard CT Radios

CT Ratio 50:5 100:5 150:5 200:5 250:5 CT Ratio 300:5 400:5 450:5 500:5 600:5 CT Ratio 800:5 900:5 1000:5 1200:5

Selection Criterion For CT Ratio

The major criterion for the selection is almost invariably the maximum load current In other words, the CT ratio should be selected such that the CT secondary current at maximum load should NOT exceed the continuous current rating or the thermal limits of the connected relay and equipment. This is particularly applicable to phase-type relays where the load current flows through the relays.

VTs For Relay Applications

Voltage

transformers, which step down system voltages to sufficiently low, safer, measurable values, are required for Indication of the voltage conditions. Energy meters and watt meters (kWh and kW meters) Protective relays Synchronizing

Types of VTs for Protective Relaying.

Voltage transformers have wound primaries that are Either connected directly to the power systems (VTs) Or across a selection of capacitor string connected between phase and ground, that is, coupling-capacitor voltage transformers (CCVTs)

Points To Note About VTs

VTs are used at all power system voltages,and are usually connected to the bus. Usually the CCTVs are connected to the line, rather than to the bus, because the coupling capacitor devices may also be used to couple radio frequencies to the line for use in pilot relaying At about 115kV, the CCVT types becomes applicable and generally more economical than VTs at the higher voltages.

Points to Note About VTs (Do)

Either type of voltage transformer (VT or CCVT) provides excellent reproduction of primary voltage, both transient and steadystate, for protection functions. Saturation is not a problem because power systems should not be operated above normal voltage, and faults result in a collapse or reduction in voltage. VTs are normally installed with primary fuses, which are not necessary with CCTVs. Fuses are also used in the secondary.

TERMINAL DESIGNATION OF CTS

Single Ratio

Double ratio with switching on the primary

Double ratio with tap on the secondary winding

Instruments transformers locations

Double bus bar station

Transfer bus bar station

Double breaker arrangement