8 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

Two types of voltage transformer are used for protective-relaying purposes, as follows: (1)
the "instrument potential transformer," hereafter to be called simply "potential
transformer," and (2) the "capacitance potential device." A potential transformer is a
conventional transformer having primary and secondary windings. The primary winding
is connected directly to the power circuit either between two phases or between one phase
and ground, depending on the rating of the transformer and on the requirements of the
application. A capacitance potential device is a voltage-transforming equipment using a
capacitance voltage divider connected between phase and ground of a power circuit.

ACCURACY OF POTENTIAL TRANSFORMERS

The ratio and phase-angle inaccuracies of any standard ASA accuracy class1 of potential
transformer are so small that they may be neglected for protective-relaying purposes if the
burden is within the "thermal" volt-ampere rating of the transformer. This thermal
volt-ampere rating corresponds to the full-load rating of a power transformer. It is higher
than the volt-ampere rating used to classify potential transformers as to accuracy for
metering purposes. Based on the thermal volt-ampere rating, the equivalent-circuit
impedances of potential transformers are comparable to those of distribution
transformers.
The "burden" is the total external volt-ampere load on the secondary at rated secondary
voltage. Where several loads are connected in parallel, it is usually sufficiently accurate
to add their individual volt-amperes arithmetically to determine the total volt-ampere
burden.
If a potential transformer has acceptable accuracy at its rated voltage, it is suitable over the
range from zero to 110% of rated less voltage. Operation in excess of 10% overvoltage may
cause increased errors and excessive heating.
Where precise accuracy data are required, they can be obtained from ratio-correction-
factor curves and phase-angle-correction curves supplied by the manufacturer.

118 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 CAPACITANCE POTENTIAL DEVICES

Two types of capacitance potential device are used for protective relaying: (1) the
"coupling-capacitor potential device," and (2) the "bushing potential device." The two
devices are basically alike, the principal difference being in the type of capacitance voltage

Fig. 1 Coupling-capacitor voltage divider Fig. 2 Capacitance-bushing voltage divider.

divider used, which in turn affects their rated burden. The coupling-capacitor device uses
as a voltage divider a "coupling capacitor" consisting of a stack of series-connected
capacitor units, and an "auxiliary capacitor," as shown schematically in Fig. 1. The
bushing device uses the capacitance coupling of a specially constructed bushing of a
circuit breaker or power transformer, as shown schematically in Fig. 2.
Both of these relaying potential devices are called "Class A" devices. 2 They are also
sometimes called "In-phase" or "Resonant" devices 3 for reasons that will be evident later.
Other types of potential devices, called "Class C" or "Out-of-phase" or "Non-resonant," are
also described in References 2 and 3, but they are not generally suitable for protective
relaying, and therefore they will not be considered further here.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 119

 A schematic diagram of a Class A potential device including the capacitance voltage
divider is shown in Fig. 3. Not shown are the means for adjusting the magnitude and phase
angle of the secondary voltage; the means for making these adjustments vary with different

Fig. 3. Schematic diagram of a Class A potential device.

manufacturers, and a knowledge of them is not essential to our present purposes. The
Class A device has two secondary windings as shown. Both windings are rated 115 volts,
and one must have a 66.4-volt tap. These windings are connected in combination with the
windings of the devices of the other two phases of
a three-phase power circuit. The connection is
"wye" for phase relays and "broken delta" for
ground relays. These connections will be
illustrated later. The equivalent circuit of a Class A
device is shown in Fig. 4. The equivalent reactance
XL , is adjustable to make the burden voltage VB be
in phase with the phase-to-ground voltage of the
system VS. The burden is shown as a resistor
because, so far as it is possible, it is the practice to
correct the power factor of the burden
approximately to unity by the use of auxiliary
capacitance burden. When the device is properly
Fig. 4 Equivalent circuit of a Class A
adjusted, potential device.
XC1XC 2
XL = ———— (1)
XC1 +XC 2
which explains why the term "Resonant" is applied to this device. Actually, X C 2 is so small
compared with XC 1 that XL is practically equal to XC 2. Therefore, XL and XC 2 would be
practically in parallel resonance were it not for the presence of the burden impedance.

120 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 The gross input in watts from a power circuit to a capacitance potential-device network is:3
W = 2πƒC1VSV2 sin α watts (2)

where ƒ = power-system frequency.

α = phase angle between VS and V2
C1 = capacitance of main capacitor (see Fig. 3) in farads.

VS and V2 are volts defined as in Fig. 4. If the losses in the network are neglected, equation
2 will give the output of the device. For special applications, this relation is useful for
estimating the rated burden from the known rated burden under standard conditions; it
is only necessary to compare the proportions in the two cases, remembering that, for a
given rating of equipment, the tap voltage V2 varies directly as the applied voltage VS.
For a given group of coupling-capacitor potential devices, the product of the capacitance
of the main capacitor C1 and the rated circuit-voltage value of VS is practically constant; in
other words, the number of series capacitor units that comprise C1 is approximately
directly proportional to the rated circuit voltage. The capacitance of the auxiliary
capacitor C2 is the same for all rated circuit voltages, so as to maintain an approximately
constant value of the tap voltage V2 for all values of rated circuit voltage.
For bushing potential devices, the value of C1 is approximately constant over a range of
rated voltages, and the value of C2 is varied by the use of auxiliary capacitance to maintain
an approximately constant value of the tap voltage V2 for all values of rated circuit voltage.

STANDARD RATED BURDENS OF CLASS A POTENTIAL DEVICES

The rated burden of a secondary winding of a capacitance potential device is specified in

watts at rated secondary voltage when rated phase-to-ground voltage is impressed across
the capacitance voltage divider. The rated burden of the device is the sum of the watt
burdens that may be impressed on both secondary windings simultaneously.
Adjustment capacitors are provided in the device for connecting in parallel with the
burden on one secondary winding to correct the total-burden power factor to unity or
slightly leading.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 121

 The standard2 rated burdens of bushing potential devices are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Rated Burdens of Bushing Potential Devices

Rated Circuit
Voltage, kv
----------------------------------------------------------------- Rated Burden,
Phase-to-Phase Phase-to-Ground watts
115 66.4 25
138 79.7 35
161 93.0 45
230 133.0 80
287 166.0 100
The rated burden of coupling-capacitor potential devices is 150 watts for any of the rated
circuit voltages, including those of Table 1.

STANDARD ACCURACY OF CLASS A POTENTIAL DEVICES

Table 2 gives the standard maximum deviation in voltage ratio and phase angle for rated
burden and for various values of primary voltage, with the device adjusted for the specified
accuracy at rated primary voltage.

Table 2. Ratio and Phase-Angle Error versus Voltage

Maximum Deviation
Primary Voltage, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
percent of rated Ratio, percent Phase Angle, degrees
100 ± 1.0 ± 1.0
25 ± 3.0 ± 3.0
5 ± 5.0 ± 5.0
Table 3 gives the standard maximum deviation in voltage ratio and phase angle for rated
voltage and for various values of burden with the device adjusted for the specified accuracy
at rated burden.

Table 3. Ratio and Phase-Angle Error versus Burden

Maximum Deviation
Burden, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
percent of rated Ratio, percent Phase Angle, degrees
100 ± 1.0 ±1
50 ± 6.0 ±4
0 ± 12.0 ±8
Table 3 shows that for greatest accuracy, the burden should not be changed without
readjusting the device.

122 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 EFFECT OF OVERLOADING

As the burden is increased beyond the rated value, the errors will increase at about the rate
shown by extrapolating the data of Table 3, which is not very serious for protective
relaying. Apart from the possibility of overheating, the serious effect is the accompanying
increase of the tap voltage (V2 of Fig. 4). An examination of the equivalent circuit, Fig. 4,
will show why the tap voltage increases with increasing burden. It has been said that XL is
nearly equal to XC 2 , and therefore these two branches of the circuit will approach parallel
resonance as R is decreased (or, in other words, as the burden is increased). Hence, the tap
voltage will tend to approach VS. As the burden is increased above the rated value, the tap
voltage will increase approximately proportionally.
The objection to increasing the tap voltage is that the protective gap must then be adjusted
for higher-than-normal arc-over voltage. This lessens the protection afforded the
equipment. The circuit elements protected by the gap are specified2 to withstand 4 times
the normal tap voltage for 1 minute. Ordinarily, the gap is adjusted to arc over at about
twice normal voltage. This is about as low an arc-over as the gap may be adjusted to have
in view of the fact that for some ground faults the applied voltage (and hence the tap
–
voltage) may rise to √3 times normal. Obviously, the gap must not be permitted to arc over
for any voltage for which the protective-relaying equipment must function. Since the
ground-relay burden loads the devices only when a ground fault occurs, gap flashover may
be a problem when thermal overloading is not a problem. Before purposely overloading a
capacitance potential device, one should consult the manufacturer.
As might be suspected, short-circuiting the secondary terminals of the device (which is
extreme overloading) will arc over the gap continuously while the short circuit exists. This
may not cause any damage to the device, and hence it may not call for fusing, but the gap
will eventually be damaged to such an extent that it may no longer protect the equipment.
Even when properly adjusted, the protective gap might arc over during transient
overvoltages caused by switching or by lightning. The duration of such arc-over is so short
that it will not interfere with the proper operation of protective relays. The moment the
overvoltage ceases, the gap will stop arcing over because the impedance of the main
capacitor C 1 is so high that normal system voltage cannot maintain the arc.
It is emphasized that the standard rated burdens are specified as though a device were
connected and loaded as a single-phase device. In practice, however, the secondary
windings of three devices are interconnected and loaded jointly. Therefore, to determine
the actual loading on a particular device under unbalanced voltage conditions, as when
short circuits occur, certain conversions must be made. This is described later in more
detail for the broken-delta burden. Also, the effective burden on each device resulting from
the phase-to-phase and phase-to-neutral burdens should be determined if the loading is
critical; this is merely a circuit problem that is applicable to any kind of voltage
transformer.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 123

 NON-LINEAR BURDENS

A "non-linear" burden is a burden whose impedance decreases because of magnetic

saturation when the impressed voltage is increased. Too much non-linearity in its burden
will let a capacitance potential device get into a state of ferroresonance,4 during which
steady overvoltages of highly distorted wave form will exist across the burden. Since these
voltages bear no resemblance to the primary voltages, such a condition must be avoided.
If one must know the maximum tolerable degree of non-linearity, he should consult the
manufacturer. Otherwise, the ferroresonance condition can be avoided if all magnetic
circuits constituting the burden operate at rated voltage at such low flux density that any
possible momentary overvoltage will not cause the flux density of any magnetic circuit to
go beyond the knee of its magnetization curve (or, in other words, will not cause the flux
density to exceed about 100,000 lines per square inch). Since the potential-device
–
secondary-winding voltage may rise to √3 times rated, and the broken-delta voltage may
–
rise to √3 times rated, the corresponding phase-to-neutral and broken-delta burdens may
–
be required to have no more than 1/√3 and 1/3, respectively, of the maximum allowable flux
density at rated voltage.
If burdens with closed magnetic circuits, such as auxiliary potential transformers, are not
used, there is no likelihood of ferroresonance. Class A potential devices are provided with
two secondary-windings purposely to avoid the need of an auxiliary potential transformer.
The relays, meters, and instruments generally used have air gaps in their magnetic circuits,
or operate at low enough flux density to make their burdens sufficiently linear.

THE BROKEN-DELTA BURDEN AND THE WINDING BURDEN

The broken-delta burden is usually composed of the voltage-polarizing coils of ground

directional relays. Each relay's voltage-coil circuit contains a series capacitor to make the
relay have a lagging angle of maximum torque. Consequently, the voltage-coil circuit has
a leading power factor. The volt-ampere burden of each relay is expressed by the
manufacturer in terms of the rated voltage of the relay. The broken-delta burden must be
expressed in terms of the rated voltage of the potential-device winding or the tapped
portion of the winding–whichever is used for making up the broken-delta connection. If
the relay- and winding-voltage ratings are the same, the broken-delta burden is the sum of
the relay burdens. If the voltage ratings are different, we must re-express the relay burdens
in terms of the voltage rating of the broken-delta winding before adding them,
remembering that the volt-ampere burden will vary as the square of the voltage, assuming
no saturation.
The actual volt-ampere burdens imposed on the individual windings comprising the
broken-delta connection are highly variable and are only indirectly related to the broken-
delta burden. Normally, the three winding voltages add vectorially to zero. Therefore, no
current flows in the circuit, and the burden on any of the windings is zero. When ground
faults occur, the voltage that appears across the broken-delta burden corresponds to
3 times the zero-phase-sequence component of any one of the three phase-to-ground
voltages at the potential-device location. We shall call this voltage "3V 0 ". What the actual
magnitude of this voltage is depends on how solidly the system neutrals are grounded, on
the location of the fault with respect to the potential device in question, and on the

124 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 configuration of the transmission circuits so far as it affects the magnitude of the zero-
phase-sequence reactance. For faults at the potential-device location, for which the voltage
is highest, 3V0 can vary approximately from 1 to 3 times the rated voltage of each of the
broken-delta windings. (This voltage can go even higher in an ungrounded-neutral system
should a state of ferroresonance exist, but this possibility is not considered here because it
must not be permitted to exist.) If we assume no magnetic saturation in the burden, its
maximum current magnitude will vary with the voltage over a 1 to 3 range.
The burden current flows through the three broken-delta windings in series. As shown in
Fig. 5, the current is at a different phase angle with respect to each of the winding voltages.
Since a ground fault can occur on any phase, the positions of any of the voltages of Fig. 5
relative to the burden current can be interchanged. Consequently, the burden on each
winding may have a wide variety of characteristics under different circumstances.
Another peculiarity of the broken-delta burden is that the load is really carried by the
windings of the unfaulted phases, and that the voltages of these windings do not vary in
direct proportion to the voltage across the broken-delta burden. The voltages of the
unfaulted-phase windings are not nearly as variable as the broken-delta-burden voltage.

Fig. 5. Broken-delta voltages and current for a single-phase-to-ground fault on phase a some
distance from the voltage transformer.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 125

 –
The winding voltages of the unfaulted phases vary from approximately rated voltage to √3
times rated, while the broken-delta-burden voltage, and hence the current, is varying from
less than rated to approximately 3 times rated.
As a consequence of the foregoing, on the basis of rated voltage, the burden on any
–
winding can vary from less than the broken-delta burden to √3 times it. For estimating
–
purposes, the, √3 multiplier would be used, but, if the total burden appeared to be
excessive, one would want to calculate the actual burden. To do this, the following steps
are involved:
1. Calculate 3V0 for a single-phase-to-ground fault at the potential-device location, and
express this in secondary-voltage terms, using as a potential-device ratio the ratio of
normal phase-to-ground voltage to the rated voltage of the broken-delta windings.
2. Divide 3V0 by the impedance of the broken-delta burden to get the magnitude of current
that will circulate in each of the broken-delta windings.
3. Calculate the phase-to-ground voltage (Vb1 + Vb2 + Vb0 etc.) of each of the two unfaulted
phases at the voltage-transformer location, and express it in secondary-voltage terms as for
3V 0 .
4. Multiply the current of (2) by each voltage of (3).
5. Express the volt-amperes of (4) in terms of the rated voltage of the broken-delta
windings by multiplying the volt-amperes of (4) by the ratio:

[ ]
2
Vrated
----------------------
Voltage of 3

It is the practice to treat the volt-ampere burden as though it were a watt burden on each
of the three windings. It will be evident from Fig. 5 that, depending on which phase is
grounded, the volt-ampere burden on any winding could be practically all watts.
It is not the usual practice to correct the power factor of the broken-delta burden to unity
as is done for the phase burden. Because this burden usually has a leading power factor, to
correct the power factor to unity would require an adjustable auxiliary burden that had
inductive reactance. Such a burden would have to have very low resistance and yet it would
have to be linear. In the face of these severe requirements, and in view of the fact that the
broken-delta burden is usually a small part of the total potential-device burden, such
corrective burden is not provided in standard potential devices.

COUPLING-CAPACITOR INSULATION COORDINATION AND ITS EFFECT

ON THE RATED BURDEN

The voltage rating of a coupling capacitor that is used with protective relaying should be
such that its insulation will withstand the flashover voltage of the circuit at the point where
the capacitor is connected. Table 4 lists the standard2 capacitor withstand test voltages for
some circuit-voltage ratings for altitudes below 3300 feet. The flashover voltage of the
circuit at the capacitor location will depend not only on the line insulation but also on the
insulation of other terminal equipment such as circuit breakers, transformers, and

126 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 lightning arresters. However, there may be occasions when these other terminal
equipments may be disconnected from the line, and the capacitor will then be left alone
at the end of the line without benefit of the protection that any other equipment might
provide. For example, a disconnect may be opened between a breaker and the capacitor,
or a breaker may be opened between a transformer or an arrester and the capacitor. If such
can happen, the capacitor must be able to withstand the voltage that will dash over the line
at the point where the capacitor is connected.

Table 4. Standard Withstand Test Voltages for Coupling Capacitors

Withstand Test Voltages

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Low Frequency
--------------------------------------
Rated Circuit Voltage, kv Dry Wet
----------------------------------------------------------------------- impulse, 1-Min, 10-Sec,
Phase-to-Phase Phase-to-Ground kv kv kv
115 66.4 550 265 230
138 79.7 650 320 275
161 93.0 750 370 315
230 133.0 1050 525 445
287 166.0 1300 655 555
Some lines are overinsulated, either because they are subjected to unusual insulator
contamination or because they are insulated for a future higher voltage than the present
operating value. In any event, the capacitor should withstand the actual line flashover
voltage unless there is other equipment permanently connected to the line that will hold
the voltage down to a lower value.
At altitudes above 3300 feet, the flashover value of air-insulated equipment has decreased
appreciably. To compensate for this decrease, additional insulation may be provided for
the line and for the other terminal equipment. This may require the next higher standard
voltage rating for the coupling capacitor, and it is the practice to specify the next higher
rating if the altitude is known to be over 3300 feet.
When a coupling-capacitator potential device is to be purchased for operation at the next
standard rated circuit voltage below the coupling-capacitator rating, the manufacturer
should be so informed. In such a case, a special auxiliary capacitor will be furnished that
will provide normal tap voltage even though the applied voltage is one step less than rated.
This will give the device a rated burden of 120 watts. If a special auxiliary capacitor were
not furnished, the rated burden would be about 64% of 150 watts instead of 80%. The
foregoing will become evident on examination of equation 2 and on consideration of the
fact that each rated insulation class is roughly 80% of the next higher rating.
The foregoing applies also to bushing potential devices, except that sometimes a non-
standard transformer unit may be required to get 80% of rated output when the device is
operating at the next standard rated circuit voltage below the bushing rating.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 127

 COMPARISON OF INSTRUMENT POTENTIAL TRANSFORMERS AND
CAPACITANCE POTENTIAL DEVICES

Capacitance potential devices are used for protective relaying only when they are
sufficiently less expensive than potential transformers. Potential devices are not as accurate
as potential transformers, and also they may have undesirable transient inaccuracies
unless they are properly loaded.5 When a voltage source for the protective relays of a single
circuit is required, and when the circuit voltage is approximately 69 kv and higher,
coupling-capacitor potential devices are less costly than potential transformers. Savings
may be realized somewhat below 69 kv if carrier current is involved, because a potential-
device coupling capacitor can be used also, with small additional expense, for coupling the
carrier-current equipment to the circuit. Bushing potential devices, being still less costly,
may be even more economical, provided that the devices have sufficiently high rated-
burden capacity. However, the main capacitor of a bushing potential device cannot be
used to couple carrier-current equipment to a power circuit. When compared on a dollars-
per-volt-ampere basis; potential transformers are much cheaper than capacitance potential
devices.
When two or more transmission-line sections are connected to a common bus, a single set
of potential transformers connected to the bus will generally have sufficient capacity to
supply the protective-relaying equipments of all the lines, whereas one set of capacitance
potential devices may not. The provision of additional potential devices will quickly nullify
the difference in cost. In view of the foregoing, one should at least consider bus potential
transformers, even for a single circuit, if there is a likelihood that future requirements
might involve additional circuits.
Potential transformers energized from a bus provide a further slight advantage where
protective-relaying equipment is involved in which dependence is placed on "memory
action" for reliable operation. When a line section protected by such relaying equipment
is closed in on a nearby fault, and if potential transformers connected to the bus are
involved, the relays will have had voltage on them before the line breaker was closed, and
hence the memory action can be effective. If the voltage source is on the line side of the
breaker, as is usually true with capacitance potential devices, there will have been no
voltage on the relays initially, and memory action will be ineffective. Consequently, the
relays may not operate if the voltage is too low owing to the presence of a metallic fault with
no arcing, thereby requiring back-up relaying at other locations to clear the fault from the
system. However, the likelihood of the voltage being low enough to prevent relay operation
is quite remote, but the relays may be slow.
Some people object to bus potential transformers on the basis that trouble in a potential
transformer will affect the relaying of all the lines connected to the bus. This is not too
serious an objection, particularly if the line relays are not allowed to trip on loss of voltage
during normal load, and if a voltage-failure alarm is provided.
Where ring buses are involved, there is no satisfactory location for a single set of bus
potential transformers to serve the relays of all circuits. In such cases, capacitance potential
devices on the line side of the breakers of each circuit are the best solution when they are
cheaper.

128 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 THE USE OF LOW-TENSION VOLTAGE

When there are step-down power transformers at a location where voltage is required for
protective-relaying equipment, the question naturally arises whether the relay voltage can
be obtained from the low-voltage side of the power transformers, and thereby avoid the
expense of a high-voltage source. Such a low-voltage source can be used under certain
circumstances.
The first consideration is the reliability of the source. If there is only one power
transformer, the source will be lost if this power transformer is removed from service for
any reason. If there are two or more power transformers in parallel, the source is probably
sufficiently reliable if the power transformers are provided with separate breakers.
The second consideration is whether there will be a suitable source for polarizing
directional-ground relays if such relays are required. If the power transformers are wye-
delta, with the high-voltage side connected in wye and the neutral grounded, the neutral
current can be used for polarizing. Of course, the question of whether a single power
transformer can be relied on must be considered as in the preceding paragraph. If the
high-voltage side is not a grounded wye, then a high-voltage source must be provided for
directional-ground relays, and it may as well be used also by the phase relays.
Finally, if distance relays are involved, the desirability of "transformer-drop compensation"
must be investigated. This subject will be treated in more detail when we consider the
subject of transmission-line protection.
The necessary connections of potential transformers for obtaining the proper voltages for
distance relays will be discussed later in this chapter. Directional-overcurrent relays can use
any conventional potential-transformer connection.

Fig. 6. Significance of potential-transformer polarity marks.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 129

 POLARITY AND CONNECTIONS

The terminals of potential transformers are marked to indicate the relative polarities of
the primary and secondary windings. Usually, the corresponding high-voltage and low-
voltage terminals are marked " H1"and "X 1 , " respectively (and "Y1 " for a tertiary). In
capacitance potential devices, only the X1 and Y1 terminals are marked, the H1 terminal
being obvious from the configuration of the equipment.
The polarity marks have the same significance as for current transformers, namely, that,
when current enters the H1 terminal, it leaves the X1 (or Y1) terminal. The relation
between the high and low voltages is such that X1 (or Y1) has the same instantaneous
polarity as H1 , as shown in Fig. 6. Whether a transformer has additive or subtractive
polarity may be ignored because it has absolutely no effect on the connections.
Distance relays for interphase faults must be supplied with voltage corresponding to
primary phase-to-phase voltage, and any one of the three connections shown in Fig. 7 may
be used. Connection A is chosen when polarizing voltage is required also for directional-
ground relays; this will be discussed later in this chapter. The equivalent of connection A
is the only one used if capacitance potential devices are involved. Connections B and C do
not provide means for polarizing directional-ground relays; of these two, connection C is
the one generally used because it is less expensive since it employs only two potential
transformers. The burden on each potential transformer is less in connection B, which is
the only reason it would ever be chosen.

Fig. 7. Connections of potential transformers for distance relays.

The voltages between the secondary leads for all three connections of Fig. 7 are the same,
and in terms of symmetrical components are:
Vab = Va – Vb
= Va1 + Va2 + Va0 – Vb1 – Vb2 – Vb0
= (1– a2) Va1 + (1– a) Va2
— —
√ √ 3/2) Va2
3 3
= (– +j 3/2) Va1 + (– –j
2 2

130 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 Similarly,
Vbc = (1 – a2) Vb1 + (1 – a) Vb2
= a2(1 – a2) Va1 + a(1 – a) Va2
= (a2 – a) Va1 + (a – a2) Va2
— —
= –j√ 3 Va1 + j√ 3 Va2
Vca = (1 – a2) Vc1 + (1 – a) Vc2
= a(1 – a2) Va1 + a2(1 – a) Va2
= (a – l) Va1 + (a2 – l) Va2
— —
√ √ 3/2) Va2
3 3
= (– – +j 3/2) Va1 + (– –2 – j
2

It will be observed that these relations are similar to those obtained for the output currents
of the delta-connected CT's of Chapter 7, Fig. 7.

LOW-TENSION VOLTAGE FOR DISTANCE RELAYS

The potential transformers must be connected to the low-voltage source in such a way that
the phase-to-phase voltages on the high-voltage side will be reproduced. The connection
that must be used will depend on the power-transformer connections. If, as is not usually
the case, the power-transformer bank is connected wye-wye or delta-delta, the potential-
transformer connections would be the same as though the potential transformers were on
the high-voltage side. Usually, however, the power transformers are connected wye-delta or
delta-wye.

Fig. 8. Three-phase voltages for standard connection of power transformers.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 131

 First, let us become acquainted with the standard method of connecting wye-delta or delta-
wye power transformers. Incidentally, in stating the connections of a power-transformer
bank, the high-voltage connection is stated first; thus a wye-delta transformer bank has its
high-voltage side connected in wye, etc. The
standard method of connecting power
transformers does not apply to potential
transformers (which are connected as
required), but the technique involved in
making the desired connections will apply
also to potential transformers. The standard
connection for power transformers is that,
with balanced three-phase load on the
Fig. 9. Numbering the ends of the transformer
transformer bank, the current in each windings preparatory to making three-phase
phase on the high-voltage side will lead by connections.
30° the current in each corresponding
phase on the low-voltage side. Also, the no-load phase-to-phase voltages on the high-
voltage side will lead the corresponding low-voltage phase-to-phase voltages by 30°. For this
to be true, the three-phase voltages must be as in Fig. 8, where a´ corresponds to a, b´ to b,
and c´ to c. The numbers on the voltage vectors of Fig. 8 designate the corresponding ends
of the transformer windings, 1-2 designating the primary and secondary windings of one
transformer, etc. Now, consider three single-phase transformers as in Fig. 9 with their
primary and secondary windings designated 1-2, etc. If we assume that the transformers
are rated for either phase-to-phase or phase-to ground connection, it is only necessary to
connect together the numbered ends that are shown connected in Fig. 8, and the
connections of Fig. 10 will result.

Fig. 10. Interconnecting the transformers of Fig. 9 according to Fig. 8 to get standard connections.

132 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 We can now proceed to examine the connections of potential transformers on the low-
voltage side that are used for the purpose of supplying voltage to distance relays. Figure 11
shows the connections if the power transformers are connected wye-delta. Figure 12 shows
the connections if the power transformers are connected delta-wye.

Fig. 11. Connections of potential transformers on low-voltage side of wye-delta power transformer
for use with distance relays.

For either power-transformer connection, the phase-to-phase voltages on the secondary

side of the potential transformers will contain the same phase-sequence components as
those derived for the connections of Fig. 7, if we neglect the voltage drop or rise owing to
load or fault currents that may flow through the power transformer. If, for one reason or
another, the potential transformers must be connected delta-delta or wye-wye, or if the
voltage magnitude is incorrect, auxiliary potential transformers must be used to obtain the
required voltages for the distance relays.
The information given for making the required connections for distance relays should be
sufficient instruction for making any other desired connections for phase relays. Other
application considerations involved in the use of low-voltage sources for distance and other
relays will be discussed later.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 133

 Fig. 12. Connections of potential transformers on low-voltage side of delta-wye power transformer
for use with distance relays.

CONNECTIONS FOR OBTAINING POLARIZING VOLTAGE FOR

DIRECTIONAL-GROUND RELAYS

The connections for obtaining the required polarizing voltage are shown in Fig. 13. This
is called the "broken-delta" connection. The voltage that will appear across the terminals
nm is as follows:
Vnm = Va + Vb + Vc
= (Va1 + Va2 + Va0) + (Vb1 + Vb2 + Vb0) + (Vc1 + Vc2 + Vc 0)
= Va0 + Vb0 + Vc 0 = 3Va0 = 3Vb0 = 3Vc 0
In other words, the polarizing voltage is 3 times the zero-phase-sequence component of the
voltage of any phase.
The actual connections in a specific case will depend on the type of voltage transformer
involved and on the secondary voltage required for other than ground relays. If voltage for
distance relays must also be supplied, the connections of Fig. 14 would be used.
If voltage is required only for polarizing directional-ground relays, three coupling
capacitors and one potential device, connected as in Fig. 15 would suffice. The voltage
obtained from this connection is 3 times the zero-phase-sequence component.

134 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 Fig. 13 The broken-delta connection.

Fig. 14. Potential-transformer connections for distance and ground relays.

The connection of Fig. 15 cannot always be duplicated with bushing potential devices
because at least some of the capacitance corresponding to the auxiliary capacitor C 2 might
be an integral part of the bushing and could not be separated from it. The capacitance to
ground of interconnecting cable may also have a significant effect.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 135

 Fig. 16. Connection of three coupling capacitors and one potential device for providing polarizing
voltage for directional-ground relays.
The three capacitance tape may be connected together, and a special potential device may
be connected across the tap voltage as shown in Fig. 16, but the rated burden may be less
than that of Table 1.

Fig. 16. Use of one potential device with three capacitance bushings.

Incidentally, a capacitance bushing cannot be wed to couple carrier current to a line

because there is no way to insert the required carrier-current choke coil in series with the
bushing capacitance between the tap and ground, to prevent short-circuiting the output of
the carrier-current transmitter.

136 VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

 PROBLEM

1. Given a wye-delta power transformer with standard connections. According to the

definitions of this chapter, draw the connection diagram and the three-phase voltage
vector diagram for the HV and the LV sides, labeling the HV phases a, b, and c and the
corresponding LV phases a´, b´, and c ´, (1) for positive-phase-sequence voltage applied to
the HV side, and (2) for negative-phase-sequence voltage applied to the HV side. When
positive-phase-sequence voltage is applied to the HV side, the phase sequence is a-b-c.
When negative voltage is applied, there is no change in connections, but the phase
sequence is a-c-b.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. "American Standard Requirements, Terminology, and Test Code for Instrument

Transformers," Publ. C57.13-1954, American Standards Association, Inc., 70 East 45th
Street, New York 17, N. Y.
2. "Outdoor Coupling Capacitors and Capacitance Potential Device," Publ. 31, American
Institute of Electrical Engineers, 33 West 39th Street, New York 18, N. Y.
"Standards for Coupling Capacitors and Potential Devices," Publ. 47-123, National
Electrical Manufacturers Association, 155 East 44th Street, New York 17, N. Y.
3. "Application of Capacitance Potential Devices," by J. E. Clem, AIEE Trans., 48 (1939),
pp. 1-8. Discussions, pp. 8-10.
4. Transient Performance of Electric Power Systems, by R. Rudenberg, McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
New York, 1950.
5. "The Effects of Coupling-Capacitor Potential-Device Transients on Protective-Relay
Operation," AIEE Committee Report, AIEE Trans., 70 (1951), pp. 2089-2096. Discussions,
p. 2096.
"Transient and Steady-State Performance of Potential Devices," by E. L Harder, P. O.
Langguth,, and C. A. Woods, Jr., AIEE Trans., 59 (1940), pp. 91-99 Discussions, pp. 99-102.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS 137