TRANSFORMER:

Definition of Transformer
A transformer is a static machine used for transforming power from one circuit to another
without changing frequency. This is a very basic definition of transformer.

Use of Power Transformer

Generation of electrical power in low voltage level is very much cost effective. Hence
electrical power is generated in low voltage level. Theoretically, this low voltage level power
can be transmitted to the receiving end. But if the voltage level of a power is increased, the
electric current of the power is reduced which causes reduction in ohmic or I 2R losses in the
system, reduction in cross sectional area of the conductor i.e. reduction in capital cost of the
system and it also improves the voltage regulation of the system. Because of these, low
level power must be stepped up for efficient electrical power transmission. This is done by
step up transformer at the sending side of the power system network. As this high voltage
power may not be distributed to the consumers directly, this must be stepped down to the
desired level at the receiving end with the help of step down transformer. These are the
uses of electrical power transformer in the electrical power system.

Types of Transformer
Transformers can be categorized in different ways, depending upon their purpose, use,
construction etc. The types of transformer are as follows,
1. Step Up Transformer & Step Down Transformer - Generally used for stepping up
and down the voltage level of power in transmission and distribution power network.
2. Three Phase Transformer & Single Phase Transformer - Former is generally
used in three phase power system as it is cost effective than later but when size

matters, it is preferable to use bank of three single phase transformer as it is easier

to transport three single phase unit separately than one single three phase unit.
3. Electrical

Power

Transformer,

Distribution

Transformer

&

Instrument

Transformer - Transformer is generally used in transmission network which is

normally known as power transformer, distribution transformer is used in distribution
network and this is lower rating transformer and current transformer & potential
transformer, we use for relay and protection purpose in electrical power system and
in different instruments in industries are called instrument transformer.
4. Two Winding Transformer & Auto Transformer - Former is generally used where
ratio between high voltage and low voltage is greater than 2. It is cost effective to
use later where the ratio between high voltage and low voltage is less than 2.
5. Outdoor Transformer & Indoor Transformer - Transformers that are designed for
installing at outdoor are outdoor transformers and transformers designed for
installing at indoor are indoor transformers.

Working Principle of Transformer

The working principle of transformer is very simple. It depends upon Faraday's law of
electromagnetic induction. Actually, mutual induction between two or more winding is
responsible for transformation action in an electrical transformer.
Faraday's Laws of Electromagnetic Induction

According to these Faraday's laws,

"Rate of change of flux linkage with respect to time is directly proportional to the induced
EMF in a conductor or coil".

Basic Theory of Transformer

Say you have one winding which is supplied by an alternating electrical source. The
alternating current through the winding produces a continually changing flux or alternating
flux that surrounds the winding. If any other winding is brought nearer to the previous one,
obviously some portion of this flux will link with the second. As this flux is continually
changing in its amplitude and direction, there must be a change in flux linkage in the second
winding or coil. According to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, there must be an
EMF induced in the second. If the circuit of the later winding is closed, there must be an
electric current flowing through it. This is the simplest form of electrical power
transformer and this is the most basic of working principle of transformer.

Main Constructional Parts of Transformer

The three main parts of a transformer are,

1. Primary Winding of transformer - which produces magnetic flux when it is
connected to electrical source.
2. Magnetic Core of transformer - the magnetic flux produced by the primary winding,
that will pass through this low reluctance path linked with secondary winding and
create a closed magnetic circuit.
3. Secondary Winding of transformer - the flux, produced by primary winding,
passes through the core, will link with the secondary winding. This winding also
wounds on the same core and gives the desired output of the transformer.

What is Tertiary Winding? What is Three Winding

Transformer?
In some high rating transformer, one winding in addition to its primary and secondary
winding is used. This additional winding, apart from primary and secondary windings, is
known asTertiary winding of transformer. Because of this third winding, the transformer is
called three winding transformer or 3 winding transformer.

Advantages of Using Tertiary Winding in Transformer

Tertiary winding is provided in electrical power transformer to meet one or more of the
following requirements1. It reduces the unbalancing in the primary due to unbalancing in three phase load.
2. It redistributes the flow of fault current.
3. Sometime it is required to supply an auxiliary load in different voltage level in
addition to its main secondary load. This secondary load can be taken from tertiary
winding ofthree winding transformer.
4. As the tertiary winding is connected in delta formation in 3 winding transformer, it
assists in limitation of fault current in the event of a short circuit from line to neutral.

Why Parallel Operation of Transformers is required?

It is economical to installed numbers of smaller rated transformers in parallel than
installing a bigger rated electrical power transformers. This has mainly the following
advantages,
1. To maximize electrical power system efficiency: Generally electrical power
transformer gives the maximum efficiency at full load. If we run numbers
of transformers in parallel, we can switch on only those transformers which will
give the total demand by running nearer to its full load rating for that time. When load
increases, we can switch none by one other transformer connected in parallel to
fulfill the total demand. In this way we can run the system with maximum efficiency.
2. To maximize electrical power system availability: If numbers of transformers run
in parallel, we can shutdown any one of them for maintenance purpose.
Other parallel transformers in system will serve the load without total interruption of
power.
3. To maximize power system reliability: if any one of the transformers run in
parallel, is tripped due to fault of other parallel transformers is the system will share
the load, hence power supply may not be interrupted if the shared loads do not make
other transformers over loaded.
4. To maximize electrical power system flexibility: There is always a chance of
increasing or decreasing future demand of power system. If it is predicted that power
demand will be increased in future, there must be a provision of connecting
transformers in system in parallel to fulfill the extra demand because, it is not
economical from business point of view to install a bigger rated single transformer by
forecasting the increased future demand as it is unnecessary investment of money.
Again if future demand is decreased, transformers running in parallel can be
removed from system to balance the capital investment and its return.

Conditions for Parallel Operation of Transformers

When two or more transformers run in parallel, they must satisfy the following conditions for
satisfactory performance. These are the conditions for parallel operation of transformers.

1. Same voltage ratio of transformer.

2. Same percentage impedance.
3. Same polarity.
4. Same phase sequence.
Same Voltage Ratio

If two transformers of different voltage ratio are connected in parallel with same primary
supply voltage, there will be a difference in secondary voltages. Now say the secondary of
these transformers are connected to same bus, there will be a circulating current between
secondaries and therefore between primaries also. As the internal impedance of
transformer is small, a small voltage difference may cause sufficiently high circulating
current causing unnecessary extra I2R loss.
Same Percentage Impedance

The current shared by two transformers running in parallel should be proportional to their
MVA ratings. Again, electric current carried by these transformers are inversely proportional
to their internal impedance. From these two statements it can be said that, impedance of
transformers running in parallel are inversely proportional to their MVA ratings. In other
words, percentage impedance or per unit values of impedance should be identical for all the
transformers that run in parallel.
Same Polarity

Polarity of all transformers that run in parallel, should be the same otherwise huge
circulating current that flows in the transformer but no load will be fed from these
transformers. Polarity of transformer means the instantaneous direction of induced emf in
secondary. If the instantaneous directions of induced secondary emf in two transformers are
opposite to each other when same input power is fed to both of the transformers, the
transformers are said to be in opposite polarity. If the instantaneous directions of induced
secondary emf in two transformers are same when same input power is fed to the both of
the transformers, the transformers are said to be in same polarity.

Same Phase Sequence

The phase sequence or the order in which the phases reach their maximum positive
voltage, must be identical for two parallel transformers. Otherwise, during the cycle, each
pair of phases will be short circuited. The above said conditions must be strictly followed
for parallel operation of transformers but totally identical percentage impedance of two
different transformers is difficult to achieve practically, that is why the transformers run in
parallel may not have exactly same percentage impedance but the values would be as
nearer as possible.

Purpose of Transformer Core

In an electrical power transformer, there are primary, secondary and may be tertiary
windings. The performance of a transformer mainly depends upon the flux linkages between
these windings. For efficient flux linking between these windings, one low reluctance
magnetic path common to all windings should be provided in the transformer. This low
reluctance magnetic path in transformer is known as core of transformer.

Material for Transformer Core

The main problem with transformer core is, its hysteresis loss and eddy current loss in
transformer. Hysteresis loss in transformer mainly depends upon its core materials. It is
found that, a small quantity of silicon alloyed with low carbon content steel produces
material for transformer core, which has low hysteresis loss and high permeability. Because
of increasing demand of power, it is required to further reduce the core losses and for that,
another technique is employed on steel, which is known as cold rolling. This technique
arranges the orientation of grain in ferromagnetic steel in the direction of rolling. The core
steel which has under gone through both the silicon alloying and cold rolling treatments is
commonly known as CRGOS or Cold Rolled Grain Oriented Silicon Steel. This material is
now universally used for manufacturing transformer core. Although this material has low
specific iron loss but still; it has some disadvantages, like, it is susceptible to increase loss
due to flux flow in direction other than grain orientation and it also susceptible to impaired

performance due to impact of bending and blanking the cutting CRGOS sheet. Both the
surfaces of the sheet are provided with an insulating of oxide coating.
Manufacturing of Transformer Core

During core manufacturing in factory some factors are taken into consideration,
1. Higher reliability.
2. Reduction in iron loss in transformer and magnetizing current.
3. Lowering material cost and labor cost.
4. abatement of noise levels.
Quality checking is necessary at every step of manufacturing to ensure quality and
reliability. The steel sheet must be tested for ensuring the specific core loss or iron loss
values. The lamination should be properly checked and inspected visually, rusty and bend
lamination should be rejected. For reducing the transformer noises, the lamination should
be tightly clamped together and punch holes should be avoided as far as possible to
minimize cross flux iron losses. The air gap at the joint of limbs and yokes should be
reduced as much as possible for allowing maximum smooth conducting paths for
magnetizing current.

Different Transformer Cooling Methods

For accelerating cooling different transformer cooling methods are used depending upon
their

size

and

ratings.

We

will

discuss

these

one

by

one

below,

ONAN Cooling of Transformer

This is the simplest transformer cooling system. The full form of ONAN is "Oil Natural Air
Natural". Here natural convectional flow of hot oil is utilized for cooling. In convectional
circulation of oil, the hot oil flows to the upper portion of the transformer tank and the vacant
place is occupied by cold oil. This hot oil which comes to upper side, will dissipate heat in
the atmosphere by natural conduction, convection & radiation in air and will become cold. In
this way the oil in the transformer tank continually circulate when the transformer put into
load. As the rate of dissipation of heat in air depends upon dissipating surface of the oil
tank, it is essential to increase the effective surface area of the tank. So additional
dissipating surface in the form of tubes or radiators connected to the transformer tank. This
is known as radiator of transformer or radiator bank of transformer. We have shown below a
simplest form on natural cooling or ONAN cooling arrangement of an earthing transformer
below.

ONAF Cooling of Transformer

Heat dissipation can obviously be increased, if dissipating surface is increased but it can be
make further faster by applying forced air flow on that dissipating surface. Fans blowing air
on cooling surface is employed. Forced air takes away the heat from the surface of radiator
and provides better cooling than natural air. The full form of ONAF is "Oil Natural Air
Forced". As the heat dissipation rate is faster and more in ONAF transformer cooling

method than ONAN cooling system, electrical power transformer can be put into more load
without crossing the permissible temperature limits.
OFAF Cooling of Transformer

In oil forced air natural cooling system of transformer, the heat dissipation is accelerated by
using forced air on the dissipating surface but circulation of the hot oil in transformer tank is
natural

convectional

flow.

The heat dissipation rate can be still increased further if this oil circulation is accelerated by
applying some force. In OFAF cooling system the oil is forced to circulate within the closed
loop of transformer tank by means of oil pumps. OFAF means "Oil Forced Air Forced"
cooling methods of transformer. The main advantage of this system is that it is compact
system and for same cooling capacity OFAF occupies much less space than farmer two
systems of transformer cooling. Actually in oil natural cooling system, the heat comes out
from conducting part of the transformer is displaced from its position, in slower rate due to
convectional flow of oil but in forced oil cooling system the heat is displaced from its origin
as soon as it comes out in the oil, hence rate of cooling becomes faster.
OFWF Cooling of Transformer

We know that ambient temperature of water is much less than the atmospheric air in same
weather condition. So water may be used as better heat exchanger media than air. In

OFWF cooling system of transformer, the hot oil is sent to a oil to water heat exchanger by
means of oil pump and there the oil is cooled by applying sowers of cold water on the heat
exchanger's oil pipes. OFWF means "Oil Forced Water Forced" cooling in transformer.
ODAF Cooling of Transformer

ODAF or oil directed air forced cooling of transformer can be considered as the improved
version of OFAF. Here forced circulation of oil directed to flow through predetermined paths
in transformer winding. The cool oil entering the transformer tank from cooler or radiator is
passed through the winding where gaps for oil flow or pre-decided oil flowing paths between
insulated conductor are provided for ensuring faster rate of heat transfer. ODAF or oil
directed air forced cooling of transformer is generally used in very high rating transformer.
ODWF Cooling of Transformer

ODAF or oil directed water forced cooling of transformer is just like ODAF only difference is
that here the hot oil is cooled in cooler by means of forced water instead of air. Both of
these transformer cooling methods are called forced directed oil cooling of transformer