Training for Research

School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences

I7. TRANSFORMATION RATIO AND EFFICIENCY

Silvia Fernanda Bohórquez Torres – Industrial Engineering

Cesar Alexander Barrera Tabares – Industrial Engineering

Angie Liliana Tarazona Bayona – Industrial Engineering

SUMMARY:
A transformer is an electrical device made up of two or more solenoids whose main
use is to raise or lower voltages and currents that change over time. This increase or
decrease can be estimated thanks to the transformer transformation ratio. The latter
refers to the quotient of the effective values (secondary/primary), on the other hand, the
efficiency of a transformer can be deduced with the help of the power value since the
power transformation is not perfect and not all that is in the primary winding will be
transmitted to the secondary winding. In this research project it is proposed to study
how the transformation ratio and transformer efficiency affect the induced voltages and
currents in the secondary solenoid.

INTRODUCTION
The transformer is a device that operates on the basis of Faraday's induction law.
When we talk about transformers we find that these are electrical machines with
alternating current windings that are wound on a magnetic surface; these are usually
used to raise or lower the potential difference and the passage of current over time. The
latter when leaving the transformer are supplied to a resistance through which it is
possible to quantify the electrical power of the transformer, taking into account that the
power that enters is not the same in the output can denote that ten efficient is the
transformer in question.

Throughout this report you can find all the information obtained during the
development of this laboratory which is distributed in 5 parts, the methodology
describes the logical order that was had to develop the practice in a correct way and the
materials needed for this, in the data processing are the experimental data organized in
tables and proceeds to make the calculations to demonstrate what is exposed in the
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state of the art and obtain additional data needed, followed by this is the analysis of
results and conclusions.

PROBLEM STATEMENT
The transformer is a device that works on the basis of Faraday's induction law, then
in order to study some of its characteristics it is necessary to apply to the primary
solenoid a potential or voltage that changes over time, in such a way that a potential is
induced in the secondary solenoid. The quotient of these effective values
(secondary/primary) is known as the transformation ratio. Then, the hypothesis is
raised: "the transformation ratio is defined by the number of coils of the
primary/secondary solenoids and can be studied through the induction phenomenon".
On the other hand, this transformation ratio is not perfect since not all the power in the
primary will be transmitted to the secondary.

OVERARCHING OBJECTIVE
To study the transformation ratio and power transmission in a transformer using
variable load resistor.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
 Obtain transformation ratios from current measurements on the primary and
secondary windings, adjusting the load resistance for different solenoids.
 Determine the efficiency of a transformer with a fixed transformer ratio using
variable load resistance.
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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Transformers are electrical devices that transport electrical energy between two or
more circuits thanks to the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction. A variation in the
time of the current that passes through a solenoid (primary), produces a variation of the
magnetic field that this current produces in space. Once this field covers the surface of
a solenoid (secondary), the variation of the magnetic flux defined as the magnetic field
through the area of the second circuit, induces a voltage and according to Ohm's law,
also induces a current (Serway, R. A.).

Figure 1 Ideal transformer

For an ideal transformer (see figure 1) there is a model that allows the voltage and
induced current to be related to the voltage and current supplied to the first solenoid,
only taking into account the number of turns of the two solenoids and without the need
to resort to the Faraday-Lenz induction law or the laws of Biot-Savart and Ampere
(Wikipedia). This model is easily deduced by combining equations (1) and (2):
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Being "a" the transformation ratio, for a > 1 the transformer will be elevator and
for a < 1 the transformer will be a gearbox.

By conservation of the electrical power:

Then the relationships are also fulfilled for the primary and secondary currents,

On the other hand, since the power is not conserved in a real transformer, it will be
necessary to determine its efficiency from the equation:

MATERIALS
 1 AC or VARIAC power supply.
 1 U-core with yoke.
 1 Clamping device with spring clip.
 Transformer coils with 250, 500 or 1000 turns.
 1 Rheostat of 100 Ω.
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 2 Cables, 25 cm, black.

METHODOLOGY
This research project will be carried out in three methodological phases, in the
context of the first phase, the experimental assembly will be carried out according to the
teacher's orientations, in phase two will be worked with variable transformation
relationships, i.e. the number of primary and secondary spirals will be modified, then, for
phase three at the criteria of the a transforming relationship will be established and the
values of resistance will be changed to study the efficiency of the transformer.

Figure 2 Experimental set-up

In the first phase the initial steps and parameters of the experimental configuration
will be established such as carrying out the assembly indicated in figure 2. In the
second phase two multimeters were used, one multimeter was connected to the first coil
and the other to a second coil, one multimeter measured the voltage at that moment
and the other measured the voltage coming out of the VARIAC power supply. In the last
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phase 4 multi-meters were used, two of them connected to the first coil and the other 2
to the second coil, one of these multi-meters measured the incoming current and
voltage at that moment and the others measured the outgoing current and the voltage
coming out of the transformer, all this process in the third phase was done with a
constant voltage and varying the resistance.

DATA PROCESSING
DATA TABLES
Table 1.2. Currents in the primary and secondary windings as a function of the
load resistance with theoretical transformation ratio: a = Ns/Np = 250/500 = 0,5

voltaje Voltaje
primario Vp secundario
(V) Vs (V)
2,23 0,99
3,21 1,44
4,55 2,08
7,01 3,23
8,15 3,78
9,74 4,53
12,16 5,7
13,84 6,51
16,46 7,78
17,57 8,32
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Table 2. Currents and voltages in the primary and secondary windings in function
of the load resistance with transformation ratio a = 4,1
corriente corriente voltaje Voltaje
resistencia (Ω) primario lp (A) secundario ls primario Vp (V) secundario Vp
mA (A) mA (V)
33,8 28,4 90,8 15 2,56
33,89 26,1 81,3 15,18 2,62
43,7 24,3 73,7 15,26 2,66
48,6 22,8 67,4 15,3 2,7
51 21,5 62,1 15,32 2,71
58,7 20,4 57,1 15,33 2,72
63,8 19,5 53,1 15,34 2,74
68,7 18,7 49,6 15,35 2,75
73,9 17,9 46,2 15,36 2,75
79,1 17,3 43,5 15,38 2,76

corriente corriente
primario lp secundario
(A) mA ls (A) mA
28,4 90,8
26,1 81,3
24,3 73,7
22,8 67,4
21,5 62,1
20,4 57,1
19,5 53,1
18,7 49,6
17,9 46,2
17,3 43,5
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voltaje Voltaje
primario Vp secundario
(V) Vs (V)
15 2,56
15,18 2,62
15,26 2,66
15,3 2,7
15,32 2,71
15,33 2,72
15,34 2,74
15,35 2,75
15,36 2,75
15,38 2,76

corriente voltaje
primario lp primario Vp
(A) mA (V)
28,4 15
26,1 15,18
24,3 15,26
22,8 15,3
21,5 15,32
20,4 15,33
19,5 15,34
18,7 15,35
17,9 15,36
17,3 15,38
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corriente Voltaje
secundario secundario
ls (A) mA Vs (V)
90,8 2,56
81,3 2,62
73,7 2,66
67,4 2,7
62,1 2,71
57,1 2,72
53,1 2,74
49,6 2,75
46,2 2,75
43,5 2,76
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Industrial University of Santander
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CONCLUSIONS:
From the work carried out, it can be concluded that:
 It is concluded that the efficiency of the transformer is a function of the load
resistance.
 The voltage losses could be evidenced; therefore we could identify and see the
efficiency.
 It was possible to identify the procedure to determine the polarity of the windings
working with alternating current and keep going.
 We work with different materials and take different measurements. With all this
we improve our knowledge about transformers so that we can facilitate work in
the future.

REFERENCE:

 https://www.academia.edu/4841854/Informe_1_Transformadores_Medidas_preliminares
2
 http://andilaielec.blogspot.pe/2015/02/relacion-de-transformacion-ttrdtr.html
 http://roble.pntic.mec.es/jlop0164/archivos/transformador.pdf
 http://importanciadeltransformador.blogspot.pe/
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School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences
Industrial University of Santander
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ANNEXES:
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