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UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY JAMAICA

FACULTY OF EDUCATION & LIBERAL STUDIES


SCHOOL OF TECHICAL & VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRICAL MAJOR
NETWORK ANALYSIS 2: Polarity test for transformer
LECTURER: MR. E. LEWIS
STUDENT: RYAN BONNER, 1203323

Polarity Test of Transformer

Polarity means the direction of the induced voltages in the primary and the
secondary winding of the transformer.

Voltage induced in a secondary winding


Terminals having the same
instantaneous polarity Mutual flux and leakage flux are noted
are
with a dot.
The voltage exists only between primary terminals 1-2 and secondary
terminals 3-4, respectively. NO VOLTAGE exists between Primary terminal one and
secondary terminal 3. The secondary is essentially isolated from the primary.
The flux
mutual flux

ml

created by the primary can be broken up into two parts: a


which links the turns of both coils; and a leakage flux

fl

which

links only the turns of the primary. If the coils are far apart, the mutual flux is very
small compared to the total flux

; we then say that the coupling between the

two coils is weak. We can obtain better coupling (and a higher Secondary voltage
E2) by bringing the two coils closer together. However, if we bring the secondary
right up to the primary so that the two coils touch, the mutual flux will still be small
compared to the total flux

. When the coupling is weak, Voltage E 2 is relatively

small and, worse still, and collapses almost completely when a load is connected
across the secondary terminals. In most industrial transformers, the primary and
secondary windings are wound on top of each other to improve the coupling
between them (Nunes, N.A.).
Polarity of a transformer
In the figure above fluxes

fl

and

ml

are both produced by magnetizing

current Im . Consequently, the fluxes are in phase, both reaching their peak values at
the same instant. They also pass through zero at the same instant. IT follows that
voltage E2 will reach its peak value at the same instant as E g does. Suppose, during
one of these peak moments, that primary terminal 1 is positive with respect to
primary terminal 2 and the secondary terminal 3 is positive with respect to terminal

4 (Figure above on the right). Terminals 1 and 3 are then said to possess the same
polarity. Placing a large dot beside primary terminal 1 and another large dot beside
terminal 3 can show this sameness. The dots are called polarity marks (Nunes,
N.A.).
The polarity in The figure above could equally well be placed beside terminals
2 and 4 because, as the voltage alternatives, they too, become simultaneously
positive, every half-cycle. Consequently, the polarity marks may be shown beside
terminals 1 and 3 or beside terminals 2 and 4.

Properties of polarity marks


A transformer is usually installed in a metal enclosure and so only the primary
and secondary terminals are accessible, together with their polarity marks. But
although the transformer may not be visible, the following rules apply to polarity
marks:
1. A current entering a polarity-marked terminal produces a magnetomotive
force thatacts in a positive direction. As a result, it produces a flux in the
positive direction As shown in the figure below. Conversely, a current
flowing out of a polarity marked terminal produces a magnetomotive force
and flux in the negative direction. Thus, currents that respectively into
and out of polarity marked terminals of two coils produce magnetomotive
force that buck each other.
N.B.: Positive and negative are shown in quotation marks because we can
rarely see inside of a transformer to see in which direction the flux is actually
circulating (Nunes, N.A.).

If one polar-marked terminal is momentarily positive, then the other polarity-marked


terminal is momentarily positive (each with respect to its other terminal). This rule
enables us to relate the phasor voltage on the secondary side with the phasor
voltage on the primary side. As illustrated in the example below, phasor E dc is in
phase with phasor Eab (Nunes, N.A.).

(a). instantaneous polarities when the magnetizing current is increasing


(b). Phasor relationship

The polarity of a transformer can be shown by means of dots on the primary


and secondary terminals. This type of marking is used on instrument transformers.
On power transformers however, the terminals are designated by symbols H 1 and
H2 for the high voltage (HV) winding and by X1 and X2 for the low voltage (LV)
winding. By convention, H1 and X1 have the same polarity.
Although the polarity is known when the symbols H 1, H2, X1 and X2 are given,
in the case of power transformers it is common practice to mount the four terminals
on the transformer tank in a standard way so that the transformer has either
Additive or subtractive polarity. A transformer is said to be in additive polarity when
terminals H1 is diagonally opposite terminal X1 . Similarly, a transformer has
subtractive polarity when terminal H1 is adjacent to terminal X1 in the figure below. If
we know that a power transformer has additive (or subtractive) polarity, we do not
have to identify the terminals by symbols.

Subtractive polarity is standard for all single phase transformers above 200
kVA, provided the high voltage winding is rated above 8660 V. All other transformers
have additive polarity (Nunes, N.A.)

Polarity Detection
This is needed for identifying the primary and secondary phasor polarities. It is a
must for poly phase connections. Both a.c. and d.c methods can be used for
detecting the polarities of the induced emfs. Polarity Detection
NB: The dot method is used to indicate the polarities.

The transformer is connected to a low voltage a.c. source with the connections
made as shown in the Figure (a). A supply voltage Vs is applied to the primary
and the readings of the voltmeters V1, V2 and V3 are noted. V1: V2 gives the turns
ratio.
If V3 reads V1V2 then assumed dot locations are correct (for the
connection shown).

Transformer polarity test scheme

The beginning and end of the primary and secondary may then be marked by A1 A2 and a1 a2
respectively. If the voltage rises from A1 to A2 in the primary, at any instant it does so from a1 to
a2 in the secondary.
If more secondary terminals are present due to taps taken from the windings they can be labeled
as a3, a4, a5, a6. It is the voltage rising from smaller number towards larger ones in each winding.
The same thing holds good if more secondaries are present.
Figure (b) shows the d.c. method of testing the polarity. When the switch S is closed if the
secondary voltage shows a positive reading, with a moving coil meter, the assumed polarity is
correct. If the meter kicks back the assumed polarity is wrong.

References
Csanyi, E., Mr. (2013, August 26). Identifying The Primary And Secondary
Phasor Polarities Of Transformer Polarity Test. Retrieved November 20, 2016, from
http://electrical-engineering-portal.com/identifying-the-primary-and-secondaryphasor-polarities-of-transformer-polarity-test

Nunes, W., Mr. (n.d.). Networks Analysis 2 (01st ed., Vol. 01).
Laboratory Manual. Retrieved November 20, 2016

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