Experiment 3

Transformer Regulation
Objectives:

o To study the voltage regulation of the transformer with varying loads.

o To study transformer regulation with inductive and capacitive loading.

Discussion:

The load on a large power transformer in a sub-station will vary from a very small value
in the early hours of the morning to a very high value during the heavy peaks of
maximum industrial and commercial activity. The transformer secondary voltage will
vary somewhat with the load, and because motors and incandescent lamps and heating
devices are all quite sensitive to voltage changes, transformer regulation is of
considerable importance. The secondary voltage is also dependent upon whether the
power factor of the load is leading, lagging, or unity. Therefore, it should be known how
the transformer will behave when it is loaded with a capacitive, an inductive, or a
resistive load.

If a transformer was perfect (ideal) its windings would have no resistance. Furthermore,
it would require no reactive power (vars) to set up the magnetic field within it. Such a
transformer would have perfect regulation under all load conditions and the secondary
voltage would remain absolutely constant. But, practical transformers do have winding
resistance and they do require reactive power to produce their magnetic fields. The
primary and secondary windings possess, therefore, an overall resistance R and an
overall reactance X. the equivalent circuit of a power transformer having a turn ratio of 1
to 1, can be approximated by the circuit shown in Fig. 3.1. The actual transformer
terminals are P1P2 on the primary side and S1S2 on the secondary.

Fig. 3.1

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In between these terminals we have shown the transformer as being composed of a
perfect (ideal) transformer in series with an impedance consisting of R and X, which
represents its imperfections. It is clear that if the primary voltage is held constant, then
the secondary voltage will vary with loading because of R and X.

An interesting phenomenon occurs with a capacitive load. Partial resonance is set up

between the capacitance and the reactance X. Secondary voltage E2 may actually tend
to rise as the capacitive load value increases.

Instruments and Components:

Description Model
Single-phase Transformer 8341
AC Ammeter n/a
AC Voltmeter n/a
Power Supply 8821
Connection Leads n/a
Variable Resistor 8311
Variable Inductor 8321
Variable Capacitor 8331

Procedure:

Warning: High Voltages are present in this Laboratory Experiment! Do not make
any connections with the power on! The power should be turned off after
completing each individual measurement!

Modified Steps:

Step 1: Circuit was arranged according to Fig. 3.2. Instead of the two voltmeters, the E1
and E2 terminals of the Data Acquisition Interface was used instead. Instead of the two
ammeters, the I1 and I2 terminals of the DAI was used.

Step 2: A resistive load module was used as load. The power was turned on and the
input was set to 240 V. The outputs according to the Table 3.1 were recorded in the
simulation. The variable resistor value was changed and the process was repeated until
the table was complete.

Steps 4 and 5: Step 2 was repeated but this time using an inductive load module and a
capacitive load module respectively.

Step 6: Using the data recorded in Steps 2, 4 and 5, three graphs were plotted through
the simulation software. Each graph represents a different kind of load (resistive,
inductive and capacitive).

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Step 1 Using Single-Phase Transformer, Power Supply, Variable Resistor and AC
Voltmeter and AC Ammeter, connect the circuit shown in Fig. 3.2

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 Fig. 3.2

Step 2 (i) Place all of the variable resistor module switches in their open
position for zero load current.
(ii) Turn on the Power Supply and adjust for exactly 240 V ac as
indicated by voltmeter E1.
(iii) Measure and record in Table 3.1 the input current I1, the output
current I2, and the output voltage E2.
Table 3.1

(iv) Adjust the load resistance ZL to 4800 Ohm. Make sure that the input
voltage remains at exactly 240 V ac. Measure and record I1, I2, and
E2.
(v) Repeat (iv) for each of the listed values in Table 3.1.
(vi) Return the voltage to zero and turn off the Power Supply.

Step 3 (i) Calculate the transformer regulation using the no-load and full-load
output voltages from Table 3.1.

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 E ( nl ) − E ( fl ) 238.4 −209.5
Regulation= ∗100 %= ∗100 %
E ( nl ) 238.4

Regulation = 12.1 %

(ii) Does the primary winding VA equal the secondary winding VA for
every value of load resistance in the Table?

o Yes
o No
Explain: Primary VA is not equal to secondary VA due to the various
core losses and copper losses in the two windings.

Step 4 (i) Repeat procedure step 2 using the variable inductance in place of
the resistance load.
(ii) Record the measurements in Table 3.2

Table 3.2

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Step 5 (i) Repeat procedure step 2 using the variable capacitance in place of
the resistance load.
(ii) Record the measurements in Table 3.3

Table 3.3

Step 6 You will now plot a regulation curve of the output voltage E2 vs output
current I2 regulation curve for each type of transformer load.
(i) Plot your recorded values of E2 (at each value of I2 listed in Table
3.1) on the graph of Fig. 3.3
(ii) Draw a smooth curve through your plotted points. Label this curve
“resistive load”.
(iii) Repeat (i) for the inductive (Table 3.2) and capacitive (Table 3.3)
loads. Label these curves “Inductive load” and “Capacitive load”.

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 Fig. 3.3(a)

Fig. 3.3(b)

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 Fig. 3.3(c)

Test Your Knowledge

1 Explain why the output voltage increases when capacitive loading is used.

Explain: A capacitor provides reactive power. Thus, reactive power is

inserted into the circuit. Since, reactive power is greater, output voltage is
also larger.

2 A transformer has a very low impedance (small R and X)

(i) What effect does this have on the regulation?

Explain: If impedance in the transformer is very small, secondary

current will also be small. So, voltage drop on the secondary
resistance and reactance will also be very small. Thus, no-load and
full-load voltage will be nearly the same. This leads to smaller and
thus, better regulation in the transformer.

(ii) What effect does this have on short-circuit current?

Explain: A small impedance will lead to a very large short-circuit

current.

3 Very large transformers are sometimes designed not to have optimum

regulation properties in order for the associated circuit breakers to be within
reasonable size.

Explain: I'm not sure this is true. "Regulation" has to do with how the
transformer's terminal voltage behaves under different loading
scenarios - under heavy load, the voltage is typically dragged down
some; if the transformer regulation is "good", it will not be
impacted too much. Furthermore, to offset this, many transmission
to distribution Transformers have load tap changers which
effectively add or remove winding from the secondary side
(typically), allowing manual or automatic regulation as load
increases and decreases. Transmission level transformers often do
not use LTC, and thus regulation is more limited (these are also
usually much larger transformers). The terminal voltage could
fluctuate then to +/- ~5% of nominal.
Circuit breakers, therefore, must be sized for the maximum

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 voltage expected (what I have seen spec'd is 105% nominal), and
maximum fault current expected. I don't think anyone can under size
the circuit breaker to operate on a lower voltage simply because
under heavy loading voltage might be lower than ideal.

4 Will transformer heating be approximately the same for resistive, inductive

or capacitive loads of the same VA rating?

o Yes
o No
Explain: Heating in a transformer is caused due to core losses and copper
losses.
Core loss is a function of primary voltage and frequency and thus does not
depend on load.
Copper loss is caused due to winding resistance and depends on the rms
current. Thus, the power factor of the load does not matter here either.
Hence, transformer heating will be approximately the same if VA rating is
the same for different load power factors.