Transformer

A transformer is a static piece of equipment used either for raising or lowering the
voltage of an a.c. supply with a corresponding decrease or increase in current. It
essentially consists of two windings, the primary and secondary, wound on a
common laminated magnetic core as shown in Fig. The winding connected to the
a.c. source is called primary winding (or primary) and the one connected to load is
called secondary winding (or secondary). The alternating voltage V1 whose
magnitude is to be changed is applied to the primary. Depending upon the number
of turns of the primary (N1) and secondary (N2), an alternating e.m.f. E2 is induced
in the secondary. This induced e.m.f. E2 in the secondary causes a secondary
current I2. Consequently, terminal voltage V2 will appear across the load.

Principle of Working
The principle of mutual induction states that when two coils are inductively
coupled and if current in one coil is changed uniformly then an e.m.f. gets induced
in the other coil. This e.m.f. can drive a current, when a closed path is provided to
it. The transformer works on the same principle.

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When primary winding is excited by an alternating voltage, it circulates an
alternating current. This current produces an alternating flux (Φ) which completes
its path through common magnetic core as shown in Fig. thus an alternating flux
links with the secondary winding. As the flux is alternating, according to Faraday's
law of an electromagnetic induction, mutually induced e.m.f. gets developed in the
secondary winding. If now load is connected to the secondary winding, this e.m.f.
drives a current through it.

Construction
E.M.F. Equation of a Transformer

As shown in Fig., flux increases from its zero value to maximum value Φm in one
quarter of the cycle i.e. in 1/4 f second.

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Voltage Transformation Ratio (K)

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Example 1: The maximum flux density in the core of a 250/3000-volts, 50-Hz
single-phase transformer is 1.2 Wb/m2. If the e.m.f. per turn is 8 volt, determine
(i) primary and secondary turns (ii) area of the core.

Example 2: A single-phase transformer has 400 primary and 1000 secondary

turns. The net cross-sectional area of the core is 60 cm2. If the primary winding be
connected to a 50-Hz supply at 520 V, calculate (i) the peak value of flux density in
the core (ii) the voltage induced in the secondary winding.

Example 3: A 25-kVA transformer has 500 turns on the primary and 50 turns on
the secondary winding. The primary is connected to 3000-V, 50-Hz supply. Find
the full-load primary and secondary currents, the secondary e.m.f. and the
maximum flux in the core. Neglect leakage drops and no-load primary current.

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Example 4: A single phase transformer has 500 turns in the primary and 1200
turns in the secondary. The cross-sectional area of the core is 80 sq. cm. If the
primary winding is connected to a 50 Hz supply at 500 V, calculate (i) Peak flux-
density, and (ii) Voltage induced in the secondary.

Example 5: A 25 kVA, single-phase transformer has 250 turns on the primary and
40 turns on the secondary winding. The primary is connected to 1500-volt, 50 Hz
mains. Calculate (i) Primary and Secondary currents on full-load, (ii) Secondary
e.m.f., (iii) maximum flux in the core.

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Ideal Transformer
An ideal transformer is one that has
(i) No winding resistance
(ii) No leakage flux i.e., the same flux links both the windings
(iii) No iron losses (i.e., eddy current and hysteresis losses) in the core.

Consider an ideal transformer on no load i.e., secondary is open-circuited as shown

in Fig. (i). Under such conditions, the primary is simply a coil of pure inductance.
When an alternating voltage V1 is applied to the primary, it draws a small
magnetizing current Im which lags behind the applied voltage by 90°. This
alternating current Im produces an alternating flux f which is proportional to and in
phase with it. The alternating flux f links both the windings and induces e.m.f. E1
in the primary and e.m.f. E2 in the secondary. The primary e.m.f. E1 is, at every
instant, equal to and in opposition to V1 (Lenz’s law). Both e.m.f.s E1 and E2 lag
behind flux f by 90°. However, their magnitudes depend upon the number of
primary and secondary turns.
Fig.(ii) shows the phasor diagram of an ideal transformer on no load.

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Practical Transformer on No Load
A practical transformer differs from the ideal transformer in many respects. The
practical transformer has (i) iron losses (ii) winding resistances and (iii) magnetic
leakage, giving rise to leakage reactances.
Consider a practical transformer on no load i.e., secondary on open circuit as
shown in Fig. (i). The primary will draw a small current I0 to supply (i) the iron
losses and (ii) a very small amount of copper loss in the primary. Hence the
primary no load current I0 is not 90° behind the applied voltage V1 but lags it by an
angle f0 < 90° as shown in the phasor diagram in Fig.(ii).
No load input power, W0 = V1 I0 cos f0

As seen from the phasor diagram in Fig.(ii), the no-load primary current I0 can be
resolved into two rectangular components

(i) The component IW in phase with the applied voltage V1. This is known as
active or working or iron loss component and supplies the iron loss and a
very small primary copper loss.

(ii) The component Im lagging behind V1 by 90° and is known as

magnetizing component. It is this component which produces the mutual
flux f in the core.

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Example 6: (a) A 2,200/200-V transformer draws a no-load primary current of
0.6 A and absorbs 400 watts. Find the magnetising and iron loss currents.
(b) A 2,200/250-V transformer takes 0.5 A at a p.f. of 0.3 on open circuit. Find
magnetizing and working components of no-load primary current.

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Transformer on Load

When the transformer is loaded, the currentI2 flows through the secondary
winding. The magnitude and phase of I2 is determined by the load.
There exists a secondary m.m.f. N 2I2 due to which secondary current sets up its
own flux Φ2. This flux opposes the main flux Φ produced in the core due to
magnetising component of no load current. Hence the m.m.f. N 2I2 is called
demagnetizing ampere-turns.

The flux Φ2 momentarily reduces the main flux Φ, due to which the primary
induced e.m.f. E1 also reduces. Hence the vector difference V1-E1 increases due to
which primary draws more current from the supply. This additional current drawn
by primary is due to the load hence c alled load component of primary current
denoted as I2'.
This current I2' is antiphase with I2. The current I2' sets up its own flux Φ2' which
opposes the flux Φ2 and helps the main flux Φ. This flux Φ'2 neutralises the flux Φ2
produced by I2. The m.m.f. ampere turns N 1I'2 balanced the ampere turns N 2I2.
Hence the net flux in the core is again maintained at constant level.
As the ampere turns are balanced we can write,

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When transformer is loaded, the primary current I1 has two components:
1. The no load current I0 which lags V1 by angle Φ0. It has two components Im
and Ic.
2. The load components I'2 which antiphase with I2. And phase of I2 decided by
the load.

Assume inductive load, I2 lags E2 by Φ2, the phasor diagram is shown in the
Fig.(a).

Assume purely resistive load, I2 in phase with E2, the phasor diagram is shown in
the Fig.(b).

Assume capacitive load, I2 leads E2 by Φ2, the phasor diagram is shown in the
Fig.(c).

Note that I'2 is always in antiphase with I2.

But if we neglect I0 as compared to I2′

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Example 7: A single-phase transformer with a ratio of 440/110-V takes a no-load
current of 5A at 0.2 power factor lagging. If the secondary supplies a current of
120 A at a p.f. of 0.8 lagging, estimate the current taken by the primary.

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Example 8: A transformer has a primary winding of 800 turns and a secondary
winding of 200 turns. When the load current on the secondary is 80 A at 0.8 power
factor lagging, the primary current is 25 A at 0.707 power factor lagging.
Determine graphically or otherwise the no-load current of the transformer and its
phase with respect to the voltage.

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Example 9: A single phase transformer takes 10 A on no load at p.f. of 0.2
lagging. The turns ratio is 4 : 1 (step down). If the load on the secondary is 200 A
at a p.f. of 0.85 lagging. Find the primary current and power factor. Neglect the
voltage-drop in the winding.

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