Engr.

Muzamil Faiz Pakistan

Current Transformer

What is a current transformer?

It is an instrument transformer which is

used to lower the current level for
metering and protection purpose.

What is the main difference

between current transformer
and unit transformer?

CTs are actually step up transformers

having lower VA rating than power
transformers used in the generating
stations.

What are constructional differences between CT & unit transformer?

 CT has primary winding of only single turn (wire) where as unit transformer has some
fixed number of turns on its primary.
 CTs have secondary windings of variable number of turns depending upon the load of
the line.

Is there any difference between LV and HV current transformers?

Low voltage (LV) side CTs have more number of turns than high voltage CTs as the current
in LV side is more than current on HV side.

Is there any standard value of current on secondary side of CTs?

The standard values of current on secondary of CTs are 5A,2 A & 1 A. In GEPCO 5A CTs
are in use.

Is there any difference between the metering CT and protection CT?

Metering CTs have lower VA rating (burden) than protection CTs. More VA rating indicates
the CT saturation point also called the knee point voltage (KPV). Protection CT requires
more voltage to get saturated than metering CTs.

Why metering CTs have lower VA rating than protection CTs?

When load increases than metering CT will be saturated before the meter and due to this our
metering data will not lost. Therefore the VA burden of metering CT is low.
Engr. Muzamil Faiz Pakistan

Is the metering and protection CTs on HV side are installed separately?

No, only one CT is used for this purpose but at least three different cores are used in it which
are: Do you know?
1) Differential protection core VA rating of differential core is more
2) Over current protection core than all and the least one VA rating is for
3) Metering core metering core.

Example:

100-200/5 A 10P20 60 VA
(Differential core)

100-200/5 A 10P20 30 VA
(Over current core)

100-200/5 A Class 0.2 60 VA

(Metering core)

Note:

The straight line from 132 kV bus bar

to 11 kV bus bar acts as the primary
of the CTs.

What is meant by the 100-200/5A in CT data?

This CT has tapings on its secondary winding for current

selection according to load conditions. 100 A/200 A on
primary side can change it to 5A on secondary side
when proper taping is selected.

Multi core Multi Range CTs:

In the diagram three cores are shown one for differential

protection, one for overcurrent/Earth fault and one for
metering purposes.

When we use 1S1 and 1S3 then higher rating of current is

achieved such as 200/5A.

When we use 1S2 and 1S3 then lower rating of current is

achieved such as 100/5A (may change according to data
sheet it is only for example).
Engr. Muzamil Faiz Pakistan

What is Meant by 10P20 / 5P20 in the data of CTs?

These are used for overcurrent, earth fault protection of feeders and transformers etc.

Here (10P20)

10 CT have 10% signifies the limit of composite error

P Protection core

20 ALF (Accuracy Limit Factor) CT will show 10% error upto 20 times more current

This actually shows when the current in the secondary side of CT is 20 times more than its
rated current then error will be 10% in its values.

Example:

A CT has 200/5A 10P20 30 VA rating and is used in O/C earth fault protection of a feeder.
In fault condition the current in its secondary is 20 times more than its rating then what are
the permissible values ?
Do You know?
Solution:
All the CTs must confirm the standards
Current in the secondary side 5 X 20 = 100 A defined in the IEC-60044-1. The standards
are 5,10,15,20 & 30 and for metering
It can read in between 90 A to 110 A. core are 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 & 1.0 class.

What do you mean by the Class 0.5 of metering core CTs?

Metering CTs are more accurate then protection CTs. For metering the accuracy classes are
0.1 , 0.2 , 0.5 and 1.0. The the number (0.5) is the %age of errors.

Normally for voltage level above 33 kV 0.1 or 0.2 classes are used and below 33kV 0.5 or
1.0 classes are used. (GEPCO situation is different)

Why secondary of CTs are not open circuited?

As the CT is a step up type transformer which has high voltage at the secondary side. As the
air between the conductors get ionized when the voltage is 25-30 kV/cm2 then air molecules
will be ionized and a spark will be produced. Due to this problem open CTs are blasted. To
address this problem CT secondary is usually star connected and the neutral is grounded
always.

Why CTs are connected only in series?

As CTs are used for current step down purpose and current remains same in series therefore
CTs are always connected in series.

Engr. Muzamil Faiz

Protection & Instrumentation Engineer