Estimation of Stray Loss and Leakage Flux in The

Structural Component of 3- Phase Distribution

Transformer Under Unbalanced Voltage Based on
Numerical Analysis
Atabak Najafi1 , ,Burak Dokmetas2 ,Ires Iskender3
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
najafi_atabak@yahoo.com1, burakd@gazi.edu.tr2 , iresis@gazi.edu.tr3

Abstract— Transformers illustrate the majority of capital
investment in transmission and distribution centers.
Additionally, interruptions of power transformer have a significant
economic effects on the performance of an electrical network. For
this reason, the safe and reliable performance of transformer,
directly related to the security and stability of power system. This
paper studies the growth of leakage flux and stray losses in the tank
wall and core clamp of distribution transformer under unbalanced
voltage condition. The computer-based simulation utilizing the
three dimensional FEM that improved in Ansoft – Maxwell and
surface impedances method as a tool for visualizing the leakage
flux and stray losses on tank wall and core clamp of distribution
transformers . FEM is one among popular numerical methods that
is able to handle problem complexity in various forms.
Keywords — surface impedances method, stray losses, leakage
flux, voltage unbalance
the hysteresis losses is between 25 and 30% of total stray
losses. Calculation of stray loss based on numerical methods
have been investigated by Some authors [2], where the losses
have been calculated by 2-D finite element method in pad–
mounted transformer. But, in order to estimate the stray loss
some specific portions of transformer has been removed. To
accurate estimation of stray losses in transformer tank wall and
core clamp a full three-dimensional FE analysis of the whole
structure is required. In this paper, based on Electromagnetic
Analysis and by using the surface impedances method, the stray
flux density distribution and stray losses in transformer tank
wall and core clamp of a 1000 kVA , 10/0.4 kV distribution
transformer under different unbalanced voltage condition using
a 3-D finite-element formulation of the full geometry have been
investigated.
TABLE I: ELECTRICAL PARAMETERS OF STUDIED TRANSFORMER

I. INTRODUCTION
Quantity Value Unit
Transformers as static electric machines, play an important
role in the energy system. Nowadays , a significant concern Primary rms voltage 10 KV
for power quality specialists is unbalanced supply voltage due
Secondary voltage 0.4 KV
to its problem on power system especially on transformer
such as increasing the stray losses and leakage flux in tank wall Rated power 1000 KVA
and core clamp , additional copper losses , temperature rise No.of primary winding urns 693 ……
inside the transformer, degration of insulation, reduce the No.of secondary winding turns 16 ……
transformers life and finally, this problems causes eventual Primary winding resistance 2.12 ohm
breakdown. The stray losses in transformers arise from eddy Secondary winding resistance 0.0007 ohm
current and hysteresis effects inside the yoke clamps and tank Height of LV winding 471 mm
walls. As indicates in [1]
Height of HV winding 431 mm

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 II. DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF VOLTAGE UNBALANCE In this equation, is the magnetic permeability, is the
Several definitions are available for determine the amount electrical conductivity, and J0 is the applied current density
of unbalanced voltage. [3]
(6)
A. IEEE Definition:
By using the complicated form of the magnetic field in the
The recent IEEE std.1159 gives both the IEEE 112 and three dimensional model in Cartesian coordinate (x, y ,z),
936 definitions and the proportion of negative and positive- hence:
series voltage the “true value”. The IEEE quantification of
voltage unbalance is given by:
0 (7)

%PVUR 1 Curl of the B, used to calculate the magnetic vector potential A:

B= (8)
max V , V , V min V , V , V
VUF% 2
V
In order to calculate the stray loss in the transformer tank wall,
using of vector potentials methods need to a great deal of
B. True quantification (IEC): elements (mesh). Whereas the skin depth of the tank wall is
Fortescue ingredients or symmetrical ingredients apply To small when compared with their geometry dimensions. Because
determine an unbalance in voltage or current of a three- of this, the magnetic field does not penetrate deep into the
phase system. The three-phase system is decomposed into a conductor .In this paper for accurate calculation of stray loss, the
direct or positive- series, inverse or negative- series and zero- surface impedance boundary condition with the following
series system. The IEC definition, is given: relation between the tangential component of the electric and
magnetic fields is applied. [4]
N
% P
(3)
1 (9)
In this equation the positive and negative sequence can be
calculated as follows:
In this equation, Es is the electric field and Hs is the peak
value of the tangential magnetic field. Based on surface
1 (4) impedances method the stray loss can be calculated as below:

. (10)
III. CALCULATION OF STRAY LOSSES IN TANK WALL AND CORE
CLAMP USING SURFACE IMPEDANCES METHOD
(11)
FEM is a numerical technique to solve the differential and
integral equations such as electromagnetic, magneto static,
thermal conductivity, solid and structural mechanics and fluid (12)
dynamics. The basic idea of FEM is sub dividing physical
problems with complicated differential equations into a number
of sub-problems and dissolving these equations in the linear Fig. 1 demonstrated the three dimensional modeling of the
systems [5]. Reference [8] displays the temporary and spatial core clamp and Tank under mesh operation. Laminations of the
variations of magnetic vector potential A. transformer core, M5 type silicon alloy steel plates with 0.30
mm thick are used. The tank wall made of stainless steel with
1.5 mm Thickness.
0 (5)

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 IV. SIMULATION METHODOLOGY

A 1000-kVA, three-phase, 10/0.4 kV distribution transformer XY Plot 6 Maxwell2DDesign4 ANSOFT

has been analyzed under different unbalanced voltage conditions 15.00

Curve Info
InducedVoltage(w inding_1)
Setup1 : Transient
max_1

14.1412

in order to calculate the stray losses and stray flux in the core 10.00
InducedVoltage(w inding_3)
Setup1 : Transient
InducedVoltage(w inding_5)
Setup1 : Transient
12.9491

15.3256

clamp and tank wall. Design details and nameplate data of the 5.00

considered transformer are given in the Table I.

Y 1 [k V ]
0.00

-5.00

-10.00

-15.00

0.91 0.92 0.94 0.96 0.98 1.00 1.02

Time [s]

Fig. 2: Primary winding voltage under unbalance voltage (case3)

(a)

(a)

(b)

Fig.1: a) 3-D mesh operation b) Tank wall of studied transformer

In this study for the input voltage , phase A is rated value , (b)
phase B is less than of the rated value and phase C is greater
than of rated value, that for unbalance case 3 , with voltage Fig.3: Stray loss on transformer tank wall under a) Normal case b)
Unbalanced voltage case 3
unbalance Percent in each phase,(0% ,(-9.2%), (+7.7%) shows in
Fig (2).
Fig (3) shows the stray loss on transformer tank wall under
normal case and unbalanced voltage case 3. The tank is made of
mild steel having a nonlinear permeability. After estimation of the
magnetic field, losses are calculated considering nonlinearity by an
iterative estimation of coefficient of the tank influence factor.

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 unbalanced condition. Such as the tank wall, Table 3 indicates
It can be seen in this fig that when a phase voltage is higher that increase of VUF% causes the increase of leakage field and
than of nominal value, because the increase of leakage flux, stray losses in core clamp.
especially near this phase, the stray loss will increase
considerably in Comparison with normal case. Table II,
summarized the increase of stray loss and eddy current density TABLE II: INCREASE OF STRAY LOSS AND EDDY CURRENT
DENSITY ON THE TANK WALL UNDER DIFFERENT UNBALANCE
on the tank wall, under different unbalance voltage. It can be
VOLTAGE
seen in this table that with increase the amount of VUF% stray
losses and eddy current density on tank wall increases. Supply Phase (a-b-c) Tank cover Eddy current
Voltage stray density on
(W) Tank wall
A/M^2

Balanced 0% -0% - 0% 695.53 5.657*10^4

Unbalanced 0%- (- 4.1)% - (+3.5)% 720.63 5.784*10^4
voltage case 1

Unbalanced 0%- (- 6.4)% - (+5.8)% 736.35 5.80*10^4

voltage case 2

Unbalanced 0%- (-9.2)% - (+7.7)% 750.44 5.840*10^4

voltage case 3

Unbalanced 0%-(- 21.9)%- (+15.18)% 824.38 7.589*10^4

voltage case 4

(a)

TABLE III: INCREASE OF STRAY LOSS AND EDDY CURRENT

DENSITY ON THE CORE CLAMP UNDER DIFFERENT UNBALANCE
VOLTAGE

Supply Phase (a-b-c) Core Eddy current

Voltage clamp density on
stray loss Core clamp
(W) A/M^2

Balanced 0% - 0% - 0% 110.36 5.793*10^4

Unbalanced 0- (- 4.1)% - (+3.5)% 115.16 6.0456*10^4
voltage case 1
0- (- 6.4)% - (+5.8)% 117.25 6.3141*10^4
Unbalanced
voltage case 2
(b) 0- (-9.2)% - (+7.7)% 119.02 6.5589*10^4
Unbalanced
voltage case 3
Fig.4: Leakage flux on transformer core clamp under a) Normal case
b) Unbalanced voltage case 3 0-(- 21.9)%- (+15.18)% 134.49 7.8502*10^4
Unbalanced
voltage case 4

Fig (4) indicates the leakage flux on core clamp under
normal case and increase of leakage flux under unbalance
voltage case 3. It is observed that, leakage flux in the bottom
frames is higher than the top frames because of its close
proximity with bottom edge of the winding. Table III shows the
increase of eddy current density and stray loss under different
V. RESULT
The aim of this paper was to estimation of stray loss and
leakage flux in the structural component of 1000 kVA, 10/ 0.4
kV distribution transformer using 3-D FEM formulation of the
full geometry transformer based on surface impedances
method under different unbalanced voltage condition. The

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 simulation result in Fig. 3 show that when unbalanced
voltage happens in transformer, its lead to the increase the
leakage flux and stray losses in tank wall .Fig .4 show that
leakage flux in the bottom frames is higher than the top frames ,so
the stray losses in this section is higher than of top clamp . Table
(II) &Table (III) shows that with increase the VUF%, eddy loss
density and stray loss in structural component of transformer
considerably increases.

REFFERENCE

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phase distribution transformer under unbalanced voltage and
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