Current Transformers type IMB

System Voltage 36-300 kV

Installation Outdoors

Hairpin/Tank type

Oil - paper - quartz insulation

ABB Power Transmission

1
Current transformers type IMB
ABB’s oil minimum current transformers
type IMB are based on a hairpin design
(shape of the primary conductor) also
known as tank type. The basic design has
been used by ABB for 60 years, with more
than 130 000 units delivered.
The design corresponds with the demands in the standards
SS, IEC, IEEE and BS. Special design solutions to meet
other standards and/or specifications are also available.
The unique filling with quartz-grains saturated in oil gives a
resistant insulation in a compact design where the quantity
of oil is kept to a minimum.
The IMB transformer has a very flexible design, that, for
example, allows large and/or many cores.
Primary winding
The primary winding consists of one or more parallel
conductors of aluminium or copper designed as a U-shaped
bushing with voltage grading capacitor layers.
The conductor is insulated with a special paper with high
mechanical and dielectric strength, low dielectric losses and
good resistance to ageing.
Cores and secondary windings
The current transformers can normally accommodate up to
4 cores. However, by increasing the tank volume more
and/or larger cores can be quoted on request.
Cores for measuring purposes are usually made of nickel
alloy, which features low losses (= high accuracy) and low
saturation levels.
The protection cores are made of high grade oriented steel
strip. Protection cores with air gaps can be supplied for
special applications.
The secondary winding consists of double enamelled
copper wire, evenly distributed around the whole
periphery of the core.The leakage reactance in the winding
and also between extra tapping is therefore negligible.
2
Impregnation
The windings are dried by heating in vacuum. After
assembly all free space in the transformer (app 60%) is filled
with clean and dry quartz-grain.The assembled transformer
is vacuum treated and impregnated with degassed mineral
oil. The transformer is always delivered oil filled and
hermetically sealed.
Tank and insulator
The lower section of the transformer consists of an
aluminium tank in which the secondary windings and
cores are mounted.The insulator, mounted above the
transformer tank, consists as standard of high-grade
brown-glazed porcelain. Designs using light grey
porcelain or silicon rubber can be quoted on request.
The sealing system consists of O-rings.
Expansion system
IMB has an expansion vessel placed on top of the
insulator.A hermetically sealed expansion system,
with a nitrogen cushion compressed by thermal
expansion of the oil, is used in IMB as the standard
design.Transformers for the highest rated currents
are using an expansion system with stainless steel
bellows.This can also be quoted, on request, for
transformers with lower rated currents.
On request – Capacitive voltage tap
The capacitive layers in the high voltage insulation can be
utilised as a capacitive voltage divider. A tap is brought out
from the last but one capacitor layer through a bushing on
the transformer tank. An advantage of the capacitive
terminal is that it can be used for checking the condition of
the insulation through dielectric loss angle (tan delta)
measurement without disconnecting the primary
terminals.The tap can also be used for voltage indication,
synchronising or similar purpose, but the output is limited
by the low capacitance of the layers.
ABB Power Transmission
 Advantages of IMB

Climate 1
The transformers are designed for, and are installed in,
widely shifting conditions from polar to desert climate 2 7
throughout the world. 8

Service life 9
The low and even voltage stress in the primary insulation
gives a reliable product with a long service life. IMB and
its predecessors have since the 1940th been supplied in 3
more than 130 000 units.

Expansion system
The expansion system, with nitrogen gas cushion, increases
operating reliability and minimises the need of
maintenance and inspections.This type of expansion
system can be used in IMB since the quartz filling reduces
the oil volume and a relatively large gas volume minimises
pressure variations.
The bellow system, used for high rated currents, consists of
a number of stainless steel bellows surrounded by the oil,
Thermal expansion of the oil compresses the bellow and
an internal overpressure allows the bellow to expand and
compensate for thermal contraction of the oil.
4
10
Quartz filling
Minimises the quantity of oil and provides a mechanical
5
support to the cores and primary winding. 11
6

Flexibility 12
IMB covers a wide range of primary currents up to 4000 A.
IMB can easily be adapted for large and/or many cores by
increasing the volume of the tank.
Current Transformer type IMB
Resistance to corrosion 1. Oil filling unit
The selected aluminium alloys give a high degree of 2. Gas cushion
resistance to corrosion, without the need of extra 3. Quartz filling
protection. For use in extreme trying environment can 4. Capacitive voltage tap
IMB be delivered with a protective painting. 5. Primary conductor
6. Paper insulation
7. Expansion vessel
Seismic strength 8. Oil sight glass
IMB has a mechanically robust construction designed to 9. Primary terminal
withstand high demands of seismic acceleration (0.5g) 10. Secondary terminal box
without the need of dampers. 11. Cores/secondary windings
12. Earth terminal

ABB Power Transmission

3
Design properties
Material
All external metal surfaces consist of aluminium alloy
resistant to most known environment factors. Bolts, nuts
etc. are made of acid-proof stainless steel.The aluminium
surfaces do not need to be painted, however, protective
painting (aluminium-coloured) or painting in optional
colour can be quoted on request.
Creepage distances
As standard, IMB are offered with creepage distance
≤ 25 mm/kV. Longer creepage distance can be offered on
request.
Primary and secondary terminals
Please refer to the detailed description on page 5.
Mechanical strength
The mechanical strength gives sufficient safety margins for
normal wind loads and terminal forces. Static force on
primary terminal may be maximum 4000 N in arbitrary
direction.
IMB can also withstand most cases of seismic
acceleration (0.5g).
Terminal box
The terminal box, in aluminium, for secondary terminals,
is mounted on the transformer tank. As standard the
terminal box has an undrilled flange and drainage. The
terminal flange can be quoted, on request, with cable
glands according to customer specification.
Protection class according to IEC 529 for the terminal
box is IP 55.
Rating plates
Rating plates of stainless steel with engraved text and
wiring diagram are mounted on the cover of the terminal
box.
Transport - Storage
IMB 36 - 170 is normally transported (3-pack) and stored
vertically. If horizontal transport is required this must be
stated on the order. Long term storage, more than six
months should be made vertically.
IMB 245 - 300 is packed for horizontal transport (1-pack).
Long term storage, more than six months should
preferably be made vertically.
Shipping data see page 11.
4
Arrival inspection - Erection
Always check the packaging and the content on arrival
with respect to transport damage. In the event of damage
to the goods, please contact ABB Switchgear for advice
before further handling. Any damage should be
documented (photographed).
The transformer must be mounted on a flat and even
surface. An uneven surface may cause misalignment of the
transformer with a risk for oil leakage.Erection
instructions are supplied with each delivery.
Maintenance
The maintenance requirements are small, as IMB is
hermetically sealed and designed for a service life of more
than 30 years. Normally it is sufficient to check the oil
level and that no oil leakage has occurred.Tightening of
the primary connections should be checked occasionally
to avoid overheating.
A more detailed check is recommended after 20-25 years of
service.This gives further guarantees for continued
problem free operation.
The methods and the scope of the checks depend greatly
on the local conditions. Measurement of the dielectric
losses of the insulation (tan delta-measurement) and/or oil
sampling for dissolved gas analysis are recommended check
methods.
Maintenance instructions are supplied with each delivery.
Impregnation agent
The oil used is of the type NYNAS NYTRO 10X (according
to IEC 296 grade 2), which is free of PCB and other
heavily toxic substances and is classified as having low
environmental impact.The oil is classified in the German
water protection class WGK 1.
Disposal
After draining the oil it can be burnt in an appropriate
plant for this purpose. Oil residues in the quartz are burnt,
where after the quartz is deposited.
The porcelain can, after being crushed to reduce the
volume, be used as fill.
The metal in the transformer can be recycled. All
aluminium parts are labelled with the material designation.
To utilise the aluminium and copper in the win-dings, the
oil saturated paper insulation should be burnt.
ABB Power Transmission
 Terminals
Primary terminals
IMB 36 – 300 is as standard equipped with aluminium bar
terminals, suitable for IEC, NEMA and DIN specifications.
Other customer specific solutions can be quoted on request.
Maximum static force on the terminal is 4000 N. Maximum
rotation force is 1000 Nm.

Secondary terminal box and secondary

terminals
The terminal box for the terminals of the secondary
windings is mounted on the transformer tank and is
manufactured of corrosion resistant die-cast aluminium.
The standard terminal box can accommodate up to 30
terminals of the type PHOENIX 10N for cable area
≤ 10 mm2. Other types of terminals can be quoted on
request.
The terminal box has a removable, undrilled, terminal
flange with drainage.The terminal flange can be quoted on
request with cable glands or drilled in accordance with the
customer’s specification.
A larger terminal box with space for more secondary
terminals or other equipment, such as heater or protective
spark gap, is supplied when needed.

Voltage at max system Load current at max

voltage system voltage and
Earth terminal 10 kohm load 10 kohm load
The transformer is usually equipped with one earth
terminal with a clamp of nickel-plated brass, for
conductors D = 8 – 15 mm, see below left.The clamp can
be moved to any of the four mounting feet. A stainless
steel bar, 80 x 145 x 8 mm, can be quoted on request.The
bar can be supplied undrilled or drilled according to IEC,
DIN or NEMA standards.
The earth terminal for the secondary windings is located
inside the terminal box.

ABB Power Transmission

5
Technical specifications
Standards/customer specifications
There are international and national standards, as well as
customer specifications. ABB Switchgear can meet most
requirements, as long as we are aware of them. In case of
doubt, please enclose a copy of specification with the
inquiry.
Voltages
Highest voltage for equipment (phase to phase, rms value)
is the maximum operating voltage for which the current
transformer is designed.This level should not be exceeded
continuously.
Test voltages are specified in the standards in relation to the
system voltage.These tests shall show the ability of the
current transformer to withstand the over-voltages that can
occur in the network. Most of the tests are carried out as
type tests and are not repeated without extra charge.The
same applies to customer specific tests carried out in
addition to the requirement in the standard.
The lightning impulse test is performed with a standardised
wave shape – 1.2/50 µs – for simulation of lightning over-
voltage.
The switching impulse test is performed with a standardised
wave shape - 250/2500 µs – for simulation of switching
over-voltage. The test is valid for system voltages ≤ 300 kV
and is performed as a wet test. For voltages < 300 kV this
test is replaced by a wet power frequency voltage
withstand test.
6
Currents
The rated currents are the values of primary and secondary
currents on which the performance is based.
The rated primary current should be selected app 10 – 40%
higher than the estimated operating current. Closest
standardised value should be chosen.
Extended current rating gives a factor that multiplied by
the rated current gives the maximum continuos load current
and the limit for accuracy. Standard values of extended
primary current are 120, 150 and 200% of rated current.
As rated secondary current is 5 or 1 A chosen (2 A is also
available). 1 A is especially chosen for low measuring and
protection burdens. 1 A also gives an overall lower burden
requirement through lower cable burden.
The thermal short time current – ITH – depends on the
short-circuit power, (ITH = PK/(Un/√3 kA.) The dynamic
short time current is in accordance with IEC, IDYN = 2.5 ∞ ITH.
The current transformers can be designed with either
primary or secondary reconnection or a combination to
obtain more current ratios. Primary reconnection means
that the ampere-turns always remain the same and thereby
the load capacity (burden) remains the same. The short
circuit capacity is however reduced for the lower ratios.
Primary reconnection is available for currents in relation
2:1 or 4:2:1. See page 9.
Secondary reconnection means that extra secondary
terminals (taps) are taken out from the secondary winding.
The load capacity drops as the ampere-turns decrease on
the taps, but the short circuit capacity remains constant.
ABB Power Transmission
 Burden and accuracy class
The burden is the external impedance in the secondary
circuit in ohms at specified power factor. It is usually
expressed as the apparent power – in VA –, which is
taken up at rated secondary current. It is important to
determine the power consumption of connected meters
and relays including the cables. Unnecessary high
burdens are often specified for modern equipment. Note
that the accuracy for a measuring core can be outside the
class limit if the actual burden is below 25% of the rated
burden.
The accuracy class for measuring cores is given as 0.2, 0.5
or 1.0 depending on application. For protection cores the
class is normally 5P or 10P. Other classes are quoted on
request.
ABB Power Transmission
7
Over-current factors
To protect meters and instruments from being damaged
by high voltages is an FS factor of 5 or 10 often specified
for measuring cores, which means that the secondary
voltage will increase maximum 5 or 10 times when rated
burden is connected.
The protection cores must be able to reproduce the fault
current without being saturated.The over-current factor
for protection cores is called ALF. ALF = 10 or 20 is
commonly used.
Both FS and ALF are valid at rated burden only.
Design data

Flashover and creepage distances

Normal creepage distance 25 mm/kV Long creepage distance 31 mm/kV
(Min values) (Min values)
Type Flashover Total Protected Flashover Total Protected
distance creepage creepage distance creepage creepage
distance distance distance distance
mm mm mm mm mm mm

IMB 36 350 1000 390 350 1135 485

IMB 72 630 1960 785 630 2265 950
IMB 123 980 3160 1280 980 3875 1630

IMB 145 1120 3640 1480 1120 4565 1860

IMB 170 1330 4360 1780 1330 5355 2210
IMB 245 1915 6740 2750 2265 8490 3685

IMB 300 2265 8250 3370 - - -

Test voltage: IEC 60044-1, BS 7626, SS 427 08 11

Type System AC voltage test, Lightning Switching RIV Max
voltage 1 minute impulse impulse test voltage RIV level
wet/dry 1.2/50 µs 250/2500 µs
kV kV kV kV kV µV

IMB 36 36 70/70 170 - - -

IMB 72 72.5 140/140 325 - - -
IMB 123 123 230/230 550 - 78 250

IMB 145 145 275/275 650 - 92 250

IMB 170 170 325/325 750 - 108 250
IMB 245 245 460/460 1050 - 156 250

IMB 300 300 - /460 1050 850 191 250

Test voltage above applies at ≤ 1000 m above sea level.

Test voltage: IEEE C57.13:table 2

AC Voltage test
Lightning Chopped RIV Max
Type System Dry Wet impulse impulse test voltage RIV
voltage 1 min 10 s 1.2/50 µs level1)
kV kV kV kV kV kV µV

IMB 36 34.5 70 70 200 230 - -

IMB 72 69 140 140 350 400 - -
IMB 123 115 230 230 550 630 78 250

IMB 145 138 275 275 650 750 92 250

IMB 170 169 325 315 750 865 108 250
IMB 245 230 460 445 1050 1210 156 250

1)Test procedure according to IEC.

2)Test voltage above applies at ≤ 1000 m above sea level.
ABB Power Transmission
8
 Routine tests/Type tests
The following tests are performed on each transformer as IEC 60044-1 clause 6.3
standard before delivery in accordance with applicable Measurement of capacitance and tan delta.
standards:

ABB specific tests

IEC 60044-1 clause 6.2
a Check of terminal marking and polarity.
b Voltage test on primary windings.
c Partial discharge measurement.
d Voltage test on secondary windings.
e Voltage test between winding sections.
f Over-voltage inter-turn test on secondary windings.
g Determination of accuracy. (One transformer in
each batch is type tested for accuracy. Remaining
units at a reduced number of burdens. Complete
error curves on all transformers must be ordered
separately).
a Sealing test.
b Measurement of secondary resistance (sample).
c Complete excitation curve for each type of core in
a transformer. For the remaining transformers all
cores are checked at one or two points on the
excitation curve.
Type test
Type test protocols are available on request.

Number of Max continuous Max ampere turns Max short-time current Max dynamic
primary turns 1) primary current 2) 1 second 3) current
A kA kA peak value

8 - 4 - 2 4) 150 - 300 - 600 1200 12.5 - 31.5 - 31.5 32 - 79 - 79

4 - 2 - 1 4) 600 - 1200 - 2400 2400 31.5 - 31.5 - 31.5 79 - 79 - 79
2 - 1 4) 1500 - 3000 3000 31.5 - 40 79 - 100
1 4000 4000 63 158

1) Other types of primary conductor can be supplied on request.

2) Max. continuous primary current = load factor x primary rated current related to a daily mean temperature that
does not exceed 35ºC.
3) Value for 3 seconds on request.
4)Primary winding can be switched. Can be designed with switching possibility between two or three primary rated
currents with a ratio of 2:1 or 4:2:1.

ABB Power Transmission

9
Dimensions

Type A B C D E F G H J K
IMB Total Height to Earth Flashover Length Dimensions Height to Spacing
height primary plane distance across of bottom terminal for
terminals height primary tank box mounting
terminals holes
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm

36 1735 1260 745 350 745 260 360 - 340 355

72 2015 1540 745 630 745 260 360 - 340 355
123 2365 1890 745 980 745 260 360 - 340 355
145 2505 2030 745 1120 745 260 360 - 340 335
170 2715 2240 745 1330 745 260 360 - 340 335

123 2415 1940 795 980 745 300 395 - 390 410
145 2555 2080 795 1120 745 300 395 - 390 410
170 2765 2290 795 1330 745 300 395 - 390 410

245 3630 3045 965 1915 745 270 370 885 555 450
245 3980 3395 965 2265 795 270 370 885 555 450
300 3980 3395 965 2265 795 270 370 885 555 450

1) Increased tank height. Dimensions A; B and C will increase by 210 or 420 mm.
2) Three primary ratios. Dimension A will increase by 180 mm.

Dimension drawing IMB 36-170 kV Dimension drawing IMB 245-300 kV

ABB Power Transmission

10
 Shipping Data

Type Net weight Oil Shipping Shipping

Dimensions
IMB incl.oil Kg weight
of bottom tank volume
Kg Kg m3

36 360 53 400 0.8 1)

72 390 52 435 0.9 1)

123 430 54 480 1.1 1)

145 445 54 495 1.2 1)

170 470 55 515 1.3 1)

123 535 63 595 1.5 1)

145 550 63 610 1.6 1)

170 630 70 695 1.7 1)

245 1045 103 1335 4.1 2)

245 1155 108 1465 4.6 2)

300 1265 123 1600 4.6 2)

1) IMB 36 – 170 is normally packed for vertical transport in a 3-pack

Vertical transport in a 1-pack can be quoted on request.

2) IMB 245 – 300 is always packed for horizontal transport in 1-pack.

Weights and volumes apply to a standard IMB. In case of transformers

having increased tank size, cooler, three primary ratios and/or extended
flashover distance the weight and volume will become greater.

ABB Power Transmission

11
 Lic.nr. 341 313
Produktion: SESWG/I AO Tryck: Henningsons Tryckeri AB 3000ex

NOTE! ABB Switchgear is working to continuosly improve the products.

Therefore we reserve the right to change design, dimensions and data without prior notice.

ABB Switchgear AB Catalogue SESWG/I 4022 en

SE-771 80 LUDVIKA, Sweden Edition 5, 2000-04
Tel +46 240 78 20 00
Fax +46 240 78 38 91
E-mail: instr.transf@seswg.mail.abb.com
Internet: http://www.abb.com/transmission

12