THEORY

Transformation Ratio

The transformation ratio is defined as the ratio of output voltage to the input voltage of the transformer.
It gives the information about the change in voltage level by the transformer.

E2 V 2 N 2
Transformation ratio, K= = =
E1 V 1 N 1

THREE-PHASE TRANSFORMER OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUIT TESTS

1. SHORT CIRCUIT TEST

The purpose of a short-circuit test is to determine the series branch parameters of the equivalent circuit
of a transformer.

Method

The test is conducted on the high-voltage (HV) side of the transformer where the low-voltage (LV) side
(or the secondary) is short-circuited. A wattmeter is connected to the primary side. An ammeter is
connected in series with the primary winding. A voltmeter is optional since the applied voltage is the
same as the voltmeter reading. Now with the help of a variac, the applied voltage is slowly increased
until the ammeter gives a reading equal to the rated current of the HV side. After reaching the rated
current of the HV side, all three instruments reading (Voltmeter, Ammeter, and wattmeter readings) are
recorded. The ammeter reading gives the primary equivalent of full load current IL. As the voltage
applied for full load current in short circuit test on transformer is quite small compared to the rated
primary voltage of the transformer, the iron losses in the transformer can be taken as negligible here.

Calculations

W is the full-load copper loss

V 1 is the applied voltage

I 1 is the rated current

R01 is the resistance as viewed from the primary

X 01 is the reactance as viewed from the primary

Z 01 is the total impedance as viewed from the primary

2
W =I 1 R01
w
R01 = 2
I1
 V1
Z 01=
I1

X 01= √ Z 01−R01
2 2

High-power tests

A short-circuit test for determination of transformer impedance and losses is carried out with relatively
low power applied to the transformer, and with winding currents of the same magnitude as in operation.
A different form of short-circuit testing is done to assess the mechanical strength of the transformer
windings, and their ability to withstand the high forces produced if an energized transformer experiences
a short-circuit fault. Currents during such events can be several times the normal rated current. The
resultant forces can distort the windings or break internal connections. For large utility-scale power
transformers, high-power test laboratories have facilities to apply the very high-power levels
representative of a fault on an interconnected grid system.

2. OPEN CIRCUIT TEST (NO-LOAD TEST)

The open-circuit test, or no-load test, is one of the methods used in electrical engineering to determine
the no-load impedance in the excitation branch of a transformer. The no load is represented by the open
circuit, which is represented on the right side of the figure as the "hole" or incomplete part of the circuit.

Method

The secondary of the transformer is left open-circuited. A wattmeter is connected to the primary. An
ammeter is connected in series with the primary winding. A voltmeter is optional since the applied
voltage is the same as the voltmeter reading. Rated voltage is applied at primary.

If the applied voltage is normal voltage, then normal flux will be set up. Since iron loss is a function of
applied voltage, normal iron loss will occur. Hence the iron loss is maximum at rated voltage. This
maximum iron loss is measured using the wattmeter. Since the impedance of the series winding of the
transformer is very small compared to that of the excitation branch, all of the input voltage is dropped
across the excitation branch. Thus, the wattmeter measures only the iron loss. This test only measures
the combined iron losses consisting of the hysteresis loss and the eddy current loss. Although the
hysteresis loss is less than the eddy current loss, it is not negligible. The two losses can be separated by
driving the transformer from a variable frequency source since the hysteresis loss varies linearly with
supply frequency and the eddy current loss varies with the frequency squared.

Hysteresis and eddy current loss:

ph=k h B nmax f

Pe =K e B2max f 2
Since the secondary of the transformer is open, the primary draws only no-load current, which will have
some copper loss. This no-load current is very small and because the copper loss in the primary is
proportional to the square of this current, it is negligible. There is no copper loss in the secondary
because there is no secondary current.

The secondary side of the transformer is left open, so there is no load on the secondary side. Therefore,
power is no longer transferred from primary to secondary in this approximation, and negligible current
goes through the secondary windings. Since no current passes through the secondary windings, no
magnetic field is created, which means zero current is induced on the primary side. This is crucial to the
approximation because it allows us to ignore the series impedance since it is assumed that no current
passes through this impedance.

The parallel shunt component on the equivalent circuit diagram is used to represent the core losses.
These core losses come from the change in the direction of the flux and eddy currents. Eddy current
losses are caused by currents induced in the iron due to the alternating flux. In contrast to the parallel
shunt component, the series component in the circuit diagram represents the winding losses due to the
resistance of the coil windings of the transformer.

Current, voltage and power are measured at the primary winding to ascertain the admittance and
power-factor angle.

Calculations

The current I 0 is very small.

If W is the wattmeter reading then,

w=V 1 I 0 cos

That equation can be rewritten as,

W
cos ϕ 0=
V 1I0
Thus,

I m=I 0 sin ϕ 0

I w =I 0 cos ϕ 0

Impedance

By using the above equations, X O and R0 can be calculated as,

V1
X 0=
Im
V1
R0 =
Iw
Thus,

Z 0=√ R 20 + X 20
Or

Z 0=R0 + J X 0

Admittance

The admittance is the inverse of impedance. Therefore,

1
Y 0=
Z0

The conductance G 0 can be calculated as,

W
G 0=
V 21
Hence the susceptance,

B0= √ Y 0 −G0
2 2

Or

Y 0=G0+ j B0

Here,

W is the wattmeter reading

V 1 is the applied rated voltage

I 0 is the no-load current

I m is the magnetizing component of no-load current

I w is the core loss component of no-load current

Y 0 is the exciting admittance

Z 0 is the exciting impedance