TRANSFORMERS

AND GENERATORS
ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING UTILITY 02
 TRANSFORMERS
They change very high voltage into a lower
voltage appropriate for your home appliances,
like lamps and refrigerators.

The transformer cannot change the frequency of

the supply. If the supply is 60 hertz, the
output will also be 60 hertz.
HOW TRANSFORMERS OPERATE
A transformer is a voltage changer. Most
transformers are designed to either step
voltage up or to step it down
The transformer works on the principle that
energy can be efficiently transferred by
magnetic induction from one winding to
another winding by a varying magnetic field
produced by alternating current .
One of the windings is designated as the primary and
the other winding as the secondary.
Since the primary and secondary are wound the on the
same iron core, when the primary winding is
energized by an AC source, an alternating magnetic
field called flux is established in the
transformer core.
The flux created by the applied voltage on the
primary winding induces a voltage on the secondary
winding.
The primary winding receives the energy and is called
the input. The secondary winding is discharges the
energy and is called the output.
 WINDINGS
The primary and secondary windings consist of
aluminum or copper conductors wound in coils
around an iron core and the number of turns in
each coil will determine the voltage
transformation of the transformer.
Step Down Transformers
If there are fewer turns in the secondary winding
than in the primary winding, the secondary voltage
will be lower than the primary.
Step Up Transformers
If there are fewer turns in the primary winding than
in the secondary winding, the secondary voltage
will be higher than the secondary circuit.
This relationship between the number of turns in the
secondary and primary is often called the turns
ratio (also referred to as the voltage ratio). It
is customary to specify the turns ratio by writing
the primary (input) number first.
Example of turn ratio

Secondar Secondar
Primary Turns Primary Terns
y y
Windings Ratio Voltage Ratio
Voltage Voltage
480 240 2/1 600 120 5/1
480 120 4/1 600 208 2.88/1
480 24 20/1 208 120 1.73/1
Transformers are designed and cataloged by KVA
ratings.
A transformers KVA rating indicates its maximum
power output capacity. The higher the transformers
KVA rating for a specific input and output
voltage, the larger transformer.
What does KVA mean? K= Abbreviation of the Greek word
kilo, meaning times 1000 V= Volts A= Amperes or
Amp
For Example: A Transformer is supplying a three-phase
load that draws 100 amps and requires a supply
voltage of 208 volts. Therefore:

Thus, you must select a transformer with a capacity

greater than 36.026 KVA.
 TYPES OF TRANSFORMER
Transformers can be categorized in different ways,
depending upon their purpose, use, construction
etc.
Step Up Transformer & Step Down Transformer -
Generally used for stepping up and down the
voltage level of power in transmission and
distribution power system network.
Step-down transformers step down the voltage supply
to match the smaller voltage requirement of the
appliance.
 SINGLE PHASE SYSTEM
In single phase circuit, there will be only one phase
Single-phase meaning (2) power lines as an input
source; therefore, only (1) primary and
(1)secondary winding is required to accomplish the
voltage transformation.
i.e. the current will flow through only one wire and
there will be one return path called neutral line
to complete the circuit.
So in single phase minimum amount of power can be
transported.
 THREE PHASE SYSTEM
Basically, the power company generators produce
electricity by rotating (3) coils or windings
through a magnetic field within the generator .
These coils or windings are spaced120 degrees apart.
As they rotate through the magnetic field they generate
power which is then sent out on three (3) lines as
in three-phase power.
Three-Phase transformers must have (3) coils or
windings connected in the proper sequence in order
to match the incoming power and therefore transform
the power company voltage to the level of voltage we
need and maintain the proper phasing or polarity.
 GENERATORS
Generator is a device that converts
mechanical energy to electrical energy.
In addition to ensuring that the generator
frequency matches the frequency of the grid
or appliances, the following conditions must
also be satisfied:

(a) Output voltage of the generator must match

the operating voltage of the grid, or the
appliances powered by the generator.

(b) There should be no phase difference between

the grid voltage and that of the generator.
The exact value of the AC voltage generated by a
synchronous machine is controlled by varying
the current in the DC field windings, while
frequency is controlled by the speed of
rotation.

Power output is controlled by the torque applied

to the generator shaft by the driving engine.
In this manner, the synchronous generator
offers precise control over the power it can
generate.
 FREQUENCY

Frequency of the AC current produced is

dependent on two factors: The number of poles
(n) built into the machine and the speed of
rotation (rpm). Thus, frequency (f) is
calculated by using the follow equation:

f = (rpm x n) / 120

Therefore, rpm = (f x 120) / n

As a result, a two-pole generator must have an
rpm of 3600 to provide 60 Hz while a four-pole
generator must rotate at 1800 rpm to provide
60 Hz. An eight-pole generator must operate at
900 rpm to provide 60 Hz. To obtain a 50 Hz
output, the generator speeds must be slightly
slower as calculations would show.

Since frequency is normally a constant (60 Hz or

50 Hz), control of the generator speed is
essential.
 Single-Phase Generators:

In a single-phase generator, the stator has a number of

windings connected in series to form a single circuit
across which the output voltage is generated.

Equal voltage across all stator windings in phase with

each other
For instance, in a 4-pole generator, the four poles of
the rotor are evenly spaced around the frame of the
stator. At any given point in time, each rotor pole is
in the same position relative to the stator windings
as any other rotor pole. Hence, the voltages induced
in all the stator windings are of the same value and
amplitude and also in phase with each other at every
time.
Single-phase power distribution is commonly used in
residential areas and also in rural areas where
loads are small and uncommon and the cost of
setting up a three-phase distribution network is
high.
 Three-Phase Generators:

In a three-phase generator, three single-phase

windings are spaced such that there is a phase
difference of 120 among the voltages induced in
each of the stator windings. The three phases are
independent of each other.
Star or Y Configuration
In a star or Y connection, one lead from each winding
is connected to form the neutral. The opposite end
of each winding, known as the finish end, is
connected to a line terminal each. This produces a
line voltage greater than the individual voltage
across each winding.
Delta Configuration
In a delta configuration, the start end of one
phase is connected to the finish end of the
adjacent phase. This produces a line voltage equal
to the phase voltage. Electrical utilities and
commercial generators produce three-phase power.