CURRENT TRANSFORMER

CURRENT TRANSFORMER
 PRINCIPLE OF CURRENT TRANSFORMER

The basic principle of the current transformer is the

same as that of the power transformer. ... Whenever
an alternating current flows through the primary
winding, alternating magnetic flux is produced, which
then induces alternating current in the secondary
winding
 CURRENT FLOW DIRECTION
Is

P1 P2

Ip

S1 S2

Inst. Current directions :-

P1  P2
S1  S2 Externally
SINGLE WINDING
SECONDARY WINDING WITH TAP
DOUBLE WINDING
Current Transformer Ratings
Rated Burden

Value of burden upon which accuracy claims are based

Usually expressed in VA
Preferred values :-
2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 30 VA

Continuous Rated Current

Usually rated primary current

Short Time Rated Current

Usually specified for 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 secs

No harmful effects
Usually specified with the secondary shorted

Rated Secondary Current

Commonly 1 or 5 Amps (0.5 And 2 Amp are also used)

 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METERING AND PROTECTIVE CT
PROTECTIVE CT
Large Cross sectional area
Saturation flux density is high
Cold rolled grain oriented silicon steel use
as magnetic
Accuracy is not important as metering CT
Errors 10% are tolerable for IDMT over
current relay
Errors 3% to 5% are tolerable for
differential relay
MEASURING CT
Small cross sectional area
Saturation flux density is less
Nickel iron Core
CT must not faithfully transform the fault
current ( otherwise measuring instrument
will be damaged)
Error of measuring CT should be 
0.5% to 1%
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR TESTING

 INSULATION RESISTANCE
 POLARITY TESTER
 MULTIMETER
 VARIAC
 LOADING TRANSFORMER
 PRIMARY INJUCTION SET
 TONG TESTER
 MECHANICAL CHECK AND VISUAL
INSPECTION
 Verify name plate ratings in accordance with the
approved drawings
 Inspect of physical damage / defect and mechanical
condition
 Verify correct connection of transformer with the
system requirements
 Verify clearance exist between primary and secondary
winding
 Verify all shorting blocks are in correct position
 Verify tightness of all secondary control cable
 RECOMMENDED STANDARD TEST’S

 INSULATION RESISTANCE TEST

 WINDING RESISTANCE TEST
 POLARITY TEST
 BURDEN TEST
 RATIO TEST
 MAGNETISING CURVE TEST
 TAN DELTA
 INSULATION RESISTANCE TEST
The voltage shall be applied between
 PRIMARY TO EARTH ( 5000 V )
 PRIMARY TO SECONDARY ( 5000V )
 SECONDARY TO EARTH ( 500V )
 CORE TO CORE ( 500V )

PRIMARY VALUES
Permissible limit of IR value should be >1000 MΩ.
SECONDARY VALUES
Permissible limit of IR value should be >50 MΩ.
 INSULATION RESISTANCE TEST

The minimum insulation resistance that is accepted is 1 Megohm.

 POLARITY TEST :
Polarity check is necessary to see the relative-
polarity of the primary and secondary terminals
when terminals are not marked or to establish the
correctness of the marking if already marked.
In other words the polarity consists actually in
marking sure that the designations P1 and P2 made
on the leads of the primary winding and S1 and S2
made on the leads of the secondary winding
corresponds to the winding start and finish ends.
 POLARITY TEST :

Direction of
H2 Secondary Current
Direction of P2
Primary Current
X1 IEEE Secondary
S1
IEC Polarity
Marks

Primary
Polarity IEEE H1

Marks IEC P1
POLARITY TEST :
 BURDEN TEST :
The burden of a current transformer can be
defined as the total impedance in ohms on
the secondary output terminals. The total
burden is a combination of impedance offered by
watt-hour meter coils, relay current coils, contact
resistance, terminal blocks, wire resistance and
test switches used in the secondary loop.
 BURDEN TEST :

ZT = RCT + RL + ZB
ZT = Total burden in ohms (vector summation of resistance and inductance
components)
RCT = CT secondary resistance in ohms @75 deg C
RL = Resistance of leads in ohms (Total loop distance) ZB = Device impedance
in ohms
EXAMPLE:
Decide Whether 5A,20VA CT is sufficient for following circuit

 Total instrument burden = 2 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 4 = 13V A.

 Total pilot load resistance = 2 x 0.1 = 0.2 ohm.
 With 5A secondary current, volt-drop in leads is 5 x 0.2 = 1 V.
 Burden imposed by both leads = 5A x 1 V = 5V A.
 Total burden on CT = 13 + 5 = 18V A.
 As the CT is rated 20VA, it has sufficient margin OF 20%.
 RATIO TEST

 This test is to ensure the turns ratio of CT at all the

taps.
 The primary current of minimum of 25% rated
primary current to be injected on primary side of CT
with secondary's shorted and the secondary current
can be measured & recorded for all cores.
RATIO TEST
 MAGNETISING CURVE TEST

 Magnetization Curve test is to confirm the

magnetisation characteristics of CT with nameplate
specification.
 This test conduct for only PS Class.
 MAGNETISING CURVE TEST
Protection class CT :
The secondary limiting voltage can be calculated as follow:
Vk = Is * ALF (Rct + (VA/Is*Is))
Where,
Is  – rated secondary current
Rct  – CT secondary resistance
VA  – rated CT burden
ALF – Accuracy limit factor
The mag current (Img) drawn at Vk can be obtained from
graph. The following criteria should be satisfied.
Img < accuracy class * ALF * Is
MAGNETISING CURVE TEST
 TANDELTA TEST
DESCRIPTION:
  In a current transformer, the measurements of capacitance
between Primary to Secondary, these values of capacitance and
their respective values of insulation dissipation factor (tan δ) are to
be measured.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEST:
 To determine the deterioration factor in the insulation of the
winding
 To determines the damages of the dielectric factor in the
winding.
 The arithmetic difference in power factors (expressed in %)
measured at 10 kV or at the rated Maximum line-to-ground
voltage before and after dielectric withstand voltage test shall
be without the specified limit.
 TANDELTA TEST
PROCUDURE :

 Make HV cable connection at primary side and LV cable at

secondary Cx point or tan delta point.
 Select the test mode UST – Ungrounded specimen test for
Capacitance measurement in between Primary and secondary
winding.
 Apply the 10KV voltage in the stepwise manner and cross check
the values in all step voltages.
 Note the measurement values of Applied Voltage, Leakage
Current, Power factor, and Dissipation factor, Capacitance.
 TANDELTA TEST

According to the IEEE standard of C57.12.90-1980,

Permissible limit of dissipation factor is < 0.7%

 ACCURACY CLASS
Standard accuracy classes are 5P, 10P, and their details of error are as noted below

Class Ratio error at Rated composite error at rated

Primary Current accuracy limit primary current
5P ±1% 5%

10P ±3% 10%

15P ±5% 15%

What is 5P 15?
“400-200/1 Amp 15 (or 30) VA 5P 15”(where 5P is the class current)
It means that when primary current 200 Amps flows, the secondary current
will be 1 amp and can feed a burden of 15 ohms (30ohms). When primary current
reaches 15 times( during fault conditions) it can be still feed the burden of 15 ohms and
the composite error will not exceed 5 percent in the transformations.
 ACCURACY CLASS
For instance in a large station with long runs from the switch yard to the relay
panel the lead resistance may be as 6 ohms.
with 5A CTs the normal burden imposed by the 6 ohm leads Is
I²R = 5²X6 =150VA
5A CT 1A CT
Resistance of the Resistance of the = 5ohm
secondary of Secondary of 1A CT
5A CT = 0.2ohm
Lead resistance = 6.0 ohm Lead resistance = 6 ohm
Total = 6.2 ohm Total = 11 ohm
Total burden I²R = 5²X6 .2 =155VA Total burden = 1² x11=11
Maximum voltage = 20x IR Maximum voltage = 20xIR
= 20X5X6.2 = 20X1X11
• = 620 Volts = 220 Volts
 CT OPEN CIRCUIT
Primary current sec voltage vpeak/amps comments

5 110 22
49 900 18.37 Slight distortion
167 1400 8.38 Marked distortion
567 1800 3.17
813 2220 2.73 Saturated CT
1967 2600 1.32 Making noise
2337 3600 1.54 Fully Saturated
wave form