COMMISSIONING

OF
CURRENT TRANSFORMERS
POTENTIAL TRANSFORMERS
 INSTRUMENT
TRANSFORMERS

By
Er. ROMIL KUMAR

2
 contents
 Role of instrument transformers, operating principles
 Equivalent circuits, errors
 Design parameters, magnetization, ferro resonance
 Applicable standards
 CT &CVT selection parameters
 Manufacturing and testing
 Storage, transport, installation, operation do’s and don’ts
in commissioning
 Maintenance and troubleshooting
 Instrument Transformer
Instrument Transformers are of two types :
1. Current Transformer (or Series Transformer)
2. Potential Transformer (or Parallel Transformer)
Current transformers are used when magnitude of AC
currents exceeds safe value of current of measuring
instruments.
Potential transformers are used where voltage of an AC
circuit exceeds 750 V as it is not possible to provide
adequate insulation on measuring instruments for voltage
more than this.
 INSTRUMENT TRANSFORMERS
 Current transformers are used for reducing stepping down
a.c. current from higher value to lower value for
measurement / protection / control.
Typical secondary current is 5A r.m.s.
 Voltage transformer are used in electrical power
system for stepping down a.c. Voltage from higher value
to lower value for measurement protection / control .
Typical secondary voltage is 110V r.m.s.
 Actually relays and meters used for protection and metering
are not designed for high currents and voltages.
 High currents or voltages of electrical power system can not
be directly fed to relays and meters. 5
 CURRENT TRANSFORMER (CT)
Definition
 CTs are used for reducing / stepping down ac current
from higher value to lower value for measurement /
protection / control. Typical secondary current is 5 A rms
 CT secondary current is substantially proportional to
primary current and differs in phase from it by ideally zero
degree.

6
 Current Transformer
Working principle
 A CT functions with same basic working principle
of electrical power transformer but here is some difference.
If a electrical power transformer or other general purpose
transformer, primary current varies with load or secondary
current.
 In case of CT, primary current is system current and this
primary current or system current transforms to CT
secondary, hence secondary current or burden current
depends upon primary current of current transformer.

7
 Instrument Transformer v/s power
transformer
 Difference b/w intrument tx and power tx is mainly in
their VA rating.
 Both CTs and VTs have low VA rating (10,30, 100 VA )
and therefore not used for power transfer.
 Operating principle of
Current Transformer v/s power transformer

 In a power transformer , if load is disconnected, only

magnetizing current flows in primary.
 Primary of power transformer takes current from source
proportional to load connected with secondary .

 In CT, primary is connected in series with power line.

 So current through its primary is current flowing in power
line and does not depend upon whether load or burden is
connected to secondary or not or what is impedance value
of burden.

9
 Working principle of Current Transformer
or CT
 CT has very few turns in primary where as secondary turns
is large in number.
 Say Np is number of turns in CT primary and Ip is current
through primary. Hence primary AT is equal to NpIp AT.
 If number of turns in secondary and secondary current are
Ns and Is respectively then Secondary AT is equal to NsIs AT.
 In an ideal CT ,
primary AT magnitude= secondary AT magnitude.
 So if a CT has one turn in primary and 400 turns in
secondary winding, and if it has 400 A current in primary
then it will have 1A in secondary .
and turn ratio of CT will be 400/1A 10
Instrument Transformer as CT
 Current Transformer ( CT )

 The primary winding of CT is connected in series with line

in which current is to be measured and secondary is
connected to ammeter.
 Current Transformer

 There are two types of current transformers:

 1. Wound primary type
 2. Bar primary type.

Bar primary
Wound primary
 Wound primary: used for smaller currents, low fault
level installations due to thermal limitations

 Bar primary : used for currents > 100 A

 Protection CTs are most frequently of bar primary,
toroidal core with evenly distributed secondary winding
type construction.
 In such CTs, secondary winding can be conveniently put
inside high voltage bushings.
CT
CURRENT TRANSFORMER
 Construction of Current Transformers
 CT core is made of continuously wound strip of magnetic
material. Primary conductor passes thru eye of ring.
 Secondary is wound on core , turns ratio N2/N1 is very
high so that I1 /I2 is very high.
 Ring type
Ring type core is commonly used when primary current is
large.
Secondary winding is distributed round ring and primary
winding is a single bar.
It is a jointless core and there is very small leakage
reactance.
 Instrument Transformers -CT
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CT’S

Conductor whose current is to be measured or Bar primary

Two winding CT.

 Terms & Definitions regarding CTs
 Rated primary current: value of primary current on which
primary performance of CT is specified .
Rated primary current is assigned after conducting heat
run tests
 Rated short time current(primary) : r.m.s value of a.c.
component which CT can carry for rated time without
damage due to thermal or electro-dynamic stresses.
 Rated secondary current: value of secondary current ,
marked on rating plate
 Current error or ratio error: %age error in magnitude of
secondary current is defined in terms of current error.
 Phase angle error: phase angle between primary current
vector and reversed secondary current vector
 Accuracy class: class assigned to CT with specified limits
of ratio error and phase angle error
 Over current factor: ratio of rated short time current to
rated primary current
 Insulation level (primary) : insulation level of CT refers to
withstand values of
--- power frequency withstand voltage
--- impulse withstand voltage
 Burden of Instrument Transformer
 In current transformer, secondary winding has a very
small impedance or “Burden” , so current transformer
operates on short circuit conditions.
 Rated burden of CT is maximum load in volt- amperes
which may be applied across secondary terminals
without ratio and phase angle errors exceeding
permissible limits.
 Burden depends upon number of instruments or relays
connected and their individual burdens.
 Burden may be expressed as: 0.5 ohm impedance or
12.5 VA at 5 amperes. Let rated burden B volt amperes
at rated current Is amp.
Then ohmic impedance burden Zb = B/I2 ohms
 eg if CT is to feed an indicating meter 1.0VA, a record
watt meter 5VA , an o/c relay 6VA . Total burden =12VA
 If resistance of connecting leads is 0.2 ohm ,
its burden = I2R = 5VA
then total burden on CT = 17VA
 Burden of Instrument Transformer

 Burden across secondary of an instrument transformer is

also defined as ratio of secondary voltage to secondary
current.

ZL = secondary voltage/ secondary current

=V/I
unit of burden are ohms.
secondary windings of different phases of Current Transformers are
generally star
connected. A typical wiring connection for Core – 1 of Current
Transformers in the Bay
Marshalling Kiosk / Junction Box
 Open circuits of CTs

 CTs generally work at a low flux density. Core is made of

very good metal to give small magnetizing current.
 On open-circuit, secondary impedance becomes infinite
and core saturates. This induces a very high voltage in
primary up to approximately system volts and
corresponding volts in secondary will depend on number
of turns ,multiplying up by ratio i.e.volts/turn ×no. of turns).
 Since CT has much more turns in secondary compared to
primary, voltage generated on open-circuited CT will be
much more than system volts, leading to flashovers.
 hence, current transformer must never be operated on
open- circuit.
Current Transformers-idle

CT

Short both the terminals and

ground
 Multi core CT-idle

CT

Ammeter

Short all unused CT terminals and ground

 [ Standards ]
 The Indian and international standard for CT
o Standard ⁞ Standard no. ⁞ Year
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 India ⁞ IS 2705 ⁞ 1992
 IEC ⁞ IEC 60044-1 2003
 British ⁞ BS 3938 ⁞ 1973
 American ⁞ ANSI C.57.13 ⁞ 1978
 Australian ⁞ AS 1675 ⁞ 1986
(International electro technical commission)
 Manufacturing company

 BHEL,CGL,ABB,Joti,Siemens… Etc.
32
 Current transformer

 The basis of all transformers is that:

Amp-turns on Primary = Amp-turns on secondary
e.g. 100 A × 1 turn = 1 A × 100 turns
 Primary current contains two components:

 An exciting current, which magnetizes core and supplies

eddy current and hysteresis losses, etc.

 A remaining primary current component, which is
available for transformation to secondary current in
inverse ratio of turns.
 exciting current is not being transformed and is
therefore , cause of transformer errors.
 Causes of error in CT
 In ideal CT
Actual transformation ratio Kc=turn ratio Kt and phase angle would be
zero. but due to physical limitations inherent in electric and magnetic
ckt , errors are caused.
REASONS:
1. CT draws magnetising current Im to provide exciting mmf required
by primary winding to produce flux
2. CT draws energy current to supply core losses (eddy current and
hysterisis losses) +electrical I2R losses. Thus energy loss component
Ie is required to supply losses associated with flux and associated cu
loss in winding due to exciting current Io in primary winding
3. Flux density in core is not linear function of magnetising force . Thus
ct core gets saturated.
4. There is always a magnetic leakage
Equivalent circuit of CT
Phasor diagram of CT
 Errors introduced by CT
 When current is measured by CT, transformation ratio of
CT must be fixed and known accurately so that no error in
measurement of current.
 But it is not so-- as it depends on magnetisation and
energy components of excitation current, secondary
winding load current and its pf.
 Ratio error = nominal ratio – actual ratio = Kn- Kc
 actual ratio Kc
 Kn= rated primary current/ rated secondary current

 Kn normally= Kt= no. of turns on secondary/ no. of turns on primary

Actual transformation ratio Kc= actual primary current/actual sec current
 Ratio error is
+ve when actual ratio of CT< nominal ratio
-ve when actual ratio of CT > nominal ratio
ratio error can be approx as = -Ie / Kt .Is
 Phase angle error
 In an ideal CT , angle between primary and reversed
secondary current vector is zero.
 But in actual CT, there is always a difference in phase
between two due to fact that primary current has to
supply component of the exciting current.
 Angle between above two phasors is termed as phase
angle error in CT.
Phase angle error
 How to Reduce Error in Current
Transformer

 1. Using a core of high permeability and low hysteresis

loss magnetic materials.
 2. Keeping the rated burden to the nearer value of the
actual burden.
 3. Ensuring minimum length of flux path and increasing
cross-sectional area of core, minimizing joint of core.
 4. Lowering secondary internal impedance.
 Conventional CT core saturates during transient causing delay
in high speed relay operation
 Secondary resistance
 The secondary resistance of a CT is an important factor, as CT has to
develop enough voltage to push secondary current through its own
internal resistance as well as connected external burden. This should
always be kept as low as possible.
 Burden : circuit connected to secondary winding. Expressed in volt-
ampere at rated secondary current at rated power factor.
CT specification
 A CT is normally specified in terms of:
 A rated burden at rated current
 An accuracy class
 An upper limit beyond which accuracy is not guaranteed (known as
accuracy limit factor, ALF), which is more vital in case of protection
CTs.
 Accuracy class of CT
Accuracy class is the class assigned to CT with specified limits
of ratio error and phase angle error
Limits of error and accuracy class
Accuracy class Current error at Phase Composite error at
rated primary displacement at rated accuracy limit
current rated current primary current
% Minutes %
5P +- 1 +-60 5
10P +-3 --- 10
15P +- 5 ---- 15
CTs are marked as: 30/5P 10
First number: output in VA (30)
Second number: accuracy class: (5P)
Third number: composite error: (10)
 Tests on current transformers

Two type of tests on current transformers :

1. Type Test
2. Routine Test
 Tests on current transformers
Type tests as per IS
 The following tests are type tests
 a) verification of terminal markings and polarities
 b) short-time current tests
 c) temperature rise test
 d) impulse voltage test on primary
 e) power frequency voltage withstand test on primary
 f) error measurement
 g) overvoltage inter-turn test
 Tests on current transformers
Routine tests as per IS

The following tests apply to each individual CT

a) verification of terminal markings and polarities
b) high voltage power-frequency voltage withstand test on
secondary
c) inter-turn overvoltage test
d) determination of errors and accuracy class

--- Order of tests is not standardized, but determination of

errors shall be performed after other tests
 Special tests

 Following tests are performed upon agreement between

manufacturer and purchaser:
 a) chopped lightning impulse test
 b) measurement of capacitance and dielectric dissipation
factor
 c) multiple chopped impulse test on primary winding
 d) mechanical tests
 e) measurement of transmitted over-voltages
 Temperature-rise test IS
 CT shall be deemed to have attained a steady
temperature when rate of temperature rise does not
exceed 1 K per hour.
 Test-site ambient temp. shall be between 10 °C and 30 °C.
 CT shall be mounted in a manner representative of
mounting in service.
 Temperature rise of windings shall be measured by
increase in resistance method, but for windings of very low
resistance, thermocouples may be employed.
 Temperature rise of parts other than windings may be
measured by thermometers or thermocouples.
 The power-frequency withstand test
as per IEC 60060-1.
 Test voltage shall have appropriate value depending on
the highest voltage for equipment.
 The duration shall be 60 s.
 Test voltage shall be applied between short-circuited
primary winding and earth. The short-circuited secondary
winding(s), frame, case (if any) and core (if there is a
special earth terminal) shall be connected to earth.
 Impulse tests on primary winding IS
 General: Impulse test is performed in accordance with IEC
60060-1.
 Test voltage is applied between terminals of primary
winding (connected together) and earth. frame, core and
all terminals of secondary windings are connected to earth.
 impulse tests consist of voltage application at reference
and rated voltage levels. reference impulse voltage shall be
between 50 % and 75 % of rated impulse withstand
voltage. peak value and wave-shape of impulse shall be
recorded.
 Evidence of insulation failure due to test may be given by
variation in wave-shape at both reference and rated
withstand voltage. .
 Tests on current transformers
 Error measurement:
1. Direct method– 2 ammeters are used . One for primary
current and other for secondary current
2. Comparison method—a sub-standard CT is taken,
whose errors are known. CT under test is compared with
sub-standard CT.
 Turns ratio test:
measure magnitudes of primary and secondary currents
near rated secondary current with a low value of
secondary burden.
 Exciting currents:
 measured for several secondary e.m.f.
 Apply voltage to secondary winding , primary and other
windings being open circuited.
 Routine tests
Verification of terminal markings and polarity
IS
 It shall be verified that the terminal markings are correct
 Polarity test:
 If at any instant, current is entering primary from P1 ,the
current should leave secondary from terminal S1.
 when key is pressed , current enters the primary thru P1,
voltmeter connected should read positive.
 Polarity of CT and connections: polarity gives relative
instantaneous directions of currents in primary and
secondary leads. In BS-3938 polarity of CT is marked as
 P1 and P2 S1and S2
 If current flows from P1 to P2 then current will flow from S1
to S2 thru ammeter.
 Partial discharge test
 Procedure A: the partial discharge test voltages are
reached while decreasing the voltage after the power-
frequency withstand test.
 Procedure B: the partial discharge test is performed after
the power-frequency withstand test. The applied voltage
is raised to 80 % of the power-frequency withstand
voltage, maintained for not less than 60 s, then reduced
without interruption to the specified partial discharge test
voltages
 Insulation tests: these are conducted as per BS/IS/IEC
 For primary circuit test ,Specified Power frequency
voltage is applied to primary for one minute.
 For secondary circuit test, voltage of 2kv , 50 Hz is
applied for one minute between secondary terminals and
earth.
 Impulse tests are conducted on hv CTs.
 Over voltage inter-turn test:
 Sec winding is open circuited. Rated frequency ,rated
primary current is flown thru primary for one min .
 Secondary winding is then checked to see if insulation
has passed the test.
 Rating plate markings
 a) the manufacturer’s name
 b) a serial number
 c) rated primary and secondary current,
i.e.: Kn = Ipn / Isn A (e.g. Kn = 100/5 A)
 d) rated frequency (e.g. 50 Hz)
 e) rated output and the corresponding accuracy class,
(e.g. 1S, 15 VA, class 0.5; 2S, 30 VA, class 1).
 f) highest voltage for equipment (e.g. 1,2 kV or 145 kV);
g) rated insulation level (e.g. 6/–kV* or 275/650 kV).
 Accuracy classes for protective current
transformer
 12.2.1 Accuracy class designation
 For protective current transformers, the accuracy class is
designed by highest permissible percentage composite
error at the rated accuracy limit primary current
prescribed for the accuracy class concerned, followed by
the letter “P” (meaning protection).
 12.2.2 Standard accuracy classes
 The standard accuracy classes for protective current
transformers are: 5P and 10P.
 Limits of errors for protective current
transformers
IS
 At rated frequency and with rated burden connected,
current error, phase displacement and composite error
shall not exceed the values given in table 14.
 For testing purposes when determining current error and
phase displacement, burden shall have a power-factor of
0,8 inductive except that, where burden is less than 5 VA,
a powerfactor of 1,0 is permissible.
 For the determination of composite error, burden shall
have a power-factor of between 0,8 inductive and unity at
discretion of manufacturer.
 Potential transformer P.T
 Voltage (potential)Transformer VT or PT

 Voltage transformers are much like power transformers

operating on very light load.
 Two types of VTs used for protection equipment.
1.Conventional two-winding, electromagnetic type
(commonly referred to as a VT)
2 Capacitive voltage divider type(referred to as a CVT).
 electromagnetic type is a step down transformer whose
primary (HV) and secondary (LV) windings are connected
as :

 No. of turns in a winding is directly proportional to open-

circuit voltage being measured or produced across it.
 In three-phase system, one VT per phase is used and they
are connected in star or delta depending on method of
connection of main power source being monitored.
Potential transformer P.T

P1 P2

S1 S2
Voltage Transformers

Medium Voltage

High Voltage
Typical wiring connections of 2 core CVTs and PTs in Bay

Marshalling Kiosk / Junction Box are shown below :

 Terms and definitions of PT
 Rated voltage: Vol marked on rating plate
 Rated transformation ratio : Ratio of rated primary vol to
rated secondary vol
 Rated secondary voltage : value of secondary vol marked
on rating plate
 Residual voltage: vector sum of three lines to earth
voltages i.e.
 Vres = V RN + V YN + V BN
 Residual PT : a three phase pt or a group of 3 single phase
residually connected PTs in which residual voltage appears
across secondary terminals when 3 phase voltage are
applied to primary windings
[ Standards ]

 The Indian and international standard for PT

o Standard ⁞ Standard no. ⁞ Year
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 British ⁞ BS 3841 ⁞ 1973
 American ⁞ ANSI C.57.13 ⁞ 1978
 Australian ⁞ AS 1243 ⁞ 1982
 India ⁞ IS 3156 ⁞ 1992
 IEC ⁞ IEC 186 ⁞ 1987
(International electro technical commission)
 Manufacturing company

 BHEL,CGL,ABB,Joti,Siemens… Etc. 70
 Advantages of Instrument Transformer

Measuring instruments can be placed for away from high

voltage side by connecting long wires to instrument transformer.
This ensures safety of instruments as well as operator.
3. This instrument transformers can be used to extend the range of
measuring instruments like ammeters and voltmeters.
4. power loss in instrument transformers is very small as compared
to power loss due to resistance of shunts and multipliers.
5. By using current transformer with tong tester, current in a
heavy current circuit can be measured.
 Disadvantages of Instrument Transformer

The only draw back is that these instruments can not

be used in DC circuits.

18/03/2013
Capacitive voltage
transformer (CVT)
 Capacitive voltage transformer (CVT)
 For voltages above 100KV, conventional type of PT
becomes extremely expensive due to insulation
requirements.
 Capacitor voltage transformer is a combination of a
capacitor potential divider and a magnetic potential
transformer, known as intermediate transformer of
relatively small ratio.
 A stack of high voltage capacitors forms the potential
divider, capacitance of two sections being C1 and C2
respectively, Z is burden
 Intermediate transformer primary voltage is usually above
10 Kv
 Intermediate transformer consist of an inductance L ,
which may consist of wholly or partly leakage inductance
of its winding.
 Value of L is adjusted to 1/ w2( C1+C2) so that vol drop
due to current from divider is compensated. So
transformation ratio is independent of burden.
 Overall ratio is product of divider and transformer ratio.
 Capacitive voltage transformer (CVT)

 In EHV national grid networks of utilities, CVTs are

commonly used for both protection and communication
purposes.
 CVT serves the purpose of Potential Transformer and
Coupling Capacitor
General arrangement of CVT
Electrical performance of CVT
Connections of a CT and a PT to supply,
load and relay
CT,VT,CVT

Connections of a CT and a PT to supply, load and relay.

THANKS
THANKS
Typical schematic diagram of CVT
Construction
 Accuracy Class of CT:
 CT accuracy is determined by its certified accuracy class which is
stamped on nameplate. eg, CT accuracy class of 0.3 means that CT is
certified to be accurate within 0.3 % of its rated ratio value for a
primary current of 100 percent of rated ratio.
 CT with a rated ratio of 200/ 5 with accuracy class of 0.3 would
operate within 0.45 % of its rated ratio value for a primary current of
100 amps i.e. for a primary current of 100A it is certified to produce a
secondary current between 2.489 amps and 2.511 amps.
 Accuracy is specified as a %age of range, and is given for maximum
burden as expressed in VA. Total burden includes input resistance of
meter and loop resistance of wire and connections between CT and
meter.
 Example: Burden = 2.0 VA. Maximum Voltage drop = 2.0 VA / 5 Amps
= 0.400 Volts.
 Maximum Resistance = Voltage / Current = 04.00 Volts / 5 Amps
=0.080 Ohms.
 If input resistance of meter is 0.010Ω, then 0.070Ω is allowed for loop
resistance of wire, and connections between CT and meter.