IMPORTANCE OF USING HIGH TEST

VOLTAGE FOR THE TRANSFORMER

TURNS RATIO TEST
Edis Osmanbasic
Head of testing, training and education services
1.
Introduction
Transformer turns ratio basics
 Transformer turns
ratio basics
• Why is it important?
• Detecting winding defects
• How is it performed?
• Voltage ratio between primary and
secondary windings is measured for each
transformer leg, applying voltage at HV
side and measuring on LV side
• Phase by phase with single-phase
voltage
• All phases at once with true three-phase

3 www.dv-power.com
 Three-phase transformer

• Phase by phase measurement by using single phase voltage

• Single-phase test
• Turns ratio

• Three-phase measurement by using true three-phase voltage

source
• Three-phase test
• Ratio of the phase voltages

4 www.dv-power.com
 Single-phase vs. true three-phase
voltage
What the international standards say?

• IEC doesn’t stipulate which of these to use

• ANSI stipulates single-phase voltage, but allows true three-
phase where single-phase is not applicable (“In the case of
three-phase transformers, when each phase is independent
and accessible, single-phase power should be used; although,
when convenient, three-phase power may be used.”, ANSI
C57.12.90-1999)

5 www.dv-power.com
 Single-phase vs. true three-phase
voltage
Three-phase test advantages
• Three single phase sinusoidal voltages, shifted for
120°, applied to three transformer phases at the
same time
• Allows testing of any transformer, including special
transformers like phase-shifting, arc furnace, etc.
• Simulates real state of the transformer during the
test

6 www.dv-power.com
 Single-phase vs. true three-phase
voltage
Recommendations:
• Transformers with standard vector groups (YNyn, Dyn, YNd,...)
– Phase by phase measurement with single-phase voltage
• Transformers with special vector group (phase shifting
transformers) – Three-phase test with true three-phase voltage

7 www.dv-power.com
2.
Test voltage value
 Test voltage value

What the international standards say?

• Lower or equal to rated voltage

• How much lower?
• Why to go with higher voltage?

9 www.dv-power.com
 Turns ratio deviation

Turns ratio measurement accuracy depends on:

• The test instrument accuracy
• Advanced electronic test devices have high accuracy (up to 0,03%)
• Voltage drop caused by no-load current
• The transformer saturation effect

Acceptable turns ratio deviation is ± 0,5%

10 www.dv-power.com
 Turns ratio deviation

Voltage drop caused by no-load current

• No-load current is inductive,voltage drop
I * R can be ignored

11 www.dv-power.com
 Turns ratio deviation

Voltage drop caused by no-load current

• Turns ratio E1/E2
• Measured turns ratio U1/E2
• Voltage drop I * X introduces the measurement error

12 www.dv-power.com
 Turns ratio deviation
• Real transformer turns ratio – Un
applied at HV side
• Increasing the voltage > Un,
realative voltage drop I * X is
increasing
• Decreasing the voltage < Un, I * X
is decreasing and increasing back
later
• At low saturation the voltage drop I
* X is significantly increased Dr. Radenko Wolf, Testing the electric machines, I part,
Faculty of Electrical Engineering University of Zagreb, 1970.

13 www.dv-power.com
 Turns ratio deviation
• Up to 5-10% Un – measurement
error due to relative voltage drop
I * X is less than 0,1%
• At 1% Un – measurement error
< 0,3%
• Below 1% Un – measurement
error suddenly increased
• The percentages vary depending
on transformer construction (B-H
curve)
Dr. Radenko Wolf, Testing the electric machines, I part,
Faculty of Electrical Engineering University of Zagreb, 1970.

14 www.dv-power.com
 Case study
• 45 MVA
• 275/33 kV
• 94,3/787,3 A
• YNd1

turns ratio deviation >0,5%!

• Turns ratio test – test

voltage 100 V and 250 V

15 www.dv-power.com
 Case study
• Test voltage 100 V
Namplate Ratio Tap Test Turns Turns Turns Ratio Ratio Ratio Turns
HV/LV Position Voltage Ratio Ratio Ratio Deviation Deviation Deviation ratio
Phase A Phase B Phase C Phase A Phase B Phase C pass/fail
302500 / 33000 1 100 5,3117 5,3031 5,31 0,36 0,2 0,33 Pass
299062.5 / 33000 2 100 5,2519 5,2436 5,2502 0,38 0,22 0,34 Pass
295625 / 33000 3 100 5,1923 5,184 5,1905 0,39 0,23 0,36 Pass
292187.5 / 33000 4 100 5,1326 5,1247 5,1308 0,4 0,25 0,37 Pass
288750 / 33000 5 100 5,073 5,0654 5,0713 0,42 0,27 0,39 Pass
285312.5 / 33000 6 100 5,0135 5,0062 5,0118 0,44 0,29 0,4 Pass
281875 / 33000 7 100 4,954 4,9469 4,9522 0,46 0,31 0,42 Pass
278437.5 / 33000 8 100 4,8945 4,8876 4,8927 0,47 0,33 0,44 Pass
275000 / 33000 9 100 4,835 4,8283 4,8333 0,49 0,35 0,46 Pass
271562.5 / 33000 10 100 4,7755 4,7691 4,7737 0,51 0,38 0,48 Fail
268125 / 33000 11 100 4,716 4,7097 4,7142 0,53 0,4 0,5 Fail
264687.5 / 33000 12 100 4,6564 4,6504 4,6547 0,55 0,42 0,52 Fail
261250 / 33000 13 100 4,5969 4,5911 4,5952 0,57 0,45 0,54 Fail
257812.5 / 33000 14 100 4,5374 4,5317 4,5358 0,6 0,47 0,56 Fail
254375 / 33000 15 100 4,4779 4,4724 4,4763 0,62 0,49 0,58 Fail
250937.5 / 33000 16 100 4,4184 4,4132 4,4168 0,64 0,52 0,6 Fail
247500 / 33000 17 100 4,359 4,3539 4,3574 0,67 0,55 0,63 Fail

16 www.dv-power.com
 Case study
• Test voltage 100 V

17 www.dv-power.com
 Case study
• Test voltage 250 V
Namplate Ratio HV_LV Test Turns Turns Turns Ratio Ratio Ratio Turns
HV/LV Tap Voltage Ratio Ratio Ratio Deviation Deviation Deviation ratio
Position Phase A Phase B Phase C Phase A Phase B Phase C pass/fail

302500 / 33000 1 250 5.3044 5.2981 5.3043 0.23 0.11 0.22 Pass
299062.5 / 33000 2 250 5.2451 5.239 5.2451 0.25 0.13 0.25 Pass
295625 / 33000 3 250 5.1857 5.1798 5.1856 0.26 0.15 0.26 Pass
292187.5 / 33000 4 250 5.1262 5.1206 5.1262 0.28 0.17 0.28 Pass
288750 / 33000 5 250 5.0668 5.0613 5.0667 0.3 0.19 0.29 Pass
285312.5 / 33000 6 250 5.0074 5.0021 5.0073 0.32 0.21 0.31 Pass
281875 / 33000 7 250 4.9479 4.9428 4.9479 0.33 0.23 0.33 Pass
278437.5 / 33000 8 250 4.8886 4.8836 4.8884 0.35 0.25 0.35 Pass
275000 / 33000 9 250 4.8291 4.8243 4.829 0.37 0.27 0.37 Pass
271562.5 / 33000 10 250 4.7697 4.765 4.7695 0.39 0.29 0.39 Pass
268125 / 33000 11 250 4.7102 4.7057 4.71 0.41 0.31 0.41 Pass
264687.5 / 33000 12 250 4.6508 4.6464 4.6506 0.43 0.34 0.43 Pass
261250 / 33000 13 250 4.5914 4.5871 4.5912 0.45 0.36 0.45 Pass
257812.5 / 33000 14 250 4.532 4.5279 4.5317 0.48 0.38 0.47 Pass
254375 / 33000 15 250 4.4726 4.4685 4.4723 0.5 0.41 0.49 Pass
250937.5 / 33000 16 250 4.4131 4.4092 4.4129 0.52 0.43 0.51 Fail
247500 / 33000 17 250 4.3537 4.3499 4.3535 0.55 0.46 0.54 Fail

18 www.dv-power.com
 Case study
• Test voltage 250 V

19 www.dv-power.com
 Summary
• Higher test voltage - more accurate turns ratio results
• The test voltage should be higher than the values used
commonly used today (e.g. 100 V)
• Our preliminary advice is to use a higher test voltage (> 250 V,
< 1 kV), as it seems effective and safe
• Too high test voltage (tens of kV) can cause arc and conceal
short open circuits
• We are conducting further research to establish the optimum
voltage level for specific transformer types
• The study has been trigger for the development of a new
generation of portable turns ratio tester 500 V
20 www.dv-power.com
 Thanks
Questions?
You can contact me at eddie@dv-power.com