Analysis and Application of

Scott Connection
Term Paper as a part of Course
November 26, 2015

Ram Uday Mandal

Roll No.130104034
System Id: 2013016281
B.Tech (EEE) 2013
3nd Year
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
School of Engineering and Technology
Sharda University, Gr. Noida, UP, INDIA
uday.mandal555@gmail.com

Abstract

Scott Connection is mainly used for deriving two-phase current from three-phase supply and
vice-versa. Scott Connection is widely used in industrial furnace transformer and for traction
purpose. It is used in electric railway system when there are two unbalanced single phase loads
as Scott connected transformer can reduce unbalanced currents. This paper investigates the main
application of Scott transformer and also analyze weather this connection can reduce unbalanced
current. It also includes the complete analysis of balanced and unbalanced condition of the Scott
Connected Transformer.

1. Introduction
Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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Scott connection (Scott T-transformer) is a type of circuit used to derive two-phase current from
a three-phase source or vice-versa. The Scott three-phase transformer was invented by an
engineer Charles F. Scott. In 1980s to bypass Thomas Edisons rotary converter and thereby
permit two-phase generator plants to drive Nikola Teslas three-phase motors.
In many situations it becomes necessary to supply a balanced and unbalanced two phase or three
phase supply. One way for a two phase load, to connect two phases between two lines, the
following is one possibility:
Two Phase loads

However, even when these phases are balanced, impendences are balanced; they will draw
unbalanced current from supply. Not only that many two phase loads will require a balanced two
phase supply as well. Some of these two phase loads are arc furnaces or induction melting
furnaces. They will consume power in megawatts. So care should be taken to make sure that the
loading of the three phase system is balanced top the extent possible. This can be done by a Scott
Connected Transformer.
In order to overcome the disadvantage of the T connection, the Scott connection uses two singlephase transformers of a special design to transform three-phase voltages and currents into twophase voltages and currents. The first transformer, called the main, has a center-tapped
primary winding connected to the three-phase circuit with the secondary winding connected to
the two-phase circuit. It is vital that the two halves of the center-tapped primary winding are
wound around the same core leg so that the ampere-turns of the two halves cancel out each other.
The ends of the center-tapped main primary winding are connected to two of the phases of the
three-phase circuit.
The second transformer, called the teaser, has one end of its primary winding connected to the
third phase of the three-phase circuit and the other end connected to the center tap of the primary
winding of the main. The Scott connection requires no primary neutral connection, so zero-

Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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sequence currents are blocked. The secondary windings of both the main and teaser transformers
are connected to the two-phase circuit.
The Scott connection is shown in figure for a two-phase, five-wire circuit, where both secondary
windings are center-tapped and the center taps are connected to the neutral of the five wire
circuit. Three-wire and four-wire configurations are also possible. If the main transformer has a
turn ratio of 1: 1, then the teaser transformer requires a turn ratio of 0.866:1 for balanced
operation. The principle of operation of the Scott connection can be most easily seen by first
applying a current to the teaser secondary windings, and then applying a current to the main
secondary winding, calculating the primary currents separately and superimposing the results.

Figure: Transformer connection between a three-phase system and a two phase.

Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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2. Review of Related Works

The Scott Connected Transformer can convert a balanced three phase supply to two phase supply
if the load on the two phase supply is balanced then the line current drawn from the three phase
will be balanced. We will see how it is possible.

In the above diagram we have taken two single phase transformers. Let us say we have N, N 1 and
N2 be the number of turns of the transformers. The second transformer is tapped by 50% so the
number of turns of coil becomes N1/2 on both sides of tapping. Then we supplied balanced three
phase supply to VA, VB and VC respectively. Let Va and Vb be the induced voltages.
Now drawing the phasor VBC, VAB & VCA. Now the voltage phasor VMC will be half of VBC and
voltage phasor VAM will be VAC-VMC. It shows that the voltage phasor VAM is right angle to the
voltage phasor VBC, hence, induced voltage Va will be in phase with the voltage VAM and its
magnitude will be (N2/N)*VAM . Voltage phasor Vb will be in phase with the voltage V BC and its
magnitude will be (N2/N1)*VBC .
Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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Va

(N2/N)*VAM

(N2/N1)*VBC

Vb

Now we want the voltages VAB and VBC to be balanced two phase i.e. they are already 9 00 and
if we want their magnitude also to be same then it is imperative that it should have
(N2/N)*VAM = (N2/N1)*VBC

or we want N/N1=VAM/VBC

From the Phasor diagram

VAM/VBC=3/2=0.867
Hence the number of turns in the primary side of the main transformer should be 0.867N 1. So
Scott Connected Transformer can be obtained by two single phase transformers with turns N 1
and N2 .

Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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3. Description of the Problem

Below there has been discussed the disadvantages of the three phase loading system. To
overcome these problems we need a two phase balanced supply indeed we need a Scott
Connected Transformer.
This type of asymmetrical connection (3 phases, 2 coils), reconstructs three phases from 2
windings. This can cause unequal voltage drops in the windings, resulting in potentially
unbalanced voltages to be applied to the load. The transformation ratio of the coils and the
voltage obtained may be slightly unbalanced due to manufacturing variances of the
interconnected coils. This designs neutral has to be solidly grounded. If it is not grounded
solidly, the secondary voltages could become unstable.
Since this design will have a low impedance, special care will have to be taken on the primary
protection fault current capacity. This could be an issue if the system was designed for a DeltaWye connection.
The inherent single phase construction and characteristics of this connection produces a
comparatively bulky and heavier transformer when compared with a normal three phase
transformer of the same rating.
In the Auten Stigant & Franklin JOP Transformer Book 10th edition, they refer to the Scott T
connection for a practical way of connecting a three phase primary to a two phase secondary.
However when connecting a three phase primary to a three phase secondary in a Scott T
configuration they state that two single phase transformers can be installed. Their total
rated kVA must be 15.5% greater if the transformers are interchangeable or 7.75% greater
if non-interchangeable. Interchangeable refers to separate single phase units that can be
replaced independently.
In a comparative analysis of the published weights of the one commercially available Scott T
transformer (only one manufacturer still constructs a dry-type Scott T) and a number of DeltaWye transformer manufacturers you will find that Scott Ts are, in most instances, lighter than
the similar kVA copper Delta-Wye units. This goes against the mathematical principals and the
sizing requirements stated by Auten Stigant & Franklin. It suggests that the Scott T
transformers do not meet and are not equivalent to their Delta-Wye equivalent kVAs.

Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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Example
(Note: The following example is taken from an actual case that occurred a number of years ago.)
A small industrial electric customer has a plant with an antiquated two phase electrical system.
The customer has a Scott-connected transformer bank connecting this system to the local utility
company which provides power. This Scott-connected bank catastrophically failed and there are
no replacement transformers readily available.
The utility company was called in to restore service to the two-phase system, but the utility only
has standard single-phase and three-phase distribution transformers in its storerooms. The
customer has a five-wire, two-phase system with a phase-to-neutral voltage of 120 V. The utility
companys distribution system has a phase-to-phase voltage of 12,470V and a phase-to-neutral
voltage of 7200 V. Customers are routinely supplied with 120/240 V service using single-phase
transformers connected either phase-to-phase or phase-to-neutral on the primary side.
One solution would be to use the T connection with the standard transformers that the utility had
on hand, but this would result in unbalanced three phase currents. A bright young engineer
working for the utility found a way to construct a Scott-connected bank using standard
transformers. The teaser was replaced by a standard distribution transformer with a 12,470 V
primary and a 120/240 V center-tapped secondary. The main transformer was replaced by two
standard distribution transformers, each having a 7200 V primary and a 120/240 V center-tapped
secondary.
The primary windings of the replacement main transformers were connected in series and their
secondary windings were connected in parallel. These connections are shown in the figure below.
Since the two transformers substituted for the main transformer are not wound on the same core
leg, the secondary windings of the main transformers

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Figure: Scott-connected transformer bank using three standard single-phase distribution

transformers, showing the current in the teaser primary current splitting evenly between the two
main primaries are interconnected to force the primary current in the primary winding of the
teaser to split evenly between the two primary windings of the main in the same manner that a
center-tapped winding forces the teaser current to split evenly in the primary winding of the main
in a Scott connection. For a five-wire, two-phase circuit, the center tap of each of the three
secondary windings is connected to the common neutral. For a four-wire, two phase circuit, the
center taps of the secondary windings are not brought out. Note that the voltage across the
12,470 V primary winding of the teaser is 86.6% of the voltage across the two 7200 V primary
windings in series of the main, just like a Scott-connected transformer. This produces balanced
operation; however, when the bank is connected to a 12,470 V three-phase source, the phase-toneutral output voltage is only 86.6% of 120 V, or 104 V. Fortunately in this case, the three-phase
distribution voltage at the customers location was 5% higher than the nominal voltage and the
transformers also had taps to boost the output voltage by another 5%. The combination of the 5%
higher system voltage and the 5% tap boost provided a two-phase secondary voltage of about
115 V. This was still below the 120 V nominal voltage but it was within the operating voltage
range of the customers two-phase equipment.
Analysis and Application of Scott Connection

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4. Conclusion
The Scott T connection in theory would be suitable for supplying a three, two and single phase
load simultaneously, but such loads are not found together in modern practice. The neutral points
can be available for grounding or loading purposes. Scott transformer causes two unbalanced
single-phase loads to be presented less unbalanced to the power system

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5. Bibliography
i.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott-T_transformer

ii.

K Murugesh Kumar, DC Machines and Transformers, 2 nd Edition, pg. no.478-478,

iii.

Vikash Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. , 2004

Hooman Erfanian MAZIN, Joey GALLANT, A Probabilistic Analysis on the Harmonic
Cancellation Characteristics of the Scott Transformer, University of Alberta, Canada,

iv.

Pg no.1-7, 2009
Irving L. Kosow, Electric Machinery and Transformers, Second edition, pg. no. 559560, Prentice Hall of India, 2004

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