Chapter-2

Current and potential transformer

The Current Transformer ( C.T. ), is a type of “instrument
transformer” that is designed to produce an alternating
current in its secondary winding which is proportional to
the current being measured in its primary.
 Operation of current transformer
 By applying Maxwell’s equation, specifically Ampere’s law, we
can say that if a magnetic field is integrated around the closed
loop of wire, the value of that integral is equal to the net
current enclosed by the loop.

 CT’s are closed loop instruments consisting of a magnetic core

and a secondary winding around the core.

The primary winding of the CT has the wire with the current we
wish to measure, pass through the centre of the core.
 The primary current that carries the main current is said to
have a single loop for winding. The wire produces the
magnetic field that drives the current on the secondary
winding which is uses as the output of the CT. The current on
the secondary winding is proportional to the current flowing
through the center of the core.

 The principal of operation of a basic current transformer is

slightly different from that of an ordinary voltage transformer.

 Unlike the voltage or power transformer, the current

transformer consists of only one or very few turns as its
primary winding.
 The current transformer is often referred too as a “series
transformer” as the primary winding, which never has more than a
very few turns, is in series with the current carrying conductor
supplying a load.

 The secondary winding however, may have a large number of coil

turns wound on a laminated core of low-loss magnetic material.

 The secondary winding will supply a current into either a short

circuit, in the form of an ammeter, or into a resistive load until the
voltage induced in the secondary is big enough to saturate the core
or cause failure from excessive voltage breakdown.

 Unlike a voltage transformer, the primary current of a current

transformer is not dependent of the secondary load current but
instead is controlled by an external load.
 Standard Ratios
 Current transformers can reduce or “step-down” current
levels from thousands of amperes down to a standard output
of a known ratio to either 5 Amps or 1 Amp for normal
operation.

 For example: For a 1000 to 5 rating or a turn ratio of 200 to 1,

when 1000 A flows in the primary circuit, 5 amp will flow in
the secondary winding.
 Burden on CT
 The burden of a current transformer is the value of the load
connected across the secondary winding. It is expressed as
the output in volt-amperes (VA). The rated burden is the value
of the burden on the nameplate of the CT. The rated burden is
the product of the voltage and current on the secondary
when the CT supplies the instrument or relay with its
maximum rated value of current.
 Types of CT(Wound Types)
• The transformer’s primary winding is physically connected in
series with the conductor that carries the measured current
flowing in the circuit. The magnitude of the secondary current
is dependent on the turns ratio of the transformer.
 Toroidal CT
• These do not contain a primary winding. Instead, the line that
carries the current flowing in the network is threaded through
a window or hole in the toroidal transformer.
 Bar type CT
• This type of current transformer uses the actual cable or bus-
bar of the main circuit as the primary winding, which is
equivalent to a single turn. They are fully insulated from the
high operating voltage of the system and are usually bolted to
the current carrying device.
 Applications of CT

 Current transformers are used extensively for measuring current

and monitoring the operation of power grid.
 Solid Core CT’s are most commonly found for metering and
protection in switchboards, panel boards and switchgear.

 Split Core or clamp on CT’s are generally used in more

temporary applications like power quality instrumentation.

 For permanent applications of protection and metering, CTs

can be found anywhere from generators to transformers to
connected loads or anywhere we want to monitor current
flowing in the system.

 For example, utilities use CTs at their customers incoming

service to monitor the current and power usage for billing
purposes.
Equivalent circuit and phasor diagram
of CT
 Errors in CT
 There are three types of errors in a CT
1. Current ratio error and
2. Phase angle error
3. Composite error

1. Current ratio error:

From above passer diagram it is clear that primary current Ip

is not exactly equal to the secondary current multiplied by
turns ratio, i.e. NIs. This difference is due to the primary
current is contributed by the core excitation current. The error
in current transformer introduced due to this difference is
called current error of CT or sometimes ratio error in current
transformer. .
2. Phase Angle Error:

For an ideal CT the angle between the primary and reversed

secondary current vector is zero. But for an actual CT there is
always a difference in phase between two due to the fact that
primary current has to supply the component of the exciting
current. The angle between the above two phases is termed as
phase angle error in current transformer or CT. Here in the
phasor diagram it is β.
 Composite Error
 Composite Error of a Current Transformer (CT) is defined as
the rms value of difference between the ideal secondary
current and the actual secondary current. It includes ratio
error, phase error and the effect of harmonics present in the
exciting current.
 The composite error of a CT is given by following
mathematical relation.
 Knee point voltage of a CT
• The EMF induced in the CT secondary windings is
E2 = 4.44φfT2

Where, f is the system frequency, φ is the maximum magnetic

flux in Wb. T2 is the number of turns of the secondary
winding. The flux in the core, is produced by excitation
current Ie. We have a non-liner relationship between
excitation current and magnetizing flux. After certain value of
excitation current, flux will not further increase so rapidly with
increase in excitation current. This non-liner relation curve is
also called B - H curve.
  Again from the equation above, it is found that, secondary
voltage of a current transformer is directly proportional to flux
φ. Hence one typical curve can be drawn from this relation
between secondary voltage and excitation current as shown
below. It is clear from the curve that, linear relation between
V & Ie is maintained from point A & K. The point ′A′ is known
as ′ankle point′ and point ′K′ is known as ′Knee Point′.

Knee Point Voltage

The sinusoidal voltage of rated
frequency (system frequency)
applied to the secondary
terminals of CT, with all other
winding being open-circuited,
which when increased by 10
per cent, causes the exciting
current to increase by 50 per
cent.
 Difference between measuring and
protective CT

Metering CTs Protective CTs

1 CTs which are used to step CTs which are used in
down primary currents to association with protective
low values suitable for devices i.e. relays, trip coils,
measuring instruments pilot wires etc are called
(meters) are called protective CTs.
metering CTs.
2 Performance of metering Performance of protective CTs
CTs is important only is important only during fault
during normal operation conditions.
of power system.
3 They are designed to have They are designed to have
high accuracy for all loads high accuracy during fault
up to 125% of rated condition i.e. 10-20 times the
current. rated current.
4 They may have significant They may not be accurate
errors during fault during normal condition.
condition.
5 Metering CTs should get Protective CTs should not get
saturated at 1.25 times the saturated up to 20-50 times
full load current. the full load current.
6 Core material used- nickel Core material used- cold
iron. rolled silicon steel.
 Accuracy Class and Error
 The accuracy of any CT is determined essentially by how
accurately the CT reproduces the primary current in the
secondary. Accuracy class is assigned to the CT with the
specified limits of ratio error and phase angle error.
 Potential transformer
 Potential transformer is a voltage step-down transformer
which reduces the voltage of a high voltage circuit to a lower
level for the purpose of measurement. These are connected
across or parallel to the line which is to be monitored.
 Operations of PT
 The basic principle of operation and construction of this
transformer is similar to the standard power transformer.

 The primary winding consists of a large number of turns which

is connected across the high voltage side or the line in which
measurements have to be taken or to be protected. The
secondary winding has lesser number of turns which is
connected to the voltmeters, or potential coils of wattmeter
and energy meters, relays and other control devices. These
can be single phase or three phase potential transformers.

 Irrespective of the primary voltage rating, these are designed

to have the secondary output voltage of 110 V.
 Since the voltmeters and potential coils of other meters have
high impedance, a small current flows through the secondary
of PT. Therefore, PT behaves as an ordinary two winding
transformer operating on no load. Due to this low load (or
burden) on the PT, the VA ratings of PTs are low and in the
range of 50 to 200 VA. On the secondary side, one end is
connected to the ground for safety reasons as shown in
figure.

 Similar to the normal transformer, the transformation ratio is

specified as
V1/V2 = N1/N2
From the above equation, if the voltmeter reading and
transformation ratio are known, then high voltage side
voltage can be determined.
 Applications of PT

 It is used for a metering purpose.

 For the protection of the feeders.

 For protecting the impedance of the generators.

 For synchronizing the generators and feeders.

Capacitor Voltage Transformer

C2

C1
 The capacitor or potential divider is placed across the line
whose voltage is used to be measured or controlled. Let the
C1 and C2 be the capacitor placed across the transmission
lines. The output of the potential divider acts as an input to
the auxiliary transformer.

 The capacitor places near to the ground have high

capacitances as compared to that placed near the
transmission line. The high value of capacitances means the
impedance of that part of the potential divider becomes low.
Thus, low voltages pass to the auxiliary transformer. The
auxiliary transformer further step-down the voltages.
 The N1 and the N2 are the numbers of turns on the primary
and the secondary winding of the transformer. The meter
used for measuring the low value of voltage is resistive, and
the potential divider is capacitive. Thereby, the phase shift
occurs, and the output will be affected. To overcome this
problem, the inductance is placed in series with the auxiliary
transformer.
 The voltage turn ratio of the transformer is expressed as

As the value of C1 is greater than the C2. Thus the

value C2/(C1+C2) is small. The low value of voltage is obtained.
Equivalent circuit and phasor diagram
of PT
 Errors in PT
1. Ratio Error (Voltage Error):
The ratio error for VT’s is defined as the error due to a
difference in the actual transformation ratio and the nominal
(rated) transformation ratio.
2. Phase Angle Error:
The phase difference between the primary voltage and the
reversed secondary phasors is the phase angle error of the VT.
In order to keep the overall error within the specified limits of
accuracy, the winding must be designed to have:
a. the internal resistance and reactance to an appropriate
magnitude, and
b. minimum magnetizing and loss components of the exciting
current required by the core.