Transformers - I

• Static device; no moving parts

• Two or more stationary electrical circuits linked by a
common magnetic circuit
• Electrical energy transfer happens between the coils without
change in frequency.
• Highly efficient 95-98%
 Transformer design – Basic terms
Yoke Ies

Limb Pylväs

Winding Käämi

Winding
window Käämi-ikkuna

• Primary and secondary winding a.k.a Low voltage or high voltage

winding
• Magnetic core : Made of silicon steel, laminated 0.3 – 0.5 mm thick
Types

• Power transformer
• Distribution transformer
• Step-up/step-down transformer
• Instrument / isolation transformer
• Autotransformer
• Core type and shell type transformer
• Single and three phase transformer
 Core Type Shell Type

• Winding encircles core • Core encircles winding

• Preferred for low voltage • Preferred in high voltage
transformers transformer
• Concentric coils • Multilayer or sandwich coils
• Natural cooling quite effective • Natural cooling is difficult
• Repair and maintanence easy • Winding maintence difficult
 Transformer designs – Basic terms

Single-phase single-limb shell-type transformers

Split windings on the left, concentric windings on the right

Yksivaiheisia vaippamuuntajia
Vasemmalla lokerokäämitys, Oikealla sylinterikäämitys
 Transformer designs – Basic terms

Single-phase double-limb core-type transformers

Split windings on the left, concentric windings on the right

Yksivaiheisia sydänmuuntajia
Vasemmalla lokerokäämitys, Oikealla sylinterikäämitys
Transformer designs – Basic terms

Three-phase three-limb shell-type transformers with

concentric windings
Kolmivaiheinen vaippamuuntaja sylinterikäämityksellä
Transformer designs – Basic terms

Three-phase three-limb core-type transformer with

sandwich winding

Kolmivaiheinen sydänmuuntaja vuorottaiskäämityksellä

Transformer designs – Basic terms

Three-phase three-limb core-type transformer with

concentric windings

Kolmivaiheinen sydänmuuntaja sylinterikäämityksellä

 About the positions of the windings
• In a low-voltage transformer, the easiness of
production defines the position or order of the
windings. If there are several secondary windings,
the single primary winding is typically the innermost
one (concentric windings).

• In a high-voltage transformer, the winding having the

lowest voltage level is typically placed close to the
core (concentric windings). The windings are referred
to as the low-voltage and high-voltage windings.
 About the insulations
Both the dielectric strength of insulation material
(insulation thickness) and possibility of surface
discharges have to be considered.

layer insulation
cover insulation
bobbin
 Transformer cores

An ideal core with circular More practical core shape for

cross-section for a power a power transformer. The limb
transformer. Such a shape is typically made of oriented
would produce a smooth electrical steel sheets of 0.28
distribution of electric field. … 0.35 mm thickness.
Circular Transformer core
Four stepped
cruciform core
Transformer cores

Typical limb of a low-voltage

transformer has a rectangular
cross section. The core is
assembled from EI or UI
sheets having standardised
dimensions.

The sheet material may be

oriented or non-oriented. The
thickness is typically 0.35 or
0.50 mm. The sheets are
insulated from each other by a
thin insulation layer. A typical
filling factor is 0.95 – 0.97.
Toroidal Transformers
 Sheets for small transformers

Cutting the sheets of a small transformer from a continuous strip.

The rolling direction is indicated by the arrows. The dimensions
are so designed that the stamping produces no left-over parts.
 Sheets for small transformers

Two successive layers when assembling a small transformer.

The easy direction of magnetisation i.e. the rolling direction is
indicated by the arrows.
 Sheets for small transformers

A ring-shaped core and EI-core made of a narrow continuous

strip of electrical steel sheet, or in some special cases, of an
amorphous ferromagnetic material.
 Sheets for power transformers

Two successive layers when assembling a small transformer.

The easy direction of magnetisation i.e. the rolling direction is
indicated by the arrows.
Flux paths in a transformer
 Flux paths in a transformer

A basic reluctance network for a transformer at no load. The

primary winding is magnetised, only. The reluctances
associated with the core are marked by the black colour. The
white ones are associated with the leakage flux in the
winding or air.
l  is permeability,
Rm  l is length of the flux path and
 A
A is the cross-sectional area of the flux path.
 Flux paths in a transformer

NI

Magnetomotive force in a loaded transformer.

Flux paths in a transformer

Flux flow from yoke to limb.

Some flux jumps from sheet to sheet.

Flux paths in a transformer

Reluctance network for a loaded

core-type transformer including the
leakage flux paths outside the core.
 Flux of an inductor
Difference to a transformer: Air gap, which is mainly used to
linearise the characteristics of the inductor (prevent core
saturation)

The fringing flux at the air-gap

region may be quite significant.
 Flux of an inductor

Fig. Courtesy: Stan Zurek, http://www.encyclopedia-magnetica.com/doku.php/flux_fringing

Air gap increases the effective permeability of the

magnetic circuit. Therefore, B is lesser for the same
magnetising current.
 Flux of an inductor
Approximate equation for the inductance (neglecting the
reluctance of the core)
2
N  A
L  N 2 d   N2 0 d
Rmd ld
N is the number of turns,
0 is permeability of free space,
ld is length of the air gap and
Ad is the cross-sectional effective area of the air gap.

The effective area Ad should be defined to include the

contribution from the fringing flux. Approximately
Ad  bd wd   b  2ld  w  2ld 
where b and w are the cross-sectional dimensions of the
rectangular core.
 Modelling the fringing flux

On the left, a sketch of flux lines and equipotential surface of

the magnetic field. Reluctance network on the right (x,y plane).
 Modelling the fringing flux

On the left, a sketch of flux lines and equipotential surface of

the magnetic field. Reluctance network on the right (z,y plane).
 Analysis of an inductor

Because of symmetry, it is enough to model only half of the

geometry. Reluctances are associated with the yokes, limbs
and air gaps of the inductor. The upper yoke is modelled with
one horizontal and two vertical reluctances.
ld
Rmd 
0 bd wd  
2 Rmi,x  Rmi,y  Rmp  Rmd F  NI

where I is the coil current and F the flux of the core.

 Analysis of an inductor
Because of magnetic saturation, the
reluctances associated with the core are
nonlinear. This leads to a nonlinear equation
that has to be solved iteratively.

 
2 Rmi,x F   Rmi,y F   Rmp F   Rmd F  NI

One possible iteration scheme is obtained by

first solving the flux based on the non-
saturated permeability, calculating the
reluctances with this flux and using the
reluctances to solve a new value for the flux.
This process is repeated as long as the flux
changes significantly from one iteration step to
the next one.
 Analysis of an inductor
The simple reluctance network presented
earlier does not include the leakage flux.
If the core saturates, the leakage
becomes important. The network to the
right includes the leakage path.

 
2 Rmi,x  Rmi,y  Rmp  Rmd F h  NI

 RmF   NI

Fh is the flux in the core,

F is the leakage flux.

The inductance includes two components

 
2 1 1
L  N    h   N
2
 
 
 Rm 2 Rmi,x  Rmi,y  Rmp  Rmd  

 Analysis of an inductor

Reluctance network for the single-

phase inductor after including a
leakage-flux path through the
winding window. The magneto-
motive force is divided into two
“voltage sources” on each limb.