The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

Headway of Transformer Models in EMTDC/EMTP

Li Huawei Fan Yu
˄School of Electrical Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 China˅

Abstract: The developments of transformer models in equation U jZLI . The electromagnetic transient
electromagnetic transients programs of EMTP/EMTDC are phenomena are faster enough that instantaneous
introduced in details. We show that different transformer values u(t) and i(t) rather than phasors U and I
models can result in different transients’ phenomena. It is seen must be used. Transformers are therefore described by
that UMEC model is more accurate for simulation on di
ordinary differential equation u L .
non-linear analysis than classical transformer models. dt
Keywords: Transformer Models; Transients’ Simulations; 2. Core magnetic characteristics has to be taken into
EMTP; EMTDC. account. For instance, magnetic saturation can
markedly affect transient behavior, especially in
1 Introduction ferroresonance and inrush transient phenomena.
Steady-state programs just used constant inductance
Transformer models are significant for steady-state, reactance but neglected its core saturation
especially for transients’ study. In the last 40 years, a characteristics.
great deal of transformer models has been presented 3. Frequency-depending parameters are needed to be
[1]-[10]. modeled. In very fast transients capacitive coupling
This paper aims to illustrate the progresses of the could not be negligible, which must be modeled by
models of transformers in power systems based on the frequency-depending parameters. Steady-state
programs of EMTP (Electro-Magnetic Transients transformers model neglected frequency-depending
Program) and EMTDC (EMTP in DC), which are characteristics instead.
widely used simulation software in transients’ research
2.1 Linear Model for Transformers
for power systems since they were developed by H. W.
Dommel and Dennis Woodford. We assumed that core saturation in transformers can
be omitted during simulation. Hence the equivalent
2 Transformer Models in EMTP circuit of the linear transformer model is shown in
Fig.1, which consists of two mutually coupled coils
The steady-state transformer models described by [5], [6], [8].
T-type equivalent circuit for two-winding transformer
and star equivalent circuit for three-winding
transformer were familiar with us. However, in
electromagnetic transients study the steady-state
models are not available because of the following:
1. Equations with phasor representations are no longer
possible. Steady-state voltage and current phasors Fig.1. Equivalent circuit for two mutually coupled windings

descript transformer elements by the In Fig.1, L1 and L2 represented leakage inductances,

Lm was the mutual inductance between the coils, Rm
described the core losses of eddy and hysteresis, and k
was the turn ratio. We assume the current flowed in
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The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

Rm can be neglected and hence the equations can be Hence the differential equation is converted to an
represented by the equation (1): algebra equation, which solutions are similar to
1 1
ª L11 kLm º ª u1 º ª L11 kLm º ª R1 0 º ª i1 º d ª i1 º steady-state equations.
«kL 
¬ m k 2 L22 »¼ «¬ku2 »¼ «kL
¬ m k 2 L22 »¼ «¬ 0 k 2 R2 »¼ «¬i2 / k »¼ dt «¬i2 / k »¼
2.2 Non-Linear Model for Transformers
(1)
Where L11 and L22 are self-inductance of coil 1 and 2 EMTP modified linear equations to solve a system
respectively, and L12 and L21 are the mutual inductance with non-linear elements rather than using non-linear
between the coilsˈwhich can be determined from the solutions directly in order to improve efficiency of
short and open-circuit tests: solutions, which is based on a fact that non-linear
1 X K* U B21 (2) elements exist in a small number. There are two
L1 L2 u
2 Z Base S B mainly methods of modification: The Piecewise
U B1 , U B2 (3) Linear and the Compensating Current Source methods
L11 L22
I 1Z B I 2Z B [7], [8].
The idea of compensating current source method is
kLm L11  L1 (4)
to use a current source to replace the non-linear
The equation (1) was an ordinary differential equation. element. Its solution is to solve linear equations
EMTP choose the trapezoidal integration rule to solve without the non-linear element firstly and then add the
it because of its numerically stability and accuracy [1], current source to the equation. The piecewise linear
[2], [8]. We rewrite equation (1): method is a method of linearization. The implement of
1 1
d ª i1 º ª L11 kLm º ª u1 º ª L11 kLm º ª R1 0 º ª i1 º it just needs simple program skill.
«kL 
dt «¬i2 / k »¼ ¬ m k 2 L22 »¼ «¬ku2 »¼ «¬kLm k 2 L22 »¼ «¬ 0 k 2 R2 »¼ «¬i2 / k »¼ Core saturation is a nonlinear inductance, which is
It was integrated from the known state at t  't to represented by the characteristics between flux and
the unknown state at t: current in transients rather than voltage and current.
1 t
ª i1 º ª i1 º ª L11 kLm º ª u1 º Hence we need to transform from V-I curve to
«i / k »
¬ 2 ¼t
«i / k »  «kL
¬ 2 ¼ t  't ¬ m k 2 L22 »¼ ³ «ku »dt
t  't ¬ 2¼ \  i curve. Through open-circuit tests we can get
1
ªL kLm º ª R1 0 º t ª i1 º (5) groups of R.M.S. values between winding voltage and
 « 11
k R2 »¼ t ³'t «¬i2 / k »¼
dt
¬kLm k 2 L22 »¼ «¬ 0 2
magnetic current. And then use subprogram of
Hence equation (6) was derived by using the CONVERT to get \  i values.
trapezoidal rule of integration: Therefore, we present
ª i1 º ª i1 º 't ª L11
1
kLm º °­ª u1 º ª u º ½° \ f (i ) (10)
«i / k »  2 «kL ®  1 ¾
«i / k »
¬ 2 ¼t ¬ 2 ¼ t  't ¬ m k 2 L22 »¼ °̄«¬ku2 »¼ t 't «¬ku2 »¼ t °¿ for transformer core saturation based on the previous
't ª L kLm º ª R1
1
0 º ­°ª i1 º ª i1 º ½° (6) two methods, where \ is integration of voltage.
 « 11 ®  ¾
2 ¬kLm k 2 L22 »¼ «¬ 0 k 2 R2 »¼ °̄«¬i2 / k »¼ t «¬i2 / k »¼ t 't °¿ t
\ (t ) \ (t  't )  (11)
We determined the following equations:
³ u(t )dt
t  't

ª i1 (t ) º ª i1 º ª i1 (t  't ) º ª i1 º (7) Next we solve (11) using trapezoidal rule of

«i (t ) / k » «i / k » , «i (t  't ) / k » «i / k »
¬2 ¼ ¬ 2 ¼t ¬2 ¼ ¬ 2 ¼ t 't integration [1], [2]:
Hence the equation (6) can be simplified: 't (12)
\ (t ) I (t  't )  u (t )
't 1 2
>i(t )@ >L@ >u (t )@  't >L@1 >R @>i(t )@>I (t  't )@ (8)
2 2 Where history source is:
't (13)
Where the past history I (t  't ) is: c(t ) \ (t  't )  [u (t  't )]
2
't 1 We replace (11) as:
>I (t  't )@ >L @ >u (t  't )@  't >L @1 >R @>i (t  't )@ (9)
2 2
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The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

2 (14) The classical approach is quite similar to what in

u (t ) [ f (i (t ))  c (t  't )]
't EMTP. Compared with classical transformer models,
Where history source c (t  't ) has another iterative the UMEC method takes magnetic topology into
form: account [3], [4], which is shown in Fig.2.
c (t  't ) 2 f (i (t  't ))  c (t  2't ) (15) Fig.2 [6] shows a single-phase two-winding
Hence we combined equations (14) and (15) with transformer, which N1i1 and N 2i2 represented the
network equations to solve the network with m.m.f. sources of primary and secondary windings
non-linear elements. individually. P represents the permeance of
transformer limb (w) or yoke (y). Fig.2 shows that the
2.3 Magnetic Circuit Model for Transformers winding limb flux divided between leakage and yoke
paths and thus a uniform core flux was not assumed.
When we discuss three phase transformers,
Hence we have:
three-legged or five-legged have different zero flux Ak P 0 P r
Pk (k 1,...,5) (16)
paths, which resulted in different transients lk
phenomena. Therefore, iron core magnetic
performance must to be taken into account in Where Ak represents the cross-sectional area of
transients studies.
The interrelated theory is based on the principle winding limb or yoke, l k represents the physical
of duality, which, however, is not easy to be length of limb or yoke. Through magnetic equivalent
implemented in EMTP in the past [6]. A similar model circuit, we can derive the self-inductance and mutual
has been applied in EMTDC, which is called UMEC, inductance, which will represent the transformer
thus we introduce it in part 3 of this article. model. Different transformer configurations have
different magnetic circuits and different matrix. Thus,
3Transformer Models in EMTDC 3-phase, 3-limb or 5-limb transformer can be
accurately modeled.
In fact, there is no difference in transformer
model essentially between EMTP and EMTDC, which
4 Examples
is the result of their similar theory and algorithm. The
two description methods of transformers in EMTDC Two examples are used to illustrate applications
are the classical approach and the unified magnetic of the two transformer models in EMTDC.
equivalent circuit (UMEC) approach.

(a) (b)

Fig.3. the 1100kV test system diagram

Fig.3 shows a 1100kV test system [7] with the
transmission lines operating under no-load and the
Fig.2. UMEC single-phase transformer model: (a) core magnetic
transmission line of phase C is not connected to phase
circuit; (b) unified magnetic equivalent circuit
C of the autotransformer. When the breaker of phase A
is opened at certain time, ferroresonance over-voltage
is occurred at phase A.
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The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

Networks, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and

Systems.Vol.PAS-88, No.4, pp.388-399, April 1969
[2]H.W.Dommel. Computation of Electromagnetic Transients,
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  1974
(a) (b)
Fig.4. the results of UMEC transformer model: (a) voltage [3]Xusheng Chen, S.S. Venkata. A Three-phase Three-winding
waveform; (b) FFT analysis Core-type Transformer Model for Low-frequency Transient
Studies, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.Vol.12, No.2,
Fig.4 is based on UMEC model of transformer in pp.775-782, April 1997
EMTDC, which shows a typical ferroresonance [4]Bruce A. Mork, Francisco Gonzalez, Dmitry Ishchenko, Don
waveform. Fig.4 (b) is the results for FFT of (a). L. Stuehm and Joydeep Mitra. Hybrid Transformer Model
for Transient Simulation-Part I: Development and
Parameters, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.Vol.22,
No.1, pp.248-255, January 2007
[5]User’s Guide. EMTDC Transient Analysis for PSCAD
 Power System Simulation, Canada, 2004
(a) (b)
Fig.5. the results of Classical transformer model: (a) voltage [6]Neville Watson and Jos Arrillaga. Power Systems
waveform; (b) FFT analysis Electromagnetic Transients Simulation, IEE Power and
Fig.5 is based on the classical model of transformer Energy Series, UK, 2003
in EMTDC, which does not show a typical [7]Wei Shi. Over Voltage Calculation in Power Systems, Xi’an
ferroresonance waveform. Fig.5 (b) is the results for Jiaotong University Press, China 1988
FFT of (a). [8]H.W. Dommel. EMTP Theory Book, Canada, 1986
It is seen that the different transformers model can [9]Xusheng Chen. A Three-phase Multi-legged Transformer
result in different transient phenomena. In the classical Model in ATP Using the Directly-formed Inverse Inductance
models, the non-linear characteristics are Matrix, IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery.Vol.11, No.3,
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5 Conclusions Author Biographies

The transformer models in electromagnetic Li Huawei was born in Changchun, China. She received the
transients programs of EMTP/EMTDC are based on B.Sc. degree in electrical power engineering in 1992 from
differential equations and solutions are derived by the Northeast China Electric Power Engineering Institute, Jinlin,
trapezoidal rule of integration. China, and the M.Sc. degree in high voltage engineering in
We show that transient analysis must take core 1998 from Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China.
topology into account for accuracy. Furthermore
Currently, she is a lecturer with the school of Electrical
UMEC model is more available for simulation on
Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China,
non-linear analysis.
where she is currently pursuing the Ph.D degree. Her research
5HIHUHQFHV interests include the transients’ models in power systems,

[1]H.W.Dommel. Digital Computer Solution of traction power supply systems and ferroresonance.

Electromagnetic Transients in Single- and Multi-phase

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