TRANSFORMER

A transformer is a device used in the power transmission of electric energy. The

transmission current is AC. It is commonly used to increase or decrease the
supply voltage without a change in the frequency of AC between circuits. The
transformer works on the basic principles of electromagnetic induction and
mutual induction.

[Transformer Types]
Transformers are used in various fields like power generation grid, distribution
sector, transmission and electric energy consumption. There are various types of
transformers which are classified based on the following factors:

Working voltage range

The medium used in the core
Winding arrangement
Installation location

Based on Voltage Levels

Commonly used transformer types, depending on the voltage, are classified as
follows:

Step-up Transformer: They are used between the power generator and the power
grid. The secondary output voltage is higher than the input voltage.
Step-down Transformer: These transformers are used to convert high-voltage
primary supply to low-voltage secondary output.
Based on the Medium of Core Used
In a transformer, we will find different types of cores that are used.

Air Core Transformer: The flux linkage between primary and secondary winding is
through the air. The coil or windings wound on the non-magnetic strip.
Iron Core Transformer: Windings are wound on multiple iron plates stacked
together, which provides a perfect linkage path to generate flux.
Based on the Winding Arrangement
Autotransformer: It will have only one winding wound over a laminated core. The
primary and secondary share the same coil. Auto means “self” in the Greek
language.
Based on Install Location
Power Transformer: It is used at power generation stations, as they are suitable
for high voltage application
Distribution Transformer: It is mostly used at distribution lanes for domestic
purposes. They are designed for carrying low voltages. It is very easy to
install and characterised by low magnetic losses.
Measurement Transformers: They are mainly used for measuring voltage, current
and power.
Protection Transformers: They are used for component protection purposes. In
circuits, some components must be protected from voltage fluctuation, etc.
Protection transformers ensure component protection.

[Working Principle of a Transformer]

The transformer works on the principle of Faraday’s law of electromagnetic
induction and mutual induction.

There are usually two coils – primary coil and secondary coil – on the
transformer core. The core laminations are joined in the form of strips. The two
coils have high mutual inductance. When an alternating current passes through
the primary coil, it creates a varying magnetic flux. As per Faraday’s law of
electromagnetic induction, this change in magnetic flux induces an EMF
(electromotive force) in the secondary coil, which is linked to the core having
a primary coil. This is mutual induction.

Overall, a transformer carries out the following operations:

Transfer of electrical energy from one circuit to another

Transfer of electrical power through electromagnetic induction
Electric power transfer without any change in frequency
Two circuits are linked with mutual induction

[The major parts of a single-phase transformer consist of]

1. Core

The core acts as a support to the winding in the transformer. It also provides a
low reluctance path to the flow of magnetic flux. The winding is wound on the
core, as shown in the picture. It is made up of a laminated soft iron core in
order to reduce the losses in a transformer. The factors, such as operating
voltage, current, power, etc., decide core composition. The core diameter is
directly proportional to copper losses and inversely proportional to iron
losses.

2. Windings

Windings are the set of copper wires wound over the transformer core. Copper
wires are used due to the following:

The high conductivity of copper minimises the loss in a transformer because when
the conductivity increases, resistance to current flow decreases.
The high ductility of copper is the property of metals that allows it to be made
into very thin wires.
There are mainly two types of windings: primary windings and secondary windings.

Primary winding: The set of turns of windings to which the supply current is
fed.
Secondary winding: The set of turns of winding from which output is taken.
The primary and secondary windings are insulated from each other using
insulation coating agents.

3. Insulation Agents

Insulation is necessary for transformers to separate windings from each other

and to avoid short circuits. This facilitates mutual induction. Insulation
agents have an influence on the durability and stability of a transformer.

The following are used as insulation mediums in a transformer:

Insulating oil
Insulating tape
Insulating paper
Wood-based lamination
Ideal Transformer
The ideal transformer has no losses. There is no magnetic leakage flux, ohmic
resistance in its windings and no iron loss in the core.

Ideal transformer
An ideal transformer is linear, lossless and perfectly coupled. Perfect coupling
implies infinitely high core magnetic permeability and winding inductance and
zero net magnetomotive force (i.e. ipnp − isns = 0).[3][c]A varying current in
the transformer's primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the
transformer core, which is also encircled by the secondary winding. This varying
flux at the secondary winding induces a varying electromotive force or voltage
in the secondary winding. Thiselectromagnetic induction phenomenon is the basis
of transformer action and, in accordance with Lenz's law, the secondary current
so produced creates a flux equal and opposite to that produced by the primary
winding.

The windings are wound around a core of infinitely high magnetic permeability so
that all of the magnetic flux passes through both the primary and secondary
windings. With a voltage source connected to the primary winding and a load
connected to the secondary winding, the transformer currents flow in the
indicated directions and the core magnetomotive force cancels to zero.

According to Faraday's law, since the same magnetic flux passes through both the
primary and secondary windings in an ideal transformer, a voltage is induced in
each winding proportional to its number of windings. The transformer winding
voltage ratio is equal to the winding turns ratio.[6]

An ideal transformer is a reasonable approximation for a typical commercial

transformer, with voltage ratio and winding turns ratio both being inversely
proportional to the corresponding current ratio.

The load impedance referred to the primary circuit is equal to the turns ratio
squared times the secondary circuit load impedance.

(Real transformer)

Leakage flux of a transformer

Deviations from ideal transformer
The ideal transformer model neglects many basic linear aspects of real
transformers, including unavoidable losses and inefficiencies.[8]

(a) Core losses, collectively called magnetizing current losses, consisting

of[9]

Hysteresis losses due to nonlinear magnetic effects in the transformer core, and
Eddy current losses due to joule heating in the core that are proportional to
the square of the transformer's applied voltage.
(b) Unlike the ideal model, the windings in a real transformer have non-zero
resistances and inductances associated with:

Joule losses due to resistance in the primary and secondary windings[9]

Leakage flux that escapes from the core and passes through one winding only
resulting in primary and secondary reactive impedance.
(c) similar to an inductor, parasitic capacitance and self-resonance phenomenon
due to the electric field distribution. Three kinds of parasitic capacitance are
usually considered and the closed-loop equations are provided[10]

Capacitance between adjacent turns in any one layer;

Capacitance between adjacent layers;
Capacitance between the core and the layer(s) adjacent to the core;
Inclusion of capacitance into the transformer model is complicated, and is
rarely attempted; the ‘real’ transformer model's equivalent circuit shown below
does not include parasitic capacitance. However, the capacitance effect can be
measured by comparing open-circuit inductance, i.e. the inductance of a primary
winding when the secondary circuit is open, to a short-circuit inductance when
the secondary winding is shorted.