LECTURE 5: TRANSFORMER TESTS

TRANSFORMER TESTS
 The circuit constants, efficiency and voltage regulation of a transformer
can be determined by two simple tests i.e.:

✓ open-circuit test

✓ short-circuit lest.

 These tests are very convenient as they provide the required information
without actually loading the transformer.

 Further, the power required to carry out these tests is very small as
compared with full-load output of the transformer.

 These tests consist of measuring the input voltage, current and power to
the primary first with secondary open-circuited (open-circuit test) and
then with the secondary short-circuited (short circuit test).

2
 Open-Circuit or No-Load Test
 This test is conducted to determine the iron losses (or core losses) and parameters
R0 and X0 of the transformer.
 In this test, the rated voltage is applied to the primary (usually low-voltage
winding) while the secondary is left open-circuited.

 The applied primary voltage V1 is measured by the voltmeter, the no-load current I0
by ammeter and no-load input power W0 by wattmeter as shown in Figure (i).
 As the normal rated voltage is applied to the primary, therefore, normal iron losses
will occur in the transformer core.
 Hence wattmeter will record the iron losses and small copper loss in the primary. 3
Open-Circuit or No-Load Test

4
 Short-Circuit or Impedance Test

 This test is conducted to determine R01 (or R02), X01 (or X02) and
full-load copper losses of the transformer.

 In this test, the secondary (usually low-voltage winding) is short-

circuited by a thick conductor and variable low voltage is applied
to the primary as shown in Fig. (i).

 The low input voltage is gradually raised till at voltage VSC, full-
load current I1 flows in the primary.

 Then I2 in the secondary also has full-load value since I1/I2 =

N2/N1. Under such conditions, the copper loss in the windings is
the same as that on full load.

5
 Short-Circuit or Impedance Test
 There is no output from the transformer under short-circuit conditions.

 Therefore, input power is all loss and this loss is almost entirely copper
loss.

 It is because iron loss in the core is negligibly small since the voltage VSC
is very small.

 Fig. (ii) shows the equivalent circuit of a transformer on short circuit as

referred to primary; the no-load current being neglected.

6
 Short-Circuit or Impedance Test

• Note: The SC test will give full-load Cu loss only if the applied
voltage VSC is such so as to circulate full-load currents in the
windings.
7
 Advantages of Transformer Tests

 The two simple transformer tests offer the following advantages:

1. The power required to carry out these tests is very small as compared
to the full-load output of the transformer. In case of open-circuit lest,
power required is equal to the iron loss whereas for a short-circuit test,
power required is equal to full-load copper loss.

2. These tests enable us to determine the efficiency of the transformer

accurately at any load and p.f. without actually loading the
transformer.

3. The short-circuit test enables us to determine R01 and X01 (or R02 and
X02). We can thus find the total voltage drop in the transformer as
referred to primary or secondary. This permits us to calculate voltage
regulation of the transformer.
8
 Practice Question

 Qn.: A 15 kVA, 440/230 V, 50 Hz, single phase transformer gave

the following test results:

Open Circuit (LV side) 250 V, 1.8A, 95 W.

Short Circuit Test (HV side) 80 V, 12.0 A, 380 W.

Compute the parameters of the equivalent circuit referred to LV

side

9
Solution

10
 Efficiency of a Transformer
 Like any other electrical machine, the efficiency of a transformer is defined
as the ratio of output power (in watts or kW) to input power (watts or kW)

i.e., Efficiency = Output power/Input power

 It may appear that efficiency can be determined by directly loading the

transformer and measuring the input power and output power.

 However, this method has the following drawbacks:

1. Since the efficiency of a transformer is very high, even 1% error in each

wattmeter (output and input) may give ridiculous results. This test, for
instance, may give efficiency higher than 100%.

2. Since the test is performed with transformer on load, considerable amount

of power is wasted. For large transformers, the cost of power alone would
be considerable. 11
 Efficiency of a Transformer

 3) It is generally difficult to have a device that is capable of

absorbing all of the output power.

 4) The test gives no information about the proportion of various

losses.

 Due to these drawbacks, direct loading method is seldom used to

determine the efficiency of a transformer. In practice, open-circuit
and short-circuit tests are carried out to find the efficiency.

12
Efficiency from Transformer Tests

13
Efficiency of a Transformer

14
Conditions for Maximum Efficiency of a Transformer

15
 Hence efficiency of a transformer will be maximum when copper losses are
equal to constant or iron losses.
 From (ii) above, the load current I2 corresponding to maximum efficiency is
given by:

 The relative value of these losses is in the control of the designer of the
transformer according to the relative amount of copper and iron used.
 A transformer which is to operate continuously on full-load would, therefore,
be designed to have-maximum efficiency at full-load.
 However, distribution transformers operate for long periods on light load.
 Therefore, their point of maximum efficiency is usually arranged to be
between three-quarter and half lull-load.
 Note. In a transformer, iron losses are constant whereas copper losses are
variable. In order to obtain maximum efficiency, the load current should be
such that total Cu losses become equal to iron losses.
16
Output kVA Corresponding to Maximum Efficiency

17
18
 Practice Question

 Qn.: A 50 MVA, 60 Hz single-phase transformer indicates that it has

a voltage rating of 8 kV: 78 kV. Open circuit test and short circuit test

gave the following results:

Open Circuit Test: 8 kV, 61.9 A and 136 kW

Short Circuit Test: 650 V, 6.25 kA and 103 kW.

Determine the efficiency and voltage regulation if the transformer is

operating at rated voltage and a load of 0.9 p.f. lagging.

19
Solution

20
Conti…Solution

21
 Practice Question
 Qn. A 5 kVA, 500/250V, 50Hz, single phase transformer gave the
following readings,

O.C. Test: 500V, 1 A, 50 W (L.V. side open)

S.C. Test: 25 V, 10 A, 60 W (L.V. side shorted)

 Determine

i. The efficiency on full load, 0.8 lagging p.f

ii. the voltage regulation on full load, 0.8 leading p.f

iii. the efficiency on 60% of full load, 0.8 leading p.f

iv. Draw the equivalent circuit referred to primary and insert all
values in it.
22
 All-Day (or Energy) Efficiency
 The ordinary or commercial efficiency of a transformer is defined
as the ratio of output power to the input power i.e.,
Commercial efficiency = Power Output/Power Input
 There are certain types of transformers whose performance cannot
be judged by this efficiency.
 For instance, distribution transformers used for supplying lighting
loads have their primaries energized all the 24 hours in a day but
the secondaries supply little or no load during the major portion of
the day.
 Constant loss (i.e., iron loss) occurs during the whole day but
copper loss occurs only when the transformer is loaded and would
depend upon the magnitude of load.
23
 All-Day (or Energy) Efficiency
 Consequently, the copper loss varies considerably during the day
and the commercial efficiency of such transformers will vary from a
low value (or even zero) to a high value when the load is high.

 The performance of such transformers is judged on the basis of

energy consumption during the whole day (i.e., 24 hours).

 This is known as all-day or energy efficiency.

 The ratio of output in kWh to the input in kWh of a transformer

over a 24-hour period is known as all-day efficiency i.e.,

24
 All-Day (or Energy) Efficiency

 All-day efficiency is of special importance for those transformers

whose primaries are never open-circuited but the secondaries carry
little or no load much of the time during the day.

 In the design of such transformers, efforts should be made to reduce

the iron losses which continuously occur during the whole day.

 Note. Efficiency of a transformer means commercial efficiency unless stated

otherwise.
25
 Practice Question
 Qn 1.: A 500 kVA, 600/400V, one-phase transformer has primary and
secondary winding resistance of 0.42 Ω and 0.0011 Ω, respectively. The
primary and secondary voltages are 600 V and 400 V, Ωrespectively. The
iron loss is 2.9 kW. Calculate the efficiency at half full load at a power
factor of 0.8 lagging.

 Qn 2.: In a 25 kVA, 2000/200 V power transformer the iron and full load
copper losses are 350 W and 400 W, respectively. Calculate the efficiency
at unity power factor at (i) full load and (ii) half load.

 Qn 3.: A 220/400 V, 10 kVA, 50Hz, single-phase transformer has copper

loss of 120 W at full load. If it has an efficiency of 98% at full load, unity
power factor, determine the iron losses. What would be the efficiency of
the transformer at half full-load at 0.8 p.f. lagging.
26
Solution Qn 1

27
Solution Qn 2

28
 Practice Question
 A 400kVA, distribution transformer has full load iron loss of
2.5kW and copper loss of 3.5kW. During a day, its load cycle
for 24hours is,

6 hours 300kW at 0.8 pf

10 hours 200kW at 0.7 pf

4 hours 100kW at 0.9 p.f

4 hours No load

 Determine its all day efficiency.

29
 Practice Question

 Qn.1 In a 50 kVA transformer has iron loss is 500 W and full load
copper loss is 800W. Find the efficiency at full load and half full load at
0.8 p.f. lagging. [full load = 96.85%; Half full load = 96.6%]

 Qn.2 A 40 kVA transformer has iron loss of 450W and full load copper
loss of 850W. If the full load p.f. of the load is 0.8 lagging, calculate

 (i)full-load efficiency

 (ii) the kVA load at which maximum efficiency occurs

 (iii)the maximum efficiency

30
 Practice Question

 Qn A 5-kVA distribution transformer has a full-load efficiency

at unity p.f of 95%, the copper and iron losses then being
equal. Calculate its all-day efficiency if it is loaded throughout
the 24hours as follows:

No load for 10 hours; Quarter load for 7 hours

Half load for 5 hours; Full load for 2 hours

Assume load p.f of unity

31
 Self Assessment
• What is voltage regulation of a transformer?
• Why does voltage drop in a transformer?
• Is the regulation at rated load of a transformer same at 0.8 p.f. lagging
and 0.8 p.f. leading?
• Is the percentage impedance of a transformer same on primary and on
secondary?
• Obtain the equivalent circuit of a 200/400V, 50Hz, single phase
transformer from the following test data:
O.C test: 200V, 0.7A, 70W-on LV side
SC test:15V, 10A, 85W-on HV side
Calculate the secondary voltage when delivering 5kW at 0.8 p.f. lagging.

32
 Self Study

 Write short notes on

i. Transformer cooling methods eg, ONAN, ONAF,

ODAF etc

ii. Autotransformer principle of operation and application

33