Case studies on paralleling of Transformers

8.1

Paralleling of Transformers of unequal ratings and same percentage

impedances
Data

(KVA) 1

Rating of Transformer No.1

(KVA) 2

Rating of Transformer No.2

Z1

% impedance of Transformer No.1

Z2

% impedance of Transformer No.2

It

Total load current

I1

Load current shared by Transformer No.1

I2

Load current shared by Transformer No.2

Basically the problem is one of two impedance connected in parallel as

shown.
Here:

I1 Z1 =

And:

It

I1 + I2

I2 Z2

From eqn. (1)

I1

I2 Z2
Z1

It

I2 Z2 + I2
Z1

I2 (Z2 + Z1)
Z1

Or I2 =

Similarly I1

It (Z1)____
(Z1 + Z2)

It (Z2)___
(Z1 + Z2)

Multiply eqn. (2) on both sides by V the secondary load voltage

We now have
VI2

Or VI2
1000

VIt
(Z1)___
1000 (Z1 + Z2)

(KVA) 2

(KVA) t (Z1)___
(Z1 + Z2)

(KVA) t (Z2)___
(Z1 + Z2)

Similarly (KVA) 1

8.2

VIt (Z1)
(Z1 + Z2)

Problem: To find the load shared by 2Nos. of 132/33KV Transformers of

rating 15 MVA and 25 MVA with % impedances of 10% and 6% respectively.

Total load current = 700 A

Transformer No.1 - 15MVA, 132/33KV; 10% impedance
Ifl

15 x 103
3 x 33

262.5 A

Transformer No.2 - 25MVA, 132/33KV; 6% Impedance

Ifl

25 x 103
3 x 33

437.5 A

Assume MVA base = 100.

The per unit impedances of the transformers is given by:
Zpu (1)

Zpu (2)

0.1 x 100
15

0.67 p.u

0.06 x 100
25

0.24 p.u

Load current shared by Transformer No.1

I1

It

(Z2)___
(Z1 + Z2)

700 (0.24)____
0.67 + 0.24

700 x 0.24
0.91

184.6A

Load current shared by Transformer No.2

I2

It

(Z1)__
(Z1 + Z2)

700 (0.67)
0.91

515.4A

It can be observed that transformer No.2 is already overloaded while

transformer No.1 is lightly loaded.
This shows that with unequal % impedances, the load will not be shared in
proportion to their ratings.
8.3

Paralleling of Transformers with unequal % Impedances

Problem: To find the load shared by 2 Nos. of 132/33KV 15 MVA
Transformer of equal rating but with unequal % impedances of 10% and
10.2%.
Total load current = 500 A
Load current shared by Transformer No.1 (Impedance 10%)
=

500 x (10.2)_____
(10 + 10.2)

500 x 10.2
20.2

252.5 A

Load current shared by Transformer No.2 (Impedance 10.2%)

=

500 x 10.0
20.2

247.5 A

This shows that the transformer with higher impedance shares less load than
the transformer with lower impedance. In such a case, the loading should be
such as not to exceed the full load current.
8.4

Paralleling of Transformers with unequal secondary voltages

Let

E1

secondary phase voltage of Transformer No. (1)

E2

secondary phase voltage of Transformer No. (2)

Z1

impedance of Transformer No. (1)

Z2

impedance of Transformer No. (2)

The unequal secondary voltages will cause a circulating current Ic to flow.

The magnitude of this current is given by the equation:
Ic

E1 - E2_
Z1 + Z2

(E1 > E2)

The current in transformer (1) will be (I1 + Ic) and that in transformer (2) will
be (I2 - Ic). Since Z1, Z2 are small in magnitude, the difference (E1 - E2)
must also be small as otherwise a large circulating current will flow
overloading the transformers.

Problem - To find the load shared by 2 Nos. of 5MVA; 33/11KV transformers

of equal % impedance of 6% but with unequal secondary voltages of 11.2KV
and 11.0KV. Total load current = 500 A
Secondary full load current of each transformer will be:

Ifl

5 x 106 __
3 x 11 x 103

262.5 A

Impedance Z of each transformer will be:

=

Vph x % Z
Ifl x 100

11000 x 6
3________
262.5 x 100

Z1 = Z2 = 1.45 ohms
Ic

Current in transformer 1

E1 - E2
Z1 + Z2

(11.2 - 11.0) x 103

3__
1.45 + 1.45

39.8 A

I1 + Ic

It (Z2) + Ic
(Z1 + Z2)

500 (6) + 39.8

12
250 + 39.8

289.8 A

This is greater than the full load current of 262.5 A. Hence it is not safe to
operate the two transformers in parallel with unequal secondary voltages.
But the transformers may be operated in parallel provided that the current in
each transformer does not exceed the full load current.