Current Transformers

CT Basics

Construction
Theory of Operation
Polarity
Equivalent Model
Open Circuit Voltage
Accuracy

CT Transient Performance

CT Construction
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Bar-Type
A fixed insulated straight conductor that is a
single primary turn passing through a core
assembly with a permanently fixed secondary
winding.

Bushing Type
A secondary winding insulated from and
permanently assembled on an annular core with
no primary winding or insulation for a primary
winding.

CT Construction
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Window Type
A secondary winding insulated from and
permanently assembled on the core with no
primary winding but with complete insulation
for a primary winding.

Wound Type
A primary and secondary winding insulated
from each other consisting of one or more turns
encircling the core. Constructed as multi-ratio
CTs by the use of taps on the secondary
winding.

Theory of Operation
Op

Ip

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Np

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Oe

Is
Zb

Vs

Ns

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Ip - Primary Current
Np - Primary Winding Turns
Is - Secondary Current
Es - emf Induced
p - Magnetic Flux Due to Primary Ip
s - Magnetic Flux Due to Secondary Is
e - Magnetic Flux Due to Exciting Ie
Zb - Burden Impedance

Theory of Operation
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When a time varying current Ip flows, a

magnetomotive force Fp (mmf) is developed by:
Fp = Ip * Np.
The primary mmf creates a magnetic flux p in
the core given by: p = Fp/Rm where Rm is the
core reactance.
The direction of p is determined by the right
hand rule.
p Links the secondary winding, inducing an
electromotive force Es (emf), resulting in a
secondary current Is flowing through burden Zb.

Theory of Operation
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The magnetomotive force Fs developed is due to Is and

given by: Fs = Is * Ns.
Fs creates an opposing flux s to p by Lenzs law
resulting in a magnetic flux e in the core by: e = p s.
e is sufficient to maintain Es at a given Ip and load
impedance.
Since the magnetic flux is proportional to the mmf we get:
Fe = Fp - Fs or
Ie * Np = Ip * Np - Is * Ns dividing by Ns
Ie * Np/Ns = Ip * Np/Ns - Is
Is = Ip * Np/Ns if Ie is small

Polarity
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The CT primary and secondary terminal is physically

marked with a polarity.
The marking indicates the instantaneous direction of the
secondary current in relation to the primary current.
When current flows in at the marked primary, current is
flowing out of the marked secondary:
PRI.

SEC.

Hint: Direction of the secondary current can

determined as if the two polarity terminals formed
a continuous circuit

Equivalent Model
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The transformation of current induces errors.

Some energy form the primary winding is used to:
Establish magnetic flux in the core.
Change the direction of the magnetic flux in the core
named hysteresis losses.
Generate heat due to eddy currents.
Establish leakage flux.

To account for losses a fictitious component is

introduced, the exciting current Ie.

Equivalent Model
Ip/n

Is

1:n
Ie/n

Zpn**2

Zs

Ic/n

Im/n
Zb

Rcn**2

Xmn**2

The primary current Ip is stepped down in magnitude by 1:n through a

no-loss transformer.

Zpn**2 - primary winding impedance

Zs - secondary winding impedance
Rcn**2 - hysteresis and eddy current losses referred to the secondary
Xmn**2 - magnetic reactance accounting for losses to establish flux
referred to the secondary

Equivalent Model
Ip/n

Is

1:n
Ie/n
Ic/n

Rs
Im/n
Es

Rcn**2

Us

Zb

Xmn**2

If the secondary winding is uniformly distributed on the core, Zs is

resistive = Rs.
The voltage drop across the primary winding is negligible to the source
voltage to which it is connected and does not effect current flow,
Zp/n**2 = 0.
The secondary current is reduced by the shunting current of the
exciting branch. The greater Ie the less accurate Is represents Ip.

Equivalent model
Ie'

Ip'

Vector relationship from equivalent model

Is

Oe
Es
IsXb

Us

IsRb

Ie'

Is is reference.
Voltage across burden is: Us = Is * Zb.
emf induced is: Es = Us + Is * Rs = Is * (Zb + Rs)
The angle between Us and Is defines the burden
power factor
Treating the exciting reactance as linear, Im lags
Es by 90
The magnetic flux e from Im lags Es by 90
The Vectorial sum Im and Ic define Ie
Ip is the Vectorial sum of Is and Ie
Is is less then Ip by a delta I and with a phase
angle error of .

Ic'
Im'

Open Circuit Voltage

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Open secondary causes s to go to zero.

Ip drives the core to saturation each half cycle.
The action of Ip changing from maximum to zero back to
maximum causes p to change from saturation in one
direction to its saturated value in the opposite direction.
The rapid rise of p induces high voltage spikes in the
secondary winding.
A formula for peak voltage derived from CT tests is:

Vpeak = 35
. Zb Ip / n
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Tests have shown values ranging fron 500 to 11,000 volts.

Accuracy
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Definition: Ability to reproduce the primary current in

secondary amperes in both wave-shape and magnitude.
ANSI/IEEE C57.13 designates two rating classes C or T
describing capability.
C: the ratio can be calculated, leakage flux is negligible
due to uniform distribution of secondary winding.
T: the ratio must be determined by test, leakage flux is
appreciable due to undistributed windings.
Designations are followed by a terminal voltage rating that
the CT can deliver to a standard burden at 20 times rated
secondary current without exceeding 10% ratio correction.
Voltage classes are 100, 200, 400, 800

Accuracy
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The burdens are in ohms and at a .5 pf.

Standard burdens are B-1, B-2, B-4, B-8
Example:
C800: 800 V/ 5 A * 20 = 8
If current is lower the ohmic burden can be higher in
proportion.
Accuracy applies to the full winding. If a lower tap of a
multiratio CT is used the voltage capability must be
reduced proportionally.

CT Transient Performance
CT Saturation
O CT Burden
O CT Parallel Operation
O Residual Magnetism
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CT Saturation
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Type C class CTs performance can be calculated from the

excitation characteristics.
The excitation curve specifies the relationship of the
exciting current Ie to exciting voltage Vs.
The point of the curve where the tangent is at a 45 to
the abscissa is called the knee.
X Above the knee is the saturated region where the
change in Ie no longer results in an appreciable
change to Es.
X Below the knee is the unsaturated region where Ie is
negligible.

CT Saturation
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Type T class CTs performance must be determined from

test curves of primary to secondary current at standard
burdens.
Factors influencing the threshold of saturation under
steady state are Zb and Is.
Transformer operation is given by:
substitute e = AB max
Es = 4.44 fNAB max
e = Es / 4.44 fN
where
Es = Is( Zb + Rs)

Decrease Zb or Is (through the turns ratio) will limit Es

and thus e.

CT Saturation
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Steady State Analysis

Saturation by the AC component is avoided by selecting the proper turns
ratio, decreasing the burden, or choosing the proper CT accuracy class.
Criteria: The product of Is and Zb does not exceed the saturation or knee
point voltage of the CT.
Procedure:
X Determine the secondary current(Ip/n) from the primary fault current
at the desired turns ratio.
X Determine the total secondary burden, Zt = Zb + Zlead + Zct.
X Calculate the required secondary voltage, Vs = (Ip/n) * Zt.
X Determine the secondary excitation current Ie required for the value
of Vs from the excitation characteristic curve.
X Determine the approximate burden current Is by subtracting Ie from
Ip/n.
X Check the effective ratio with the desired ratio to see if the
performance is within the intended accuracy.

CT Saturation
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Steady State Example: CT ratio 500:5 C100, If = 12000 A

Ip/n = 12000/100 = 120
Zct = 80*.005 = .4
Zlead is 200 feet of full circuit run of #10 Awg,
Zl = e**(.232(10)-2.32)*200/1000 = .2
Relay burden of .15
Zt = .4 + .2 +.15 = .75
Vs = 120 * .75 = 90
Vs of 90 is approximately Ie = 18
Is = 120 - 18 = 102
Effective ratio is 12000/102 = 117.6 or 588.23:5

CT Saturation
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Steady state analysis

An alternate procedure to check CT performance is to use Ks the
saturation factor and a criteria of Ks = Vk/Vs. Where Vk is the
effective knee point voltage of the CT from the excitation
characteristic curve and Vs is the voltage across the CT secondary.
X Determine Vk from the excitation characteristic curve and CT
ratio.
X Calculate Vs from (Ip/n)*Zt.
X Determine Ks and check criteria.

CT Saturation
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DC Saturation
When a fault occurs the current usually contains a DC component.
The total flux required to produce the offset drives the CT into
saturation.
Flux reaches a saturation during the positive cycle and the exciting
reactance decreases shunting the primary current thus distorting the
secondary.
During the negative cycle of the primary current, the core becomes
unsaturated.
As the DC component decays the negative cycle of the primary
current and flux become greater and the core eventually runs out of
saturation during a complete cycle returning to steady state.
The DC component time constant is the X/R ratio of the primary
circuit.

CT Saturation
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DC Saturation Analysis
If saturation is to be avoided the secondary voltage requirement Vs must
be (1 +X/R) times the voltage required for the AC component.
Example: CT 2000:5 C800 tap 1500:5, If = 19349 A with a source
impedance of 81 deg.
X Ip/n = 19349/300 = 64.5
X Zct = 300 * .0025 = .75, Zlead = .2, Zb = .15
X Zt = .75 + .2 +.15 = 1.1
X X/R = tan(81) = 6.31
X Vs = (6.311 +1) * 64.5 * 1.1 = 518.9
X Vs of 518.9 is approximately Ie = 20
X Is = 64.5 - 20 = 44.5
X Effective ratio is 19349/44.5 = 434 or 2175:5
Due to 1500:5 tap the voltage must be reduced by the proportional amount
giving the CT a 600 volt rating.

CT Burden
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Burden is defined as the total impedance of the secondary

circuit. This includes:
CT winding resistance
Leads resistance from CT to relay and back
Impedance of the connected relays
CT winding resistance
Higher ratio CTs (3000:5) resistance is .0025 /turn
Lower ratio CTs (300:5) resistance is .005 Ohms/turn
Resistance of leads is based on the AWG gage given by:
.232G2.32

/ 1000' = e
X

residual relays. Note: Most microprocessor relays

calculate I residual.

CT Burden
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Relay Impedance
Microprocessor based relay almost negligible
Electromechanical given in VA @ rated I
Burden is also influenced by CT connection and type of
fault.
Example: Y-connected CTs
X 3Ph fault is balanced, current through the phase
relay is the only burden.
X SLG fault is unbalanced, current must go through
the phase and

Parallel Operation
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Parallel interconnection increases the burden seen

by each individual relay.
The increase is dependent upon the type of connection,
number of transformers, and distribution of current
between transformers.

Parallel interconnection can be used to supply a

high burden when low ratios are required.
Primaries are connected in series and secondaries in
parallel.

Residual Magnetism
(Remanence)
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Caused by current interruption and the magnetizing force

becoming zero while the flux density in the core is
operating at a high level. Occurs when:
Direct current is passed through a winding
Application of a high overcurrent interrupted at a peak magnitude

Effect of residual magnetism is the accuracy of the

secondary when the CT is next energized. How effects:
The flux changes start at the remnant value near saturation
distorting the waveform.
The primary current is required for the excitation reducing the
secondary output and increasing the CT error.