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EARTHING
TRANSFORMERS
FOR
POWER SYSTEMS
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ABSTRACT:-
Normally power systems and net works are operated under variable omple! stresses."n
power systems t#e $aults are not avodable even a$ter taking utmost are at every stage-
$rom planning to maintainane. T#e grounding o$ a iruit redues potential stresses
under $ault ondition. %ower $eeding $rom delta delta or i$ t#ere is no aessibility $or star
onneted trans$ormers oasionally s#orted to ground is very ommon-un-intentional
grounding ours any w#ere $rom t#e $eeding system to utili&ation e'uipment T#e main
ob(etive o$ grounding neutral is to make a s#ort iruit urrent su$$iient in magnitude
$or t#e relay ation. T#is artile restrited to &ig-&ag type wit# oil $illed trans$ormers. T#e
neutral point is usually available at every voltage level $rom generator to trans$ormers. "n
t#e absene o$ a power trans$ormer o$ suitable apaity) onnetion and design a separate
grounding trans$ormer an be used .
T#ey are indutive devies intended primarily to provide a neutral point $or grounding
purpose. T#e main purpose o$ t#is paper is to disuss about t#e di$$erene between
*art#ing trans$ormer and %ower trans$ormer and to disuss about t#e designing o$ eart#
trans$ormers.
"NTR+,UCT"+N:-
A trans$ormer is a devie w#i# eletromagnetially trans$ers A.C. voltage $rom one
level to anot#er level. An eart#ing trans$ormer is a trans$ormer primarily to provide a
neutral point $or grounding purpose. T#e sole duty o$ t#e grounding trans$ormer is to pass
ground urrent during an eart# $ault.) and it arries no use$ul load.
T#e desirable 'uantities o$ an eart#ing trans$ormer are low &ero
impedane and low losses -no load losses..
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/UNCT"+N +/ *ART0"N1 TRANS/+R2*RS:-
Apart $rom providing an easy pat# to ground urrent during an eart# $ault) t#e
$ollowing additional $untions are also to be a#ieved
0olding t#e neutral s#i$t wit# in t#e limits
%ermitting t#e irulation o$ unbalaned load urrent in t#e neutral
To limit t#e urrent during line to eart# $aults
To eart# t#e system
To provide single p#ase line to neutral load
Can be used wit# resistane 3reatane3ar suppression oil
C+2%AR"S"+N B*T4**N *ART0"N1 AN, %+4*R
TRANS/+R2*RS:-
T#e seletion any trans$ormer mainly by two $ators-namely) primary voltage
and load ./or an eart#ing trans$ormer load is s#ort time or s#ort duty
- only at t#e time o$ $ault. )normally $rom a $ew seonds to one minute
COMPARISION CHARACTERISTICS

2.29MVA (S.C) 6.6KV 600 Amps(ET@) 2MVA110.!""KV #$%& 1 (PT@)

*T5 %T5
%urpose To provide a neutral point
$or eart#ing
Raiding or lowering
voltages
67A rating S#ort time Continuous
7oltages in general Up to 88kv 0ig#er voltages-even
99:67 and above.
No o$ windings +ne3two +ne3two3t#ree
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,iretion o$ power $low Uni diretion B"-diretional
S.C wit# stand duration ;:se.to ; min 9 se
<osses No load losses No load losses and load
losses
2agneti&ing urrent 7ery less Normal
%riority $or impedane =ero se'uene impedane S#ort iruit impedane
S#ort iruit urrent ,epends on system $rom
$ew #undred amperes to $ew
t#ousand amperes
Up to 9> times normal
urrent
<eakage reatane <ittle 2ore
Type o$ voltage mi!ed Constant-in general. Constant3variable3regulation
Transportation Road Road3Rail
S#ort iruit temperature
"n degrees entigrade
9>: 9>:
0armoni residuals $ree e!ist
<oad $ator <ow 0ig#
"nsulation Uni$orm Uni$orm3graded
*$$iieny 2ore <ess
Cost <ess 2ore

4eig#ts) losses) dimensions and ost $ators are mu# lower.
Rise o$ oil 3winding temperature is very less.
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0ig#er spei$i loading and e$$iieny.
2ore signi$iant $ator is &ero se'uene impedane.
Significance of zero sequence parameters
"n symmetrial omponents t#e positive se'uene is one #aving normal p#ase
se'uene? t#e seond is o$ negative se'uene wit# reversed p#ase se'uene? and t#e
t#ird t#at #as no se'uene and is alled &ero se'uene @ are important parameters. An
eart# $ault is one t#at part o$ t#e urrent in t#e $aulty p#ase returns to t#e supply
t#roug# t#e eart#. T#is is due to a symmetrial omponent onsisting o$ t#ree single
p#ase urrents - one in ea# line) and all being in p#ase.
"n general) t#e impedane o$ t#e trans$ormer is t#e main $ator w#i# in$luenes
appliations. T#e &ero se'uene impedane o$ a standard eart#ing trans$ormer an be
alulated $rom t#e $ollowing $ormula:
A8*
=s BCCCC
"n
4#ere =sB"mpedane in o#ms 3 p#ase
*B<ine-to-line voltage in 67
"nBneutral urrent in amps
"n a ertain system it is neessary to insert resistane or reatane to restrit t#e
$ault urrent. T#e &ero se'uene impedane is used in s#ort iruit alulations. 4#en
a &ero se'uene omponent o$ t#ree line urrents are ompounded) t#ey will add
toget#er to produe a resultant alled a residue) w#ilst t#e positive and negative
se'uene omponents get anelled in t#e trans$ormer.

T#e magneti $ield produed by a &ero-se'uene set o$ urrents is radially
di$$erent $rom t#ose produed by negative or positive se'uene urrents) and
t#ere$ore &ero se'uene impedane is generally very di$$erent $rom positive and
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negative impedanes. A &ero se'uene reatane is e'ual to or less t#an a positive
se'uene and it depends on t#e $orm o$ ore onstrution and disposition o$ t#e
windings
W'$ (%)*+,-.%%*-)*/ s)0+ 1(%/(%2 (s p+*3*++*/4
T#e purpose to establis# a suitable ground pat# an be a#ieved wit# t#e #elp o$
t#ree pairs o$ onentri oils onneted to oppose ampere turns. As t#e $lu!es
oppose) t#e trans$ormer takes a very small magneti&ing urrent during normal
ondition. <ines o$ $ore enlosing bot# oils on one limb are t#ere$ore impossible.
T#e eart# $ault urrent $inds little impedane. T#is onnetion #as uni'ue
#arateristis) and is pre$erred to ot#er types o$ neutral deriving trans$ormers.
T#e main $eatures are:

4inding #as mu# lower impedane to &ero se'uene urrents.
/ree $orm #armoni residuals.
Stable neutral an be obtained.
2ost eonomial and pratial.
Can be used wit# t#ree p#ase system wit#out seondary winding.
%ermitting single p#ase line to neutral.
Can be eonomially used wit# resistane3reatane3are suppression oil.
*'uivalent 67A is appro!imately >D.>E o$ star-delta trans$ormer.
Avoidane o$ undesirable stresses in t#e insulation.
Can be used wit# eit#er delta or star onneted winding to $eed desired load.
"t keeps &ero se'uene impedane onstant even w#en au!iliary winding
under load.
/ault urrent is not re$leted on to t#e seondary side -au!iliary winding..
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/rom t#e above) it is very lear t#at t#e inter-onneted star winding an be
utili&ed eit#er as an eart#ing trans$ormer or power trans$ormer) or in ombination @
depending upon t#e re'uirement.
R0)(%2 0%/ ()s (%)*+,+*&0)*/ p0+0m*)*+s .3 0% *0+)'(%2 )+0%s3.+m*+
T#e eart#ing trans$ormer is o$ s#ort time rating -;: seonds to ; minute.. T#e rating
o$ an eart#ing trans$ormer is entirely di$$erent $rom t#at o$ a power trans$ormer.
%ower trans$ormers are designed to arry total load ontinuously) w#ilst an eart#ing
trans$ormer arries no load) and supplies urrent only i$ one o$ t#e lines beomes
grounded. "t is usual to spei$y t#e single p#ase eart# $ault urrent) t#at t#e eart#ing
trans$ormer must arry $or su$$iient time. Sine it is almost working on no-load)
ditates to #ave low iron losses. Beause o$ it being a s#ort time devie) its si&e and
ost are less t#an t#at o$ a ontinuous duty trans$ormer o$ e'ual 67A rating. T#e
67A rating o$ a t#ree p#ase eart#ing trans$ormer or a bank is t#e produt o$ normal
line to neutral voltage -67. and t#e neutral or ground amperes t#at t#e trans$ormer is
designed to arry under $ault onditions $or a spei$ied time. T#e total eart# $ault
urrent and 7 t#e line voltage) t#e eart#ing trans$ormer s#ort time rating is e'ual to
A87".
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Three phase inter connected star neutral
earthing transformer
v/3
v/3
v/3
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4#en spei$ying rating o$ t#e eart#ing trans$ormer t#e important parameters are:
1. V.&)02*5, T#e line-to-line voltage o$ t#e system.
2. C6++*%)5,T#e ma!imum neutral urrent to arry $or a spei$ied duration. "n a
grounded system it is based on t#e type o$ grounding. ,epending on t#eir
duration) several rates o$ s#ort
". T(m*5,,esigned to arry rated urrent $or a s#ort time duration i.e.) ;:
seonds to F: seonds .,epending upon t#e time setting o$ t#e protetive gear
on t#e system) And t#e loation o$ t#e trans$ormer .*art#ing trans$ormer time
is ;: se $or protetion) and $or $eeder it " F: se.
!. R*0-)0%-*5,t#is 'uantity is a $untion o$ t#e initial symmetrial t#ree p#ase
s#ort iruit 67A. "t is also based on t#e type o$ grounding) and type o$
appliation o$ lig#tning arrester and transient over voltages.
M07.+ /*s(2%8 -.%s)+6-)(.%0& 0%/ m0%630-)6+(%2 3*0)6+*s
T#e desired eletrial parameters o$ t#e eart#ing trans$ormer are to be a#ieved
by veri$ying t#e alulations based on eletrial) me#anial and t#ermal
omputations. Su# as t#e re'uired eletrial strengt#) me#anial ruggedness)
dynami and t#ermal resistane o$ t#e windings in t#e event o$ s#ort iruit) are to be
Solved are$ully at t#e designed stage. w#en designed as an eart#ing trans$ormer it is
Usually manu$atured as an auto trans$ormer -inter-start..
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T#e $ollowing brie$ details re$er to a ore type oil $illed trans$ormer wit# ylindrial
windings $or &ig-&ag-wit# or wit#out au!iliary winding-w#i# are popular all over t#e
world. T#e ore o$ su# a trans$ormer is built in t#e same manner as t#at o$ a
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Schematic winding arrangement of
interconnected star earthing
transformer
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trans$ormer @t#e only di$$erene is t#at instead o$ two windings per limb w#i# is
divided into two e'ual portions) and onneted as s#own in $igure. T#e urrents
$lowing are in opposition) t#ere by undesirable #armonis are avoided. T#e #oie o$
t#e winding on$igurations are ditated by &ero se'uene impedane in a single
winding .wit# an au!iliary by bot# &ero se'uene and s#ort iruit impedane.
Au!iliary winding may be used ontinuously to supply station au!ilaries. T#e type o$
windings may be eit#er multilayer #elial or dis windings mainly based on
urrent and voltages .generally) voltages o$ t#ese trans$ormers are up to 88 67 and
urrents up to several kilo amps based on system re'uirements .figure-3
s#ows di$$erent on$igurations .$igure-8bG8are re'uired to meet bot# &ero se'uene
impedane and s#ort iruit impedane .magneti and eletri loadings are similar to t#at
o$ a power trans$ormer .t#e basis $or intimate temperature rise alulation is t#at all t#e
#eat is stored in t#e opper wit#out dissipation to insulating media or surroundings
.aording to standards )t#e end temperature rise depends on t#e duration o$ t#e $ault t#e
ultimate being 9>: $or a opper winding in oil .$or ontinuous rating t#e alulation is
similar to t#at o$ a normal power trans$ormer .insulation design is mainly based on d-
eletri onstants o$ paper and oil .t#e ideal stress distribution an be obtained t#roug#
$ield plotting by t#e $inite element met#od .beause o$ t#e $re'uent s#ort iruit
apability) remedial measures like strengt#ening o$ t#e oils) proper materials) and
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avoidane o$ magneti asymmetry are to be observed. Sine only iron losses are to be
dissipated) t#e tank dissipation is ade'uate in a ma(ority o$ t#e ases wit# au!iliary
loading proper are is neessary in respet o$ #eat dissipation $or t#e reliability o$ t#e
trans$ormer. "n ase o$ eart#ing trans$ormers $or industrial appliations and $or #eavily
polluted atmosp#ere t#e demand is $or bus#ings o$ #ig#er reep age distanes to avoid
$re'uent $las#overs. /urt#ers) t#e e!ternal sur$aes are to be painted wit# epo!y base
paint .testing o$ t#ese trans$ormers are in aordane wit# national and international
standards to veri$y various parameters. And) transportation o$ t#ese trans$ormers are
similar to small power trans$ormers.
C.%-&6s(.%5,
T#roug# t#e eart#ing trans$ormers are o$ smaller ratings ompared to normal power
and *07 trans$ormers t#ese are very ritial e'uipments in utility and industrial
appliations. T#eir $ault urrents are di$$erent $or di$$erent installations. Comparison o$
t#ese industrial trans$ormers are to be are$ully di$$erentiated. A deep study is re'uired
$or di$$erent eart#ing met#ods) and $or oordination o$ t#e system e'uipments $or reliable
operation. /urt#er resear# study on a distribution trans$ormer wit# out ma(or
modi$iation o$ t#eir eletrial parameters is desired. 4#en geomagneti $ield
disturbanes aused by ,C indued urrents enter power system at grounded neutral)
t#ese are to be are$ully evaluated in omparison wit# line to eart# $ault urrents.
R*3*+*%-*5
;. *letrial "ndia (ournal)
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