Overview

1. Introduction to Instrument Transformer

2. Its Classification
3. Design & Function of CT
4. Construction, Accuracy Limit & Equivalent CKT
5. Safety Precaution & Usage of CT
6. Design & Function of PT
7. Construction & Error of PT
8. Cause of Error in PT
9. Conclusion
10. Reference
Introduction
Instrument transformers are necessary for

Isolating the protection, control &

measurement equipment from the
high voltages of apower system

Supplying the equipment with the

appropriate values of current and
voltage
Types of Instrument Transformers
Two Types of Instrument Transformers :

Current Transformer (CT)

Potential Transformer (PT)

Current transformer & Potential transformer

Current Transformer (CT)
 Design
 Like any other transformer, a current transformer has a
primary winding, a magnetic core and a secondary winding
 The primary winding of a current transformer is
connected in series with the powercircuit
 The impedance is negligible compared with that of the
power circuit
 The alternating current flowing in the primary produces a
magnetic field in the core & induces a current in the
secondary winding
 The CT's primary circuit consists of a single 'turn' of
conductor, with a secondary of many tens or hundreds of
turns
 The primary winding may be a permanent part of the
current transformer, with a heavy copper bar to carry
current through the magnetic core
Function

 Reduce power system current to

lower value for measurement

 Insulate secondary circuits

from the primary

 Permit the use of standard

current ratings for secondary
equipment
Current TransformerConstruction
BARPRIMARY WOUND PRIMARY

Primary

Secondary
Bar-Primary Type CT
Laminated ‘strip’ wound steel toroidal core
Insulation to stop flash-over
from HV primary to core &
secondary circuit

1000 turns sec

‘Feeder’ or ‘Bus-bar’forming
1 turn of primary circuit

RELAY

1000A 1A

Generator, or system
voltage source Insulation covered wire,
giving inter-turn insulation
& secondary to core
insulation
Accuracy
 The accuracy of a CT is directly related to a number of
factors :
 Burden : The secondary load of a current transformer is usually called the
"burden" to distinguish it from the load of the circuit whose current is being
measured
 Rating factor : Rating factor is a factor by which the nominal full load current of
a CT can be multiplied to determine its absolute maximum measurable
 Load
 External electromagnetic fields
 Temperature
 Physical configuration.
 The selected tap, for multi-ratio CTs
C.T. Equivalent Circuit
Ip ZCT
P1 Is

Ip/N Ie

S1
N Ze Es Vt Zb

Ip = Primary rating of C.T. Ie = Secondary excitation current

N = C.T. ratio
Zb = Burden of relays in ohms
(r+jx)
ZCT= C.T. secondary winding
impedance in ohms (r+jx)
Ze = Secondary excitation
Is = Secondary current
Es = Secondary excitation voltage
Vt = Secondary terminal voltage
across the C.T. terminals
 Safety Precaution

The secondary of a current transformer is not disconnected

from its load while current is flowing in the primary

 The transformer secondary will attempt to continue driving current

across the effectively infinite impedance.

 This will produce a high voltage across the open secondary

 This high peaks of voltage may not be measured by conventional

voltmeter. But these high peaks of induced voltage may breakdown
the CT insulation, and may case accident to personnel
 Usage
 Current transformers are used:

 Measuring current

A CT for operation on a 110 kV grid

 Monitoring the operation of

the power grid
Potential Transformer (PT)
Design
 A Potential Transformer theory is just like
theory of general purpose step down
transformer
 Primary of this transformer is connected across
the phases or and ground depending upon the
requirement
 PThas lowers turns winding at itssecondary
 In an ideal Potential Transformer when rated
burden connected across the secondary the
ratio of primary and secondary voltages of
transformer is equal to theturns ratio
 But in actual transformer there must be an error
in the voltage ratio as well as in the phase angle
between primary and secondaryvoltages
Types of Potential Transformer
Two main basic types are available :

 Electromechanical PTs
 Similar to a power transformer
 May not be economical above 132kV

 Capacitor PTs (CPT)

 Used at high voltages
 Main difference is that CPT has a capacitor divider on the
front end
Construction of PT
 The construction of a voltage transformer takes into
account the following factors

a. Output – Seldom more than 200-300VA. Cooling is

rarely a problem
b. Insulation – Designed for the system impulse
voltage level. Insulation volume is often larger
than the winding volume
c. Mechanical Design – Not usually necessary to
withstand short-circuit currents. Must be small to
fit the space available within switchgear
Function
 Provides isolation from high
voltages

 Must operate in the linear

region to prevent accuracy
problems - Do not over specify
VT

 Must be capable of driving the

burden, specified by relay
manufacturer

 Protection class VT will suffice

 Errors in PT
 The difference between the ideal value
Vp/KT and actual value Vs is the voltage
error or ratio error in a potential
transformer
% voltage error = Vp − KT.Vs /Vp X 100 %
 The angle ′β′ between the primary
system voltage Vp and the reversed
secondary voltage vectors KT.Vs is the
phase error
Is - Secondary Current
Es - Secondary induced emf
Vs - Secondary terminal voltage Ip -
Primary current
Ep - Primary induced emf
Vp - Primary terminal voltage
KT - numbers of primary turns/number of
secondary turns
Io - Excitation Current
β - phase angle error
Cause of Error in PT

 The voltage applied to the primary

of the potential transformer first
drops due to internal impedance of
primary

 Transformed voltage across

secondary winding will again
drops due to internal impedance
of secondary before appearing
across burden terminals
Conclusion
 Current Transformer
 Measuring current

 Monitoring the operation of

the power grid
• CT secondary should not be kept open

 Potential Transformer
 Measuring Voltage
 Provides isolation from high voltages