DERATING OF DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS FOR NON-SINUSOIDAL

LOAD CURRENTS USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

M.B. B. Shari@n*, J. Fair'., S. A. Fakheri'"' and A. Zramparvar"'
.. * Deparbnent of Elechical Engineering, Facully of Engineering, University of T a b r i ~Tab& Iran
Deparbnent of Elecbical and-Computer Engineering, Faeully of Engineering, University of Tehmn, Tehmn, Imn
Azarbadyan Regional Elecbic Company, Tab& Imn

Abstract Transformers are normally designed and built for
utilizing at mted frequency and prefect sinusoidal load current.
Supplying non-linear loads by transformer leads to higher losses.
early fatigue of insulation, premature defective and reduction of
the useful life of transformer. To prevent theses pmblems rated
capacity of transformer supplying non-linear loads must be
redUced.
In this paper a SO-kVA three-phase distribution transformer is
modeled using fmite element (FE) method and its losses are
estimated under rated frequency and load and also under non-
linear loads. An equivalent rating of the transformer is estimated
based on the harmonic loss factor and it is compared to the
recommended standard rating. This wmpariron shows that the
estimation of derating of the transformer supplying non-linear
loads using the standard recommendations is acceptable, but it is
slightly wnservative.
List ofsymbols
Pr, P,, PL uansformer, core and impedance losses in W
I rms load current in A
I* rms current ofLV winding in A
Ri DC resismce of LV winding in R
R DC resistance in R
PEC eddy current lasses of winding in W
PSL stray losses in w
Po,I mar. density of load losses under rated conditions
,P mar. density of winding eddy current losses under rated
conditions
Fb ratio of harmonic number h to fundamental component af
nominal frequency
Pcca rated eddy cw~entIOSDS of winding in W
H harmonic order
rms value ofthe hth hvmonic cment
Ib
la rms value of sinusoidal load cumnt and rated Frequency in
A IzR expresses the ohmic losses of the transformer windings. If
1. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, electricity distribution companies concern to
the assigning rating o f transformers for non-sinusoidal
current loads. Mass production of electric vehicles in the
next decades may lead to more non-linear domestic loads
due to large battery number of chargers. Use of other non-
linear domestic loads such as variable speed thermal
pumps is increasing. In addition, due to the expansion of
non-linear loads such as computers, variable speed drives
in W A C ah condition systems and electronic ballast of
fluorescent lamps; harmonic distortion is increasing in the
commercial user and services terminals.
Temperatore rise of transformer due to non-sinusoidal load
currents was discussed in IEEE Tmnsformer CommiiIe in
March 1980. In industrial regions, a part of the loads an non-
sinusoidal and this percentage is now rising. This meeting
recammended providing a standard guidance far estimation of
the loading capacity of the transformers with distorted currents.
Kline presented a procedure, published in &aments C57-110,
in which the eddy current lasses vary with square of the current
and harmonic order [ I , 21. Finally, a standard B E E C57-110
entitled "mmmended procedure for determination of the
transformer capacity under non-sinusoidal loads". The aim in
publishing this standard was providing a procedure for
determination of the capady of a transformer under non-
sinusoidal loads. This procedure determines the level of
deneasing the rated current for risen harmonic. This papr
reviews the non linear loads effects upon the transformers and
the standard IEEE prccednre for derating of the transformer that
is under the distoned currents. The equivalent capaciiy of a
typical SO-kVA transformer is then evaluated using analytical
and fmite element (FE) methods and the results a
n mmpared.
2. EFFECT OF NON-LUiEAR LOADS ON THE
TRANSFORMER LOSSES
Transformer losses consist of no-load losses (or core losses) and
impedance losses:
Pr = Pc + P' (1)
The no-load losses are due to the core excitation. The
harmonic currents passing the transformer leakage impedance
and system impedance may slightly distort the transformer
output voltage. Experience shows that the temperature rise of the
core is not the limiting factor in determination of the permissible
arrent of the non-linear load IEEEC57-110 standard also
ignorestheriseofthecarelossesduetothenon-linearloads.
The no-load losses are:
PL=12R+P,+P, (2)
the rms load current increases due to the harmonic components
of the current, these losses also rise.
There is no defmite test procedure to determine eddy a r
ren
t
losses and stray losses separately. But the total losses can be
obtained by impedance test. The load losses may be obtained by
subtracting the ohmic losses from the tooil losses.
Having the rated eddy current losses, the eddy arrent losses
due to any non-sinusoidalload current can be calculated 121:
Other stmy lasses or total eddy current losses plus other stmy
losses can be determined for any non-sinusoidal given load using
a similar procedure. In the standard 1561, 1562 of UL
labomtoy, coefficient K is defmed as follows:
K-Facmr shows the influence of amplitude and frequency of
the harmonic current upon the increase of the eddy arrent losses

0 2003 IEEE
0-7803-8163-7/03/$17.00 ICECS-2001
754
of the transformer under the non-sinusoidal loads density is equal to the designed loss density for the rated
In the revised version of the standard LEEE C57-110 [41, the conditions. It is calculated as follvws [2]:
harmonic losses ( Fdhas been defined as follows:

If the numerator and denominator of Eqn. 5 are divided by the The 12R loss at the rated load is 1 pu and it is assumed that all
rated rms current, current values wfl be in pu. The harmonic lass stray losses are equal to the eddy current losses of the windings.
fauon differ with K-Factor and the following equation holds: Eqn. 8 can be simplified as forllaws:

If the rms current of the load is equal to the rated current of the
transformer, the numerical value of factor K will be equal to the
raw current of the transformer.
3. EQUIVALENT POWER OF TRANSFORMER UNDER
NON-LINEAR LOADS
4. ILLUSTRATIVEEXAMPLE
Equivalent kVA of a distribution transformer with
specifications given in Table 11 is obtained for a non-sinusoidal
load Current having the total rms current of 1 pu and the
harmonic distribution given in Table 2.

The equivalent power of m s f o r m e r is the power that Table I. Specifications CC the proposed transformer
m s f o r m e r can supply a load current with any harmonic Rated wer 50 kVA
component, in such a way that the total load losses, load losses HV volta e
in any winding and density of losses in the region with LV volta e
maximum eddy losses do not exceed the designed values with
sinusoidal waveform at rated frequency and load Meanwhile,
the pmposed limitation criterion is due to the region of the Load losses
winding where has the maximum eddy current lasses. The
equivalent power of the transformer is determined based on this
limitation.
There are two methods for determination of the equivalent 4.1. Conventional Method
power of transformer for non-linear load [4]. The first method is
used where complete data concerning the density of the The eddy current losses of transformer can be obtained by
transformer losses are available. The s a n d method has less subtraaing the ohmic losses finn the load losses in the nominal
accuracy and is employed where only the test data of the
conditions as: Pec.R= 1250- 3(1.~'(121.5)
+ 7z2(o.03)]= 27.62 w
m s f o r m e r exists. Therefore, the designers use the fmt method
and users use the second method. The following assumptions are
made in the second method: Table 2. Distribution of load current harmonics

- AU svdy losses are equal to the eddy Current losses of winding.

-Ohmic losses of any winding distribute uniformly
- For all transformers having rating current lower than 1000 k
distribution of the eddy currents losses is 60% for the internal
winding and 40% for the external winding. This distribution The peak of the density of eddy current losses is Calculated in
will be 70% and 30% for transformer having rated current puusingEqn.7as: P , ~ ~ ( ~ 0.8x27.62
~ ) ~ ~ - - = O . I pu
~ ~
larger than 1000 A. 155.52
- Maximum density of eddy current losses in any winding is In order to compute K-Factor, Table 3 is set.
equal to 40% of the average density of eddy current losses.

Considering the above assumptions, !he maximum density of

the eddy current losses of transformer under nominal conditions
in pu (Prc.n) for a three-phase 20 kV/0.4 kV dismbution
transformer is obtained as follow 12.51.
.. .
O.SP,.,
For S< 630 kVA ( p u ) =-
PEc-R (7-1)
1:RL
2.8PZ.,
For S>630kVA PEc.a(pu)=- (7-2)
31:R,

Maximum permissible non-sinusoidal load current of The permissible peak rms non-sinusoidal load current is
m s f o r m e r (I,& in pu is the current at which the maximum loss determined using Eqn. 9 as foll,aws:

755
 Table 4. Load losses using FE method
I Load losses in I Load losses in I Total load I
HV 0 1
LVpV I
losses (w)
I,. = 0.9013 x 12 = 65.32 A 844.71 I 437.6 I 1282.3
And kVA can be estimated as follows: Figure 3 shows the magnetic flux distribution in the
EquivalenrkVA=50~0.9073=45.36.kVA transformer magnetic circuit. In this case conditions are similar
to the short circuit of the transformer (by harmonic or eddy
The equivalent kVA is only an estimation of the total kVA of current analysis in Ansys 5.4 software), and magnetization
the transformer. If the harmonic contents of the load are current is low and the flux amplitude is also very low. Due to the
considerablychanged, this kVA must be again evaluated. shoR circuit of the transformer phases, considerable flux leaks
through the windings, which is the major factor in such
4.2. Finite Elanent Method operating. For calculation of the losses under non-sinusoidal
case, the load losses for each component of harmonic is obtained
For FE modeling of the pqwsed transformer Ansys 5.4 and summarized in TabIe 5. As indicated in this table, the total
software is used. First, twodimensional cut of three-phase load losses for the given non-sinusoidal current is 1364.66 W,
transformer is introduced to the FE software and the transformer thus the increase of the losses compared to the rated frequency
load losscs under linear and non-linear loads are wmputed based and load is as follows:
on the circuit model of the transformer and short circuit test. The 1364.66-1282.31 =82.35W
superpition is used for load losses under non-sinusoidal
current. It means that when different harmonics of the nonlinear
load current are calculated the total load losses are sum of the
transformer losses due to the different current components. For
every component, the equivalent sinusoidal current excites
transformer and the transformer winding losses are evaluated
The FE software calculates these losses based on the leakage
flux and resistivity of the windings. Figum 1 and 2 show the
twodimensional cut and meshed model of the transformer
respectively.
~ ........ .............. ~ ...............

I Figure 3. Flux distribution of magnetic circuit of transformer

I
I
i
Table 5.Losses calculations for non-sinusoidal c s e

I
Figure 1. Twodimensional cut of transformer
i 17 0.0150 0.78
2.74
1.19
038
8.07
3.54
1.16
19 0.0098 0.36 0.17 0.53

The winding eddy current losses for sinusoidal and non-

In order to obtain the FE results, transformer is exited by rms
current of each harmonic and its relevant flux distribution within
the core and windings are evaluated. The induced ~ m t s
produced by the distributed flux in each prur of the core are then
determined. Now resistivity of the windings is introduced to the
software and the eddy current losses are calculated based on the
IZRequation.
If vansformer operates under rated frequency and load, the
load losses using the FE method are as summarized in Table 4.
sinusoidal conditions are obtained by subtracting the winding dc
losses from the total load losses. Since the total load current in
both sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal cases are 1 pu, then the
winding DC losses in sinusoidal conditions with rated frequency
and current having total rms value of 1 pu and the @"en
harmonics content are as follows:
3[1.442~121.5+722x0.03]=1222.38W,and the winding
eddy current losses are: 1282.31 - 1222.38 = 59.93 W
Eddy current losses of winding at non-linear load current are
as:
1364.66-1222.38 = 142.28W
The factor of harmonic losses (Fd based on Eqn. 5 is equal to
the ratio of winding total eddy currents losses at non-sinusoidal
load current and winding eddy current losses at the rated
142.28
frequencyandcurrent: FML=-=2.37
59.93

Since total rms load current is q u a l to the rated currcnt of the

transformer (1 pu), the numerical value of the Fm is equal to the

756
numerical value of K-Fanor. Thus: K= Fm=2.37. This value has
been obtained using FE method is compared with the analytical
method in Table 6.
Table 6. Comuarison of harmonic losses factor computed by FE
Comparison of application of two methods shows that FE
method predict smaller hannonic losses factor than the analytical
method. The reason is that in the analytical method it is assumed
that the eddy current losses are proportional with the square of
the harmonic orders that is a pessimistic assumption.
T h e permissible peak rms current of the transformer
based on Eon. 10 is:
L ( P U ) =
[ 1+0.142
I'
1+(2.Y)(O.142)
I,
= 0.9243
6. REEXRENCES
[I]. A. D. Kline, "Transforiner in SCR convener circuits",
Conference Records of 1981 IEEE I n d u s 0 Application
Annual Meefing, pp. 456458.
[2]. BEE recommended practice for establishing transformer
capability when supplying non-sinusoidal load currents,
ANSUEEE Sfandard C57, 110, 1986.
[3]. L. W. Pierce, 'Transformer desia and application
considerations for non-sinusoidal load currents", IEEE
Trans. on Indusfry Applications, Vol. 32, No. 3, 1996, pp.
633.644.
[4]. D. Yidirium and E. F. Fuches, "Measured transformer
derating and comparison with harmonic loss factor
appmach", IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery, Paper No, PE-
084-PWRDOO3,1999.
[51. I. Faiz, at al., "Research repotl on effect of non h
ear loads

=0.9243~12=66.54A
upon distribution transformers and w m t i o n factor
estimation for optimal qeration of transformer- Part l", (in
Persian), Azarbaijon Regional Elecm'cig Company,
TabriL Iran, Spring 2001.

The equivalent kVA of the transformer is as follows:

0.9243~50= 46.21kVA

The results of two analytical and FE m e t h d s have been

comparedin Tablel.
The comparison shows that the predicted values using
analytical and FE methods are close and although the
remmmended kVA of the transformer based on the analytical
method is slightly conservative; it is a reasonable estimation of
the derating of the transformer for non linear loads.

Tahle 7. Comparison of calculated equivalent kVA transformer

1- usin anal icalandFEmethcds

45.36
66.54
46.21

5. CONCLUSIONS

Effects of non-hear loads upon the transformer losses based on

the conventional method (EEE standard C57-110) have been
studied for derating purpose. A FE method has been then used to
estimate the load losses of a threz-phase 50 W A distribution
transformer at sinusoidal and nonsinusoidal loads. The
harmonic losses fanor has been computed in order to evaluate
the equivalent kVA of the transformer for supplying non-linear
loads. The estimated kVA of the transformer has been compared
to that calculated by the available standard method The
summary of the results is as follows:

1. The most effect of non-linear loads upon the transformer is

due U, the winding eddy current losses and load losses.
2. Increase of the transformer losses under nonsinusoidal load
leads to early fatigue of insulation, premature defective and
reduction of the useful life of transformer. Therefore, kVA of
the transformer must be reduced under non-sinusoidal loads.
3. Assumption of increase of the winding eddy current losses
with the square of the frequency in the analytical methods
and the available standards is somehow less accurate.
4. The existing standard for derating of the transformer provides
slightly conservative estimation of the derating of the
transformer under non-linear loads.
5. FE method as a very precise method for transformer loss
calculation under hear and non-hear losses can be used for
the fmal stage of the derating.

757