Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding

loco transformer
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Steimel Version: 1.0 16.05.2021
Dr.-Ing. Roman Bartelt

Table of contents
1. Motive ................................................................................................................................................. 2
2. Partial coupling of the leakage fluxes of the four winding systems .................................................... 2
3. Coupling of the filter winding to the HV and the LV windings and filter leakage inductivity ............. 4
4. Resultant ECD ...................................................................................................................................... 8
5. Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 8
6. References ........................................................................................................................................... 9

PAGE 1 | 9 Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding loco transformer Version 1.0
1. Motive
Evaluating the measured data of the ZELC 2-frequency locomotive 5,6 MW [1] according to
the ECD used up to now, inconsistent data would result. Therefore the source [2] was worked
through again; a mistake was found leading to an incorrect model.
The single-phase transformer used in today’s locomotives with three-phase drives and four-
quadrant line-side converters exceeds in several aspects the standard model:
• Partial coupling of the leakage fluxes of the four winding systems on the common core
• Differing coupling of the integrated filter winding nested between HV and LV to the HV and
LV windings
• Resulting leakage inductivity of the filter winding
• Frequency dependence of the inductivity and the resistance of the winding systems
As there are no data to the last two items, it will not be treated here; we will stay with the
adapted data of the BR 101 transformer, as taken from [2].

2. Partial coupling of the leakage fluxes of the four winding systems

The main transformer behaviour is described by the transformation ratio(s) and the inductive
and resistive normalized short-circuit voltages at transformer nominal voltage and current,
uxN and urN or L and R per system.
Fig. 1 sketches – in top view - the leakage fluxes of the locomotive transformer with four
coaxial cylinder winding systems: In red the independent leakage flux pathes of the individual
winding systems, in green the common leakage fluxes of each two windings on the same limbs
and in blue the common leakage flux of all four winding systems.

Figure 1: Sketch of loco transformer with four winding systems and exemplary leakage fluxes

PAGE 2 | 9 Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding loco transformer Version 1.0
As the value of the leakage flux is inversely proportional to the length of the flux lines, the
common leakage flux of all four winding systems is much lesser than the common leakage
fluxes on the same limbs; even that on the limbs is rather small.
The leakage fluxes are represented in the ECD by leakage (or stray) inductivities. Fig. 2 shows
- acc. to [2] - the ECD of a transformer with four uncoupled inductivities Ls2 and a common
inductivity Ls20. The resistances are omitted, as the current distribution will be determined
mainly by the inductivities.

Figure 2: ECD of transformer, modelling uncoupled fluxes and coupled leakage flux,
winding resistances omitted

From short-circuit tests with all four secondary windings shorted separately, feed-in and
measurement from the HV winding, delivering after averaging
LA = Lσ20 + Lσ2 ,

and a test with all four secondary windings connected in parallel and shorted, feed-in and
measurement from the HV winding, delivering
Lσ2
LB = Lσ20 + = Lσ /4 ,
4

follow the wanted ECD quantities:

4
Lσ2 = ∙ (LA − LB )
3
1
Lσ20 = 3 ∙ (4 ∙ LB − LA ).

The factor k = L20/LB is less than 8% of the total leakage flux of all four systems working in
our example. It should be considered to attribute the common leakage to the pairs of winding
systems on the same limb; to which extent will be cleared by evaluation of existing
measurements.

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The inductivity LB = Ls/4 is effective for the common-mode system of the four-quadrant
converter voltages, driving the disturbance current into the grid [4]. Differential-mode
voltages are not treated here; they raise the current harmonics in the individual traction
windings, but are much more affected by the other effect (Chapter 3)
In the following, only the case of the four parallel connected windings with LB = ¼∙Ls, the
nominal inductivity of one system, determining the common-mode current system into the
grid is regarded.

3. Coupling of the filter winding to the HV and the LV windings and

filter leakage inductivity
Fig. 3 shows a section of the winding system, phase 1, acc. to the so called “New Design”,
which developed from the “Old Design” by letting the traction windings 1 and 2 change their
places, from [3], Fig. 2.

Traction winding 2 (1.3 - 1.2) is the base

winding for the 25-kV, 50 Hz grouping, while
traction winding 1 (1.1 - 1.3) is the
supplementary winding for 15 kV 16,7 Hz,
connected in series to winding 2 (winding
“tappings” are not used in this power class).
The filter winding (6.1 - 6.2) is inserted
between the HV winding (U-E) and winding
1 of each winding system.

Figure 3: Half-section of one winding system, core

at left side

The effectivity of a capacitive filter connected to a suited “tertiary” winding is by several orders
of magnitude higher than a filter connected “upstream” the transformer, as in the loco types
BR 120, NSB EL 17, DSB EA 3000 and ICE 1, 2, as the participating inductivities are at least one
order of magnitude greater than in case of an upstream filter. A further advantage is that the

PAGE 4 | 9 Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding loco transformer Version 1.0
filter system voltage can be selected freely, e.g. 1000 V or 2000 V, easing insulation problems,
compared to connecting to 15 kV or even 25 kV [4].
Using this enormous gain, the filter resonance frequency is selected not to the pulse frequency
of the four converters operating interdigitatedly (8 times the switching frequency fz, 2800 Hz
with the ZELC loco), but to the pulse frequency of two converters, operating in emergency
mode, when one bogie drive has failed, 4 times fz (2800 Hz with the ZELC loco) [2] [4].
The (simplified) ECD of the transformer with integrated filter winding is given in Fig. 4 (putting
aside the subdivision of the traction winding leakage inductivity described in the previous
section, which is a phenomenon between the winding systems).

Figure 4: ECD for the coupling of the filter winding to HV (“OS”) and to the 4 traction
windings (“SUS”), with the common-mode voltage of the 4 4q-C; from [2].

L1, L2 and LFi can be determined by three short-circuit measurements (U, I, PV, with nominal
frequency). delivering L{OS-SUS}, L{OS-Fi} and L{SUS-Fi}, the last one to be transformed to the
HV side, in each case the respective third winding open [2].
Than holds: L1 = 0,5·[L{OS-SUS} + L{OS-Fi} − L{SUS-Fi}]
L2 = 0,5·[L{OS-SUS} − L{OS-Fi} + L{SUS-Fi}]
LFi = 0,5·[L{OS-Fi } − L{OS-SUS} + L{SUS-Fi}]
Corresponding equations hold for the resistances.
A basic problem is that LFi should be very small (in the range of few per cents of L s = L{OS-US}
in the figure, to be able to set the resonance frequency of the filter to the desired value. So
the determination is very sensitive to errors in the measurement of the much bigger
L{OS-SUS}, L{OS-Fi} and L{SUS-Fi}. This holds the more for the resistances, as the X/R is high
and thus R/X small, so that it is nearly impossible to determine RFi by this procedure. So, RFi
is to be found by measurement, but preferably not with DC but with a frequency of 1,5…3 kHz,
to obtain the correct value at the resonance frequency, raised by current displacement in the
conductors and to specify correctly the necessary exterior damping resistor. A suited device is
Omikron Bode 100 Vector Network Analyzer.

PAGE 5 | 9 Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding loco transformer Version 1.0
The ratio kF = L1/(L1+L2) depends upon the distances of the filter winding to the HV and the
LV winding, respectively, and should be in the range of 0,4…0,6; at kF = 0,5 the effectivity of
the filter capacitor is maximal.
[2] proposes to introduce L1 additionally “upstream” the original transformer ECD without
filter branch from section 2, to form the node for the connection of the filter branch and then
complement the circuit by a negative inductivity -L1 behind the node, which makes the total
leakage inductance equal to the original value before the introduction. As negative
impedances cannot be used in EMT simulation programs, the equivalent “downscaling” of the
impedance group of the individual winding leakage inductivities L s2 and the common leakage
inductivity Ls20 acc. to section 2 by the factor (1 - kF) delivers the same result, regarding the
common-mode system. But the influence of the differential-mode system on the current
harmonics of the winding currents will be distorted. It cannot yet be foreseen, whether this
can be treated correctly in one model.
If the filter leakage inductivity LFi exceeds the value of 4…5% of L{OS-SUS} with a given
capacitor, the resonance frequency sinks under the desired value of 4 times fz, the admittance
of the filter branch sinks and the filter is less effective in reducing the grid-current harmonics.
The better strategy is to keep the resonance frequency constant by appropriate decrease of
the filter capacity. The filter admittance deteriorates, but in the range of the resonance (where
the spectral lines of the net interference current to be suppressed lie) not so severely as in the
first case.
This is illustrated by a model calculation with data of the ZELC 2-system locomotive 5600 kW
[3], with a filter capacity of 1,8 µF, related to the HV side, or 280 µF related to filter voltage
level, and kF = 0,4. According to actual knowledge, the proposed additional inductor will not
be necessary, as LFi is significantly greater than 5% (report follows).

PAGE 6 | 9 Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding loco transformer Version 1.0
 1
LFi' = 2%
0.1
LFi' = 5% --
0.01

1 10
3

LFi' = 8%
1 10
4

1 10
5

1 10
6
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

f/Hz →
Figure 5a: Filter admittance Y = Ig/US_ at fres2 = 1400 Hz = const for LFi /LB = 2%, 5% and 8%.

0.1 LFi' = 2%
LFi' = 8%
LFi' = 5% --
0.01

1 10
3

1 10
4

1 10
5

1 10
6
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

f/Hz →
Figure 5b: Filter admittance Y = Ig/US_ at fres2 = 1400 Hz = const for LFi /LB = 2%, 5% and 8%

PAGE 7 | 9 Revision of the ECD of the ZELC multi-winding loco transformer Version 1.0
4. Resultant ECD
In the following the parameters are renamed: L1 = L1, L20 = k·L2, L2 = 4·(1 − k)·L2, with
L1+L2 = L{OS-US} corresponding to the original L/4. R1 = R1, R2 = 4·R2. The factor in front of
L20/ü2 must be cleared (between 1…2), but this is not essential due to the smallness of this
value.
Fig. 6 shows the resultant ECD with four ideal transformers as used with Avasition in its
VIAVento simulation package, outputting the secondary systems galvanically isolated in their
own voltage levels, exemplarily in the 25 kV/50 Hz grouping.
As the train-line winding is outside the HV winding cylinder, its coupling to the filter and
traction windings can be neglected and the train-line branch is added as an individual branch
at the input of the transformer ECD; the magnetizing branch can be totally neglected.

Figure 6: Transformer ECD with galvanically isolated secondary systems, for 25 kV/50 Hz

5. Discussion
In the past, the two effects “Partial coupling of the leakage fluxes of the four winding systems”
(section 2) and “Coupling of the filter winding to the HV and the LV windings and filter leakage
inductivity” (section 2) were uncorrectly mingled up by mistake. This was as long no (greater)
problem, as in the simulations the parameters were given with the same factor and estimated
according to the transformer of BR 101.

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The real problem arose with the definitions of the necessary short-circuit measurements to
be performed; thus the needed short-circuit measurement from the terminals of the parallel-
connected traction windings to the shorted filter winding was ignored.
After the correction, the parameter extraction program could be finalised, the missing
measurement were requested, the results have arrived very fast and the evaluation is under
work.

6. References
[1] ZELC_Cao_Compatibility study input for locomotive and power supply system.docx, 20.
04. 2021
[2] Runge, W.: Control of the line harmonics due to four-quadrant-converter in AC tractive
stock by means of filter and transformer, 7. European Conference on Power Electronics
(EPE), Trondheim 1997, 3.459−3.464 (Nr. 2.1 in: Avasition: ZELC - literature research
V1.0, 27. 4. 2017)
[3] ZELC - New Transformer Parameters acc. TSI Requirement & Support Requirements, 10.
10. 2019
[4] Steimel, A.: Electric Traction – Motive Power and Energy Supply, 2nd edition,
DIV 2014

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