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Understanding Transformer Ratings and Efficiency

Transformers are rated in volt-amperes instead of watts because their output is limited by losses that depend on voltage and current, which are not affected by the load power factor. The document explains that the heat generated in transformers is based on the r.m.s. values of current and voltage, leading to the conclusion that the load power factor does not influence losses. The mathematical derivation demonstrates the relationship between apparent power and real power in the context of transformer operation.

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42 views1 page

Understanding Transformer Ratings and Efficiency

Transformers are rated in volt-amperes instead of watts because their output is limited by losses that depend on voltage and current, which are not affected by the load power factor. The document explains that the heat generated in transformers is based on the r.m.s. values of current and voltage, leading to the conclusion that the load power factor does not influence losses. The mathematical derivation demonstrates the relationship between apparent power and real power in the context of transformer operation.

Uploaded by

surajmudiofficial
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Transformer Fundamentals 33

with a lower value of the no-load loss so that a higher value of the all-day
energy-efficiency is achieved.
Why rating in volt-amperes? The rating of transformers is expressed in volt-
amperes and not in watts because the rated output is limited by the losses, which
depend on the voltage (no-load loss) and the current (load loss), and are almost
unaffected by the load power factor. The amount of heat depends on the r.m.s.
values of the current and the voltage and not on the power factor. Hence, the
power delivered through a transformer may not be a unique value. The rating of
a transformer is therefore not expressed in terms of the power rating (watts); it is
defined in terms of the apparent power (volt-amperes) that it can deliver.
Let us now prove that the load power factor does not influence the losses.
The phasor diagram for the equivalent circuit of Figure 1.7 (b), wherein the
secondary quantities are referred to the primary side and the shunt branch is
neglected, is shown in Figure 1.10. The apparent power across the series
impedance in Figure 1.7 (b) is given by,

P  jQ V1  V2c I1 V1‘D  V2c‘0 I1‘T V1 I1 ‘ D  T  V2cI1‘T .


(1.74)
Writing the right hand side in the Cartesian system and rearranging the terms,

P  jQ V1 I1 cos D  T  V2cI1 cos T  j V1 I1 sin D  T  V2cI1 sin T .


(1.75)
Thus, the real part of the power is

P V1 I1 cos D  T  V2cI1 cos T I1 V1 cos D  T  V2c cos T . (1.76)

The bracketed right hand side of Equation 1.76 is the difference between the
projections of phasors V1 and V2c on I1 phasor in Figure 1.10, which is nothing
but the I1 Req1 drop. Therefore, the real power P is

P I1 I1 Req1 I12 Req1 . (1.77)

V1

D j I 1 X eq 1
T V ’2
I 1 R eq
1

I1 = I ’
2
Figure 1.10 Vector diagram corresponding to the circuit in Figure 1.7 (b).

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