Laboratory 3

Study on Single Phase Transformer

INTRODUCTION:

Transformer is a static device that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another through
a magnetic medium without changing the frequency. Power transformers are often used to either step
up or step down the voltage as required. The generating voltage is stepped up to the transmission voltage
at the generating station in order to reduce the line losses during the transmission and the transmission
voltage is stepped down to the distribution voltage at the grid substation in order to reduce the voltage
to a manageable level. In addition to power transformers, there are other types of special transformers
such as Instrument transformers, Regulating transformers and High frequency transformers. This
laboratory exercise is designed to make the students familiar with the typical losses occur in a transformer
and the performance of the transformer with different types of loads.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
(1) Read the nameplate of a transformer to acquire the required parameters.
(2) Understand the polarity of a transformer winding.
(3) Appreciate the core and copper loss of a transformer.
(4) Appreciate the voltage regulation of a transformer for different power factor loads.

EXPERIMENTAL OBJECTIVES:
(1) Understand transformer name plate data and identify the transformer terminals.
(2) Perform the polarity tests.
(3) Perform the Open Circuit and Short Circuit tests.
(4) Perform the load test on the given transformer.

PRE-LAB:
(1) Discuss the types of losses occur in a single phase transformer.
(2) Draw the phasor diagrams of a single phase transformer for unity, lagging and leading power
factor load and comment on the voltage regulation of the transformer for above loading
conditions.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

 Single phase transformer 230/115V, 1.0 kVA, 50Hz

 Auto transformer (input 240V, output 0-260V, 2.08 kVA, 8 A)
 Voltmeter (0-300V) ac
 Ammeter (0-10 A) ac
 Wattmeter
 Power factor meter
  Resistive Load, Inductive load, Capacitive load

BACKGROUND:

A transformer is a static machine used for transforming power from one circuit to another without
changing frequency. The figure below shows the simplest form of a transformer. Basically a transformer
consists of two inductive coils; primary winding and secondary winding. The coils are electrically separated
but magnetically linked to each other.

Primary Side (Input) Secondary Side (Output)

Figure 01

The basic working principle of a transformer is based on the mutual induction between two windings
linked by common magnetic flux. When an alternating electrical source is applied to the primary winding,
a magnetizing current will flow through the primary which produces an alternating flux in the core of
transformer. This flux links with both primary and secondary windings. As this flux is alternating in nature,
there will be an induced an induced voltage in the secondary according to the Faraday's law of
electromagnetic induction.

If E1 & E2 are primary and secondary voltages and N1 & N2 are number of turns in primary and secondary
windings then,

E1 N1
=
E2 N2

Equivalent circuit for a Single phase Transformer:

Equivalent circuit of a single phase transformer accounting all the imperfection of a practical transformer
such as winding losses, core loss and flux leakage is shown below.
 X2

Figure 02 : Transformer Equivalent circuit

R1 - primary winding resistance

R2 - secondary winding resistance
X1 - primary winding leakage reactance
X2 - secondary winding leakage reactance
Xm - magnetizing reactance
Rc - core loss resistance
N1/N2 - turns ratio (a)

By referring the impedance of the secondary in to the primary side, the equivalent circuit can be further
simplified as shown in Figure 03. Here the excitation circuit part can be neglected since the excitation
current is negligible compared to the rated current of primary side.

Figure 03 : Transformer Equivalent circuit referred to primary side

Voltage regulation of a Transformer:

Due to the presence of the series impedance, the output voltage of a real transformer varies with load,
even if the input voltage is maintained at constant. To compare the different transformers in this aspect,
a quantity called Voltage Regulation (VR) is defined as,

𝑉𝑛𝑙 − 𝑉𝑓𝑙
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = × 100%
𝑉𝑓𝑙

Where, 𝑉𝑛𝑙 is the terminal voltage of transformer when no load is connected and 𝑉𝑓𝑙 is the voltage at the
output terminal when the transformer is supplying rated apparent power to the load.

Phasor diagram of a single phase transformer operating at a lagging power factor load is shown in
Figure 04.

Figure 04

With the help of the phasor diagrams, it can be shown that the voltage regulation for lagging power
factor loads will be positive and that for unity power factor loads will be quite small. Interestingly, for
leading power factor loads, the transformer output voltage will be larger than no load voltage and the
voltage regulation will be negative.

The efficiency of a single phase transformer:

The efficiency of a single phase transformer can be given as

Pout Pout
  100 %   100 %
Pin Pout  Ploss

and hence it can be calculated as ,

VS I S cos
 100%
Pcopper  Pcore  VS I S cos

since 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑉𝑠 𝐼𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃.

Open circuit test of a single phase transformer

In the open circuit test, the rated voltage is applied to the primary (Low voltage side) while the secondary
(High voltage side) is left open circuited. The transformer draws an excitation current, which is fairly small.
Hence the copper loss occurred in the primary will be negligibly small and the wattmeter (used to measure
the input power) reading gives the core loss of the transformer. Hence the simplified equivalent circuit is
shown below and it represent the transformer during open circuit test.

Figure 05

Short circuit test of a single phase transformer

In short circuit test, the secondary (Low voltage side) is short-circuited by a thick conductor and variable
low voltage is applied to the primary (High voltage side). The input voltage is gradually increased till full
load current flows in the primary. During this test, excitation current and the core loss will be negligibly
small due to the reduced voltage applied to the primary. Hence, the power drawn from the supply will be
dissipated as the copper loss in the winding. Therefore, the wattmeter (used to measure the input power)
will give the copper loss of the transformer during short circuit test. Hence the simplified equivalent circuit
shown below represent the transformer during short circuit test.

Figure 06

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:

1. Always turn off power to the circuit when making changes.

2. Only reapply power after verifying that the circuit is properly wired and the voltage to be applied
is at or below the required value.
3. Failure to turn off power when making circuit changes is a major reason for blowing fuses in
the equipment, thereby rendering the equipment unusable and wasting your time and that
of others. Please carefully check circuit wiring before applying power to the circuits.
PROCEDURE:

Part (A): Understanding Name Plate data

Examine the name plate of the given transformer and note down the rated voltage, kVA and frequency.
Calculate the rated current for either sides of the transformer. Confirm the high voltage and low voltage
terminals by applying a suitable small voltage to one side and observing the voltage on the other side.
Part (B): Polarity Test

Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 08 and take the volt meter reading when the high voltage side of
the transformer is supplied with 230 V in order to identify the polarity of windings. Draw the diagram
and indicate the polarity by using dot notation.

Figure 08

Part (C): Open circuit and short circuit tests

Figure 09

Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 09 while keeping the high voltage winding of the transformer open
circuited. Switch on the supply and increase the voltage of low voltage side to its rated value. Note down
wattmeter reading to get the core loss of the transformer.

Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 10 while keeping the law voltage winding of the transformer short
circuited. Switch on the supply and increase the voltage of the high voltage side gradually until the rated
current flows in the high voltage side. Note down wattmeter reading to get the copper loss of the
transformer.
 Figure 10

Part D): Load test on the transformer

Connect the Ammeter, power factor meter and wattmeter to the LV side of the single phase transformer
and give 230V supply to the secondary side and connect two voltmeters to measure the voltages as shown
in figure 11. Connect the resistive load to secondary side. Adjust the load current to be about 2.4 by
changing the Values of each load. While the voltage at the primary remains at 230V .

Note down the secondary voltage, secondary current, secondary power. Then switch off the circuit. Then
connect inductive and capacitive load and follow the same procedure.

Figure 11

DISCUSSION:

Calculate and comment on the efficiency of the transformer during load test with resistive load.

REPORT:

Your Laboratory Teaching Assistant will inform you when the lab report is due. Make sure that you have
recorded all necessary information and data in your laboratory notebook to enable you to prepare the
report on this experiment. You should fill in the Pre-Lab sessions in the report even though, you might
have already done it in your notebook.
 UNIVERSITY OF RUHUNA
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND INFORMATION ENGINEERING

EE1301 – Introduction to Electrical Engineering
Laboratory 03 – Study of single phase transformer

Lab Report

Signature of the Instructor

Student Number

Lab Conducted Date

Lab Report Due Date

Submitted
Date

Evaluation (Instructor Use Only)

Evaluation Allocated Marks Student Achieved Marks
Component Out of 10.0
1 Pre-Lab Computing 1.0
2 Viva 3.0
3 Observations 2.0
4 Discussion 4.0
Total 10.0

Signature of the Evaluator

Observations :

Part A : Identification of Name Plate data

Table3.1:

Voltage
kVA
Frequency
Part B : Polarity Test

Observed Voltage :- ……………………………

Polarity of Transformer :- ………………………

240V=V1
HV LV

Part C : Open circuit test

Table 3.2:
Voltmeter reading (Primary)
Voltmeter reading (Secondary)
Ammeter reading
Wattmeter reading

Part C : Short circuit test

Table 3.3:
Voltmeter reading
Ammeter reading
Wattmeter reading

Part C : Load test

Table 3.4 :
Resistive Inductive Capacitive
Load Load Load
Voltmeter Reading at primary (V)
Voltmeter Reading at secondary (V)
Ammeter Reading (A)
Wattmeter Reading (W)
Power factor meter Reading
Calculations :

Rated current for low voltage side

………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Rated current for high voltage side

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Open Circuit Test

Core loss of the transformer:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Short Circuit Test

Copper loss of the transformer:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Load Test

Efficiency of Transformer when supplying the resistive load:

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Voltage regulation for resistive load inductive load and capacitive load

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Discussion :

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