Amity INDIAN MILITARY COLlege

PROJECT ON TRAMSFORMERS

BY: Nabhdeep
Choudhary
Roll No:

They are so important in

our lives that without them
even the electric bells fitted
in our homes wont work.

Certificate
This is to certify that Nabhdeep Choudhary,
student of Class XII, Amity Indian Military College,
has completed the project titled Transformers
during the academic year 2014-2015 towards
partial fulfillment of credit for the Physics practical
evaluation of CBSE 2015, and submitted
satisfactory report, as compiled in the following
pages, under my supervision.

_________________
Department of Physics
Amity Indian Military College

Acknowledgement
s
"There are times when silence speaks so
much more loudly than words of praise to
only as good as belittle a person, whose
words do not express, but only put a veneer
over true feelings, which are of gratitude at
this point of time."

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to

my physics mentor for his vital support,
guidance and encouragement, without which

this project would not have come forth. I

would also like to express my gratitude to the
staff of the Department of Physics at Amity
Indian Military College for their support during
the making of this project.

INTRODUCTION
The transformer is a device used for converting a
low alternating voltage to a high alternating
voltage or a high alternating voltage into a low
alternating voltage. It is a static electrical device
that transfers energy by inductive coupling
between its winding circuits. Transformers range in
size from a thumbnail-sized coupling transformer
hidden inside a stage microphone to huge units
weighing hundreds of tons used in power plant
substations or to interconnect portions of the
power grid. All operate on the same basic
principles, although the range of designs is wide.
While new technologies have eliminated the need
for transformers in some electronic circuits,
transformers are still found in many electronic
devices. Transformers are essential for highvoltage electric power transmission, which makes

long-distance transmission economically practical.

A transformer is most widely used device in both
low and high current circuit. In a transformer, the
electrical energy transfer from one circuit to
another circuit takes place without the use of
moving parts. A transformer which increases the
voltages is called a step-up transformer. A
transformer which decreases the A.C. voltages is
called a step-down transformer.
Transformer is, therefore, an essential
piece of apparatus both for high and low current
circuits.

Clo
se-up of single-phase pole mount transformer.

PRINCIPLE

It is based on the principle of mutual induction that

is if a varying current is set-up in a circuit then
induced e.m.f. is produced in the neighboring
circuit. The varying current in a circuit produce
varying magnetic flux which induces e.m.f. in the
neighboring circuit.

CONSTRUCTION
A transformer consists of a rectangular shaft iron
core made of laminated sheets, well insulated from

one another. Two coils p1 & p2 and s1 & s2 are

wound on the same core, but are well insulated
with each other. Note that the both the coils are
insulated from the core, the source of alternating
e.m.f is connected to p1p2, the primary coil and a
load resistance R is connected to s1 s2, the
secondary coil through an open switch S. thus
there can be no current through the sec. coil so
long

as

the

switch

is

open.

For

an

ideal

transformer, we assume that the resistance of the

primary & secondary winding is negligible. Further,
the energy loses due to magnetic the iron core is
also negligible. For operation at low frequency, we
may have a soft iron. The soft iron core is
insulating by joining thin iron strips coated with
varnish to insulate them to reduce energy losses
by eddy currents. The input circuit is called
primary. And the output circuit is called secondary.

An ideal voltage step-down transformer. The secondary current arises from the
action of the secondary EMF on the (not shown) load impedance.

The ideal transformer as a circuit element

THEORY AND
WORKING
When an altering e.m.f. is supplied to the primary
coil p1p2, an alternating current starts falling in it.
The altering current in the primary produces a
changing magnetic flux, which induces altering
voltage in the primary as well as in the secondary.
In a good-transformer, whole of the magnetic flux
linked

with

primary

is

also

linked

with

the

secondary, and then the induced e.m.f. induced in

each turn of the secondary is equal to that induced
in each turn of the primary. Thus if E p and Es be the
instantaneous values of the e.m.f.s induced in the
primary and the secondary and Np and Ns are the
no. of turns of the primary secondary coils of the
transformer and, D / dt = rate of change of flux

in each turn of the coil at this instant, we have

Ep = -Np D/dt

(1)

Es = -Ns D/dt

(2)

Since the above relations are true at every instant,

so by dividing 2 by 1, we get
Es / Ep = - Ns / Np

(3)

As Ep is the instantaneous value of back e.m.f

induced in the primary coil p1, so the instantaneous
current in primary coil is due to the difference (E
Ep ) in the instantaneous values of the applied and
back e.m.f. further if Rp is the resistance o, p1p2
coil, then the

instantaneous current Ip in the

primary coil is given by

I =E Ep / Rp

E Ep

Ip Rp

When the resistance of the primary is small, R p Ip

can be neglected so therefore
E Ep

= 0 or Ep = E

Thus back e.m.f = input e.m.f

Hence equation 3 can be written as E s / Ep = Es / E
= output e.m.f / input e.m.f = Ns / Np = K
Where K is constant, called turn or transformation
ratio.
In a step up transformer

Es > E so K > 1, hence Ns > Np

In a step down transformer

Es < E so K < 1, hence Ns < Np

If Ip=value of primary current at the same instant t

And Is =value of sec. current at this instant,
then Input power at the instant t = Ep Ip and Output
power at the same instant

Es I s

If there are no losses of power in the transformer,

then Input power = output power or
Ep I p
Es / Ep

Es Is
=

Ip / Is

Or
=

In a step up transformer

As k > 1, so Ip > Is or Is < Ip

I.e. current in sec. is weaker when secondary
voltage is higher. Hence, whatever we gain in
voltage, we lose in current in the same ratio.
Similarly it can be shown, that in a step down

transformer, whatever we lose in voltage, we gain

in current in the same ratio.Thus a step up
transformer in reality steps down the current & a
step down transformer steps up the current.

BASIC IDEA OF STEP DOWN TRANSFORMER

BASIC IDEA OF STEP UP TRANSFORMER

EFFICIENCY
Efficiency of a transformer is defined as the ratio of
output power to the input power i.e.
= output power / input power = Es Is / Ep Ip
Thus in an ideal transformer, where there is no
power losses, = 1. But in actual practice, there
are many power losses; therefore the efficiency of
transformer is less than one.

ENERGY LOSSES
In practice, the output energy of a transformer is
always less than the input energy, because energy
losses occur due to a number of reasons as
explained below.
1. Loss of Magnetic Flux: The coupling
between the coils is seldom perfect. So, whole of
the magnetic flux produced by the primary coil is
not linked up with the secondary coil.
2. Iron Loss: In actual iron cores in spite of
lamination,
Eddy currents are produced. The magnitude of
eddy current may, however be small. And a part of
energy is lost as the heat produced in the iron core.
3. Copper Loss: In practice, the coils of the
transformer possess resistance. So a part of the
energy is lost due to the heat produced in the
resistance of the coil.
4. Hysteresis Loss: The alternating current in
the coil tapes the iron core through complete cycle
of magnetization. So Energy is lost due to
hysteresis.
5. Magneto restriction: The alternating
current in the
Transformer may be set its parts in to vibrations
and sound may be produced. It is called humming.

Thus, a part of energy may be lost due to

humming.

USES OF
TRANSFORMER
A transformer is used in almost all a.c. operations
In

voltage

regulator

for

T.V.,

refrigerator,

computer, air conditioner etc.

In the induction furnaces.
A step down transformer is used for welding
purposes.
A step down transformer is used for obtaining
large current.
A step up transformer

is

used

for

the

production of X-Rays and NEON advertisement.

Transformers are used in voltage regulators
and stabilized power supplies.
Transformers are used in the transmissions of
a.c. over long distances.

 Small transformers are used in Radio sets,

telephones, loud speakers and electric bells
etc.

A Big Transformer