TRAFOTECH WORKSHOP 2012

Supplementary Contribution on Commissioning

Back Charging of Generator Transformers

P. Ramachandran
ABB Limited, Vadodara
p.ramachandran@in.abb.com

1. Back charging (energizing from HV side with LV open) of generator transformers is necessary
in power stations to ensure that GT is healthy, well before the generator / turbine installation is
complete. This operation is onerous than charging from LV side due to the transferred surges
to LV from HV and the inrush currents from suddenly applied full rated voltage.

2. Since the transferred voltages to LV may exceed the Basic Insulation Level (BIL) of LV, back
charging shall be done only with Lightning Arrester (LA) and surge absorber of the generator in
circuit. When generator circuit breaker is used, make sure that the breaker has surge absorber
and LA inside it, on the transformer side. On some models of GCB, LA and capacitor on
transformer side is an optional item and hence shall be checked at the time of ordering of GCB.

3. Back charging shall be done on maximum tap with the entire tap winding in circuit, reducing
chances of mal operation of differential relay.
This will slightly reduce inrush current as the flux density will be less than at rated tap. It
will also result in increased 2nd harmonic content in inrush current.
This will avoid part winding resonance in the floating tap winding and consequent
insulation failure in tap winding. This type of resonant overvoltage occur when natural
frequency of regulating winding reach near to the frequency components in the
switching surge.
400kV 400kV (100% Voltage)

100% 100% Turns

10%
10%
Floating Tap winding Flashover from part
winding resonance
4. Recently in many large generator transformers, it is seen that differential relay trips during back
charging. This is because of the mal-operation of the harmonic restraining feature of the relay.
Harmonic restraining feature (i.e. blocking the operation of relay when there is 2nd harmonics in
the overcurrent) incorporated in differential relays around 1930’s. This was to prevent the relay
operation during magnetizing inrush current (which can be 5~15 times of full load current) but
to operate only during over currents from internal faults. Normally inrush current used to have
second harmonic component of 20~30% of the peak value of inrush current and the fault
current will be with less 2nd harmonics content. So the relay sleeps when 2nd harmonic
component is more than 10~15% and will operate when 2nd harmonic current in unbalanced

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 current is less. Due to the improvements in core material (Hi-B & Domain refined CRGO) and
core construction (step lap construction) 2nd harmonic content in inrush current of modern large
capacity transformers is less than 10%. In such cases the differential relay will operate during
back charging as the 2nd harmonic content in inrush current is less than the setting time of
relay.

5. If we reset relay for a lower 2nd harmonic percentage, then the fault clearing time for a real
internal fault will increase. Hence engineers are developing new differential relays based on
new principles such as wave form blocking criterion (a pattern recognition algorithm that
searches for intervals within each fundamental power system cycle).

6. Sometimes it is necessary to reduce the inrush current especially in large units to avoid
adverse effects on transformer windings from over currents. Inrush current will be minimum
when the switching is done at the peak of the applied voltage wave. Special devices (pre-
insertion resistors, point on wave switching relay) are available to go with circuit breakers to
achieve this end. All 765kV circuit breakers and many of the 400kV CBs used for transformers
switching are provided with controlled switching to reduce the magnetizing inrush current.

7. Occasionally strange situation in back charging can arise. When a 20MVA transformer is
proposed as feeding transformer to energized a 160MVA unit, the inrush current of 160MVA
will severely overload 20MVA and may damage it. Hence such plans shall be avoided.

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