CURRENT TRANSFORMERS (CTs) AND POTENTIAL

TRANSFORMERS (PTs)
Current or potential instrument transformers are provided
in low voltage switchgear for isolating the protection,
control and measurement equipment from the high voltages
of a power system, and for supplying the equipment with
the appropriate values of current and voltage
Generally values of current rating of secondary winding of
CTS are 1A or 5 , and 110 V for the secondary windings of
PTs
The behavior of current and voltage transformers during and
after the occurrence of a fault is critical in electrical
protection since errors in reproducing current and voltage
from CTs and PTs respectively can cause maloperation of the
relays.

Potential transformers (PTs)
For potential transformers (PTs) it is essential that the
voltage from the secondary winding should be as near as
possible proportional to the primary voltage.
PTs are essentially two winding transformers designed in
such a way that the voltage drops in the windings are small
and the magnetization current is small
PTs are normally three, one for each phase, with primary
and secondary windings connected in star, with both star
points earthed
The secondary voltage of a PT is usually 110V with
corresponding line-to-line and 63.5 V between phase and
earth . The majority of protection relays have nominal
voltages of 110 or 63.5 V, depending on whether their
connection is line-to-line or line-to-neutral.
For low voltage switchgear application, PTs are supplied in
Tape wound or epoxy Resin cast construction


Type of voltage transformers
Electromagnetic voltage transformers
Capacitive voltage transformers
Measuring voltage transformers
Protective voltage transformers
Residual voltage transformers
Ratio Errors of PTs
When used for measurement instruments, for example for
billing and control purposes, the accuracy of a PT is
important, especially the secondary voltage values should be
as close as possible close to the primary voltage.
Ratio Error of PT= {(n Vs - Vp) / Vp} x 100%.
If the error is positive, then the secondary voltage exceeds
the nominal value.
Phase displacement error
Difference in phase between primary voltage and
secondary vectors
Accuracy of PT is defined by IS/IEC standards by Accuracy
class
For metering purpose the accuracy classes are class 0.2, 1.0,
3.0 which means for the permissible ratio errors are as
under:
Class of accuracy % ratio error permissible
Class 0.2 0.2%
Class 1.0 1.0%
Class 3.0 3.0%

For PTs used for protection, the accuracy classes are 3P,
5Pwhich means the permissible ratio errors are 3% and 5%
respectively and P stands for Protection
Normally the PTs are of duel core type where one core is
used for metering and second core is used for protection
Burden of PT is the total power which the PT is capable of
feeding, without exceeding the specified limits of
temperature for the windings
Burden is expressed in VA
In order to select the burden of a PT, it is usual to add
together all the nominal V loadings of the meters/ relays
connected to the PT with about 20% margin for addition of
meters/relays in future
Typical values of burden of PTs are 50VA, 100VA, 200 VA
It is important to take account of the voltage drops in the
secondary wiring, especially if the distance between the
transformers and the relays is large.



Current Transformers (CTs)
CTs are essentially two winding transformers where the
current from the secondary winding is be as near as possible
proportional to the primary current.
CTs are normally three, one for each phase
The secondary voltage of a CT is usually 1A or 5A with
corresponding. The majority of meters and protection relays
have nominal current of 5A or 1A ,
For low voltage switchgear application, CTs are supplied in
Tape wound or epoxy Resin cast construction

Ratio Errors of CTS
When used for measurement instruments or protection
relays, for example for billing and control purposes, the
accuracy of a CT is important, especially the secondary
current values should be as close as possible close to the
primary current.
Error of CT= {(n Is - Ip) / Ip} x 100%..
Accuracy of CT is defined by IS/IEC standards by Accuracy
class
For metering purpose the accuracy classes are class 0.2, 1.0,
3.0 which means for the permissible ratio errors are as
under:
Class of accuracy % ratio error permissible at 100% & 120%
rated current & phase angle error
Class 0.2 0.2% & 10 minutes
Class 1.0 1.0% & 60 minutes

For CTs used for protection, the accuracy classes are 5P,10 , 5P20,
10P10, 10 P20 etc.
P stands for Protection
The permissible ratio errors are+/- 1% for 5P and+/- 3% for 10P
at rated primary current and rated burden
The composite errors are 5% for 5P and 10% for 10P at rated
accuracy limit current and rated burden
The number mentioned after P stands for accuracy limit factor,
which means the CT is capable of reproducing the primary current
,with errors within specified limits, up to 10 times or 20 times the
rated primary current corresponding to number mentioned after P
For low voltage application, CTs are manufactured with maximum
three cores which can be used for connecting meters and
protection relays
Burden of CT is the total power which the CT is capable of feeding,
without exceeding the specified limits of temperature for the
windings

Burden is expressed in VA
In order to select the burden of a CT, it is usual to add
together all the nominal V loadings of the meters/ relays
connected to the CT with about 20% margin for addition of
meters/relays in future
Typical values of burden of CTs are 10VA, 20VA, 30 VA
It is important to take account of the burden leads
especially if the distance between the CTs and the meters/
relays is large.

Current transformers for special purpose applications Class PS
PS class transformers is specified by:
Turns ratio
Minimum knee point voltage Vk
Vk= K x Is( Rct+ Rb)
Where
K is a parameter dependent on system fault current
Rct is secondary winding resistance of transformer
Rb is resistance of secondary circuit
Excitation current at rated knee point voltage or at any other
voltage



Performance requirements for of PS class transformers
Turns ratio error should not exceed +/- 0.25%
Knee point voltage should not be less than specified value
Excitation current should not be greater than specified value
Secondary winding resistance should not be greater than
specified value
PS class CTs are used for Differential protection, REF
protection and Distance protection schemes to ensure that
CTS reproduce primary current without saturation up to the
fault current