TRANSFORMER LOSSES

AND EFFICIENCY
BY: NOVEAS U. EROISA
 TRANSFORMER LOSSES
1. Copper Loss
• Include 𝐼 𝑅 losses in the primary and secondary windings
2

• Comprises the power dissipated by the primary and secondary

windings.
• Varies as the square of the current for each winding, therefore, as the
load increases, copper loss also increases.

The combined conductor losses of both primary and secondary windings

maybe expressed in terms of the equivalent resistance referred to the
high side or referred to the low side
• 𝑃𝑐𝑢 = 𝐼12𝑅1 + 𝐼2 2𝑅2
• = 𝐼12𝑅𝑒𝑞1
• = 𝐼22𝑅𝑒𝑞2
 TRANSFORMER LOSSES
2. Core Loss
• Consists of hysteresis and eddy-current losses (core losses) in the iron.
• Since 𝜑𝑚𝑎𝑥 in the core of the transformer is practically constant for all conditions of load, the core loss is
constant, thus referred to as fixed loss.
• Eddy current loss can be minimized by using thinner laminations
• Hysteresis loss depends upon the magnetic characteristic of the type of steel used for the magnetic core
𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 𝑃ℎ + 𝑃𝑒
𝑃𝑒 = 𝑘𝑒 𝑓 2 𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 2
𝑃ℎ = 𝑘ℎ 𝑓𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 1.6
But
𝐸1 = 4.44𝑓𝑁1 𝜑𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 4.44𝑓𝑁1 𝛽𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐴
𝑉1
𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
4.44𝑁1 𝐴𝑓
Thus
𝑉1
𝐵𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝑓
𝟐
𝑽𝟏
𝑷𝒆 = 𝒌𝒆 𝒇𝟐 = 𝒌𝒆 𝑽𝟏 𝟐
𝒇
𝟏.𝟔
𝑽𝟏 𝑽𝟏.𝟔
𝑷𝒉 = 𝒌𝒉 𝒇 = 𝒌𝒉 𝒇𝟎.𝟔
𝒇
 TRANSFORMER EFFICIENCY

• The efficiency of the transformer is the ratio of the power output to the
power input

• 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝜂 = 𝑃 = 𝑃 +𝑃 +𝑃 +𝑃
𝑒 ℎ 𝑐𝑢
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

• a 50kva, 450/230 v, 60Hz transformer has percent resistance and

percent leakage reactance of 1.25 and 2.24 respectively. Its efficiency
at rated voltage, rated frequency, and rated apparent power at 0.860
power factor lagging is 96.5 percent. Determine:
(a)The core loss
(b)The core loss if operating at rated load current and 0.860 power
factor from a 375V, 50Hz supply (assume the hysteresis loss is 71
percent of the total core loss.
(c)Efficiency for the condition in (b)
(d)The efficiency if the load is disconnected
 Transformer at Maximum Efficiency
• The efficiency of a transformer is zero at no load. It
increases with the increase in the load and rises to a
maximum value.
• Any further increase in the load actually forces the
efficiency of a transformer to drop off.
• Therefore, there exists a definite load for which the
efficiency of a transformer is maximum. We now proceed to
determine the criterion for the maximum efficiency of a
transformer.
 Transformer at Maximum Efficiency
𝑎𝑉2 𝐼1 cos 𝜃
𝜂=
𝑎𝑉2 𝐼1 cos 𝜃 + 𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 + 𝐼1 2 𝑅𝑒𝑞1
𝑎𝑉2 𝐼1 cos 𝜃 𝑎𝑉2 𝐼1 cos 𝜃
𝜂 =1+ +
𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐼1 2 𝑅𝑒𝑞1
𝑑𝜂
Differentiating with respect to I1, for efficiency to be maximum 𝑑𝐼 =0
1
Thus:
𝑎𝑉2 cos 𝜃 𝑎𝑉2 cos 𝜃
0= − 2
𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐼1 𝑅𝑒𝑞1
We obtain
𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 𝐼1𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 2 𝑅𝑒𝑞1
The above equation states that the efficiency of a transformer is maximum
when the copper loss is equal to the core (magnetic) loss
 Transformer at Maximum Efficiency
• a transformer operates at its maximum efficiency
when the copper-loss curve intersects the core loss
curve
From 𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 = 𝐼1𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 2 𝑅𝑒𝑞1

𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒
𝐼1𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 =
𝑅𝑒𝑞1

If I1 is the full-load current on the primary side, then the above equation can also be written as
𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒
𝐼1𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 = 𝐼1𝐹𝐿
𝐼1𝐹𝐿 2 𝑅𝑒𝑞1

𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒
𝐼1𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 = 𝐼1𝐹𝐿
𝑃𝐶𝑈𝐹𝐿

Multiplying both sides of Eq. (4.24) by the rated load voltage on the primary side (aV,), we can
obtain the rating of the transformer at maximum efficiency in terms of its nominal rating as

𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒
𝑉𝐴𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 = 𝑉𝐴𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑃𝐶𝑈𝐹𝐿

𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒
𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥𝜂 = 𝑆𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝑃𝐶𝑈𝐹𝐿
 Sample Problem
• A 120-kVA, 2400/240-V, step-down transformer has the
following parameters: 𝑅1 = 0.75 0, 𝑋1 = 0.8 0, 𝑅2 , = 0.01 0,
𝑋2 = 0.02 0. The transformer is designed to operate at
maximum efficiency at 70% of its rated load with 0.8 pf
lagging. Determine
(a) the kVA rating of the transformer at maximum
efficiency,
(b) the maximum efficiency,
(c) the efficiency at full load and 0.8 pf lagging, and
(d) the equivalent core-loss resistance.
 ALL DAY EFFICIENCY OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

• It is the ratio of the energy output or delivered within a 24-hour period to the
energy input in the same period of time.
• ALL-DAY =
𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑊𝑖𝑛
=
𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑡 + 𝑊𝑐𝑢 + 𝑊𝑐𝑜

• Win = input energy; Wout = output energy

Wcu = energy lost in copper windings
Wco = energy lost in the core
Wout = ( Pout  t) Pout = (size of load)(Srated  pf)
Wcu = ( Pcu  t) Pcu = (size of load)2PCU(FL)
Wco = Pco  t t = 24 hours if connected whole day
t = time of transformer usage in hours
𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅 𝒌𝑾
Size of load served = =
𝑺𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 ∙𝒑𝒇 𝒌𝑽𝑨∙𝒑𝒇
 Sample Problem

•A 5-kVA single-phase transformer has

core loss of 35 W and a full load copper
loss of 40 W. It operates full load, 80% pf
lagging for 6 hours, half load, 75% pf
lagging for 12 hours and quarter load at
unity pf or 6 hours. Determine its all day
efficiency.