CT

Current Transformer (CT)

used to measure or monitor the current in

CT is
transmission lines and to isolate the metering equipment
and relay connected to secondary side

Voltage Transformer or Potential Transformer (PT)

PT is
used to measure or monitor the voltage on
transmission lines and to isolate the metering
equipment from the lines
• For safety purpose the secondary should be
completely insulated from the high voltage
primary and should be in addition grounded
 CT Precaution
• Ammeter resistance is very low ,the current transformer
normally works short circuited.

• If for any reason the ammeter is taken out of secondary

winding then the secondary winding must be short
circuited with the help of short circuit switch .

• If this is not done, then due to high m.m.f. will set up

high flux in the core and it will produces excessive core
loss which produce heat and high voltage across the
secondary terminals

Hence the secondary of current transformer is

never left open.
 Measuring CT and protective CT
• Two major differences:
• 1. Accuracy class: Metering needs high accuracy
at load current while Protection need not have that
high accuracy.
• 2. Safety Factor: It determines the multiplicity of
load current at which the CT saturates. Metering
CT should have lesser value so that it saturates
before the meters can get damaged due to some
abnormality. Protection should have high value
since its main purpose desires the CT to withstand
high fault currents to be sensed back to the relays.
 Measuring CT and protective CT
• There is difference between the protection CT and
metering CT in operating conditions The CT using
for protection will have to carry the fault currents
which are 10 times the normal full load current
It is designed at much bellow the saturation point
(knee) in order to avoid saturation.
• The CT used for metering will have to carry only
full load current
• it is designed near to knee point. as per accuracy
concern the metering CT should be more accurate
under normal operating condition. i.e under normal
operating condition the protection CT accuracy not
important
 CT / PT
• A CT will typically have a toroidal core and evenly
distributed secondary windings so as to minimize
leakage reactance. The primary is typically the main
power line conductor, which passes directly through
the toroidal core.

• This type of transformer is specifically for the purpose

of measuring current values, and the secondary
windings cannot be left open-circuited, or a large
voltage will be produce, resulting in dielectric failure
(and often an explosion).

• If a device is not connected to the CT, its secondary

must be short-circuited.
 CT / PT
• A PT is connected between the main conductor
and ground and can be either wound in the
normal way, or
• the voltage can be taken from a subsection of a
string of capacitors (this is called a Capacitive
Voltage Transformer or CVT, and is usually
cheaper than the wound type, but is typically not
as accurate).
• This type of transformer measures voltage values,
and the secondary winding cannot be short-
circuited, as this will produce excessively high
currents, resulting in the failure of the PT or the
wires it is connected to.
• A PT can be left open-circuited
 Current transformer
• P is designation for protection. 5P10 means that the
CT will have max of 5% inaccuracy when the current
of 10 times rated current of CT is experienced.
M is designation for metering. 0.5M means that the CT
max inaccuracy is 0.5%

• The CT accuracy class for 5P10 transformers per IEC

Std 60185 is as follow: 5 = max. permissible total
error, P= stand for protection and 10= Accuracy limit
factor (ALF).

 In addition to the American instrument transformer

standard, ANSI C.57.13, enclose are a few popular
standards used for CT:
Composite error
 Protective CT
• Large Cross sectional area (should not saturated at Max fault
current)
• Saturation flux density is high
• Cold rolled grain oriented silicon steel use as magnetic material
• CT Core have High Knee point Voltage( B-H curve )
• Faithful reproduction of primary current right up to Max fault
current
• Accuracy is not important as metering CT
• Rarely necessary to determine phase angle error for protective
CT
• Errors 10% are tolerable for IDMT over current relay
• Errors 3% to 5% are tolerable for differential relay
 Measuring CT
• Error of measuring CT should be 0.5% to 1%
• CT must not faithfully transform the fault
current ( otherwise measuring instrument will
be damaged )
• Small cross sectional area
• Nickel iron core
• Saturation flux density is less