E1.

08
EXPERIMENT E1.08: SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMER
Related course: KEEE2231 (Circuit Analysis 2) or KEET2209 (Circuit Analysis 2 & Network
Synthesis)
OBJECTIVES:
1. To determine the transformation ratio and the equivalent circuit constants of a
transformer from the open and short-circuit tests
2. To perform a load test with a resistive and a capacitive load and predict the results
from the equivalent circuit.
EQUIPMENT:
Transformer, multimeter
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Record all your results and observations in a log book
2. Follow the demonstrators instructions throughout the experiment
REFERENCE(S):
Refer to the main references of KEEE2231 (Circuit Analysis 2) or KEET2209 (Circuit
Analysis 2 & Network Synthesis)
TEST:
TEST 1: Open Circuit Test
TEST 2: Short Circuit Test
TEST 3: Load Test
INTRODUCTION
A transformer is an electrical device designed on the basis of the concept of magnetic
coupling. It uses magnetically coupled coils to transfer energy from one circuit to another.
Transformers are key circuit elements. They are used in power systems for stepping up or
stepping down ac voltages or currents. They are used in electronic circuits such as radio and
television receivers for such purposes as impedance matching, isolating one part of a circuit
from another and for stepping up or down ac voltages and currents.
No other electrical device varies so widely in size and energy carrying capacity as a
transformer. The range extends from power system transformer operating at 50 or 60 Hz
where a single unit may handle several hundred megawatts of power and weigh a hundred
tons or more to communication system transformers where only microwatts of power are
involved, but the frequency may be hundred of megacycles, and the physical dimensions are
only fractions of an inch. Although in all cases, the principles of operation are the same, the
practical details of construction vary widely. The transformers provided in the laboratory are
for 50 Hz mains operation and are of relatively small size.
The Theoretical discussion of a transformer is usually based on the idea of a "perfect" or
"ideal" transformer. This ideal transformer is one that would result if in a real transformer the
windings had no resistance, and the magnetic material of the core had (a) infinite
permeability, (b) no saturation, (c) no hysteresis and (d) no eddy currents under alternating
magnetisation. Such a transformer would involve no internal dissipation of power and its
action under all conditions would be simply to change the voltage level by the turns ratio and
the current level by the inverse turns ratio so that the instantaneous input and output power
would always be equal.

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E1.08
In real transformers, the resistance of the windings and the losses in the core absorb some
of the input power so that the efficiency of a transformer can never be 100%.
In additional limitation in a real transformer arises through the fact that since air is not a
magnetic insulator, some of the flux leaks out of the iron and therefore the two windings are
not linked by exactly the same amount of flux. To indicate diagrammatically the way in which
the characteristics of a real transformer are related to those of an ideal transformer, it is
usual to present the real transformer by an equivalent circuit as shown in Fig. 1.

Re1

Xe1

Ideal transformer

I1
I2
I0
V1 R

I2

Im
X

V2

V2

Load
k
Fig.1: Equivalent circuit of a transformer
The equivalent circuit consists basically of an ideal transformer combined with other circuit
elements that represent the imperfections of the real transformer to an acceptable degree of
accuracy. In the equivalent circuit of Fig. 1, by definition V2 = kV2 and I2 = kI2 where k is the
turns ratio of the ideal transformer.
When the real transformer is supplying a load, I2 and I2 in the equivalent circuit are no longer
zero, and the series resistance Re1 and Xe1 are introduced to represent the loss produced by
the additional currents in the transformer. As the transformer is loaded, the secondary
voltage does not remain constant. Furthermore, due to the power loss in Re1, the output
power is less than the input power.
Transformer Regulation
The equivalent circuit parameters can be used to deduce the voltage regulation of the
transformer (i.e. the variation of the secondary voltage with secondary current for constant
primary voltage). These deductions can be most easily made by reference to the vector
diagram shown in Fig. 2. As the voltage drops in the two series elements (i.e. Re1I2 and
Xe1I2) are very small compared to V1 and V2, the angle is very small, therefore to a close
approximation:
V1 = V2 + Re1 I2 cos + Xe1 I2 sin
which is equivalent to
V1 = V2/k + kI2 (Re1 cos + Xe1 sin )

(1)

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E1.08

V1

I2Xe1

V2
I2Re1

I2
Fig 2: Transformer vector diagram
TEST 1: Open Circuit Test
The open circuit test is performed to find the ideal transformation ratio k and to study the
magnetising current. If the wattmeter reading (iron loss) is also taken with V1 at its rated
value, R and X of the equivalent circuit could also be obtained.
PROCEDURES:
1. For open-circuit test, connect the circuit as shown in Fig. 3. The metal frame of the
transformer should be connected to the variac earth. The variable voltage AC supply
is taken from a variable autotransformer, referred to as a "Variac."
2. Change the input voltage from 0% to 120% of the rated primary voltage (240V). For
each input voltage, record the input current, I1 and the output voltage, V2 and V1.
Notes: When using the variac, it is important to see that the handwheel control is set to zero
volts before the mains supply switch is turned on, and that it is returned to the zero position
before the supply switch is turned off. The voltage scale and pointer on the variac gives only
an approximate indication of voltage and should not be used as a substitute for voltmeter
readings.

Test transformer

Variac
I1
240 V
50 Hz

V1

V2

Fig. 3: Open Circuit Test

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E1.08
TEST 2: Short Circuit Test
The short circuit test is performed to make a second determination of the ideal
transformation ratio k from measurements of input and output current and to find the value of
Ze1, the series impedance referred to the primary. If the wattmeter reading (copper loss) is
also taken with I2 at its value, Re1and Xe1 could be calculated.
PROCEDURES:
1. Calculate the rated value of I2 from information given in the "nameplate."
2. For short-circuit test, connect the circuit as shown in Fig. 4.
3. When the secondary is short-circuited, the voltage V1 required to produce the rated
currents are much lower than the normal operating voltages. It is therefore very
important that at the beginning of this test, the variac handwheel is set fully
anticlockwise at its zero position. After switching-on, only a small displacement of the
variac from its zero position is required to circulate full load current.
4. Record five pairs of input current I1 and output current I2 and the primary voltage
between zero and the full rated value.
5. Then, for each pair of I1 and I2, calculate the ratio k = I1/I2.

Test transformer

Variac
I1
240 V
50 Hz

V1

I2

Fig. 4: Short Circuit Test

Test transformer

Variac

I2

I1
240 V
50 Hz

V1

V2
Load

Fig. 5: Load Test

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E1.08
TEST 3: Load Test
PROCEDURES:
1. For load test, connect the circuit as shown in Fig. 5.
2. Keeping the supply voltage V1 constant at the rated value by using the variac, adjust
the unity power factor ( = 0) load and increase the secondary current I2 in steps of
0.3 A from zero to its full load value.
3. For each I2, take the corresponding readings of I1 and V2.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 but using a purely capacitive load with four different values of I2.
In this case = 90.
QUESTIONS:
A. Open Circuit Test
1. From step 2 in TEST 1, plot V1 (y-axis) against the current I1 and calculate k = V2/V1
for each I1. Analyse and discuss your results.
2. From 1, notice that the current I1 is not a linear function V1. Explain why.
3. Sketch a simplified equivalent circuit of the transformer at open circuit test.
4. If Poc representing the iron loss was measured to be 8.5 watts and V1 = 240V,
calculate the values of R and X (see Fig. 1 for the notation). Show that the
magnetising current is approximately equal to I1.
5. What value is the turn ratio k = N2/N1?
B. Short-circuit Test
1. Sketch a simplified equivalent circuit of the transformer.
2. From steps 4 and 5 in TEST 2, plot V1 against I1. Analyse and discuss your results.
3. What value is the turn ratio k? Compare with k from open-circuit test.
4. From the V1 vs. I1 graph, find the value of Ze1. The primary and secondary winding
resistance R1 and R2 are 1.9 and 0.5 respectively. Calculate Re1 and Xe1, where
Xe1 = sqrt(Ze12 Re12)
5. Psc representing the copper loss was measured to be 12 W with I1 at its rated value.
Calculate Re1 and compare this value with that obtained in question 4.
C. Load Test
1. From step 3 in TEST 3, plot the secondary voltage V2 against current I2. Analyse and
discuss your results.
2. Using the calculated values of Re1 and Xe1 from TEST 2 and the average value of k
from TEST 1 and 2, predict the regulation characteristic for the purely resistive and
purely capacitive load by using equation (1). Plot the predicted characteristics on the
same graph for the regulation characteristics obtained in TEST 3. If there is a
discrepancy between the predicted and the actual regulation characteristics, find a
reasonable explanation.
3. Does the flux in the transformer core change considerably from no-load to full-load?
4. Explain by using a phase diagram, how the secondary transformer voltage rises with
increasing current in the case of a capacitive load?

END OF EXPERIMENT

Last updated on 21st November 2015