HARIKRISHNAN.

CURRENT TRANSFORMER SIZING

Introduction:
Current transformers are predominantly utilised in areas where it is impossible to
measure current directly. They are different types of transformers with a defined degree of
precision (class), which translates the primary current into a (usually) smaller, standardised
secondary current inputs to protection relays and metering equipment and galvanically
separates primary and secondary circuits from each other. The physical saturation (especially
with monitoring CTs) of the core material additionally guarantees protection of the secondary
circuit from higher currents.

Principle Of Current Transform:

A transformer operates on the principle of mutual inductance. It is intended to
transmit an information signal to measuring instruments, meters, protective or control
devices, or similar apparatus.

Construction Of Current Transformer:

A CT is similar to a power transformer to some extent since both depend on the same
fundamental mechanism of electromagnetic induction but there are considerable differences
in their design and operation. Based on their applications in the field, current transformers
can be broadly classified into

Indoor Current Transformer:

The indoor current transformer is made by the insulating material (epoxy,
polyurethane or polychaete) moulded case is housed in an attractive & rigid abs case. There
are three basic types of current transformers wound, toroidal and bar.
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Wound Current Transformer – The transformer’s primary winding

is physically connected in series with the conductor that carries
the measured current flowing in the circuit. The magnitude of the
secondary current is dependent on the turn ratio of the
transformer.
Toroidal (window) Current Transformer – These do not contain a
primary winding. Instead, the line that carries the current flowing in
the network is threaded through a window or hole in the toroidal
transformer. Some current transformers have a “split core” which
allows them to be opened, installed, and closed, without
disconnecting the circuit to which they are attached.
Bar-type Current Transformer – This type of current transformer uses
the actual cable or bus bar of the main circuit as the primary winding,
which is equivalent to a single turn. They are fully insulated from the
high operating voltage of the system and are usually bolted to the
current-carrying device.

Outdoor current transformer:

These current transformers are designed for outdoor applications. They
use transformer oil or any other suitable liquid for insulation and cooling. A liquid-immersed
CT which is sealed and does not communicate with the atmosphere is known as a hermetically
sealed CT. Outdoor oil-filled CTs are further classified as
1. Live tank current transformer
2. Dead tank current

Live Tank Current Transformer:

The core with the secondary winding is housed
in the LIVE top tank. In a Live Tank, the core and
secondary winding are insulated against the high
voltage and housed in the top live tank. We insulate the
core and secondary winding. The primary winding is of
the shortest possible length and its natural shape offers
high strength against the short-time current dynamic
forces. The heat generated during short-time thermal
current is the minimum as primary copper volume is
minimum and the heat dissipation is fast as the primary
copper is directly in contact with transformer oil. The
transformer is compact and economical.
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Dead Tank Current Transformer:

The core and secondary winding are
housed in the bottom tank which is earthed or
DEAD. The primary winding is brought down to the
bottom tank and it is insulated from the earthed
tank and cores. We insulate the primary winding.
The primary has to pass through the porcelain
insulator and the larger length of the primary
conductor produces maximum mechanical force
during a short time dynamic current which might
damage the insulation. The heat generated during
a short-time thermal current is maximum. Copper
volume is maximum and the heat dissipation is slow as the heat need to conduct through the
major insulation which is normally a bad conductor of heat. The transformer is bulky and
costly.

Measurement Current Transformer:

A metering core CT is designed to work
more accurately within the designated
rated current range. When current flow
exceeds that rating, the metering core will
become saturated, thereby limiting the
amount of current level within the device.
This protects connected metering devices
from overloading in the presence of fault
level current flows. It buffers the analogue
meter from experiencing excessive
torques that might be created during
those faults. Good accuracy up to approximately 120% rated current with allow saturation
level to protect instruments, thus use nickel-iron alloy core with low exciting current and knee
point at low flux density. The C.Ts are classified into various classes based on the highest
permissible percentage ratio error at rated current. The classes are defined as class 0.1, class
0.2, class 0.5, class 1, class 3, and class 5. The standard says 2.5, 5.5.0, 10, 15 and 30VA are
available. IFS5 and FS10 are instrument security factors which say when the IFS5 the CT will
saturate 5 times of full load amps at the condition of rated VA is equal to connected VA. The
IFS should be low due to the safety of the metering equipment.
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Protection Current Transformer:

A protection core is designed to
transform a distortion-free signal even well
into the overcurrent range. This enables the
protective relays to measure the fault
current value accurately, even in very high
current conditions. For measuring CTs, the
accuracy required is within the normal
working range of up to 125 percentage of
the rated current. For over-current
conditions beyond this, accuracy is not
desired, rather there must be saturation in the core to relieve the connected instruments of
the stresses due to over-current. Accuracy is not required for currents below the rated Value
for protection CTs. But there must be accuracy at all higher values of current up to a maximum
primary current equal to the maximum system fault level. Protection C.Ts are classified into
various classes the classes are defined as 5P20, and 10P20. This means when 20 times of rated
current is flowing through CT the error in secondary current may be ± 5%.

Special Protection Current Transformer:

The protection CTs are separated by standards the CTs are used for different applications like
backup protection, line protection, transformer protection, differential protection, distance
protection, bus bar protection etc. the current transformer differs construction-wise. One
primary winding and n-numbers of the secondary windings are placed in the CT for both
protection and metering purposes in the same CT and some special protection also. The
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difference between the normal CT and the special CT is remanence flux has to be lowered
than 10% of the saturation flux. The residual magnetism is known as remanence.
Points To Be Consider:
CT Ratio:
Calculate the system full load amps and fix the ratio of CT nearest value available
in the market. Select the secondary 1 or 5 amps depending upon the distance and cost of
the CT.
Burden:
The external load is connected to the secondary CT expressed in VA. The connected
load burden should not be higher than the rated burden. Lead resistance to considered
2.5sqmm and 4sqmm. The connected burden should not be less than 25% of the rated
burden.
Knee point voltage:
This is the significance of the saturation level of a CT core mainly used for protection
purposes. The sinusoidal voltage of rated frequency applied to the secondary terminals of
current transformer, with other winding being open circuit, which when increased by 10%
cause the exiting current to increase 50%.
Accuracy:
The accuracy depends upon the loading of CT it should be not less than 10% of its
rated value. The accuracy is guaranteed only 25% to 100% of the rated burden. Below the
25%, the CT could not able to induse the emf in the secondary winding.

Safety factor:
The ratio of rated instrument limits primary current to rated primary rated
current. The connected burden should be equal to or lesser than the rated burden If it is high
the CT will be damaged thermally.
ALF – Accuracy limit factor
ISF – instrument safety factor
Working Operation of Current Transformer:
The current Transformer (CT) functions to replicate the primary current waveform at
a smaller magnitude in proportion to the turn’s ratio so that protection relays do not expose
to high fault current thus simplifying the design of the IED. The current transformer has two
sets of winding around the magnetic core. When alternating current (Ip) flows in the primary,
the alternating field is generated and the magnetic flux flows in the core. The magnetic flux
gets linked to the secondary of the CT and produces a voltage (Vs) in the secondary.
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If the secondary of the current transformer is not connected to a burden, the secondary
current will be zero. In the absence of the secondary current (Is), the net magnetic flux in the
core will be equal to the flux created by the primary current. The higher flux density in the
core will saturate the core and the dangerously high voltage is produced across the secondary
under this condition that is why the secondary of the current transformer must not be kept
open circuit. The flux in the core is produced by excitation current. We have a non-linear
relationship between excitation current and magnetizing flux. After a certain value of
excitation current, the flux will not further increase so rapidly with an increase in excitation
current. This non-linear relation curve is also called the B – H curve. The secondary voltage of
a current transformer is directly proportional to the flux. Hence one typical curve can be
drawn from this relation between secondary voltage and excitation current as shown below.
It is clear from the curve that, a linear relation between V and Ie is maintained from point A
and K. The point ′A′ is known as the ′ankle point′ and point ′K′ is known as the ′Knee Point.

Once the relation between the V and Ie has increased the point K the CT get into the pre-
saturation and then to the saturation region and CT is not capable of excitation current in the
secondary. Just below the knee point voltage, all the magnets are aligned in the same
direction as the magnetic field and the maximum rated flux density of the core has reached.
If the primary current is further increased after attaining the maximum flux density in the
core, the core can’t handle this increased magnetic field and CT is said to be saturated. For
better accuracy, a typical rule of thumb is to select a current transformer which is rated
approximately 20% above the expected maximum load current. If not the level of accuracy of
the CT is not guaranteed. Because the CT could not able to induce emf in secondary less than
1% table below shows the % error at % rated current of CT to the accuracy class. A typical rule
of thumb is to select a current transformer which is rated approximately 20% above the
expected maximum load current.
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Ratio Calculation of The Current Transformer:

load = 10 MVA, Rated voltage = 6.6 kV
power
To calculate the full load amps I = ( ) ∗ 1000
√3 ∗ Voltage
10
full load amps I = ( ) ∗ 1000 = 874.79A
1.732 ∗ 6.6
The measurement CT ratio from the above calculation and available standard value is 1000A
For the full load amps, I = 874.798 we have to select the CT ratio which is beyond nearest to
the full load amps which are available as per standard. There is no need to add a margin of
10% in full load amps because the minimum loading capacity of CT will be changed. We
confirm that the system fault current should not be lesser than the minimum loading capacity
of CT. which is only applicable for the measuring CT. for protection purposes multiply 1.1 to
1.8 times of fault current as per the IEC standard into full load amps and select the available
beyond nearest to the value.
for protection core CT = 874.798 ∗ 1.1 = 926.278A
The CT ratio from the above calculation and available standard value is 1000A
Secondary Amps of Current Transformer:
CTs are specified by their current ratio from primary to secondary. The rated
secondary current is normally standardized at 1 or 5 amperes. For example, a 4000:5 CT
secondary winding will supply an output current of 5 amperes when the primary winding
current is 4000 amperes. The CT secondary amps should be chosen based on the place of CT
going to be used.
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1A 5A

The size will be high The size will be low

The knee point will be low The knee point will be high

No effect of burden due to I2 is 1 Burden increase to 25 times due to I2 is 5

It can be used If the distance between the It can be used If the distance between the
CT and connected equipment is long CT and connected equipment is short

Calculation:
To calculate the lead burden = I2 * 2RL

I- secondary current.
R- Resistance of the connected wire between CT to equipment.
L- Length of the cable
secondary current = 1A
Cable used = 2.5 Sqmm
Cable resistance = 8.87Ω/kM
length = 50m
lead burden = 12 ∗ 2(0.00887*50) =0.887VA
If the I2=5

The lead burden will increase to 4.435 VA this will affect the CT burden at the fault condition.
When the fault current increases the burden also will increases.

Calculation For Burden:

Device connected:
Ammeter- 0.5VA
kW meter-1VA
Current transducer-1.5VA
Total device burden- 3VA
Lead burden I2Rl – 0.887VA
Total calculated burden = (Total connected device burden + lead resistance)
= (3+0.887)
= 3.997 VA
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Calculation For Knee Point Voltage:

voltage induced in CT secondary Uemf = IS ∗ (R CT + 2R L + R B )
RCT - CT secondary resistance
2RL- Resistance of connected wire (lead resistance)
Rb - Relay resistance
Is- Dimensioning factor (differ from relay to relay)
CT Ratio - 1000/1A
Rct -7.5Ω
RL -0.00887 VA
RB – 0.1 Ω
Is - 40
Uemf = 40 ∗ (7.5 + 2(0.00887) + 0.1) = 304.709V
So therefore, the Vk knee point voltage we selected should be higher than the obtained
voltage so we can select the 500V limit.
ISF- Instrument Safety Factor:
(Sin + Sn )
Fa = Fn
(Sin + Sa )
Fa –Total accuracy limit factor
Fn – Rated accuracy limit factor
Sin – Internal burden of CT secondary
Sn – Rated burden of CT
Sa – Actual burden of CT
For measuring CT, the IFS is low because of the safety purpose. The saturation of CT will
protect the instrument connected to the CT. For protection, CT will be high as 20 times of full
load current. As per IEC standards, the minimum and maximum Rct value should be.
CT ratio Minimum Rct in Ω Maximum Rct in Ω
100/1 0.3 0.75
200/1 0.6 1.5
For the protection CT:
Fn – 20, Sin – 1.5, Sn –10VA, Sa = (Rb + Rl) = (0.1+0.00887) = 0.10887Ω
(Sin + Sn )
Fa = Fn
(Sin + Sa )
(1.5 + 10)
Fa = 20 = 150
(1.5 + 0.10887)
Therefore, total accuracy limit factor =150

Measuring CT Protection CT
1000/1A,5VA,500V, to below 5 or 10 ISF 1000/1A,5VA,500V,150 ISF
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Conclusion:
The current transformer essentially lowers (steps down) a high current to a lower,
safer level that you can manage properly. It steps down the current to be measured so that
you can measure it with an average range ammeter. Providing the current for the coil of
measuring device and protective relaying. The resistance of the instruments current coil with
which the current transformer secondary winding is connected is small. The current
transformer operates under state close to the short circuit under normal condition.

Reference:
IEC 61869 standard general requirements of current transformer