the practical effects of inrush will be
Transformer Magnetizing Inrush Currents
and Influence on System Operation
L F. BLUME G. CAMILLI S. B. FARNHAM
FELLOW AIEE FELLOW AIEE
W HEN a transformer is energized, a
transient current, known as magne
tizing inrush current, generally flows for a
short period of time until normal flux
conditions are established. Under most
practical system conditions, this current
transient is of little consequence. How
ever, in very rare cases a combination of
circumstances may be obtained which
results in this'inrush being of such con
sequence as to impair momentarily the
proper operation of the system. Because
of the numerous factors bearing upon this
general problem, an investigation has
been made to determine the effects of
transformer inrush currents under a wide
variety of system conditions.
That transformers may require a large
initial transient magnetizing current
when connected to a voltage source has
long been recognized.l ~3 Explanations of
the nature of this initial inrush current,
together with oscillograms obtained from
tests on a few specific transformers, have
been published. No information, how
ever, has been found in the technical
literature defining the parameters which
determine the variations in the transient
inrush current among individual trans
formers, or indicating how the inrush
current may be affected by the design
and connections of the transformers
themselves or by the characteristics of the
electric systems to which they are applied.
A working knowledge of these factors
is made increasingly important by ad
vances in the art of transformer design
and manufacture. A particularly im
portant advance is the trend toward the
use of improved silicon steel. The use of
this steel offers several distinct advan
tages, namely.
1. Permits operation at higher flux densi
ties without increasing core loss, exciting
current, or core temperature.
2. Permits a saving of steel and copper,
both critical materials, in that less actual
material is required for a given design.
3. Reduces the size and weight of trans
formers per kilovolt-ampere capacity.
The attainment of these advantages,
however, has been accompanied by a
tendency to increase the initial transient
inrush current. This current, together
366 Blume, CamiUi, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing Inrush Currents
H. A. PETERSON
MEMBER AIEE MEMBER AIEE
with the system voltage dips which it
may produce, can have an important
bearing not only on the application of the
transformers themselves, but also on
'fuses, relays, contactors, motors, or other
system equipment which is influenced by
the inrush current or the resulting system
voltage dips.
It is the purpose of this paper to dis
cuss the mechanism by which inrush
currents are produced, the results of
tests and calculations, and studies made
with the miniature-system analyzer. Fac
tors that determine the significance of
inrush current from the standpoint of
system operation and methods for re
ducing the inrush current or mitigating
its effects are also discussed.
Effects of Inrush Current on
System Equipment
The magnetizing inrush currents of
transformers may, in extreme cases, ap
proach in magnitude the currents which
result from short circuits across their
secondary terminals. Calculations and
measurements indicate that, on typical
systems, inrush currents may cause the
voltage level of one phase at the trans
former terminals to drop as much as 20
per cent momentarily. Fortunately,
however, even these momentary currents
and voltage dips occur only very infre
quently, as transformers generally are
not switched often; and, when they
are energized, only the pyramiding of
several critical factors, which are dis
cussed later, can produce disturbances
as severe as those obtainable under care
fully controlled test conditions. In this
paper, the emphasis is placed on the
extreme values of inrush current and the
resultirg system disturbances, because
these define the upper limit of the prob
lem. However, in many actual cases,
Paper 4 4 - 1 0 , recommended by t h e A I E E com
mittees on electrical machinery and p o w e r trans
mission and distribution for presentation a t t h e
A I E E winter technical meeting, N e w Y o r k , N . Y . ,
January 2 4 - 2 8 , 1944. Manuscript s u b m i t t e d
N o v e m b e r 10, 1943: made available for printing
December 17, 1943.
L. F. B L U M E and G. CAMTLLI are in t h e
transformer-engineering division o f t h e General
Electric C o m p a n y a t Pittsfield, M a s s . S. B .
F A R N H A M a n d H. A . P E T E R S O N are in t h e central-
station-engineering division of the General Electric
C o m p a n y a t S c h e n e c t a d y , N . Y.
greatly reduced and may even be absent
altogether.
The effects of inrush currents ard volt
age dips on other system equipment are
most pronounced in the case of fuses and
some types of relays but may also in
fluence the behavior of motors, starting
contactors, and lighting circuits.
In applying fuses in series with trans
formers, care should be taken to select
fuses which are large enough so that
they will not be damaged by the trans
former inrush current, but on the other
hand the fuses selected should not be un
necessarily large so that inadequate pro
tection to the transformers and system
results. Although it is often the practice
to apply fuses on the basis that their nor
mal current ratings should be approxi
mately equal to some multiple of the
transformer full-load current, this oc
casionally results in unnecessary fuse
blowing because the normal fuse rating
does not in any way reflect its character
istics in the short-time-high-current part
of the range. For example, current
limiting fuses inherently have limited
ability to withstand current surges,
while other fuses are available that have
specially designed characteristics to per
mit them to withstand relatively large
overcurrents for short periods. Hence.
since inrush phenomena are usually asso
ciated with the first few seconds or less
after transformers are energized, this is
the part of the fuse-characteristic curve
that should be examined, and the fuse
applied on this bais.
A series of tests, to which later re
ference is made, has indicated that there
is a simple criterion for selecting fuses
which will be adequate to withstand the
inrush current, namely, that the fuses
selected should have such character
istics that they will carry without damage
12 times the normal transformer full-load
current for one tenth of a second.
Where transformers are expected to be
loaded above their nameplate kilovolt-
ampere ratings in accordance with pub
lished guides for transformer operation4 '
power-
Figure 1. Flux and voltage relation at instant
of switching
AIEE TRANSACTIONS

Figure 2. Effect of circuit resistance during
first cycle after switching in at instant of
voltage zero
the fuses selected must necessarily be of
sufficient rating to meet the increased
load-carrying requirements, and will,
therefore, almost certainly be large
enough so that there is no possibility of
being damaged by inrush current. The
fusing of potential transformers con
stitutes a special problem and has been
covered elsewhere.6 It has been found
also that, where fused transformers are
exposed to the effects of lightning surges,
the fuse ratings must be greater than a
certain minimum value to avoid being
damaged by the lightning current.7
Nearly all large or important power
transformers are protected in event of
internal faults by percentage differential
relays and circuit breakers which operate
to isolate the transformers from all
sources of power if the currents in then-
windings differ by more than a predeter
mined per cent from one another. Since
magnetizing inrush currents flow in the
transformer primary windings orly, the
differential relays may respond as for
transformer internal faults, thereby trip
ping the breakers immediately after they
have been closed. Although the relays
used for transformer applications are
made inherently less sensitive than those
used for differential protection of busses
or
generators, in recognition of the in
rush problem, this is not always sufficient
t0
prevent false operation. A remedy
sometimes used to prevent such false
peration consists in temporarily reduc-
,n
g further the sensitivity of the differ
ential relays or making them entirely
ineffective for a few seconds or until the
l
nrush current has had an opportunity to
decay. Unfortunately, however, this
1944, VOLUME 63 Blume, Camilli, Farnkam, PetersonMagnetizing
tends in some measure to defeat the pur
pose of the differential relays, since in
sulation failures in transformers have
been known to occur at the instant
of energizing, particularly in the case of
transformers that have been standing idle
for long periods of time
Harmonic-restrained differential relays
offer another solution to the problem.9
In these relays the restraining forces
are produced by harmonic components
of current; and since typical inrush-cur
rent wave forms are rich in harmonic
content, relay operation is prevented so
long as the differential current is of this
type. Full sensitivity of operation, how
ever, is retained for protecting the trans
formers if faults should develop during
the transient inrush period. For parallel
operation of transformers, one harmonic-
restraint relay must be used with each
transformer bank in order to insure cor
rect relay operation.10
Induction-type inverse-time overcur-
rent relays, as normally used for overload
and short-circuit protection of power
transformers, are not likely to be caused
to operate by magnetizing inrush cur Figure 3. Effect of source reactance on
rents, except possibly when used for voltage wave shape
protecting transformers having unusually Single-phase miniature-system transformer 101.5
severe inrush-current requirements, and volts at source, base ohms = 4 5 0 ohms, 3 per
then only if the relays are adjusted for cent exciting current. Effect of system im
minimum pickup and fastest time-lever pedance on inrush current, and voltage wave
setting. Instantaneous plunger-type shape. Transformer d-c resistance, 5.57 ohms.
overcurrent relays similarly used oc Saturation curve A of Figure 1 2
casionally might be caused to operate
System Times Normal Voltaae Across Transformer
by the inrush current. Reactance Crest Current
(Per Cent) Inrush Primary Secondary
With correctly applied motors and
startirg equipment; difficulties resulting 0 26.5 116-1 118-1
from the system voltage dips produced 1.18 21.0 116-2
2.36 18.0 116-3 118-2
by transformer inrush current are not 2.93......17.0 116-4
likely to occur. The starting contactors 5.86
11.4
11.5
7.2
116-6
116-8
118-3
118-4
normally used with small and medium-
size motors are held in their closed posi
tion by magnet coils connected across the
source of supply voltage. These contactors step or to stall when the system voltage
are designed to remain closed until the drops materially. With correctly ap
voltage falls to 60 per cent or less of plied motors, troubles of this nature are
rated value and hence are unaffected by not likely to occur unless the transformer
the voltage dips resulting from trans inrush current is sufficient to lower the
former magnetizing inrush currents, since voltage at the motor terminals approxi
the system voltage during the inrush mately 20 per cent, which, as already
period usually does not drop to this low stated, is about the maximum voltage
level even momentarily. Large motors drop that may be expected to result from
are usually provided with undervoltage this cause.
protective relays which may be adjusted The switching of transformers of ap
to cause the motors to be disconnected preciable size is seldom done directly on
from the system at any predetermined low-voltage lighting circuits, and hence
drop in voltage. These relays, however, light flicker from this cause is rarely a
are normally of the time-delay type and problem. However, if transformers are
therefore are not caused to operate by switched at a substation which supplies
the transient voltage dips produced by lighting circuits, this may cause lamp
connecting transformers to the system. flicker over the entire area served by the
However, the motors themselves, may, substation. This will be particularly
if heavily loaded, tend to pull out of true in the case of single-phase circuits or
Inrush Currents 367
 Figure 4. Effect of IIOi
impedance on magnitude of
100
inrush currents

Residual of magnitude and <qo 90i

polarity to give maximum in
rush current. Instant of closing
controlled to give maximum
inrush. Source voltage normal
as denned by Figure 12.
Single-phase transformer, as
suming 3 per cent normal ex
citing current. Base ohms
4 5 0 ohms. Saturation curve A
of Figure 1 2
X M PER CENT ON TRANSFORMER BASE
certain three-phase circuits (for example, 2. The value of residual magnetism and its
four-wire with wye-connected transform sign with respect to the first half cycle of
the alternating flux.
ers) where the inrush associated with any
one phase is not modified by the presence 3. Saturation or maximum flux-carrying
of the other phases. As stated pre capacity of the iron.
viously, however, the switching of trans 4. Total impedance of the circuit through
formers is generally so infrequent an which the current flows.
occurrence that the resulting voltage dips
PHYSICAL EXPLANATION
are not a serious problem. On the other
hand, if the switching is done frequently, Under normal steady-state conditions
the light flicker resulting even from small corresponding to a voltage wave E, a flux
voltage dips may become objectionable wave in quadrature with the voltage
through repetition. exists ignoring the negligible resistance
drop of the primary winding for exciting
Inrush-Current Phenomena current. Starting from a, Figure 1,
corresponding to the negative maximum
It is well known that when a trans point of the flux wave and the zero
former is connected to a circuit, the cur point of the voltage wave, the flux at a
rent taken by it generally will not as has a value ( 0max) and, in one-half
sume immediately its final or normal cycle, increases through zero and reaches
wave form and magnitude. a maximum value of (-|-<i>max) at b. So
The magnitude, as well as the number
* ( <^maz) ~2*
of cycles of the transient, depends on :
1. The point of the voltage wave at the is the change in flux necessary to produce
moment of the closing of the switch. the electromotive force E.
Table I. Relative Magnetizing Inrush Currents for Various Transformer Connections
Three Single-Phase Transformers Three-Phase Transformer
Transformer Connection
Simultaneous Sequential Simultaneous Sequential
Primary Secondary Switching Switching Switching Switching
IS
3 S ;
s
oat 6 0
H tu
ou, 5 10 15
2
ce
S Y S T E M REACTANCE I N PER C E N T
O N T R A N S F O R M E R BASE
Figure 5. Effect of source reactance on
system rms voltage
Residual of rnasnitude and polarity to give
maximum inrush current. Instant of closing
controlled to give maximum inrush. Source
voltage normal as defined by Figure 12.
Single-phase transformer, assuming 3 per cent
normal exciting current. Base ohms = 450
ohms. Saturation curve A of Figure 12
1. Curve A of Figure 12
2. Curve B of Figure 12
It follows from this elementary con
sideration that if the transformer is
energized by closing the primary switch!
at the instant a corresponding to the
zero point of the voltage wave, and, if it is
presumed that there is no residual flux,
the maximum peak flux corresponding to
the impressed voltage E will become 2
one-half cycle after the closing of the
switch. The flux curve is shown in
Figure 1, a'b'.
If the core at the instant of closing the
switch possessed a residual flux (^) the
final maximum peak flux becomes
From this it is evident that residual may
increase or decrease the maximum peak
value of the flux.
Not all of the flux is carried by the core.
The core can carry only a flux (&)
corresponding to its saturation; the rest
is carried by space. The flux that is
carried by space and has its return path
through the air is :
2 ax "f" #sat = \ (1)

The current to produce this flux is

^ \ OR ^f 26 X normal 26 X normal 13 X normal 14.5 X normal

jL \ S 26 X normal 29 X normal. . . . 13 X normal 14.5 X normal

where Lx is the air-core inductance of the

| 1 ^ OR | 20 X normal 20 X normal 11.0 X normal 11.0 X normal
winding under consideration.
I \y^ 20 X normal 20 X normal. . . . 11.0 X normal 11.0 X normal
Theoretically the current wave cor
responding to the flux wave can be cal
\ S \y R I 20
* x norma1
3 t X normal. . . 15.5* X normal. . . 15.5* X normal
culated with the aid of the hysteresis
loop (or average magnetization) cun<?
V^ \ ^ 20* Xnormal. . .30f X normal. .. 15.h% X normal. . . 15.5$ X normal of the core. But hysteresis loops or
magnetization curves cannot be obtain
* Based on normal phase current; equals 11.5 based on normal line current. very easily for very high densities afl
t Based on normal phase current; equals 17.3 based on normal line current.
X Based on normal phase current; equals 9.0 based on normal line current. generally are not available. The pea*

368 Blume, Camilli, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing Inrush Currents AIEE TRANSACTION

 71
Curve Residual of masni-
tude and polarity to give maxi
5 35

~
/ mum inrush. Source voltage
normal as defined by Figure 1 2 .
/
1 30 Single-phase transformer, as
suming three per cent normal
39 |/
J exciting current. Base ohms
= 4 5 0 ohms
?
/ Curve BNo residual
5 2 0 /
50C /
DO
2.
/
SMTCMNG ANGLE - DEGREES
20 40 60 80 100 120 140
PER CENT VOLTS Figure 7. Maximum crest inrush current versus switching angle

Figure 6. Effect of system voltage on maxi

mum crest inrush current
Residual of magnitude and of polarity to give
maximum inrush. Closing at voltage zero.
Source voltage normal as defined by Figure 12.
Single-phase transformer, assuming 3 per cent
normal exciting current. Base ohms = 450 ohms
value of the current, however, can be
approximated fairly closely as follows:
With reference to equations 1 and 2 the
maximum flux density which iron mole
cules can add to a given magnetic field is
estimated as 130 kilolines per square
inch. At densities greater than this
value the field behaves as if the medium
were entirely air, with no iron present.
In the present case, the maximum peak
flux is equal to (& +25 ) Ac, Ac
being the cross-sectional area of the core.
Of this, then, something like 130 Ac
kilolines will be carried by the iron, the
rest ( r e 8 +23 m a x -130) A, by space As
which is the space occupied by the core
legs plus the space between the core legs
and the excited winding.
The ampere-turns necessary to produce
(B^+2Bma3L-130) Ac/As kilolines den
sity in space will ordinarily be so large
that it may be considered as adequate to
Produce the 130 kilolines density in the
iron molecules in parallel with the flux
m space; and, therefore, the inrush cur
rent for the saturated range of the wave
c #max = maximum value of steady-state flux
an be calculated in terms of the air-core
inductance of the winding and the space
This formula is only approximate and
is offered not for the calculation of the
entire wave but only for its peak. 1
Since, as explained heretofore, the
inrush peak is determined by the air-core
inductance of the excited winding and
since generally the higher-voltage winding
has higher percentage inductance, there
fore, exciting a transformer through its
higher-voltage winding leads to smaller
inrush current. This is particularly
true of concentric transformers in w7hich
the higher voltage is generally the outer
solenoid, the lowTer-voltage winding the
inner.
TIME OF SWITCHING AND RATE OF DECAY
OF THE INRUSH CURRENT
The flux wave, a'b' of Figure 1 is sinu
soidal and offset. It can be resolved
into two components: a sinusoidal a-c
component and a d-c component which
eventually decays -The general equation
for the transformer flux can be expressed
as followTs :
4>=(<2>* + 4>maxeOS0) -R I idt-
J o
<*W cos M+0)
where
= residual flux at the instant imme
diately preceding energizing the
transformer
R = resistance of circuit through which
magnetizing current flows
the d-c component is not reduced greatly
by a small variation from a voltage zero.
In fact, assuming no residual flux, ii
0 = 30 degrees, the crest value of the
flux is still 1.866 which is only a slight
reduction from the maximum of two foi
0=0.
The transient inrush current for typical
transformers is shown in Figures 15 and
16. It is characterized by being almost
entirely unidirectional, rising abruptly to
its maximum value in the first half cycle
and thenceforth decaying until normal
steady-state magnetizing current is
reached.
The mechanism by which this decay
is accomplished is illustrated in Figure 2.
It will be noted that the inrush current
has modified the impressed voltage on
the terminals of the transformer by a
small value equal to the voltage drop
produced by the series resistance R.
Examination of the resultant voltage
curve shows that the effect of this drop is
to decrease the area of the positive volt
age wave and to increase the area of the
negative voltage wave, thus making the
voltage applied to the transformer asym
(5) metrical. As the transformer flux is
strictly proportional to the areas of the
impressed voltage, it is evident that
under these conditions, the positive flux
generated in each cycle in the trans
former is less than the negative flux gener
ated by an amount equal to

-X
-2
flux.
= instantaneous value of flux at any = I Ridt
Briefly, if Bs is the flux density in space, time
= the phase angle measured from the
ft A
c where is the flux change per cycle.

^J {Bn*+2Bmmx-13Q) kilolines per instant of zero voltage at which the

transformer is energized From this it is evident that the flux and
square inch (3) corresponding inrush immediately begin
an
d, therefore, if the length of the sole- Since the flux controls the inrush cur to decay an amount which is largely a
noi
d is h inches, and the turns in series n, rent from the preceding expression, it will function of the resistance of the circuit
the maximum instantaneous current be seen that the maximum crest inrush and that the decay will continue until
'max will be current will be obtained when 0=0, x, the magnetizing current of the trans
27 . . . which leads to the well-known former becomes symmetrical, that is, to
, )00, lQ*hAe{Br~+2Bmmx-13Q) conclusion that closing the switch at a normal value of the magnetizing current.
3.2n Z2nAs voltage zero results in the maximum in I t might appear that the core loss also
(4) rush. It should be noted, however, that may be a factor influencing the rate of

1944, VOLUME 63 Blume, Camilli, Farnkam, PetersonMagnetizing Inrush Currents 369

decay of the inrush current If the
eddy-current losses are considered this
may be partially true during the first
few cycles when the rate of decay is
highest and appreciable eddy currents
might be induced thereby. So far as the
hysteresis loss is concerned, its influence
is for all practical cases absent.
Factors Affecting the Magnitude
of Inrush Currents
SOURCE IMPEDANCE
Impedance between the transformer
and the source of sustained voltage acts
to reduce the magnitude of the peak
inrush currei t. Simultaneously a reduc
tion in voltage at the transformer ter
minals takes place. This is illustrated
by means of oscillograms shown in Figure
3. Figure 4 indicates the reduction in
the peak inrush current for a typical
modern single-phase transformer, as the
source impedance is increased.
A study of Figure 4 in connection with
the corresponding voltage wave shapes
shown on oscillograms of Figure 3 reveals
the fact that when inrush currents are of
the highest magnitude (no system im
pedance), the voltage distortion is at its
least. Generally in practical systems
there will be some external impedance
which will tend to reduce the inrush
current below the maximum that could
be obtained if the transformer were con
nected to an infinite bus. Thus, if the
transformer is small as compared to the
system, which will be the more common
case, relatively high inrush currents may
be obtained. However, with a system
reactance of 1.18 per cent on the trans
former base, for example, the system
voltage as shown in oscillogram 116-2,
Figure 3, is not seriously affected even
though the inrush current is 21 times
normal full-load current for the trans
former. The general effect of source
impedance on system voltage indicated
by these oscillograms is in good quanti
tative agreement with some unpublished
results based on calculations made by
Edith Clarke. The relationship between
BEFCRE VOLAGE ZERO
dT 60 40 20 w
0 20
SWITCHNG ANGLE - DEGREES
370 Blame, Camilli, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing
source reactance and system rms voltage
at the transformer terminasl during the
inrush period is shown in Figure 5.
SYSTEM VOLTAGE LEVEL
It is well known that the normal ex
citing current of a transformer varies
essentially linearly with applied voltage
up to the point where saturation of the
iron begins to take place. Increasing the
voltage beyond this point produces more
than a proportionate increase in the ex
citing current. In the case of maximum
transient inrush current, however, there
is a linear relation between maximum
peak inrush current and applied voltage
which prevails over a wide range of ap
plied voltage, both above and below the
rated voltage of the transformer. This
is indicated by Figure 6 which shows
the results of tests on a miniature-system
single-phase transformer. The straight-
line relationship is explained by the fact
that under the conditions of residual flux
and switching angle which produce the
maximum inrush current, the iron is com
pletely saturated. Hence the transformer
impedance which limits the inrush current
is essentially the resultant of the air-core
reactance of its windings as previously
pointed out. Under maximum inrush
conditions, this remains constant over a
range of applied voltage extending up
ward from approximately 60 per cent of
rated transformer voltage.
While large initial inrush currents are
most frequently encountered in trans
formers connected at system locations
where the voltage is relatively high, as
for example at generating stations or
close to substation busses, it is important
to note that the relation between inrush
and voltage is essentially a linear one;
not second or third power relationship
Figure 8. Effect of switching angle on sys
tem rms voltage
Residual of magnitude and polarity to give
maximum inrush. Source voltage normal as
defined by Figure 1 2 . Single-phase trans
former, assuming 3 pzr cent normal exciting
current. Base ohms = 450 ohms
1. 5.5 per cent
system reactance.
curve A, Figure 1 2
2. 5.5 per cent
system reactance
curve B, Figure 1 2
3. 2.75 per cent
system reactance
curve A, Figure 1 2
4. 2.75 per cent
system reactance
40 60 80
curve B, Figure 1 2
Inrush Currents
as might be assumed from familiarity
with normal exciting-current character
istics. In this connection, it seems prob
able that the few cases of trouble which
have been experienced from inrush cur
rents of transformers installed at points
of relatively high system voltage have
been caused as much by the low system
reactance viewed from these points as by
the relatively high operating voltage level.
SWITCHING ANGLE
It has been pointed out that when a
transformer is energized at a zero peint
on the voltage wave, the maximum in
rush current will be obtained. As the
switching angle is varied in either direc
tion from a voltage zero the crest inrush
current is reduced. Figure 7 shows the
relation between crest inrush current
and angle of switching, as obtained from
tests on a miniature single-phase trans
former. Figure 7 also indicates the
effect of residual flux. The upper curve
shows the inrush current for the condition
of maximum residual of the polarity to
produce the maximum flux. The lower
curve is for the condition of no residual
flux. If a residual of opposite polarity
exists, then the current resulting from
switching at voltage zero will be still
lower.
Since any instant of closing may be
realized in practice, the effect of switching
angle and the resulting inrush current
on system rms voltage becomes of in
terest in determining the range of varia
tion of system voltage for various switch
ing angles. This effect is shown in
Figure 8. In connection with Figures 7
and 8, it is recognized that for relatively
high voltages and for slow rates of con
tact travel, prestriking may occur before
mechanical closing of the switch contacts
takes place. Hence the probability of
closing at a voltage zero is reduced.
THREE-PHASE SWITCHING
In energizing a three-phase trans
former, the inrush current will generally
be quite different in the three phases.
Furthermore, modification may be intro
duced by the nonsimultaneous closing
of all poles of the switch.
In order to get a clear picture of the
effect of switching angle on inrush in the
case of a three-phase core-type miniature
system transformer, tests were made using
a delta-connected winding. All poles
were closed simultaneously, and the in
stant of closing the switches was varied
throughout a 360-degree range. The
results are shown in Figure 9.
The winding currents are seen to line
up properly with the instant of closing as
A I E E TRANSACTIONS

should be expected; that is, each winding
behaves as if it were a single-phase unit.
However, the line currents are deter
mined by the sums of two winding cur
rents. This sum can never be greater
than the arithmetical sum of the two
winding currents and never less than the
difference. The polarity of the maximum
crest will be that of the greater of the two
winding currents. As the instant of
closing is varied, passing through that
instant which causes two winding cur
rents to be equal, the polarity of the maxi
mum peak line current will suddenly
reverse as shown in this figure.
SEQUENTIAL SWITCHING
In three-phase switching it is possible
and likely that all poles of the breaker do
not close at exactly the same instant.
In order to show what the maximum
possible inrush currents would be as
compared to those obtained for simul
taneous closing for all possible trans
former connections, Table I has been
prepared.
The results presented here show that
based on normal line currents, the wye-
grounded transformer with delta second-
an- gives the highest inrush while the
lowest is obtained with the delta-con
nected primary winding, with the second
ary either wye or delta. This is true for
either three-phase core-type transformers
1 1
^ , *,
*
E tin wt
V switching on inrush currents.
1 Single-phase transformer.
Ie!
w R i>2JZ\
M R-2221
\ v V. R5&5X
|-->
> 0 0 1250 MO 2C
TIME VU\_ (JEGREE!'
K> 2 iK>
I9
44 VOLUME 63 Blume, Camilli, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing
Tcurrent in top leg |
Mcurrent in middle/ delta
leg ; currents
Lcurrent in l o w e r !
leg /
Aline current 7L
Bline current LM
Cline current=AfT
Delta currents should be multi
plied by y/3 to become times
normal delta currents
Three-phase transformer delta-
connected operated under nor
mal conditions as indicated in
Figure 1 2 . N o external impedance. Three
per cent exciting current assumed, base ohms
= 1 0 0 ohms. Three phases closed simultane
ously. W h e n phase c voltage is a maximum,
switching angle is 9 0 degrees
Figure 9 . Effect of closing angle on maxi
mum crest inrush currents
or for three-phase banks of single-phase
transformers.
Table I also shows that sequential
switching in a three-phase transformer
increases the inrush by about ten per
cent only for the wye-grounded primary
with secondary either delta or wye. For
other connections, there is no increase
due to sequential switching.
For single-phase banks, the wye-con
nected primary gives no increase due to
sequential switching for any condition
except when the secondary is delta-con
nected. For this case an increase of
about ten per cent was observed. For the
delta-connected primary, the increase in
magnitude of inrush current was 50 per
cent with the secondary either wye or
delta.
In connection with Table I it should be
pointed out that substantial reduction in
inrush-current magnitudes can be ob
tained by energizing the winding farthest
from the core. Since the absolute ceiling
on magnetizing inrush crest current is
determined bv the air-core reactance of
1 1
I
1 phase, indicate that for ratings in the
1! Figure 10. Effect of resistor
^Ic 1 half its initial peak value in ten cycles.
Source voltage normal as de
fined by curve A, Figure 1 2 .
Residual of polarity to give
maximum inrush. Time lag is
interval between closing Sx
and St. For any given time
! lag, the inrush given by these
curves is the maximum possible
3! 960 for the conditions specified
Inrush
4-.-
40
.- A
as
)
ffoc
yU
30
S3
I!
nl-f 1
tZ 0 K> KX> 1000
**" O CAPACITOR KVA IN PER CENT OF TRANS
FORMER MAGNETIZING KiLOVOLT-AMPERES
Figure 1 1 . Effect of capacitor on maximum
transformer magnetizing inrush currents
Transformer de-energized under normal opera
ting flux-density conditions leaving the capaci
tor at normal voltage to discharge through the
transformer each time before the transformer
was again energized at an instant controlled
to give maximum inrush. Saturation curve A
of Figure 1 2 w i t h transformer operating at
1 1 0 volts
Curve ALast half-cycle of current in trans
former before switch was opened of same
polarity as first half-cycle of inrush current
Curve BLast half-cycle of current in trans
former before switch was opened of opposite
polarity to the first half-cycle of inrush current
that winding, it follows that the winding
having the greatest air-core reactance
should have the lowest inrush. For the
single-phase miniature-system units, it
was found that the inrush currents < ould
be cut in half by energizing the winding
farthest from the core rather than the
winding nearest the core. Thus, other
things being equal, for concentric wind
ings, there is some practical merit in
energizing transformers on the high-
voltage side, since that winding, ordinarily
being farthest from the core, will gener
ally have an appreciably higher air-core
reactance.
Characteristics Affecting the
Duration of Inrush Current
In the case of transformers connected
to systems having negligible source re
sistance, the transient inrush currents
decay at a rate determined by the re
sistance of the transformers themselves.
Tests on representative power trans
formers, both single-phase and three-
neighborhood of 1,000 kva, the crest
inrush current decays to approximately
With larger transformers, the rate of de
cay is slower, the inrush current some
times lasting a second or more in extreme
cases. Conversely, smaller transformers
generally have higher rates of decay.
The inrush current of a typical small
distribution transformer, for example,
may be only approximately 20 per cent
of its initial crest value after ten cycles.
Transformers having relatively high losses
Currents 371
 ^ . __JL-"
A
0 200
TIMES NORMAL CREST EXCITING CURRENT
Figure 12. Saturation curves for miniature-
system transformers
Constants are for 6 0 cycles per second
A. Single-phase transformer. Base voltage
(normal) 100 volts rms. Magnetizing reac
tance x m = 15,000 ohms at 1 0 0 volts rms
B. Same as A but less abrupt saturation
C. Three-phase core-type transformer. Aver
age of three legs. Average magnetizing
reactance, x m = 10,000 ohms at 100 volts rms.
Base voltage (normal) = 100 volts rms
will in general have faster rates of decay
than those which are more efficient.
Resistance in the circuit between the
transformer terminals and the source of
sustained voltage not only reduces the
maximum initial inrush current that can
be obtained but hastens its rate of decay
where only one transformer is involved
and aids in restoring normal voltage wave
shape more quickly. Source reactance
does not alter the rate of decay of inrush
currents for practical cases.
The effect of system resistance in
causing circulating magnetizing currents
to flow when one transformer is energized
oh the same bus with another which is
already energized has been investigated.
The summary of that investigation is
included in reference 10.
Means for Reducing Magnitude
of Inrush Currents
SWITCHING WITH RESISTANCE
The use of resistance as an intermediate
step in closing a switch to reduce the in
rush current was investigated with the
miniature system. The results are shown
in Figure 10. In these tests, the interval
between the instant of closing Si and the
instant of closing S2 was varied through
360 electrical degrees. For each value
of this interval, the synchronous switch
was adjusted to give the maximum in
rush for the particular value of resistance
being used. Thus for the given trans
former, and for the resistance used, the
curve shows the maximum peak inrush
current that can be obtained, correspond
ing to any interval between the closing
of the switches.
It is significant that for relatively short
intervals on the order of 180 electrical
372 Blume, Catnilli, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing Inrush Currents
Figure 13. Hysteresis loops for single-phase
miniature-system transformers
Saturation curve A of Figure 1 2 . 25-ohm
resistor in series to give voltage d r o p for
amplifier to oscillograph
60-Cycle
Oscillosram Rms
Number Voltage
94-1 110
94-3 102
94-5 90
degrees the inrush current is approxi
mately cut in half for practical values of
resistance. For time intervals up to
about 200 electrical degrees, the value of
resistance (for reasonable values) is not
nearly so important as the time interval.
For greater values of time interval the
resistance is practically the sole deter
mining factor, although the magnitude
of inrush current is so low for any interval
greater than 200 degrees that a wide
range of resistance values will accomplish
the desired result. Thus, if the time
interval between closing Si and S2 is
200 degrees or more, maximum inrush
currents can be reduced to half value
by using a resistor of ten per cent ohms
on the transformer base. A higher re
sistance is even more effective, although
Figure 14. Hysteresis loop for modern silicon
steel as used in typical power transformer
it is apparent that if this resistance be
comes so high as to limit appreciably the
flow of normal magnetizing current it will
again lose its effectiveness. The impor
tant conclusion to be drawn from this is
that breakers equipped with resistors
useful in preventing switching over
voltages on opening may also be helpful
in reducing inrush currents on closing.11
MEANS OF REDUCING RESIDUAL FLUX
Since one of the factors tending to in
crease inrush currents is the residual
magnetism, it follows that any means ol
reducing it would have some merit.
The possibility of mechanical jarring, for
instance, was tried and found to have
only slight effect.
The possibility of using a capacitor con
nection in parallel with the transformer to
cause a damped oscillation to occur when
the switch is opened has been suggested
as a means for eliminating the residual.
Following the opening of the switch, the
oscillation theoretically should cause an
alternating current to flow in the trans
former winding decreasing in ampUtude
with time, thus gradually reducing the
area of the traversed hysteresis loop until,
when the current oscillation has died
away, no residual remains.
Such an arrangement was tried, and
results as shown in Figure 11 were ob
tained. These results show that capaci
tors can eliminate the residual magne
tism and that there is a minimum size of
capacitor that can do this. Smaller
capacitors cause the circuit to be more
than critically damped rather than os
cillatory so that the current flowing in
th transformer due to the capacitor dis
charge just after the switch is opened does
not oscillate at all. In fact, the amplitude
of the current never reaches that re-
AIEE TRANSACTIONS

\ \ r\
v v
quired to bring the residual to zero.
However, as the capacitance is increased,
the crest current during discharge in
creases without oscillation until a value is
reached which is just high enough to
eliminate the residual. This optimum
value corresponds to capacitor kilovolt
amperes of from 40 to 50 per cent of the
transformer magnetizing kilovolt-
amperes.
An increase in capacitance beyond this
optimum value causes the crest current
during capacitor discharge to exceed that
required for eliminating the residual.
Thus, a residual of opposite polarity is
introduced and reaches a maximum when
the capacitor kilovolt-amperes equal the
transformer magnetizing kilovolt-am
peres. In this area, the discharge begins
to be oscillatory so that, as the capaci
tance is increased, the first oscillation
of current due to discharge from the
capacitor reverses the residual, but the
second oscillation reverses this. Con
sequently, as the capacitance is increased,
a value is reached which causes this
second oscillation to reduce the residual
to zero. Further increase of capacitance
causes similar phenomena involving more
reversals during discharge, which result
in a number of values of capacitance
which can reduce the residual to zero.
Subsequent tests revealed that the
effectiveness of the capacitor was rela
tively unchanged by the amount of
residual in the practical range. This
suggests that a capacitor selected in
C> 3 77/6 2 lr?ros6 G
's;.
1944, VOLUME 63 Blume, Camilli, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing
Figure 15. Oscillogram showing inrush current
transient in 833-kva single-phase transformer
Upper traceTransformer terminal voltage
Center traceTransformer current
Lower traceSource voltage
accordance with the foregoing results
could be of some practical value in par
tially reducing transformer inrush cur
rents.
Miniature-System and Test Data
MINIATURE-SYSTEM TRANSFORMERS
The saturation curves for the minia
ture-system transformers are shown in
Figure 12. These have Mumetal cores
in order to give the desired abruptness of
saturation. When operating at 100 volts
rms, the saturation characteristics cor
respond very nearly to those of some of
the" newer silicon strip steels when used
at an assumed density of 100 kilolines
per square inch. At 100 volts, tiie ex
citing impedance of the single-phase units
is 15,000 ohms. Their leakage reactance
is 25 ohms at 60 cycles, and their average
d c resistance is* approximately 5.5
ohms for the winding nearest the core
and 11.0 ohms for the outside winding.
Curve A of Figure 12 is the saturation
curve for these units while curve B is
for another transformer identical in
every respect except for less abrupt
saturation.
For the three-phase core-type units,
the resistance of the windings nearest the
ry r\ r\ r\
J\ I \ /\ A
Inrush
core is 7.0 ohms and of the winding far
thest from the core, 24.0ohntsr Thesatura-
tion characteristic shown in Figure 12,
curve C, was obtained with the trans
former connected in delta, currents being
measured in the transformer windings
and not in the line. In the line, the
third harmonic and multiples thereof do
not flow. Consequently, the apparent
saturation is much less abrupt when line
currents are used.
For the single-phase transformers satu
rating as in Figure 12, curve A, the
hysteresis loops are as shown in oscillo-
grams 94-1, 94-3, 94-5, Figure 13. For
excitations of the order of 100 volts, the
hysteresis loop is such as to yield residual
flux of the order of 50 to 60 per cent.
Thus, while the saturation characteristic
appears to be similar to that of new silicon
steels, the residual is somewhat less than
that associated with such steels. The
residual in these units is more on the
order of that for transformers using the
old types of sheet steel. However, this
does not invalidate the qualitative results
obtained, although direct numerical
checks cannot be made in some cases.
A hysteresis loop for typical modern-
power-transformer steel, indicating ap
proximately 80 per cent residual, is shown
in Figure 14 for comparison.
TESTS ON ACTUAL TRANSFORMERS
COMPARISON WITH CALCULATED VALUES
(a). Single-Phase Transformer. This
unit was a 60-cycle core-type design
rated 833 kva. The core steel was of the
new high-permeability high-saturation
type, and the unit was energized from a
2,300-volt winding. The calculated peak
inrush current was 14 times peak full-
load current based on an assumed 75
per cent residual and a core saturation
flux of 130 kilolines per square inch.
Figure 16. Oscillogram showing inrush current
transients in three-phase 750-lcva transformer
r\ r\ r\
Currents 373

eooo eooo
TRANSFORMER KVft
The maximum measured inrush cur
ent obtained in 30 trials was 11 times
the peak full-load current. The oscillo-
gram for this test is shown in Figure 15.
The switch was not closed exactly at
voltage zero but nearly enough to zero
so that the maximum inrush should not
be appreciably greater, based on the
earlier considerations in this paper.
(b). Three-Phase Transformer. This
unit was a 50-cycle core-type water-
cooled design rated 750 kva. It was ex
cited from its 3,000-volt windings which
were delta-connected. The calculated
inrush was 12.5 times peak-line full-load
current based upon 75 per cent residual
and core saturation of 130 kilolines per
square inch.
The maximum inrush current obtained
in 20 trials was 10.35 times peak-line full-
load current. This is shown in the os-
cillograms of Figure 16.
(c). Generalized Calculated Values of
Inrush Currents. A more comprehen
sive summary of calculated inrush cur
rents is shown in Figures 17 and 18.
This summary includes numerous de
signs and is of help in showing the prac
tical limits between which the maximum
inrush current will likely fall for various
voltage levels and for various kilovolt-
ampere sizes Generally, calculations
tend to give too high a value as indicated
by the foregoing examples. Conse
quently, actual maximum values will
generally be slightly less than the values
indicated by these bands. In the afore
mentioned test cases, part of the dis
crepancy between calculated and test
results is attributable to the fact that
generator source used in the test was not
actually an infinite bus, while calcula
tions were based upon the source being
an infinite bus. These calculations also
indicate that for typical 25-cycle and 60-
cycle transformers, there is no appreciable
difference in the peak inrush currents.
TBSTS TO DETERMINE HEAT GENERATED
IN FUSES DURING INRUSH PERIOD
Essentially all of the heat developed
in a fuse during the transient inrush
period goes into raising the temperature
374 Blume, Camilli, Farnham, PetersonMagnetizing
Figure 1 7 . Calcu
lated inrush charac
teristics of single-
phase transformers
Excitation o n l o w -
voltage side
of the fusible element, very little being
dissipated elsewhere during the short
interval involved. Hence, the following
equation may be written, applying to the
fuse during the inrush period.
Pt~K
where
/=current in the fuse, in amperes
/ time in seconds
A' = a constant, depending on the size and
material of the fusible element
The Pt of any given fuse may be deter
mined from the manufacturer's published
characteristics, usually given in curve
form, and plotted on logarithmic co
ordinates so that this portion is rep
resented as a straight line. It is only
necessary then to know the Pt corre
sponding to the transformer magnetiz
ing inrush current, in oder to select a
fuse which will withstand it safely.
While the /*/ representing the inrush for
any specific transformer is of course a
function of both the magnitude of the
first current loop and the rate of decay,
neither of which is usually known with
out a rather exhaustive study of the trans
former and the system to which it is con
nected, a series of tests has indicated
that the total Pt of the inrush may be
approximated with sufficient accuracy
for purposes of fuse application. In
these tests, for which the authors are
indebted to H. C. Stewart of the General
Electric Company, oscillograms were
taken of the inrush currents of represen
tative samples from a complete line of
transformers, under conditions designed
to produce the greatest inrush current
Figure 18. Calcu
lated inrush charac
teristics of three-
phase transformers
Excitation on l o w -
voltage side
Inrush Currents
and the slowest rate of decay. Although
the maximum-crest inrush currents of the
several sizes of transformers tested
ranged from 11 to 20 times their normal
full-load crest currents, and the intervals
required for these transient currents to
decay to normal value extended from 33
to 120 cycles, it was found that for each
transformer tested the total Pt in it?
magnetizing inrush was numerically al
most the same as if ten times normal full
load current had been flowing for 0.1
second. This leads to a rather simple
criterion for selecting fuses which will
safely withstand transformer magnetiz
ing inrush currents. When what ap
pears to be a reasonable margin in ex
cess of the actual Pt in the transformer
inrush is allowed, it is suggested that
fuses be selected on the basis that at the
0.1-second point on their characteristic
curves, they be capable of carrying at
least 12 times the transformer normal full
load current. It will be apparent by
referring to the equation PtK that any
other pair of corresponding figures be
sides 12 and 0.1 could have been used.
These values, however, have the ad
vantage of being round numbers which
are easily remembered, and at the 0.1-
second point, most fuses adhere closely
to the straight-line characteristic. Fuses
selected on the basis outlined may be
expected to be amply large for the
majority of applications, since it is un
likely that actual inrush currents will be
as severe or prolonged as those obtained
under the carefully controlled test condi
tions, and where the testing source was
so much larger than the transformer as
to be practically an infinite bus. Further
more, the transformers tested were of a
design that is considered fairly representa
tive of modern transformer designs with
regard to the severity of inrush current
to be expected.
Conclusions
1. The inrush currents associated with
transformer energizing do not, in the vast
majority of cases, produce any system dis
turbances. This is true even for trans
formers utilizing the modern steels and de-
Sboc
A I E E TRANSACTIONS