Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS, HIGH VOLTAGES, ELECTRIC MACHINES

A Computer Model for Transient Voltages Distribution Studies in

Transformer Windings
V. VENEGAS, J.L. GUARDADO, E. MELGOZA, S. MAXIMOV, M. HERNANDEZ
Department of Electrical Engineering
Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia
Av. Tecnológico 1500, Col. Lomas de Santiaguito, C.P. 58120
MORELIA, MEXICO
vvenegasr@yahoo.com

Abstract:- In this work, a computer model for calculating surge distribution in power transformer windings is
presented. The model is based on multiconductor transmission line theory, considering each disk coil as the basic
element for the analysis. The electric parameters R, L, C and G are calculated by using conventional formulations.
The electrical parameters are used for calculating modal parameters in order to represent the winding as a two port
network. The transformer model is validated by means of a comparison between measured and calculated transient
voltages in a phase winding with 34 coil disks, in a scaled down prototype of a power transformer.

Key-Words:- Electrical parameters, modal parameters, fast transients, transformer windings.

1 Introduction the distributed parameters of the winding in an easy way

The transformer is one of the most important and [2,6].
expensive equipment in modern power systems. This The aim of this work is to develop a transformer
has motivated the development of several studies in model in the frequency domain for calculating surge
order to understand its performance, specially during distribution in the power transformer windings. The
switching transients and lightning, which can lead to model is based on the fact that turns and disks run
different kinds of failures [1,2,3]. The Mexican Utility parallel to each other in the winding. Therefore the
(CFE) reports that 53% of power transformers failures computer model developed is based on multiconductor
occur in the insulation system and a significant amount transmission line theory and modal analysis which
is due to the presence of electromagnetic transients [3]. consider the coils as the basic element for the analysis.
Transient overvoltages produce high dielectric The computer model developed takes into account the
stresses that can damage the turn insulation and which frequency dependence of the electrical parameters. The
can lead to more severe failures like short circuit transient voltages calculated in the turns and coils of a
between turns, layers or disks inside the transformer [3]. phase winding are compared with laboratory
The surges waveforms have two characteristics that can measurements in a scaled down prototype of a 115 kV
be dangerous for the insulation winding: short rate of transformer winding. The phase winding used in this
rise and high amplitude. Typical rates of rise are in the study is shown in Figure 1.
order of 10 to 20 ns and the amplitudes are in order of
1.5-2.5 p.u. [2]. Short rates of rise are responsible for a
nonlinear voltage distribution inside the winding, which
may lead to failures in winding sections near to
transformer terminals.
Several computer models have been proposed in the
literature for studying electromagnetic transients in
transformers. A great number of models are based on
equivalent lumped circuits with coupled inductances and
capacitances [4,5]. Some models have been developed
using transmission line theory, which has the advantage
of including the frequency dependent phenomena and
Fig. 1 Scaled down prototype of a 115 kV transformer.

ISSN: 1790-5117 121 ISBN: 978-960-474-130-4

Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS, HIGH VOLTAGES, ELECTRIC MACHINES

2 Model Description where A, B, C y D are the modal matrices of the

The frequency domain transformer winding model is winding given by:
developed using multiconductor transmission line
theory. The propagation of voltages and currents along a A = D = Y0 coth ( ZY l ) (4)
transmission line is given by: B = C = Y0 cosch ( ZY l ) (5)
2
d V = Z Y V = PV (1) The following voltage and current relations can be
dx 2 established from Fig. 2 [6]:
2
d I (2)
= Y Z I = PT I
dx 2 I r1 = − I s 2 I r 2 = − I s3 Vr 1 = V s 2
Vr 2 = Vs 3 − I r 3 = Vr 3 / Z r (6)
where:
V, I .- Voltage and current vectors.
Z .- Series impedance matrix. By substitution of equations (6) in (3) and after some
Y .- Parallel admittance matrix. matrix operations, the terminal voltages and currents are
P .- Product of matrices Z and Y. given by [6,7]:
PT .- Product of matrices Y and Z.
⎡ I s1 ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡Vs1 ⎤
For developing the model a single coil is considered ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢Vs 2 ⎥ = ⎢ M ⎥ ⎢0 ⎥ (7)
as the basic element for the analysis. Fig. 1 shows a ⎢Vs 3 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢0 ⎥
transformer winding section with three coils in a series ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
connection. In Fig.2, Zr is the impedance that can be ⎣⎢Vr 3 ⎦⎥ ⎣ ⎦ ⎣0 ⎦
used to represent the remaining turns and coil disks in
the winding. Vs1 is the voltage surge applied at the Equation (7) is used for calculating the surge
beginning of the winding. distribution inside the winding just by multiplying the
applied surge, Vs1, by the first column of the system
matrix M. The transient overvoltages are transformed to
the time domain by means of the Modified Fourier
Transform Algorithm.

3 Electrical Parameters Calculation

For calculating the modal parameters and develop the
computer model, the matrices Z and Y are required.
These can be calculated by the general formulations:

Z=R+ jωL (8)

Fig. 2 Winding model with coils in a series connection. Y =G + j ωC (9)

From modal analysis, the terminal conditions of the where R, L, G y C are de resistance, inductance,
winding model are given by: conductance and capacitance matrices, respectively. Due
to the assumption of considering each disk coil as a
⎡ I s1 ⎤ ⎡Vs1 ⎤ basic element of analysis, the matrices of parameters
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ are of order n x n, where n is the number of coils in the
⎢ I s 2 ⎥ ⎡ A − B ⎤ ⎢Vs 2 ⎥ winding. Self and mutual and electric and magnetic
⎢I s3 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢V ⎥
⎢ ⎥=⎢ ⎥ ⎢ s3 ⎥ (3) effects are taking into account for each disk as well as
⎢ I r1 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢Vr1 ⎥ with other coils in the winding.
⎢I ⎥ − C ⎢ ⎥
D ⎦ ⎢Vr 2 ⎥ In the transformer, there are several capacitances
⎢ r2 ⎥ ⎣ ⎢ ⎥
⎢⎣ I r 3 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣Vr 3 ⎥⎦ distributed along the turns, coil disks and between the
high voltage and low voltage winding. The calculation

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Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS, HIGH VOLTAGES, ELECTRIC MACHINES

of the capacitance depends upon the geometric and

electric characteristics of the coil winding. The
capacitances between a coil in the high voltage winding NCore
ú c le o
and the low voltage winding is calculated by considering
a configuration of concentric cylinders by means of [8]: C ev
Cn

2πε 0 ε r l v (10)
C db
C db = L.V
C day
⎛r ⎞
ln⎜⎜ 2 ⎟⎟ DWinding
evanado
d e B a ja
⎝ r1 ⎠ T e n sió n
C day

where εr is the permitivity of the insulation and the two

radius are shown in Fig. 3.
D evanado de
The capacitance between turns in the same disk and H.V. Winding
A lta T e n s ió n
between turns located in different disks is calculated by
using a parallel plate approach, then [4,6]: Fig. 4 Coils and turns under study.

ε0ε r A For calculating inductance let us consider Fig. 5.

C= (11)
d This figure shows two winding turns at different coils.

where εr is the relative permitivity of the insulation, A is

the area of the winding section involved and d is the
distance between both surfaces. These capacitances are
Espira
Turn A A
used for calculating the total capacitance of one disk and a
between adjacent coils in the same phase winding. Fig. 4
shows the transformer turns and disks with some of the d
capacitances considered in the model.
Once the capacitance is calculated, the conductance
Turn B B
Espira
matrix is obtained with [6]: b

G = ω C tan δ (12) Fig 5. Representation of turns for inductance calculation.

where tan δ is the loss tangent of the turn insulation. The self inductance of one coil disk is calculated
with [8]:

⎛ 8 Rm ⎞
Li = µ 0 Rm NB 2 ⎜ ln − 2⎟ (13)
r2 ⎝ GMD ⎠
Cdb
Core
Núcleo where Rm is the radius of the mean turn of the disk, NB
Core Cn is the number of turns, w and h are the dimensions of the
Núcleo
r1 turn conductor with a rectangular transversal section and
GMD is the geometrical mean radius given by:

L. V. Winding GMD 2h w 2w h
Devanado de Baja Tensión ln = tan −1 + tan −1
(w 2
+h 2
) 3w h 3h w
(14)
H. V. Winding
Devanado de Alta Tensión
h2 ⎛ w2 ⎞ w2 ⎛ h 2 ⎞ 25
− 2
ln ⎜⎜1 + 2 ⎟⎟ − 2
ln ⎜⎜1 + 2 ⎟⎟ −
12 w ⎝ h ⎠ 12 h ⎝ w ⎠ 12
Fig. 3 Configuration for calculating capacitances between L.V. winding
and H.V. winding.
The mutual inductance between the different turns is
calculated with [4]:

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Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS, HIGH VOLTAGES, ELECTRIC MACHINES
⎡⎛ 2 ⎞ 2 ⎤
L12 = µ 0 ab ⎢⎜ − k ⎟ K (k ) − E (k )⎥ (15)
⎣⎝ k ⎠ k ⎦
Where
4ab (16)
k=
(a + b )2 + d 2
K(k) .- elliptic integral of the first kind.
E(k) .- elliptic integral of the second kind.
The frequency dependent resistance for each turn is
calculated by using [9]:
l
Rskin =
aδσ
where σ is the conductivity, l the turn length and a the
perimeter of the transversal section of one turn. The
term δ is the magnetic flux penetration into conductor
regions due to skin effect, which is given by:
2 distributed parameter model.
δ=
ωσµ
The total resistance of one coil is the sum of the
resistances of its turns
4 Results
In order to validate the computer model, a
comparison between the transient voltages calculated
and measured was carried out in a phase winding with
34 coils disks in a scaled down prototype of a power
transformer. A step generator was used to apply steep
fronted waves of approximately 10 ns and 22 V crest.
The coil to ground voltages were measured for each coil
by leaving the remote end of the winding in short circuit
and open circuit conditions. The low voltage winding
and the core are grounded. The experimental
arrangement for taking the measurements is shown in
Fig. 6
Figs. 7 and 8 show simulations and measurements for
a period of time of 40 µs. Voltages for short circuit
conditions (remote end grounded) are presented in Fig.
7, while in Fig. 8 the voltages for open circuit conditions
are shown. In both cases, measured and calculated
results are shown for 50, 75 and 100 % of the winding.
The input voltage is the blue line, while the black line
represents the voltage at different sections.
ISSN: 1790-5117
(17) Fig 6 Experimental arrangement to make measurements
From figures 7 and 8 it is clear that the computer
model is capable of calculating the transient voltages
with a reasonable degree of accuracy. In general, there
exist good correlation on the shape and magnitude of the
surge distribution calculated and measured. This gives
confidence in the assumptions made for developing the
(18)
The results show that the surge propagation inside the
winding is similar to traveling waves in overhead
transmission lines. The applied pulse penetrates into the
coil where it is attenuated, distorted and reflected until
its arrival to the remote end. For short circuit conditions
the magnitude of the pulse is reduced after traveling
from coil to coil (Voltage equal to zero at the remote
end). On the other hand, for open circuit conditions the
peak magnitude is increased gradually as the surge
voltage travels inside the winding until it reaches the
remote end (1.9 p.u. at this point). The major magnitude
occurs at this point due to the great difference between
the characteristic impedance of the disk and the open
circuit impedance (Zr=∞).
5 Conclusions
In this work, a transformer model for calculating
surge propagation has been developed. The model is
based on multiconductor transmission line theory. The
electrical parameters are calculated by using
conventional formulations which takes into account the
electric and magnetic characteristics of the winding. The
electromagnetic coupling between disks is considered in
the analysis.
The computer model was validated by a comparison
between measured and calculated voltages in a phase
124 ISBN: 978-960-474-130-4
Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS, HIGH VOLTAGES, ELECTRIC MACHINES
winding with 34 coil disks in a scaled down prototype of
a power transformer. The results show that the model is
capable of calculating with reasonable precision the
voltage propagation for periods of time up to 50 µs.
The technique described is useful for developing
transformer models valid for longer periods of time,
which most take into account magnetic flux penetration
Calculated
Time, 40 µs
Time, 40 µs
Figura 7.- Surge distribution calculated and measured. Short circuit conditions
References:
[1]. K. J. Cornick, A.M. Kunji, “Nanosecond switching transients
recorded in a mining transformer installation”, Paper 92 SM
576-9 PWRD, IEEE 1992.
[2]. K. K. J. Cornick, B. Filliat, C. Kieny, W Muller,
“Distribution on very fast transient overvoltages in
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Paris, 1992.
[3]. Mexican Utility (CFE), “Failures in power transformers”,
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[4]. Y. Shibuya, S. Fujita, “High Frequency Model and Transient
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IEEE/PES, 2002, pp. 1839-1844.
[5]. K E. Bjerkan, H.K. Hoidalen, “High frequency FEM-based
power transformer modeling: Investigation of internal
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Power System Transients IPST, paper IPST05-106,
Montreal, Canada, June 2005.
ISSN: 1790-5117
into the iron core. Future works should address this
point.
Acknowledgements
The present work was supported by CONACYT and
DGEST of México.
Measured
Time, 40 µs
Time, 40 µs
[6]. V. Venegas, J.L. Guardado, E. Melgoza, A. Gonzalez, “A
High Frequency Model for Simulating Fast Transient
Overvoltages in Transformer Windings”, WSEAS
Transactions on Power Systems, Issue 8, Vol. 1, August
2006.
[7]. J.L. Guardado, V. Venegas, E. Melgoza, K.J. Cornick and
J.L. Naredo, “Transient overvoltages in electrical motors
during sequential pole closure,” IEEE Trans. Energy
Conversion, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 1999.
[8]. E. Rahimpour, J.Christian, K. Fesser.“ Transfer Function
Method to Diagnose Axial Displacement and Radial
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winding electrical parameters at high frequencies for
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Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS, HIGH VOLTAGES, ELECTRIC MACHINES

Calculated Measured

Time, 40 µs Time, 40 µs

Time, 40 µs Time, 40 µs

Time, 40 µs Time, 40 µs

Figura 8.- Surge distribution calculated and measured. Open circuit conditions

ISSN: 1790-5117 126 ISBN: 978-960-474-130-4