Current transformer
A current transformer is a type of transformer that reduces or multiplies alternating current, producing a current in its secondary which is proportional to the current in its primary.
Current transformers, along with voltage or potential transformers, are instrument transformers, which scale the large values of voltage or current to small, standardized values that are easy to handle for measuring instruments and protective relays. Instrument transformers isolate measurement or protection circuits from the high voltage of the primary system. A current transformer presents a negligible load to the primary circuit.
Current transformers are the current-sensing units of the power system and are used at generating stations, electrical substations, and in industrial and commercial electric power distribution.
Function
A current transformer has a primary winding, a core, and a secondary winding, although some transformers use an air core. While the physical principles are the same, the details of a "current" transformer compared with a "voltage" transformer will differ because of different requirements of the application. A current transformer is designed to maintain an accurate ratio between the currents in its primary and secondary circuits over a defined range.The alternating current in the primary produces an alternating magnetic field in the core, which then induces an alternating current in the secondary. The primary circuit is largely unaffected by the insertion of the CT. Accurate current transformers need close coupling between the primary and secondary to ensure that the secondary current is proportional to the primary current over a wide current range. The current in the secondary is the current in the primary divided by the number of turns of the secondary. In the illustration on the right, 'I' is the current in the primary, 'B' is the magnetic field, 'N' is the number of turns on the secondary, and 'A' is an AC ammeter.
Current transformers typically consist of a silicon steel ring core wound with many turns of copper wire, as shown in the illustration to the right. The conductor carrying the primary current is passed through the ring. The CT's primary, therefore, consists of a single 'turn'. The primary 'winding' may be a permanent part of the current transformer, i.e., a heavy copper bar to carry current through the core. Window-type current transformers are also common, which can have circuit cables run through the middle of an opening in the core to provide a single-turn primary winding. To assist accuracy, the primary conductor should be centered in the aperture.
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. This ratio can also be used to find the impedance or voltage on one side of the transformer, given the appropriate value at the other side. For the 4000:5 CT, the secondary impedance can be found as, and the secondary voltage can be found as. In some cases, the secondary impedance is referred to the primary side, and is found as. Referring the impedance is done simply by multiplying initial secondary impedance value by the current ratio. The secondary winding of a CT can have taps to provide a range of ratios, five taps being common.
Current transformer shapes and sizes vary depending on the end-user or switch gear manufacturer. Low-voltage single ratio metering current transformers are either a ring type or plastic molded case.
Split-core current transformers either have a two-part core or a core with a removable section. This allows the transformer to be placed around a conductor without disconnecting it first. Split-core current transformers are typically used in low current measuring instruments, often portable, battery-operated, and hand-held.
Use
Current transformers are used extensively for measuring current and monitoring the operation of the power grid. Along with voltage leads, revenue-grade CTs drive the electrical utility's watt-hour meter on many larger commercial and industrial supplies.High-voltage current transformers are mounted on porcelain or polymer insulators to isolate them from ground. Some CT configurations slip around the bushing of a high-voltage transformer or circuit breaker, which automatically centers the conductor inside the CT window.
Current transformers can be mounted on the low voltage or high voltage leads of a power transformer. Sometimes a section of a bus bar can be removed to replace a current transformer.
Often, multiple CTs are installed as a "stack" for various uses. For example, protection devices and revenue metering may use separate CTs to provide isolation between metering and protection circuits and allows current transformers with different characteristics to be used for the devices.
In the United States, the National Electrical Code requires residual current devices in commercial and residential electrical systems to protect outlets installed in "wet" locations such as kitchens and bathrooms, as well as weatherproof outlets installed outdoors. Such devices, most commonly ground fault circuit interrupters, typically run both the 120-volt energized conductor and the neutral return conductor through a current transformer, with the secondary coil connected to a trip device.
Under normal conditions, the current in the two circuit wires will be equal and flow in opposite directions, resulting in zero net current through the CT and no current in the secondary coil. If the supply current is redirected downstream into the third circuit conductor, or into earth ground, the neutral return current will be less than the supply current, resulting in a positive net current flow through the CT. This net current flow will induce current in the secondary coil, which will cause the trip device to operate and de-energize the circuit - typically within 0.2 seconds.
The burden impedance should not exceed the specified maximum value to avoid the secondary voltage exceeding the limits for the current transformer. The primary current rating of a current transformer should not be exceeded, or the core may enter its non-linear region and ultimately saturate. This would occur near the end of the first half of each half of the AC sine wave in the primary and compromise accuracy.
Safety
Current transformers are often used to monitor high currents or currents at high voltages. Technical standards and design practices are used to ensure the safety of installations using current transformers.The secondary of a current transformer should not be disconnected from its burden while current is in the primary, as the secondary will attempt to continue driving current into an effective infinite impedance potentially generating high voltages and thus compromising operator safety. For certain current transformers, this voltage may reach several kilovolts and may cause arcing. Exceeding the secondary voltage may also degrade the accuracy of the transformer or destroy it. Output voltage is limited by core saturation since the primary flux is not canceled by secondary flux when the core is saturated. Because of this, smaller current transformers may not actually incur dangerous voltages when operating nominally. Faster current transients from loads being switched on etc. can however still induce dangerous voltage levels due to high current slope.
Accuracy
The accuracy of a CT is affected by a number of factors including:- Burden
- Burden class/saturation class
- Rating factor
- Load
- External electromagnetic fields
- Temperature
- Physical configuration
- The selected tap, for multi-ratio CTs
- Phase change
- Capacitive coupling between primary and secondary
- Resistance of primary and secondary
- Core magnetizing current
Current transformers used for protective relaying also have accuracy requirements at overload currents in excess of the normal rating to ensure accurate performance of relays during system faults. A CT with a rating of 2.5L400 specifies with an output from its secondary winding of twenty times its rated secondary current and 400 V its output accuracy will be within 2.5 percent.
Burden
The secondary load of a current transformer is termed the "burden" to distinguish it from the primary load.The burden in a CT metering electrical network is largely resistive impedance presented to its secondary winding. Typical burden ratings for IEC CTs are 1.5 VA, 3 VA, 5 VA, 10 VA, 15 VA, 20 VA, 30 VA, 45 VA and 60 VA. ANSI/IEEE burden ratings are B-0.1, B-0.2, B-0.5, B-1.0, B-2.0 and B-4.0. This means a CT with a burden rating of B-0.2 will maintain its stated accuracy with up to 0.2 Ω on the secondary circuit. These specification diagrams show accuracy parallelograms on a grid incorporating magnitude and phase angle error scales at the CT's rated burden. Items that contribute to the burden of a current measurement circuit are switch-blocks, meters and intermediate conductors. The most common cause of excess burden impedance is the conductor between the meter and the CT. When substation meters are located far from the meter cabinets, the excessive length of cable creates a large resistance. This problem can be reduced by using thicker cables and CTs with lower secondary currents, both of which will produce less voltage drop between the CT and its metering devices.