Transformer, its construction and losses & efficiency

TRANSFORMER
A transformer is a device which uses the phenomenon of mutual induction to
change the values of alternating voltages and currents. In fact, one of the main
advantages of a.c. transmission and distribution is the ease with which an
alternating voltage can be increased or decreased by transformers. Losses in
transformers are generally low and thus efficiency is high. Being static they have
a long life and are very stable.

A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux
in the transformer's core, and thus a varying magnetic field through the
secondary winding. This varying magnetic field induces a varying electromotive
force (EMF) or "voltage" in the secondary winding. This effect is called mutual
induction.

Transformers range in size from the miniature units used in electronic

applications to the large power transformers used in power stations; the principle
of operation is the same for each.

A transformer consisting of two electrical circuits linked by a common

ferromagnetic core. One coil is termed the primary winding which is connected to
the supply of electricity, and the other the secondary winding, which may be
connected to a load.

CONSTRUCTION:
1. There are broadly two types of single-phase double-wound transformer
constructions — the core type and the shell type, The low and high voltage
windings are wound as shown to reduce leakage flux.

2. For power transformers, rated possibly at several MVA and operating at a

frequency of 50 Hz in Great Britain, the core material used is usually laminated
silicon steel or stalloy, the laminations reducing eddy currents and the silicon

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Transformer, its construction and losses & efficiency

steel keeping hysteresis loss to a minimum. Large power transformers are used in
the main distribution system and in industrial supply circuits. Small power
transformers have many applications, examples including welding and rectifier
supplies, domestic bell circuits, imported washing machines, and so on.

3. For audio frequency (a.f.) transformers, rated from a few mVA to no more than
20VA, and operating at frequencies up to about 15 kHz, the small core is also
made of laminated silicon steel. A typical application of a.f. transformers is in an
audio amplifier system.

4. Radio frequency (r.f.) transformers, operating in the MHz frequency region

have either an air core, a ferrite core or a dust core. Ferrite is a ceramic material
having magnetic properties similar to silicon steel, but having a high resistivity.
Dust cores consist of fine particles of carbonyl iron or perm alloy (i.e. nickel and
iron), each particle of which is insulated from its neighbour. Applications of r.f.
transformers are found in radio and television receivers.

5. Transformer windings are usually of enamel-insulated copper or aluminium.

6. Cooling is achieved by air in small transformers and oil in large transformers.

TRANSFORMER LOSSES AND EFFICIENCY

There are broadly two sources of losses in transformers on load, these being
copper losses and iron losses.
(a) Copper losses are variable and result in a heating of the conductors, due to
the fact that they possess resistance. If R1 and R2 are the primary and secondary
winding resistances then the total copper loss is I21 R1 +I22R2.
(b) Iron losses are constant for a given value of frequency and flux density and
are of two types - hysteretic loss and eddy current loss.

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