1

2D Electromagnetic Transient and Thermal

Modeling of a Three Phase Power Transformer
P. M. Nicolae, Senior Member, IEEE, D. Constantin, PhD Student, IEEE, and M. C. NITU, PhD
Student, IEEE

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to validate a already

designed three phase power transformer with some advanced
ANSYS modules, such ANSYS Maxwell 2D and ANSYS
Mechanical, for three types of charging (low charge - nominal
parameters, half charge - 50 % and full charge - 100 %). On the
same time, it can be seen the 2D magnetic nonlinear behaviour of
this three phase power transformer and thermal effects for the
ferromagnetic core. Also it can be found the magnitude of B field,
the regions with problems and the value of the total core losses for
the same transformer. It has used the latest versions from ANSYS,
Workbench 14.5 and Maxwell 2D v.16.
Index TermsANSYS Maxwell 2D, ANSYS Mechanical,
electromagnetic, Finite Element Analysis, modelling, thermal,
three phase power transformer.

I. INTRODUCTION

fter more than 180 years from transformer discovery,

the industry tries to step up with the new trends such
new
materials,
new
equipments,
new
formula's
approximations, new drawing, analytical and validating
software's. Sure, more varied is the market with those
products, more problems there are, but what is the best? 2D or
3D analysis, more copper or more steel, dry or oil-immersed,
are only a few questions for manufacturers. So, they must do
some compromise.
One of the biggest concerns for transformers is the losses.
Those losses can be generated by magnetic core, windings, tie
rods and other transformer metallic components. They are also
the principal cause of losing time and money, because they are
causing the thermal heating, so the manufacturers are forced to
do some changes like: using an oil with specific properties for
cooling, or increasing the insulation's distances, or using a
more efficient insulation paper, or mounting a more efficient
cooling system. However, all those changes will lead to
increased dimensions for the transformer, causing major
problems during assembling and transportation. As for
manufacturers is always very important to know exactly their
position on the market and how to make their products more
efficient. The best solution for them is to understand the
behaviour of the entire transformer, and optimize the initial
model in order to reduce the costs, the time to release the
product on the market, while having at the same time a lower
consumption of materials, a lower size, a lower energy
consumption, a lower power losses, etc.
II. ABOUT ANSYS MAXWELL
ANSYS Maxwell is a high-performance interactive

software package that uses finite element analysis (FEA) to

solve electric, magnetostatic, eddy current and transient
problems. Maxwell solves the electromagnetic field problems
by solving Maxwell's equations in a finite region of space with
appropriate boundary conditions and - when necessary with
user-specified initial conditions in order to obtain a solution
with guaranteed uniqueness.
Maxwell equations:
Faraday's law of induction:

E = B
Gauss' law of magnetism:
E= 0
Ampere's law for current:

H = J + D
Gauss' law of electricity:
D=

III. TECHNICAL DATES ABOUT TRANSFORMER

Is proposed to be validate a 325 MVA three phase power
transformer, five-legs magnetic core, laminated steel, 15 steps
on a side, 5 steps of insulation and 2 cooling ducts on a side plus
another one on the core center. The transformer has 3 windings;
LV winding, HV winding and 2 coils for Tap winding. HV
winding has a 690 turns, LV winding has 55 turns and the Tap
winding has 10 disks and 45 turns on each coil.
The type of connection for this transformer is Ynd11 and
work at 50 Hz. One other particularity for the transformer are
the cuts at the superior and inferior yoke for each step, aiming to
reduce the core quantity of metal and implicit the core losses
and making it easier to transport.
For transformer construction was used copped for the
windings, upgraded paper for the insulation and laminated steel
with the characteristics presented below to Fig. 1 from
manufacturer.

Also was sett core losses only to core geometry and

negligible the eddy current effect to the windings.
After this operation, all the terminals was assign to the two
windings (LV and HV winding), Tap winding been introduced
to HV winding. The excitation for windings was Voltage and
selected the Stranded type for the turns and a calculated
resistance.
15= 0.0214

mm
m

Voltage sources have the next form and they are increasing
sources in several cycles, with purpose of eliminate the inrush
currents and reduce a long time of simulation.
( 50 time)
Vpeak [ 1 e
] cos (2 50 time)
(1)
( 50 time)
Vpeak [ 1 e
] cos (2 50 time+ (2 / 3 time)) (2)
( 50 time)
Vpeak [ 1 e
] cos (2 50 time+ (4 / 3 time )) (3)
Fig. 1. BH and BP curves for the 325 MVA transformer core

*Vpeak is modify once for HV winding and once for each case (330, 400
and 430 kV). For LV winding is always the same because in secondary the
voltage remains approximatively constant, 17.5 kV.

As for designing characteristics, you can see them on the Fig.

2, dimensions that was analytical calculated, without a
optimization software.
An other observation is that regulation is doing on the HV
winding.

Fig. 3. 2D model of the transformer designed in ANSYS Maxwell 2D

Environment

IV. ABOUT THE PHYSIC MODEL DRAW IN MAXWELL 2D

Fig. 2. Design and summary dimensions of the core and the windings for 325
MVA transformer (blue - LV winding; red - HV winding; green - Tap winding;
yellow - insulation; gray - core)

To do the 2D analyse, there must done some simplification

from the designed model. For all 2D model was used a single
type of geometrical figure, rectangle and also the Maxwell
subtract function. For some approximation of the entire model
and the future results, was set a model depth of 153 cm.

Parameters:
S n= 325 MVA
U HVwinding = 330/ 400/ 430 kV
U LVwinding = 17.5 kV
f = 50 Hz

N HVwinding = 690 turns

N LVwinding = 55 turns
N TapWinding = 90 turns
R HV = 0.4822 for 330 kV on HV winding
R HV = 0.51 for 400 kV on HV winding
R HV = 0.5504 for 430 kV on HV winding
R LV = 0.002306 for 17.5 kV on LV winding

First must said that all the simulations are done in time
domain (Transient).
For each winding (LV and HV) or disk (Tap winding) was
created sections to apply excitations. As excitations was
chosen Coil and putted on the fields the turns number and the
Polarity.

A. First case: U HVwinding = 330 kV

For this case, HV winding has only 690 turns, without
regulation interfering. For the LV winding, the number of
turns remains for each case the same, 55 turns. Also is
modifying the voltage peak and the resistance.

Fig. 4. B field on the core, having a maximum point of

B max = 1.7999 T

for

3
the minimum charge

After the simulation, it can be seen from the B field

graphique the nonlinear behaviour of the transformer, with a
maximum of 1.7999 T for 330 kV case. The highest values of
the B field are registered to the corners of the central
windows.

Fig. 7.

Core losses for each voltage peak, reaching at a maximum of

P max = 62.8631 kW at the end of simulation (0.1 sec.)

Fig. 5.

Core losses for each voltage peak, reaching at a maximum of

P max = 56.8317 kW at the end of simulation (0.1 sec.)

The total core losses for the transformer are maximum at

the end of the simulation, gradually increasing from 0 until
56.8317 kW. For the interval 0.08 0.1, the average of the
total core losses are 49.1519 kV. And in here it can be seen the
nonlinear behaviour of the ferromagnetic core.

The total core losses for the transformer are maximum at

the end of the simulation, gradually increasing from 0 until
62.8631 kW. For the interval 0.08 0.1, the average of the
total core losses are 53.4062 kV.
Even the B field are not very different for those two cases,
it can't be said the same for the core losses. The difference
from those two are almost 11%.
C. Third case: U HVwinding= 430 kV
HV winding has 690 turns plus 20 disks from Tap winding,
but at maximum voltage and with a higher resistance.

B. Second case: U HVwinding= 400 kV

For the second case, HV winding has 690 turns and a plus
from regulation of 14 disks. For the LV winding, the number
of turns remains for each case the same, 55 turns. Also is
modifying the voltage peak and the resistance.

Fig. 8. B field on the core, having a maximum point of

the minimum charge

B max = 1.7562 T

for

After the simulation, it can be seen from the B field graphique

the nonlinear behaviour of the transformer, with a maximum
of 1.6572 T, for 430 kV case.
Fig. 6. B field on the core, having a maximum point of
the half charge

B max = 1.7966 T

for

On the Fig. 6 it can be seen that the maximum B field is

1.7966 T for 400 kV case.
From this figure and from the previous, it can be said that
the B field from those two, are not so different.

Fig. 9.

Core losses for each voltage peak, reaching at a maximum of

4
P max = 66.5456 kW at the end of simulation (0.1 sec.)

The total core losses for the transformer are maximum at

the end of the simulation, gradually increasing from 0 until
66.5456 kW. For the interval 0.08 0.1, the average of the
total core losses are 55.938 kV.
The difference from the latest two cases are almost of 5%,
even the difference for the B field are bigger.

Video: 128 MB; 1280 x 1024.

VI. RESULTS
ANumber of tetrahedrons after creating the mesh was 31 040
elements;
Solutioning time for the simulations was aprox. 26
min;

V. THE ANALYSIS WITH ANSYS MECHANICAL

The maximum B field for 330 kV was 1.6277 T; the
maximum B field for 400 kV was 1.6444 T and the
maximum B field for 430 kV was 1.6572 T;

ANSYS software has a great working environment that

offers to the users the possibility of combining more than one
modules, easy and at a click distance. This environment is
called Workbench.
The thermal simulation was done only for the highest B
field value, so for the last case of voltage,and to Mechanical
was imported only Heat Generation as parameter. The
simulation was reduced to 2D for a sheet from the biggest step
of the ferromagnetic core.

The core losses pick for 330 kV was 56.8317 kW; the
core losses pick for 400 kV was 62.8631 kW and the
core losses pick for 430 kV was 66.5456 kW;
The highest value from the heat generation of the
2
ferromagnetic core was J max = 14043 W / m .
The highest value of the temperature from the
ferromagnetic core was 94.76 C.
VII. CONCLUSIONS

Fig. 10. Heat Generation imported from ANSYS Maxwell 2D with a pick of
J max = 14043 W / m 2

A first conclusion is that the highest B field is recorded for

430 kV at the corners of the 2 central windows and the pick of
the core losses is recorded for 430 kV. The simulation time is
quite long for a 2D analysis, but if is used a HPC license and
an advanced computer, can be reduce it. If not, the software
can be used without problems.
The highest temperature of the core are found on the same
places were the B field is maximum and were the designers
can come with different solutions to decrease or increase the
distance between core and windings, using a different type of
insulation, etc.
After those 2 studies, magnetic and thermal with ANSYS
Maxwell 2D and ANSYS Mechanical, the results can be very
easy sent to other modules from ANSYS for a structural and
fluid dynamics analysis, to see if the designed transformer
resist and what are the effects of the cooling system, and than
do more changes to find the optimized solution.
This study and the results obtained validate the designed
product and it can be sent to production.
VIII. REFERENCES

Fig. 11. Core temperature for the last case, when the total core losses are
maximum T max = 94.76 C .

The maximum temperature of the core are 94.76 C for and

the zone were there are those points are at the corners of the
central windows.
All the simulations was done using ANSYS Workbench
14.5, and the last version of Maxwell, 16 and a personal
computer with the following caracteristics:
CPU: Intel Pentium 4, DualCore 3.2 GHz/core;
RAM: 4 GB;

Periodicals:
[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

E. Schmidt, and S. Ojak, "3D MSC/EMAS simulation of a three phase

transformer by means of anisotropic material properties", Vienna,
Austria.
M. Jamali, M. Mirzaie, and S. Asghar Gholamian, "Calculation and
analysis of transformer Inrush current based on parameters of
transformer and operating conditions", 2011.
R. Rahnavard, M. Valizadelu, A.A.B. Sharifian, and S.H. Hosseini,
''Analytical analysis of transformer inrush current and some new
techniques for its reduction''.
M. H. Amrollahi, and S. Hassani, ''Determination losses and estimate
life of distribution transformers with three computational, measurement
and simulation methods, despite harmonic loads''.

Books:
[5]

Pavlos S. Georgilakis, Spotlight on modern transformer, Springer, 2009,

p. 18-23, 33, 263-325.

Tutorials:
[6]

www.ansys.com, User's guide Maxwell 2D, p. 637-667.

Papers Presented at Conferences (Unpublished):

[7]

[8]

[9]

D. Ebehard and E. Voges, "Digital single sideband detection for

interferometric sensors," presented at the 2nd Int. Conf. Optical Fiber
Sensors, Stuttgart, Germany, 1984.
D. Constantin, P. M. Nicolae, and C. M. Nitu, "3D Finite Element
Analysis of a three phase power transformer", Full Paper sent for
EUROCON 2013 Conference, Zagreb, Croatia, 2013.
D. Constantin, P. M. Nicolae, "Analiza comparativa privind utilizarea
unor programe de specialitate pentru validarea proiectarii unor
transformatoare de putere", Full Paper sent and presented at SNET' 12
Symposium, Bucuresti, Romania, 2012.

Dissertations:
[10] D. Susa, "Dynamic thermal modelling of power transformers," Ph.D.
dissertation, Dept. of Electrical and Communications Eng., Helsinki
Univ. of Tehnology, 2005.

Standards:
[11] IEC Guide for Power and Distribution Transformers, IEC 60076-1 to
10.1.

IX. BIOGRAPHIES
Petre-Marian Nicolae, was born on September 4,
1957, in Craiova, Romania. He received the Ph.D.
degree in Electrical Engineering from Politehnica
University of Bucharest in 1997, and is presently
Professor in Electrical Engineering, Energetics and
Aeronautics Dept., University of Craiova. He has
worked on distorting and/or non-symmetrical
regimes,
transient
regimes,
unconventional
technologies, power systems (including system
with localized power), power converters and
electrical drives for urban transportation systems, power quality, energy
efficiency, superconductivity, electromagnetic compatibility. He was a
Director for more than 35 research scientific contracts, including research
themes developed in partnership with the industrial companies. He developed
some laboratories for teaching purposes (for Electrical Circuits and Data
Acquisition Systems in three-phase area, Electromagnetic Compatibility) and
for research (Power Quality and Electromagnetic Compatibility, Modeling
and Simulation in Electrical Engineering). One of this Laboratory (Power
Quality was included in The National Laboratories for Scientific Research in
2006. Between 2006-2009 he was The Scientific Director for Oltenia InterDisciplinary Platform for scientific research. He is the Coordinator of the
research team and the Coordinator of Research Center of Electrotechnics in
Transportation and Energy Efficiency - ELTRES. He was rewarded with the
Romanian Academy Prize in 2000, and respectively with the Romanian
Engineers Association Prize in 1998. In 2005 and 2006 he and the team
coordinated by him was rewarded with the Prize for Excellence in Scientific
Research by the National Authority for Research. He received the IEEE
EMC Society University Grant in 2012. He is Senior Member IEEE.
Dorinel Constantin, was born on August 24, 1986,
in Filiasi, Romania. He received the Master degree
in Electrical Engineering from Faculty of
Electrotechnics, University of Craiova in 2011, and
is presently 1st year Ph.D. Student in Electrical
Engineering, Energetics and Aeronautics Dept.,
University of Craiova. He has worked on designing
power transformers for Electroputere S.A Craiova,
Romania. He is working for INAS Craiova, Romania
to Electromagnetics Department.

Maria Cristina Nitu, was born on February 24,

1985, in Craiova, Romania. He received the Master
degree in Electrical Engineering from Faculty of
Electrotechnics, University of Craiova in 2011, and
is presently 1st year Ph.D. Student in Electrical
Engineering, Energetics and Aeronautics Dept.,
University of Craiova.