Earthing Transformer or Grounding

Transformer
Stability on External Earth Fault(E/F) on Delta Side of Y/
Power Transformer
If the earthing transformer on the Delta Side is outsides the Zone of protection the Earth
Fault(E/F)in the delta system outside Current Transformer(CT) locations would produce current
distributions as shown which circulate within the differential CT secondaries and is kept out of
operating coils.

Zig-Zag or inter connected star grounding transformer has normal magnetising impedance of
high value but for E/F, currents flow in windings of the same - core in such a manner that the
ampere turn cancel and hence offer lower impedance.
In cases where the neutral point of three phase system is not accessible like the system connected
to the delta connected side of a electrical power transformer, an artificial neutral point may be
created with help of a zigzag connected earthing transformer.
This is a core type transformer with three limbs. Every phase winding in zigzag connection is
divided into two equal halves. One half of which is wound on one limb and other half is wound
on another limb of the core of transformer.
1st half of Red phase winding is wound on the 1st limb of the core and 2nd half of same Red
phase is wound on 3rd limb.
1st half of Yellow phase winding is wound on the 2nd limb of the core and 2nd half of same
Yellow phase is wound on 1st limb.
1st half of Blue phase winding is wound on the 3rd limb of the core and 2nd half of same Blue
phase is wound on 2nd limb.

End point of all three windings ultimately connected together and forms a common neutral point.
Now if any fault occurs at any of the phases in delta connected system, the zero sequence fault
current has close path of circulating through earth as shown in the figure.

In normal condition of the system, the voltage across the winding of the earthing transformer is
1/3 times of rated per phase voltage of the system. But when single line to ground fault occurs
on any phase of the system, as shown in the figure, zero sequence component of the earth fault
current flows in the earth and returns to the electrical power system by way of earth star point of
the earthing transformer. It gets divided equally in all the three phases. Hence, as shown in the
figure, the currents in the two different halves of two windings in the same limb of the core flow
in opposite directions. And therefore the magnetic flux set up by these two currents will oppose
and neutralize each other. As there is no increase in flux due to fault current, there is no change
of d/dt means no choking effect occurs to impede the flow of fault current. So it can be
concluded like that, the zigzag type earthing or grounding transformer maintains the rated
supply voltage at normal current as well as when a solid single line to ground fault current
flows through it.
The rated voltage of an earthing or grounding transformer is the line to line voltage on
which it is intended to be used. Current rating of this transformer is the maximum neutral
current in Amperes that the transformer is designed to carry in fault condition for a

specific time. Generally the time interval, for which transformer designed to carry the
maximum fault current through it safely, is taken as 30 second.