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CORRECTED HARMONIC LOSS FACTOR FOR TRANSFORMERS SUPPLYIG

NONSINUSOIDAL LOAD CURRENTS

Sergey N. Makarov Alexander E. Emanuel

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA 01609, USA

-
Abstract The assumption that the eddy-current where
losses in windings is proportional with the square of T is conductor width (m), perpendicular to H vector,
the frequency is reasonable when conductors with sides p is conductor resistivity (nm),
less than 3 mm are used. For conductors with larger 110 = 4n10-' is conductor permeability (S2slm).
dimensions such assumption leads t o conservative re-
sults. T h i paper provides a corrected harmonic loss The leakage magnetic field HI of a transformer, is
factor that leads to more accurate prediction of trans- proportional with the load current I, i.e.
former capability to operate when supplying nonsinu-
H =KHI
soidal load currents.
When the load current is periodic, but nonsinusoidal,
Key Words: Harmonics, lhnsformers. its rms value
I. BACKGROUND
In today's industrial environment many transformers
initially installed to supply linear loads with nearly si- where
nusoidal currents, have had the original loads gradually Ih is the rms current harmonic of order h,
replaced with nonlinear loads that inject harmonic cur- j h = In/& k the rms current density ( A / m 2 )and
rents. hlany times such conditions call for transformers Ac is conductor cross sectional area ( m 2 ) .
derating or upgrading with a larger and more economi-
cal unit. Recommendations for the matching of a given The nonsinusoidal stray magnetic field will produce
load with the right transformer, or for computation of the eddy-current power loss
the needed derating at a given load, are provided in AN-
SI/IEEE C57.110/D7, 1998 [l]. The method adopted is
based on the use of a harmonic loss factor, FHL,explained
PE=x K
h=l
h21: = K A c
h=l
h2ji 1 (2)

as follo\vs:
When a conductor, Fig.1, is immersed in an alternat-
ing magnetic field

($j
~ ( =
t )JZHsin(hwt) : w = 2nf
where 11 1111
H is magnetic field rms value, (Alm),
f is power system frequency (60 or 50 Hz),
h is harmonic order and
hf is the frequency of the instantaneous magnetic
field H ( t ) .
, v
A crude estimation of the specific eddy current losses
caused by a magnetic field \rector parallel with conductor
lllllllll
side, can be obtained using the following expression[2]: Fig.1 Rectangular Conductor Immersed in a h.lagnetic
Field Perpendicular t o the Width r. Shaded Area Shows
the Eddy-Current Density Distribution.

C-7803-64S9-€/0S/$lO.SO 2809IEE:

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- 88 -

When the transformer current equals the rated cur- PEc-R(pu) = P E c - R / P & - R is the normalized eddy-
rent In, the corresponding rated eddy-urrent losses are current power loss under rated conditions, (60150 Hz si-
nusoidal) and
PEC-R = KI:, = KA& (3)
The total specific winding loss at a certain spot are

PW = p& +PEC (iv/ms) (4)

FHL=
h=l
where
pdc = PJ2 (5)
is the harmonic loss factor, a key indicator of the current
.

The normalized winding power loss, at a certain spot, harmonic impact on the winding losses.
are obtained from (4) Under rated sinusoidal current I+) = 1, FHL = 1
and the h o t s p o t specific power loss is

Pw(pu)= 1+ PEC-R(~U) = Pwn(pu)

where the rated Joule loss
If the current is nonsinusoidal FHL> 1 and the hotspot
losses PW(p.1 may esceed the rated value PH,nbu) even
.
when I(pu) < 1 The concept of derating is based on the
are the base power. condition
The first term
P W R @ u ) = I&z(pu)[1 + PEC-R@u)FHL] (11)

where
Imot(pu) is the per unit value of the maximum nonsi-
nusoidal current, with the harmonic loss factor FHL,that
From (2) and (3) we have is causing the same h o t s p o t total losses as the rated si-
nusoidal current. From (11) results
PEC= KAc h23:
h=l

This method is recommended in [l] for dry-type tran-

hence sformers. The goal of this report is to emphasize the fact
that for medium and large transformers (12) gives a con-
servative result.

Substitution of (7) and (8) in (6) gives

11. A MORE ACCURATE APPROACH

or
Pw
Pdc-R
I
L
+
PEC-R
PdC-X
A more accurate expression for the specific eddy-
current losses in a rectangular conductor was first given
in 1892 by Thomson[3] and applied to induction heating
design in 1979 by Davies[4]:
pW(p.) = '&)[1+ PEC-R(~U)~HL~ (9)
PEC = POwH2F(t) (13)
where

I&) = I;/I;
h=l

is the normalized current squared,

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 - 89 -

6 = &fi is the depth of penetration at harmonic with 60 Hz fundamental frequency. The displayed graphs
frequency h f , are for conductor width 7 =3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 mm.
6~ = d m is depth of penetration at the power The graph h2 was added to provide a reference for
frequency j . For a copper conductor at 60 Hz and 90°C, comparison. We observe that the first method gives a
6n zz 9.7 m m and for aluminum 6~ 12.4 mm. For a reasonable result for 1 < h < 20 only for transformers u-
harmonic of order h tilizing conductors with T < 3 111111. For larger conductors
the discrepancy is significant. For example, if T = 6 mm,
significant differences are shown for h > 7, and for T = 12
mm the remarkable error becomes visible from h = 3.
Writing now PECin function of the current, (13) becomes
PEC=K'fF(c)12 ; K'=P?rpc~oK; (14) 400
In the general case when the current is nonsinusoidal

PEC= K'f F(€h)hl; (15)

G
up
300
U
h=l u
Normalizing (15) to the rated eddy-current losses we

0
1 5 10 15 20 25 30
Substitution of (16) in (6) gives equation
HARMONIC ORDER, h
Fig.:! The Function hF(&)/F(En) vs. Harmonic Order
h. Rectangular Copper Conductor with Thickness T .
Fundamental Frequency 60 Hz.

L h=l J
that is a corrected form of (9) To compare the approsimate and the exact method
in a practical situation we will rework an esample used in
[I]: It is a standard transformer with a 1200 A rated cur-
rent and PEC-R@U)= 0.15. The secondary windings were
assumed to be made with six parallel conductors, oxygen
free copper, 3.65 x 11.00 mm. The normalized current
L h-1 J spectrum and the pertinent computed values are summa-
Comparing eqs. (17) with (9) we learn that Thomson- rized in Table I. We deal with a reasonable low current
Davis expression leads to a corrected harmonic loss fac- distortion, THD1 = 0.262, typical for mixed linear and
tor nonlinear industrial loads.
The computed harmonic loss factors are
3.3372 1.748
FHL = - = 3.123 ; FfrL = - = 1.636
h=l \a 1.0687
The total specific normalized losses (9) and (17), at
1.0687

The importance of the corrected method is demon- the hotspot, are

strated in Figd where the graphs hF(&)/F(<R)are pre-
sented in function of the harmonic order h, for copper con- = 1.069(1 0.15 x 3.123) = 1.569 ~ Z C +
ductors at 90°C, immersed in alternating magnetic fields

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90 -
for the first method, and for the improved method
+
P b b ) = 1.069(1 0.15 x 1.636) = 1.331 pu
The values of the maximum nonsinusoidal current (12)
that yield the same h o t s p o t temperature as the rated
sinusoidal current are
TJ +
I~+,,) = 1 0.15 x 3.123 = 0.885 p u
Ima = 0.885 x 1200 = 1062 A
for the first method, and for the improved method
-4 +
I,!,,ebu)= 1 0.15 x 1.636 = 0.960 p u
I;= = 0.960 x 1200 = 1153 A
The improved computations allow for 8.6% increase in the
current. If the same transformer will experience a nonsi-
nusoidal current with a distortion THDI > 0.262, then
the discrepancy between the maximum allowable currents
I m a b ) and I,!,,=@) \vi11 be even more significant.
Table 1. Esample[l]: Normalized Nonsinusoidal Current
Spectrum and Computed Data Leading to FHLand
Transformer Derating.
with two components, an axial component H, and a radial
component H,. The eddy-current losses are the contri-
butions of both components. In typical transformers in
the vicinity of the hotspot 0.1 < Hr/H, < 0.5, however
the conductor sides ratio may be found in a wide range,
1 5 g/T < 15. This situation requires the calculation
of an equivalent harmonic loss factor that will account
for both, axial and radial eddy-current losses. For larg-
er more expensive transformers, such exact computations
seem warranted. However, to implement these calcula-
tions, the knowledge of conductor’s dimensions 7 and g
as well as the ratio it H,/H,, is a must. The capability
of smaller units build with foil conductors or conductors
with a maximum dimension < 3 mm, can be determined
using the approximation method[5].
V. REFERENCES
[l] A”I/LEEE C57.110/D7, “Recommended Practice for
Establishing Thnsfonner Capability when Supplying h’on-
sinusoidal Load Currents,’IEEE,
’ N y ,Febr. 1998.
[2] MIT Department of Electrical Engineering, ”Magnetic
Circvits and !hnsformers,” MIT press, July 1962, pag.135.
[3] J.J. Thomson, ”On the Heat Produced by Eddy Cur-
rents in an Iron Plate Exposed to an Alternating Mag-
netic Field,” The Electrician, April 8, 1892, pp.509-
600.

II 1 II (Ih/IX)’ I (IA/Il)*h’ 11 h(F(&)/F((R) I h$$$ (3)’I [4] E.J. Davis, ”Conduction and Induction Hating,” Pe-
ter Peregrinus, 1990, page 89.
, 1.000
- I I
1.000 II 1.000 l
I
1.000 l 1
,-a - Yildirim.
51 D. - E.F. Fuchs. ”Measured Tkansformer De-
5 1 0.233 I 1.357 1) 10.175 I 0.552 rating Comparison with.Harmonic LOSS Factor (FHL)
7 I 0.108 I 0.571 11 12.670 I 0.148 Approach,” IEEE Tkansactionson Power Deli\rery, \’01.15,
11 0.042 0.213 11.590 0.030 Nb:l, Jan: 2000, pp.166-91.
13 0.027 0.123 16.640 0.012
L
17 ‘
0.013 0.049 18.530 0.004
19 I 0.008 1 0.023 I 19.380 I 0.002
>: I I 3.337 I I 1.748

111. CONCLUSIONS

The assumption that the eddy-current losses in trans

former windings are proportional to the square of frequen-
cy is correct only for small transformers using conductors
whose dimensions are less than 3 mm. For transformers
using wider or thicker conductors the method given in the
actual standard(l1 leads to conservative results.
In practice the h o t s p o t is located in the low voltage
winding, near the upper end. The conductors located in
that area are exposed to an inclined magnetic field vector

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