Protective and Measuring Transformers M4
- Description
- Current transformer
- Voltage transformer
The task of instrument transformers is to transform high currents and voltages proportionally and in-phase into small current or voltage values for measuring or protection purposes. So they are used either to measure and record the transmitted power or to feed protection devices with evaluable signals, which enable the protection device to e.g. trip a switching device depending on the situation. Furthermore, they isolate the connected measuring or protection equipment electrically from live parts of the switchgear.
Current transformers can be regarded as transformers working in short-circuit, with the full normal current flowing through their primary side. Devices connected on the secondary side are series-connected. Current transformers can have several secondary windings with magnetically separated cores of the same or different characteristics. They can, for example, be equipped with two measuring cores of different accuracy class, or with measuring and protection cores with different accuracy limit factors. Due to the risk of overvoltages, current transformers must not be operated with open secondary terminals, but only in short circuit or with the burden of the measuring equipment.
Voltage transformers contain only one magnet core and are normally designed with one single secondary winding. If necessary, earthed (single-phase) voltage transformers are provided with an additional residual voltage winding (earth-fault winding) beside the secondary winding (measuring winding). In contrast to current transformers, voltage transformers must never be short-circuited on the secondary side. The earth-side terminal of the primary winding is effectively earthed in the terminal box, and must not be removed in operation.