The Voltage Transformer (VT)

The voltage transformer (VT), formerly PT, is used to produce an accurate scaled replica
of the input voltage over a specified range. To this end the winding voltage drops are
made small and the normal flux density in the core is designed to be well below the
saturation flux density. This allows for the exciting current to be low and the exciting
impedance substantially constant with variation of applied voltage over the desired
operating range including some degree of over voltage. These limitations in design results
in the VT for a given burden being much larger than a typical power transformer of
similar rating.

Depending on the voltage level the wound secondary of a voltage transformer is

connected directly to the power system or across a section of a capacitor string to form a
Coupling Capacitor Voltage Transformer.

For the phase diagram shown

The ratio error is defined as

(KnVs - Vp)/ Vp

where:

Kn is the nominal turns ratio

Vp and Vs are the actual primary and secondary voltages.

From the formula above +ve errors indicates that the secondary voltage exceeds the
nominal value. Correction for this or the other extreme may be corrected using turns
compensation. It must also be noted that a positive error occurs for low burdens while a
negative will occur for high burdens.

The phase error is the angle between the reversed secondary and the primary voltages;
measure with respect to the primary voltage vector.

For protective purposes, VTs are required to respond to extremely low voltage values,
owing to voltage collapse that may occur during such faults.

The tables below highlight these error and measurement considerations.

The voltage factor, Vf, is an upper limit of operating voltage, expressed in per unit of
rated voltage.
Transient Performance

Transient errors for VTs are not of major consideration, given that voltage during faults
is usually reduced or collapses. However if voltage is suddenly applied, an inrush
transient will occur, as with other power transformers. The effect will be less severe than
for the power transformer because of the lower flux density for which the VT is designed.
If the VT is rated at a fairly high voltage factor, little inrush effect will occur.

Capacitor Voltage Transformer (CVT or CCVT)

The size of electromagnetic voltage transformers for the higher voltages is largely
proportional to the rated voltage. The CVT provides an alternative more economic
solution.

The CVT as shown is a capacitance potential divider. As with resistance-type dividers,

the output is affected by load at the tapping point. The capacitance divider differs in that
its equivalent source impedance is capacitive and can therefore be compensated by a
reactor connected in series with the tapping point. With an ideal reactor, such an
arrangement would have no regulation and could supply any value of output.

In producing the nominal 63.5v ph/e, the capacitors would be very large to permit a
normal value of output to be taken with errors within the usual limits. To avoid this
voltages at a higher level is tapped and then transformed to the usual value using a
relatively inexpensive transformer. The basic circuits for these three configurations are
shown below. There are numerous variations of these configurations to achieve operation
ideals.

C 1 C 1

C Zb Zb
2 C 2

( b )
( a )

C 1

L
T

C 2
ZB

(c)

The equivalent circuit shown below differs only in “L” and “C” from the basic circuit of
a transformer with referred impedances. At all frequencies, other than resonance, the net
reactance between L and C will result in changes in the standard errors associated with
the conventional VT.
 L R s

C 1 &C 2
R p

Ze

Transient Response

Sudden changes in the primary voltage Vp produces self oscillation in the output of
CVTs. However the damping effect of the resistive burden along with improvements in
construction reduces the effects of such oscillations.

Cascade VTs

Although CVTs were developed to address the high cost of electromagnetic transformers,
their frequency and transient responses limits their use. An alternate solution is the use of
Cascade VTs.
The conventional VT has a single primary winding. The cascade VT consisting of
individual transformers, connected in series, breaks down the primary voltage into
distinct and separate stages.

Each magnetic core has primary windings (P) on two opposite sides. The secondary
winding (S) consists of a single winding on the last stage only. Coupling windings (C),
connected in pairs between the stages, provide low impedance circuits for the transfer of
load ampere-turns between stages and ensure that the power frequency voltage is equally
distributed over the several primary windings.