2nd IEEE International Conference on Power and Energy (PECon 08), December 1-3, 2008, Johor Baharu, Malaysia

Reduction of Magnetizing Inrush Current in a

Delta Connected Transformer
K. P. Basu * and Ali Asghar **
*

Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia. Email: kartik.basu@mmu.edu.my

Faculty of Engineering, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia. Email: ali-asghar@mmu.edu.my

**

in one phase. Therefore, the only option remains for the

reduction of inrush current of a delta connected primary
is to insert external resistors in series with the line. These
resistors may be shorted after the inrush current decays
out. The resistors may be inserted at the secondary of
protective current transformers, which may increase the
VA rating of the cts to high values and are not acceptable.
.
This paper reports the simulation studies on the inrush
current produced by the delta side energization of deltastar transformer with additional resistors connected in
series with the line. Optimum value of the resistor
produces quick decay of the inrush current enabling the
resistors to be shorted with very short time delay. Three
resistors in series with 3 phases need a circuit breaker
having 6 contacts. But controlled switching of one
winding with resistor switching of only one line also
reduces inrush current and needs a circuit breaker having
4 contacts.

Abstract Magnetizing inrush current in power

transformer creates severe power quality problems.
Energization of the transformer from the delta side of a
delta-star transformer does not allow the control of neutral
resistor at the time of switching the supply for reducing the
inrush current. Controlled switching at peak value of the
voltage may reduce inrush current in one winding of the
transformer, but the line currents are not reduced. Delayed
and controlled energization of the third phase may reduce
inrush winding currents in two windings and only one line
current is reduced, but the inrush currents in the other two
lines become very high [11].
The inrush current may be reduced either by inserting
suitable value of resistance connected to each of the line wire
or by combining the controlled switching at peak value of
the voltage in one winding and resistance switching in the
third phase. The resistances are shorted within a very short
time after switching on the delta winding. Simulation studies
of delta side energization of a delta-star transformer depict
the results under various operating conditions. Optimum
resistance value is decided to get a quick decay of inrush
current, low voltage drop and losses before it is shorted.
Keywords Magnetizing inrush current; delta
energization; series resistor; controlled switching

II. DELTA SIDE ENERGIZATION

Fig.1 shows the delta-side energization of a delta-star
transformer. Unlike star-side energization, series
resistance insertion to reduce inrush current is possible
only in the line and not in the delta winding of the
transformer.

side

I.
INTRODUCTION
Production of high inrush current in a big transformer
during switching in the supply always creates a big power
quality problem. In a deregulated market with disperse
generation having transformers located at different points
in a system makes the problem more acute. The transient
voltage dip may cause motor tripping, protective relay
mal-function etc.
Over the past many decades, a large number of
simulation and experimental studies have been reported
on the production and control of inrush currents in single
and three-phase transformers [1-8]. Commonly used
techniques to reduce inrush current are insertion of series
resistor, point-on-wave switching etc. Energization of the
transformer from the star side allows the control of
neutral resistor utilizing the advantage of unbalancing in
the 3-phase inrush current and sequential switching of
phases to achieve the reduction of inrush current [9-10].
No extensive research on inrush current is reported for
the delta side energization of the transformer barring one
[11], which concludes that delayed and controlled
energization of the third phase reduce inrush current only

1-4244-2405-4/08/$20.00 2008 IEEE

Transforner
CB

rs

b
c

Fig.1 Delta-side switching of transformer

The equations governing currents and voltages of the
delta winding with the star side open are presented below.
Leakage reactance and remnant flux in the transformer
core are neglected.
Eab = Emax sin(t+) = n1(dab/dt) + r1iab + rs(ia - ib) - -(1)
Ebc =Emax sin(t+-2/3) = n1(dbc/dt) + r1ibc+rs(ib-ic) (2)
Eca = Emax sin(t++2/3)= n1(dca/dt) + r1ica+rs(ic-ia) (3)
Where, Eab, Ebc, Eca instantaneous voltages across
windings
iab, ibc, ica- instantaneous winding currents
ia, ib, ic- instantaneous line currents
ab, bc, ca- instantaneous fluxes linking each winding

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2nd IEEE International Conference on Power and Energy (PECon 08), December 1-3, 2008, Johor Baharu, Malaysia

produce negligible inrush current in one line only.

Currents in the other two lines become very high.

n1, r1- number of turns/phase, resistance/phase of

winding
rs series resistance in each line; - switching angle
The first peak of inrush current depends upon the (i)
instant of switching () or the voltage magnitude at the
instant of energization, (ii) winding resistance and external
resistance connected in series with the winding or with the
line, and (iii) remnant flux in the core. As the no-load
impedance angle of the transformer is almost 90,
controlled switching at  = 90 causes maximum
reduction in inrush current. Balanced or unbalanced
external resistance may only be inserted in the lines of a
delta connected transformer. Though high value of
resistance at the time of switching may help to reduce the
initial peak and quick damping of dc offset current and
thereby, core saturation, it causes extra loss and voltage
drop during normal operation. Therefore, shorting the
external series resistor is essential as soon as the inrush
current dies out.
A bank of 3 single phase transformers, each having a
rating of 1 MVA, 6.9 kV/69 kV, 50 Hz, connected in
delta-star are used for the simulation study. The 3-phase
transformer rating becomes 3 MVA, 6.9 kV/120 kV,
251A/14.5A. The primary (6.9 kV) winding number of
turns per phase is n1 = 4050 and r1 = 0.25 . Simulation
models [12-13] are generally used to obtain magnetic and
electric circuit parameters of 3-phase, 3-limb or other type
of transformers. However, magnetization curve with deep
saturation data of a stalloy core [7] is used for the
simulation. A MATLAB program was prepared for the
simulation study. Simulation results are shown in Fig.2
and Fig.3.

2000
ic

1000
A 500
0
-500
-1000
-1500
-2000

0.05

0.1

0.15
T(sec)

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

Fig.3 Line currents =0; rs = 0.

Therefore, the only option remains for the reduction of
inrush current is to insert external resistors (rs) in series
with the line. Because of delta connection of the windings
either one resistor in each line or resistors in any 2 of the 3
lines may be inserted to reduce the current. In the later
case the inrush currents become unbalanced. These
resistors are to be shorted during normal operating
condition. Insertion of these resistors directly in series
with the high voltage line with the provision of shorting
them needs the requirement of an extra 3-pole circuit
breaker, which may not be cost effective. But suitable
value of rs may damp out the inrush current quickly to
drop below the full load current amplitude within a very
short time of 0.1 second (say) and the resistance is shorted
by 3 additional contacts of the same circuit breaker. Thus
a single circuit breaker having 6 contacts including 3
delayed closing contacts may be used to reduce the inrush
current during delta side switching of transformer (refer
Fig. 4). The resistor rs should be as low as possible to
reduce the voltage drop and power loss to a minimum
before shorted. The main objective is to minimize the
period of power quality disturbance.

2000
delta = 0 rs = 0
iab
ibc

delta = 0 rs=0
ia
ib

1500

ica

1500
A
1000

500

rs
-500

Tr
-1000

0.05

0.1

0.15
T(sec)

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

Fig.2 Winding currents =0 rs = 0

Due to backlash and wear and tear of circuit breaker
contacts, all the contacts of the CB may not close
simultaneously. Closing of any 2 CB poles (say a, b)
applies line voltage Eab across the winding a-b and across
windings b-c and c-a in series. Due to symmetrical
construction of the transformer, voltages across b-c and ca are half of Eab until the third pole of CB is closed. Eab/2
produce winding currents ibco and icao, which can not
saturate the cores b-c and c-a. Delayed closing of the 3rd
pole may produce higher inrush currents in the other 2
windings compared to those of the simultaneous closing
of contacts. It has been reported earlier [11] that delayed
and controlled switching of the third pole of the CB may

CB
Fig.4 Resistance connected to line

Current transformers (cts) are generally connected to

each line for the purpose of protection and metering.
Suitable value of resistors may be connected to the
secondary of these transformers to reduce the inrush
current and to make the decay of the inrush current faster,
such that the power quality disturbance period only
persists for a few cycles. Shorting of these resistors under
normal operating condition is not difficult and does not

36

2nd IEEE International Conference on Power and Energy (PECon 08), December 1-3, 2008, Johor Baharu, Malaysia

require any costly equipment. But massive increase of VA

ratings of these cts is observed due to high value of
secondary resistors. As for example for a protective ct
ratio of 250A/1A, the value of rs connected to the ct
secondary becomes 15.625 k and the power rating
becomes a few hundred kVA. Therefore, connection of
resistor to ct secondary becomes impractical.
Fig.5 and Fig.6 show the simulation results of inrush
currents with 0.25 ohm external resistor added in each
line. The plots clearly indicate the reduction and quicker
decay of inrush currents with added resistance. The
magnitude reduction of the first peak of inrush current is
not very high but the decay is very fast and the current
reduces below the full load peak current within 0.1
second. The peak voltage drop at the instant of first peak
is less than 450 volt and does not create any insulation
problem of the external resistor.

carried out with the help of a point-on-wave switching

device.

Tr

rs

CB
Fig.7 Point-on-wave switching with resistance
connected to one line

A circuit breaker having 4 contacts including one

delayed closing contact may be used for this purpose
(refer Fig.7). Simulation results are shown in Fig.8 and
Fig.9. The winding current of phase ab is reduced to
minimum due to switching at voltage peak of eab. The
value of rs is higher than that of 6-pole circuit breaker
scheme.

1500
delta = 0 rs = 0.25 delay = 0.1sec
iab
ibc
ica
1000

Point-on-wave
switching device

500

1500
delta = pi/2 rs = 0.5 delay = 0.1sec
iab

ibc

ica

1000

500

-500

A
0
-1000

0.05

0.1

0.15
T(sec)

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

-500

Fig.5 Winding currents =0; rs = 0.25 delay = 0.1sec

-1000
1500

-1500

delta = 0 rs = 0.25 delay = 0.1sec

ia
ib
ic

0.05

1000

500

0.1
0.15
T(sec)

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

Fig.8 Winding currents = /2; rs = 0.5 delay = 0.1sec

A
0

1500
-500

1000

-1000

ia

ib

0.2

0.25

ic

500
A

-1500

-2000

delta = pi/2 rs = 0.5 delay = 0.1sec

0.05

0.1

0.15
T(sec)

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

-500

0.4

-1000

Fig.6 Line currents =0 rs = 0.25 delay = 0.1sec.

-1500

Another method of reducing the inrush current is to

energize any one winding of the delta side with controlled
switching at  = /2 and resistance switching of the third
phase. The resistance rs is shorted after a short time delay
of 0.1 second as discussed earlier. The controlled
switching at the peak of any line voltage ( = /2) may be

-2000

0.05

0.1
0.15
T(sec)

0.3

0.35

Fig.9 Line currents = /2; rs = 0.5 delay = 0.1sec

37

0.4

2nd IEEE International Conference on Power and Energy (PECon 08), December 1-3, 2008, Johor Baharu, Malaysia

III. CONCLUSIONS
Simulation results of the production of magnetizing
inrush currents due to delta-side energization of a deltastar transformer have been presented. Delayed and
controlled switching of the third pole of the CB may
produce negligible inrush current in one line only.
Currents in the other two lines become very high [11]. The
inrush current may be reduced either by series resistance
insertion in each line or by combining the controlled
switching at peak value of the voltage in one winding and
resistance switching in the third phase. The series
resistances are shorted within a very short time after the
delta winding energization in both the schemes. The first
scheme requires a 6-pole circuit breaker and the second
scheme requires a 4-pole circuit breaker with a point-onwave switching device. Simulation studies of delta side
energization of a delta-star transformer depict the results
under both the schemes. Optimum resistance value is
decided to get a quick decay of inrush current, low voltage
drop and losses before it is shorted.

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

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