Transformer Construction of the Core

Generally, the name associated with the

construction of a transformer is dependant upon
how the primary and secondary windings are
wound around the central laminated steel core.
The two most common and basic designs of
transformer construction are the Closed-core
Transformer and the Shell-core Transformer.
In the closed-core type (core form)
transformer, the primary and secondary
windings are wound outside and surround the
core ring. In the shell type (shell form)
transformer, the primary and secondary
windings pass inside the steel magnetic circuit
(core) which forms a shell around the windings
as shown below.
Transformer Core Construction
In both types of transformer core design, the
magnetic flux linking the primary and secondary
windings travels entirely within the core with no
loss of magnetic flux through air. In the core type
transformer construction, one half of each
winding is wrapped around each leg (or limb) of
the transformers magnetic circuit as shown
above.
The coils are not arranged with the primary
winding on one leg and the secondary on the
other but instead half of the primary winding
and half of the secondary winding are placed one
over the other concentrically on each leg in
order to increase magnetic coupling allowing
practically all of the magnetic lines of force go
through both the primary and secondary
windings at the same time. However, with this
type of transformer construction, a small
percentage of the magnetic lines of force flow
outside of the core, and this is called leakage
flux.
Shell type transformer cores overcome this
leakage flux as both the primary and secondary
windings are wound on the same centre leg or
limb which has twice the cross-sectional area of
the two outer limbs. The advantage here is that
the magnetic flux has two closed magnetic paths
to flow around external to the coils on both left
and right hand sides before returning back to
the central coils.
This means that the magnetic flux circulating
around the outer limbs of this type of
transformer construction is equal to /2. As the
magnetic flux has a closed path around the coils,
this has the advantage of decreasing core losses
and increasing overall efficiency.
What is a transformer?
Transformers are devices that change
(transform) the voltage of power supplied to
meet the individuals needs of power consumers.
It uses the principle of electromagnetic induction
to change the voltage (alternating difference)
from one value to another whether smaller or
greater.
A transformer is made of a soft iron coil with two
other coils wound around it, but not connected
with one another. The iron coils can either be
arranged on top of another or be wound on
separate limps of the iron core.

The coil to which the alternating voltage is

supplied is known as primary winding or primary
coil while. The alternating current in the primary
winding produces a changing magnetic field
around it whenever an alternating potential is
supplied. An alternating current is in turn
produced by the changing field in the secondary
coil and the amount of current produced
depends on the number of windings in the
secondary coil.
There are two types of transformers, namely:
Step down and Step up transformers. Generally,
the difference between them is the amount of
voltage produced, depending on the number of
secondary coils.
Step-Down Transformer

The Transformer is basically a very simple device.

It mainly consists of a core, windings and
insulations. The windings are wound over the
laminated magnetic core. These windings are
insulated from the core and from each other.
With regards to the application transformers can be
classified as follows
1. Step up transformer
These transformers raise the input voltage to a
higher voltage level.
2. Step down transformer
These transformers reduce the input voltage to a
lower voltage level.
Transformer is a reversible device. Therefore each
transformer can be used as both step up and step
down transformer. For example, if we supply a low
voltage (within the LV rating) to the low voltage
terminal, we will be getting the stepped up voltage
at the high voltage terminals and if we supply a high
voltage (within the HV rating) to the high voltage
terminal, we will be getting the stepped down
voltage at the low voltage terminals.
Transformer can also be classified based on the type
of construction used. There are two types of cores
namely core type and shell type. Depending upon
the type of core used transformers can be classified
into two categories as:
1.

core type transformers

2.

shell type transformers

Core type

Core type
insulation of windings
Easy to dismantle.

Shel
process
Difficult to

Fault withstand capacity

1. Core type transformers

In this type of transformers the core is in the form
of rectangular frame with the windings wound on
the limbs of the core. A single phase transformer
may be designed with the primary windings over on
limb and the secondary windings over another limb.
But on doing so, the leakage reactance will be large
leading to a heavy power loss. In actual practice
both the limbs of the frame contains half of
secondary and primary windings. By doing, so the
leakage reactance can be reduced.
The low voltage windings are placed inside the high
voltage windings. This is to reduce the insulation
requirement of high voltage windings.

Shell type

Whenever any two conductors carrying current is

brought together they experiences a force. This
force will be proportional to the product of currents
carried by them and the direction in which the force
acts depends upon the direction of current flowing
though them. In case of transformers, during fault
condition the current through the windings will be
very high. When the secondary winding is short
circuited with the primary, very high electro motive
forces are created. Since the windings carry currents
in opposite directions the inner windings
experiences a force crushing it on the core and the
outer windings experience a tensile force pushing it
outwards.

Core type
Shel
Core type construction has poor
Shell type windin
mechanical strength since the
forces produced
windings are not supported
cond
externally.
More susceptible to damage under Less susceptible
short circuit conditions.
short circui

Leakage reactance
Core type
Leakage reactance will be more due
to more spacing between the
windings

Shel

Leakage reacta

Repair

2. Shell type transformer

In shell type transformers, the core has three limbs:
a central limb and two side limbs. The windings are
made around the central limb. The width of the
central limb is twice that of the side limb. Both the
HV and LV windings are divided into number of
coils and are arranged alternatively. The HV
windings are sandwiched between the LV windings.

Construction
Core type
Simpler in design
Permits easy assembly and

Core type
The windings of a core type
transformer are completely
accessible except for small portion
of window. Hence the coil can be
made easily inspected

Shel

Since windings a
the core it is diff
and repai

Cooling
Core type
In core type transformers, the
windings surround the core and
have better cooling than the core.

Shel
In shell type tran
surrounds the w
better cooling th

Single phase core type and Shell

Shelltype
type transformer
Little complex than core type
Sandwiched structure make the

Classification based on the method

of cooling
a. Self-aircooled (dry type)
b. Air-blastcooled (dry type)
c. Liquid-immersed, self-cooled
d. Oil-immersed, combination self-cooled and air-blast
e. Oil-immersed, water-cooled
f. Oil-immersed, forced-oilcooled
g. Oil-immersed, combination self-cooled and watercooled

Since the insulation of the windings should not

undergo any damage due to temperature rise core
type of construction is universally followed.

Three phase core type and shell

type transformer

Classification based on the number

of phases.
1. Single phase
2. Three phase

There are two types of transformers, namely:

Step down and Step up transformers. Generally,
the difference between them is the amount of
voltage produced, depending on the number of
secondary coils.
In a step-down transformer is one who
secondary windings are fewer than the primary
windings. In other words, the transformers
secondary voltage is less than the primary
voltage. So, the transformer is designed to
convert high-voltage, low-current power into a
low-voltage, high current power and it is mainly
used in domestic consumption.
A common case of step-down application is in
the case of door bells. Normally, door bells use
16 volts, but most household power circuits
carry 110-120 volts. Therefore, the doorbells
step-down transformer receives the 110 volts
and reduces it to lower voltage before supplying
it to the doorbell.
Step-down transformers are mostly used to
convert the 220 volts electricity to the 110 volts
required in most domestic equipment.
Step-Up Transformers
A step-up transformer is the direct opposite of a
step-down transformer. There are many turns on
the secondary winding than in the primary
winding in the step-up transformers. Thus, the
voltage supplied in the secondary transformer is
greater than the one supplied across the primary
winding. Because of the principle of conservation
of energy, the transformer converts low voltage,
high-current to high voltage-low current. In
other words, the voltage has been stepped up.
You can find step-up transformers located near
power plants that are designed to operate
megawatts of power. Apart from the power
plants, step-up transformers can also be used
for local and smaller applications such as x-ray
machine which requires about 50,000 volts to
work. Even a micro-wave oven requires a small
step-up transformer to operate.
Tip: The type of metal winding used is one of the
considerations used in determining the efficiency
of transformers. Copper coils are more efficient

than many other coil metal choices such as

aluminum. However, copper windings tend to
cost more, but you can expect to save the initial
cost over time as the efficiency of the material
will save on electrical cost.
(C) On the basis of type of supply
Single phase transformer
A single phase voltage transformer basically
consists of two electrical coils of wire, one called
the Primary Winding and another called the
Secondary Winding. For this tutorial we will
define the primary side of the transformer as
the side that usually takes power, and the
secondary as the side that usually delivers
power. In a single-phase voltage transformer the
primary is usually the side with the higher
voltage.
These two coils are not in electrical contact with
each other but are instead wrapped together
around a common closed magnetic iron circuit
called the core. This soft iron core is not solid
but made up of individual laminations connected
together to help reduce the cores losses.
The two coil windings are electrically isolated
from each other but are magnetically linked
through the common core allowing electrical
power to be transferred from one coil to the
other. When an electric current passed through
the primary winding, a magnetic field is
developed which induces a voltage into the
secondary winding as shown.
Three phase transformer
Three-phase, also written as 3-phase
or 3 supplies are used for electrical power
generation, transmission, and distribution, as
well as for all industrial uses. Three-phase
supplies have many electrical advantages over
single-phase power and when considering threephase transformers we have to deal with three
alternating voltages and currents differing in
phase-time by 120 degrees as shown below.
A three phase transformer or 3 transformer can
be constructed either by connecting together
three single-phase transformers, thereby
forming a so-called three phase transformer
bank, or by using one pre-assembled and
balanced three phase transformer which consists
of three pairs of single phase windings mounted
onto one single laminated core.
(D) On the basis of their use
Power transformer: Used in transmission
network, high rating
Distribution transformer: Used in distribution
network, comparatively lower rating than that of
power transformers.
Instrument transformer: Used in relay and
protection purpose in different instruments in
industries
Current transformer (CT)
Potential transformer (PT)
Core form and shell form transformers[edit]
Closed-core transformers are constructed in
'core form' or 'shell form'. When windings
surround the core, the transformer is core form;
when windings are surrounded by the core, the
transformer is shell form. Shell form design may
be more prevalent than core form design for

distribution transformer applications due to the

relative ease in stacking the core around
winding coils.[46] Core form design tends to, as
a general rule, be more economical, and
therefore more prevalent, than shell form design
for high voltage power transformer applications
at the lower end of their voltage and power
rating ranges (less than or equal to, nominally,
230 kV or 75 MVA). At higher voltage and power
ratings, shell form transformers tend to be more
prevalent.[46][47][48][49] Shell form design
tends to be preferred for extra-high voltage and
higher MVA applications because, though more
labor-intensive to manufacture, shell form
transformers are characterized as having
inherently better kVA-to-weight ratio, better
short-circuit strength characteristics and higher
immunity to transit damage.[49]
Construction[edit]
Cores[edit]
Laminated steel cores
Power transformer inrush current caused by
residual flux at switching instant; flux (green),
iron core's magnetic characteristics (red) and
magnetizing current (blue).
Transformers for use at power or audio
frequencies typically have cores made of high
permeability silicon steel.[50] The steel has a
permeability many times that of free space and
the core thus serves to greatly reduce the
magnetizing current and confine the flux to a
path which closely couples the windings.[51]
Early transformer developers soon realized that
cores constructed from solid iron resulted in
prohibitive eddy current losses, and their
designs mitigated this effect with cores
consisting of bundles of insulated iron wires.[52]
Later designs constructed the core by stacking
layers of thin steel laminations, a principle that
has remained in use. Each lamination is
insulated from its neighbors by a thin nonconducting layer of insulation.[53] The universal
transformer equation indicates a minimum crosssectional area for the core to avoid saturation.
The effect of laminations is to confine eddy
currents to highly elliptical paths that enclose
little flux, and so reduce their magnitude.
Thinner laminations reduce losses,[54] but are
more laborious and expensive to construct.[55]
Thin laminations are generally used on highfrequency transformers, with some of very thin
steel laminations able to operate up to 10 kHz.
Laminating the core greatly reduces eddycurrent losses
One common design of laminated core is made
from interleaved stacks of E-shaped steel sheets
capped with I-shaped pieces, leading to its name
of 'E-I transformer'.[55] Such a design tends to
exhibit more losses, but is very economical to
manufacture. The cut-core or C-core type is
made by winding a steel strip around a
rectangular form and then bonding the layers
together. It is then cut in two, forming two C
shapes, and the core assembled by binding the
two C halves together with a steel strap.[55]
They have the advantage that the flux is always

oriented parallel to the metal grains, reducing

reluctance.
A steel core's remanence means that it retains a
static magnetic field when power is removed.
When power is then reapplied, the residual field
will cause a high inrush current until the effect
of the remaining magnetism is reduced, usually
after a few cycles of the applied AC waveform.
[56] Overcurrent protection devices such as
fuses must be selected to allow this harmless
inrush to pass. On transformers connected to
long, overhead power transmission lines,
induced currents due to geomagnetic
disturbances during solar storms can cause
saturation of the core and operation of
transformer protection devices.[57]
Distribution transformers can achieve low noload losses by using cores made with low-loss
high-permeability silicon steel or amorphous
(non-crystalline) metal alloy. The higher initial
cost of the core material is offset over the life of
the transformer by its lower losses at light load.
[58]
Solid cores
Powdered iron cores are used in circuits such as
switch-mode power supplies that operate above
mains frequencies and up to a few tens of
kilohertz. These materials combine high
magnetic permeability with high bulk electrical
resistivity. For frequencies extending beyond the
VHF band, cores made from non-conductive
magnetic ceramic materials called ferrites are
common.[55] Some radio-frequency transformers
also have movable cores (sometimes called
'slugs') which allow adjustment of the coupling
coefficient (and bandwidth) of tuned radiofrequency circuits.
Toroidal cores
Small toroidal core transformer
Toroidal transformers are built around a ringshaped core, which, depending on operating
frequency, is made from a long strip of silicon
steel or permalloy wound into a coil, powdered
iron, or ferrite.[59] A strip construction ensures
that the grain boundaries are optimally aligned,
improving the transformer's efficiency by
reducing the core's reluctance. The closed ring
shape eliminates air gaps inherent in the
construction of an E-I core.[25] The cross-section
of the ring is usually square or rectangular, but
more expensive cores with circular crosssections are also available. The primary and
secondary coils are often wound concentrically
to cover the entire surface of the core. This
minimizes the length of wire needed and
provides screening to minimize the core's
magnetic field from generating electromagnetic
interference.
Toroidal transformers are more efficient than the
cheaper laminated E-I types for a similar power
level. Other advantages compared to E-I types,
include smaller size (about half), lower weight
(about half), less mechanical hum (making them
superior in audio amplifiers), lower exterior
magnetic field (about one tenth), low off-load
losses (making them more efficient in standby
circuits), single-bolt mounting, and greater
choice of shapes. The main disadvantages are

higher cost and limited power capacity (see

Classification parameters below). Because of the
lack of a residual gap in the magnetic path,
toroidal transformers also tend to exhibit higher
inrush current, compared to laminated E-I types.
Ferrite toroidal cores are used at higher
frequencies, typically between a few tens of
kilohertz to hundreds of megahertz, to reduce
losses, physical size, and weight of inductive
components. A drawback of toroidal transformer
construction is the higher labor cost of winding.
This is because it is necessary to pass the entire
length of a coil winding through the core
aperture each time a single turn is added to the
coil. As a consequence, toroidal transformers
rated more than a few kVA are uncommon. Small
distribution transformers may achieve some of
the benefits of a toroidal core by splitting it and
forcing it open, then inserting a bobbin
containing primary and secondary windings.
[citation needed]
Air cores[edit]
A physical core is not an absolute requisite and a
functioning transformer can be produced simply
by placing the windings near each other, an
arrangement termed an 'air-core' transformer.
The air which comprises the magnetic circuit is
essentially lossless, and so an air-core
transformer eliminates loss due to hysteresis in
the core material.[10] The leakage inductance is
inevitably high, resulting in very poor regulation,
and so such designs are unsuitable for use in
power distribution.[10] They have however very
high bandwidth, and are frequently employed in
radio-frequency applications,[60] for which a
satisfactory coupling coefficient is maintained by
carefully overlapping the primary and secondary
windings. They're also used for resonant
transformers such as Tesla coils where they can
achieve reasonably low loss in spite of the high
leakage inductance. The construction of a power
transformer varies throughout the industry. The
basic arrangement is essentially the same and
has seen little significant change in recent
years, so some ofthe variations can be
discussed in this article.Core
The core, which provides the magnetic path to
channel the flux, consists of thin strips of highgrade steel, called laminations, which are
electrically separated by a thin coating of
insulating material.
The strips can be stacked or wound, with the
windings either built integrally around the core
or built separately and assembled around the
core sections.
Core steel can be hot or cold-rolled, grainoriented or non-grain oriented,and even laserscribed for additional performance.
Thickness ranges from 0.23 mm to upwards
of 0.36 mm. The core cross section can be
circular or rectangular, with circular cores
commonly referred to as cruciform construction.
Rectangular cores are used for smaller ratings
and as auxiliary transformers used within a
power transformer. Rectangular cores use a
single width of strip steel,while circular cores
use a combination of different strip widths to
approximate a circular cross-section.

The type of steel and arrangement depends on

the transformer rating as related to cost factors
such as labor and performance.
Just like other components in the transformer,
the heat generated by the core must
beadequately dissipated.
While the steel and coating may be capable of
withstanding higher temperatures, it will come
in contact with insulating materials with limited
temperature capabilities. In larger units,
cooling ducts are used inside the core for
additional convective surface area, and sections
of laminations may be split to reduce localized
losses.
The core is held together by, but insulated
from, mechanical structures and is grounded to
a single point in order to dissipate electrostatic
buildup. The core ground location is usually
some readily accessible point inside the tank,
but it can also be brought through a bushing on
the tank wall or top for external access.
This grounding point should be removable for
testing purposes, such as checking for
unintentional core grounds. Multiple core
grounds, such as a case whereby the core is
inadvertently making contact with otherwise
grounded internal metallic mechanical
structures, can provide a path for circulating
currents induced by the main flux as well as a
leakage flux, thus creating concentrations of
losses that can result in localized heating.
The maximum flux density of the core steel is
normally designed as close to the knee of the
saturation curve as practical, accounting for
required overexcitations and tolerances that
exist due to materials and manufacturing
processes.
For power transformers the flux density is
typically between 1.3 T and 1.8 T, with the
saturation point for magnetic steel being
around 2.03 T to 2.05 T.
There are two basic types of core construction
used in power transformers: core formand shell
form.
In core-form construction,there is a single path
for the magnetic circuit. Figure 1 shows a
schematic of a single-phase core, with the
arrows showing the magnetic path.
(I) Core Type Transformer
In core type transformer, windings are cylindrical
former wound, mounted on the core limbs as
shown in the figure above. The cylindrical coils
have different layers and each layer is insulated
from each other. Materials like paper, cloth or
mica can be used for insulation. Low voltage

windings are placed nearer to the core, as they

are easier to insulate.
(Ii) Shell Type Transformer
The coils are former wound and mounted in
layers stacked with insulation between them. A
shell type transformer may have simple
rectangular form (as shown in above fig), or it
may have a distributed form.
(B) On the basis of their purpose
Step up transformer: Voltage increases (with
subsequent decrease in current) at secondary.
Step down transformer: Voltage decreases (with
subsequent increase in current) at secondary.
(C) On the basis of type of supply
Single phase transformer
Three phase transformer
(D) On the basis of their use
Power transformer: Used in transmission
network, high rating
Distribution transformer: Used in distribution
network, comparatively lower rating than that of
power transformers.
Instrument transformer: Used in relay and
protection purpose in different instruments in
industries
Current transformer (CT)
Potential transformer (PT)
(E) On the basis of cooling employed
Oil-filled self cooled type
Oil-filled water cooled type
Air blast type (air cooled)
Windings are constructed separate of the core
and placed on their respective core legs during
core assembly. Figure 3 shows what is referred
to as the E assembly of a three-phase coreform core during assembly.
In shell-form construction, the core provides
multiple paths for the magnetic circuit. Figure
4 is a schematic o fa single-phase shell-form
core, with the two magnetic paths illustrated.
The core is typically stacked directly around the
windings,which are usually pancake type
windings, although some applications are such
that the core and windings are assembled
similar to core form.
Figure 4 Schematic of single-phase shell-form
construction
Due to advantages in shortcircuit and transient-voltage performance, shell
forms tend to be used more frequently in the
largest transformers,where conditions can be
more severe. Variations of three-phase shellform construction include five- and sevenlegged cores, depending on size and
application.