OUTLINE

Purpose of 3-winding transformers

Percentage impedance tolerance
Equivalent circuit
Case Studies
 APPLICATIONS
Saves money and space with only one foundation, one HV input, one HV circuit
breaker.
Larger units may require three or more transformer windings to provide two or
more medium voltages.
Three-winding transformers may also be required to limit fault current to the
medium-voltage system.
In the utility industry, it is not uncommon to see a 3-winding transformer. Usually
345kV/138kv/13.8kv. The 345/138 is the normal power flow for a step-down
transformer, the 13.8kv tertiary winding can be used for:
Connecting a switchable power factor correction capacitor or reactor
Input from a combustion turbine during peak load conditions
To supply station light and power
 TRANSFORMER SELECTION AND IMPEDANCE TOLERANCE
Transformer Selection
Depends upon design and operating philosophies of individual utility companies
Practical limitations of winding impedances that transformer manufacturers could
economically provide
Voltage regulation at transformer terminals at anticipated normal and abnormal
operating conditions (for example the secondary X is fully loaded while the tertiary
Y is at no load)
Corresponding maximum short circuit levels at each terminal
Impedance Tolerance
Manufacturers impedance tolerance
Standard tolerance is 10% for 3-winding transformers
7.5% for 2-winding transformers
The exact impedance of the auxiliary transformer is initially unknown during the
preliminary design
Certain difference in impedance tolerance may be critical under certain design
conditions and may warrant a change.
STANDARD IMPEDANCES FOR SINGLE PHASE TRANSFORMERS
 TRANSFORMER EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT
Two-winding transformer is modeled as a simple
series impedance ZHX for each phase
ZHX is called the short-circuit or leakage impedance
Approximately constant for transformers of a given size
and design
Three-winding transformer model
ZHX, ZHY, and ZXY are the short-circuit impedances referred to
the primary circuit of the transformer.
ZH, ZY, and ZX are the impedances of the primary, secondary,
and tertiary windings referred to the primary circuit
TRANSFORMER CONNECTION EXAMPLE
TRANSFORMER CONNECTION EXAMPLE
CASE STUDY: 3 WINDING TRANSFORMER CONNECTING 2 GAS TURBINE GENERATORS

Possible Cases
When both generators are running, the overall facility will
be exporting up to 40 MW (90 MW 50 MW)
When one generator (for example, the generator connected
to winding Y) is down and the second generator (in this
case, it will be the generator connected to winding X) is up,
the:
H winding will be lightly loaded (~ 5 MW)
Y winding will have a net import of 25 MW (in the direction of
the load)
X Winding will have a net loading of 20 MW (in the direction
out of generator bus)
If both generators are down then the facility will be
importing a total of 50 MW that will go through the H
winding to an equal split between the two 13.8 kV windings
(X and Y)
There could be further extreme cases when all loads are
connected on one side of the transformer and the generator
on that side is down. In such a case an import of 50 MW
through that winding will materialize
SENSITIVITY OF SHORT CIRCUIT TO ZXY
ZXY is varied while both ZHX and ZHY are
fixed
ZHX and ZHY are selected as 10% at 72 MVA
base
ZXY is varied within the range of 10% of ZHX
If such impedance decreases below 5% (as the
case may be for the interleaved secondary),
the short circuit at X and Y buses will increase
above the allowable limits for industrial
switchgears (Presently, 63 kA @ 13.8 kV or
1500 MVA at rated breaker parameters).
If such a level is important to the facility,
transformer design, the transformers
manufacturer needs to such limitations on ZXY
 VOLTAGE REGULATION
ZHX and ZHY are selected as 10%
ZXY is selected as 20%
Case 1: Normal operating case where the two
generators are running and the loads are split
between the two buses
Case 2: The two generators are running,
however, all loads are supplied from the X
bus
Case 3: Generator 2 is off
Case 4: Both generators are off and the load
is supplied from the utility
CASE STUDY: 3 WINDING TRANSFORMER CONNECTING MULTIPLE SIZE INDUSTRIAL LOADS

Oneline Description
Loads on the X winding are composed of 3 large
induction motors, each motor is rated at 6 MW
(8000 HP).
Some of the loads connected to Y winding are
sensitive to voltage drop below 90%
If both generators are down then the facility will be
importing a total of 50 MW that will go through the
H winding to an equal split between the two 13.8 kV
windings (X and Y)
There could be further extreme cases when all loads
are connected on one side of the transformer and the
generator on that side is down. In such a case an
import of 50 MW through that winding will
materialize