Parallel operation of three-phase power transformers with different short-circuit voltages

Parallel operation of three-phase power transformers with different short-circuit voltages has been studied using a lab bench. The circuit diagram of the bench and experimentally measured vector diagrams of the currents in primary and secondary windings of the transformers have been presented. It has been found that, when the difference of short-circuit voltages of parallel operating transformers is more than 10%, both an arithmetic difference of currents and a great phase shift of secondary-phase voltages occur. As a result, one of the transformers becomes overloaded, while the other is underloaded. It has experimentally been found that the load current is determined by the geometrical sum of currents of secondary windings in transformers. It has been shown that one of the studied transformers works in the conversion mode and its currents are shifted by 180° with respect to the phase, which is the main reason for failure of the normal operational conditions of parallel transformers. © 2017, Allerton Press, Inc.