Introduction:

For supplying a load in excess of the rating of an existing transformer, two or more transformers may be connected in
parallel with the existing transformer. The transformers are connected in parallel when load on one of the transformers
is more than its capacity.
The reliability is increased with parallel operation than to
have single larger unit.
The cost associated with maintaining the spares is less
when two transformers are connected in parallel. It is
usually economical to install another transformer in
parallel instead of replacing the existing transformer by a
single larger unit.
The cost of a spare unit in the case of two parallel
transformers (of equal rating) is also lower than that of a
single large transformer. In addition, it is preferable to
have a parallel transformer for the reason of reliability.
For parallel connection of transformers, primary windings of the
Transformers are connected to source bus-bars and secondary
windings are connected to the load bus-bars.
If the transformers connected in parallel have slightly different voltage ratios, then due to the inequality of induced emfs
in the secondary windings, a circulating current will flow in the loop formed by the secondary windings under the no-
load condition, which may be much greater than the normal no-load current.
The current will be quite high as the leakage impedance is low.
When the secondary windings are loaded, this circulating current
will tend to produce unequal loading on the two transformers, and
it may not be possible to take the full load from this group of two
parallel transformers (one of the transformers may get
overloaded).
Now when the secondary of these transformers are connected to
same bus, there will be a circulating current between secondary’s
and therefore between primaries also. As the internal impedance
of transformer is small, a small voltage difference may cause
sufficiently high circulating current causing unnecessary extra I2R
loss.
The ratings of both primaries and secondary’s should be identical.
In other words, the transformers should have the same turn ratio
i.e. transformation ratio.
If two transformers connected in parallel with similar per-unit impedances they will mostly share the load in the ration
of their KVA ratings. Here Load is mostly equal because it is possible to have two transformers with equal per-unit
impedances but different X/R ratios. In this case the line current will be less than the sum of the transformer currents
and the combined capacity will be reduced accordingly.
A difference in the ratio of the reactance value to resistance value of the per unit impedance results in a different phase
angle of the currents carried by the two paralleled transformers; one transformer will be working with a higher power
factor and the other with a lower power factor than that of the combined output. Hence, the real power will not be
proportionally shared by the transformers.
From the above two statements it can be said that impedance of transformers running in parallel are inversely
proportional to their MVA ratings. In other words percentage impedance or per unit values of impedance should be
identical for all the transformers run in parallel.
When connecting single-phase transformers in three-phase banks, proper impedance matching becomes even more
critical. In addition to following the three rules for parallel operation, it is also a good practice to try to match the X/R
ratios of the three series impedances to keep the three-phase output voltages balanced.
When single-phase transformers with the same KVA ratings are connected in a Y-∆ Bank, impedance mismatches can
cause a significant load unbalance among the transformers
Lets examine following different type of case among Impedance, Ratio and KVA.
If single-phase transformers are connected in a Y-Y bank with an isolated neutral, then the magnetizing impedance
should also be equal on an ohmic basis.
Otherwise, the transformer having the largest magnetizing impedance will have a highest percentage of exciting
voltage, increasing the core losses of that transformer and possibly driving its core into saturation.
The standard method of connecting transformers in
parallel is to have the same turn ratios, percent
impedances, and kVA ratings. Connecting transformers in
parallel with the same parameters results in equal load
sharing and no circulating currents in the transformer
windings.
This Parameter is not in common practice for new installations, sometimes two transformers with different kVAs and
the same percent impedances are connected to one common bus. In this situation, the current division causes each
transformer to carry its rated load. There will be no circulating currents because the voltages (turn ratios) are the same.
Mostly used this Parameter to enhance plant power
capacity by connecting existing transformers in parallel
that have the same kVA rating, but with different percent
impedances.
This is common when budget constraints limit the
purchase of a new transformer with the same parameters.
We need to understand is that the current divides in
inverse proportions to the impedances, and larger current
flows through the smaller impedance. Thus, the lower
percent impedance transformer can be overloaded when
subjected to heavy loading while the other higher percent
impedance transformer will be lightly loaded.
This particular of transformers used rarely in industrial and
commercial facilities connected to one common bus with
different kVA and unequal percent impedances. However,
there may be that one situation where two single-ended
substations may be tied together via bussing or cables to
provide better voltage support when starting large Load.
If the percent impedance and kVA ratings are different,
care should be taken when loading these transformers.
Small differences in voltage cause a large amount of
current to circulate. It is important to point out that
paralleled transformers should always be on the same tap
connection. Circulating current is completely independent
of the load and load division. If transformers are fully
loaded there will be a considerable amount of overheating
due to circulating currents.
The Point which should be Remember that circulating
currents do not flow on the line, they cannot be measured
if monitoring equipment is upstream or downstream of the
common connection points.
This type of parameter would be unlikely in practice. If
both the ratios and the impedance are different, the
circulating current (because of the unequal ratio) should
be combined with each transformer’s share of the load
current to obtain the actual total current in each unit.
For unity power factor, 10% circulating current (due to
unequal turn ratios) results in only half percent to the total
current. At lower power factors, the circulating current will
change dramatically.
Polarity of transformer means the instantaneous direction
of induced emf in secondary. If the instantaneous
directions of induced secondary emf in two transformers
are opposite to each other when same input power is fed
to the both of the transformers, the transformers are said
to be in opposite polarity.
Polarity of all transformers run in parallel should be same
otherwise huge circulating current flows in the transformer
but no load will be fed from these transformers.
If the instantaneous directions of induced secondary emf
in two transformers are same when same input power is
fed to the both of the transformers, the transformers are
said to be in same polarity.
The phase sequence of line voltages of both the
transformers must be identical for parallel operation of
three-phase transformers. If the phase sequence is an
incorrect, in every cycle each pair of phases will get short-
circuited.
The transformer windings can be connected in a variety of ways which produce different magnitudes and phase
displacements of the secondary voltage. All the transformer connections can be classified into distinct vector groups.
The transformer windings can be connected in a variety of
ways which produce different magnitudes and phase
displacements of the secondary voltage. All the
transformer connections can be classified into distinct
vector groups.
Group 1: Zero phase displacement (Yy0, Dd0, Dz0)
Group 2: 180° phase displacement (Yy6, Dd6, Dz6)
Group 3: -30° phase displacement (Yd1, Dy1, Yz1)
Group 4: +30° phase displacement (Yd11, Dy11, Yz11)
In order to have zero relative phase displacement of secondary side line voltages, the
transformers belonging to the same group can be paralleled. For example, two
transformers with Yd1 and Dy1 connections can be paralleled.
The transformers of groups 1 and 2 can only be paralleled with transformers of their own
group. However, the transformers of groups 3 and 4 can be paralleled by reversing the
phase sequence of one of them. For example, a transformer with Yd1 1 connection
(group 4) can be paralleled with that having Dy1 connection (group 3) by reversing the
phase sequence of both primary and secondary terminals of the Dy1 transformer.
We can only parallel Dy1 and Dy11 by crossing two incoming phases and the same two
outgoing phases on one of the transformers, so if we have a DY11 transformer we can
cross B&C phases on the primary and secondary to change the +30 degree phase shift
into a -30 degree shift which will parallel with the Dy1, assuming all the other points
above are satisfied.
If two or more transformer is connected in parallel, then
load sharing % between them is according to their rating.
If all are of same rating, they will share equal loads
Transformers of unequal kVA ratings will share a load
practically (but not exactly) in proportion to their ratings,
providing that the voltage ratios are identical and the
percentage impedances (at their own kVA rating) are
identical, or very nearly so in these cases a total of than
90% of the sum of the two ratings is normally available.
Transformers having different kva ratings may operate in
parallel, with load division such that each transformer
carries its proportionate share of the total load To achieve
accurate load division, it is necessary that the
transformers be wound with the same turns ratio, and that
the percent impedance of all transformers be equal, when
each percentage is expressed on the kva base of its
respective transformer. It is also necessary that the ratio
of resistance to reactant in all transformers be equal.
For satisfactory operation the circulating current for any
combinations of ratios and impedance probably should not
exceed ten percent of the full-load rated current of the
smaller unit.
When the voltage tap need change all three tap changing
switches should be operated identical for all transformers.
The OL settings of the SF6 also should be identical. If the
substation is operating on full load condition, tripping of
one transformer can cause cascade tripping of all three
transformers.
In transformers Output Voltage can be controlled either by
Off Circuit Tap Changer (Manual tap changing) or By On –
Load Tap Changer-OLTC (Automatic Changing).
In the transformer with OLTC, it is a closed loop system,
with following components:
– an electronic programmable device). With this AVR we
can set the Output Voltage of the transformers. The
Output Voltage of the transformer is fed into the AVR
through the LT Panel. The AVR Compares the SET
voltage and the Output Voltage and gives the error
signals, if any, to the OLTC through the RTCC Panel for
tap changing. This AVR is mounted in the RTCC.
 – This is a panel consisting of the AVR, Display for Tap
Position, Voltage, and LEDs for Raise and Lower of Taps
relays, Selector Switches for Auto Manual Selection… In
AUTO MODE the voltage is controlled by the AVR. In
manual Mode the operator can Increase / decrease the
voltage by changing the Taps manually through the Push
Button in the RTCC.
 – It consists of a motor, controlled by the RTCC, which
changes the Taps in the transformers.
Both the Transformers should have same voltage ratio at
all the taps and when you run transformers in parallel, it
should operate as same tap position. If we have OLTC
with RTCC panel, one RTCC should work as master and
other should work as follower to maintain same tap
positions of transformer.
However, a circulating current can be flown between the
two tanks if the impedances of the two transformers are
different or if the taps of the on-load tap changer (OLTC)
are mismatched temporarily due to the mechanical delay.
The circulating current may cause the malfunction of
protection relays.