Question

What type of energy losses are there in a transformer ? How you can minimize these losses?

Answer 1

Transformer:-

A transformer is a device used in the power transmission of electric energy. The transmission current is AC. It is commonly used to increase or decrease the supply voltage without a change in the frequency of AC between circuits.

There are many reasons for energy losses in the transformer:-

1. The resistance of windings:- The low resistance copper cable used for the windings remains resistant and thus leads to heat loss.
2. Leakage of flux:- If the core design is not good then the flux produced by the primary coil may not all be connected to the secondary coil, due to which energy is lost in the transformer.
3. Eddy currents loss:- The varying magnetic field not only induces secondary coil currents but also iron core currents themselves. In the iron core, these currents flow in small circles and are termed eddy currents.
4. Hysteresis:- This is because of the repeated iron core magnetization and demagnetization induced by the alternating input current, due to the core of the transformer suffering hysteresis loss.

Method to reduce the energy losses in transformer:-

1. To minimize the resistance of windings, thick wires with low resistance are used.
2. The use of a shell-style core will reduce flux loss. Using such a core leakage of flux through the transformer is minimized.
3. The eddy current loss can be minimized by considering the laminated core.
4. By using alloys like mumetal or silicon steel, hysteresis loss can be reduced.