# Ideal Transformer and Practical Transformer

- Link: https://studyelectrical.com/2018/06/ideal-transformer-and-practical-transformer-diference-comparison.html
- Published: 2018-06-01T17:39:00+00:00
- Author: 

## Ideal Transformer

**An ideal transformer is one that has**

 1. **no winding resistance**
 2. **no leakage flux i.e., the same flux links both the windings**
 3. **no iron losses (i.e., eddy current and hysteresis losses) in the core**
 4. [⌊Ideal 2Btransformer⌉⌊Ideal 2Btransformer⌉[
 5. Ideal Transformer

Although an **ideal transformer** cannot be physically realized, yet its study provides
a very powerful tool in the analysis of a practical transformer. In fact, **practical
transformers** have properties that approach very close to an ideal transformer.

![Ideal Transformer and Phasor Diagram](https://studyelectrical.com/wp-content/uploads/
2018/06/ideal-2Btransformer-2Bphasor-2Bdiagram-300x102.jpg "Ideal Transformer and
Phasor Diagram")

Ideal Transformer and Phasor Diagram

Consider an **ideal transformer on no load** i.e., the secondary is open-circuited
as shown in the figure. Under such conditions, the primary is simply a coil of pure
inductance.

When an alternating voltage V₁ is applied to the primary, it draws a small magnetizing
current Iₘ which lags behind the applied voltage by 90°. This alternating current
Iₘ produces an alternating flux ϕ which is proportional to and in phase with it.

The alternating flux ϕ links both the windings and induces e.m.f. E_(₁) in the primary
and e.m.f. E_(₂) in the secondary. The primary e.m.f. E_(₁) is, at every instant,
equal to and in opposition to V₁  (Lenz’s law). Both e.m.f.s E_(₁), and E_(₂) lag
behind flux ϕ by 90°. However, their magnitudes depend upon the number of primary
and secondary turns.

### Phasor Diagram of Ideal Transformer

The phasor diagram of an ideal transformer on no load is also shown above. Since
flux ϕ is common to both the windings, it has been taken as the reference phasor.

The primary e.m.f. E₁ and secondary e.m.f. E₂ lag behind the flux ϕ by 90°.

Note that E₁ and E₂ are in phase. But E₁ is equal to V₁ and 180° out of phase with
it.

## Practical Transformer

**A practical transformer differs from the ideal transformer in many respects. The
practical transformer has,**

 1. **iron losses,**
 2. **winding resistances and,**
 3. **magnetic leakage, giving rise to leakage reactance.**

### 1. Iron Losses

Since the iron core is subjected to alternating flux, there occurs eddy current 
and hysteresis loss in it. These two losses together are known as iron losses or
core losses.

The iron losses depend upon the supply frequency, the maximum flux density in the
core, volume of the core, etc.

It may be noted that the magnitude of iron losses is quite small in a practical 
transformer.

### 2. Winding resistances

Since the windings consist of copper conductors, it immediately follows that both
primary and secondary will have winding resistance. The primary resistance R₁ and
secondary resistance R₂ act in series with the respective windings as shown in the
figure.

When current flows through the windings, there will be power loss as well as a loss
in voltage due to IR drop. This will affect the power factor and E₁ will be less
than V₁ while V₂ will be less than E₂.

![Practical 2BTransformer 2Bequivalent 2Bckt](https://studyelectrical.com/wp-content/
uploads/2018/06/Practical-2BTransformer-2Bequivalent-2Bckt-300x80.png)

### 3. Leakage reactances

Both primary and secondary currents produce flux. The flux ϕ which links both the
windings is the useful flux and is called mutual flux.

However, the primary current would produce some flux ϕ which would not link the 
secondary winding. Similarly, the secondary current would produce some flux ϕ that
would not link the primary winding.

The flux such as ϕ₁ or ϕ₂ which links only one winding is called leakage flux. The
leakage flux paths are mainly through the air. The effect of these leakage fluxes
would be the same as though inductive reactance were connected in series with each
winding of the transformer that had no leakage flux as shown in the figure.

In other words, the effect of primary leakage flux ϕ₁ is to introduce an inductive
reactance X₁ in series with the primary winding as shown. Similarly, the secondary
leakage flux ϕ₂ introduces an inductive reactance X₂ in series with the secondary
winding.

There will be no power loss due to leakage reactance. However, the presence of leakage
reactance in the windings changes the power factor as well as there is voltage loss
due to IX drop.

![Leakage 2Bflux 2Bin 2Btransformer](https://studyelectrical.com/wp-content/uploads/
2018/06/Leakage-2Bflux-2Bin-2Btransformer-300x89.png)

**Note**.
 Although leakage flux in a transformer is quite small (about 5% of ϕ)
compared to the mutual flux ϕ, yet it cannot be ignored.

It is because leakage flux paths are through the air of high reluctance and hence
require considerable e.m.f. It may be noted that energy is conveyed from the primary
winding to the secondary winding by mutual flux f which links both the windings.

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