Transformer and its

Winding Types
Transformer:
A transformer is basically a passive electrical equipment which transforms electrical power from
primary side to secondary side by the mean of electromagnetic induction. It can step up or step down
the input supply to output side.

Types of Windings:
A transformer can be distinguished on the basis of its winding types. Windings of a transformer
must be strong enough to bear the situation of over-voltages or under-voltages especially in the
transient conditions. Basically, the transformer windings are done by two materials that are
aluminium and copper. Aluminium windings are done where there is need of LV winding and
because of its light weight many small transformers are made by its winding in many home
appliances. But on the other hand, mostly all the HV windings are done by copper material because of
its high efficiency and long-term performance. The types of winding in a transformer ensures the
safety of transformer itself and the load connected to secondary side. There may be the different types
of windings on the basis of different purposes of load. Conductors of different materials are wrapped
inside the windings in different shapes like cylindrical, disc, helical and crossover which generates
an output signal which is transferred by core to the secondary winding of different potential level.
There are mainly two types of windings which are;
(1) : Shell Type Transformer
It is that type of winding in a transformer in which conductors are wounded on the inner side
of limbs. It can be clearly seen in the diagram below;

(2) : Core Type Transformer

It is most commonly used winding of a transformer and here the windings of conductors are
wrapped around the limbs. The diagram of this type of winding is shown below;
 The explanation of these two types of transformers is illustrated in the following sections.

(1) Winding types Used in Core Type Transformer:

In this type of transformer, concentric type windings are used. Low voltages windings are
mostly placed always very close to the core. But, in order to be safe from leakage value of
reactance, we can inter-lace these windings. Many factors depend upon the core type
windings such as impedance, surge-voltages, limit of rise in temperature, current limit rating,
short-circuit bearing capacity and transport facilities. There may be the different types which
lie under the Core-Type Transformer which are as follows;

i. Cylindrical Windings:
These are basically the layered type windings of different structures such as

(a) rectangular or round type

conductors wrapped inside the
winding

(b) conductors wound on flat sides

and on the rib sides as shown;

Uses of Cylindrical-Windings: (a) (b)

These types of windings are basically the low voltage windings for about 6.5kV
for kVA upto 600 to 750 and current within the range of 10A to 600A.
Cylindrical Windings also exist in multi-layer forms. Two-layered rectangular
conductors may also be used in order to secure the lead-out ends. These layers
of windings are separated by oil ducts which helps in cooling by oil circulation in
winding.

The cooling performance of transformer can also be facilitated by using multi-layered

cylindrical windings which are wounded over the long vertical strip of circular
 conductors as shown above. High rated voltage systems of value above than
33kV,800kVA and maximum current value having about 80A, use such types of
winding transformers. A bare conductor may have a diameter of about 4mm.

ii. Helical Winding:

Helical windings are basically low voltages value, high efficiency transformers with
high current ratings while number of turns are in small amount. These types of
transformer ranges in between 161-1000kVA from 0.24-15kV.
Helical winding is further subdivided into different categories as discussed below;
a) ;Single Helical Winding:
Single Helical Winding is basically aligned along an inclination directed
towards screw line in an axial direction. It consists of only one layer of turn in
every conductors winding.

b) : Double Helical Winding:

In order to minimize the effect of eddy current losses, Double Helical
windings are used which equalize the impedances of parallel conductors. The
operation of this winding is the is the same as single helical winding. Only the
reason for its use is to get high amount of current at output side while having a
large number of conductors attached inside its winding.

c) : Disc Helical Winding:

In this type of winding, parallel strips are
connected across each coil along the radial side in
order to cover the whole radiated length of its
winding which makes this winding to be used at
large scale for having a bunch amount of
conductors.

d) : Multi-Layer Helical Winding:

Multi-layer helical is that type of winding
which contains bunch of layers specifically
cylindrical wrapped around cores and mostly
connected in series in practical life. Generally, we
utilize them to achieve high value of voltages of
approximately 110kV so mostly being used at
spaces where high voltages is ones priority. From
 the below diagram it is clear in order to divide the capacitance homogeneously
among layers the inner layers of this winding has been constructed larger than that
outer layer. Moreover, these sort of windings are also responsible for the
improvisation of transformer surge characteristics which give it another advantage
over others.

iii. Crossover Winding:

These types of windings are also high rated voltages windings for transformers. Here
we use those conductors which are basically the cables or iron strips which are
covered inside a paper insulation. There are different adjacent layers of windings
coils which lower the effect of voltage. The axial separated distance of these coils
may be up to 0.5 to 1mm. The voltage value between head-to-head coils should not
rise 801-1000V.

The inner end of one coil is linked to output side end of the other end-to-end coil. The
crossover winding is more efficient and highly strengthen than the cylindrical
winding under normal situations. However, its labour cost is much higher as
compared to cylindrical type.

Disc and Continuous Disc Winding:

These specific types of windings shown connectedly either in series or parallel
symmetry alongside each disc contains bunch of conductors. Coils formation in this
specific case happened because of strips which is mostly rectangular and wrapped
spirally in the radial length path from center outer direction. Coils or disc which are
generally contains conductors, the former name may singular or in bunch amount too
in that coil specifically wrapped parallelly on plane section of core, which results in
formation of robust sort construction.
Advantages of : Core-Type Transformer:
We can see many big advantages of Core-type transformer due to which they are in high demand
which are as follows;
 Highly preferable for High-Frequency Systems
 Big advantage of prevention of flux leakage and iron loss.
 Highly beneficial with high mechanical strength.
 It can be easily repaired at substation site.
 It does not demand any special fabrication structure.
 Ease of rewinding within a very short period of time.
 Faults in coils can be identified with visual inspection.

Disadvantages of Core Transformer:

 This winding has more losses than shell type.
 It uses to create a lot of noise while working which may have an effect on environment.
 Not that much efficient to be use in outdoors

(2) Winding types used in Shell type Transformer:

These types of transformers are simply four-sided form and core covers the substantial part of
its winding. It can be seen as below;

Both of its windings, primary and secondary are located in a single limb. However, coils are
wounded in the form of multi layer disc types. These multi layers are separated from each
other by paper insulation. Its central limb carry the whole flux and side limbs carries the half
of flux.
There are basically two types of shell-type winding as;

i. Sandwich Type Winding:

These types of windings help in controlling the reactance by keeping the proportion
of mutual flux higher and leakage flux in less amount. When voltages are divided in
different sub-sections according to their ranges, then leakage flux is reduced. The low
voltages sections which are near to end mostly have half number of turns of normal
low voltages regions which are known as Half coils. There are always same number
of ampere turns in every low or high voltage region and this is because of the reason
to keep a balance of magnetomotive forces in adjacent sections. The more we keep
the subdivision value, the lesser will be the amount of reactance.
LV windings are mostly near to the core which are at ground potential while HV
winding sections are in between the two LV sections.

Sandwich-Type Winding

ii. Pancake-Type Winding:

There are many types of windings which can be declared as Pan-Cake type windings
because of the arrangement of conductors into discs form and because of their
physical appearance relative to a pan-cake type. Their conductors are in the form of
rectangular shape with their widest side aligned in the form of vertical or horizontal
position. This type of winding basically follows the scheme of interleaved disc
winding according to which a cross-over is given at the bottom of every disc and
their conductors are joined with each other by the technique of brazing. There was a
big drawback in the continuous disc winding where their strength against voltage
impulse was not sufficient for voltages above 145kV. This flaw is overcome by this
type of winding where turns are inter-leaved in such a way that two adjacent-
conductors belong to two different turns.
 Fig: Pan-Cake Type Winding

: Advantages of Shell Type Transformer:

There are different advantages of shell-type transformer which are as follows;
 It has a greater capacity to withstand the short circuit.
 It can bear the mechanical strength to a higher level.
 One of its benefit is also having a very high strength of dielectric medium.
 It can regulate the leakage flux magnetically more efficiently.
 Cooling-capability is highly efficient in shell-type transformers.
 It has flexible-design and a compact-size.
 Highly Reliability in its design.

Disadvantages of Shell Type Transformer:

 These transformers are taken to run a load of little capacity.
 Due to its compact manufacturing design, cooling must be provided from outside.
 Here, re-construction and re-winding are much complex thing than that of core
transformer.