Transformer Damage Curve

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timm333

Senior Member
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Occupation
Electrical Design Engineer
I have question about the protection and coordination of the transformer. The time current curve of the primary fuse usually passes through the transformer damage curve, then why is it even required that the transformer damage curve should be plotted?

If the curve of fuse on the primary side of transformer passes through the transformer damage curve, then will the secondary fuse be able to protect the transformer, or should an additional 50 relay be used in series with primary fuse? Thanks for help.
 

xptpcrewx

Power System Engineer
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Occupation
Licensed Electrical Engineer, Licensed Electrical Contractor, Certified Master Electrician
I have question about the protection and coordination of the transformer. The time current curve of the primary fuse usually passes through the transformer damage curve, then why is it even required that the transformer damage curve should be plotted?

If the curve of fuse on the primary side of transformer passes through the transformer damage curve, then will the secondary fuse be able to protect the transformer, or should an additional 50 relay be used in series with primary fuse? Thanks for help.

The correct TCC of the primary fuse shouldn’t intersect the damage curve, where are you getting this from?
 

jim dungar

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
The primary fuse is often intended to remove the transformer from the system after it has failed (i.e. short circuit protection). Overload protection is usually provided the secondary protective device.

this is why the NEC requires either the primary or the secondary, but not both, to not exceed 125% of the FLA.
 

timm333

Senior Member
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Occupation
Electrical Design Engineer
The damage curve is regarding short circuit protection (not overload). So if the primary fuse curve (providing short circuit protection) crosses the damage curve, it would damage the transformer. I am trying to understand why they say it is acceptable for the primary fuse curve to cross the damage curve.
 

xptpcrewx

Power System Engineer
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Occupation
Licensed Electrical Engineer, Licensed Electrical Contractor, Certified Master Electrician
The damage curve is regarding short circuit protection (not overload). So if the primary fuse curve (providing short circuit protection) crosses the damage curve, it would damage the transformer. I am trying to understand why they say it is acceptable for the primary fuse curve to cross the damage curve.

Looking at the reference, I see what you are now talking about... The primary fuse TCC is intersecting the long-time region and is perfectly acceptable since they are utilizing a secondary protective device to cover the long-time (overload) region on the secondary windings. Note: you don’t get overloads due to the primary windings itself so it’s ok to implement that protection on the load side of the transformer. Both primary and secondary TCC’s are superimposed.


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adamscb

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
EE
Also I think what they're saying is that it's best to select a fuse that won't blow during TX inrush and cross the damage curve, rather than the opposite - a fuse that doesn't cross the damage curve, but blows on transformer inrush.
 

ron

Senior Member
The time current curve of the primary fuse usually passes through the transformer damage curve, then why is it even required that the transformer damage curve should be plotted?
There is no code requirement to plot the transformer damage curve. It is an industry practice to do it and show that you have selected a fuse or other protective device to do the best you can considering the application.
 

timm333

Senior Member
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Occupation
Electrical Design Engineer
Looking at the reference, I see what you are now talking about... The primary fuse TCC is intersecting the long-time region and is perfectly acceptable since they are utilizing a secondary protective device to cover the long-time (overload) region on the secondary windings. Note: you don’t get overloads due to the primary windings itself so it’s ok to implement that protection on the load side of the transformer. Both primary and secondary TCC’s are superimposed.


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The "long time region" which you have mentioned, is it of damage-curve or fuse-curve ?

The top half of the damage curve is for thermal and the bottom half is for short circuit. Regarding the fuse curve, it does not have the thermal and short circuit regions like a breaker, but still I think the top part of the fuse curve would be for thermal and bottom half for short circuit.
 

xptpcrewx

Power System Engineer
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Occupation
Licensed Electrical Engineer, Licensed Electrical Contractor, Certified Master Electrician
The "long time region" which you have mentioned, is it of damage-curve or fuse-curve ?

The top half of the damage curve is for thermal and the bottom half is for short circuit. Regarding the fuse curve, it does not have the thermal and short circuit regions like a breaker, but still I think the top part of the fuse curve would be for thermal and bottom half for short circuit.

I am referring to the thermal region of the damage curve


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topgone

Senior Member
The "long time region" which you have mentioned, is it of damage-curve or fuse-curve ?

The top half of the damage curve is for thermal and the bottom half is for short circuit. Regarding the fuse curve, it does not have the thermal and short circuit regions like a breaker, but still I think the top part of the fuse curve would be for thermal and bottom half for short circuit.
Long time region --> the region in the thermal side of the protection.
Short time region---> the region in the inrush/ starting region, and
Instantaneous region--> protection from short circuits.
 
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