Electrical – Regulation of transformer with inductive load

regulationstransformer

The regulation of transformer and alternators is poor while supplying inductive loads like a motor as compared to resistive loads.

Why is it so?

I do understand the phasor analysis of these loads and desire to know the physical reason behind the poor regulation of lagging loads.

Best Answer

I'm going to use the transformer as an example.

A transformer will have leakage inductance i.e. "spare" inductance in each winding that isn't coupling through the core. This leakage inductance is a series component and can drop voltage across it when load currents are taken. This is a significant reason why regulation is not perfectly 100% in a transformer.

So, if the net leakage inductance is X and the load is (say) 50X and reactive, a simple potential divider is formed and the secondary voltage is: -

\$\dfrac{50}{50+1}\$ = 98%

But, if the same load current were taken with a resistor equivalent in impedance to 50X then the secondary voltage would be: -

\$\dfrac{50}{\sqrt{50^2+1^2}}\$ = 99.98%

If the copper losses were as significant as the leakage inductance in their effect, regulation would be the same for inductive and resistive loads.