DESIGN OF THE LOW POWER MAINS TRANSFORMER

AI.1. Miscellaneous

The single-phase low power mains transformer is a component part present in almost all types of
supply schemes of stationary electronic devices. It is destined to achieve following functions:
- Changes the values of voltages and currents, from the level where they are taken over by the
primary circuit, from the network, to the values demanded in the circuit or circuits of the secondary;
- Assures the galvanic insulation to the network of the mounting board of the electronic device, where
it is mounted, thus assuring the electrical security of people that manipulates it.
A mains transformer has following component parts (fig. AI.1):
- electric insulated coil formers;
- windings: primary and secondary;
- magnetic core;
- screw system of the core and fixing system of the transformer.

4
3
5
1
2

Fig. AI.1. Mounted mains transformer: 1 coil former, 2 windings, 3 magnetic core, 4 casing for
screwing the core, 5 ears foreseen with fixing hole.
The primary and secondary windings are manufactured of copper or aluminum wires, insulated with
enamel and placed on a housing of electric insulated material (pressboard, textile laminate, glass textile
laminate, plastic material, etc.).
Inside the coil former is the magnetic core, formed of ferromagnetic laminations, screwed with a
casing. The laminations are obtained by press forming and afterwards they are submitted to an annealing
treatment for stress relieving and recovering of the magnetic properties affected by the mechanic processing.
The casing is achieved, also by pressing the iron sheet thick of 1-1,5 mm that is afterwards galvanically
covered (usually passivated zinc coated). The entire transformer is usually impregnated, through inertia in
melted paraffin or in varnish that are polymerized through heating in the furnace, at 80-100C.
For a better understanding of the design method of a distribution transformer, there are given at the
beginning some notions that interfere in calculus.
Type of lamination. Usually there are used STAS-laminations, of type (E+I) fig. AI.2. The
lamination sizes are mentioned by letter E, followed by the basic size of the lamination, a, expressed in
[mm]. Thus, there exist following types of laminations: E5, E6,4; E8; E10; E12,5; E14; E16; E18; E20; E25,
E32.
1

The main geometric parameters of a lamination (E+I) STAS are presented in figure AI.2. The
thickness of the laminations is g1 = 0,35 mm or g2 = 0,5 mm.
a

AF

a
a
2a
a
a

Fig. AI.2. Economical STAS-lamination: AF area of the lamination window.

The area of the lamination window, AF [cm2] represents the surface destined to the introduction of
the windings and is presented shaded in figure AI.2.
Its value is given by the relation:
AF [cm2] = 0,03 a2 [mm].
The iron section, SFe [cm2] represents the area of the magnetic core section, situated inside the
winded housing (fig. AI.3).

SFe

Fig. AI.3. Cross section through the distribution transformer: SFe iron section.
The filling factor of the window, , represents the ratio between the total area Atot [cm2] occupied by
the windings in the lamination window and the area of the lamination window, AF [cm2]:
2

[ ]
[ ]

[ ]

Atot cm 2
Atot cm 2
=
AF cm 2
0,03 a 2 [mm]

For the transformer to be achieved easily in the series production, the value of is usually (0,65
0,75).
AI.2. Initial design data
Usually, from the design of an electric scheme for an electronic device equipped with the supply part
formed of a distribution transformer, there result true root mean square values of the voltages and currents
needed in the secondary, U2k, respectively I2k, as well as the number of windings in the secondary, K (fig.
AI.4). There are also known, the true root mean square voltage in the primary, U1 = 220 V, that is the voltage
of the single-phase network of alternative current, as well as the frequency of the network, that is of 50 Hz.
I21
U21

n21
d21

U22

n22
d22

U2k

n2k
d2k

I22
I1
U1

n1
d1

I2k

Fig. AI.4. Distribution transformer electric scheme: n1 number of windings of the primary winding, n2k
the number of windings in the secondary k; d1 the diameter of the winding wire in the primary; d2k the
diameter of the winding wire in the secondary k.
By the designing of the transformer, it is followed to find through calculus the data needed for its
practical achievement, that is:
n1 the number of windings in the primary;
n2k the number of windings in the secondary k;
d1 the diameter of the winding wire in the primary;
d2k the diameter of the winding wire in the secondary k;
a the STAS-lamination type;
N the number of needed laminations.

AI.3. Design method of the mains transformer

It is calculated the total power absorption in the secondary, P2[W], as follows:

P2 [W ] = P2 k = U 2 k I 2 k
k

Further on, is calculated the power absorption in the primary, P1[W], considering the rating of the
transformer, 0,85;
P [W ] P2 [W ]
P1 [W ] = 2
=
= 1,176 P2 [W ]

0.85

It is sized the iron section, SFe[cm2] of the magnetic core, from the relation:

[ ]

S Fe cm 2 = (0,8...1,6 ) P1 (W )
Usually, to the beginning, it is chosen:

[ ]

S Fe cm 2 = 1,2 P1 [W ]

There is calculated the needed number of windings per Volt, n0, with relation:
40
n0 [sp / V ] =
S Fe cm 2

[ ]

deducted from the electromagnetic induction law, for f = 50 Hz and for the maximal admitted induction in
the laminations:
Bmax = 1,2 T.
The justification of this relation is following:
The voltage induced in a winding by n windings, is:

d
dt
where is the magnetic flux through the transformer core. But = BSFe, where B is the core induction.
Considering that previous relations are written with true root mean square values (the voltage is usually
expressed in root mean square values), there results that the first relation might be re-written in sine-wave
regime, as follows:
dBef
U ef = S Fe
dt
or, transforming into amplitude peak values for the induction:
dB
U ef 2 = S Fe v
dt
where: Bv is the amplitude of the induction in sine-wave regime.
Due to the fact that in sine-wave regime, the time derivative of a measure is equivalent with the
multiplication with = 2f, with f the frequency, the previously written relation becomes:
U=

U ef 2 = S Fe 2fBv
As the core induction, for hot-rolled silicon laminations, can take over only at most the value Bmax =
1,2 T, there results that the winding number on Volt (needed for obtaining the true root mean square value of
the induced voltage of 1 V), is:
n
2
n0 =
=
U ef
2fS Fe Bmax

For f = 50 Hz and SFe expressed in [cm2] it results:

n0 =

2 10 4
38
=
2
100 S Fe cm 1,2 S Fe cm 2

[ ]

[ ]

It is chosen, as a cover value:

n0 =

40 48
S Fe cm 2

[ ]

due to the fact that thus is avoided the strong saturation of the core at an increase of the network voltage
over the normal value of 220 Vef.

It is calculated the number of windings needed in the primary, n1, with relation:
n1 = n0U 1

It is calculated the number of windings in the secondary k, n2k, with relation:

n2 k = 1,1 U 2 k n0

It is estimated the current in the primary, I1:

I 1 [A] =

P1 [W ]
U 1 [V ]

It is sized the diameter d1[mm] of the winding wire in the primary and d2k [mm] in the secondary K,
with relation:
d1; 2 k [mm] = 0,65 I 1; 2 k [ A]

For a maximal current density admitted in copper:

I
A
= 3
I max =
2
2
d
mm
4
The value resulted by the calculus for the diameter d [mm] is rounded at the standardized value immediately
higher from table AI.1.

TABLE AI.1.
The STAS diameters of the winding wires and the filling coefficients
The STAS diameter of the wire
C1 [sp/ cm2] (with insulation
C2 [sp/ cm2] (without insulation
[mm]
between layers)
between layers)
0,05
13250
16150
0,07
8330
9700
0,1
4460
6100
0,12
3190
4120
0,15
2260
2880
0,18
1730
2050
0,2
1465
1715
0,22
1210
1460
0,25
978
1140
0,28
813
925
0,3
722
807
0,35
530
594
0,4
350
470
0,45
277
371
0,5
224
300
0,55
190
252
0,6
162
209
0,65
142
180
0,7
125
153
0,8
95,5
127
0,9
78
93
1
65
75
1,2
40,5
52
1,3
26,5
33,5
2
15,5
19
It is calculated the area occupied by the windings in the lamination window for the primary A1 [cm2]
and for the secondary A2 [cm2], using the calculus coefficients, C1 for the case that the winding shall
be made with insulation between layers or C2 for the case that the winding is made without insulation
between layers. These coefficients are according to the diameter chosen for the winding wires and are
given in table AI.1.
n
n
A1 cm 2 = 1 ; A2 cm 2 = 2 k
C1; 2
C1; 2

[ ]

[ ]

It is calculated the total area occupied by windings, Atot [cm2]:

Atot cm 2 = A1 cm 2 + A2 cm 2

The needed lamination, respectively parameter a [mm] for an optimal filling factor ( = 0,7) are
sized with relation:

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

[ ]

Atot cm 2
= 6,9 Atot cm 2
0,03 0,7
If, for parameter a [mm] it is obtained no standardized value, then the standardized value is the immediate
superior or inferior standardized value and it is checked if, with the chosen value, it is obtained:
a[mm] =

[ ]

 STAS =

[ ]

Atot cm 2
= 0,65 0,75
2
0,03 a STAS
[mm]

It is calculated the thickness of the lamination package, b [mm], using the STAS-lamination:
S Fe cm 2
b[mm] =
0,02 a STAS [mm]

It is calculated the needed lamination number for the manufacturing of the magnetic core, according
to their thicknesses, g (0,35 mm or 0,5 mm):
b[mm]
N=
g [mm]

[ ]

The design method of a distribution transformer might be easily remembered, by using table AI.2.
TABLE AI.2
Method for the design of the distribution transformer
Initial design data
Data that must result from
Used calculus relations
calculation
U2k [V]; I2k [A]

P2 [W]

= 0,85

P1 [W]
SFe [cm2]

P2 = U 2 k I 2 k
k

Bmax [T]
f [Hz]

n0 [sp/ V]

U1 [V]

n1 windings

k; U2k [V]

n2k windings

U1 [V]

I1 [A]

I2k; Imax = 3 [A/mm2]

d1 [mm]; d2k [mm]

C1 with insulation between

layers
C2 without insulation between
layers
optim = 0,7

A1 [cm2]; A2 [cm2]
Atot [cm2]

aSTAS [mm]
g = - 0,35 mm
= - 0,5 mm

P1 = 1,176 P2
S Fe = 1,2 P1
n0 =

(40 48)

[ ]

S Fe cm 2
n1 = n0U 1

n2 k = 1,1n0U 2 k

I1 =

P1
U1

d1; 2 k = 0,65 I 1; 2 k
A1 =

n
n1
; A2 = 2 k
C1; 2
C1; 2

Atot = A1 A2
a [mm] = type of the STASlamination
b [mm] = thickness of the
lamination package

N (laminations) = needed
number of laminations

a = 6,9 Atot
b=

S Fe
0,02 a STAS
b
N=
g

AI.4. Design Example

There must be designed a distribution transformer that has the initial data:
U1 = 220 V; f = 50 Hz;
U21 = U22 = 24 V; I21 = I22 = 1,5 A
U23 = 6,3 V, I23 = 0,3 A
It is estimated the total power in the secondary:
P2 = 2 24 1,5 + 6,3 0,3 = 73,89 W .

The power absorption in the primary, for = 0,85 shall be:

P1 = 1,176 73,89 = 86,89 W .

The needed core section SFe, is:

S Fe = 1,2 86,89 = 11,18 cm 2 .

The winding/ Volt number that must be winded shall be:

40
n0 =
= 3,6 sp / V .
11,18
It is calculated the number of windings in the primary:
n1 = 3,6 220 = 792 windings

It is calculated the number of windings in the secondary:

n21 = n 22 = 1,1 3,6 24 = 71 windings;
n23 = 1,1 3,6 6,3 = 24,8 windings.

The value n23 is rounded to:

n23 = 25 windings

It is calculated the current absorption from the primary:

86,89
I1 =
= 0,39 A.
220
There are estimated the wire diameters in the primary and secondary:
d1 = 0,65 0,39 = 0,4 mm;
d 21 = d 22 = 0,65 1,5 = 0,79 mm;
d 23 = 0,65 0,3 = 0,35 mm.

There are chosen the standardized diameters:

d1 = 0,4 mm; d21 = d22 = 0,8 mm; d23 = 0,35 mm
It is calculated the area occupied by windings under the hypothesis that the winding is done without
insulation between layers, by using the calculus coefficients C2 from table AI.1 (in this case, there
exists only insulation between the primary and secondary, as well as to the outside of the windings):
792
A1 =
= 1,7 cm 2 ;
470
71 25
A2 = 2
= 1,17 cm 2 .
+
127
594

It is calculated the total area occupied by windings:

Atot = 1,7 + 1,17 = 2,87 cm 2 .

It is sized the needed lamination for optim = 0,7, as follows:

a[mm] = 6,9 2,87 = 11,6 mm.

Remark: It is chosen the STAS-lamination E 12,5 and there must be checked with the chosen lamination:
2,87
STAS =
= 0,612 < 0,7;
0,03 12,5 2
and thus, the STAS-lamination is well chosen.
It is calculated the thickness of the lamination package, b, with relation:
11,18
b=
= 46,5 mm.
0,02 12
The needed number of laminations with the thickness g = 0,35 mm, shall be:
46,5
N=
= 133 laminations
0,35