Comprehensive Performance and Thermal Analysis of Power Transformers Under Variable Load Conditions

Authors

  • Md. Ali Lecturer, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords:

Efficiency, Load conditions, Power factor, Power transformer, Temperature rise, Voltage regulation

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the behavior of power transformers under diverse load conditions, including light load, rated load, and overload scenarios. Power transformers serve as vital components in electrical power systems, ensuring the reliable transformation of voltage and uninterrupted power delivery. Because load conditions fluctuate continuously, transformer performance is highly sensitive to these variations, influencing efficiency, voltage regulation, and thermal stability. Experimental measurements, coupled with analytical calculations, were employed to assess key parameters such as efficiency, voltage drop, and temperature rise. The results demonstrate that efficiency reaches its maximum near rated load, whereas it declines under both light and overload conditions. Moreover, temperature rise becomes significantly more pronounced during overload operation, highlighting potential thermal management challenges. These findings offer practical guidance for utilities and engineers, enabling them to optimize transformer operation, minimize energy losses, and enhance the overall reliability of power systems.

References

H. Koli, S. Neje, and S. A. Wadekar, “Load variation effects on power transformer efficiency: A MATLAB simulation,” International Advanced Research Journal in Science, Engineering and Technology, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 270–274, Mar. 2025.

S. J. Chapman, Electric Machinery Fundamentals, 5th ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 2012.

S. S. Muhammad, S. Abdulrazak, Y. S. Haruna, S. Abdulhafiz, and D. M. Nazif, “Performance and economic evaluation of power transformer,” Asian Journal of Science, Technology, Engineering and Art, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 921–939, 2025.

A. E. Fitzgerald, C. Kingsley Jr., and S. D. Umans, Electric Machinery, 7th ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 2013.

C. D. B. Capulong, P. K. Camat, P. B. Gonzales, K. G. Bunoan, A. C. Tolentino, R. H. Gomez, and R. M. Favorito, “Analysis of failure rate due to transformer loadings of commonly used transformers in Porac substation,” Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering Research, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 107–117, 2025.

M. T. Islam, S. A. Turja, and A. Habib, “Enhanced power demand forecasting for Bangladesh using feature engineering,” Journal of Data, Information and Management, vol. 7, pp. 1–19, 2025.

B. M. Weedy, B. J. Cory, N. Jenkins, J. B. Ekanayake, and G. Strbac, Electric Power Systems, 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ, USA: Wiley, 2012.

M. C. Mgunda, “Optimization of power transformer design: Losses, voltage regulation and tests,” Journal of Power and Energy Engineering, vol. 5, pp. 45–74, 2017.

S. T. Zahra, S. K. Imdad, S. Khan, S. Khalid, and N. A. Baig, “Power transformer health index and life span assessment: A comprehensive review of conventional and machine learning based approaches,” Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, vol. 139, pp. 1–15, 2025. ⁠

J. I. Aizpurua, “Physics-informed machine learning for transformer condition monitoring – Part I: Basic concepts, neural networks, and variants,: 2025 8th International Advanced Research Workshop on Transformers (ARWtr), BAIONA, Spain, 2025, pp. 87–94.

M. Alabdrbalreda, Power transformer modelling for optimal performance, Honours thesis, Murdoch University, Australia, 2015.

A. F. Hacan, B. Kabas, and S. Oguten, “Design optimization of a three-phase transformer using finite element analysis,” arXiv preprint, Jan. 2022.

Published

2026-03-20