Vector Group

In electrical engineering, a vector group is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) method of categorizing the high voltage (HV) windings and low voltage (LV) winding configurations of three-phase transformers. The vector group designation indicates the windings configurations and the difference in phase angle between them. For example, a wye HV winding and delta LV winding with a 30-degree lead is denoted as Yd11.

The phase windings of a polyphase transformer can be connected internally in different configurations, depending on what characteristics are needed from the transformer. In a three-phase power system, it may be necessary to connect a three-wire system to a four-wire system, or vice versa. Because of this, transformers are manufactured with a variety of winding configurations to meet these requirements.

Different combinations of winding connections will result in different phase angles between the voltages on the windings. Transformers connected in parallel must have the same vector group; mismatching phase angles will result in circulating current and other system disturbances.

The vector group provides a simple way of indicating how the connections of a transformer are arranged. In the system adopted by the IEC, the vector group is indicated by a code consisting of two or three letters, followed by one or two numeric digits. The letters indicate the winding configuration as follows:

In the IEC vector group code, each letter stands for one set of windings. The high-voltage (HV) winding is designated with an uppercase letter, followed by medium or low-voltage (LV) windings designated with a lowercase letter. The digits following the letter codes indicate the difference in phase angle between the windings, with HV winding is taken as a reference. The number is in units of 30 degrees. For example, a transformer with a vector group of Dy1 has a delta-connected HV winding and a wye-connected LV winding. The phase angle of the LV winding lags the HV by 30 degrees.

Note that the high-voltage (HV) side always comes before the low-voltage (LV) side, regardless of which is the primary winding. This means that the vector group symbol will always start with a capital letter.

Phase rotation is always counterclockwise (internationally adopted convention) and indicates multiples of 30 degree lag for low voltage winding using the high voltage winding as the reference.

As the IEC60076-1 standard has stated, the notation is HV-LV in sequence. For example, a step-up transformer with a delta-connected secondary, and wye-connected primary, is written as 'Dy1'. The 1 indicates the LV winding lags the HV by 30 degrees.

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