High-Current CT Calibration Using a Sampling Current Ratio Bridge

A measurement setup is developed for the accurate ratio measurement of ac current transformers (CTs) for primary currents up to 5 kA. A unique property of the system is the use of high-quality digitizers for sampling of the secondary current signals and step-down transformers with different current ratios. This allows for accurate comparison of CTs even when their nominal ratios are not equal. The calibration results of the key components in the setup show that the sampling current ratio bridge has a ratio uncertainty of better than 2 μA/A in magnitude and 0.8 μrad in phase for CT-under-test current ratios that do not differ by more than a factor of 5 from one of the ratios in the reference CT. The linearity of the bridge for input currents changing between 1% and 120% of nominal input current is better than 4 μA/A in magnitude and 0.5 μrad in phase.