Difference between Dead Tank and Live Tank CT

Current Transformers are classified as Dead Tank Type and Live Tank Type CTs based on their
construction. The term Dead and Live has their own meaning from the view point of potential of
Secondary Windings and Core.

ead Tank itself means that the potential of the Tank of CT is at earth potential i.e. zero as shown in the
figure below.

The classification of CT i.e. whether Dead Tank or Live Tank comes from whether the Core and
Secondary Winding of CT is located in Dead Tank or Live Tank of CT. If the Core and Secondary
Winding is located in Dead Tank, then it is Dead Tank type CT while in case the Core and Secondary
Winding is located in Live Tank portion then it is Live Tank type CT. Figure below depicts the Dead
Tank type and Live Tank type CT.

Dead Tank type CT:

Observe that the Core and Secondary Winding is located in Dead Tank portion and hence it is Dead
Tank type CT.

Live Tank type CT:

 Carefully observe that Core and Secondary Winding is located in the Live Tank portion.
Now the question arises which type of CT shall be used and what are their advantages and
disadvantages?
Basically the use of a particular type of CT depends on the requirement but these days mostly Live
Tank CT is used. The advantages and disadvantage will be clear while comparing both types of CT.
Difference between Live Tank and Dead Tank type CT:
Sr.
Live Tank CT
No.
1) In live tank CT, the core with the secondary
winding is housed in the top tank which is
LIVE.(AT HIGH VOLTAGE)
2) In Live Tank, the core and secondary
winding is insulated against the high voltage
and housed in the top live tank.
3) In Live Tank CT, we insulate the core and
secondary winding.
4) Only after application of pre-defined
insulation on secondary, primary is wound.
Application of insulation over wound cores is
easy.
5) Insulation is robust and reliable.
6) Primary winding is of shortest possible length
and its natural shape offers high strength
against the short time current dynamic
forces.
7) Heat generated during short time thermal
current is the minimum as primary copper
volume is minimum and the heat dissipation
is fast as the primary copper is directly in
contact with transformer oil.
8) The transformer is compact and economical.
9) Primary winding is uniformly distributed
around Core, Hence CT is truly low
reactance type, which has inherent better
transient performance.
10) As the length of Primary inside the CT is less
(so resistance will be less), the heat
produced in the primary will be less.
Thank you!
Dead Tank CT
In dead tank CT, the core and secondary
winding is housed in the bottom tank which is
earthed or DEAD.
In Dead Tank CT, the primary winding is
brought down to the bottom tank and it is
insulated from the earthed tank and cores.
In Dead Tank CT, we insulate the primary
winding.
It is practically difficult to apply the pre-
defined insulation over the primary because
the primary needs to pass through the wound
cores.
Insulation is not robust.
The primary has to pass through the
porcelain insulator and the larger length of
the primary conductor produces maximum
mechanical force during short time dynamic
current which might damage the insulation.
Heat generated during short time thermal
current is maximum. Copper volume is
maximum and the heat dissipation is slow as
the heat need to conduct through the major
insulation which is normally a bad conductor
of heat.
The transformer is bulky and costly.
-
As the length of Primary is more (so
resistance will be more) compared to Live
Tank type CT, the heating will be more.