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Selecting,sizingtransformersforcommercialbuildings|ConsultingSpecifyingEngineer

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Selecting,sizingtransformersforcommercialbuildings
Whilecommercialbuildingdesignschange,theirelectricalloadsremainfundamentallyunchanged.Properlysizingandselecting
transformersensuresthattheseloadsareaccommodated.
ByRalphBaeza,PE,LEEDAP,TLCEngineeringforArchitecture,Miami

06/09/2011

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Transformers,alongwithotherpowerdistributionapparatus,remainafundamentalcomponentinelectricalsystemsdistribution
forcommercialbuildings.Thisarticlepresentsseveralusefuldesignconceptsforselectingandsizingtransformersinthe
designofelectricalsystemsforcommercialbuildings.
Transformerschangevoltagelevelstosupplyelectricalloadswiththevoltagestheyrequire.Theysupplytherequiredincoming
electricalservicetothebuildings.Transformerprimaryandsecondaryvoltagescanbe2,4004,1607,20012,470and13,200
for15kVClass,and120,208,240,277,and480for600VClass.
Transformersarelocatedeitheroutdoorsorinsidebuildingsinanelectricalroomorotherareasaspermittedbycode.The
electricalphasecharacteristicsassociatedwiththetransformersprimarysideis3phase,3wireorDeltaconnected.The
secondaryis3phase,4wireorWyeconnected.
Constructiontypes
Therearedifferentconstructiontypesfortransformersusedincommercial
buildings.Ourunderstandingoftheirgeneralcharacteristicswillallowthe
designerandendusertomaketheproperselectionfortheelectricalsystem
application.Followingaresomeofthetransformertypesavailableintheindustry
alongwithafewoftheircharacteristics:
Ventilateddrytypetransformersare
ventilatedbyair,uselargerspacefor
clearance,andusedifferent
insulatingmaterialstoaugmentthe
dielectricstrengthoftheair.They
containanenclosuresurroundingthe
windingsfortheirmechanical
protectionandthesafetyof
personnel.Thistypeisthemostcommontobeusedinthebuildingindoor
electricalsystemdistribution.SeeTable1fortypicaldrytypetransformerratings,
dimensions,andweights.

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Sealeddrytypetransformersaresimilartodrytypeinmostoftheircharacteristics.
Thedifferenceistheycontainanenclosedtankwithnitrogenorotherdielectricgas
toprotectthewindings.Theycanbeinstalledoutdoorsorindoors.Theyareuseful
inareaswithacorrosiveordirtyatmosphere.
Castcoiltransformersareconstructedwiththeprimaryandsecondarywindings
encapsulatedinreinforcedresin.Theycanbeinstalledwheremoistureorairborne
contaminantsexist.
Nonventilateddrytypetransformersaresimilartotheventilatedtypebutaretotally
enclosed.Thistypecanbeinstalledinareaswithcorrosiveordirtyatmospheric
conditionswhereitwouldbeimpossibletouseaventilatedtypetransformer.
Oilfilledtransformersareconstructedwiththewindingsencasedinanoiltighttank
filledwithinsulatingmineraloil.Itisgoodpracticetoregularlytestthistypeof
transformerinordertodeterminedielectricbreakdown,whichaffectsitsusefullife.
Applicationtypes
Therearedifferentwaysinwhichtransformersareinstalledandusedaspartofa
commercialbuildingelectricalsystem.Theseapplicationtypesinclude:
Indoordistributiontransformersareusedwithpanelboardsandareseparately
mountedtosupplythespecificelectricalloadrequirementsinasystemspecific
applicationwithinthesystemdistribution.Severaltransformertypesratedhigherthan600Vforoilinsulatedtype,higherthan
35,000Vfordrytype,andothertransformersratedhigherthan600Varerequiredtobelocatedinvaultrooms,whichmustbe
builtwithfireratedenclosuresdependingonthetransformertypeandapplicablelocalauthorityrequirements,whenindoors.
Transformersthatarenotover600Vandarepartoftheindoorbuildingelectricalsystemdistributionhavebothprimaryand
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Selecting,sizingtransformersforcommercialbuildings|ConsultingSpecifyingEngineer
Transformersthatarenotover600Vandarepartoftheindoorbuildingelectricalsystemdistributionhavebothprimaryand
secondaryvoltagesbelow600Vwiththemostcommonvoltagelevelchangefrom480Vto208Y/120V.

Padmountedtransformersareinstalledoutsideandareconsideredthefirstoptionforsupplyingserviceentrancevoltageto
thebuildingelectricalsystembasedontheprojectsizeandrequirements.Theytypicallyhaveprimaryvoltageshigherthan600
Vandsecondaryvoltageslowerthan600Vwithcompartmentsfortheassociatedprotectivedevicesassembledinanintegral
tamperresistantandweatherproofunit.
Inaddition,thesizeofthecommercialfacilitywilldeterminetheappropriateapproachfordesigningtheelectricaldistribution
systemforthespecificapplication.Inthiselectricalsystemdesign,thetransformercanbeusedaspartofasubstation,primary
unitsubstation,secondaryunitsubstation,ornetworkconfiguration.
Sizing
TheelectricalsizeofthetransformerloadisratedinkVA.Thisratingprovidestheassociatedpoweroutputdeliveredfora
specificperiodbytheloadsconnectedtothetransformeronthesecondarysideoftheequipment.Theloads,whichare
calculatedaspartofthebuildingelectricalsystemdesignphase,areshownintheconstructiondocumentsrespective
equipmentschedulesinVAorkVA.
Ageneralapproachtodeterminingtransformercapacityandselectingtheproperratingforthedesignapplicationistoobtain
thecalculateddesignloadfromtherespectiveelectricalscheduleandadd20%sparecapacityforfutureloadgrowthtobe
shownintheequipmentschedule,unlessotherwisedirectedbythefacilitybasedondesignparameters.Forexample,the
codebaseddemandloadofa208Y/120V,3phase,4wirepanelboardis42kVA,whichdoesdonotincludesparecapacity
forfuturegrowth.Therefore,thetransformersizerequiredforconvertingthesystemvoltagefrom480V,3phase,3wireto208
Y/120V,3phase,4wireis:
TransformersizeinkVA=42kVAx1.25=52.5kVA
Therefore,a75kVAtransformerwouldbeselectedforthisapplicationoutoftheavailablestandardratingsfora480Vprimary
to208Y/120Vsecondary.Themostcommonbuildingindustrystandardratingsare3,6,9,15,30,37.5,45,75,112.5,150,
225,300,500,750,and1,000kVA.
Theabovesimplecalculationmeetstheintenttoachievethenormallifeexpectancyofatransformer,whichisbasedonthe
followingbasicconditions:
ThetransformerisequaltoorlessthanitsratedkVAandratedvoltage.
Theaveragetemperatureofthecoolingairduringa24hourperiodis86F.
Thetemperatureofthecoolingairatnotimeexceeds104F.
Selecting
TransformerselectionstartswiththekVAratingrequiredtosupplytheloadsconnectedintheelectricalsystem.Another
considerationforindoordistributiontransformersisthetypeofload:linearornonlinear.Linearloadsincluderesistiveheating
andinductionmotorsnonlinearloadsareproducedbyelectronicequipmentthatcontributestothedistortionoftheelectrical
powersignalsbygeneratingharmonics.Theharmonicsresultingfromnonsinusoidalcurrentsgenerateadditionallossesand
heatingofthetransformercoils,whichreducethetransformerlifeexpectancy.
IndoortransformersfornonlinearloadscanbeselectedwithaKrating,whichallowsthetransformertowithstandnonlinear
conditionsintheelectricalsystem.Kratedtransformersdonotmitigateoreliminateharmonics.However,theydoprotectthe
transformeritselffromdamagecausedbyharmonics.Forharmonicmitigation,Kratedtransformerscanbecombinedwith
harmonicfiltersorchokes.Forlinearloadapplications,transformersshouldbeselectedwithlowercorelosses.Otherfactors
thatshouldbeconsideredinselectingtransformersarevoltageratingsforbothprimaryandsecondary,voltagetaps,efficiency,
impedancevalue,typeofcoolingandtemperaturerise,voltageinsulationclass,basicimpulselevel,andsoundlevel.
Practicalapplications
Inthepasttwoyears,twolargeprojectsinMiamiDadeCountyhavebeenbuilt:the
FloridaInternationalUniversityfootballstadiumandMiamiInternationalAirportSouth
Terminal.Bothprojectsincludeddrytype480V,3phaseto208Y/120VVstepdown
transformers(inNEMA2enclosures),rangingfrom15kVAto112.5kVAinthe
electricalsystemdistributiondesign.
The18,688seatFIUfootballstadiumwasdesignedwithabout12transformersas
partoftheelectricalsystemdistributioninordertosupplygeneralusereceptacles,
smallmotors,andotherloadsinthestadiumbuildingstructureandtheattachedfield
housebuilding.TheMIASouthTerminalexpansionwasdesignedwithabout50
transformerswithsimilarintentasthestadiumsbutamorediversegroupofloadsfor
the208Y/120V3phase,4wiresystem,whichalsoincludedlightingloads,signage,telecommunication,securitysystems,
andotherloadspartofthisbuildingproject(Figure1).

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Installation
Theinstallationofpowertransformersandtransformervaultsmustcomply
withtherequirementsofNationalElectricalCode(NFPA70)article450and
specificlocalauthorityhavingjurisdictionrequirements.Someprinciplesto
considerfortransformerinstallationincludelocatingtheminisolatedrooms
withproperventilation,clearances,andaccessibility.Otherwise,theycanbe
installedonopenwallsorsteelcolumnsorabovesuspendedceilings.
Inaddition,thereareotherspecificrequirementsbasedonthetransformer
type,suchasweatherproofenclosuresfordrytypetransformersinstalled
outdoorsoratransformervaultroomforoilinsulatedtransformersinstalled
indoors.Inaddition,agooddesignandinstallationrequiretheproper
transformerfeederandovercurrentprotectiondevicesizebasedonNEC
articles240,250,450,andapplicablesectionsofArticle310(Figure2).
Lookingahead
Transformersremainafundamentalcomponentofelectricaldistribution
systems.Equipmentoperationcharacteristicswillcontinuetochange.
However,theiroperatingprincipleswillremainwiththesame.Theindustry
trendistocontinuebuildingtransformerswithlesscorelosses,andthat
complywithEnergyStarefficiencyrequirements.
BaezaisaprincipalandseniorelectricalengineeratTLCEngineeringfor
ArchitectureinMiami.Heisaregisteredprofessionalengineerwithmore
than29yearsofexperienceinelectricalengineering,projectmanagement,
buildingdesign,andconstruction.
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