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Transforming Expectations
Technologies - and their ability to deliver the new standards we expect - are developing swiftly. While
choice in the transformer insulation market means no shortage of good solutions for specific
applications, investment decisions increasingly pivot on whole-life cost equations. Crucial is the
flexibility to integrate and maximise numerous performance criteria in unison with increasingly important
factors, such as environmental impact and disposal risks. Synthetic esters are at the tipping point.
Modern transformer insulation materials must meet tough should they enter wastewater treatment plants via the
demands. Some circumstances require very specific sewers and are not classified as hazardous.
solutions. Others are open to a range of options that can
optimise costs, efficiency and operational criteria in different A TABLE DIRECTLY COMPARING SYNTHETIC ESTER AND CAST RESIN PROPERTIES
characteristics than dry-type units, architects, engineers liquid filled transformers. Equivalent methods for cast resin
including cast resin. Making and planners can once transformers, such as acoustic emissions for monitoring
procurement decisions on partial discharge, are possible but not widely practiced.
again draw on the full
purchase costs alone would be
advantages of liquid-
very misleading. Environmental
filled transformers Another increasingly important factor, is in the direct and
Purchase Price within indoor indirect costs of environmental impact and clean-up.
The initial price is the most environments Transformer fluid spillages were never really acceptable.
obvious method of cost Now, their impact brings painful
comparison but, as mentioned previously, it should not be fines and the potential valuable Overall costs are also
used in isolation. Transformer prices vary, depending on loss of reputation with influential related to the robustness
specific requirements, the country of origin and, most stakeholders. A material that is of a unit under the
recently, the availability of raw materials. intrinsically benign to the operational stresses it is
environment is clearly very
likely to face during
A general range of initial transformer desirable. Importantly, sustainable
working life.
purchase prices developments inter-related
financial environmental
community goals also extend the boundaries of responsible
procurement to include the implications of product
manufacture, plus the immediate and long-term effects of
final disposal, recycling or degradation.
End-of-life
A complete assessment of full-life costs today must include
disposal. Recycling most dry-type and liquid-filled
transformers generates an income rather than a cost, since
almost all components, including
Bio-SLIM (*)
possible with dry and cast resin transformers. This is can circulate and replace the
Efficiency aside, the
because liquid-filled units benefit from optimised design, dielectric fluid from the source of
best transformers
construction and materials which can make them much the discharge. It is also worth
succeed when they do
more compact. For some applications such as wind farms, noting that partial discharge takes
such high energy efficiency associated with small place at lower voltages in dry/cast not draw attention to
transformer design has become increasingly important. type units than in liquid-filled themselves through
transformers. failure!
The no-load (core) losses are nearly always higher for
dry/cast transformers than liquid-filled units.
Harmonics Withstand
Harmonics are multiples of the fundamental power
Potentials for failure frequency of an electrical system. They can distort this
Efficiency aside, the best transformers succeed when they frequency, which in transformers leads to unbalanced load
do not draw attention to themselves through failure! There currents that result in areas of overheating. Elements of third
are numerous potential threats. harmonic components are always found in transformers due
to the non-linearity of the magnetic core. However, the rising
Electrical Withstand use of computing equipment and power electronic drives
Basic impulse levels are a measure of the ability of a that have non-linear power demands means that equipment
transformers insulation system to withstand a specified prone to the effects of harmonics must have additional
minimum voltage for short-time protection within the electrical system. Liquid-filled
For some applications, surges with no detrimental effects. transformers by design are able to cope with such effects
such as wind farms, These voltage surges are without compromising insulation integrity due to superior
high energy efficiency commonly caused by lightning heat transfer characteristics and overload capacity.
associated with small strikes on the In fact, the principal cause of transformer failure in both dry-
transformer design has transmission/distribution system type and liquid units is insulation failure. Because many
become increasingly and other voltage transients, such transformers are now aging, the failure rate is expected to
important. as the affects of switch gear. soar by 300% in the coming decade. By definition, ester-
When comparing standard dry based transformers are not so old! Fluid-filled transformer
and liquid type transformers, DIN & IEC BIL withstand insulation systems comprise solid insulation (cellulose or
ratings are typically superior for liquid transformers. paper) and the liquid dielectric. Overloading, high
temperature and moisture can cause cellulose degradation.
Partial Discharge Once started, cellulose, as a by-product of its degradation,
Another key threat is partial discharge. This is a partial, creates additional water, which, unless it moves into the
localised dielectric breakdown between two conductors when insulating fluid, stays in the cellulose and creates a vicious
the voltage stress exceeds a critical value. This generally circle that accelerates degradation further. Fluids such as
occurs in voids, cracks or interfaces within the insulation esters offer a unique solution to this problem in that they are
system, or from sharp edges of energised materials. The highly hygroscopic when compared to mineral oils. This
major difference between dry and liquid insulation systems is means that the fluid will readily form hydrogen bonds with
that once the effects of partial discharge have damaged the water molecules. More importantly, esters are able to retain
insulation, there is no mechanism for dry/cast type units to a good dielectric strength, even when relatively high levels of
recover from this damage. Liquid units, by their very nature moisture are found in the fluid. Insulation failure usually
causes partial discharge, mentioned above. Routine
FIGURE 1