Largepowertransformertailoredtocustomersspecifications

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30/12/2013

AnoverviewofLargePowerTransformerLPTCharacteristics,CostsandPricing(onphoto:800kVUHVDClargepowertransformercredit:ABB)

Tailoredtocustomersspecifications
AnLPT(LargePowerTransformer)isalarge,custombuiltpieceofequipmentthatisacriticalcomponentofthe
bulktransmissiongrid.BecauseLPTsareveryexpensiveandtailoredtocustomersspecifications,theyareusually
neitherinterchangeablewitheachothernorproducedforextensivespareinventories.
Accordingtoanindustrysource,approximately1.3transformersareproducedforeachtransformerdesign.
Figure1illustratesastandardcoretypeLPTanditsmajorinternalcomponents.AlthoughLPTscomeinawide
varietyofsizesandconfigurations,theyconsistoftwomainactiveparts:
1.Thecore,whichismadeofhighpermeability,grainoriented,siliconelectricalsteel,layeredinpiecesand

2.Windings,whicharemadeofcopperconductorswoundaroundthecore,providingelectricalinputand
output.
Twobasicconfigurationsofcoreandwindingsexist:thecoreformandtheshellform.

Figure1TheABBsTrafoStardesignusedforcoretypetransformershasacircularshapedcorelimb,surroundedbyconcentrically
arranged,cylindershapedwindings.

Intheusualshelltypepowertransformer,bothprimaryandsecondaryareononelegandaresurroundedbythe
core,whereasinacoretypepowertransformer,cylindricalwindingscoverthecorelegs.ShellformLPTstypically
usemoreelectricalsteelforthecoreandaremoreresilienttoshortcircuitinthetransmissionsystemsandare
frequentlyusedinindustrialapplications.
Thecoreandwindingsarecontainedinarectangular,mechanicalframecalledthetank.
Otherpartsincludetransformerbushings,whichconnectLPTstotransmissionlines,aswellastapchangers,power
cableconnectors,gasoperatedrelays,thermometers,reliefdevices,dehydratingbreathers,oillevelindicators,and
othercontrols.

Powertransformercostsandpricingvarybymanufacturer,bymarketcondition,andbylocationofthe
manufacturingfacility.

In2010,theapproximatecostofanLPTwithanMVAratingbetween75MVAand500MVAwasestimatedtorange
from$2to$7.5millionintheUnitedStates.However,theseestimateswereFreeonBoard(FOB)factorycosts,
exclusiveoftransportation,installation,andotherassociatedexpenses,whichgenerallyadd25to30percenttothe
totalcost(seeTable1below).
Rawmaterials,particularlycopperandelectricalsteel,areasignificantfactorinpowertransformerprices.
TransportationisalsoanimportantelementofthetotalLPTcost,becauseanLPTcanweighasmuchas410tons
(820,000lb)andoftenrequireslongdistancetransport.

Table1EstimatedMagnitudeofLargePowerTransformersin2011

Note:PricesareFOBfactoryanddonotincludetaxes,transportation,specialfeaturesandaccessories,special
testing(shortcircuit,etc.),insulatingoil,fieldinstallation,and/oroptionalservices.Thetotalinstalledcostis
estimatedtobeabout2530percenthigher.
Source:NERCSpecialReport:SpareEquipmentDatabaseSystem,2011
LPTsrequiresubstantialcapitalandalongleadtime(inexcessofsixmonths)tomanufacture,anditsproduction
requireslargecranecapacities,amplefloorspace,andadequatetestinganddryingequipment.

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Reference:LargepowertransformersandtheU.S.ElectricGridInfrastructureSecurityandEnergyRestoration
OfficeofElectricityDeliveryandEnergyReliabilityU.S.DepartmentofEnergy