“Dry-type transformers have traditionally

offered certain fire-resistant, environmental,

and application advantages for industrial and
commercial situations. Recent advances in
liquid-filled units are reducing some of these
(dry-type) advantages”
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Energy Conservation Standards for
Transformers

Cooper Power Systems

101 reasons to replace indoor
dry-type transformers with
ƒ Date liquid-filled transformers
Jonathan Piel

1
What does the industry think of
when considering fluid-filled
transformers?

2 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

But the main thought is. . .

Because of this, liquid-filled

transformers have been
re-allocated for use
outdoors.

Dry-Type transformers are

now used indoors
3 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 In Moving From Liquid-Filled to
Dry-Type the Industry…

Lower Noise
Higher overloadability
Contamination resistance
Higher BIL Fire Safety?
Full diagnostics
Lower temperature
Higher efficiency
Longer Life

4 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

5 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 Consultants, engineering firms,
contractors, and end-users are
reconsidering their previous uses of
dry-type transformers indoors …

6 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

…and making the switch to the
superior new fluids!

Envirotran™
Transformers

The
World’s First
Truly Green
Transformers
With
Flawless Safety!

7 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 Centigrade (°C)
400
Fire Safety
350
Degrees

300
250
Cooper Power Systems:
200
the leader in alternative
150 dielectric fluids
Mineral Oil

Silicone Oil

Envirotemp
R-Temp

FR3 Fluid
Fluid
Flash Point
Fire Point

- Since 1975
R-Temp Fire-Resistant - 30 Years, 250,000 installations 101
Hydrocarbon Fluid - No Reported Fires - NFPA

Envirotemp FR3 - Since 1996

Natural Ester - 10 Years, 15,000 installations
- No Reported Fires - NFPA 100
(Seed Oil) Fluid
8 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 }
Temperature Noise
Catalog First Cost
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics Standard
Overload Life Offerings
2.5
First Cost Comparison
2
98
1.5

1
99

Silicone Oil

Cast Resin
Mineral Oil

Envirotran
0.5
VPI Dry

Mineral oil transformers are the least expensive option.

Cast Resin is nearly twice the price of any other option.
VPI Dry and Envirotran Transformers are nearly the same.
9 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Temperature Rise
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life

“Liquid is a better
coolant, so winding
temperature rise in a
liquid-filled
transformer is
typically less than half
that in a dry-type
unit. Higher
temperature means
higher resistance.”
Electrical Apparatus
Magazine
Source: ANSI/IEEE C57.12.00 & C57.12.01
August 2005

97 96 95 94
10 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Losses & Efficiency
Efficiency Contamination
“For the same rating the
BIL Diagnostics
dry-type transformers tend to
Overload Life
be more costly, larger, and
have greater losses than a
corresponding liquid-
immersed unit.”
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Energy Conservation
Standards for Transformers
kW Losses at 100% loading:
Liquid: Cast: Dry:
LL 16.38 21 18.52
NLL + 2.66 7 7.55
Total = 19.04 26.07 28

93 92 91 90 kW Losses at 50% loading:

LL 4.1 4.63 5.25
NLL + 2.66 7 7.55
Total = 6.76 12.18 12.25
11 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Efficiency Costs
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life
Liquid: Cast: Dry:
Total Losses (kW): 6.76 12.18 12.25
kWH Billing Rate: x $0.06 $0.06 $0.06
Annual Hours: x 8760 8760 8760
Losses @ 50% Load: = $3,553 $6,402 $6,439
Excess Annual Energy Costs: Base $2,849 $2,886
10-Yr* Excess Energy Costs: Base $28,490 $28,860

89 88
ALSO: transformers losses are dissipated as heat, which
must be removed from a controlled temperature
87
environment by air conditioning. For both examples the
10-year air conditioning cost difference is ~$14,000 86

12 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

Temperature Noise Basic Impulse Level
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life
85

84
Hartford Steam Boiler
insurance company: 83
the #1 cause for
transformer failure is 82

81
ANSI/IEEE standard
insulation levels are 80
always higher for liquid-
79
filled than dry-type.
78
Source: Liquid-Filled Standard ANSI/IEEE C57.12.00
and Dry-Type Standard C57.12.01. *LV at 480V
77
13 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Overloadability
Efficiency Contamination
Dry-type transformers are consistently
BIL Diagnostics
oversized since they are unforgiving to
Overload Life
harmonic loading, and intermittent
overloading.
76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69
Survival of these
regular
phenomena are
exactly why
utilities have
been using
liquid-filled
transformers for
decades.
RIGHT SIZE THE
ANSI/IEEE C57.91-1981 Table 5 TRANSFORMER
ANSI/IEEE C57.96-1989 Table 6
68
14 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Sound Level
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life

dB Noise Comparison
kVA Liquid Dry dB Diff
750 58 64 6
67
1000 58 64 6 66
65 1500 60 65 5
2000 61 66 5 64
63 2500 62 68 6
Source: ANSI C89.1 (Liquid) & NEMA TR1 (Dry)
*3dB doubles sound power
Some buildings with dry-type transformers can’t rent the
commercial spaces on either side due to noise. Replacing existing
dry-types with liquid-filled pays for itself in less than one year
avoiding lost revenue
15 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Contamination
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics Dry-Type
Overload Life Maintenance:
annual inspection &
vacuum dust to
maximize cooling
(power down)
Liquid Filled
Maintenance:
62
NONE
Mineral Oil

Sealed System (24/7)

VPI Dry

FR3 Fluid
essentially
prevents coking
ANSI C57.94
and sludging – no
changing the fluid.
16 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Diagnostics
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life Liquid-Filled:
61
Color Dielectric Breakdown Voltage
Dry-Type: 60 Acidity Dissolved Gas Analysis 59
Megger Power Factor Metals Analysis
Power Factor 58 Furan Analysis Inhibitor Content 57
Infra-Red Scan Water Content Interfacial Tension
(de-energized) 56 Specific Gravity Infra-Red Scan 55

54 53 52 51
Operational Properties:
Overheating 50
49 Corona
Arcing 48
47 Insulation Damage
$150 Insulating Fluid Analysis Internal Hot-Spots 46
17 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Life
Efficiency Contamination According to Hartford
BIL Diagnostics
Steam Boiler insurance
Overload Life
company the causes of
Transformer Killers: transformer failure are:
Voltage Transients 45
External Overloads,
Heat, Dirt, Moisture 44

“The retirement age of transformers removed from service for a

variety of reasons ranges from 14-35 years; the average is 25yrs.
However, the average life of liquid-immersed
transformers that remain in service is 30 years or more.”
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Energy Conservation Standards for Transformers
43

18 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 Temperature Noise
42 41 Life
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life
Accelerated
insulation life
testing has
shown that
with seed oil-
based
coolants,
paper life can
be extended
Envirotemp FR3 Fluid-Filled five to eight
Transformer large scale times in
thermal aging per comparison
Lockie Test Series to aging in
(ANSI/IEEE C57.100) mineral oil.
500 hours = 10 yrs
1000 hours = 20yrs
2000 hours = 40 yrs
4000 hours = 80 yrs
19 40 39 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Temperature Noise Life
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life
In the 1950’s upgraded Kraft paper
extended transformer insulation life by 2
times. This enabled a new
life - temperature - capacity - costְ
transformer value proposition
from 55 to 65ºC rise
38 37 36 35
In the 2000’s FR3 fluid extends transformer
insulation life by 5-8 times. This enables a new
life - temperature - capacity - costְ
transformer value proposition
from 65ºC to 75ºC rise
ENVIROTRAN PLUS
75°C Rise Transformer
20 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 Take equipment out of the switchgear
and into the transformer to
reduce net footprint and increase safety!
Primary Switching Primary Overvoltage Protection
Primary Fusing Dead Front Connection
Primary Vacuum Fault Interrupter

Sectionalizing Primary Switch

4-Position Sectionalizing Switch in the transformer!
-V-Blade & T-Blade Configurations
34 -Switching between dual feed
and loop feed
33 -Maintain loop feed with
transformer de-energized

21 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 Primary OverVoltage & OverCurrent
OverVoltage Protection
in the Transformer!
ƒProven utility loadbreak
32 elbow style connections
for industrial/commercial
applications – removal
provides visible-break to
lower potential arc-flash
protection requirements
ƒDead-Front Protection
31 provides smaller
clearances & increased
safety
ƒ T-OP II Connectors for
30 Voltage Arrester Plug-In
OverCurrent Protection
in the Transformer!
ƒBay-O-Net w/ ELSP
29 Fusing
22 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 3-Phase Vacuum Fault Interrupters
Programmable 3-Phase Circuit
Breaker in the Transformer!
ƒTri-Phase Electronic Breaker
Control With 100 minimum trip
28 settings and an assortment of
time-current
27 ƒResettable fault protection
with no fuses to replace
ƒBreaker can be used as
26 loadbreak switch
ƒTrip-Free operation prevents the
25 breaker mechanism from being
held in the closed position if a
fault condition is present
24 ƒAvailable in visible break to
lower potential arc-flash
protection requirements
23 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
Dry Type Conversion: From This…

23

24 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 To This…

25 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 Elevation
Layout

Dimensions
Include Radiators

22 Lower Cost for lineup!

Fit same equipment into
21 smaller electrical rooms!

26 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 “Because air is the Transformer Footprint
basic cooling and KVA Liquid Dry
insulating system for
750kVA Depth 4.6 ft 5.5 ft
dry-type transformers,
Width 4.6 ft 8.0 ft
all dry-type
transformers will be 20 Sq Ft 21 ft2 44 ft2
larger than liquid- 1000kVA Depth 5.2 ft 5.5ft
immersed units Width 4.8 ft 8.0 ft
for the same voltage 19 Ft 25 ft2 44 ft2
and capacity 1500kVA Depth 6.3 ft 5.5 ft
(kilovolt/kilovolt-ampere) Width 4.4 ft 8.0 ft
rating. 18 Sq Ft 28 ft2 44 ft2
Oak Ridge National 2500kVA Depth 6.3 ft 5.5 ft
Laboratory
Energy Conservation Width 5.6 ft 8.5 ft
Standards for 17 Sq Ft 35 ft2 47 ft2
Transformers
Dimensions Include Radiators
27 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 Third Party Certification

Available: UL Listed & Labeled

Available: UL Classified* 16
Available: Factory Mutual Approved*
15 * Provides: Compliance with NEC 450-23 A 1 (Less Flammable,
Indoor)

14 - Sprinkler systems are not required

- Fire walls and vaults are not required
28 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 Containment
NEC requires
containment for liquid
filled transformers
indoors
13
100%
containment
including
No workspace radiators
12 obstruction

11 Containment
matched form fit
to transformer
Single source –
10 ships with substation
29 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 Envirotemp FR3 Fluid
The First Truly Green Dielectric Fluid
May be Used Indoors and Outdoors

100% food grade ingredients

9 98% Soybean Oil

8 Rapid biodegradation rate

In Excess of 99% in 21 days (EPA)
7 Renewable resource based
Soybean Boards in 26 States
6 Non-Toxic
Zero-Trout Fingerling Mortality (EPA)
Does not contain petroleum,
5
silicones, nor halogens*
* PCB’s, SF6, CFC, PERC, etc. **US EPA ETV VS-R-02-02 & -03

30 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 LEED
Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design
•Cooper- member of US Green Building Council

Cooper- developed three generic submission

4 documents for engineers to modify/utilize to
apply for LEED Innovation and Design process
points
Liquid-Filled vs. Dry-Type
Mineral Oil vs. Silicone Oil vs. Natural Esters
Outdoor - Mineral Oil vs. Less Flam Natural Esters

Cooper- working toward official recognition by

LEED in utilizing liquid vs. dry transformers

31 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 Indoor PowerCenter Transformers

3
Renewable, Recyclable, Nontoxic, Biodegradable

2
Temperature Noise
Efficiency Contamination
BIL Diagnostics
Overload Life

No reported fires with fire resistant fluid

in 30 years
32 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
 Indoor PowerCenter Transformers
PRODUCT SCOPE:
Three-Phase: 75 - 10,000 kVA
Single-Phase: 500 - 2500 kVA
Pri:2400 - 46,000 V
up to 250 kV BIL
Sec: 208Y/120 - 14,400 V
FM Approved & UL Listed
Vacuum Fault Interrupter (VFI) Transformer
Envirotran w/Envirotemp FR3 Fluid-Filled
Renewable, Recyclable, Nontoxic, Biodegradable

33 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

 Indoor Installations
Envirotran™ Transformers
vs. Dry-Type Transformers

Sports Arena Automotive Components Insurance Company

Milwaukee, WI Manufacturer Denver, CO
Since 2001 Chicago, IL Since 2002
Since 2002

Religious Institution Electrical Components Space Exploration &

Salt Lake City, UT Manufacturer Research
Since 2002 Chicago, IL Pasadena, CA
Since 2003 Since 2004
34 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.
IndoorPowerCenter Binder

ƒ Indoor PowerCenter
Brochures
ƒ Users List
ƒ Applications
ƒ Containment Pan
ƒ Spec Guide
ƒ CD

35 Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.

Smart Solutions. Reliable Power. Everywhere.