EE2802: Assignment 1

Applied Electricity

Transformer Cooling Methods

Name: Vidanage P.W.

Admission No: 090535B

Date of Submission: 15/10/2010

• Importance of cooling methods

When the transformers are operated under various conditions heat will be dissipation two main
reasons are identified for this

1. Core loss

Due to the rapid change of direction of the magnetic field change their locations.
Microscopic iron particles must continually realign and this realignment encounters
friction on the microscopic level and therefore dissipates energy, which becomes
considerable as heating of the material.

2. Copper loss

Practically the windings possess some electrical resistance power losses occur in the
conductor windings due to that resistance .This energy also will be in terms of thermal
energy.

Consequences of heating

The rate of the heat dissipation will be influenced to the capacity of the transformer especially
in the case of large transformers like in power plants. This will depend on the exterior conditions too, ex :
- the external environment temperature. If the inside temperature increased unwontedly and finally the
parameters will be affected. Due to the increase of the temperature the internal resistance will be raised
and more energy will be dissipated. It will also cause the deterioration of the insulation.

To overcome these issues we have to cool the transformer for that various methods are used

Basically there are two methods of cooling

1. Dry type
2. Oil Immersed and Oil forced

In the cooling mechanism of transformers it’s very important to select the coolant these are the
coolants used

Coolant Types

§ Air
§ Gas
§ Synthetic Oil
§ Mineral Oil
§ Solid insulation
§ Water

Properties of coolants

§ Must Conduct heat but not electricity

§ Must not be chemically reactive
§ Must not be easily ionized
§ Long non polar molecules which doesn’t break under electric arc (Mineral Oils)
 Dry type Cooling Method

This type of cooling arrangement can be used to the smaller scale transformers up to 25kVA.this is
mostly used in the indoor applications. In dry type solid insulating system or film coating is used. Dry type
transformers can be ventilated or none ventilated. Mostly applied in domestic environments.

Following are the categories of Dry type

1. Air Natural (AN)

Natural air is used as the cooling medium .the heat generated will be carried out by the air
surrounded with the tank walls by natural convection. Due to the availability of the insulating
materials like glass and ceramics this method can be used to transformers up to the rating of
1.5MkV.Windings will be protected by a wall of sheet metal.

2. Air Blast (AB)

Natural air is inadequate for the larger scalar transformers so a compressed air stream is
blasted from a cool air chamber. This air is forced through the core and winding with the use of
blowers and fans. This allows higher specific loadings for the dry type transformers and reduces
the size of them.
Hear the air supply must be properly filtered to prevent accumulation of dust particles.

The disadvantage of dry type is more expensive than liquid filled type.

Oil Immersed and Oil forced Cooling Method

The oil is used as the medium of heat transferring.

Various kinds of oil immersed cooling methods are as follows

• Oil immersed transformers

The advantages of this system are the oil is good conductor of heat and good insulator of electricity than
air. Oil has a higher coefficient of volume expansion so adequate circulation can be easily obtained. The
disadvantage of oil immersed type is there is a high risk of caching fire in any hazard environment.
1. Oil natural (ON)

The transformer is immersed in the oil and the heat generated is passed through the conduction
to the outer housing of sheet metal. The tubes are made to realize the heat more efficiently to the
external environment. The oil is stored in the tank and subjected to circulate through the core and
windings. In this method the temperature is basically done by increasing the area of heat
dissipation and decreasing of the cooling coefficient.

When we go for higher rating this method can’t be used so we have to go to more improved
methods of cooling.

2. Oil natural air forced (ONAF)

The tank is made hollow and the compressed air is blown in to the hollow space of the
transformer the oil circulating inside the tank take the heat from the core and windings to the wall.
It’s also used elliptical tubes separated from the tank to force the air. The air is forced by fans.

In this method we can go to capacities like 10000kVA.Higher than Air Blast.

 3. Oil natural water forced (ONWF)

The coils and pipes are fitted above the core and below the oil surface. The cool water is
forced through the coils .This provides additional cooling. But if a leakage of water occurred the dielectric
property of the oil will be reduced.

• Oil forced with heat exchanger

1. Oil forced air natural (OFAN)

The oil is circulated with the use of pump but this method is rarely used in practice.

2. Oil forced air forced (OFAF)

Compressed in a heat exchanger and blast with the help of fans. In low loads and the losses are
less the fans are not required to use. So that energy is saved .Can detect the temperature and
switch the fans and pumps when required. More efficient.

3. Oil forced Water forced (OFWF)

The water is blasted in the heat exchange instead of air. The pressure oil is kept higher than
The water so the oil mix with water in case of leakage but water doesn’t mix with oil. So we can
use this method to go higher ratings from smaller sizes. Ex: ratings like 30MVA. This method is
used in the transformers in hydroelectric stations where higher water head is available.
References

• D.C. Machines and Transformers By U.A.Bakshi, M.V.Bakshi

• A Textbook of Electrical Engineering By R.K. Rajput
• The electrical engineering handbook By Wai-Kai Chen
• Electrical equipment handbook: troubleshooting and maintenance By Philip Kiameh
• Power generation handbook: selection, applications, operation, and maintenance By Philip Kiameh
• http://www.csanyigroup.com/transformer-heating-and-cooling