Abstract
The study analyzes the various methods of gainful utilization of excess heat from power transformers. The ways to reduce heat loss inside the tank power transformer are found. The potential amount of heat emitted by power transformers of different capacities is calculated. New ways of combining the functions of electric transformation and heating in a power transformer are described. A system has been developed to use the excess heat of power transformers in the agricultural power systems. There are the structural and schematic diagrams of the system and a method for calculating its main elements. An improved design of the power transformer cooling system has been developed to combine the functions of electric transformation and heating. Experiments to verify the effectiveness of decisions are described. A feasibility study of the implementation of the developed system was carried out.
TopBackground
When creating and operating any system, the first question is its efficiency. Although a power transformer has almost maximum efficiency, yet a small part of the electric power is lost in its active elements (magnetic core, winding) and is released in the form of excess heat. And if this thermal energy is used to heat any objects? This theme was studied in many works. For example, Lavrentiev (2018) describes the system of the use of transformer heat for the purpose of heating substation premises of 110–400 kV on the basis of an external low-water heat exchanger, a thermal pump and a control cabinet. Kjell (2013) offers a system allowing to profitably use the excess energy of a power transformer. This is achieved by introducing an external heat exchanger, a heat pump and a heat accumulator. At the same time, Novikov and Taybakhtin (2015) described a system that provides for the collection of air transformer emitted by radiators and its transfer to a heated room. A number of options for the taking and using heat from power transformers for heat supply at power substations (PS) are also proposed in works of Gridin & Petrenko (2013), Mostofizadeh and Kulick (1998) and Cortes & Rivera (2010). These methods can be divided into the following groups:
- 1.
With direct supply of heated transformer oil to the heating system
- 2.
With heating water of the heating system in an oil-water heat exchanger
- 3.
With subsequent heating of the heating system water by the heat pump
- 4.
With air heating in the room by an oil-air heat exchanger
- 5.
With direct removal of heated air from the cooling radiators into the room
- 6.
With air heating in the room with a water-air heat exchanger
Key Terms in this Chapter
Power Supply System: A set of sources and systems for the conversion, transmission and distribution of electrical energy.
Heat Supply: A system for distributing heat generated in a centralized location through a system of insulated pipes for residential and commercial heating requirements.
Heat Transfer: The physical process of transferring heat energy from a hotter body to a less hot one either directly or through a separating partition of any material.
Heat Pump: A device for the transfer of thermal energy from a source of low-grade thermal energy to the consumer.
Heat Accumulator: A device for accumulating heat for the purpose of its further use.
Heat Exchanger: is a technical device where heat transfer occurs between two media having different temperatures.
Power Transformer: A static electromagnetic device that has two (or more) windings connected inductively and is intended to be converted one AC system to another AC system by electromagnetic induction.