Transformer Design Comparisons

• General description of core/coil types

• Analysis of short-circuit forces
• Specific analysis of coil types and strengths
• Overload capability
• Cost comparisons
• Weight / dimensional comparison

Sunbelt Transformer
Stacked Core Construction

• Also known as
“core form”
• Utilizes variety of
lamination thickness
and quality
• 5-100 MVA typical

Sunbelt Transformer
Stacked Core Construction

Sunbelt Transformer
Wound Core Construction

• Also known as
“distributed gap”
• Usually utilizes lowest
cost core steel
• Below 5 MVA typical
• Below 1 MVA standard
• All pole-type
transformers

Sunbelt Transformer
Cylindrical Coil Construction

• Coils have cylindrical

cross-section
• Concentrically wound
with HV over LV
(Lowest voltage nearest
core)
• Requires stacked core

Sunbelt Transformer
Rectangular Coil Construction

• Coils have rectangular

cross-section
• HV over LV winding
• Core can be stacked
(core form) or wound
(shell form)

Sunbelt Transformer
Short-Circuit Strength

• Winding Forces Repel

– Force on conductor equal
to current times magnetic
field
– High short-circuit current
translates into high forces
• Horizontal Component
– Present in ALL designs
• Vertical Component
– Varies with design

Sunbelt Transformer
Short-Circuit Strength

• Horizontal Forces
– Present in ALL designs
– Cylindrical coil
movement limited by
tensile strength
– Rectangular coils must
be horizontally braced to
restrict movement

Sunbelt Transformer
Short-Circuit Strength

• Vertical Forces
– Present in all wire-wire
designs as current
cannot redistribute from
top to bottom of coil
– NO vertical forces in
designs with full-height
sheet winding (1 turn per
layer)

Sunbelt Transformer
Short-Circuit Verification

• Anderson Program
– Most widely used finite element program addressing short-
circuit strength and temperatures
– Created by Odd W. Andersen
• ANSI Short-Circuit Requirements
– Pass Standard Dielectric Tests After SC Test
– No Mechanical Movement
– No Abrupt Changes in the Voltage or Current Wave Shape
– 2.0% Leakage Current Change (7.5% for non-circular coils)
– 5% Excitation Current Change After SC Test (stacked cores)

Sunbelt Transformer
Transformer Design Comparisons

• Construction types to be compared:

– Cylindrical, Disk Coils; Stacked Core
– Cylindrical, Layer Coils; Stacked Core
– Rectangular, Layer Coils; Stacked Core
– Rectangular, Layer Coils; Wound Core

Sunbelt Transformer
Cylindrical-Disk Coil Construction

• No horizontal bracing
– Only insulation separates
phases
– Conductor tensile
strength limits horizontal
movement
• Full-circumference
vertical bracing
– Known as “pressure
plates”, these distribute
forces across entire coil

Sunbelt Transformer
Cylindrical-Disk Coil Construction

• Pressure plate functions

– Support weight of coils
on bottom
– Contain vertical forces
during short circuit
– Distribute forces across
entire horizontal surface
of the winding
– Keep coils from
expanding when not oil-
immersed

Sunbelt Transformer
Cylindrical-Disk Coil Construction

• Wound on keyed
winding tube
• Pressed vertically to
exact size
• Very little electrical
stress disk-to-disk
• Good beyond 750 KV
BIL

Sunbelt Transformer
Cylindrical Or Rectangular Layer Coils

• Sheet LV – Strap HV
– Balanced Ampere Turns
Centerlines
– No Vertical Forces - with
only one turn-per-layer
• Strap LV – Strap HV
– Unbalanced Ampere
Turns Centerlines as
taps changed
– Vertical Forces Present

Sunbelt Transformer
Layer Coil Construction

• Simple winding tube

• Epoxy-coated paper as
layer insulation
• If wound in single-
section can have high
layer stress
• High amounts of paper
require extra processing
• Limited to 350 KV BIL

Sunbelt Transformer
Rectangular Layer Construction

• Solid endplates required

for smaller KVA designs
• Engineered endplates
such as box beams for
higher KVA
• Extensive bracing leads
to increased weight for
rectangular-layer

Sunbelt Transformer
Disk Coil Heat Transfer

• Best Heat Transfer

– Open fluid flow with
keyed-spacers
separating disks
– 4 degree winding rise
easy to obtain
– The only design that
should be used with two
stage cooling

Sunbelt Transformer
Layer Coil Heat Transfer

• Poorest Heat Transfer

– Oil only flows through
ducts
– 10 degree winding rises
are typical; makes two
stage cooling almost
impossible
– Number of ducts limited
by short-circuit strength
– Demand a heat-run if two
stage cooling is expected

Sunbelt Transformer
Transformer Design Comparisons

• Description of core design differences 

• Short-circuit strength 
• Description of coil design differences 
• Overload capability 
• Cost comparisons
• Weight / dimensional comparison

Sunbelt Transformer
$ - The bottom line.

• Evaluated by initial purchase price

– Rectangular is lowest cost – weakest short-circuit design
– Cylindrical-layer is 10-15% more – eliminates horizontal
bracing
– 5% additional for Cylindrical-disk buys vertical bracing and
no need for horizontal support; strongest design possible
• Evaluated by total ownership cost
– No-Load losses less in cylindrical design and load losses
equivalent
– A $5/NL Watt evaluation can pay for cylindrical design
– Layer designs have other problems such as gassing from
high moisture content in improperly cured insulation

Sunbelt Transformer
Weight and dimensional comparisons

• Space Utilization
– Cylindrical will have smaller pad footprint, almost always
taller and thinner than rectangular design
– Overall volume will always be smallest with rectangular
design – ideal network or vault application transformer
• Weight
– Short-circuit bracing requirements make the rectangular unit
much heavier
– Cylindrical disk will have 20-30% more oil content/KVA
• Standard 10/14 MVA cylindrical disk will weigh about 55000 lbs
• Standard 10/14 MVA rectangular layer will weigh 75000 lbs

Sunbelt Transformer