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Numerical and Experimental Determination of Local Building Factors of A Three-Phase Transformer Core Package
Numerical and Experimental Determination of Local Building Factors of A Three-Phase Transformer Core Package
The analyses of flux distributions and losses in transformer cores need highest expenditure if performed in experimental ways.
This paper presents a novel combined methodology for the evaluation of local and global loss building factors BF. As a first step,
the local patterns of the dynamic induction vector B(t) were calculated, by means of a novel numerical “magnetic anisotropic circuit
calculation (MACC) methodology. The latter considers the core materials non-linear permeability functions in rolling direction and
transverse direction, as well as non-linear effects of overlaps in corners and T-joints. In a second step, the calculated induction
patterns were exactly simulated on the hexagonal Vienna rotational single sheet tester and the corresponding local losses p were
measured electrodynamically. Finally, the values p were allocated to the corresponding core positions, taking into account the entire
core geometry. BF of the core was estimated from the total of loss values weighted to the corresponding volume portions. The
method was applied for a three-phase core of highly grain-oriented material, magnetized with BNOM = 1.7 T. The procedure shows
the local distributions of losses, yielding also information on those of eddy currents and rotational magnetization (RM). As an
example, the T-joint, as the area of highest RM, yields a local loss increase of about 50%. Apart from RM, the local induction
variations—including waveform distortions, caused mainly by circulating magnetization—prove to have a high impact on losses,
locally yielding 50% as well. These highly convincing results indicate that the complicated sensor studies of cores can partly be
replaced by: 1) numerical modeling of induction distributions and 2) subsequent allocations of loss values as detected by RSST
simulations.
Index Terms— Building factors, losses, numerical modelling, rotational magnetization, transformer cores.
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8400808 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 55, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2019
TABLE I
T HREE M ETHODOLOGIES FOR THE D ETERMINATION OF L OCAL B UILDING FACTORS
B. Experimental Methodology
The “classical” method for the determination of local
BF-values is to establish a model core from the given type
of SiFe and to measure local loss values pi in direct ways. Fig. 1. Part of the magnetic equivalent circuit, used for the calculation
Such tests were performed by thermal sensors like thermo of local induction values, after [16]. Compared to the circuit in [16], some
improvements of the circuit in the corners and T-joint were performed. Taking
couples [11] or thermistors [12] that are arranged between advantage of symmetry, only a half of the core is modeled.
selected core layers. This method promises the results of
quite high accuracy; however, in connection with very high
experimental expenditure for both the manufacturing of core
and the attachment of interior sensors. For more simple
measurement of pi , sensors were also arranged at the core
surface [13]. As an attractive option, the latter was scanned
by a thermistor sensor in fully automatic ways [14]. However,
as stated in [14], the surface may be representative for the core
interior in restricted ways only.
The above experimental methods promise best results for
local BF-values. On the other hand, the expenditure is very
high. Further, the methodology lacks flexibility—for example,
a further core has to be manufactured, if possible improve- Fig. 2. Used data for the MACC modeling. (a) Non-linear permeability func-
ments should be checked that are expected from an increased tions in RD μRD (BRD ) and in TD μTD (BTD ), respectively (data from [18],
as it was also used for the modeling in [5]). Notice: the scale for μTD, on the
length of limbs or yokes, respectively. right side is an order of magnitude smaller than the scale for μRD , on the left
As a further problem of experimental modeling, it is dif- side. (b) Overlap reluctances as a function of BDD . Data from [19], as also
ficult to determine those local induction patterns Bi (t) that in [5], [16], and [17].
are responsible for a corresponding BF-value, for a physical
interpretation of result. The usual procedure is to arrange experimentally manufactured model core by numerical MACC
small search coils through holes that are drilled in selected that is characterized by flexibility and low processing time
laminations [15]. This causes artifacts through inter-laminar for the determination of induction patterns. In a second step,
air gaps, apart from very high expenditure of experimental the n resulting patterns Bi (t) are simulated in exact ways for
work. the magnetization of a sample of rotational single sheet tester
(RSST), manufactured from the given type of core material.
C. Numerical and Experimental Methodology Finally, the n corresponding loss values pi are determined by
This paper describe a novel concept that avoids the main means of the rapid electrodynamic method, for the calculation
disadvantages of the two above procedures. It replaces the of the n values BF i of local building factor.
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KANTO et al.: NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF LOCAL BUILDING FACTORS 8400808
Fig. 3. MACC-calculated magnetization patterns for BNOM = 1.7 T, the corresponding peak inductions BRD in RDs, the axis ratios a, defined as a = BRD /BTD
(with BTD the peak induction in TD), as well as the RSST-measured local loss values.
III. N UMERICAL M ODELING OF L OCAL in [5], the basic idea of MACC is the harmonization of the
F LUX D ISTRIBUTIONS local induction values with the corresponding local perme-
According to the novel procedure, the local patterns of the ability values, according to the three non-linear permeability
dynamic induction vector B(t) were calculated by means of functions from Fig. 2.
the recently presented numerical MACC methodology [5].
For this paper, we used a 2-D model of a package of a IV. L OCAL D ISTRIBUTION OF MACC-C ALCULATED
three phase, three-limb core stacked from HGO material with M AGNETIZATION PATTERNS
the following dimensions: height 800 mm, width 1000 mm, Fig. 3 shows the distribution of the numerically calculated
lamination width 200 mm, and stacking height 20 mm. local induction patterns B(t). For the inner and the outer path,
Following the MACC procedure, as a first step, for the at the location of most elements in RD, the calculated dynam-
here considered core, a magnetic equivalent circuit was estab- ical induction within a period of magnetization is depicted as
lished, with 35 elements for local paths in rolling direc- a mere alternating magnetization pattern. On the other hand,
tion (RD), 15 elements in transverse direction (TD), and six for the middle path, at the location of each element in TD,
elements in diagonal direction (DD; in overlaps of corners the magnetization patterns B(t) are depicted, determined from
and T-joint). the induction in TD and from the mean value of the four
A circuit with more elements corresponding to higher spatial neighboring inductions in RD.
resolution—as presented in [17]—may be used. As discussed Fig. 3 shows that the peak inductions BRD in the central
in [17], higher resolution mantels global effects but it reveals parts of the limbs along all three paths are similar. However,
better local differences of induction, the latter being important close to the overlap regions of the corner, the values of the
for losses, since they increase in a non-linear way with the inner path (BRD = 1.74 T) tend to be up to 5 % higher than
peak induction. However, for the current pilot study, aimed on those of the outer one, with BRD -values down to 1.66 T. The
presenting the basic concept, a higher resolution would have reason is the relative shorter magnetic path length of the inner
been superfluous, apart from strongly increased expenditure of path. Furthermore, a high maximal value of BRD = 1.74 T
higher numbers of needed RSST tests. resulted for the T-joint region straight below the V-element.
To all elements of the circuit in RD and TD, the cor- The reason is that for two certain time instants, a flux portion
responding non-linear permeability functions μRD (BRD ) and of the inner and middle paths enter the outer path, thus
μTD (BTD ) [Fig. 2(a)], respectively, were allocated, while for avoiding the high reluctance of the overlap.
the elements in DD, the corresponding non-linear overlap Quasi-dynamical simulations for 360 time instants within a
reluctance function from Fig. 2(b) (from [19]) was assigned. period of magnetization allowed for effective calculations of
Using the MACC-software, a dynamic simulation for distortions of waveform, as given for some locations in Fig. 4.
360 instants of time within a magnetization period for BNOM = Fig. 4(a)–(c) shows distortions for the outer, middle, and inner
1.7 T and f = 50 Hz was performed. As described in detail path of the central part of the outer limb. While the middle
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8400808 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 55, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2019
Fig. 4. Local induction waveforms and the corresponding frequency spectra for BNOM = 1.7 T and f = 50 Hz of the following locations (compare Fig. 3).
(a) Inner path of the outer limb, pos. A. (b) Middle path of the outer limb, pos. B. (c) Outer path of the outer limb, pos. C. (d) Below the V-element of the
T-joint region, pos. D.
path shows almost perfect sine waveform, the outer and the
inner paths yield strong distortions, with pronounced third
harmonics (150 Hz) of the Fourier spectrum. As a general
trend, the performed simulations show that all peripheral paths
(not only in the outer limb) exhibit distinct distortions.
The waveform of local induction in the region below the
V-element [Fig. 4(d)] shows a very specific waveform with
two pronounced peaks. The peaks appear for the time instants
of maximal induction in the outer R-limb and outer T-limb,
respectively. According to Fig. 2(b), for high inductions the
overlaps represent a high obstacle for the magnetic flux.
It means that the flux of the highest intensity “coming” from
the limbs tries to avoid the overlaps as much as possible. As a
result, the region below the V-elements is over loaded, as an
explanation for the highest amplitude of the induction for these
two time instants. Furthermore, this region tends to exhibit
high distortions, the third harmonic being up to about 20% of
the fundamental component [compare Fig. 4(d)].
As also indicated by Fig. 3, middle paths exhibit rotational
magnetization (RM). The strength of RM was determined by
the intensity of the axis ratio a, defined as a = BTD /BRD , with
BTD the peak induction in TD and BRD the peak induction
in RD.
According to the numerical calculations, the strongest RM
with a = 0.2 can be found in the T-joint region E at the
Fig. 5. Region of strongest calculated RM (Fig. 3, pos. E). (a) MACC-
limb side close to the V-element. It should be stressed that the calculated magnetization pattern of a rhombic shape. (b) Corresponding
corresponding magnetization patterns of Fig. 3 do not exhibit waveforms of the two ingredients BRD and BTD .
an elliptic shape, but a pronounced rhombic one [compare
Fig. 5(a)]. As investigated in [20], not only the axis ratio but waveform of the induction BTD in TD tends to be strongly
also the shape of magnetization pattern may influence the core distorted, as a possible further source of increased losses.
losses in specific ways. For example, rhombic magnetization The effect of RM in the outer limb tends to be very weak
provides lower losses than the corresponding elliptical one, with an axis ratio a up to 0.02, and can be neglected. Contrary
for the same axis ratio. Furthermore, Fig. 5(b) shows that the to the outer limb, the RM calculated for the middle limb
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8400808 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 55, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2019
Fig. 7. Distribution of the local building factors in the investigated quarter of the three-phase transformer core package.
C. Impact of the Rotational Magnetization with PNOM as the nominal losses of the assumed material,
As shown in several works [27] and [28], the losses of a with 0.93 W/kg (for BNOM = 1.7 T and f = 50 Hz).
transformer core are very strongly affected by RM. In [4], mea- As indicated also by results of other studies, individual
surements, performed in the interior of a transformer core, locations exhibit very large variations. According to experi-
showed doubled losses in T-joint, compared to outer limb, ence, the lowest value results in the center of outer limb with
mainly due to RM. BFi = 1.03, corresponding to almost sinusoidal induction.
Fig. 3 shows that the strongest RM with axis ratio a = 0.24 As the upper extreme, we find values close to 1.5 in the
can be found in the T-joint region, at the limb side close to T-joint region.
the V-element, corresponding to a very high loss value of For a compact illustration of tendencies, Fig. 8 summarizes
about 1.40 W/kg. As stated in Section IV, the RM is not averaged values for the individual core regions, i.e., limb,
restricted to the T-joint, but is distributed along the middle corner, yoke, and T-joint, respectively. These values were cal-
path of the yoke, as being typical for cores, stacked from HGO culated with consideration of individual mass portions through
steel. As an average, the middle path of the yoke yields the weighting.
highest losses, due to the pronounced RM. Nevertheless, as The outer limb shows the lowest building factors BFi with
already mentioned, the highest losses, with p = 1.41 W/kg— an average value BFOL = 1.07. Compared to that, the middle
measured straight below the V-element of the T-joint region— limb exhibits relative high values (BFML = 1.16), mainly due
are not caused by RM. They are caused by the combination to strong distortions, caused by circulating fluxes, but also
of the highest peak induction (at that position BRD = 1.74 T ), due to RM, as being typical for the middle path of that region
together with the highest distortions [see Fig. 4(d)] (compare Fig. 3).
Summarizing, the here presented method for evaluation The corner shows a relatively low value of about 1.08 in
of local losses tends to be very promising. Previously per- average. However, it should be stressed that only a simple
formed experimental measurements, within a model trans- core package is considered. For multi-package cores, due to
former core (see [4]) show very similar tendencies, however, existing off-plane fluxes [29] in the joint regions, higher values
being extremely laborious. should be expected, considering the impact of off-plane fluxes
on losses [30].
VII. L OCAL AND R EGIONAL B UILDING FACTORS
Also the yoke exhibits a relatively high average value
As the main results of the methodology, Fig. 7 shows the
of about 1.16. The reason is the RM, which, as already
distribution of local building factors
mentioned, for HGO is not restricted to the T-joint region,
BFi = ( pi /PNOM ) (2) but it is distributed along the entire yoke.
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8400808 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 55, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2019
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