Prospective Analysis of Energy Efficient Amorphous

Metal Distribution Transformer (AMDT)

Md. Aminul Islam
Member, IEEE
IEEE Bangladesh Section, Dhaka, Bangladesh
md.aminul.bappy@gmail.com

Abstract—An energy efficient unit is the basic need of a power minimize the losses using amorphous metal core that ensures
system. Majority of losses in a power network is caused by an energy efficient system. So that Amorphous Metal
distribution transformer. Due to the many drawbacks of Distribution Transformer (AMDT) can help electric utilities to
traditional Si-steel core distribution transformers it is necessary improve efficiency of the power transmission and distribution
to search for new technology. Amorphous metal core distribution system.
transformer replaces the conventional Si-steel core distribution
transformers. Although AMDT reduces the core loss, no load loss
and hazardous gas emission, it has high efficiency, reliability, II. STRUCTURE OF AMORPHOUS MATERIALS
flexibility, less weight and low noise level. This paper illustrates a Amorphous metals were first developed and have been
probable solution to improve the utility of power system using studied since early 1950’s. It is usually an alloy rather than a
energy efficient amorphous metal core distribution transformer. pure metal. The alloy components are boron, silicon,
The study also includes a discussion over the environmental
phosphorus with other glass formers and magnetic metals like
impact and economic feasibility of AMDT. Amorphous materials
are available in nature. Proper approaches are needed to speed iron, cobalt, nickel etc. Amorphous metals are found
up the amorphous alloy industrialization and to implement the extensively in the fields of inter-metallic, inorganic and
amorphous metal core distribution transformer in large scale. organic materials having a wide range of applications. Atomic
structure of an amorphous metal is similar to glass. Atoms are
not arranged in any ordered structure. Because there are no
Keywords-amorphous metal; crystalline material; no load loss; structured planes of atoms in amorphous material, the atoms
iron loss; magnetic properties; thermal stability; distribution are gridlocked into the glassy structure. So making dislocation
transformer
of any groups of atoms is very difficult. Due to this
characteristic amorphous metals are very hard and have high
I. INTRODUCTION elasticity. A typical diagram of crystalline and amorphous
Metal alloys typically posses crystalline atomic structure in atomic structure is given below:
which individual atoms are arranged in ordered and repeated
pattern. But amorphous metal is a metallic material with a
distorted atomic structure. Amorphous alloys tend to be
stronger than crystalline alloys of similar chemical
composition. In recent years a major change has been made to
the global electric power industry. Now amorphous metal core
have been attracting attention with their prominent function for
application in distribution transformer. Distribution
transformers account for the majority of losses in an electric
power network. It is of interest to test the effectiveness of
different materials in a transformer. A simple alternative to the
use of conventional silicon steel in the core is the use of
amorphous metal.
Figure 1: (a) Crystalline atomic structure, (b) Amorphous atomic structure
Distribution transformers are relatively efficient device
often operating at efficiencies as high as 99% with low energy III. APPLICATION OF AMORPHOUS METALS IN ELECTRIC
loss. Due to the core material is continuously magnetized and POWER
demagnetized, transformers account a large number of energy Amorphous metal have wide range of application. Mostly
losses. Amorphous metal core transformers are much more used in electric power transformers, high frequency power
efficient, reliable, environment friendly and flexible than electronics, pulse transformers and pulse power devices,
traditional steel core. Significant reduction in transformer magnetic sensors and electronic article surveillance etc. [4].
losses can be made using amorphous metal core in distribution
Amorphous metals are used and are most effective for
transformers. An improved transformer design is possible to
distribution transformers. Currently over 1,250,000

978-1-4577-0547-2/12/$31.00 ©2012 IEEE

amorphous metal core distribution transformers have been amorphous metal core and the conventional silicon steel core
installed worldwide, helping electric power utilities to are given below:
improve the efficiency of their transmission and distribution
[1]. Single phase AMDT’s mainly used for residential Table 1: Material Characteristic Comparison between Amorphous Metal and
Si-steel [6]
electricity networks. Annual capacity of amorphous metal core
transformer is approximately 3000 tones at present [5]. Single
Material Saturation Elec. Iron Loss Thickness
phase AMDT’s are most advantageous in performance and Flux Resistance (W/Kg) (mm)
price ratio. Density, (µΩ-cm)
Bs (T)
Amorphous metal power equipments are ideally suited for
Silicon Steel 2.03 50 0.440 0.230
renewable energy applications such as wind farms and solar (Crystalline)
PV power systems, as they typically operates with 20~40%
low load conditions. Amorphous metals are also used in Amorphous 1.56 130 0.070 0.025
telecommunication, automotive and medical applications. Alloy
(2605SA1)
IV. MAGNETIC PROPERTIES AND THERMAL STABILITY
A. Magnetic Properties
The magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic material are in VI. ADVANCE FEATURES OF AMORPHOUS METAL CORE
part related to the ease of magnetization through domain-wall a) The amorphous metal reduces the core loss in a
motion. In crystalline metals structural features comparable distribution transformer. That is approximately 75-80%
size to domain walls can impede domain-wall motion. Due to less than the core losses of crystalline Fe-Si based
lack of such features amorphous metal magnetize easily than distribution transformer [4].
crystalline metals. The atomic disorder and high solute content b) No-load losses (hysteresis and eddy current losses) are
of amorphous metal limit the mean free path of electrons, less than Fe-Si based transformers. For single phase
resulting in electrical resistivity two to three times of transformers is reduced by 20% which is 1/5 of silicon
crystalline alloys. Amorphous metal alloys have high steel core [6].
resistivity. High electrical resistance in the magnetic c) Easier magnetization and faster flux reversal [4].
component suppresses eddy current produced by domain-wall d) Total weight is reduced by 20% [5].
motion. So the eddy current component of magnetic losses is e) Environment friendly technology that minimizes CO2 and
minimized in amorphous metals. SO2 emissions [4].
f) High flexibility and reduced noise level [6].
B. Thermal Stability g) Efficiency is higher than conventional Si-steel core
The thermal stability of amorphous metal is better transformer [5].
compared to conventional Si-steel core. In an infrared analysis
it has been seen that the grain oriented silicon-steel unit reaches VII. TYPICAL IRON LOSSES FOR DIFFERENT PHASES
an average temperature of 332 K (59oC). Comparable operation Amorphous metal core structure can provide flexibility and
of the more efficient amorphous metal core results in a smaller eliminates the loss level during assembly. Also the noise level
temperature rise to 304 K (31oC). Thermal conductivity of is reduced. To achieve the maximum core performance,
amorphous material is lower than of crystal. The continuous amorphous metal core should be treated with the lowest stress
service temperature of a transformer core is typically 353-373
condition. Iron loss is minimized in amorphous metal core
K (80-1000oC) [1]. Thermal expansion coefficient is about 6-
transformers. Typical Iron loss statistics of two different
13 ppm/oC [4].
frequencies for different phases are given below:
V. MATERIAL CHARACTERISTIC COMPARISON Table 2: Typical Iron Losses (W/Kg) [6]. Reference values at 25o C
Most metals, including stainless steel, have crystalline
structure. All crystalline structures contain missing atoms Frequency Flux 1.10 1.30 1.50
Density (T)
called defects, impurity atoms of other elements and
misaligned plans of atoms called dislocations. But amorphous 1-Phase 0.117 0.171 0.269
metal is a non-crystal substance created by rapidly freezing 50 Hz
3-Phase 0.146 0.214 0.325
liquids at high temperature [2]. That means the atoms in an
amorphous material are not arranged in any ordered structure. 1-Phase 0.149 0.218 0.330
Though there is no rule of atomic arrangement, the hysteresis 60 Hz
3-Phase 0.186 0.273 0.413
loss is small when the flux of magnetic induction passes
through the iron core. In addition eddy current loss is
decreased because the thickness is much lesser than the Typical iron loss curve shows the characteristic of
conventional Si-steel core. A typical comparison between the amorphous metal core (2605SA1) both for single phase and
three phases [6]. Here red line represents the 3-phase and blue
line represents the 1-phase characteristic. Iron loss curves both
for 50 Hz and 60 Hz are given below:
Figure 2: Typical Iron Loss Curve for 50 Hz [6]
Figure 3: Typical Iron Loss Curve for 60 Hz [6]
VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Under pure sinusoidal excitation, AMDT exhibits about ¼
of no load loss of a high grade Si-steel transformer. This
corresponds to an annual global potential savings of about
125TWh and an annual reduction of CO2 emission of about
100 million tones. Worldwide use of amorphous metal based
transformers will help us to minimize the fossil-fuel
dependency and to create a cleaner environment. Use of
AMDT makes it possible to save global electrical energy, oil
and reduce harmful gas emissions. An annual statistics on
worldwide environmental impact of Amorphous Metal
Transformer is shown below:
Table 3: Environmental impact of Amorphous Metal Transformer [1]
Benefits Amount
Energy Savings 87 Billion KWh
Oil 154 million barrels
CO2 80 million tones
NOx 322 thousand tones
SO2 757 thousand tones
IX. ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY
Because of the limitation of technique and investment high
performance AMDTs are not much cost effective in practice.
Although amorphous metal transformers are often more
expensive than silicon steel units, they can be more cost
effective in electric power system. One method of illustrating
how AMDTs provide economic savings is by evaluating on a
Total Owing Cost (TOC) basis. Both the initial and future cost
of transformer is considered in TOC. So,
TOC = Initial Purchase Price + Cost of Future Energy Losses
Despite a higher initial cost compared with the traditional
silicon steel core transformers, the use of AMDTs results in
overall financial savings for utilities over the life of
transformer.
Still the production capacity of amorphous metal is small
and because of that it is not possible to provide cost effective
material to meet the large market demand. Marketing effort
should be mainly targeted on single phase AMDTs. At the
same time government should issue a mandatory regulation
and preferential policy to promote the application of high
efficiency AMDT.
X. CONCLUSION
Amorphous metal is a high-tech green material. In recent
days it has drawn attention of the electrical manufacturers.
The demand of amorphous metal core will be increasing at
annual rate of 30~50% in near future. That will result in more
than 20 thousand tones of amorphous metal demand per year
[5]. But still amorphous metals are not cost effective. China is
rich in amorphous metal (Ferro-boron) which is the raw
material of iron based amorphous alloy. In order to break high
price-low volume situation various cooperative approaches
and financial support is needed immediately to speed up the
amorphous alloy industrialization and to enlarge the
production capacity. The value of energy saving must be
included in purchasing process. Governments should provide
intensives to drive utility action in adopting a lowest total
owing cost purchase practice. Preferential policies must be
initiated and put into effect. At the same time new standards
for AMDT should be established.
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