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2022 International Conference on Power System and Energy Technology (ICPSET 2022) IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2399 (2022) 012044 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2399/1/012044

New indoor main transformer ventilation design modification

and simulation

Guojian Liu, Xianze Liu, Dekai Chen*, Qian Li, Yuefeng Zhang
Kunming Power Supply Bureau of Yunnan Power Grid Corporation, Kunming,
Yunnan, 650011, China
Corresponding author’s e-mail: 112920956@qq.com

Abstract. The main transformer is the heart of the transmission and substation system, and its
safe and stable operation is crucial. The heat dissipation and cooling effect of the main
transformer are directly related to its working performance. This project takes the 110 kV Xiba
substation of Kunming Power Supply Bureau of Southern Power Grid Company as an example,
simulates the change of indoor main transformer heat source by Fluent software, and uses an
indoor substation transformer auxiliary heat dissipation device, which is expected to achieve
rapid heat dissipation of the transformer, even when the transformer is under high load and the
transformer generates large heat. The ventilation of the main transformer can effectively reduce
the operating temperature of the transformer load, effectively improve the indoor environment
temperature of the main transformer room of the substation, and eliminate the equipment
hidden danger that the excessive temperature of the transformer affecting the insulation life of
the transformer.

1. Instruction
With the gradual promotion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the steady reform of the supply-side
structure, China's economy and society have maintained steady and healthy development, and the
electricity demand has continued to increase. The main transformer is the core equipment of the
substation, and its performance is directly related to the reliability and stability of the power grid
operation, so how to improve its load capacity, extend its service life and reduce its insulation aging
rate has become the focus of many scholars [1]-[4].
For radiator systems using fan cooling, parameters such as the number of fans, blowing position,
and blowing volume are directly related to the effectiveness of heat dissipation. Kim [5] and Paramane
[6] conducted numerical simulations of the heat dissipation, internal oil temperature and oil flow
distribution characteristics of radiators corresponding to three cooling modes ONAN, ONAF (vertical)
and ONAF (horizontal). They found that the heat dissipation performance of fans blowing horizontally
is better than that of blowing vertically and the heat dissipation of each group of radiators is related to
the distance. The heat dissipation of each group of radiators is closely related to the distance from the
fan outlet, along with the height direction of the heat sink, and the oil temperature decreases
exponentially rather than linearly as usually thought.
For multiple cooling fans arranged on the same side, the centre position of different fans is
properly offset, which will improve the efficiency of the airflow; the fan speed should not be too large,
which will increase the energy consumption on the one hand, and on the other hand, the airflow will
not be blown away in time to fully heat exchange with the heat sink [7]. It can be seen that scholars at
home and abroad have made a lot of efforts and progress in transformer heat dissipation performance

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2022 International Conference on Power System and Energy Technology (ICPSET 2022) IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2399 (2022) 012044 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2399/1/012044

research. For indoor substations, the indoor space is limited and the working environment of electrical
equipment is relatively harsh, so whether the equipment can play its design performance or not in the
actual operation process is limited by many conditions, and the indoor ventilation effect is a key
factor.
Chunyan Gao [8] conducted a numerical simulation of the ventilation and heat dissipation
characteristics of a transformer room in summer and used the air age index to evaluate the ventilation
effect, which showed that the air age at the air inlet was the smallest and the air was the freshest, and
the air replacement at the wall near the air inlet was slow. Yang H J [10] used Fluent software to study
the effect of ventilation in the transformer room for six types of air inlet and exhaust arrangement
schemes. It was found that when the two air inlets were crossed at the bottom of the side walls, the
flow dead space could be reduced and a better airflow organization could be obtained.
In this paper, we use thermodynamics, materials science and other engineering technologies to
study the influencing factors of transformer room intake and exhaust air inlet area, location and
transformer room through Fluent simulation. After using the indoor substation transformer auxiliary
heat sink, it is expected to effectively reduce the operating temperature during the transformer load
operation, effectively improve the indoor ambient temperature in the main transformer room of the
substation, and reduce the transformer accident rate and the grid operation risk. It will improve the
working environment of the site inspection personnel, facilitate the discovery of transformer defects,
and make the transformer operation safer and more reliable.

2. Project
110 kV Xiba substation is the hub substation of Xishan District, and the transformers have been
running well since July 2001. However, due to the large difference between the indoor ambient
temperature and outdoor temperature of Xiba substation, the transformer operating capacity is severely
limited to ensure the safe operation of the transformer, so the two transformers of the Xiba substation
have been operating with a small load, which greatly affects the operating efficiency of Xiba
substation.
Xiba is the hub substation of Xishan District, with the development of the economy, a load of
electricity in its jurisdiction is gradually increasing, if no transformation is carried out, new
transformers will be purchased again to bear the increased load, which will be a great waste of social
resources. The indoor temperature of the Xiba transformer is high all year round, and the hot
environment is not conducive to the on-site operation of inspection personnel, which brings a certain
negative impact on the work of transformer hidden danger investigation.
According to the "Southern Power Grid Company Production Technology Transformation
Guidelines" and "Southern Power Grid Company Production Project Access and Budget Criteria"
technical reform book access conditions are listed, the equipment status is evaluated and quantitative
data is listed to support the access conditions as far as possible.

3. Fluent simulation
According to the actual situation of the substation site, there are two solutions to solve the problem
of high temperature of the indoor variable environment: the first one increases the amount of
ventilation, the second one reduces the heat source, and the program carries out software full-size
model simulation for both working conditions as follows.

3.1 Increasing the ventilation volume

To ensure the target of 5 K indoor temperature rise over outdoor ambient, the input air volume is
increased from the current 9509 m3/h to 110,000 m3/h. The simulation model is as follows.

2
2022 International Conference on Power System and Energy Technology (ICPSET 2022) IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2399 (2022) 012044 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2399/1/012044

3.1.1 3D model diagram and Flow chart

Fig. 1. 3D model Fig. 2. Flow chart

3.1.2 Cloud image of indoor distribution profile

Axial height 1.0m profile Axial height 1.5m profile

Axial height 2.0m profile Axial height 10m profile

Fig. 3 Indoor distribution profile cloud

3.2 Reducing the heat source

Without increasing the air volume, reduce the heat dissipation indoors and direct the heat dissipated by
the slice to the outdoors. By directing the heat dissipated by the indoor transformer slice to the
outdoors, the indoor heat can be reduced by 90% and the difference between the indoor temperature
and the outdoor ambient temperature can be ensured to be within 5 K.

3
2022 International Conference on Power System and Energy Technology (ICPSET 2022) IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2399 (2022) 012044 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2399/1/012044

3.2.1 Flow chart

Fig. 4. Flow chart

3.2.2 Cloud image of indoor distribution profile

Axial height 1.0m profile Axial height 1.5m profile

Axial height 2.0m profile Axial height 10 m profile

Fig. 5. Indoor distribution profile cloud
According to the results of these two simulations, a substantial increase in ventilation and a substantial
reduction in heat source can be achieved to reduce the huge difference between indoor and outdoor
ambient temperature, but combined with the actual situation on site, a substantial increase in
ventilation is not operable in the substation. Consideration should be given to heat evacuation. The

4
2022 International Conference on Power System and Energy Technology (ICPSET 2022) IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2399 (2022) 012044 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2399/1/012044

transformation program mainly enhances the heat dissipation area of radiators, fan power, heat
diversion, wall blinds and roof exhaust, and noise reduction.

4. Conclusion
After the completion of the project, the indoor environment temperature of the 110 kV Xiba
transformer can be greatly improved. The transformer accident rate can be reduced and the risk of
power grid operation can be reduced. After the transformation is completed, the difference between
indoor and outdoor ambient temperature is within 5 K which improves the working environment of
on-site inspection personnel, facilitates the detection of transformer defects, and makes transformer
operation safer and more reliable.

Acknowledgment
This work was financially supported by research and the application of the program"The invention
relates to a main variable indoor environment temperature intelligent control
device"(YNZC202201290123).

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