INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MADRAS 60 036 DEC. 27-20, 09 Losses in Distribution Transformers and Benefits in Restructuring with Amorphous Core Technology V.V. Kamaraj, B. Jayadey Abstract“Uhe study chiefly emphasizes on the losses in distribution Transformers due to their ageing and out dated, ergo technology. The subsequent cost benefits, If adopt the latest technology, that is is amorphous core transformers in a phased manner. The study reveals that losses are reduced to 68 percent, if existi transformers are replaced with amorphous core. paper also discusses the technical feasibility and financial viability of implementing amorphous core transformers in the Distribution Network and scope of its implementation. Keywords: Aging, Amorphous materials, Costs, jon, Losses, Transformers, Transformer Core, 1. INTRODUCTION cla power generated in Andhra Pras Sate i "T2s6s2 nega anim) in Then tl and wind Gove the over generated bil bet HRV level andisboowed up o220K or 100K ands tasted Ton dances before reaching theta consume. They we 1 Primary Tansson 2. Secotary Tans 3. Primary Disibuton £:Sccnay Dsbution The ata power wil a be ized due to ansmison anddstibuton loses. There va igh power las in adi The le a adn poser lisa ish computed to ilematosl standard What sore during th in tree wend of tose According to 1999-2000 statistics the “Transmission & Distribution losses was found to be 43 percent in Andhra Pradesh, The losses ean be categorized as line losses, equipment losses and losses due to pilferage. In equipment, the loss due to transmission transformers that is the power trans. EA. Author is studying MuceNsecond semester) at University of Jodhpur c-naitkamarahearsareiffinail om 'SB.Author is working asa Assstnt Divisional Engineer for East power Distribution company of Andhra Pradesh Limite. formers is major and is negligible. When compared to the number of distribution transformers. Sines distribution transformers is very large in any state through ‘out the country and hence a small increase in loss due to distribution transformers multiples the total losses and the net power loss in T&D system inereases enormously. The ‘worldwide studies at present chiefly concentrate to reduce losses. the number of New thoughts and researches are going on in_ various as- peets like power equipment, conductor technology. The new development in transformer design is _amor- phous core transformer IL FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIGH DISTRIBUTION Losses According to a study conducted by world bank energy experts in 1982 two principal reasons account for high dis tribution losses in developing counties like India, 1. First the selling price of electricity has failed to keep pace with rate of increase in cost of supply 2. Reason for high distribution losses is that power utili- ties designed their distribution networks with high percentage voltage regulation and coupled with low power factor, will suffer high percentage loss. We are all awate of simple formula that percentage power Joss is equal to percentage voltage regulation at unity power factor. Statistics says that one unit saved is 1.25 unit produced. Hence the very purpose of this paper is to emphasize on the actual power loss occurring in distribution transformers, which helps in Energy Auditing. AP. Transco in recent years incorporated the technology of amorphous core transformers, in the distribution ne works. Their implementation in place of conventional CRGO steel brings down, the no load losses in transform= ers reducing to 68 percent, Out ofthe total transformers ex- isting today, the share of amorphous core transformers. is about 4.4 percent. Presently, any state electricity board in India is trying to decrease their T&D losses, which is the chief cause for decrease in their efficiency. Statistics of T&D losses of various states are given in table 170 [NATIONAL POWER SYSTEMS CONFERENCE. NPSC 2004 TL AMORPHOUS CORE TECHNOLOGY Amorphous metals are alloys having composition of Iron, Boron and Silicon elements, these metals have no atomic ‘order. They lack symmetrical structure or form, Their amorphous nature has given them the name, metallic glasses, yet their unusual atomic order sets them apart from ‘conventional metallic materials. Rapid cooting of molten ‘metals prevents crystallization and leaves a vitrified solid ‘with structure in form of thin strips-a perfect energy saving substitute for ergo. Comparison of properties of amorphous metal and CRGO. steel is given in table 2 ILL, PROPERTIES THAT MAKE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF AMORPHOUS METALS DIFFERENT FROM CRGO STE! CORE. 1. Amorphous metals are harder. The Amorphous Core ‘Transformers are thus stronger, more-corrosion resis- tant and. long lasting. 2. Unlike CRGO, Amorphous metals are thin, 3. Amorphous metals require magnetic field annealing 4,After annealing process material becomes less due- tile. TV, PLUS POINTS ON PERFORMANCE By keeping performance parameters like load loss, im- pedance and temperature rise constant. Amorphous core ‘transformers have 32 pereent of core loss. When compared to that of, 68 percent in ergo transformer. A Comparative no load loss specification list of ergo and amorphous core ‘on basis of kilo Volt Ampere (kwva) rating is given in table} 1. Much lower noise level and reduced operating tem perature leading to long. economic life of transformer are benefits of amorphous core distribution trans- formers. 2. ‘The required lower excitation current, which reduces xkvar demand, also reducing further generating capac- ity, leads to reduction in ine losses. 3. Rate of rise of temperature for the amorphous trans- former is very low. When compared to ergo trans- formers. 4. Failure rate ofthese transformer is 0.2 percent, out of ten thousand transformers, as reported by Orissa GRIDCO state electricity board, ‘There are however certain limitations like requirement of special tools for cutting. Because of high hardness of mate- rial, low saturation flux density and availability in only small seetions (thickness and width) and requirement of ‘magnetic field annealing, These limitations restrict the use ‘of amorphous cores only to distribution transformers. Amorphous raw material is imported from USA and the quantity of metal, required for manufacturing any rating of distribution transformer, is considerably, larger than that of CRGO silicon steel core transformer itis because of these reasons the cost is about 25percent higher than that of con- ventional CRGO transformer. Although, the high initial cost may appear to be a damper in first instance, the cost benefit analysis study has revealed that the break even pe- riod for extra expenditure vis-a-vis energy saved is within a period of about 7 years and thereafter there is a perpetual energy saving. Thus, there is an urgent need for gradual in- duction of these distribution transformers, in the power distribution networks, \V. COST BENEFITS EVALUATED BY REPLACEMENT OF AMORPHOUS TRANSFORMERS Losses in distribution system should be valued at long run marginal cost (LRMC) for bulk supply. This is the key point in economic analysis, in other words, we treat it ex- actly ike incremental load andlor it will reduce the cost of future bulk supply. LRMC is basicaly isthe economic cost of producing electricity at a bulk supply level and it has @ structure. What we look at is the need for decreased losses, because the reduction in losses will increase the ability to serve more ineremental load at improved reliability, With this saving, we do not have to build, many installations to ‘meet the bulk supply requirements in future. As our distri- bution loses have been reduced. Ifwe can estimate the value of losses through the structure of long run marginal costs of bulk supply we ean have peak kilowatt cost, peak energy cost and off peak energy cost ‘This isa fairly a simple breakdown. There are other types of structuring that are possible, which are more sophisticated. ‘But the important point is thatthe losses at peak are going to be very large. As per the manufactures guaranteed technical specifica- tions the no load loss ofa 100 kilo volt ampere (kva), amor- phous core transformer is 60 watts and no load loss of a 100. kilo volt ampere (kva), ergo core transformer is. 185 watts Energy saving of no load loss, when 100 no's of 100 kilo volt Ampere (kva) ergo transformers replaced with amor- phous core: (185-60) CSC -100=00125 mega watt (MW) ‘The effective amount of generation capacity saved at the distribution transformer terminals. considering, T&D loss in power system is 30 percent (as per the 1999-2000 statis fics T&D loss of most power utilities in more than this).INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MADRAS 600 036 DEC. 27-30 on 012s BOTS _ (017857 mega watt (MW) 1 oF -ga watt (MW) a Saving of energy in KW = 17.857 0 I8kW 2 Saving of energy for one complete day is 18x24 = 432kilo watt-hour (kwh). 8) Cost of energy for one day assuming LRMC @ 3Rs per kilo watt hour (kWh) is 432x3=Rs 1296. a Cost of energy per annun 196x365 =473040 (5) Cost of installing a generating capacity of IMega Watt (mv) is 5 crores approximately IMegawatt Serores For 0.01785 Mega Watt = Rs 892500 (6) Using (5) we caleulated the total saving = 892500~473040 = Rs 13,65,540 Cost of an amorphous core transformer is Rs 98,489, Cost of 100 numbers of 100 Kilo Volt- Ampere (kva) amor- phous core transformer is. Rs 9848900, ‘The return of investment spent for replacement of 100 numbers of 100 Kilo Volt-Ampere (kva) transformer would be in 7 years approximately. ‘The above is only a conservative estimate, The cost of in- stalling a generating capacity in only taken, But, after in- cluding the cost of transmitting and distributing. This break-even period would come down, For maintaining the transformer in proper operating c ws thought the year, all power uilties are incur crores of rupees of expen- dditure every year. This is not taken into account, Once @ new transformer is purchased, the manufacturer gives a guarantee on it for a period of 5 years from date of pur- chase. IV.ACase Srupy ‘A. study has been done in operation circle of visakhapatnam by taking the installed capacity of trans formers and conducting a sample study on 5 percent of transformers of installed capacity. ‘The study mainly focuses on the no load losses in distribu. tion transformers, For instance in operation circle of visakhapatnam of Andhra pradesh. There are about4985 transformers the details of the installed capacity are given in tabled, Based on the statistics available the details of the installed capacity as on 17-10-89 given in tableS were taken into the account of ageing. Transformers installed prior to 1980 are repeatedly failing and the repairs involve huge expenditure. After testing for no load losses an abnormal deviation from manufactures specification of about 20-25percent was observed ‘VIL EFFECT OF AGEING In older transformers ageing of core plates taken place. ‘This is due to the material of laminations and results in in- creased iron loss and rising temperature ofthe transformer. This may eventually lead to partial or complete destruction of the coil, insulation and sludging of the oil Selecting a random sampling size of approximately ‘percent in the installed capacity of capacity kilo volt am- pere (kya) of distribution transformers in operation circle Visakhapatnam. As per the manufactures guaranteed tech- nical specifications the maximum permissible no load loss (of 100 kilo volt ampere (kva) ergo core transformers is 260 Watts Maximum permissible no load loss of 63 kilo volt ampere (kva) ergo core transformer is 140Watts Whether are the deviation from maximum permissible limits of guaranteed technical specification can be ob- served from table 6and table? As per the sample test conducted the no load loss of 100 Kilo volt ampere (kva) transformers for sample size230 transformers is found to be 250 ‘As per the sample test conducted the average iron loss of 68 Kilo volt-ampere (KVA) transformers for sample size 67 transformers is found to be 175. ‘This may be true for 20 to 30percent of transformers in the field as it may not be possible to test cach and every trans- former-So replacement in phased manner is beneficial VIII. REPLACEMENT OF TRANSFORMERS IN PHASED MANNER AND REMEDIAL MEASURES Some of the suggestions thought to be feasible are as fol- ows TPhase 1. All 100 kilovolt ampere (kva) transformers. very badly affected with bulk loads and H.T, loads in city, areas should be replaced with amorphous core trans~ formers for this study purpose, I Phase 2. ‘The removed 100kilo volt ampere (kva) transformers should replace 63 kilo volt ampere (kva) transformers, that are in worst conditions in rural areas, where there would be low load factor. In the latter case every