Methods of Cooling of Transformer

Based on the coolant used the cooling methods can be classified into:

1. Air cooling

2. Oil and Air cooling

3. Oil and Water cooling

1. Air cooling (Dry type transformers)

 Air Natural(AN)

 Air Blast (AB)

2. Oil cooling (Oil immersed transformers)

 Oil Natural Air Natural (ONAN)

 Oil Natural Air Forced (ONAF)

 Oil Forced Air Natural (OFAN)

 Oil Forced Air Forced (OFAF)

3. Oil and Water cooling (For capacity more than 30MVA)

 Oil Natural Water Forced (ONWF)

 Oil Forced Water Forced (OFWF)

1. Air Cooling (Dry Type Transformers)

In this method, the heat generated is conducted across the core and windings and is dissipated from
the outer surface of the core and windings to the surrounding air.

Air Natural

Air Natural (AN)

This method uses the ambient air as the cooling medium. The natural circulation of the air is used for
dissipation of heat generated by natural convection. The core and the windings are protected from
mechanical damage by providing a metal enclosure. This method is suitable for transformers of
rating up to 1.5MVA. This method is adopted in the places where fire is a great hazard.

Air Blast
Air Blast (AB)

In this method, the transformer is cooled by circulating continuous blast of cool air through the core
and the windings. For this external fans are used. The air supply must be filtered to prevent
accumulation of dust particles in the ventilating ducts.

2. Oil cooling (Oil immersed transformers)

In this method, heat is transferred to the oil surrounding the core and windings and it is conducted to
the walls of the transformer tank. Finally, the heat is transferred to the surrounding air by radiation
and convection.

Oil coolant has two distinct advantages over the air coolants.

 It provides better conduction than the air

 High coefficient of conduction which results in the natural circulation of the oil.

ONAN

Oil Natural Air natural (ONAN)

The transformer is immersed in oil and the heat generated in the cores and the windings is passed
on to oil by conduction. Oil in contact with the surface of windings and core gets heated up and
moves towards the top and is replaced by the cool oil from the bottom. The heated oil transfers its
heat to the transformer tank through convection and which in turn transfers the heat to the
surrounding air by convection and radiation.

This method can be used for the transformers having the ratings up to 30MVA. The rate of heat
dissipation can be increased by providing fins, tubes and radiator tanks. Here the oil takes the heat
from inside the transformer and the surrounding air takes away the heat from the tank. Hence it can
also be called as Oil Natural Air natural (ONAN) method.

ONAF
<img src="https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/8497208.gif" data-ratio="0.83720930232558" alt=""/>

Oil Natural Air Forced (ONAF)

In this method, the heated oil transfers its heat to the transformer tank. The tank is made hollow, and
the air is blown to cool the transformer. This increases the cooling of transformer tank to five to six
time its natural means. Normally this method is adopted by externally connecting elliptical tubes or
radiator separated from the transformer tank and cooling it by air blast produced by fans. These fans
are provided with automatic switching. When the temperature goes beyond the predetermined value,
the fans will be automatically switched on.

Oil Forced Air Natural (OFAN)

In this method, copper cooling coils are mounted above the transformer core. The copper coils will
be fully immersed in the oil. Along with the oil natural cooling, the heat from the core passes to the
copper coils, and the circulating water inside the copper coil takes away the heat. The disadvantage
of this method is that since water enters inside the transformer any kind of leakage will contaminate
the transformer oil.

OFAF
<img src="https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/8497222.jpg" data-ratio="0.83673469387755" alt=""/>

Oil Forced Air Forced (OFAF)

In this method, the oil is cooled in the cooling plant using air blast produced by the fans. These fans
need not be used all the time. During low loads, fans are turned off. Hence the system will be similar
to that of Oil Natural Air natural (ONAN). At higher loads, the pumps and fans are switched on, and
the system changes to Oil Forced Air Forced (OFAF). Automated switching methods are used for
this conversion such that as soon as the temperature reaches a certain level, the fans are
automatically switched on by the sensing elements. This method increases the system efficiency.
This is a flexible method of cooling in which up to 50% of rating ONAN can be used, and OFAF can
be used for higher loads. This method is used in transformers having ratings above 30MVA.

3. Oil and Water Cooling

In this method along with oil cooling, water is circulated through copper tubes which enhance the
cooling of transformer. This method is normally adopted in transformers with capacities in the order
of several MVA.

OFWF

ONAF
<img src="https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/8497208.gif" data-ratio="0.83720930232558" alt=""/>

Oil Natural Air Forced (ONAF)

In this method, the heated oil transfers its heat to the transformer tank. The tank is made hollow, and
the air is blown to cool the transformer. This increases the cooling of transformer tank to five to six
time its natural means. Normally this method is adopted by externally connecting elliptical tubes or
radiator separated from the transformer tank and cooling it by air blast produced by fans. These fans
are provided with automatic switching. When the temperature goes beyond the predetermined value,
the fans will be automatically switched on.

Oil Forced Air Natural (OFAN)

In this method, copper cooling coils are mounted above the transformer core. The copper coils will
be fully immersed in the oil. Along with the oil natural cooling, the heat from the core passes to the
copper coils, and the circulating water inside the copper coil takes away the heat. The disadvantage
of this method is that since water enters inside the transformer any kind of leakage will contaminate
the transformer oil.

OFAF
<img src="https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/8497222.jpg" data-ratio="0.83673469387755" alt=""/>

Oil Forced Air Forced (OFAF)

In this method, the oil is cooled in the cooling plant using air blast produced by the fans. These fans
need not be used all the time. During low loads, fans are turned off. Hence the system will be similar
to that of Oil Natural Air natural (ONAN). At higher loads, the pumps and fans are switched on, and
the system changes to Oil Forced Air Forced (OFAF). Automated switching methods are used for
this conversion such that as soon as the temperature reaches a certain level, the fans are
automatically switched on by the sensing elements. This method increases the system efficiency.
This is a flexible method of cooling in which up to 50% of rating ONAN can be used, and OFAF can
be used for higher loads. This method is used in transformers having ratings above 30MVA.

3. Oil and Water Cooling

In this method along with oil cooling, water is circulated through copper tubes which enhance the
cooling of transformer. This method is normally adopted in transformers with capacities in the order
of several MVA.

OFWF

Oil Forced Water Forced (OFWF)

In this method, copper cooling coils are mounted above the transformer core. The copper coils will
be fully immersed in the oil. Along with the oil natural cooling the heat from the core passes to the
copper coils and the circulating water inside the copper coil takes away the heat. The disadvantage
in this method is that since water enters inside the transformer any kind of leakage will contaminate
the transformer oil. Since heat passes three times as rapidly from copper cooling tube to water as
from oil to copper tubes, the tubes are provided with fans to increase the conduction of heat from oil
to tubes. The water inlet and outlet pipes are lagged in order to prevent the moisture in the ambient
air fro condensing on the pipes and getting into the oil.

Oil Forced Water Forced (OFWF)

In this method, hot oil is passed though a water heat exchanger. The pressure of the oil is kept
higher than that of the water. Therefore, there will be leakage from oil to the water alone, and the
vise verse is avoided. This method of cooling is employed in the cooling of transformers with very
larger capacity in the order of hundreds of MVA. This method is suitable for banks of transformers.
Maximum of three transformers can be connected in a single pump circuit. Advantages of this
method over ONWF are that the transformer size is smaller and the water does not enter into the
transformer. This method is widely used for the transformers designed for hydro electric plants.