IET Electric Power Applications

Research Article

Electromagnetic vibration noise analysis of ISSN 1751-8660

Received on 21st June 2015
Revised on 11th October 2015
transformer windings and core Accepted on 3rd November 2015
doi: 10.1049/iet-epa.2015.0309
www.ietdl.org

Hu Jingzhu ✉, Liu Dichen, Liao Qingfen, Yan Yang, Liang Shanshan

Department of Electrical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People’s Republic of China
✉ E-mail: jzhu_5@163.com

Abstract: Analyses of transformer electromagnetic vibration noise are presented in this study. A finite element model is
established which combines transient electromagnetic field analysis, mechanical field analysis and acoustic analysis to
calculate the sound pressure level of the radiated noise around the transformer. Transient electromagnetic field
analysis is performed to get the Lorentz, reluctance magnetic forces and magnetostriction according to Maxwell theory
and virtual displacement principle. Mutual influence of strain and magnetisation has been considered. The main
frequency components of harmonic electromagnetic excitations are analysed by Fourier transformation so as to carry
out the harmonic response analysis and obtain the nodes displacements of the windings and core. The noise
distribution is further calculated by acoustic analysis based on the achieved vibration data. Comparison of calculated
results and measured data verifies that the combined noise calculating model is applicable for transformer noise
prediction.

1 Introduction [13, 14]. Vibration noise of windings, which also contributes to

Transformer noise, as the main noise source in substation, has
achieved more and more public attention. Researches revealed that
transformer noise mainly comes from electromagnetic vibration
behaviours including the vibrating core, magnetostriction, vibrating
winding and vibrating structural components [1]. The
electromagnetic vibration of windings and core are partially
attributed to Lorentz and reluctance magnetic forces [2–4].
Magnetostriction is a property of ferromagnetic materials that
causes them to change their dimensions during the process of
magnetisation which contributes to the vibration of the transformer
core predominantly. A proper understanding of the noise
generation mechanism in a transformer and an accurate estimation
of its radiation characteristics are necessary.
Studies are mainly focused on electromagnetic vibration of the
transformer core [5]. Researchers have taken a large number of
simulations to get the resonance frequency of the transformer core
so as to avoid resonance and to reduce the noise of the transformer
[6]. Finite element (FE) numerical analysis method, which has
proved to be suitable for electromagnetic–mechanical field study
[7], is employed to analyse the vibration of the transformer core.
Coupled theoretical models of the electromagnetic field and
mechanical field [8–10] are built to calculate the vibration
displacement of the core. The electromagnetic field and
mechanical field interact with each other and they are coupled in
terms of energy. Magnetostriction is taken into consideration in the
energy system at the same time. On the other hand, some
researchers [11, 12] adopt experimental data from magnetostrictive
elongation to calculate the corresponding set of magnetostrictive
forces according to the stress–strain constitutive relations, and then
obtain the core vibration displacement. However, the researches
almost are focused on transient dynamic analyses and harmonic
analysis seems to be lacking, which is important in the research of
vibrations and sound field.
Analyses of transformer vibration noise are mostly concentrated
on the magnetostriction of the core. Vibrations of windings and
core that excited by Lorentz and reluctance magnetic forces have
been ignored. Researches on transformer windings are chiefly with
respect to winding deformation in short-circuit current condition
the transformer electromagnetic noise, has not yet been considered.
Thus, comprehensive and thorough research on electromagnetic
vibration of transformer windings and core should be conducted so
as to get more accurate noise value.
With these considerations in mind, this paper aims to establish
numerical models to analyse the vibration noise of the transformer
core and windings with both the magnetostriction, Lorentz and
reluctance magnetic forces served as excitations. Transient
electromagnetic field analysis of the transformer core and windings
is carried out to calculate the magnetic field distribution and
electromagnetic vibration force according to Maxwell
electromagnetic theory and virtual work principle.
Magnetostriction is then obtained based on the achieved magnetic
flux density through the experimental relations between the
magnetic flux density and the magnetostrictive elongation. To get
the main harmonic component excitations, Fourier transformation
is performed on the transient forces and magnetostriction.
Afterwards, vibration displacements of the core and windings are
calculated by harmonic response analysis. Displacements of the
structure surface are further extracted to serve as boundary
conditions in the acoustic field analysis. Finally, the noise
distribution is obtained by sound field analysis of transformer.
Here, the three-dimensional (3D) FE model for electromagnetic
and mechanical analysis is built and solved in software ANSYS
Workbench and the acoustic field is analysed in software LMS
Virtual. Lab.
2 Theory of electromagnetic-structure-sound
field analysis model
The numerical analysis is based on the FE method which is widely
used in many aspects of electrical engineering calculation and is an
effective tool for electromagnetic field, mechanical field and acoustic
field calculation. The method is based on variation principle and
discretisation. However, differential equations are adopted. When
boundary conditions and excitations are determined, the unique
solution of the equations can be solved.

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2.1 Electromagnetic field theory 2.2 Structural mechanics theory

The calculation of the electromagnetic field is based on Maxwell Electromagnetic force of the windings, and magnetostriction and
theory. Eddy current effect of the iron core can be ignored in reluctance magnetic force of the core can be obtained by transient
transient magnetic field analysis. Since magnetic induction electromagnetic analysis. To get the deformation of the core and
intensity and magnetostriction stress influence each other, the windings by harmonic analysis, fast Fourier transform (FFT)
magnetostriction stress of silicon steel should be considered. Then, transformation is adopted to obtain the main harmonic
according to the Maxwell equations, the partial differential FE electromagnetic excitations. Motion equation of harmonic response
equations of the magnetic field in the area of power transformer analysis can be expressed as
core can be obtained as


 (− v2 [M] + iv[C] + [K])({u1 } + i{u2 }) = ({F1 } + i{F2 }) (9)
∂ ∂A ∂ ∂A
ysy + ysx = −J (1)
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y where M is the mass matrix, C is the damp matrix, K is the stiffness
matrix, u is the vibration displacement of the windings and core
where A is the vector magnetic potential, ysy and ysx are the magnetic including the constraint loads magnetostrictive strain applied to the
resistance rates along the rolling direction and vertical rolling core, and u1 is the real part, u2 is the imaginary part, F is the
direction, respectively, and J is the source current density. electromagnetic force applied to the windings and core, and F1 is
Equations in the area of power transformer windings can be the real component, F2 is the imaginary part.
expressed as The harmonic constraint load of magnetostrictive strain, and
harmonic forces load of Lorentz and reluctance are applied to the
 
∂A model separately. The model is solved respectively. Then,
∇ × [n]∇ × {A} − ∇ne ∇ · {A} + [e] + [e]∇n − {V } responses to the different load cases are superimposed in
∂t post-processing to obtain the total response.
× [e]∇ × {A}
=0 (2) 2.3 Sound field theory

 
∂A
 Sound field can be calculated by solving the acoustic Helmholtz
∇ · [e] − [e]∇n + {V } × [e]∇ × {A} = {0} (3) equations based on acoustic FE method. The Helmholtz wave
∂t
equation [15] is derived from sound waves continuity equation,
motion equation and state equation. Then, the basic acoustic
where [n] is the magnetic resistance rate matrix and ne = 1/3 × propagation equation in homogeneous fluid of frequency domain
(n(1,1) + n(2,2) + n(3,3)), [e] is the conductivity matrix, A and j form can be obtained through Fourier transformation as
are the vector magnetic potential and the scalar electric potential,
respectively, which are defined as
∇2 p(x, y, z) − k 2 p(x, y, z) = −jr0 vq0 (x, y, z) (10)
B=∇×A (4)
where ω is the angular frequency of the harmonic excitation, ρ0 is the
E = −∇f (5) fluid density and q0 is the external mass source acting on the fluid,
k is the wave number, which is defined as
where B is the magnetic induction intensity and E is the electric field
intensity. v 2pf
k= = (11)
By solving (1)–(3), the vector magnetic potential A can be c c
obtained and the distribution of magnetic induction intensity B can
consequently be known. where c is sound velocity in the fluid.
Then, ignoring the anisotropy, the magnetostrictive strain of each Two boundary conditions, closed boundary and infinite boundary,
node on the core can be determined by are needed in transformer radiation sound field calculation model.
The closed boundary should satisfy the velocity boundary
condition that is the structural vibration response results. Thus, the
1x = 1y = lB solution p(r) of Helmholtz equation should satisfy the following
(6)
1z = −2vlB equation

where v is the material Poisson’s ratio, l is the magnetostrictive j ∂p(r)

vn (r) = =
vn (r), r [ Vv (12)
coefficient, x-direction is compatible with the rolling direction, r0 v ∂n
y-direction is perpendicular to the rolling direction and z-direction
is the stack direction. where n is the normal direction of the border and
vn (r) is the normal
At the same time, the magnetic energy storage can be calculated velocity in Ωυ.
by the following equation Moreover on the infinity border, solution p(r) of Helmholtz
equation should satisfy the following equation


2
2
n
∂A 2
 
1 1  ∂A ∂A
W = B · HdV + + dV


∂p(r)
2 V 2m e=1 Ve ∂x ∂y ∂z lim |r| · + jkp(r) = 0 (13)
r1 ∂|r|
(7)
Thus, the acoustic FE system equation can be expressed as
where μ is the magnetic permeability.
Then, according to virtual work principle, electromagnetic force
can be calculated by the following equation (K + jvC − v2 M) · { pi } = {Vni } (14)


H   where M is acoustic mass matrix, K is acoustic stiffness matrix, C is
dW (s, i) ∂ acoustic damping matrix, pi is node pressure and Vni are the
F= = B · dH dV (8)
ds ∂s V 0 boundary conditions of the nodes.

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252 & The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2016

Fig. 1 Process of electromagnetic vibration noise calculation steps
Each node pressure can be obtained by solving (14), and the sound
pressure level can then be obtained according to the following
equation


pe
LP = 20 lg
pr
where pe is the calculated node pressure and pr is reference pressure,
generally take for pr = 2 × 10−5Pa.
Fig. 1 shows the whole electromagnetic-mechanical-sound field
analysis steps
3 FE analysis of transformer electromagnetic
vibration noise
This paper established a FE model of an 110 kV oil-immersed
transformer with three-phase three-limb core and double windings.
The windings are modelled as cylinders. The core blocks are
considered to be bolted together as a whole structure by ignoring
the influence of the leakage flux in the joint of yokes and
columns. Furthermore, the transformer tank is simplified as a
cuboid. Basic parameters are given in Table 1.
The 3D calculating models including transformer oil, windings
and core are shown in Fig. 2. Element solid45 with three degrees
of freedom UX, UY and UZ is chosen to mesh the structure, and
element fluid30 is chosen to mesh the oil. The 3D FE mesh
consists of 66,989 nodes. Fig. 2a shows the geometric model and
Fig. 2b shows the meshed model.
Table 1 Parameters of transformer
Parameters Value
rated current of high voltage winding 165.3
rated current of low-voltage winding 1818.7
turns of high voltage winding per phase 737
turns of low-voltage winding per phase 116
coil diameter of high voltage winding 948–1111
coil diameter of low-voltage winding 598–710
height of winding 1216
core diameter 565
iron yoke height 540
tank volume 5×2×3
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& The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2016
Fig. 2 3D calculation FE model of transformer
a Geometric model
b Meshed model
3.1 Electromagnetic field analysis
Transient electromagnetic field analysis of transformer is performed
in software ANSYS MAXWELL. The material properties of silicon
steel sheet are assigned to transformer core with the pile coefficient
set to 0.95. Considering the non-linear nature of silicon steel sheet,
the non-linear B – H curve data of the rolling direction and
perpendicular to the rolling direction are separately defined as
permittivity to the core. In order to take into account the
magnetostrictive effect, iterated interpolation method is adopted to
amend the B – H data based on the relationship between the
relative permeability and the stress [presented in (16)], and the
relationship between the stress and the magnetic induction
intensity [presented in (17)]
−2lm sm2
Dm = (16)
B2m
(15)
Bs = (m + Dm)H + ls (17)
where μ is the permeability, l is the magnetostrictive coefficient, lm
is the magnetostrictive coefficient under magnetic saturation
conditions, Bm is the saturated magnetic induction intensity, σ is
the stress and Bσ is the magnetic induction intensity under stress.
The relative permeability in the stack direction of the core is set to
1, and the relative conductivity is set to 1 as well by ignoring the
eddy current effect. At the same time, the relative magnetic
permeability of windings and oil are set to 1. Afterwards, apply
three-phase sinusoidal currents on the three low-voltage winding
sections, respectively, with each phase having a difference of
120°, assuming that the current is averagely distributed on the
cross-sections. Since there is magnetic shielding in large
transformer tank wall, vector potential boundary is applied on the
external surface of the model which means that the magnetic field
lines are paralleled to the external surface of the model. Moreover,
force parameter is set for each phase winding and the iron core.
The average value of magnetic induction intensity curve
amplitudes of points on the iron columns and yokes are chosen to
calculate the magnetostrictive strain on each section, respectively.
Moreover, the magnetostrictive coefficient l is approximately
assigned with the average value of the measured magnetostrictive
curve l(B). Finally, the analysis is performed with the time range
Unit
set to 80 ms. The simulation time is divided into 400 equal steps
each of 0.2 ms, so the simulation requires 400 times solution.
A After 20 ms fluctuations, the electromagnetic field reaches a
A steady state. The force wave of windings (low-voltage winding of
– B phase as representative) and core are shown in Figs. 3 and 4,
–
mm
which are obtained by recording the simulation results every 0.2
mm ms. The calculated forces are the global stress of the structure.
mm From Figs. 3 and 4, it demonstrates that the electromagnetic forces
mm change with time periodically. The period is 10 ms, which is half the
mm
m3
size of the sinusoidal excitation current period. The waveform is not
sinusoidal that contains numerous harmonic components.
253
Fig. 3 Electromagnetic force of low-voltage winding
a X-direction
b Y-direction
c Z-direction
Fig. 4 Electromagnetic force of transformer core
a X-direction
b Y-direction
c Z-direction
3.2 Harmonic response analysis
Harmonic analysis is a technique used to determine the steady-state
response of a linear structure to loads that vary sinusoidally
(harmonically) with time. The idea is to calculate the structure’s
response at several frequencies and then obtain a graph of some
response quantity (usually displacements) against frequency. As
the excitations calculated in transient electromagnetic analysis are
of time domain, Fourier transformation is adopted to get the main
harmonics amplitude and phase angle. Results are presented in
Figs. 5 and 6.
It can be seen from Figs. 5 and 6 that the harmonic electromagnetic
components are mainly focused on the fundamental frequency octave
band in the range of 100–500 Hz. The 100 and 200 Hz components
are most prominent among them. Moreover, the core
magnetostriction only depends on the value of the magnetic
induction intensity. The frequency of magnetostriction is twice that
of the magnetic induction intensity wave. Thus, magnetostrictive
vibration mainly focuses on 100 Hz. Then, this paper carried out the
vibration analysis of 100 and 200 Hz harmonics.
Smaller components are ignored in vibration analysis.
Electromagnetic harmonic forces are applied to each node of
transformer windings and core. Lorentz is applied to each node on
Fig. 5 FFT transformation of electromagnetic force of low-voltage winding
a X-direction
b Y-direction
c Z-direction
254
the windings. Reluctance force is applied to each node on the
core. At the same time, the bottom sections of the core and the
locations of the 12 stays on each winding are under constraint of
displacement, which means that there is no displacement on the
sections. Afterwards, the harmonic vibration model is solved at
100 and 200 Hz. Perform the analysis again in the same way with
the magnetostrictive strain as constraint load applied to each node
on the core. Results achieved in the two cases are superimposed to
obtain the total response. The vibration displacement contours of
windings and core are shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
It can be seen that the vibration displacement contours are
axisymmetrical as the structure is symmetric. For the windings,
deformation of low-voltage winding is larger than high voltage
winding and the maximum displacement is 0.211 × 10–10 m. The
vibration forms are the same in both low and high voltage
windings, and that they both perform an alternating back and forth
movements around a fixed displacement. For the core, deformation
of upper yoke is larger than columns and the maximum
displacement is 0.942 × 10–9 m. Moreover, displacements of 100 Hz
are larger than that of 200 Hz.
According to the basic principle of acoustic, each surface of
windings and core in contact with the air medium radiates noise
independently. Thus, vibration displacements of different
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& The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2016
Fig. 6 FFT transformation of electromagnetic force of core
a X-direction
b Y-direction
c Z-direction

Fig. 7 Displacements of transformer windings

a 100 Hz
b 200 Hz

frequencies on all surface nodes of windings and core are extracted
as the basis of subsequent sound field analysis.
3.3 Acoustic analysis
FE method and perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary
conditions are adopted to solve the sound field. Several layers of
acoustic absorption grid are added to the acoustic radiation boundary.
The acoustic quantity is set to zero at the outer boundary of the
added matching layers. The meshed structure and acoustic grids are
established in ANSYS and imported to LMS. At the same time, the
vibration displacements data calculated in ANSYS are imported to
LMS. The vibration data on the structure grid are further mapped to
the acoustic grid as acoustic field boundary conditions according to
certain relationships. Material properties of transformer oil are
assigned to the acoustic field grid, and the influence of the oil on the
sound wave propagation has been taken into consideration. The
acoustic field responses of the field points are calculated. The field
points are arranged on the plane 1 m away from the transformer tank

Fig. 8 Displacements of transformer core

a 100 Hz
b 200 Hz

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& The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2016 255
Fig. 9 Noise level of the points on the plane 1 m away from transformer
a 100 Hz at transformer front side
b 200 Hz at transformer front side
c 100 Hz at transformer flank side
d 200 Hz at transformer flank side

measurement is carried out when the transformer is in normal

Fig. 10 Layout of transformer noise measuring points
and the sound pressure distribution contours are shown in Fig. 9. The
radiated noise at transformer front side is bigger than that at the flank
side. Sound pressure levels of 100 Hz noise are mainly distributed in
65–70 dB at the front side and 58–63 dB at the flank side. While,
sound pressure levels of 200 Hz noise are mainly distributed in 73–
77 dB at the front side and 60–65 dB at the flank side.
operation with the fan shutting down. Measuring points are
arranged around the transformer enclosure as shown in Fig. 10.
Sound intensity measuring probe is 1 m away from the
transformer tank surface and 1.3 m high from the ground. The
measurements have been done according to the recognised test
standards ‘Sound Environmental Quality Standards (GB 3096–
2008)’ and ‘Power Transformer, Part 10: Determination of sound
levels (GB/T 1094.10–2003)’. Transformer noise is measured by
B&K2250 sound level meter, and sound intensity method is
adopted which can reduce the reflection noise [15]. The
measurement is taken out in very quiet environments and the
background noise influences the measurement results very little.
The sound pressure levels of 100 and 200 Hz noises at four
directions are measured as shown in Table 2.
The comparison shows that the calculated values are relatively
close to the measured values. The errors are about 3–5 dB. This
model is verified accurate in calculating transformer radiation
sound field. It can provide effective analysis method for noise
prediction and theoretical basis for noise reduction evaluation.

3.4 Measurement and verification

4 Conclusions
To verify the accuracy of the calculated noise value, noise
distribution of the 110 kV transformer is measured. The Electromagnetic vibration noise of the windings and core of an 110
kV oil-immersed transformer based on a FE model is analysed in this
Table 2 Measured noise level of 110 kV transformer paper. Electromagnetic vibration excitations, obtained in transient
electromagnetic analysis, including Lorentz, reluctance magnetic
Measuring points Noise value, dB forces and magnetostriction are all taken into account. Moreover,
Fourier transformation is performed to get the main harmonic
100 Hz 200 Hz
components of the electromagnetic excitations. Results
A B C A B C demonstrate that the main harmonics are distributed in the
frequency range of 100–500 Hz, among which 100 and 200 Hz
1 71.4 72.0 71.2 73.8 74.1 73.4 harmonic components are most prominent. Therefore, the
2 65.1 65.3 64.9 65.7 65.4 66.0 harmonic excitations of 100 and 200 Hz are considered
3 68.6 69.5 68.3 69.9 71.2 70.8
4 62.5 64.0 63.2 63.4 63.1 63.9
individually in the harmonic analysis. Vibration displacements of
the windings and core, obtained in harmonic analysis, are served

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256 & The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2016
as the boundary conditions in acoustic analysis. Finally, the noise
distributions of 100 and 200 Hz are obtained in sound field
analysis based on the achieved vibration results. Comparison
between the calculated results and the measured data verified that
the electromagnetic vibration FE model is applicable for
transformer noise prediction. This model can be used to predict
the transformer noise and provide basis for noise reduction.
5 Acknowledgments
This paper is supported by the Project of State Grid Corporation of
China (No.: GYW17201300115).
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