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Special Transformers for Industrial Applications

Edvard

Sp e c ial Trans fo rme rs fo r Ind us trial Ap p lic atio ns

Specif ic Industrial Transf ormers

A number of industry applications require specif ic industrial transf ormers due to the usage of power
(current) as a major resource f or production.
Electric arc furnaces (EAF), ladle furnaces (LF) and high-current rectifiers need a specif ic design to
supply the necessary power at a low voltage level.
T hese transf ormer types, as well as transf ormers with direct connection to a rectif ier are called specialpurpose or industrial transformers, whose design is tailor-made f or high-current solutions f or industry
applications.

1. Elect ric arc f urnace t ransf ormers (EAF)

EAF and LF transf ormers are required f or many

EAF and LF transf ormers are required f or many

dif f erent f urnace processes and applications.
T hey are built f or steel furnaces, ladle furnaces
and ferroalloy furnaces, and are similar to short
or submerged arc f urnace transf ormers (figure
1).
EAF transf ormers operate under very severe
conditions with regard to frequent overcurrents
and overvoltages generated by short-circuit in
the f urnace and the operation of the HV circuit
breaker.
The loading is cyclic. For long-arc steel f urnace
operation, additional series reactance is normally
required to stabilize the arc and optimize the
operation of the f urnace application process.

Specif ic it ems
Fig ure 1 - Ele c tric arc furnac e trans fo rme r

EAF transf ormers are rigidly designed to

withstand repeated short-circuit conditions and
high thermal stress, and to be protected against operational overvoltages resulting f rom the arc
processes.
The Siemens EAF reactors are built as 3-phase type with an iron core, with or without magnetic return
circuits.

Design opt ions

Direct or indirect regulation
On-load or no-load tap changer (OLT C/NLT C)
Built-in reactor f or long arc stability
Secondary bushing arrangements and designs
Air or water-cooled
Internal secondary phase closure (internal delta)

Main specif icat ion dat a

Rated power, f requency and rated voltage
Regulation range and maximum secondary current
Impedance and vector group
Type of cooling and temperature of the cooling medium
Series reactor and regulation range and type (OLT C/NLT C)
Go to Index

2. DC elect ric arc f urnace t ransf ormers (DC EAF)

Direct-current electric arc furnace

Direct-current electric arc furnace

(DC EAF) transformers are required
f or many dif f erent f urnace processes
and applications (figure 2).
T hey are built f or steel f urnaces with a
Thyristor rectifier. DC
EAF transf ormers operate under very
severe conditions, like
rectif ier transf ormers in general but
using rectif ier transf ormers
f or f urnace operation. The loading is
cyclic.
Go to Index

3. Rect if ier t ransf ormers

Fig ure 2 - Dire c t-Curre nt Ele c tric Arc Furnac e (DC EAF) Trans fo rme r

Rectif ier transf ormers are combined

with a diode or Thyristor rectifier.
T he applications range f rom very
large aluminum electrolysis to
various medium-size operations.
T he transf ormers may have a built-in
or a separate voltage regulation unit.
Due to a large variety of applications,
they can have various designs up to a
combination of voltage regulation,
rectif ier transf ormers in double-stack
conf iguration, phase-shif ting,
interphase reactors, transductors and
f ilter-winding (figure 3).

Specif ic it ems
Fig ure 3 - Re c tifie r trans fo rme r fo r an aluminum p lant

Thyristor rectifiers require voltage

regulation with a no-load tap changer, if any. A diode rectif ier will, in comparison, have a longer range and a
higher number of small voltage steps than an on-load tap changer.
Additionally, an auto-connected regulating transformer can be built in the same tank (depending on
transport and site limitations).

Design opt ions

T hyristor or diode rectif ier
On-load or no-load tap changer (OLT C/NLT C)/f ilter winding
Numerous dif f erent vector groups and phase shif ts possible
Interphase reactor, transductors
Secondary bushing arrangements and designs
Air or water-cooled

Main specif icat ion dat a

Rated power, f requency and rated voltage
Regulation range and number of steps
Impedance and vector group, shif t angle
Type of cooling and temperature of the cooling medium
Bridge or interphase connection
Number of pulses of the transf ormer and system
Harmonics spectrum or control angle of the rectif ier
Secondary bushing arrangement
Go to Index

4. Convert er t ransf ormers

Converter transf ormers are used f or
large drive application, static voltage
compensation (SVC) and static
frequency change (SFC).

Specif ic it ems
Converter transf ormers are mostly
built as double-tier, with
two secondary windings, allowing a 12pulse rectif ier operation. Such
transf ormers normally have an
additional winding as a f ilter to take
out harmonics. Dif f erent vector groups
and phase shif ts are possible.

Main specif icat ion dat a

Rated power, f requency and rated
voltage

Co nve rte r trans fo rme r - The d rive s ys te ms in whic h Co nve rte r Trans fo rme rs
are us e d c an d rive all kind s o f ap p lic atio ns s uc h as p ump ing s tatio ns , ro lling
s to c k fo r the mining ind us try and wind tunne ls as we ll as b las t furnac e s .

Impedance and vector group, shif t angle

Type of cooling and temperature of the cooling medium
Number of pulses of the transf ormer and system
Harmonics spectrum or control angle of the rectif ier
Go to Index

5. Line Feeder
T his kind of transf ormer realizes the

T his kind of transf ormer realizes the

connection between the power
network and the power supply for the
train.
Transf ormer is operating in specif ic
critical short circuit condition and
overload condition in very high
f requencies per year, higher reliability is
required to secure the train running in
saf ety.

Main specif icat ion dat a

Rated power, f requency and rated
voltage
Impedance and vector group

Line fe e d e r trans fo rme r

Overload conditions
Type of cooling and temperature of the cooling medium
Harmonics spectrum or control angle of the rectif ier

Design opt ions

Direct connection between transmission network and railway overhead contact line
Frequence change via DC transf ormation (e.g. 50 Hz 16,67 Hz)
T hyristor or diode rectif ier
On-load or no-load tap changer (OLT C/NLT C)/f ilter winding
Secondary bushing arrangements and designs
Air or water-cooled.
Go to Index
Reference: Siemens Energy Sector Power Engineering Guide Edition 7.0
Edvard - Electrical engineer, programmer and f ounder of EEP. Highly specialized f or design
of LV high power busbar trunking (<6300A) in power substations, buildings and industry
f ascilities. Designing of LV/MV switchgears. Prof essional in AutoCAD programming and webdesign. Present on Google+.