With the rapid development of urban society and economy, the contradiction between energy supply and demand is becoming increasingly prominent. For power supply and distribution systems, promoting energy-saving and consumption-reducing technologies and equipment is particularly important. Transformers are the core power distribution and dispatching equipment in power supply and distribution systems. Their energy-saving and economical dispatching operation is the top priority of power grid system energy conservation research. Taking reasonable measures to reduce transformer energy consumption is the key to power supply and distribution systems.
I. Key Technologies for Energy Saving and Consumption Reduction in Transformers
1.1 Adoption of new materials
In transformer manufacturing, replacing aluminum alloys or steel with new materials can enhance the transformer's corrosion resistance and reduce resistance, thereby achieving energy conservation and consumption reduction. Currently, two main types of new materials are popular. The first is oxygen-free copper, which can effectively reduce the internal resistance of the distribution transformer coils, achieving energy conservation and consumption reduction. Oxygen-free copper is characterized by simple processing, readily available materials, and low cost, while also enhancing the distribution transformer's resistance to short circuits. The second type uses amorphous alloy materials as the magnet material for distribution transformers. Amorphous alloy cores can effectively reduce electromagnetic losses, thereby improving the economic efficiency of distribution transformers.
1.2 Install an automatic voltage regulator
Transformer losses are closely related to the voltage of the distribution network. By installing corresponding compensation capacitors at the load tap positions of the transformer, the operating voltage of the distribution network can be optimized and adjusted appropriately. An automatic voltage regulator is a device that uses a three-phase coupled transformer to automatically adjust the turns ratio based on the actual input voltage value of the distribution transformer to ensure stable output voltage. It automatically adjusts the input voltage value within 3% of the normal value and uses an internal controller to control the voltage of the entire system in real time, achieving maximum energy saving and consumption reduction.
1.3 Economic Operation Mode of Distribution Transformers
The energy consumption of distribution transformers is related not only to the manufacturing materials and processing technology of the transformers, but also to their operating methods. Therefore, optimizing the operating methods of distribution transformers is key to energy conservation and consumption reduction. Currently, my country still uses traditional operating methods for distribution transformers, which are not efficient enough, resulting in high energy consumption and failing to meet economic requirements.
In practical power distribution systems, zero-power compensation can be used. Specifically, this involves installing parallel transformer reactive power compensation components in the power distribution system, which can compensate for the reactive power consumed by inductive loads. Common methods also include: first, group compensation of distribution transformers, installing parallel zero-power components at the low voltage level; and second, employing advanced technologies to maintain the transformer's three operating parameters in a long-term balanced state.
In addition, an important technical means to reduce the operating losses of distribution transformers is to adjust the balance of the three-phase loads to ensure that the distribution transformer is basically balanced. In actual distribution transformers, when the three-phase loads are unbalanced, it will lead to negative sequence voltage, causing system voltage fluctuations, and thus affecting the energy consumption of the distribution system. When the three phases of the distribution transformer are unbalanced, it not only increases its own energy consumption, but also increases line losses; therefore, it is essential to balance the three phases.
