Performance of single wire earth return transformers with amorphous alloy core in a rural electric energy distribution system

• Main Authors: Benedito Antonio Luciano, Renato Cucato Inácio, Pablo de Paula e Silva, Francisco das Chagas Fernandes Guerra, Raimundo Carlos Silvério Freire
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Metalurgia e Materiais (ABM); Associação Brasileira de Cerâmica (ABC); Associação Brasileira de Polímeros (ABPol) 2012-10-01
• Series: Materials Research
• Subjects: amorphous alloy; core losses; energy efficiency; transformer
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-14392012000500019

In this paper are presented some considerations about the performance of single wire earth return amorphous alloy core transformers in comparison with conventional silicon steel sheets cores transformers used in rural electric energy distribution network. It has been recognized that amorphous metal core transformers improve electrical power distribution efficiency by reducing transformer core losses. This reduction is due to some electromagnetic properties of the amorphous alloys such as: high magnetic permeability, high resistivity, and low coercivity. Experimental results obtained with some single-phase, 60 Hz, 5 kVA amorphous core transformers installed in a rural area electric distribution system in Northern Brazil have been confirming their superior performance in comparison to identical nominal rated transformers built with conventional silicon steel cores, particularly with regard to the excitation power and to the no-load losses.