T10

Forced ventilation cycles

in transformers

Introduction
Transformers, when in operation, are subject to no-load losses and
load losses.
This energy causes a rise in the temperature of the transformers
active part, i.e. the magnetic core and the windings.
It is therefore normal for the transformer to be hot while it is
running. This heating is taken into account when the equipment is
designed and is, moreover, standardised.
At the customers request, fans can be installed beneath the
transformer windings to alleviate excessive heating caused by
abnormal operating and/or installation conditions.
This request must be made when the order is placed, as it is not
always possible to act once the transformer has been installed on
site.

Why install fans?

If fans are installed, the transformer can be overloaded without
overheating. This overloading can be caused by:

- The ambient temperature around the transformer

In a poorly-ventilated room, where the ambient temperature
exceeds normative values over a short period of time, fans can be
used to punctually cool down the transformer.
The ambient temperature problem will not be solved, but the
punctual operation of the fans will stop the heat protection system
from starting up and bringing the transformer to a halt.

- The through-current or the voltage applied to the

transformer
It is important to understand that load losses are proportional to the
square of the through-current.
It is sometimes necessary to increase the load of the transformer
for short periods, without having to oversize the transformer when
it is designed, because it will not have to withstand this overload
permanently.
Fans keep the temperature of the transformer below standardised
limits, so that the power of the transformer can be increased
without shortening its service life.

Sizing the transformer

The transformer is therefore sized to permanently maintain
- its nominal output
- at nominal ambient temperature,
in a naturally ventilated room, i.e. without fans.
The flow rate of the fans, which has a direct influence on their size,
is determined according to the overload specified by the customer.
On site, as soon as the load or the ambient temperature becomes
excessive, the fans start up to stop the temperature from climbing
as a result of the overload.

T10 - Forced ventilation cycles 13/04/2005

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Heat protection
This is based on the following:
- temperature sensors, which are placed at the hottest points on
each column of the active part; they are serially connected and
their resistance increases significantly if any of them is exposed to
the maximum temperature authorised;
- an electronic converter, which permanently monitors the
resistance of these sensors ; if it detects an excessive level of
resistance, it switches a contact to give an order;
- 2 tangential fan ramps, which are fixed to either side of each
column and start up on receiving an order from the converter via
the relays. They blow ambient air into the windings.
This protection system is sized for permanently-running
transformers in nominal operating conditions. Therefore, the fans
are not continuously working, and stop as soon as the temperature
has dropped well below the alarm threshold.
At nominal output, the alarm threshold is activated by the daily
ambient temperature (30C if the order specifies a maximum
ambient temperature of 40C) and the tripping threshold is
activated by the maximum authorised ambient temperature (40C
if the order specifies a maximum ambient temperature of 40C).
At nominal output, the fans start up when the ambient temperature
matches the annual ambient temperature (if the order specifies a
maximum ambient temperature of 40C) so that the alarm
threshold is not activated before the fans come into operation.
The fans continue to operate for 20 minutes after the temperature
has dropped by 20C. In practice, the temperature falls by more
than 20C (up to 50C).

Transformer and fan operation

Whatever the degree of overload, the fans always operate at full
power (in relation to the maximum overload specified by the
customer).

160

temprature
de la sonde
dans
le canal
Temperature
collected
by the
sensor
in theBT
LV channel

140
120
AN
Airfonctionnement
Natural (AN) running

100

fonctionnement
Air Forced
(AF) runningAF

80
60
40

Fans
starting
dmarrage des
ventilateurs

20

fraction
In
Portion
I rated

0
0,0

0,2

T10 - Forced ventilation cycles 13/04/2005

0,4

0,6

0,8

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1,0

1,2

1,4

1,6

The fans operate according to the duration and extent of the

overload.
Punctual overload:
If the overload is punctual, the fans operate for around half an
hour.
Lasting overload
If the overload continues, the fans do not stop, as the temperature
does not go down to the fan stop threshold.
On the other hand, the following might happen if the fans are very
powerful:

HV interior
surface
surface
HT column
int col VB

130

LV channel
u
canBTa

LV channel
canBTcw

LV channel
v
canBTb

120
110
100
90
80
70
55

56

57

58

59

heures
hours 60

- the power of the fans is such that the temperature drops to the
stop level,
- when the fans stop, the temperature climbs again, as the
transformer is still overloaded,
- as soon as the tripping threshold is reached again, the fans
start up again and the cycle continues indefinitely if the operating
conditions are not changed.

In this case, the transformer is subjected to very significant

temperature cycles.
This thermal shock frequency is not recommended for resinmoulded HV coils, as it can cause cracks in the solid insulating
material.

To avoid this problem, the fan tripping threshold should be

reduced, and the time-lag lengthened.

Bibliography - Standards

T10 - Forced ventilation cycles 13/04/2005

Standard IEC 60076-11, 2004

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