Why use copper rather than aluminium in power transformers?

November 30, 2015 14:33

Copper displays low levels of creep. Under the extreme loading and temperature

conditions of distribution transformer windings, creep rates of aluminium can be up to 25

times higher than for copper. This results in aluminium wound distribution transformers

having a higher propensity to failure than copper wound ones.

Copper wire terminations are less prone to failure than aluminium wire terminations. A key

reason for this is the different behavior of their oxides. Copper oxide is soft, electrically

conductive, and breaks down easily. Aluminium oxide is strongly attached, hard to dislodge

and electrically insulating. It also prevents non-mechanical connections such as soldering,

which is only possible after applying a layer of tin, copper, or nickel.

Copper wires have no galvanic action, as they are the same element as the connectors,

which are usually made of copper or brass (a copper alloy). Aluminium loses material

through galvanic action, leading to a loss of contact.

Copper is harder, stronger and more ductile than aluminium, expands less and does not

flow at terminations. Consequently it does not require periodic inspection and tightening

of screws. Aluminium flows away from the termination under pressure.

The use of the right grade of copper is considered the best way to ensure high short-circuit

withstand capability in power transformers, due to coppers outstanding mechanical

properties, such as yield strength and modulus of elasticity. Copper is available with a yield

strength as high as 280 N/mm2 for heavy-duty transformers with frequent short-circuits

such as those used for arc furnaces. External short-circuits can cause significant weakening

of a transformers active parts, thus reducing its reliability.

Copper wound distribution transformers are invariably smaller and lighter than aluminium

wound ones of an equivalent capacity and energy performance. Since the resistivity of

copper is 0.6 times that of aluminium, the cross-section of the aluminium conductor needs

to be 1.66 times larger than that of the copper conductor for the same resistance. This

results in a larger transformer core and volume, which also leads to a larger transformer

tank than for the copper design. While aluminium is lighter than copper of an equal volume,
in the case of distribution transformers, this advantage is nullified by the increased volume

(and thus weight) of the conductor, steel core, tank and oil.

Distribution transformers with HV windings made of copper conductors are less

susceptible to metal fatigue than aluminium ones. The fatigue life of aluminium HV

winding conductors has been found to be much less than those made of copper under

similar operating stress conditions. This suggests that after loosening the HV winding

conductor, aluminium wound distribution transformers would fail earlier than copper wound

ones.

Higher copper content in transformers improves energy performance and consequently

lowers lifecycle costs in most cases. A study commissioned by the European Commission

showed that the transformer design option that gives the least lifecycle cost has lower

energy losses and uses substantially more copper than the respective base case.

Non-linear loads cause additional load losses in power transformers, which are influenced

greatly by the transformer geometry, winding configurations, and insulation and conductor

materials. In particular, the current distribution is more uniform with copper conductors

due to the higher conductivity.

Finally, transformers with copper windings are often less expensive to manufacture than

those with aluminium windings. This is because it is not just the cost of conductor, but also

the cost of magnetic steel, tank and oil needed to achieve the specified energy performance

level that determines the total transformer manufacturing cost.

More information:

http://help.leonardo-energy.org/hc/en-us/sections/201203581-Copper-in-transformers