How Do Magnetic Losses Attract Financial Crisis?

India is a country which ranks  first in the race of transmission losses. The transmission losses in the country are 33%. Having known this let us take a  look at the magnetic losses and its effects on the finances of a country. This article is in reference to the article of Dr. Stan Zurek, a magnetic technical specialist.

[​IMG]The electrical energy in the grid undergoes transformation many a times before reaching to the consumers. The HV power transformers are used for these purposes. These have a considerable size, weight and cost. The cost of the transformer is inclusive of the losses it makes in its life time. The working principle of the transformer states that the transformer core is magnetized to the same extent whether it is supplying a load or not. This means magnetic losses (core losses) on no load equal core loss on full load. This means the transformer core uses the energy to remain energized even it is running at no load. The  transformer efficiency is high (more than 99% in some cases) at full load, but it decreases with the load as the core losses are fixed.

As we all know, transformer operates on varying load conditions. We have peak hours during the day but some period of rest during night. But it continues dissipating same losses all the time. For instance we look at the following example. A power transformer has a life of 20 years. Let us say we have a 10 MVA (10 MW) transformer with 1% core losses. In a period of 20 years 614 MWh of energy is lost. The price in India is Rs 3 per kWh. The losses account for Rs 18.42 lacs per transformer. If we account for the transformers nationally or globally, we can estimate the energy and money loss incurred.

The first invented transformers had the magnetic core made up of “soft iron”. Now a days electrical steel is used for the cores of the transformers which is derived from soft steel. The power loss in the power transformers now, is 50 times less than the  old ones. Now a days HOT ROLLED STEEL AND COLD ROLLED GRAIN ORIENTED STEEL ( 3% silicon ) technologies are used in making the cores.

In the USA distribution transformers are made up of material called “amorphous”. Flux density is lower but the losses are also lower. This increases the size and cost of the transformers but there is significant reduction in the losses. The slightest decrease in the core loss accounts for better efficiency, low running cost and low environmental hazards.

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