Thesis (MEng (Electrical Engineering)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / The purpose of an electrical power system is to supply electrical energy to the customers. Power transformers are required to transform the system voltage from generation to transmission and distribution levels. Protection and control systems must ensure that power system high voltage equipment such as transformers operate and deliver save, reliable and secure electricity supply. The aim of the project research work is to develop and implement a strategy, methods and algorithms for monitoring, protection and voltage control of parallel power transformers based on IEC 61850-9-2 process bus standard. NamPower is a power utility in Namibia. The IEC 61850 protocol for electrical substation automation system is used for the protection and control of 5 power transformers operated in parallel in an existing substation system. The IEC 61850-9-2 process bus standard is however not used in regards of Sampled Values (SV). Protection and control devices are connected to a substation communication network, routers and switches using fibre optic linked Ethernet. Inductive Current Transformers (CTs) and Voltage Transformers (VTs) secondary circuits are hardwired to Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) and fibre optic links are not used for this purpose at process level communication. The research focuses on the implementation of the IEC 61850 standard with Merging Units (MUs) and sampled values to improve the existing implemented protection and control system at NamPower. This includes substation communication networks and MUs used for transformer protection, voltage regulator control and cooling fan control. At the present the CTs located at the transformer bushings and switchgear and the VTs located at the switchgear are hardwired to the inputs on protection and control IEDs. The research focuses on issues with the copper wires for voltage and currents signals and how these issues can be eliminated by using the MUs and the SV protocol. The MUs which are considered in this Thesis is to improve the voltage regulator control and the control of the cooling fan motors. The voltage regulator control IED is situated at the tap change motor drive of the On-Load Tap Changer (OLTC). The IED of each transformer is required to regulate the voltage level of the secondary side bus bar it is connected to. All the regulating IEDs are required to communicate with each other and collectively to control the bus bar voltage depending on the switching configuration of the parallel transformers. The control circuit for controlling the cooling fan motors is hardwired. Temperature analogue signal input into a programmable automation controller IED can be used for controlling the transformer cooling fans. A strategy, methods and algorithms for transformer protection, voltage regulator control and cooling fan motor control of parallel power transformers need to be developed and implemented based on IEC 61850-9-2 process bus. Power utilities and distributors can benefit from interpretation of the IEC 61850-9-2 standard and implementing MUs and SV in substations. MUs can be included in the power transformer protection, automation and control systems. A cost reduction in high voltage equipment, substation installation and commissioning costs and better performance of protection and control system are anticipated.

Mälarenergi’s vision is a world where we live and operate together without climate impact. This degree project has examined which opportunities Mälarenergi Elnät has in order to work towards this vision by looking more closely at whether their bigger substations can become self-sufficient in terms of heating, cooling and battery charging. The purpose of this degree project was to investigate how heat recovery from the substations’ transformers and the installation of PV-systems could contribute to both more environmentally friendly and self-sufficient substations. In addition to that, the economics and how this would affect the Swedish power grid regulation were of interest. The thesis was based on current values and data for oil temperatures and installed power in three of Mälarenergi Elnät’s substations. In addition to this, the thesis also includes a literature study, where previous research in heat transfer from power transformers, up-to-date information about PV-installations and the power grid regulation in Sweden were studied. The results of the thesis showed that both PV-installations and heat exchange for heating the station buildings could be of great benefit for Mälarenergi Elnät. In all but one case, the energy saving measures resulted in lower life cycle costs than if no measures were taken. It shows that the measures investigated in the thesis are not only good from an environmental perspective, but also has economic profitability.

Transformatorn har en viktig uppgift för att elsystemet ska fungera optimalt och det är därav väldigt viktigt att den inte går sönder genom att exempelvis överhettas. Från att transformatorn har varit placerad utomhus har det nu blivit allt vanligare att placera den i en omslutande byggnad, vilket påverkar effektiviteten för kylningen av transformatorn. Detta eftersom hastigheten på det passerande luftflödet kring transformatorn blir lägre vilket leder till att temperaturen i luften runtomkring ökar. I detta examensarbete undersöktes lufttemperaturen i en transformatorstation i Västernorrland, i syfte att se hur transformatorn klarar av de belastningar och utomhustemperaturer som den utsätts för. Detta för att kunna säkerställa att temperaturgränser och riktlinjer för interna och externa temperaturer för en transformator uppfylls. Transformatorn som användes i undersökningen har en maximal skenbar effekt på 16 MVA och använder sig av kylsystemet ONAN. Byggnaden runtomkring transformatorn har två ventilationsluckor på nedre långsidan, samt två ventilationsluckor på övre kortsidan.  Målet med undersökningen var att genomföra en teoretisk analys av hur kylningen i den valda transformatorstationen dimensioneras, där simuleringar även skulle göras i syfte att validera den teoretiska analysen. De belastningar som undersökts har utgått ifrån tillhandahållna data ifrån den högsta lasten under en vanlig sommar- och vinterdag. Ett framtida fall har även undersökts där lasten antas gå på märkeffekt under en längre tidsperiod samt under en väldigt varm sommardag, för att se hur hårt transformatorn kan belastas i extrema förhållanden utan att gränser och riktlinjer överskrids. Det framtida fallet har delats upp i två scenarier, extremfall 20 samt extremfall 30, där skillnaden är vilken temperatur in i transformatorstationen de har. Alternativa lösningar för ventilationsluckorna har även studerats, gällande placering på väggar, storlekar samt gallers modell. Matematiska beräkningsmodeller för bland annat luftflödet, stationstemperaturen samt lindningsoch oljetemperaturer utvecklades fram under arbetet gång, vilka samlades i en Excel beräkningsmall. Simuleringar av byggnaden och transformatorn gjordes i COMSOL Multiphysics, där både 2D och 3D modeller undersöktes i syfte att dels analysera värmespridningen i oljan, dels den naturliga ventilationen. Utifrån de matematiska beräkningsmodellerna framgick det att vinterfallet körde på ca 49% belastning, medan sommarfallet körde på ca 10% belastning. Dessa båda fallen klarade alla gränser och riktlinjer kring externa och interna temperaturer för alla areastorlekar, placeringar och gallersmodeller som testades. I extremfallen uppfylldes de interna temperaturökningsgränserna, men extremfall 30 klarade inte den externa temperaturgränsen i något simuleringstest. Skulle ett extremfall 30 i framtiden inträffa, bör fläktar vid radiatorerna eller ventilationsluckorna övervägas, alternativt en större lucköppning där det enligt framräknade resultat behövs en förstoring av öppningarna på 57%. Ytterligare ett alternativ skulle kunna vara att placera ventilationsluckorna i taket, då detta visade sig ge bästa möjliga kylning av transformatorn i simuleringarna. Detta examensarbete skulle kunna användas som en grund inför framtida undersökningar och den framarbetade Excel beräkningsmallen kan användas som riktlinje vid dimensionering av inomhustransformatorstationer. / The transformer plays a crucial role for the electrical system to function optimally, making its reliability vital to prevent issues such as overheating. Traditionally, the transformer has been positioned outdoors. Nowadays it has become increasingly common to house transformers in enclosed buildings, which affects the cooling efficiency of the transformer. This enclosure reduces the speed of airflow around the transformer, subsequently raising the ambient air temperature. In this thesis, the air temperature in a transformer station in Västernorrland was investigated, to assess how the transformer withstands the loads and external temperatures it encounters. This to ensure that requirements and guidelines for internal and external temperatures for the transformer are met. The transformer used in the study has a maximum apparent power of 16 MVA and uses the ONAN cooling system. The enclosing building is equipped with two ventilation hatches on the longer lower side and two on the shorter upper side.  The aim of the investigation was to conduct a theoretical analysis of the cooling system’s dimensions at the selected substation, complemented by simulations to validate the theoretical findings. The loads investigated have been based on the data provided from the highest load during a normal summer and winter day. Additionally, a future scenario was explored where the transformer operates at rated power for extended periods during a very hot summer day to determine the maximum load the transformer can handle under extreme conditions without breaching the set requirements and guidelines. The future case has been divided into two scenarios, extreme case 20 and extreme case 30, where the difference is what temperature into the substation they have. Alternative design solutions for the ventilation hatches have also been studied, regarding placement on walls, sizes, and fire damper model. Mathematical calculation models for, among other things, the air flow, station temperature, winding- and oil temperatures were developed during the project and compiled into an Excel calculation template. Simulations of the building and the transformer were made in COMSOL Multiphysics, analysing both 2D and 3D models with the aim of studying the heat spread in the oil and the natural ventilation.  The mathematical models showed that the winter scenario operated at approximately 49% load, while the summer scenario operated at about 10% load. These two cases passed all requirements and guidelines regarding external and internal temperatures for all tested hatch sizes and locations. In the extreme cases, the internal temperature rise requirement was met. However, extreme 30 failed to meet the external temperature requirement in any simulation test. Should an extreme case 30 occur in the future, fans at the cooling fins or ventilation hatches may be necessary, or potentially enlarging the hatch openings by 57% as suggested by the calculations. Another alternative could be placing the ventilation hatches on the roof, as this arrangement provided optimal cooling in the simulations. This thesis could be used as a basis for future investigations and the developed Excel calculation template can be used as a guideline when dimensioning indoor transformer stations.