Increased power quality problems due to intensive usage of power electronic devices resulted in development of software applications to perform quick harmonic analysis. However, the present harmonic analysis applications have special software or computer locks requirements and occupy huge memory and cost high. An application program (using Microsoft Visual C++) that is simple yet accurate in calculations; with no special software or high memory requirements is developed in this thesis work. The program uses the automatic acceptance criteria (AAC) and the harmonic penetration techniques in calculating the system voltages. Several userriendly features and tools that aid in better understanding of system harmonics are included in the program. Comparison of case study results with Superharm simulation results proves the program?s accuracy. This thesis work resulted in an informative and time saving program with which the user can document the study results and analyze them with minimum effort.

Transients encountered by transformers in power stations during normal operation can have complex oscillatory overvoltages containing a large spectrum of frequency components. These transients can coincide with the natural frequencies of the transformers windings, leading to voltages that can be greater or more severe than the current factory proof tests. This may lead to insulation breakdown and catastrophic failures. Existing lumped parameter RLCG transformer models have been proven to be less accurate for very fast transient overvoltages (VFTO) with frequencies over 1 MHz. A white box model for transient analysis of transformer windings has been developed using Multiconductor Transmission Line (MTL) Theory. This model enables the simulation of natural frequencies of the transformer windings up to frequencies of several MHz, and can be used to compute voltages between turns by representing each turn as a separate transmission line. Both continuous and interleaved disk windings have been modelled and a comparison and validation of the results is presented. / May 2017

Power transformers are quite costly and essential to provide reliable electrical power system operation. Besides their maintenance or substitution costs, transformer failures must be taken into account, since its will have a large impact on the utility financial health due to the temporary loss of power delivery capability. Concerning transformer failure statistics, investigations carried out in many utilities in the world reveal that the effect of electromechanical stress caused by short-circuit currents is a relevant cause of failure in such equipment and they cause onerous financial damage. Failures caused by mechanical stress due to external short-circuit and due to inrush currents are an important aspect to be considered. The excessive strength caused in transformer conductors/windings due to electromagnetic forces can reduce the transformer lifetime or even cause irreversible damages of them. Therefore, the investigation of the harmful effects caused by transient phenomena becomes imperative. With this in mind, this work aims at investigating the electromagnetic forces and mechanical stresses due to external short-circuit and inrush currents inside the transformer. The studies are carried out using a time domain transformer model based on magnetomotive forces and magnetic reluctances, which allows simulating the transformer transient and steady state behavior regarding the electric, magnetic and mechanical aspects. The methodology is applied in two transformer models operating under rated and short-circuit conditions. Due to the lack of mechanical stress experimental values, a comparative performance analysis is obtained by comparing the simulated results and the well accepted results from finite element program. The results obtained from simulations are evaluated through of the impacts provoked in the variables used to analyze the mechanical stresses which occur in the transformers due to short-circuit and inrush currents. From the mechanical stress calculated it is presented a methodology that establishes a correlation between the phenomena here investigated and the impact in the transformer lifetime. This can assist, previously, in the reduction of the number of unexpected failures and, consequently, in financial damages. / Transformadores de potência são dispositivos fundamentais para a operação de sistemas de potência e têm um peso significativo no custo total de uma instalação. Além dos custos de manutenção e substituição, as falhas nos transformadores devem ser levadas em consideração, no sentido de manter tanto a continuidade do fornecimento de energia como os padrões mínimos de qualidade estabelecidos para o insumo energia elétrico, aliado ao equilíbrio financeiro das empresas. Estudos realizados por concessionárias de diversos países deixam evidentes os enormes prejuízos financeiros das empresas do setor elétrico, devido às falhas mecânicas em transformadores. Defeitos provocados pelos esforços mecânicos decorrentes de correntes de curtos-circuitos passantes e correntes de inrush se constituem como importantes causadores de falhas em transformadores. Os esforços adicionais causados nos condutores/bobinas de transformadores, devido ao acréscimo das forças eletromagnéticas resultantes, podem, em alguns casos, vir a reduzir a vida útil de transformadores ou até mesmo provocar a sua perda total. A investigação dos efeitos danosos causados pelos fenômenos mencionados, portanto, torna-se imperativa. Nessa perspectiva, a presente tese tem por objetivo investigar as forças eletromagnéticas e o estresse mecânico resultantes de cor- rentes de curtos-circuitos passantes e correntes de energização que se estabelecem no interior de transformadores. Para alcançar tal propósito, é empregada uma modelagem computacional no domínio do tempo baseada em forças magnetomotrizes e relutâncias magnéticas. Este modelo permite simulações de fenômenos de regime transitório e per- manente, além de possibilitar o acesso às grandezas elétricas, magnéticas e mecânicas. A metodologia é aplicada a dois modelos de transformadores operando em condições nominais e em curto-circuito. Devido às dificuldades de se encontrar publicações que contenham valores de referência para validar a metodologia proposta, os resultados são comparados aos correspondentes obtidos de um tradicional e bem aceito pacote do Método dos Elementos Finitos. Os resultados oriundos das simulações são avaliados em termos do grau de impacto que é provocado nas grandezas utilizadas para aferir os esforços mecânicos a que fica submetido um transformador, quando de sua energização ou na ocorrência de curtos-circuitos passantes. A partir dos esforços mecânicos determinados é apresentada uma proposta de metodologia que estabelece uma correlação entre os fenômenos aqui estudados e o impacto sobre a vida útil de transformadores, que pode auxiliar, de maneira preditiva, na redução do número de falhas inesperadas e, em conseqüência, nos prejuízos financeiros decorrentes. / Doutor em Ciências