NUMERICAL MODELLING OF A MULTI-PHYSICAL PROBLEM WITHIN AN ENCAPSULATED THREE-PHASE TRANSFORMER AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Abstract

The paper presents a numerical thermal model of an encapsulated three-phase electrical transformer. The model is based on the multi-physical approach and involves heat transfer analysis coupled with the examination of specific power losses in the coils and the core using electromagnetic field analysis as well as determination of thermal stresses. The thermal boundary conditions (i.e. local heat fluxes) are determined by considering a numerical model of the surrounding air. Additionally, the device is cooled via radiation (from the external walls) and forced convection (a water cooling system). A few different configurations of the cooler and the heat pipes are also analyzed. Moreover, anisotropic material properties were applied for stranded coils and the core. A partial experimental validation of the model has shown that the temperature distribution within the transformer is more realistic and closer to the measurements when compared with the previous analysis limited to heat transfer problems only with uniform internal heat sources and isotropic material properties. The total heat transfer rate indicates that forced convection is the most important heat dissipation mechanism in this model. The significance of the water cooling system has also been established in calculations of crack presence in the model.