)

I} 2,000,000-r va AIranstormer tore

Tr *

W. C. SEALEY
FELLOW AIEE

stead of a single lamination. A 1/2inch core duct is provided in the center of

layers such as shown in Figure 2 in which the width is made of two laminations in-

is

Synopsis: The largest 60-cycle transformer core ever made now is in successful operation on a 300,000,000-volt betatron. If this core were used for an oil immersed power transformer, windings for continuous operation at 2,000,000 kva could be placed on it. Construction of this core is a demonstration of the feasibility of constructing transformers many times as large as those now being built. The advantages of larger transformers are lower cost per kilovoltampere and less loss per kilovolt-ampere transformed resulting in higher efficiency. The present limitation in the size of transformers is shipping clearances. When transformers larger than those which can be shipped are needed, they can be constructed by assembling them in the field using construction and methods similar to those employed for this large core.

ages, the greatest number having been constructed in the 20,000,000-to 25,000,olt range, alwhich flow lthough units of lower 000-v and higher voltage also have been made. This 300,000,000-volt betatron at the University of Illinois is by far the largest and highest voltage betatron which has

the core for cooling. Air at high pressure forced through the core duct in order to keep the operating temperature of the core low. In a transformer core the eddy cur-

between sheets are rents limited by the interlamination resistance. In ordinary size cores it is feasible to make the interlamination resistance sufficiently high so that this current is negligible. However, the per cent loss caused by this current increases as the square of linear dimensions of the core. In addition, in this particular core the by voltage produced b the flux change is prodce hlu x changei twice its normal value. This occurs because the flux in the core is biased in a negative direction by direct current applied to a winding on the core. The re-

been constructed. The main magnet of this betatron is the core of a shell-type transformer. It was designed by power transforner engineers and erected in the field under the supervision of transformei fie n en supemes.otage erection engineers,

Construction
The main core of this betatron is a shell-type transformer core of 0.014-inch thick silicon steel of transformer grade having a stack height of 75 inches, a length of 280'/2 inches, and a height of 154 inches. Including the end frames, the dimensions are 287 inches long by 196 inches wide by 212 inches high. The total weight of 0.014-inch thick (29 gauge) transformer steel in the completed core is 575,000 pounds. The core was stacked with the planes of the laminations horizontal as a matter of convenience using temporary bracing to support the core. In its final position the planes of the laminations are vertical, in which position the laminations have ample strength to be self-supporting. The main core of the betatron is the core of a shell-type transformer. Because of its large size and weight, departures from conventional construction commonly used for transformer cores were necessary. The changes which were made are typical of the changes which are aplcable to larg oe transformer
T

I made to date was constructed for a 300,000,000-volt betatron. Since the core operates at 60 cycles, the mechanical and electrical construction used is tvpical of the construction required for a 60-cycle power transformer core of the same physical size. The size of power transformer cores is normally limited by the requirement that they be shipped from factory to destination by railroad. The size and weight of this particular core was far beyond the possibilities of rail shipment and, consequently, it was assembled and erected in the field. A betatron is a high-voltage transformer in which the primary winding is a wound transformer coil and the secondary winding is a stream of electrons flowing around in a circle inside of a doughnut-shaped porcelain vaculum tube. Other betatrons have been built for lower voltformers Committee and approved by the AIEE the AIEE Winter General Meeting, New York,

THE largest 60-cycle

transformer

core

Paper 5i1-2, recommended by the AIEE TransTechnical Program Committee for presentation at

apirepwrtgtndpesr the core iron. cores.

sult is a rate of flux change which is twice the normal rate for a 60-cycle core since the change from maximum negative to maximum positive flux density occurs in half the time of that of a 60-cycle transformer core. To keep these stray currents at a low value, sheets of 5-mil paper were inserted every t14 inch of core stack in the core to give the effect of a large number of small cores instead of one large core this construction each individual section acts like a small individual core and the losses in it are not affected by the voltages in the remaining sections. The steel of the core is clamped between end frames which hold the core in position and provide a mounting for the auxiliary cores of the betatron similar to the mounting which would be necessary for clamping the coils of a power transformer. The end frames are clamped together by the use of tie bolts and jack bolts as shown in Figure 3. These bolts are tgendto apply the desired prsueto

eith

As with other large cores

facturinlgCompany, Milwaukee, Wis.

8

November 3, 1950. s W. C. SEALEY is with the Allis-Chalmers Manu-

N. Y., January 22-26, 1951. Manuscript submitted October 2, 1950; made available for printing

Te largest punching size required was 47 inches wide and 107 inches long. Bethe . .. ~~~~~~~~cause core steel was available in only .. . . 30-inch wide coils, the core is made in

it iS desirable to avoid the use of bolts through the core iron. Such through bolts must be insulated and are a potential source of trouble if the insulation be-

Sealey-A 2,OOO,OOO-Kva Transformer Core

AJEE TRANSACTIONS

Figure 1 (left). A 300,000,000-volt betatron core Figure 2 (above). Core construction showing one layer oF
958
-154" CORE HEIGHT-----

laminations

,I;,__I 8a_

117"

r--

60'OPENING

__

~__
--' IF~~~~~~--

_=
TI

___S

4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

FLOOR LEVEL DURING STACKING

Sealey-A Trans F951, VOLUME F0 Us

F F

Figure 3. End view of 300,000,000-volt betotron 184" TRAVELFOR TURNING ,

erC
I

IF
F~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4

~ ~ 30

TEMPOARY SPPORT-F iWHILE STACKING

i~~~~~~~~~~~li
I

191,VLUF,7

igue3 En vieto-30--400vol btaro

FLOOR LEVEL DURING STACKING~~~~~~~~~~~~~~F

Sele

14-TRAELF-R-URIN
rasore

2 F F0 F0Kv

Cr

2878

8~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
--I --

4--

+
--

+
--

4-

-.-

- -

-----

l,',

ill

I,= I

114"

_ INa8

->-I-14

Fo eaein osrcin h oews Iiiewtthpaeoteltiain 4. Side with the laminations supFigurehorizontal,view of 300,000,000-volt betatron

wudntb

ifcl odvlpasmlr

meho are normnally made with heavry position oftrigoe orpaete conventional riggingmeans. lifting equipment such as overhead
cranes.

damaged and breaks down. In addition, core bolts involve the mechanical difficulty of punching holes in the laminations and keeping them lined up in core material which is never perfectly
comes

flat. These difficulties increase as the size of the core is increased , and are avoided by the use of the combination of outside rockers remained as a part of the tie bolts and jack bolts. The type of end frame. tion,4.Sd.vewo 3itO,O I The aresar spectacular withe over construction used is applicable to power postio rathernorall madeturningheav transformner cores much larger in size operation was accomplished by the usual the uncingsbe adevertcalreqcraneThs. e tamabloecolsdfo than the one constructed. dhown. nTo- avoidclthwer Since the center of the rigging means. trnessityrfor.Dsuchs 9 comesin damaedandirboreak rocker was placed at approximately the b the ate bendframe, sou of the theior no great chans.Ical dificutyofyunchin holges in p center of gravity thafti unit, coul ad e Erection force was necessary for this operation. It

To avoid the necessity for such equipment, rockers were made a part of the end frame, so that the core could be stacked flat in the usual position and rolled to the upright position after assembly. The center rocker was removred after moving the core to position, but the

tainable varies with the voltage of the winding of the transformer. The kilovoltamperes obtainable varies from 2,100,000 kvra at 15 kv to 1,200,000 kva for a 230-kv transfornmer. As would be expected the highest kilovolt-amperes are obtained with the lowest voltage rating because of the better insulation space factor at the lower voltage rating. A 2,000,000-kva single-phase transformner is as wofuFigue arane hpotte bee tuhe curves far larger than any unith which has been built. vaie with thevlneoltage ofnthe n iue However, The wiondigo the construction of such vetheastransomr kaiailovolt-c a unit is entirely practicable by fabricate 15 v f e00kv aupotig the e12000d performing the parts inkvt factory and ormaon ing the assembly work in the field. The

showing

cntuto fti oedmntae tepatcblt Ifasmln curve of Figure 5 has been plotted the heaviest how which is the core in part the~~I the

kilovolt-amperes ob--

tiot0 adjc bls

h ty

ef o

end fAme

2,000000-kva CrAIET NS TIOS sigephsTransformer

2,000,00

1,800,000-i

1-1800,0001,400,000--

1,200,000--

000,000 0

20

40

60

80 100 120 140 160 180 WINDING VOLTAGE- KILOVOLTS

200 220 240

ing for the coils. In order to provide the maximum mechanical strength for the coils, it is desirable to wind such large coils on a circular mold, so that the resulting coil is a circular disk, maximum strength for winding, assembling, and to resist short-circuit stresses, The most desirable procedure would be to assemble the coils and insulation in the factory either in a single group or in more than one group with the required insulation. In the field the coils would be put tion.In fid core be pt in place and thethe built into the coils, The tank could be made in sections th

Figure 5 (above). Variation of kilovolt-amperes obtainable in betatron core with winding voltage Figure 6 (right). Typical core and coil construction for a 2,000,000kcva power transformer struction employed would be similar to that employed for the betatron but modified to provide the necessary clamp-

sln adtorengtshor-ici thace

providinggreater construction of a 60-cycle The

Conclusions

Altliough the cost of field erection on a

coreuils wtou

transformer core sufficiently large for a 2,000,000-kva transformer demonstrates the practicability of building transformer cores several times the size of those now being used for power transformers. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of the construction used to secure electrical and mechanical performance in a large

than that of factory construction, the saving in weight and the improvement in efficiency inherent in a larger unit for transforming a given kilovolt-ampere, may at some future date make the construction of transformers much larger than can be procedure. shipped by rail an economical

thnthtrfeatoysostucins

gether after the core and coils had been assembled and turned into position. The tank would be constructed to withstand full vacuum to facilitate dryout after completion. The disadvantages of such a large transformer are, of course, the large investment contained in a single unit together with difficulties of providing associated equipment for the circuits. The advantages of such a unit are the increased efficiency and decrease in weight obtainable. For example, the losses of a 2,000,000-kva unit would be half of the losses of 16 125,000-kva transformers to transmit the same amount of power. The weight of material required for the 2,000,000-kva transformer would be half of the material required for construction of 16 125,000-kva units. This does not mean that the cost of the 2,000,000-kva unit would be half that of the 16 units but with proper erection techniques, the saving in cost should be substantial.

astrgetasthosformersmal tisei as large as those now being made.

3

core. It demonstrates the practicability of constructing transformers several times

lX___
1

I_l___l l
0.4

0.

0.6

0.3

- - -r - - - - - - r l lll lll_l - -l
l

AI

ll

0.2z

- - -

____l
500,000

o0.

10,000

l- - - 50,000 100,000

I
1,000,000
4,000,000

KVA RATING

Figure 7. Typical variation of transformer loss and weight, with transformer size

1951, VOLUME 70

Sealey-A 2,000,000-Kva Transformer Core

11