Transformer Population & Efficiency Levels

in the Italian Market

Francesco Colla ANIE Federazione Nazionale Imprese

Elettrotecniche ed Elettroniche

The Distribution Transformer Sector is part of the largest industrial compartment of investment goods and its market is roughly split in two equal parts as follows :

•Utilities (ENEL, Local utilities..)

•Private market (Industries, Public services..)

The utilities privilege the concept of quality whereas the private market is exclusively oriented on low prices and short delivery terms.

Due to the decrease in the ENEL demand in the past 3 years (-30%)

The Italian manufacturers are approximately 70 (about 15 are homologated ENEL suppliers) and they cover quite completely the national need.

The total number of employers are about 2500 (including sub-suppliers), with a consolidated revenue of 300 Billion Itl/year.

Due to the decrease in the ENEL demand in the past 3 years (-30%) they are compensating by expanding towards the foreign market and, regardless of this, we register a loss in occupation of 30 % (about 800 people)

Distribution transformers are among the most important components of distribution network and have high influence on

the continuity and quality of service.

The power of Distribution Transformers ranges from

50 to 2500 kVA.

The transformer active part is composed by:

•Magnetic core

•Copper or aluminium windings

•Insulating medium (oil or resin)

The percentage of oil immersed Distribution Transformer over the total population today, is about 80 %.

Magnetic corePrimary

windingSecondary winding

Production System

The transformer type production range (power and efficiency) is very vast. Therefore is not convenient for the manufacturers to invest in standard automation.

Consequently manufacturers possess equipment and machinery necessary to produce the many types of transformers.

This construction implies a high number of qualified workmanship.

Distribution Transformers Population Analysis

At present Distribution Transformer population in Italy implies about 600.000 units as indicated in the below table

Presently about 430.000 transformers (260.000 Private plus 170.000 Utilities) have higher losses than that indicated on Standard CEI 14-13 Table B Reduced Losses.

Besides a part of them is polluted by PCB

TransformersN°

Average unit powerkVA

Total PowerMVA

Utilitiesstandard losses

170.000 250 42.500

Utilitiesreduced losses

170.000 630 42.500

Privatehigh losses

260.000 163.800

Total 600.000 248.800

CEI 14-13 Table AStandard losses

CEI 14-13 Table BReduced lossesRated

PowerkVA

No loadlosses

WList A’

Loadlosses

WList A

Soundlevel

dB(A)

No loadlosses

WList B’

Loadlosses

WList C

Soundlevel

dB(A)

50 190 1100 55 150 850 46100 320 1750 59 250 1400 48160 460 2350 62 360 1850 50250 650 3250 65 520 2600 52400 930 4600 68 740 3650 54630 1300 6500 70 900 5600 561000 1700 10500 73 1330 9000 581600 2600 17000 76 2090 13000 602000 3200 22000 79 2400 16000 622500 3800 26500 81 3040 21000 64

List A’, A, B’ and C, are in line with the losses indicated in the tables of CENELEC Document HD 428.1 S1

In particular the List C of load losses has the lowest values, and for no-load losses exist the List C’ with values reduced by about 20% in comparison with List B’

Taking in to account the recommendation of the Kyoto protocol, ANIE evaluated among others the possible opportunities that the transformer manufacturers may achieve.

By substituting the above 430.000 transformers having standard and high losses with transformer with reduced losses, the energy saving is about 2.000.000 MWh that, taking into account a ratio coefficient between energy and mass of about 0,5, means 1.000.000 t of CO2 , with a reduction of about 0,23% of the total emission calculated in Italy in 1990 (438 Mt).

Since the market is price-oriented and unfortunately not yet total cost-oriented.

It is necessary to give incentives to the market, and impose by law adequate regulations.

The lack of economic incentives to the market will render the substitution of the present population very slow (about 30/40 years).

Otherwise the efficiency improvement is useless in the near future.