Parallel-Winding Voltage Regulator to Reduce Tap Changer Arcing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage regulators in power line substations face issues with excessive wear and tear, arcing, and potential damage due to high current loads, which can lead to equipment failure and reduced lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulator system featuring a transformer assembly with two or more series windings coupled in parallel, each with multiple taps, and two or more tap changer assemblies that allow simultaneous activation of ganged movable contactor elements, reducing current flow through each winding and minimizing arcing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a conventional voltage regulator uses a single transformer winding with high current capacity, then it can handle high power line loads, but the tap changer contacts experience excessive wear and arcing leading to equipment damage
Solution Approach 1:
The single transformer winding is divided into two or more series windings connected in parallel. Each winding handles a portion of the total load current, thereby segmenting the current burden. This segmentation reduces the current through each tap changer contact, minimizing arcing and wear while maintaining the overall power handling capacity of the voltage regulator system.
2Ease of operation
If the tap changer operates frequently to regulate voltage under varying load conditions, then voltage regulation performance is maintained, but the movable contactor elements suffer from increased wear and arcing
Solution Approach 1:
The tap changer assembly is segmented into two or more movable contactor elements, each associated with a separate series winding. Each contactor element handles only a portion of the total current, reducing the severity of arcing during operation. This allows the tap changer to operate frequently for effective voltage regulation while extending the operational life of each individual contactor element.
3Device complexity
If a single series winding is used in the transformer assembly, then the structure is simpler, but the current through the winding causes excessive arcing at the tap changer contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The single series winding is segmented into two or more series windings connected in parallel. This segmentation divides the total current into multiple smaller current paths, reducing the current through each winding and consequently reducing the arcing at the tap changer contacts. The increase in structural complexity is minimal and is offset by the significant reduction in harmful arcing effects.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The parallel coupling of series windings reduces current flow through each winding, minimizing arcing and extending the operational life of the voltage regulator system, while the ganged tap changer mechanism ensures efficient voltage regulation with reduced wear and tear.
Implementation Method 1
The parallel coupling of the two or more series windings automatically splits a power line load current among the two or more series windings, thereby burdening each series winding with only a portion of the power line load current.
Implementation Method 2
The reduction in current flow through each series winding as a result of the parallel coupling of the series windings, reduces or eliminates the amount of arcing that can occur when the movable contactor elements are activated
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosure pertain to a voltage regulator system (600) having a voltage regulation controller (115) and a transformer assembly (650). The transformer assembly (650) includes a coil winding (625), a multi-contact tap arrangement (620) connected to the coil winding (625), and a multifurcated tap changer system (605) that includes a first tap changer (610) having a contactor element (611) which makes contact with a first contact (621) of the multi-contact tap arrangement (620) when the controller (115) provides a positioning stimulus based on sensing a voltage deviation from a nominal output voltage of the voltage regulator system. The multifurcated tap changer system (605) further includes a second tap changer (615) that is mechanically ganged to the first tap changer (610) and includes another contactor element (616) arranged to automatically make contact with a second contact of the multi-contact tap arrangement (620) when the contactor element (611) of the first tap changer (610) makes contact (621) with the first contact of the multi-contact tap arrangement (620).