Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a new class of nanomaterials to improve the performance and lifespan of grid transformers. These transformers are essential components of the electric grid that are responsible for converting high voltage electricity into lower voltage that can be used by households. The aging transformers are facing increased stress due to factors such as renewable energy sources and extreme weather events like hurricanes and heat waves. By doping conventional cellulose-based paper with high thermal conductivity nanometer and micrometer-sized particles, the researchers were able to enhance the thermal conductivity of the paper, reducing overheating inside transformers.
Using simulations on the Stampede2 supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center, the researchers were able to engineer solutions to prevent overheating in grid transformers. Collaborators at the University of Maryland and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory fabricated the high thermal conductivity paper using nanoparticles of boron nitride. The researchers built a 3D model of a transformer to mimic the actual components and behaviour of a transformer. Through experiments conducted on a transformer powered by UT Austin’s one-megawatt micro grid, they were able to confirm the effectiveness of the new paper in reducing hotspot temperatures inside the transformer.
The results of the study indicated that increasing the thermal conductivity of the paper could reduce hotspot temperatures inside a transformer by 5 to 10 degrees Celsius. This reduction in temperature could potentially double or triple the lifespan of the transformer. The researchers are now planning to test a small-scale transformer prototype with the thermal conducting paper to observe its behaviour in an operating environment with fluctuating loads. This research has the potential to be applied in real-world situations where new transformers could be manufactured with improved thermal insulating paper, and old transformers could be retrofitted with the new paper during routine refurbishment.
The computational challenge of modeling the details inside an actual transformer was overcome by using fine-sized mesh based on finite element methods to accurately estimate temperatures and model conduction through the diffusion heat transfer equation. Stampede2 was instrumental in providing quick results, allowing simulations to be done in minutes or hours instead of days. The ultimate goal of the research is to improve the performance of electronic devices by making them operate cooler and more efficiently. The study was published in the Cell Press journal Heliyon, marking the first time that the impact of high thermal conductivity paper on transformer performance and lifespan has been modeled.
Overall, the research conducted by the University of Texas at Austin has demonstrated the potential to enhance the efficiency and lifespan of grid transformers through the use of high thermal conductivity nanomaterials. By addressing the issue of overheating in transformers, the researchers have paved the way for future advancements in transformer technology that could have a significant impact on the reliability and stability of the electric grid. The application of this research could lead to the development of new transformers with improved thermal insulating paper, as well as the retrofitting of existing transformers during routine maintenance to improve their performance and lifespan.
