ADVERTORIAL

TRANSFORM: unique communication platform around power transformers E xperienced. Networked. Unique – TRANSFORM is a strong network of nine leading European manufacturers in the field of transformer componentry. It was initiated in 1998 at an event at the Forum of the German Museum in Munich. Developed and organized by Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR), this was the first in a series of trade conventions and exhibitions, involving highcaliber suppliers from the transformer industry. The feedback from guests – especially transformer manufacturers and operators – was very encouraging so this series of events has continued to be held on a regular basis. All TRANSFORM activities and events share the same goal of encouraging businesses to share information about the most important components in performance transformers. The events provide an unrivaled communication and meeting platform for global experts and connect people from the transformer industry as well as from utilities or industrial companies.

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Upcoming: TRANSFORM event Vienna

Can modular components simplify the assembly? Do more sensors make more sense? How can the availability of power transformers be improved further? And how to reduce total cost of ownership?

Many questions, the upcoming TRANSFORM event in Vienna from October 1315, 2015 will have some fresh ideas to discuss. For the very first time key component suppliers share their vision of future technologies and innovations around the power transformer with manufacturers and users worldwide. It´s an informative mixture of technical lectures, an exhibition and the future of transformer technology.

TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Volume 2, Issue 3

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ADVERTORIAL

We‘ll present a whole package of exciting concepts and measurable improvements Reinhard Schindler, Marketing Director at Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen, about the upcoming TRANSFORM 2015 in Vienna TM: Mr. Schindler, the motto of TRANSFORM 2015 in Vienna is „Rethinking Transformers Toge­ ther“. That sounds a bit like a techni­ cal revolution. What can visitors to the trade show in Vienna expect? 30

RS: The transformer industry is currently facing excess capacities in transformer factories and huge cost pressures. Due to the slow pace of innovation, most of which has taken place in the manufacturing processes over the last few decades, different­

iation between the manufacturers is low and their products are more or less interchangeable. What was formerly a quality market for power transformers is now increasingly becoming a commodity market. At the same time the general conditions for

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For the premium suppliers of TRANSFORM, reliability and availability of the products they supply are fundamental to their entrepreneurial success in the electricity supply industry TM: What you are aiming to demons­ trate has never been seen before in the industry. How did you arrive at the idea for Transformer 2020 and what approach did you take within the net­ work of TRANSFORM partners?

the electricity suppliers are changing significantly. Redundant configuration of equipment is being questioned more and more for economic reasons. The increasing number of generators using renewable energy sources (DEG) is changing the requirements of equipment such as, for example, the overload capacity of the grid connection point of wind power plants to the grid. The increasing complexity of technical solutions for sensors and monitoring requires additional knowledge combined with ever increasing specialization for which fewer and fewer qualified personnel are available, and these are just a few issues of many. The aim of our technology study was to gain a clearer insight into the challenges faced by our customers, both today and in the future, and identify possible approaches to finding solutions. Therefore we talk even more of evolution rather than revolution. w w w . t ra n sfo r m e r s - m a g a z i n e . co m

RS: At previous TRANSFORM events, customers consistently expressed a wish for us to focus more on innovation. This is why MR set up a FutureLab at TRANSFORM 2013 in Abu Dhabi in which a functional model incorporating our vision for the transformer of the future was presented. This resonated with transformer manufacturers and operators to such a positive extent that the other TRANSFORM partners were persuaded to undertake this technology study with us, with its focus on the innovation potential of the power transformer. Inspired by the Maschine 2020 study which was initiated by Design Tech, an internationally leading company in the area of machine design, we came up with the idea of starting with a technology study, followed by an industrial design concept study and then to present the results at TRANSFORM in Vienna. TM: The TRANSFORM partners are known as premium component sup­ pliers. They are now contemplating power transformers of the future for the first time ever. Do you want to compete with the manufacturers? RS: As suppliers of the essential components, the TRANSFORM partners collectively cover the range of a power transformer. The innovative power of these premium suppliers has now been consolidated for the first time as part of the Transformer 2020 project. We aim to show quality-oriented transformer manufacturers how to clearly set themselves apart from the crowd in the future and therefore also remove at least some of the price pressure they are under.

TM: How have you ensured that the necessary transformer knowledge will also be used? RS: In addition to the technical experts of the TRANSFORM partner companies, for this joint project we have brought on board the recognized knowledge of the Technical Universities of Berlin and Dresden, the University of Stuttgart and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technologies in Aachen, which specializes in manufacturing processes. The results were discussed at length with chosen specialists from transformer manufacturers and operators during interviews as well as at innovation and usability workshops. Industrial designers visualized the ideas and results of the discussions directly at the workshops. TM: Design is one thing, but reliable function, perfect usability, and maxi­ mum availability is what ultimately counts within the tough day-to-day operating environment. How does your concept answer these challenges? RS: For the premium suppliers of TRANSFORM, reliability and availability of the products they supply are fundamental to their entrepreneurial success in the electricity supply industry. These factors must be verified by means of pilot applications and relevant experience in the field before products can go into series production. The significance of product usability is steadily increasing. The increasing number of sensors used to capture data and analyze the operating conditions of the transformer is resulting in ever higher requirements of device operation and interpretation of results. On the operator side on the other hand, the number of experts and experienced employees is dwindling, and this is unlikely to change due to the outsourcing of maintenance and repair jobs. The products of the future should therefore be easy and intuitive to operate. 31

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ADVERTORIAL

We are faced with a number of challenges regarding the reliability, efficiency, condition evaluation and diagnosis, as well as online monitoring of power transformers

TM: Speaking of customer benefits, did you also consult customers when working out ideas for innovations? RS: We went to great lengths to involve customers in every phase of the project. We also took account of the different user groups and their equally diverse requirements. This is why, in addition to transformer computational and design engineers, we have actively involved production and assembly managers, as well as operators‘ managers working in network planning and product specification, asset management, as well as maintenance and service.

We identified ideas to address many of these challenges in every module of the power transformer and put these into practice in the study. In terms of the overall concept, this has led to significant improvements in important parameters such as, for example, power loss, noise emissions and size. TM: Transformer 2020. It sounds as if the innovations being presented will be available to buy in five years time. Is this the case?

TM: The power transformer system is nearly 100 years old. Since then, the technical principles have hardly chan­ ged. Do you think there is still room for meaningful innovations that can bring about measurable benefits for operators and manufacturers?

RS: For the majority of the innovation ideas presented, this is certainly possible. We have intentionally narrowed down the date for potentially launching the ideas presented in the study to between 2016 and 2025. It would certainly be very exciting if we could persuade a transformer manufacturer to build a prototype based on this study, and an electricity supplier to test this prototype in the grid.

RS: We are faced with a number of challenges regarding the reliability, efficiency, condition evaluation and diagnosis, as well as online monitoring of power transformers.

TM: Transformer operators tend to be cautious about fundamental in­ novations to their most important asset, and with good reason. They

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insist on maximum reliability. What reactions do you expect to your new technology concepts? RS: I expect that the need for innovations will vary depending on the application. In the area of medium-power transformers, with low load demand and low average operating temperatures, the focus will be on developing standard designs with a high repetition rate and a dedicated functional scope with high availability and a long service life. As far as the requirements of operators are concerned, the focus will be on reducing maintenance overheads to a minimum, optimizing the maintenance process and thus reducing the training requirements for human resources. In the area of large transformers on the other hand, the trend is towards highly specialized solutions with functions defined for applications in the specific context of the network node, functional integration of options for network-status monitoring, and therefore the need for communication abilities. In this respect, there will be an ever greater need for coordination between transformer builders, network operators and manufacturers of critical components. The main questions facing operators concern usability, especially with regard to incorporation in network-management tools, integration in the asset management strategy established by the operator, maintenance and installation optimization, and training of qualified personnel. Our study includes

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concepts for these requirements. I am however quite certain that some of the ideas will be polarizing. TM: Could it be said that Transformer 2020 is a kind of prototype? In other words, a great deal of what you will be presenting will look different later on or will not even make it onto the market? RS: As with all studies, our aim in regard to Transformer 2020 is to present our ideas to the industry, then evaluate the interest shown by our customers. The

partner companies involved will then decide, based on the response of customers, whether to press on with the research and development projects required to realize the concepts. TM: Now let‘s talk about what you personally think is going to happen in the future. What could a power trans­ former of the future look like and what would be its technical features? RS: As long as the fundamental concept of the power transformer is based on an

iron core and copper wire winding, the scope for innovation will be limited which means we won‘t be seeing a reinvention of the power transformer. Despite this, we have developed fundamentally new concepts that as a whole could result in a transformer which could bring new life to the industry. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose any further details at present. To find out more, you will need to visit us at the Transform event in Vienna. If our study achieves the desired success, I expect the next step would be to re-examine fundamental questions surrounding the transformer principle in cooperation with research institutes, transformer manufacturers, and operators. TM: One final question: What result do the TRANSFORM partners hope to obtain by presenting the new con­ cepts? What impressions should visi­ tors to the event come away with? RS: A whole package of exciting concepts and suggestions, measurable improvements and benefits for OEMs in their added-value chain, and also for operators in terms of operation, maintenance, and service. We would like to inspire our customers with our concepts. We want to jointly discuss and determine how we could further pursue development together with users and manufacturers.

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ADVERTORIAL

Transform Partners – a unique network of leading global suppliers in the field of power transformers

The Reinhausen Group The Reinhausen Group is active in the field of power engineering and is composed of the Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen (MR) located in Regensburg and more than 20 subsidiaries spread all around the world. MR’s core business is the regulation of power transformers. This is achieved primarily by using on-load tap-changers that adjust the turn ratio of the primary and secondary windings to the changing load ratios and together with other innovative products and services ensure the failure-free supply of power. HIGHVOLT Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH, a subsidiary of MR, is a global leader in high voltage test systems and measurement equipment with an export share of about 90 percent. HIGHVOLT develops and manufactures systems and equipment for testing devices used to transfer electrical energy, such as transformers, cables, and switchgears. They also furnish research and educational institutions with their systems and equipment.

HSP Hochspannungsgeräte GmbH & Trench Bushing Group The bushing group provides a wide range of bushing products including bushings for power transformers and HVDC transmission. The portfolio includes resin impregnated paper bushings (RIP) up to 1200 kV, oil impregnated paper bushings (OIP) up to 1200 kV and SF6-gas bushings up to 1200 kV. Their technologies have been successfully in service for more than 60 years now and with more than 650 employees the bushing group operates globally from their production and sales locations in Troisdorf (Germany), St. Louis (France), Toronto (Canada) and Shenyang (China).

As the world’s leading supplier of transformer oils for more than 30 years, we know how important the right oil is for transformer performance. In fact, we know almost as much about transformers as we do about the insulating oil that goes into them. That’s why we offer the market’s widest portfolio of products and services, allowing us to provide solutions for all operating conditions. And thanks to our global presence, we can also provide support with knowledge, recommendations and world-class logistics.

As a family-owned company, the KREMPEL-GROUP is an independent manufacturer of high-quality semi-finished products and a leading global system supplier of electrical insulations. For the transformer industry we offer composite materials for dry-type transformers as well as pressboard and presspaper for oil-filled transformers. Especially for power transformer insulation we produce our proven pre-compressed POWERBOARD AK.

Röchling Engineering Plastics KG is an international leader in the production and machining of engineering plastics. Products for the transformer industry include semi-finished materials and machined components made from Glastic® and Durostone® glass fiber reinforced plastics, Lignostone® Transformerwood® laminated densified wood, and the new Trafoboard®, a laminated pressboard with excellent electrical properties.

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GEA Heat Exchangers offers probably the largest portfolio worldwide with different kind of heat exchangers. GEA Renzmann & Grünewald GmbH – a member of GEA Heat Exchangers – has been successfully manufacturing heat exchangers and other process equipment for more than 60 years. The company‘s wide range of products and services includes the product line Transformer Cooling Systems, providing Transformer Air Coolers, Transformer Water Coolers and Transformer Pumps for Transformer Oil Cooling applications.

PFISTERER ThyssenKrupp Electrical Steel

Röchling Engineering Plastics KG

OMICRON is an international company serving the electrical power industry with innovative testing and diagnostic solutions. Our primary testing systems support customers in commissioning, maintenance and testing of power, current and voltage transformers, rotating machines, circuit breakers, grounding systems and cable impedances. Our secondary testing systems offer solutions for testing protection relays, energy meters and transducers.

GEA Renzmann & Grünewald GmbH KREMPEL-GROUP

Nynas AB

OMICRON

ThyssenKrupp Electrical Steel produce and sell PowerCore®, a complete range of high quality grain oriented electrical steel products. They are one of the leading companies in the overall electrical steel business and are always in the move to expand their global market presence as well as improve the technical and market performance. PowerCore® grain oriented electrical steel is a highly sophisticated soft-magnetic core material. Both in laminated and in wound cores PowerCore® electrical steel grades increase the efficiency of power and distribution transformers - minimize core closes, reduce noise emissions and it is so energyefficient that it is now possible to build considerably smaller transformers with the same power output.

PFISTERER specializes in connection elements and systems for low, medium, high and extra high voltage networks. The company has also established itself as a key player on the international market with customized package solutions for public and industrial power supply systems. PFISTERER gave the power transformer plug-in capabilities. Whether they are cable or overhead line connections, test fixtures, or surge arresters: All PFISTERER transformer components utilize the same universal dry plug-in connector sockets of the CONNEX system. This allows for a high level of flexibility in design, commissioning, and use of the transformers. In addition PFISTERER offers all of the necessary connection elements for distribution transformers, and also voltage detection and indicating devices as well as grounding and short-circuiting materials. PFISTERER operates globally and always in your vicinity. With distribution companies and sales agencies in 19 nations, PFISTERER always stays in close contact with its customers.

TRANSFORMERS MAGAZINE | Volume 2, Issue 3