Transformers pass severe shake (earthquake) test

The manufacturer of liquid-filled distribution transformers says its transformer designs has withstood rigorous seismic testing performed at an independent engineering testing laboratories. The testing showed that units from Pacific Crest Transformers (PCT) are suitable for mission critical applications, including hospitals, command centers, and generation stations.

The same transformer was subjected to tests simulating six violent earthquakes over two days, each equating to real potential events from different extreme seismic zones of the country. The transformer was energized during the tests. The final two tests simulated the worst potential earthquake in the US – the New Madrid Fault, located under Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, but with the potential to affect an even larger region. In each test, the transformer continued to operate throughout and sustained no internal or external damage. The transformer passed Hi-Pot tests and IEEE Routine tests performed before and after the shake table testing, which showed it withstood the shake tests without diminishing its operational performance.

The testing program was conducted by Wyle, an experienced qualification testing operations which provides services to a wide range of industries, as well as the aerospace and U.S. Department of Defense arenas. PCT conducted the testing at Wyle’s Huntsville, Alabama laboratory, which specializes in testing and qualifying equipment for the energy and nuclear power industries, automotive companies, other high-technology industries, as well as DoD missile, aviation, ground applications, and NASA.

Following the devastating effects of the recent earthquake in Japan, organizations are reviewing their list of assets to ensure that they can withstand the potential for earthquake damage. The company’s transformers feature circular windings that evenly spread radial forces over their circumference and have cooling ducts throughout the coils, eliminating hot spots that lead to premature breakdown and ultimately transformer failure. Coil-end blocking with heavy duty 3-gauge steel bracing and proprietary pressure plates contain the axial forces exerted during a fault condition. These forces can cause telescoping of the coils, shortening transformer life. The innovative design includes round coils, a cruciform, mitered core with heavy-duty clamping and a proprietary pressure plate design, as well as a premium no-load tap changer.

“No one transformer would be expected to experience more than one of these events over its lifetime and PCT’s transformer survived the entire gamut of possible events,” said Curt Collins, Pacific Crest Transformer’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Pacific Crest Transformer

www.Pacificcresttrans.com

Small power transformers handle 5 to 15 MVA

The recent line of small power transformers is customized for use in municipal power substations. The utility-focused smaller power transformers, from Pacific Crest Transformers, Medford, Oregon, are rated from 5 to 15 megavolt-amperes. They are ruggedly built, using disk-wound coils with cruciform miter-cut cores and proprietary 360° cooling ducts. The design improves reliability because it increases the transformer’s capability to handle the axial and radial forces exerted on the transformer during periods of short circuits and heavy loads.

“With our design, each and every turn in the windings is directly in contact with the insulating fluid, improving the transformer’s cooling characteristics, reliability, and thereby reducing its total cost of ownership,” says Pacific Crest Transformer’s VP Tom Steeber. The company welcomes plant visits for those with power-station-transformer requirements.

In addition, the transformers will be on display in booth 622 at the 2010 Northwest Power Association’s Engineering & Operations Conference & Tradeshow, from March 29th to April 2nd, Hotel Murano/Marriott Courtyard in Tacoma, Washington.